Synopsis
Veronica struggles to balance softball, friends, and family turmoil in this new honest and heartfelt middle grade novel by Jen Petro-Roy, Life in the Balance.
Veronica Conway has been looking forward to trying out for the All-Star softball team for years. She’s practically been playing the game since she was a baby. She should have this tryout on lock.
Except right before tryouts, Veronica’s mom announces that she’s entering rehab for alcoholism, and her dad tells her that they may not be able to afford the fees needed to be on the team.
Veronica decides to enter the town talent show in an effort to make her own money, but along the way discovers a new hobby that leads her to doubt her feelings for the game she thought she loved so much.
Is her mom the only one learning balance, or can Veronica find a way to discover what she really wants to do with her life?
Title: Life in the Balance
Author: Jen Petro-Roy
Publication Date: February 16, 2021
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Review
This book was honest and real and relatable in a lot of ways. I’m so glad middle schoolers and other children have books like this one to show them that no one has a perfect family and that’s okay.
Continuing with that thought, this book was heartbreakingly real. I love that we get to experience it from a middle schooler perspective which makes things even sadder, but that much more vulnerable as well. Our main character, Veronica, goes through a lot during this book on top of her family challenges. As she goes through these things, we get to hear a lot of the concerns she has about friends, new hobbies, and things changing in her life. Things aren’t easy for her, but she makes it through and does the best she can with what she has.
Along these lines, I like that Veronica isn’t perfect, but she tries. She makes a lot of mistakes in this book as she tries to figure out how to deal with so many changes in her life. She must confront these challenges and mistakes in the end and that’s where we really see a lot of honesty in the main character’s thoughts.
Overall, this was a good and honest read about family, change, and balancing the tough things in life.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rating
About the Author
Jen Petro-Roy writes “honest books with heart,” about kids who are strong, determined, unsure, struggling to fit in, bubbly, shy, and everything in between. She is the author of P.S. I MISS YOU, GOOD ENOUGH, YOU ARE ENOUGH, and LIFE IN THE BALANCE (out February 2021), all from Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends. When she isn’t writing, Jen can be found reading, playing board games, belting out songs in the car to embarrass her two daughters, and working as an eating disorder awareness advocate.
Giveaway
Up for grabs, we have ONE (1) finished copy of Life in the Balance by Jen Petro-Roy! This giveaway is open to US residents only and will run from February 15th to February 22nd at 11:59 PM CST. To enter, click the link below!
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