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    Zac and Mia
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    Zac and Mia
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    Zac and Mia
    Audiobook7 hours

    Zac and Mia

    Written by A. J. Betts

    Narrated by Kristin Condon and Nicholas Mondelli

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    "When I was little I believed in Jesus and Santa, spontaneous combustion, and the Loch Ness monster. Now I believe in science, statistics, and antibiotics." So says seventeen-year-old Zac Meier during a long, grueling leukemia treatment in Perth, Australia. A loud blast of Lady Gaga alerts him to the presence of Mia, the angry, not-at-all-stoic cancer patient in the room next door. Once released, the two near-strangers can't forget each other, even as they desperately try to resume normal lives. The story of their mysterious connection drives this unflinchingly tough, tender novel told in two voices.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDreamscape Media Audio
    Release dateOct 28, 2014
    ISBN9781633792562
    Author

    A. J. Betts

    A. J. Betts grew up in Far North Queensland, Australia. She has taught in Brisbane and traveled the world with a backpack and camera. When she’s not writing or teaching, she rides bikes, bakes, and occasionally communes with the sea lions that live near her home in Watermans Bay. Visit her website at www.ajbetts.com.

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    Reviews for Zac and Mia

    3.5/5

    18 ratings17 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      In my opinion, this was a copy-cat of "The Fault in Our Stars" right down to one of the protagonists having part of their leg amputated but, overall, John Green did a far better job. While I liked Zac's voice from the beginning, Mia annoyed me with her continual self-pity and her crazy antics. She never felt real to me and I found it difficult to empathise with her. Zac, on the other hand, was far more authentic with his vulnerability, strength and sense of humour. However, despite my misgivings about the book, I think lovers of "The Fault in Our Stars" will gravitate towards this book.
    • 5/5
      Goodreads Synopsis: The last person Zac expects in the room next door is a girl like Mia, angry and feisty with questionable taste in music. In the real world, he wouldn’t—couldn’t—be friends with her. In hospital different rules apply, and what begins as a knock on the wall leads to a note—then a friendship neither of them sees coming.You need courage to be in hospital; different courage to be back in the real world. In one of these worlds Zac needs Mia. And in the other Mia needs Zac. Or maybe they both need each other, always.My Review: I read the beginning of this book in that YA Buzz Books 2014 book, and absolutely fell in love with it. So I downloaded it. And started reading it. And I was definitely not disappointed. At the beginning of the book, Zac is in isolation. His only friend, his mom, has overstayed her welcome in his hospital room, but who is he to tell her to leave? There's a newbie moving into the room next to him, blasting some lady gaga song, and all he wants is a little peace and quiet. Until they start getting to know each other. It starts with some knocking on the wall, passing notes, and then adding the other on facebook. It only goes up from there. It's a heartwarming story about the two of them, starting by getting to know Zac, and then every other chapter is about him, and by the end, it's all about Mia. I absolutely loved it. Definitely check it out if you get the chance, you won't be disappointed! Thanks for reading. (Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
    • 3/5
      I found Zac a lot more interesting than Mia. Mia's total self-absorption was realistic of some (many?) teenagers but she just pissed me off!
    • 4/5
      A novel told in two voices, both young cancer patients in a treatment center and beyond. Their evolutionary relationship starts as bumping through a mutual wall, growing through social media and ultimately in a face to face relationship. Zac has Leukemia and Mia has a cancerous growth on her ankle which causes her leg to be partially amputated, These two could not be more different but are able to bond together in a very special way. A realistic and sensitive story of teenagers struggling through a very hard time. Nice.
    • 4/5
