Brave Enough

by Kati Gardner

Overview

Teenager Cason Martin is the youngest ballerina in the Atlanta Ballet Conservatory. She never really had a choice of whether she learned to dance or not. Her mother, the conservatory's artistic director, has made all the decisions in Cason's life. But that's about to change. Cason has been hiding an injury, and it's much worse than anyone imagines.

Davis Channing understands all too well what it's like to give up control of your life. He's survived cancer, but his drug addiction nearly killed him. Now he's been sober for seven months and enjoying his community service at the hospital. But just when he thinks he's got it together, Davis's ex-girlfriend, who is still battling her addiction, barrels back into his life.

Cason and Davis are not friends. But, as their worlds collide, they will start to depend on one another. Can they both be brave enough to beat the odds?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781635830200
Publisher:	North Star Editions
Publication date:	08/21/2018
Series:	Brave Enough , #1
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Kati Gardner is a recovering actor, wife, and mom. She is a childhood cancer survivor and amputee who writes books about disability and kissing. Originally from Atlanta, she now lives and writes in Raleigh, North Carolina. Brave Enough is her first novel. You can find her on Twitter at @AuthorKati, on Instagram at AuthorKatiGardner, and at katigardner.com.

Editorial Reviews

"The debut author, a cancer survivor and amputee, covers challenging physical and emotional terrain in compelling detail with compassionate insight and strong storytelling skills." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Heartbreaking, beautiful, and ultimately hopeful.” —Foreword Reviews, starred review

"Gardner's remarkable debut doesn't shy away from the raw emotions experienced by cancer patients and recovering addicts."  —Booklist

"A solid addition to YA shelves and a next read for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars." —School Library Journal 

"A beautiful debut that is as inspiring as it is real." —Beth Revis, New York Times best-selling author of A World Without You

"Raw, brutal, and beautiful, Kati Gardner's debut is an amazingly vivid and authentic glimpse into dance, cancer, disabilities, and hope." —Sangu Mandanna, author of The Lost Girl

"A beautifully intertwined story of two people who are trying to be courageous. Brave Enough starts with a heartbreak and gives us hope." —Janet McNally, author of Girls in the Moon and The Looking Glass

From the Publisher

06/01/2018
Gr 9 Up—Cason Martin lives for ballet and is headed for a prestigious position with a dance company when cancer ends her dream. Davis Channing struggles with the aftermath of cancer and recovery from a narcotics addiction. The teens' shared experiences and pain forge a bond challenged by Cason's controlling mother, Davis's former dealer and an addicted ex-girlfriend, and the necessity of accommodating new ways of living. Gardner roots the story in her childhood, offering readers a glimpse into coping with serious illness and adapting to significant changes, as well as including more typical parent and peer issues. Although Gardner's prose and dialogue are stilted at times—including a few sections of overt medical exposition—the overall emotional impact and small, daily acts of courage carry the book. She chronicles Cason's treatment and therapy ups and downs without over-dramatizing them or avoiding the slow and often ugly process, while Davis's constant desire to use is realistic and raw. A conclusion set at "Camp Chemo" is predictable yet satisfying. VERDICT A solid addition to YA shelves and a next read for fans of John Green's The Fault in Our Stars.—Suzanne Fondrie, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

School Library Journal

★ 2018-04-30
Cancer happened while prima ballerina Cason was busy making other plans; cancer survivor and recovering addict Davis hangs onto his hard-won sobriety and their deepening friendship.Cason's mother, director of an Atlanta ballet company, taught her driven, perfectionist daughter to power through pain, a strategy that works until she's diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer. On the cusp of professional success and attending school only part-time, Cason's never dated. She's smitten with Davis, who is volunteering in the hospital oncology ward where Cason gets chemotherapy and who helps her endure the indignities of treatment. As their mutual attraction grows, each bolsters the other's self-esteem, but setbacks loom. Davis' relentless craving worsens after he's badly beaten for refusing to pay his ex-girlfriend's drug debt. When Cason's left leg proves unsalvageable, she lashes out at Davis, already reeling from bad news. Like most of the teen cancer survivors depicted here, Cason and Davis are white, affluent, and blessed with first-rate medical care, but a top-notch support system can do only so much. While their peers stretch their wings and aim for the future, these teens learn earlier than most that today is all we have—and that there can be a bracing power to this discovery.The debut author, a cancer survivor and amputee, covers challenging physical and emotional terrain in compelling detail with compassionate insight and strong storytelling skills. (author's note, resources) (Fiction. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews