This was a decent read. A good, YA that wasn’t too cheesy, and had interesting characters, with good humor. The plot was a little anticlimatic, drama for the sake of plot, a little suspension of belief in order to enjoy the conflict and resolution, but still able to stay invested.

Great representation boom. I feel like I got a better insight into what some people go through that I have not had to experience and it's really eye opening.

It was alright.
But it was also a bit so and so. I did not like their chemistry togeter though.
But apart they were interesting and i really enjoyed Mari, though Jase was a bit annoying.

It was such a treat to get to spend more time with these characters, truly. I loved Mari from the first story, and getting to see her own life, her own struggles, and her own love was a real blessing. As someone who struggles with my own disability--and has struggled, since I was young, it's so refreshing to see it spoken about so plainly, so openly, and not wrapped up in the usual BS.

Great Representation! I think that students with Cancer are not well presented in books. So it is great to see a another book with it!

I received an e-arc copy of Finding Balance by Kati Gardner through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book a little while ago and I wanted to give myself some time to think through how I felt about this book and write a review that was as honest as it can be.

I'm starting this review by saying how much this story is needed. We often read stories about kids having cancer, or life threatening illnesses and how their life is affected by that, and that is okay those books are awesome representation.

Gardner did an amazing job creating this world and characters, the challenges these two teenagers face are not ordinary in any way and she makes it so easy to understand and relate to what the Mari and Jase are feeling. They feel and read so real is easy to picture yourself in the characters shoes.

Finding Balance is all about that, finding balance, a balance with your past, present and how your future will turn out. I completely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys real life situations, romance, drama and hopeful endings.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. A cute romantic teen book about two kids who know each other from camp and are soon going to school together.

I was provided with a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a more lighthearted read than I expected, but it still explored a difficult topic: teens hiding important parts of themselves to fit in, and having to learn who their true friends are. Not a super complex read, but one I’d definitely consider adding to any middle school bookshelf!

FINDING BALANCE is a YA contemporary romance that follows Mari and Jase. Mari had osteogenic sarcoma when she was 10 and had a complete amputation of a leg as a result. She was left without any residual tissue, which makes a prosthesis uncomfortable and challenging. As a result, pretty much everyone notices her disability right away and pries into her life. When her public school says that she must use a wheelchair or prosthesis instead of her crutches, Mari is shocked- what they are asking would make her life so much more difficult and is completely unfair.

Her parents find another solution, enrolling her in a private school on scholarship, where they are willing to be more accommodating. Mari is excited to see that her almost-kiss friend from Camp Chemo attends the same school, but she is shocked when he ignores her and pretends not to know her. He tells her that he doesn't want anyone to know that he ever had cancer, so he pretended not to know her. He also allows his friends to say horrible things about her- even in her hearing range. Despite all of this, Mari is understanding and willing to accept his apology. However, things may not be so simple.

I really enjoyed learning about Mari and what life can be like with a visible disability- as well as how cruel people can be and the horrible (and untrue) things they can say. The author has a similar story, and so, this book is quite educational to the reader as to this experience, and highly valuable as a read for teens.

The romance was tough to buy into, as Jase is really cruel to Mari in quite a large portion of the book. We do get context on why he has such strong fears about this (past bullying), which is helpful if you are inclined to forgive. I think Mari deserves so much better, but this is a personal opinion. I loved Mari- she felt so real. I also appreciated the conversations both characters had with their parents, that provide some learning opportunities and well-thought-out epiphanies.

As a small point, I did get confused during some of the book with regards to the characters, as there are a lot (and parents are sometimes, but not always, referred to by their first names), but this may have been because I did not read the first book in the series. About halfway through, I was having an easier time following who was who.

Overall, I think this is a great read, not for the romance, but for the strong story of Mari, her experiences and the way that people treat her. Viewing the world through her lens (and the author's) is a valuable experience.