      I wanted to read Zac and Mia because I am drawn to stories about sick kids. I blame Lurlene McDaniel because she is one of the first authors who wrote about something like that I picked up and it totally made me emotional and I loved every second. Now, that has opened the door for me picking up all kinds of different novels dealing with illnesses and kids facing hard times, and I still fall for the emotional as well as the strength and hope in the kids even if they are facing down death or situations they should never have to. It starts with Zac's point of view, and you could tell that he knew the routine of being in the hospital. He knew the welcome speech, and could anticipate the questions his mom would ask him. Questions that moms usually don't get away with asking teenage boys, but he has cancer and is post bone marrow transplant. He keeps his sense of humor though, and tries to stay positive. Most of all I like him even more because he humors his mom, and he plays games with her since their family is further away and she sticks by his side. I love that added family element and you can tell that his mom cares a lot for him, and tries to be hip and do things he would want like asking to play CUD (should be CoD--Call of Duty) something that I think she would normally never get into or enjoy. His mom is also the unofficial social coordinator. She will have tea (its australian) with other spouses or parents and be an ear to talk about what they're going through, and also I think to give her an outlet to talk with other adults. It functions also to let us know what is going on outside Zac's room since he can't leave for awhile because of his treatment. There is a major shift about halfway through, we start getting Mia's point of view and Zac is finally released. It is amazing to see how their friendship grows... From the taps and knocks to facebook to real life. How much they need each other, and help each other through the really dark time. While there is some chemistry between the two, I like the predominant focus being on healing and figuring how to deal with the hand that life has dealt them. I loved getting to know Zac's family. The dynamics there are even better once he is released. They live on an olive farm, where people come to pick them, and they also have all the barnyard animals for people to pet, and it falls on the family to take care of the farm, but you can tell they love it and want their hands to be in dirt or on fur somehow or another. His older sister also stole my heart. She lived in a seperate house and was able to help Zac at a time his mom wouldn't have understood. She is so understanding and hip, and wants the best for Zac and also able to help and encourage him. While there are the light things, especially Zac's fascination with Emma Watson (Hermione from Harry Potter). He was very focused on statistics on death and cancer... survival rates, remission and relapse percentages, and also to some extent numbers about other kind of death. There is also talk of losing hair, bowel movements, and puke. It never really gets too graphic but there are some darker themes that we get via Zac. Oh and yes, some compare to Fault in Our Stars... Its two kids with cancer, a boy and a girl. Mia has the osteosarcoma, and there is some sarcasm. But. There were cancer books about teens before TFiOS and will be after as well. A lot of cancer books have certain themes in common, but so do books about vampires. The author's style of writing, and the character journeys and personalities are what makes books different. One thing that kept things light was the sarcasm and Zac's sense of humor. I really like him and how real he was... But at the same time while he didn't sugarcoat things, he also was able to laugh at himself. The setting was also unique. We are in australia with Zac and Mia, and his farm with the joeys (roos). There was some slang that I wasn't used to and a few that I didn't know what it meant, but it really didn't effect my enjoyment. I liked the ending and also seeing the role reversal of sorts. They had both learned so much from cancer, from their family, even though Mia pushes hers away and is angry at some of the choices. It ended on a hopeful note but for the type of novel, it was perfect and not too over the top or unrealistic, but enough for me to be satisfied. Bottom Line: Emotional journey of two teens with cancer and their friendship.
    • 4/5
      Zac and Mia meet in a hospital cancer ward; their communication starts with a tap on the wall, since Zac is confined to his room following a bone marrow transplant. From there, their relationship develops into a friendship (with hints of a romance) of two very different kids, in different situations. Zac is a good guy: solid, level-headed and well adjusted. Mia is a spit fire: angry, defiant, and morally challenged. Zac comes from a middle-class, loving family; Mia has only a mother who can't deal with her free-spirited daughter. Mia has a cancerous tumor on her leg and Zac has leukemia. Satisying story... not too cloying or sentimental. Nonetheless, comparisons to FAULT IN OUR STARS and the TV Show, RED BAND SOCIETY are inevitable Z & M holds its own.Some readers may be put off by Western Australian setting and the fauna (Zac's family lives on a small farm). The language and brief sex scenes are jarring in an otherwise PG rated narrative.
    • 5/5
      Oh, so good. Fantastic book. Those Aussie writers. Wow.
    • 4/5
      An engaging read with realistic characters, a strong supporting cast and a detailed and believable hospital setting. Zac and Mia are opposites: he's level-headed and she's explosive, he's logical and she's emotional, he has empathy, she has ego. Both have cancer, but Mia is not exactly grateful when Zac points out that she's the luckiest one in the oncology ward.

