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Brave Enough #2
Finding Balance
Jase Ellison doesn’t remember having Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia when he was three years old. His cancer diagnosis only enters his mind twice a year. Once at his yearly checkup at the oncology clinic and when he attends Camp Chemo in the summer. No one in his “real” life knows about his past, especially his friends at Atlanta West Prep.
Mari Manos has never been able to hide her cancer survivorship. She wakes every morning, grabs her pink forearm clip crutches, and starts her day. Mari loves Camp Chemo—where she’s developed a healthy crush on fellow camper Jase. At Camp, she knows that she’ll never get “the look” or have to explain her amputation to anyone.
Jase wants to move on, to never reveal his past. But when Mari transfers to his school, he knows she could blow his cover. That’s the last thing he wants, but he also cannot ignore his attraction to her. For Mari, she only wants to be looked at like a girl, a person, and not only known for her disability. But how do you move on from cancer when the world won’t let you?
Mari Manos has never been able to hide her cancer survivorship. She wakes every morning, grabs her pink forearm clip crutches, and starts her day. Mari loves Camp Chemo—where she’s developed a healthy crush on fellow camper Jase. At Camp, she knows that she’ll never get “the look” or have to explain her amputation to anyone.
Jase wants to move on, to never reveal his past. But when Mari transfers to his school, he knows she could blow his cover. That’s the last thing he wants, but he also cannot ignore his attraction to her. For Mari, she only wants to be looked at like a girl, a person, and not only known for her disability. But how do you move on from cancer when the world won’t let you?
337 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2020
9 people are currently reading
763 people want to read
About the author
Kati Gardner
3 books95 followersKati is a recovering actor who has spent the last few years keeping tiny humans alive. In high school she was determined to play a doctor on General Hospital and possibly add in a love story with Jonathan Jackson. She would spend hours toiling away on FanFiction for my AOL community and dreaming of the day she would accept a Daytime Emmy Award. In college she majored in Theater arts and spent lots of time hanging out in the box office.
Before any of that happened though, Kati had cancer. She was eight. She responded to chemotherapy and had an amputation of her entire left leg. She still advocates for childhood cancer research and accessibility for all individual with disabilities.
Kati is married, has two great girls, and a posse of furry friends. She doesn't watch General Hospital anymore, but still thinks that Lucky Spencer is one of the most dynamic characters ever written.
Before any of that happened though, Kati had cancer. She was eight. She responded to chemotherapy and had an amputation of her entire left leg. She still advocates for childhood cancer research and accessibility for all individual with disabilities.
Kati is married, has two great girls, and a posse of furry friends. She doesn't watch General Hospital anymore, but still thinks that Lucky Spencer is one of the most dynamic characters ever written.
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August 18, 2020
Thank you to the Favourite Pages Club and Flux Books for sending me an ARC of Finding Balance in exchange for an honest review.
Mari Manos and Jase Ellison are both cancer survivors. Mari can’t hide that fact because it took one of her legs, and Jase hides his past from everyone. Both have attended Camp Chemo, a summer camp for kids fighting cancer, and love it.
But when Mari transfers to Jase’s school, she could bring his carefully built image down. Will they both be able to move on?
Finding Balance follows the separate lives of Mari and Jase as they journey to accept themselves and their pasts. It is an emotional story with realistic characters and a unique plot, and transported me into the world of Mari and Jase almost instantly.
Mari lost her leg during her fight with bone cancer, and has struggled to move on ever since. How can she, when she looks at herself everyday, and her missing leg reminds her of all that she’s lost?
I enjoyed her story, and I really felt Mari’s thoughts and feelings, from her fierce anger to her many worries. She was a relatable character, and I liked reading as she learned and grew.
Jase, on the other hand, I did not like as much. He was inexplicably rude to Mari at the start. I could see why he wanted to hide his past from everyone, but he could be such a jerk at times. In the end, he redeemed himself to me and showed that he was a good person deep down.
To sum it up, Finding Balance was a sweet, heartfelt read that is all about creating balance in your life, being ourselves, and moving on. The plot was well-paced, but some parts dragged on, and it was predictable, but I still loved the characters. I hope to read more from Gardner soon!
Check out my blog for more information on the blog tour!
Mari Manos and Jase Ellison are both cancer survivors. Mari can’t hide that fact because it took one of her legs, and Jase hides his past from everyone. Both have attended Camp Chemo, a summer camp for kids fighting cancer, and love it.
But when Mari transfers to Jase’s school, she could bring his carefully built image down. Will they both be able to move on?
Finding Balance follows the separate lives of Mari and Jase as they journey to accept themselves and their pasts. It is an emotional story with realistic characters and a unique plot, and transported me into the world of Mari and Jase almost instantly.
Mari lost her leg during her fight with bone cancer, and has struggled to move on ever since. How can she, when she looks at herself everyday, and her missing leg reminds her of all that she’s lost?
I enjoyed her story, and I really felt Mari’s thoughts and feelings, from her fierce anger to her many worries. She was a relatable character, and I liked reading as she learned and grew.
Jase, on the other hand, I did not like as much. He was inexplicably rude to Mari at the start. I could see why he wanted to hide his past from everyone, but he could be such a jerk at times. In the end, he redeemed himself to me and showed that he was a good person deep down.
To sum it up, Finding Balance was a sweet, heartfelt read that is all about creating balance in your life, being ourselves, and moving on. The plot was well-paced, but some parts dragged on, and it was predictable, but I still loved the characters. I hope to read more from Gardner soon!
Check out my blog for more information on the blog tour!
October 19, 2020
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Deemed a risk due to her refusal to utilize a prosthetic or other mobility aid, Mari was forced to enroll at another school. There, she was reunited with her Camp Chemo crush, but he was less than enthusiastic about her presence.
• Pro: I adored Mari in Brave Enough and was really happy she got her own book. She managed to make herself memorable in the last book, and it was fantastic getting to know her story.
• Pro: This is NOT a cancer book. This is a book about cancer survivors, and what it's like navigating the world after the diagnosis and treatments. This is the first of its kind for me, and I really appreciated the insights Gardner shared.
• Pro: It was interesting seeing the stark differences in what life-after was like for Jase versus Mari. Jase could pretend he never had cancer, while Mari couldn't hide it. Because her missing leg was evidence of her past illness, she had to contend with comments and judgements on a daily basis, while Jase didn't.
• Pro: Part of Mari's story that grabbed me was how inhospitable the world can be for an amputee at times. The beginning of the book made me furious and I wanted to lash out at the school administrators. Additionally, I have read other books, where the characters had prosthetics and appreciated learning more specifically related to those with little residual limb.
• Pro: This book had it all for me. There was lots of focus on friendship and family, with the added bonus of a little romance. It taught me some things, while also making me feel so much.
• Pro: As with the previous book, I found the community aspect of this book wonderful. The network Mari and Jase established at Camp Chemo was a strong and important one, and it was fantastic to see some familiar faces too.
