Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

My 14-year-old and I read Life in the Balance together BEFORE we read The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree; I didn’t get it reviewed quickly, however, because it was a thought-provoking book that needed a commensurate review. As time went by, the details faded a bit, which made procrastination that much more inviting, and here we are–probably two months later. (Give or take.)

Luckily, I have this child-free time to force myself to do the things that require significant concentration or a noticeable time commitment, and I’m determined to use it partly to review the books still on my ‘currently reading’ list that I’ve actually finished this year, so Life in the Balance is finally getting its due.

I’m just not sure where to start.

I suppose, then, I’ll start with Veronica. She’s been working towards the All-Star softball team for years, and this is her tryout year; with her softball-player mom’s help, she and her best friend are planning to ace their tryouts and rock being on the team together. Except that her also-alcoholic mom finally agrees to go to rehab, making herself unavailable for extra skill practice, and it turns out that the rehab is expensive–maybe too expensive for Veronica to be on the All-Star team at all. Veronica decides to enter the town talent show, aiming for the prize money to keep the All-Star team within her reach; as she practices for both, however, her feelings about both singing and softball begin to shift.

And then there are friend difficulties.

Life in the Balance deals with a lot of issues, obviously; the impressive thing is how well it deals with them, because you never feel like there’s too much going on. The issues are interconnected (which is where the need for balance comes in). Jen Petro-Roy doesn’t shy away from the pain caused by alcoholism; neither, however, does she focus on that pain exclusively. There are laugh-out-loud moments from the very beginning, providing necessary comic relief, and Petro-Roy’s exploration of how much kids should have to give up for a goal–AND how increased pressure changes our feelings about what we love–is at least as important as the rehab storyline. The friend difficulties feel realistic and stem from caring and real dilemmas rather than drama, making all parties involved feel both likeable and real. In short–too late?–Life in the Balance is a sensitive story about things that matter, making it a worthwhile read for just about anyone.