      Unfortunately, this book has already been compared to John Green's The Fault in Our Stars (as will any book written about teens with cancer for the next 30 years). While the subject may be the same, the books are vastly different in tone and style and, to Zac and Mia's credit, should stand on their own merits.
    • 2/5
      Getting tired of books trying to be like The Fault in Our Stars
    • 4/5
      The development of both Zac and Mia is what makes this book so good. Watching Zac try to help Mia cope with cancer is particularly meaningful when the giving comes full circle.
    • 4/5
      This is the story of two teens going through cancer treatment. They have all of the usual issues with relationships, self-image and everything else that comes at that difficult age. Plus, they have cancer and treatments. It’s very relatable even to an adult or someone without a major illness. Readers nearing adulthood are the best audience probably, but I really liked it.
    • 3/5
      The alternating narration between Zac and Mia is unique and creates a more dynamic story than if told solely through Zac or Mia’s perspective. It’s interesting to read the play between the chapters and how well the characters work together to feed off each other’s energy. Zac is a lovable character, and it’s easy to see why he’s such a fighter. He has a great support system within his family. Conversely, Mia has a mother who appears too young to be equipped to handle a teenage daughter with cancer. She begins to rely on Zac’s three am Facebook chats as a way to cope with not being her definition of normal. When Zac checks out of the hospital, she’s left with no one that can be her sounding board, no one to help her through this...read my full review on reviewscomingatya.blogspot.com.
    • 4/5
      Zac and Mia starts out in a hospital. Zac has cancer and his mom is staying by his side every step of the way. Zac is bored out of his mind sitting in the hospital room because of treatment until Mia shows up. She is a mystery to him, the only interesting thing at this point. He tries to imagine what she is going through and her life,but that doesn’t go so well for him. She is trying so hard to keep her lives separated. Its when she realizes that there is nothing more she can do and she needs to accept it. She gets bored of life and Zac has left. She leaves to early, before she is healed and she pays for. Zac is healed, but before he knows it he is in relapse. Mia has gotten back to life and her mom and her are finally getting along again. Mia thinks that Zac forgot about her and she becomes depressed. It turns out that he is in relapse and he doesn’t want to go through chemo again. A.J. Betts did a great job writing this. It started out as Zac telling the story from his point of view,but by the end, Mia was telling it. There were a few unexpected events, it was like The Fault in our Stars. I think that Mia’s character and personality added a lot of unexpected events and twists to the story. The fact that Zac memorized statistics about cancer treatments really added his character to the book. I thought Mr. Betts kept the story moving and there wasn’t a boring or slow part throughout the book.
    • 5/5
      Goodreads Synopsis: The last person Zac expects in the room next door is a girl like Mia, angry and feisty with questionable taste in music. In the real world, he wouldn’t—couldn’t—be friends with her. In hospital different rules apply, and what begins as a knock on the wall leads to a note—then a friendship neither of them sees coming.You need courage to be in hospital; different courage to be back in the real world. In one of these worlds Zac needs Mia. And in the other Mia needs Zac. Or maybe they both need each other, always.My Review: I read the beginning of this book in that YA Buzz Books 2014 book, and absolutely fell in love with it. So I downloaded it. And started reading it. And I was definitely not disappointed. At the beginning of the book, Zac is in isolation. His only friend, his mom, has overstayed her welcome in his hospital room, but who is he to tell her to leave? There's a newbie moving into the room next to him, blasting some lady gaga song, and all he wants is a little peace and quiet. Until they start getting to know each other. It starts with some knocking on the wall, passing notes, and then adding the other on facebook. It only goes up from there. It's a heartwarming story about the two of them, starting by getting to know Zac, and then every other chapter is about him, and by the end, it's all about Mia. I absolutely loved it. Definitely check it out if you get the chance, you won't be disappointed! Thanks for reading. (Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
    • 4/5
      Seventeen-year-old Zac is in isolation in the Adult Oncology Ward after a bone marrow transplant. He’s allowed no visitors except his mom and pretty much everyone else on the ward is old enough to be his grandparent. So when he starts hearing a Lady Gaga song played repeatedly and at high volume through the wall, he begins to wonder about the patient in the next room. He learns her name is Mia, they’re the same age and she too suffers from cancer although a less deadly form (Zac knows because he collects cancer stats). What starts as a few knocks on the wall soon becomes a sort-of friendship over text-messaging and Facebook but over time it will become a true friendship built around more than their disease. Since John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, it seems like every other YA novel these days is ‘sick-lit’, kids with devastating and preferably terminal diseases. Too often, these books just feel like deliberate attempts to pluck at our heart-strings – maudlin stories of brave kids who refuse to be beaten emotionally even as their disease of the week is beating them physically. The problem with this is that some very good books can get lost among all the rip-offs.I’ll admit that I expected more of the same when I began Zac and Mia by author AJ Betts and I’ll admit I was wrong. This is more a story of friendship between two young people who are brought together by their illnesses but who form a real bond. The book is divided between the two characters and their voices are very distinct. Zac is much more likeable, more able to rise above his illness thanks to a large and loving family - it also doesn’t hurt that he lives on a farm that contains a veritable petting zoo including a kangaroo. Mia is less likeable but perhaps more like a real teenager – she’s the only child of a single mother, she whines, she’s obsessed with the things that most teenaged girls are, her looks, her boyfriend, and the perfect dress for the prom, and she blames everyone from her mother, to the doctors, to Zac for what happened to her because she doesn’t know how else to deal. In the end, Zac and Mia is less about their disease and more about friendship and family. It is a sweet and sweetly funny novel, the kind that will bring a smile where a less well-written book would wring a tear. But, still, you might want to keep a box of tissues near by just in case.