Overall: I loved getting this perspective of the "cancer kid". It was interesting, informative, as well as emotionally satisfying. It was easy to see how personal this story was to the author, and I am grateful she chose to share it with us.
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Deemed a risk due to her refusal to utilize a prosthetic or other mobility aid, Mari was forced to enroll at another school. There, she was reunited with her Camp Chemo crush, but he was less than enthusiastic about her presence.
• Pro: I adored Mari in Brave Enough and was really happy she got her own book. She managed to make herself memorable in the last book, and it was fantastic getting to know her story.
• Pro: This is NOT a cancer book. This is a book about cancer survivors, and what it's like navigating the world after the diagnosis and treatments. This is the first of its kind for me, and I really appreciated the insights Gardner shared.
• Pro: It was interesting seeing the stark differences in what life-after was like for Jase versus Mari. Jase could pretend he never had cancer, while Mari couldn't hide it. Because her missing leg was evidence of her past illness, she had to contend with comments and judgements on a daily basis, while Jase didn't.
• Pro: Part of Mari's story that grabbed me was how inhospitable the world can be for an amputee at times. The beginning of the book made me furious and I wanted to lash out at the school administrators. Additionally, I have read other books, where the characters had prosthetics and appreciated learning more specifically related to those with little residual limb.
• Pro: This book had it all for me. There was lots of focus on friendship and family, with the added bonus of a little romance. It taught me some things, while also making me feel so much.
• Pro: As with the previous book, I found the community aspect of this book wonderful. The network Mari and Jase established at Camp Chemo was a strong and important one, and it was fantastic to see some familiar faces too.
Overall: I loved getting this perspective of the "cancer kid". It was interesting, informative, as well as emotionally satisfying. It was easy to see how personal this story was to the author, and I am grateful she chose to share it with us.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
December 9, 2020
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!
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!
November 26, 2019
***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of FINDING BALANCE by Kati Gardner in exchange for my honest review.***
3.5 STARS
Nobody at school knows Jason had cancer when he was three. Cancer took one of Mari’s legs so she can’t hide that she’s a survivor. Friends and maybe more from Camp Chemo now attend the same school and Jason has everything to lose if his peers find out.
Kati Gardner is a cancer survivor who lost her leg and it shows with how much she gets right about survivorship. Though everyone’s experience is different, Gardner captures a variety of stories. BTW my surgeon let me keep my port. At first he said it was medical waste, but he gave it to me anyway and I still have it.
Jason spends a good part of the book acting like a jerk to Mari, we know a good person exists under his unkind behavior, I still liked and rooted for him. I wondered if Gardner wrote Mari after herself. Some of the minor characters felt like tropes, a little too nasty to the new girl with the disability. Kids can be mean, for sure, but most older teens aren’t pathologically nasty like some of the characters.
Gardner’s writing explained a little too much when it could have showed or trusted readers to understand how a character would feel. At times FINDING BALANCE dragged, like pages devoted to chit chat during x-rays.
Reading FINDING BALANCE was enjoyable. I finished in one sitting.
3.5 STARS
Nobody at school knows Jason had cancer when he was three. Cancer took one of Mari’s legs so she can’t hide that she’s a survivor. Friends and maybe more from Camp Chemo now attend the same school and Jason has everything to lose if his peers find out.
Kati Gardner is a cancer survivor who lost her leg and it shows with how much she gets right about survivorship. Though everyone’s experience is different, Gardner captures a variety of stories. BTW my surgeon let me keep my port. At first he said it was medical waste, but he gave it to me anyway and I still have it.
Jason spends a good part of the book acting like a jerk to Mari, we know a good person exists under his unkind behavior, I still liked and rooted for him. I wondered if Gardner wrote Mari after herself. Some of the minor characters felt like tropes, a little too nasty to the new girl with the disability. Kids can be mean, for sure, but most older teens aren’t pathologically nasty like some of the characters.
Gardner’s writing explained a little too much when it could have showed or trusted readers to understand how a character would feel. At times FINDING BALANCE dragged, like pages devoted to chit chat during x-rays.
Reading FINDING BALANCE was enjoyable. I finished in one sitting.
February 5, 2022
"Mari Manos has a way of making everyone around her comfortable. She is someone who has taught me about the balance that cancer survivors walk every day. How our survivorship might not impact everything we do, but it is our story. Mari lives her life with that story and never shies from it."
Again, mixed thoughts on this. Kati Gardner writes emotions so well. Brave Enough covered dealing with a diagnosis and grief from cancer and loss of normal. Finding Balance deals with the after. What do you do when you've been living with your disability, but the world continues to judge and pity you? Or like Jase, what do you do when you don't want your illness to define you?
I really liked Mari in Brave Enough, and I was excited to read her story here. This romance felt different as Jase and Mari liked each other before the start of the book. But it still felt entirely to young and… angsty. If anything, this proved how fragile our relationships can truly be without God. Jase kept promising he'd never hurt her again, but then an argument would start and they'd both say hurtful things. I mean, yes forgiveness, but they didn't really deal with it well I think. But each individual arc was good and rich.
Mari is my favorite. She was quirky and strong. I really liked all the family dynamics in this one.
“I know you only see the terror in people’s faces when you tell them your story, but I see the after. I see the astonishment when you do the impossible.”
“I don’t do the impossible,” she whispered hotly. “I live life as someone who is disabled. That is not worthy of any praise.”
He didn’t say anything because he knew it’d upset her more, but Jase disagreed with that entire sentence. She always seemed to do the impossible to him."
I again had an issue with the language and swearing. Too much for no obvious reason. Even if that's how people talk now I don't want to read it.
Content: Some kissing, and flirting. Medical procedures and mention of body parts. Language and swearing, taking the Lord's name in vain. Mistreatment of the disabled MC, and insensitive teasing and questions. Name calling and insults.
“You are whole. You are not broken or incomplete. You are beautifully and wonderfully made. A prosthesis won’t change you. It’s a tool, just like crutches or a wheelchair. It’s not magic or made of flesh. For nearly five years now, I’ve watched you adjust and readjust to life with your amputation, and while there have been hiccups, you have done it with a grace and courage that I know many adults don’t have.”
“Lack of choice does that,” Mari said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
“You have always had choices, Mari. You could have given up. You could have said yes to the demands that South Side put on you. You could hide away from the world. But, Mari, you move and shake the world. You demand to be seen.”
“But maybe if I didn’t . . . maybe . . .” Mari didn’t know what was supposed to come next. She just knew if maybe she was quieter, smaller, less somehow, then maybe people wouldn’t notice her."
"Mari moved away. They were talking about money. And it hurt her in a way she didn’t understand really. Her parents would do anything for their children, but Mari knew they had to do more for her. She was the expensive one. The one that needed so much more than her brothers. And she hated that."
"Mari arched a brow. “Or are you telling me to go to this party as my friend and not my teacher?”
“Anytime I am losing to you at Phase Ten on family game night, I am your friend.”"