This is such a good book tbh. I love how they have portrayed the characters and how this cancer patients' lives be like after they have survived the illness or whether they lived a normal life or if they got their illness back. That is something we seldom see on books. The idea of a chemo camp is really nice to know. A place that cancer patients are treated equality than being in the normal camps.

My favorite thing about this book is that everything about it feels real. The main character struggles with real issues and handles them in a very real way. Kati’s supporting characters are just as full of life as her main characters and add such a level of depth to the narrative. I could feel the connection in the friendships and romantic arc with every page I turned.

This book just wasn't for me. Or wasn't for me when I picked it up. I might give it a go in the future but at the moment it wasn't what I needed. The characters were interesting though and I think when I am more in the mood to read it, I will enjoy it a whole lot more.

I received a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Finding Balance
By: Kati Gardner

REVIEW ☆☆☆☆

Although I do not share the same disorders portrayed in Finding Balance, I am a disabled person with a rare disorder. Does a person forever become their diagnosis, for example, the girl with cancer, even after treatment is done? Does a disability define a disabled person? I think the answer is yes. This story is about balancing who you are with who you want to be and overcoming the label of disability. I appreciate and admire the hope and optimism shown by these characters, but I don't agree with it. A true disability is isolating, and the label is permanent. Despite my misgivings, the story is good. Agree to disagree I guess!

This book took me back to my favorite stories written by Author lurlene McDaniel, in the way that we are seeing teens dealing with real life pain. Teens having to be tougher than adults sometimes. I love this book and I would read more by this author. I had moments of real heartbreaking tears with this book, but in such a good way.

I really enjoyed this book and found it highlighted childhood cancer in a new and interesting light. The characters of Jase and Mari were well developed and I liked seeing their relationship happen. I just liked how they were both trying not to be their cancer diagnosis even though they were still dealing with the after affects of it. I highly recommend this book if you want something that is light but still has depth.

Thank you netgalley for a chance to read this. This hit close to home as I know many loved ones who have been affected by cancer. This was a beautifully written story & I look forward to reading more from this author.

This #ownvoices novel brings to light the subtle ableism that premeates in society today. It talked a little about the expenses needed when facing a chronic condition. Honestly, the book doesn't necessarily focus on the romance between Mari and Jason (Jase). There was a lot of that in there, don't get me wrong but it wasn't the main subject of Finding Balance. It was about living with a disability. It's about the simple challenges that people with a disability and cancer face. It really opened my eyes. It made me much more sensitive to these issues. In the middle of this awakening movement that the world and mainly USA is going through. This is definitely a book to read.

Thank you to Flux Books for sending me an ARC via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 stars.
I want to start off this review by saying that I have never experienced anything like what Mari and Jason have had to go through. I do not have the same experiences as these characters, and I would ask that people try to prioritize Own Voices reviews over my own.
Mari Manos is a cancer survivor. This is something that is a big part of her life, particularly because of her amputation. Not only is Mari a cancer survivor, but she is a disabled person. Mari possesses so much strength, and I really admired the character and the way that she lived her life the way she wanted to. Mari doesn’t want to use a prosthetic because it’s uncomfortable, but situations and people keep pushing her towards feeling like it’s something she has to do. This was a totally new perspective to me, and I found it really interesting. I got so annoyed and angry on Mari’s behalf while reading this because of the comments that people made and the way that she was treated.
Jason Ellison is a cancer survivor, but none of his friends at school know. Jase had cancer when he was a young kid, and he barely remembers it himself. When Mari shows up at Jase’s school, Jase reacts pretty badly. Mari and Jase go to Camp Chemo together in the summers, and Jase doesn’t want his friends to know that he and Mari know each other. While trying to figure out a balance to both sides of his life, Jase has to come to terms with something he doesn’t really remember, but that might come back to remind him.
This is a contemporary YA book, and so the plot feels like it’s on the lower-energy side but I still found it to be really interesting. A pretty character-driven story, the relationships between the characters, and the interactions were what was furthering the story. I really enjoyed the romance between Mari and Jase, and I liked the back-and-forth nature (even though it was so frustrating!) because it felt realistic for the characters and the situations.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one, and I think everyone should check it out because it highlights a disabled perspective in a way that I haven’t seen often in the wider umbrella of YA.
Content warnings: sick kids (we’re talking about cancer survivors here. There will be mention of others, and of various treatments that they went through), mentions of drug abuse.