    • 5/5
      You’ll need your tissue box for this one folks…well at least I did. Zac has had a few rounds and relapses ofZacAndMia leukemia and is now in the hospital (Room 1) recovering from a bone marrow transplant. It’s pretty much isolation other than the fact that his mother stays with him, despite his entreaties for her to go home.A new patient enters Room 2. Typically they’re older people but this one seems young. Since the walls are thin (6 centimeters according to Zac who is a numbers, statistics person) he can hear the arguing in the next room. When Lady Gaga is put on a continuous loop, as loud as it can go, Zac’s sure it’s a young girl. It turns out that the pain in her ankle wasn’t due to a sprain. It was cancerous.Unlikely as it is, since they are both isolated, Zac and Mia develop some sort of friendship through the walls and notes passed back and forth via Nina, the nurse.Zac and Mia are a contrast in personalities. Zac is the old pro at this and wishes he could tell Mia what to do–crushed ice helps, grilled cheese with ketchup when your taste buds dull due to chemo. He’d also like to tell her that statistically, her chances are 98% that she’ll be cancer free for 5 years once her treatment is over. Mia on the other hand is mad, belligerent, despondent. Yet, at 3 AM, the cursed hour, when both are up, they communicate through Facebook.If John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars set the kids with cancer standard, Zac & Mia by A. J. Betts is not far behind. The locale is Australia and is peppered with alpaca and kangaroos. It’s poignant, funny, sad, teary. Readers will fall in love with Mia and Zac, absolutely. While no one can understand what they go through unless they’ve been there, readers will get a good idea.I’m going out on a limb and saying this will make my Top 10 list this year, it’s that good. So, on a day when you’re indoors, it’s dreary out, and you need to involve yourself in a book, sad story, get out your tissue box, put up a hot chocolate, put your feet under the blanket and read. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. But you’ll be better for it.
    • 5/5
      A.J. Betts won the Text Prize for YA and Children’s Writing in 2012 for her unpublished manuscript of Zac and Mia. Set in Western Australia, it is the story of two teenagers who meet while receiving treatment for cancer.Seventeen year old Zac Meier is partway through an enforced period of isolation after a bone marrow transplant to treat his second re-occurrence of acute myeloid leukemia. Stuck in the adult oncology ward, with only his mother and the nurses asking about his bowel movements for company, when a blast of Lady Gaga penetrates the thin adjoining wall of his hospital room, Zac is intrigued by his new neighbour, Mia.Before her diagnosis of osteosarcoma Mia gave little thought to the future but she could never have imagined she would face it as a ‘one legged freak’. Furious with everyone and everything, including herself, and desperate to deny the reality of her situation, Mia tries to run as far away as she can from her old life.The narrative is shared between the perspectives of Zac and Mia. Betts characterisation is credible and I felt her portrayal of her protagonist’s emotions and behaviours was realistic.Zac is an easy character to like, he is sweet, thoughtful and deals with the indignities cancer treatment forces upon him graciously. His family is supportive, with his mother rarely leaving his bedside. He has a sense of humour about his situation, and remains hopeful even despite his bleak odds of long term survival.“I don’t moan about treatment because what’s the point? The way I figure it, this is just a blip. The average life span for an Australian male is currently seventy nine years or 948 months. This hospital stay, plus the rounds of chemo and the follow up visits, add up to about nine months. That’s only 1.05 percent of my life spent with needles and chemicals, which, put into perspective, is less that one of the tiles of the eighty-four on the ceiling. So, in the scheme of things, it’s nothing.”Mia is a seemingly less sympathetic character, she is bitter, angry and absorbed by her own misery after her diagnosis, however I never held that against her. In truth, Mia is simply terrified and, completely overwhelmed, lashes out indiscriminately.“Lucky?While my friends were dancing at Summadayze, I was kept in observation with intravenous morphine. I pitched in and out of the world, visited by shrinks who attempted to talk about change and perspective and body image and luck. Then they hooked me up to more chemo. I couldn’t eat, wouldn’t talk, didn’t watch when the wound was unbandaged or the staples taken out. I tried to trick myself beyond my fucked-up body, slipping between vivid dreams until the morphine was taken away and I was left to live like this.”The relationship that develops between Zac and Mia is well crafted and believable. Despite their differences, the pair form a tentative friendship, starting with a few taps on the hospital wall dividing them. It isn’t until Mia unexpectedly turns up on Zac’s doorstep once he is home though that the pair really begin to get to know one another.While there is a touch of romance, it is important to note that Zac and Mia isn’t a love story. This is a story about friendship, understanding, family and finding the strength to face life’s difficult challenges. It is poignant and sweet, though Betts doesn’t gloss over the darker realities of battling cancer.The comparisons between Zac and Mia and John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars are almost inevitable given the similar premise, so I think it is important to point out that author interviews have them drafting their novels at about the same time and published only months apart (Text publishing 2012) . I loved The Fault In Our Stars but of the two, I think Zac and Mia is the more genuine story.