Again, mixed thoughts on this. Kati Gardner writes emotions so well. Brave Enough covered dealing with a diagnosis and grief from cancer and loss of normal. Finding Balance deals with the after. What do you do when you've been living with your disability, but the world continues to judge and pity you? Or like Jase, what do you do when you don't want your illness to define you?
I really liked Mari in Brave Enough, and I was excited to read her story here. This romance felt different as Jase and Mari liked each other before the start of the book. But it still felt entirely to young and… angsty. If anything, this proved how fragile our relationships can truly be without God. Jase kept promising he'd never hurt her again, but then an argument would start and they'd both say hurtful things. I mean, yes forgiveness, but they didn't really deal with it well I think. But each individual arc was good and rich.
Mari is my favorite. She was quirky and strong. I really liked all the family dynamics in this one.
“I know you only see the terror in people’s faces when you tell them your story, but I see the after. I see the astonishment when you do the impossible.”
“I don’t do the impossible,” she whispered hotly. “I live life as someone who is disabled. That is not worthy of any praise.”
He didn’t say anything because he knew it’d upset her more, but Jase disagreed with that entire sentence. She always seemed to do the impossible to him."
I again had an issue with the language and swearing. Too much for no obvious reason. Even if that's how people talk now I don't want to read it.
Content: Some kissing, and flirting. Medical procedures and mention of body parts. Language and swearing, taking the Lord's name in vain. Mistreatment of the disabled MC, and insensitive teasing and questions. Name calling and insults.
“You are whole. You are not broken or incomplete. You are beautifully and wonderfully made. A prosthesis won’t change you. It’s a tool, just like crutches or a wheelchair. It’s not magic or made of flesh. For nearly five years now, I’ve watched you adjust and readjust to life with your amputation, and while there have been hiccups, you have done it with a grace and courage that I know many adults don’t have.”
“Lack of choice does that,” Mari said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
“You have always had choices, Mari. You could have given up. You could have said yes to the demands that South Side put on you. You could hide away from the world. But, Mari, you move and shake the world. You demand to be seen.”
“But maybe if I didn’t . . . maybe . . .” Mari didn’t know what was supposed to come next. She just knew if maybe she was quieter, smaller, less somehow, then maybe people wouldn’t notice her."
"Mari moved away. They were talking about money. And it hurt her in a way she didn’t understand really. Her parents would do anything for their children, but Mari knew they had to do more for her. She was the expensive one. The one that needed so much more than her brothers. And she hated that."
"Mari arched a brow. “Or are you telling me to go to this party as my friend and not my teacher?”
“Anytime I am losing to you at Phase Ten on family game night, I am your friend.”"
May 9, 2020
So, I got this book from the publisher at the AASL convention in November 2019. Originally it was supposed to be published in May of 2020, but because of all the COVID-19 stuff, it got postponed until September. However I wanted to go ahead and get my review done while the story was fresh in my mind, and I’ll come back and revisit with a promo post probably in September.
Now, I haven’t read the first book in this series, Brave Enough, and I don’t know when or if I’ll get it read, although I am definitely intrigued now. I was told you didn’t have to read that book to understand and enjoy this one, and I’m guessing that is true, because I didn’t feel like anything was missing from the story.
This was a really emotional read, but so good. There are a lot of books about kids with cancer out there, but I feel this one had something unique, or at least not often seen. The main character, Mari, lost one of her legs due to cancer when she was younger. The other main character, Jase, had cancer when he was very young, so young he doesn’t really remember it. And he is able to hide it. In fact, even though every summer he’s gone to a camp for kids who have had or do have cancer, since middle school, when his friends got cruel and teased him about having cancer when they found out, he’s been able to hide it at his new school. He and Mari are great friends at camp, possibly even summer love interests. But since he wants that part of his life kept away from his new friends, even at his new private school, when Mari shows up, he is cruel to her, and does everything he can to make sure no one finds out.
I totally hate him for this at first. Even though it is soon apparent from how the girls in his crowd treat Mari when she arrives, that he probably isn’t wrong to be worried about it. Because wow, the things the girls say are so mean. I mean Mean Girl on steroids! Now Mari does make friends at her new school, and is able to ignore the mean girls, and even move past the friendship she thought she’d already have in place with Jase. But they end up going back and forth, as he can’t stay away from her because he really does like her. But he also refuses to come clean.
There’s so much more to this story than their romance though. A lot of things about having cancer that we don’t always get in YA books. How getting a prosthetic leg isn’t as straight-forward and easy as it might be thought. How maybe someone might not even want one. The fact about how people with those types of handicaps are considered to be such miracles when they do get a leg or arm and are able to “do so many things.” Not wanting to be in the spotlight as being inspirational, just wanting to be a normal teenager.
There were a lot of tears for me in this, but a lot of smiles and laughs at times too. It was a feel good story in the end, and I was able to read it in less than two days because it was so hard to put down. I’ll be looking into getting this for my school library when it gets published next fall.
Review first published on Lisa Loves Literature.
Now, I haven’t read the first book in this series, Brave Enough, and I don’t know when or if I’ll get it read, although I am definitely intrigued now. I was told you didn’t have to read that book to understand and enjoy this one, and I’m guessing that is true, because I didn’t feel like anything was missing from the story.
This was a really emotional read, but so good. There are a lot of books about kids with cancer out there, but I feel this one had something unique, or at least not often seen. The main character, Mari, lost one of her legs due to cancer when she was younger. The other main character, Jase, had cancer when he was very young, so young he doesn’t really remember it. And he is able to hide it. In fact, even though every summer he’s gone to a camp for kids who have had or do have cancer, since middle school, when his friends got cruel and teased him about having cancer when they found out, he’s been able to hide it at his new school. He and Mari are great friends at camp, possibly even summer love interests. But since he wants that part of his life kept away from his new friends, even at his new private school, when Mari shows up, he is cruel to her, and does everything he can to make sure no one finds out.
I totally hate him for this at first. Even though it is soon apparent from how the girls in his crowd treat Mari when she arrives, that he probably isn’t wrong to be worried about it. Because wow, the things the girls say are so mean. I mean Mean Girl on steroids! Now Mari does make friends at her new school, and is able to ignore the mean girls, and even move past the friendship she thought she’d already have in place with Jase. But they end up going back and forth, as he can’t stay away from her because he really does like her. But he also refuses to come clean.
There’s so much more to this story than their romance though. A lot of things about having cancer that we don’t always get in YA books. How getting a prosthetic leg isn’t as straight-forward and easy as it might be thought. How maybe someone might not even want one. The fact about how people with those types of handicaps are considered to be such miracles when they do get a leg or arm and are able to “do so many things.” Not wanting to be in the spotlight as being inspirational, just wanting to be a normal teenager.
There were a lot of tears for me in this, but a lot of smiles and laughs at times too. It was a feel good story in the end, and I was able to read it in less than two days because it was so hard to put down. I’ll be looking into getting this for my school library when it gets published next fall.
Review first published on Lisa Loves Literature.