**Check out my review on my bookstagram page (Alli_the_bookaholic13) TOMORROW [September 30} :)

Happy Book Birthday to this adorable YA Contemporary!

Mari is a cancer survivor and when she refuses to get a prosthetic leg to help her improve her mobility she is forced to enroll at a new school. As she begins adjusting to the new school and all the rumors circulating about what happened to her leg she finds herself avoiding Jace, the boy from Chemo Camp she's had a crush on. Mari doesn't let her disability define her. She makes every effort to do things for herself with little help from others. There are some girls in this new school that bully her a little which was disheartening but you quickly realize that it is more due to their ignorance of Mari's disability. Despite all the rumors around her she takes the time to educate her fellow students about how childhood cancer affected her and her family.

Jace hasn't told anyone about having cancer when he was three years old. He doesn't remember it so why should everyone know about his previous diagnosis? It isn't until Mari, the girl from Chemo Camp, shows up at his school one day does he realize his secret may not be a secret for long. Jace doesn't want people to define him as the boy who survived cancer so he keeps it a secret. Seeing Mari unafraid of what others think of her starts to make him realize that maybe not everyone would judge him for having been sick when he was younger.

The hate to love, secret dating, relationship between Mari and Jace was really good in this one! Both of them deal with their diagnosis and remissions in different ways. Mari isn't afraid to talk about her experiences while Jace tries his best to keep his a secret. Both are trying to find their balance.

I really enjoyed this fast paced YA Contemporary Romance & definitely recommend it to lovers of YA Contemporary! I will definitely be picking up Brave Enough because this one was so much fun!

Mari Manos has been forced into a new school. At her old school, she was told not to use crutches anymore, that a prosthetic or a wheelchair was safer. However, a prosthetic would be uncomfortable for her, and a wheelchair would only get her more grief from her classmates. Mari already survived bone cancer and lost a leg because of it, so why should she be forced to give up the freedom that crutches give her? After enrolling in her new private school, she is excited to see somebody she knows from Camp Chemo, Jase Ellison. Unfortunately, Jase pretends he doesn't know her, because even though he survived leukemia as a toddler, he doesn't want anybody to know he's a cancer survivor. Mari wishes she could hide her history with cancer too, but with all the mean things her classmates are saying, and Jase wanting nothing to do with her, how can she find a normal life that doesn't revolve around her past with cancer?

Right off the bat, I want to say that I think Finding Balance is a very personal work for the author, Kati Gardner, because both Mari and Kati are survivors of cancer who lost a leg in their fight with it. I imagine that many of Mari's struggles and internal thoughts in this story carry at least some similarities to Kati's own real-life struggles in the aftermath of surviving cancer, and understanding these facts helped Finding Balance to resonate more strongly with me than it might have otherwise. I found much of the story to be sad, in the sense that children can be so cruel, and fear is such an awful motivating force for cruelty. I did like that Jase's actions, while mean at first, did have a reason behind them that related to a bad experience of his in the past. Mari is a really great character who just wants to be normal and accepted, even with all that has happened to her, and her internal dialogue and interactions with family members was a highlight for me. Jase and Mari do start to find some balance (see what I did there?) between them as they acclimate to both of them being at the same school, and I liked seeing that happen. Kati Gardner has created a personal, powerful work that I really appreciated for its unique perspective and internal insights, and I'd love to read more books like it. Finding Balance is an important book about perception, fear, the impact of medical trauma on the mind and body, and moving beyond that to a life that balances the bad that happened in the past with the good that is possible now, even if others try to assign their own feelings and expectations to your experience. Highly recommended.