December 2, 2019
Received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for a fair review
Super-realistic when dealing with such serious matters, yet touching and emotional in so many ways! “Finding Balance”, by Kati Gardner (Flux), could be hard to read, but there’s so much hope in these characters, particularly in brave Mari. The leads’ personal and unique stories are more interesting and genuine than the romantic relationship, which is sweet but has some dimensions I didn’t like (Jason’s nastiness towards Mari, Mari’s doormat tendencies sometimes). But all in all an amazing, gripping story.
Kudos for Kati Gardner for having written this story with these characters and for giving so much of herself to us, readers.
Super-realistic when dealing with such serious matters, yet touching and emotional in so many ways! “Finding Balance”, by Kati Gardner (Flux), could be hard to read, but there’s so much hope in these characters, particularly in brave Mari. The leads’ personal and unique stories are more interesting and genuine than the romantic relationship, which is sweet but has some dimensions I didn’t like (Jason’s nastiness towards Mari, Mari’s doormat tendencies sometimes). But all in all an amazing, gripping story.
Kudos for Kati Gardner for having written this story with these characters and for giving so much of herself to us, readers.
August 14, 2020
Mari is a cancer survivor and an amputee. She lost a limb to cancer but she refuses to lose anything else. Her amputation is a part of herself that she gracefully accepts and has learned to live with it. Sadly, others haven’t been as accepting. When her school says she can’t continue to use crutches as it isn’t safe and she can’t attend their school anymore unless it’s on a wheelchair, she has to leave behind her friends and the familiar place for a new one.
Jase had Leukemia when he was three. He barely remembers it and other than Camp Chemo which he attends every summer and annual treatments, cancer is non existent in his present life and that is how he wants it to be. But when Mari walks into his school, she comes threatening the life he has built. Jase is determined to protect his secret even if he has to hurt Mari in the process.
.
When I read the synopsis I was intrigued to read this book. I enjoy books that are educating along with entertaining and this one was just that. Mari is a cancer survivor and an amputee and we see her daily struggles as she accepts both of these with bravery. The author has done a brilliant job to showcase the disease as well as difficulties that a disabled person would have to face in everyday life which we see that are not only physical but also mental. In fact the struggles were more mental and emotional as we learn how people were uncomfortable in presence of someone who was different from them, how to make themselves feel better they acted in a mean way which borderlines on cruel. The way Lindsay and Madalyn behaved made me furious as to such ignorant and insensitive people exist in the society. And they aren’t just in schools or colleges but everywhere you go.
.
I really loved Mari’s character. He was brave, fierce, proud, loving, caring, a good friend and a great daughter and sister. She always thought of others in any situation. She carried herself well despite the criticism from others. I was routing for her from the start.
I liked Jase’s character afterwards as I got to understand his reasons for being so rude to Mari in the start. The only thing that I wished was different in the book was that there was more of Camp Chemo shown so we could have learned about Mari and Jase’s friendship before Mari joined AWP. Jase came across as selfish, arrogant, and pretentious jerk from his behaviour towards Mari and I felt I would have liked him more if I could see how he was without the fear of his people knowing his secret.
.
Overall a four star read for me that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun and light read with a strong and likeable protagonist.
Jase had Leukemia when he was three. He barely remembers it and other than Camp Chemo which he attends every summer and annual treatments, cancer is non existent in his present life and that is how he wants it to be. But when Mari walks into his school, she comes threatening the life he has built. Jase is determined to protect his secret even if he has to hurt Mari in the process.
.
When I read the synopsis I was intrigued to read this book. I enjoy books that are educating along with entertaining and this one was just that. Mari is a cancer survivor and an amputee and we see her daily struggles as she accepts both of these with bravery. The author has done a brilliant job to showcase the disease as well as difficulties that a disabled person would have to face in everyday life which we see that are not only physical but also mental. In fact the struggles were more mental and emotional as we learn how people were uncomfortable in presence of someone who was different from them, how to make themselves feel better they acted in a mean way which borderlines on cruel. The way Lindsay and Madalyn behaved made me furious as to such ignorant and insensitive people exist in the society. And they aren’t just in schools or colleges but everywhere you go.
.
I really loved Mari’s character. He was brave, fierce, proud, loving, caring, a good friend and a great daughter and sister. She always thought of others in any situation. She carried herself well despite the criticism from others. I was routing for her from the start.
I liked Jase’s character afterwards as I got to understand his reasons for being so rude to Mari in the start. The only thing that I wished was different in the book was that there was more of Camp Chemo shown so we could have learned about Mari and Jase’s friendship before Mari joined AWP. Jase came across as selfish, arrogant, and pretentious jerk from his behaviour towards Mari and I felt I would have liked him more if I could see how he was without the fear of his people knowing his secret.
.
Overall a four star read for me that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun and light read with a strong and likeable protagonist.
July 9, 2020
I received an eARC of this book, and it was so good! I finished it in no time at all. The book beautifully balanced a touching, wonderful message with adorably fun scenes of family, friendship and love. It's a book about how we put together the pieces of our own stories and accept ourselves within that. Mari and Jase are such excellent characters to follow, and I love the way that disability is portrayed through each of their eyes. For Mari, who had her leg amputated years ago, her disability isn't something she can hide, which you can imagine makes going to a new prep school with super privileged, ignorant kids a "fun" experience. But while everyone else thinks that being a cancer survivor consumes her obviously miserable life, Mari is a typical girl with many typical teenage worries, and she's such a relatable character. I really loved her character, as well as her adorkable friends and family. Then there's Jase. Sometimes Jase will do something very jerkish and make me want to shake him by the shoulders, but I think his own internal battles are well shown throughout the book. I like his portrayal of what it can be like living with an invisible disability, especially when the worst of it was from when he was too young to remember, and he struggles to figure out what role that plays in his own personal story. Overall I thought this story was cute, inspiring, and engaging. I also learned after reading it that it's technically part of a series, although it's written as a standalone and there's no need to read the first book to enjoy this story, as there are different central characters who make periphery appearances in this novel. I basically read this book in a day and highly recommend it if you want a nice, touching read. 5/5
December 16, 2020
I thought this one was better than the first one.
June 12, 2020
Finding Balance by Kati Gardner, 320 pages. Flux (North Star Editions), 2020. $12.
Language: R (117 swears, 10 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
High school is difficult enough to navigate with two legs and a healthy body, but Mari, a junior, and Jase, a senior, are pressing forward the best they can despite their trials. However, lies, secrets, and betrayal hurt the same for those people who don’t look like everyone else -- something Mari and Jase are learning the hard way.
Finding Balance is a cancer romance book, like a light-hearted The Fault in Our Stars. I discovered after reading it that this book is a sequel, but the first book is not required to understand Mari and Jase’s story. While there are some noticeable inconsistencies, I did my best to overlook those in favor of choosing to enjoy the story. I love the message of self-acceptance woven from Mari’s and Jase’s differing points of view. This life is about being you and being happy with that and about becoming the you you want to be by using your struggles as springboards. I’m not sure how I feel about the way the romance ended in the last couple chapters, though, which, unfortunately, marred my feelings about this book. The mature content rating is for underage drug and alcohol and for mentions of genitalia.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...
Language: R (117 swears, 10 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
High school is difficult enough to navigate with two legs and a healthy body, but Mari, a junior, and Jase, a senior, are pressing forward the best they can despite their trials. However, lies, secrets, and betrayal hurt the same for those people who don’t look like everyone else -- something Mari and Jase are learning the hard way.
Finding Balance is a cancer romance book, like a light-hearted The Fault in Our Stars. I discovered after reading it that this book is a sequel, but the first book is not required to understand Mari and Jase’s story. While there are some noticeable inconsistencies, I did my best to overlook those in favor of choosing to enjoy the story. I love the message of self-acceptance woven from Mari’s and Jase’s differing points of view. This life is about being you and being happy with that and about becoming the you you want to be by using your struggles as springboards. I’m not sure how I feel about the way the romance ended in the last couple chapters, though, which, unfortunately, marred my feelings about this book. The mature content rating is for underage drug and alcohol and for mentions of genitalia.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...
September 24, 2023
4.75/5 stars!
"Don't change who you are to fit in the world. Make the world change for you.”
I decided to read this book in honour of childhood cancer awareness month but also because I read the first book Brave Enough by this author a few months ago and immediately wanted to know more about the side characters story, Mari and Jase.
I definitely enjoyed this story much more than the first book, mainly because it takes place in a high school setting and I was interested to see if it was exactly the typical school experience all cancer survivors go through and I was glad to see it was very accurate. Down to the “look” other people give us to the way we struggle to catch up with our peers in our academics because we miss a lot of school due to treatment, hits close to home for me. I unexpectedly cried my eyes out during some parts because it brought back a lot of memories and you would think I would be used to it by now but boy was I wrong.
Reading the characters own experience with cancer made me so emotional because it was one of the first times I felt so seen. What made it special was that I never read or heard of a novel where it captivates about a character who is a cancer survivor, and only in my life have I seen books about people being cancer patients but never about the cancer survivorship experience and the struggles we face after the harsh treatments and surgeries. I will always state this and that is even though we’re finish treatment, it does not that mean we’re done fighting the battle. There’s the intense fear of relapse after every scan and checkups and the horrible side effects that come with the reality of dealing with cancer, especially at a young age.
This book portrays that perfectly because the author herself is a cancer survivor. I love the moments when the characters were at camp because I too went to a camp dedicated to cancer patients and their families. Mari Manos’ character was very thoughtful and caring and one who isn’t afraid to show her past. I love her so much and she inspires me to stand up for myself. Jase Ellison is a character who rears a little more at the vulnerable side who struggles to open up about his past illness and worries about being seen as “abnormal.” Though at times I found his character to be irritating, especially when he treated Mari harshly, I understood how he felt because there was definitely a time in my life where I was ashamed to tell people about my survivorship and wanted to hide it from the world, specifically at school. In the end, I learned to open up more about my past and till this day I’m still learning. It’s all about baby steps people, baby steps (if you know, you know). The plot was amazing but once again I wanted more romance between Mari and Jase and less bickering but that’s just the hopeless romantic in me.
Now if you feel any pity for me, congrats you made a friend! Just kidding, we hate pity but seriously if you feel bad, do me a favour and read this book. It would mean a lot to me <3
I decided to read this book in honour of childhood cancer awareness month but also because I read the first book Brave Enough by this author a few months ago and immediately wanted to know more about the side characters story, Mari and Jase.
I definitely enjoyed this story much more than the first book, mainly because it takes place in a high school setting and I was interested to see if it was exactly the typical school experience all cancer survivors go through and I was glad to see it was very accurate. Down to the “look” other people give us to the way we struggle to catch up with our peers in our academics because we miss a lot of school due to treatment, hits close to home for me. I unexpectedly cried my eyes out during some parts because it brought back a lot of memories and you would think I would be used to it by now but boy was I wrong.
Reading the characters own experience with cancer made me so emotional because it was one of the first times I felt so seen. What made it special was that I never read or heard of a novel where it captivates about a character who is a cancer survivor, and only in my life have I seen books about people being cancer patients but never about the cancer survivorship experience and the struggles we face after the harsh treatments and surgeries. I will always state this and that is even though we’re finish treatment, it does not that mean we’re done fighting the battle. There’s the intense fear of relapse after every scan and checkups and the horrible side effects that come with the reality of dealing with cancer, especially at a young age.
This book portrays that perfectly because the author herself is a cancer survivor. I love the moments when the characters were at camp because I too went to a camp dedicated to cancer patients and their families. Mari Manos’ character was very thoughtful and caring and one who isn’t afraid to show her past. I love her so much and she inspires me to stand up for myself. Jase Ellison is a character who rears a little more at the vulnerable side who struggles to open up about his past illness and worries about being seen as “abnormal.” Though at times I found his character to be irritating, especially when he treated Mari harshly, I understood how he felt because there was definitely a time in my life where I was ashamed to tell people about my survivorship and wanted to hide it from the world, specifically at school. In the end, I learned to open up more about my past and till this day I’m still learning. It’s all about baby steps people, baby steps (if you know, you know). The plot was amazing but once again I wanted more romance between Mari and Jase and less bickering but that’s just the hopeless romantic in me.
Now if you feel any pity for me, congrats you made a friend! Just kidding, we hate pity but seriously if you feel bad, do me a favour and read this book. It would mean a lot to me <3
August 14, 2020
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.
Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
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.
Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
September 29, 2020
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.
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.
November 27, 2019
I went into this book with high hopes. I liked the sound of the plot and the look of the cover. It looked as though it would be about healing, acceptance and recovery. This story follows Mari and Jase who both have had cancer at different parts of their life’s. Jase is able to live normally without anyone aware but Mari has lost her leg, making it more noticeable.
There’s a part at the start of this novel that made me laugh and connect to one of the MC’s - Mari. I thought Mari was quite chill and able to recover and deflect from her disability quickly. She had fallen over and Jase came to ask if she was okay and her response was. “Well Jase. It appears I’m falling for you.” There’s also another part on the cafeteria where she deflects with humour when she falls. I admire that a lot because I definitely wouldn’t handle it like that. In that sense, I really liked her as a character. She’s able to handle situations with grace.
Jase is a afraid for anyone to know that he's had cancer. Which is completely understandable because no-one wants to be treated differently. I did think he handled a little bit bad in the beginning but he recovered by the end.
RIGHT. Personally, I was not a fan of the writing style of this book because it felt incredibly rushed. I’m aware that in books you’re meant to show time passing, but this was just too much. I felt as though I was reading in fast forward. There was no build up context or ‘get to no the characters’ stage. The reader is, quite literally, thrown in the deep end. It felt a bit off. From one chapter to the next there could have been a couple of months passing. It was very young writing.
ANOTHER THING that really bothered me was the complete and utter knowledge or empathy towards cancer. There is NO WAY anyone could be that unaware. The character that bothered be the most was Lindsay. The stuff that was said was just not believable. I found myself just open mouthed thinking, what on earth did I just read?? People don’t treat people with cancer as though they’re contagious and ‘gross’. Even someone young wouldn’t be cruel, they’d be curious, sure. But not mean. If anything, they wouldn’t say anything at all.
Overall, a little bit disappointed in this read if I’m being brutally honest. BUT, in saying that I can see it as the young love read it’s portraying. I also like the camp idea as well because I love the sense of community behind it.
There’s a part at the start of this novel that made me laugh and connect to one of the MC’s - Mari. I thought Mari was quite chill and able to recover and deflect from her disability quickly. She had fallen over and Jase came to ask if she was okay and her response was. “Well Jase. It appears I’m falling for you.” There’s also another part on the cafeteria where she deflects with humour when she falls. I admire that a lot because I definitely wouldn’t handle it like that. In that sense, I really liked her as a character. She’s able to handle situations with grace.
Jase is a afraid for anyone to know that he's had cancer. Which is completely understandable because no-one wants to be treated differently. I did think he handled a little bit bad in the beginning but he recovered by the end.
RIGHT. Personally, I was not a fan of the writing style of this book because it felt incredibly rushed. I’m aware that in books you’re meant to show time passing, but this was just too much. I felt as though I was reading in fast forward. There was no build up context or ‘get to no the characters’ stage. The reader is, quite literally, thrown in the deep end. It felt a bit off. From one chapter to the next there could have been a couple of months passing. It was very young writing.
ANOTHER THING that really bothered me was the complete and utter knowledge or empathy towards cancer. There is NO WAY anyone could be that unaware. The character that bothered be the most was Lindsay. The stuff that was said was just not believable. I found myself just open mouthed thinking, what on earth did I just read?? People don’t treat people with cancer as though they’re contagious and ‘gross’. Even someone young wouldn’t be cruel, they’d be curious, sure. But not mean. If anything, they wouldn’t say anything at all.
Overall, a little bit disappointed in this read if I’m being brutally honest. BUT, in saying that I can see it as the young love read it’s portraying. I also like the camp idea as well because I love the sense of community behind it.
September 29, 2020
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 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!
January 4, 2022
Mari, a teenager who lost a leg due to cancer, always went to a summer camp every summer, hoping to see her future boyfriend Jase, who also had cancer, but it is not as noticeable. Jase and Mari hang out together as much as the can at camp since they did not attend the same schools. But one day, Mari movesto Jase's school hoping to get scholarships to collage. Jase does not expect Mari coming to school and his friends hate her, separating Jase from his real friends. He pretends not to know her in front if his friends so they don't think that he is in love with a dissability child. Mari gets extremely mad at this, and blocks him, pushing him out of her life. On the other hand, she also had problems. She is failing her chemistry class, that she relies on Jase for help on, but she just lost him, so she has no help and is going to get kicked out of the school. She also used crutches to move around on one foot, which the school thinks is too dangerous. The school wont let her continue unless she gets a fake leg to help her walk, which costs lots of money her family does not have. Struggling with all of these problems, Jase finds a way to be forgiven and become boyfriend and girlfriend with Mari again after she is wreked in a car accident, helping her. Her school life moves faster with Jase around, and they start planing for a new years party for their camp. Soon enough, Jase starts having problems with his cancer, which hardens him. When Mari made one comment, he totally flipped out and called her names, breaking up with her AGAIN. With Mari still hurt from the accident, and the party coming up, she continues on her own, thinking of speeches. Finally, Jase apologises to her, they dance and talk it out and regret for saying all of those hurtful things. When the new years party arrives, Jase and Mari stand together, saying speeches, and then standing together outside, thinking of how they were going to be together forever.
I like this book because of the way the plot keeps changing and it is unpredictable, but I gave it three stars because it was kind of slow, talking about some more high school problems that I did not really understand. I suggest this book to older middle school students who like romance novels.
I like this book because of the way the plot keeps changing and it is unpredictable, but I gave it three stars because it was kind of slow, talking about some more high school problems that I did not really understand. I suggest this book to older middle school students who like romance novels.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2020
Thank you Netgalley and Flux for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
Finding Balance was an empowering, inspiring, realistic and cute YA contemporary romance. The story follows Mari, a sixteen-year-old who had cancer and is also an amputee, due to an infection. Along with Jase, who is a fellow cancer survivor. They met at Camp Chemo, a summer camp for who have or are going through chemotherapy.
Although everything changes when Mari moves to the school Jase attends. The friendship--and flirtationship--they once had has completely disappeared when she sees him, because Jase hasn't told anyone at school about his cancer, and fears that with Mari being there, the secret will be revealed.
A few things I really enjoyed about this book:
-The character development was great! To make it even better, it was done in such a realistic way.
-The story-telling. Kati Gardner is a great writer, and I will definitely read more of her books.
-Body positivity! Such an important thing to read, especially in YA. Mari was full of it, and I loved that.
-The romance. Mari and Jase are the kind of couple you root for.
Overall, this is a great YA read, and I highly recommend it.
Finding Balance was an empowering, inspiring, realistic and cute YA contemporary romance. The story follows Mari, a sixteen-year-old who had cancer and is also an amputee, due to an infection. Along with Jase, who is a fellow cancer survivor. They met at Camp Chemo, a summer camp for who have or are going through chemotherapy.
Although everything changes when Mari moves to the school Jase attends. The friendship--and flirtationship--they once had has completely disappeared when she sees him, because Jase hasn't told anyone at school about his cancer, and fears that with Mari being there, the secret will be revealed.
A few things I really enjoyed about this book:
-The character development was great! To make it even better, it was done in such a realistic way.
-The story-telling. Kati Gardner is a great writer, and I will definitely read more of her books.
-Body positivity! Such an important thing to read, especially in YA. Mari was full of it, and I loved that.
-The romance. Mari and Jase are the kind of couple you root for.
Overall, this is a great YA read, and I highly recommend it.
November 29, 2020
3 Stars
I think this is a really important story in terms of disability representation. You have two childhood cancer survivors that deal with the repercussions of their cancer in very different ways, and I really appreciated all the different topics that this book discussed.
However, the romance was a little too toxic for my liking. By the end of the story I wasn't shipping the two main characters because of all the terrible choices that were made (and that were forgiven too easily). I think that if the romance hadn't been such an active part of the story, this could have gotten 4 stars.
I think this is a really important story in terms of disability representation. You have two childhood cancer survivors that deal with the repercussions of their cancer in very different ways, and I really appreciated all the different topics that this book discussed.
However, the romance was a little too toxic for my liking. By the end of the story I wasn't shipping the two main characters because of all the terrible choices that were made (and that were forgiven too easily). I think that if the romance hadn't been such an active part of the story, this could have gotten 4 stars.
February 14, 2025
I feel really conflicted about this one because I think the disability representation was really interesting and well done, but I didn't love the romance. I wanted a bit more redemption for Jase and had trouble rooting for his romance after all the terrible things he said and did to Mari. I think his journey was compelling, but I needed more redemption and time before I could get on board.
My kindle edition was also riddled with typos and occasionally even continuity errors. I wish the editors had given more attention to this book because it has great potential, it just didn't fully work for me.
My kindle edition was also riddled with typos and occasionally even continuity errors. I wish the editors had given more attention to this book because it has great potential, it just didn't fully work for me.
November 3, 2021
I read this because I loved Brave Enough (although I would have much rather read a sequel than a prequel), and this was a good book that explored some important themes, but I can't get over how much of a jerk Jase was to Mari. I understand why he didn't want anyone to know about his cancer, but that doesn't give him the right to be so mean to Mari. It made it impossible to root for them as a couple, and since the romance was such a big part of the book it made the story a lot less enjoyable than Brave Enough.
April 5, 2023
A companion to Gardner's first book, Brave Enough, this story gives great accounts of why not all amputees opt for prosthetics and why some cancer survivors might keep their ordeal a secret. These are concepts I never truly thought about before, but it all makes sense. I really appreciate the insight Mari provides into the negativity amputees can experience from those around them. Heartbreaking and no reason for it. Going back and forth between Jase and Maria's perspectives works well to explain possible journeys of cancer survivors just as Davis's and Cason's povs did in the previous book. All 4 stories serve in showing that cancer does not even end with remission.
April 10, 2020
I received this Arc from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for letting me review the book. I liked the premise of the book. It was a sweet story of love, forgiveness, acceptance of who you are, and health. It was predictable in some places. And I loved Mari’s siblings. I wanted more of them.
September 1, 2021
I dont remember it much. But it was my first novel i read. It was really cute and fast. I got it from Tinley library. 😊📚
September 5, 2020
Read this review and others like it on my blog, Kappa Reads
ARC From NetGalley
First of all, can we all appreciate that cover? I can't think of the last time I saw a cover that had an image of a person with a disability.
Ok, now into the proper review. This book follows two teenagers who survived cancer. Jase was a toddler when he recovered from cancer and only thinks about cancer when he goes for medical check-ups and the summer camp that is specifically for kids who have/had cancer. Mari had cancer later in her life and the effects of her cancer are more obvious as she had most of one of her legs amputated. Usually they only interact in the summer, but because of ableism from her high school, Mari switches schools and just so happens to go to school with Jase.
And that’s when my problems with the book come in. I'm going to cover what I didn't like about the book first and then end on a good note with what I enjoyed.
Unfortunately, my main problem was with one of the point's of view, Jase. He is a near irredeemable asshole. Despite the fact that he and Mari have something like a summer fling going, in school he ignores her, because he doesn't want to be associated with someone who visibly went through cancer while he can hide the fact that he is a survivor.
And, okay, teenagers can be bad people in order to maintain social standing, but this lasted for far too long for me to root for their relationship. He doesn’t apologize until halfway into the book and before that, he keeps pushing her to accept his lame attempts at being friendly because, again, he hasn’t apologized for ignoring her. Not only did he ignore her, but he let some grossly ableist things slide from his friends.
One comment on a side character that isn't necessarily positive or negative, Lindsay. She is everything bad about white, rich, abled people in one person and I’m not saying that the ableist crap she spewed was unbelievable, but to have her be the only person saying ableist things was just a bit too much. The whole school is full of rich abled people, I feel the author could’ve had the ableism coming from multiple people.
Now, I really liked Mari's stories. Her plot lines, besides her romance with Jase, is about her dealing with grossest ableism from classmates and ableism from both the high school she was enrolled in and the one that Jase is currently attending. She’s dealing with the inner turmoil of her comfort versus society's comfort and whether that means she should try using a prosthetic leg. She’s also dealing with how ableism affects her ability to succeed in school.
But also her character isn't completely focused on her disability. Like I said, she does have a romance with Jase that was kind of good near the end. She also has a job at a bookstore and a supportive family. Basically, Mari was my favorite in this book.
I rated this book three stars. I would have rated it lower, but that didn't feel entirely fair, as I did really like Mari's stuff and later on in the book, I was kind of rooting for the relationship. However, all of my problems were with Jase and how he treated Mari. I understand they are friends at camp, but it took far too long for him to apologize for what he’d done wrong and for the romance to start for me to be as invested as I'm sure the author wanted me to be.
ARC From NetGalley
First of all, can we all appreciate that cover? I can't think of the last time I saw a cover that had an image of a person with a disability.
Ok, now into the proper review. This book follows two teenagers who survived cancer. Jase was a toddler when he recovered from cancer and only thinks about cancer when he goes for medical check-ups and the summer camp that is specifically for kids who have/had cancer. Mari had cancer later in her life and the effects of her cancer are more obvious as she had most of one of her legs amputated. Usually they only interact in the summer, but because of ableism from her high school, Mari switches schools and just so happens to go to school with Jase.
And that’s when my problems with the book come in. I'm going to cover what I didn't like about the book first and then end on a good note with what I enjoyed.
Unfortunately, my main problem was with one of the point's of view, Jase. He is a near irredeemable asshole. Despite the fact that he and Mari have something like a summer fling going, in school he ignores her, because he doesn't want to be associated with someone who visibly went through cancer while he can hide the fact that he is a survivor.
And, okay, teenagers can be bad people in order to maintain social standing, but this lasted for far too long for me to root for their relationship. He doesn’t apologize until halfway into the book and before that, he keeps pushing her to accept his lame attempts at being friendly because, again, he hasn’t apologized for ignoring her. Not only did he ignore her, but he let some grossly ableist things slide from his friends.
One comment on a side character that isn't necessarily positive or negative, Lindsay. She is everything bad about white, rich, abled people in one person and I’m not saying that the ableist crap she spewed was unbelievable, but to have her be the only person saying ableist things was just a bit too much. The whole school is full of rich abled people, I feel the author could’ve had the ableism coming from multiple people.
Now, I really liked Mari's stories. Her plot lines, besides her romance with Jase, is about her dealing with grossest ableism from classmates and ableism from both the high school she was enrolled in and the one that Jase is currently attending. She’s dealing with the inner turmoil of her comfort versus society's comfort and whether that means she should try using a prosthetic leg. She’s also dealing with how ableism affects her ability to succeed in school.
But also her character isn't completely focused on her disability. Like I said, she does have a romance with Jase that was kind of good near the end. She also has a job at a bookstore and a supportive family. Basically, Mari was my favorite in this book.
I rated this book three stars. I would have rated it lower, but that didn't feel entirely fair, as I did really like Mari's stuff and later on in the book, I was kind of rooting for the relationship. However, all of my problems were with Jase and how he treated Mari. I understand they are friends at camp, but it took far too long for him to apologize for what he’d done wrong and for the romance to start for me to be as invested as I'm sure the author wanted me to be.
September 17, 2020
This book. Where do I even begin. Probably with telling anyone reading this upfront that I had cancer. Things cancer made me: Angry, sad, tired, exhausted from explaining things to people, and heartbroken at the dumb things people said to me.
I saw a few other reviews commenting on how no one can be that ignorant about cancer but let me tell you, if I had a dime for every time someone told me about wheatgrass smoothies and yoga, I would be a very very rich woman.
What I'm saying is that Ms. Gardner wrote a very real, very personal story, about dealing with the very disease and disability that she has. All those dumb things other character say to Mari. They happen. Trust me.
The rawness that Ms. Gardner brought to this book was eye opening for me. I saw myself reflected on those pages. I was Mari, making jokes and acting like I was fine. I was Jase, keeping secrets and being angry. I feel like because of some books (cough*Fault in Our Stars* cough) readers have an impressing of sick kids as a monolith. They're all just a little bummed about dying. They all want to teach everyone to appreciate life. But this isn't real. Jase's anger is REAL. Just because you have cancer doesn't mean you become a perfect person. You're still you. Just you know, sick. And that means all the mean things anyone else could do, someone with cancer can do.
I want to thank Ms. Gardner for writing a truth that maybe the world isn't ready for. For showing kids LIVING with illness and not just dying. Because many of us, do in fact, live.
If you want a beautiful story about the complexities of cancer, the heartbreak of crushes, the weight of secrets, Finding Balance is it.
I saw a few other reviews commenting on how no one can be that ignorant about cancer but let me tell you, if I had a dime for every time someone told me about wheatgrass smoothies and yoga, I would be a very very rich woman.
What I'm saying is that Ms. Gardner wrote a very real, very personal story, about dealing with the very disease and disability that she has. All those dumb things other character say to Mari. They happen. Trust me.
The rawness that Ms. Gardner brought to this book was eye opening for me. I saw myself reflected on those pages. I was Mari, making jokes and acting like I was fine. I was Jase, keeping secrets and being angry. I feel like because of some books (cough*Fault in Our Stars* cough) readers have an impressing of sick kids as a monolith. They're all just a little bummed about dying. They all want to teach everyone to appreciate life. But this isn't real. Jase's anger is REAL. Just because you have cancer doesn't mean you become a perfect person. You're still you. Just you know, sick. And that means all the mean things anyone else could do, someone with cancer can do.
I want to thank Ms. Gardner for writing a truth that maybe the world isn't ready for. For showing kids LIVING with illness and not just dying. Because many of us, do in fact, live.
If you want a beautiful story about the complexities of cancer, the heartbreak of crushes, the weight of secrets, Finding Balance is it.
May 5, 2020
3.5/5*
Original review
This book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Flux and Netgalley!
Finding Balance is the second book in the Brave Enough series and tells the story of Mari and Jase. Although this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
It’s been a while since I read the first book, Brave Enough, but I do remember enjoying the book because I learnt so much about what it means to be a survivor. I liked this book as well because I learnt so much more about being a survivor but also about the consequences of having cancer. I think there need to be more books about this topic!
Mari is a strong character because she’s an amputee and she tries to be as strong as she can when people ask her so many questions or say mean things about her missing a leg. Jase, on the other hand, doesn’t want to share his story because he doesn’t want people to say mean things to him. I kinda have a love/hate relationship with Jase but he redeemed himself at the end of the book.
Finding Balance was a good book with a beautiful message. I enjoyed reading this book and I really liked learning more about cancer, amputees and their struggles. This story is a story that I will not forget because I definitely learnt a few things and I liked the fact that this story is so personal to the author!
Original review
This book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Flux and Netgalley!
Finding Balance is the second book in the Brave Enough series and tells the story of Mari and Jase. Although this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
It’s been a while since I read the first book, Brave Enough, but I do remember enjoying the book because I learnt so much about what it means to be a survivor. I liked this book as well because I learnt so much more about being a survivor but also about the consequences of having cancer. I think there need to be more books about this topic!
Mari is a strong character because she’s an amputee and she tries to be as strong as she can when people ask her so many questions or say mean things about her missing a leg. Jase, on the other hand, doesn’t want to share his story because he doesn’t want people to say mean things to him. I kinda have a love/hate relationship with Jase but he redeemed himself at the end of the book.
Finding Balance was a good book with a beautiful message. I enjoyed reading this book and I really liked learning more about cancer, amputees and their struggles. This story is a story that I will not forget because I definitely learnt a few things and I liked the fact that this story is so personal to the author!
July 13, 2020
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC, and I've got to say, while it's hard to imagine, FB is just as good as BE (Brave Enough, Gardner's debut).
Gardner's words ring with authenticity. Her examination into what it's actually like to be a disabled teen is necessary, important, and means/will mean so much to so many disabled teens.
I was particularly struck by the nuance with which Gardner depicts medical trauma. I haven't read anything like it before in YA.
This is the disability rep kidlit needs.
***
One last thing: to all the GR reviewers saying that the response to Mari's disability/cancer seems "unrealistic" that "no one would really say those things to someone/about someone"... I understand that you likely haven't been the target of ableism before but my goodness, those statements are not unrealistic. If you find yourself thinking "well, surely no one would actually say that about [marginalized group]," maybe it's time to take a step back and have a good long think about your own preconceived notions about people who are not like you and what their lives are like.
Gardner's words ring with authenticity. Her examination into what it's actually like to be a disabled teen is necessary, important, and means/will mean so much to so many disabled teens.
I was particularly struck by the nuance with which Gardner depicts medical trauma. I haven't read anything like it before in YA.
This is the disability rep kidlit needs.
***
One last thing: to all the GR reviewers saying that the response to Mari's disability/cancer seems "unrealistic" that "no one would really say those things to someone/about someone"... I understand that you likely haven't been the target of ableism before but my goodness, those statements are not unrealistic. If you find yourself thinking "well, surely no one would actually say that about [marginalized group]," maybe it's time to take a step back and have a good long think about your own preconceived notions about people who are not like you and what their lives are like.
August 14, 2020
Wait, before you close out of this tab, you need to know that this isn't your typical cancer story. It is so much more. It is a story of overcoming your past. It is a story of choosing how to see life. It is a story I won't forget.
The characters were fantastic. Their thoughts and emotions were expressed so clearly and I felt like I knew them in real life.
One thing that I loved seeing was the Bible verses subtly woven throughout.
My only complaint about this book is the language. It could have easily done without it.
This book is technically the second book of the series but works well as a standalone.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find the first book of the series.
Rating: 5 Stars
Content: 2 Stars
*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.
The characters were fantastic. Their thoughts and emotions were expressed so clearly and I felt like I knew them in real life.
One thing that I loved seeing was the Bible verses subtly woven throughout.
My only complaint about this book is the language. It could have easily done without it.
This book is technically the second book of the series but works well as a standalone.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find the first book of the series.
Rating: 5 Stars
Content: 2 Stars
*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.
January 11, 2020
As a disabled person, I am hungry for #ownvoices disability rep. Both as a reader and as a writer. There aren’t words adequate enough to express my gratitude to Kati for doing this. I am so incredibly proud of her.
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