Zac & Mia

Betts, A. J. Zac & Mia. 2014. 289p. ISBN 9780544331648. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Zac has had leukemia for a long time. Enough to have undergone several rounds of treatment at a specialized hospital in Perth, Australia. Back in the oncology ward for marrows transplant, Zac has nothing but time on his hands as he can’t leave his room for 28 days. A man of statistics, Zac knows that the odds of his survival are low, less than 50%. But he’s a trooper, and he doesn’t want to disappoint his family. So he soldiers on. He knows everyone’s routine, and has met most of the patients on the ward.

When a new patient moves in Room 2, six centimeters from the wall that separates his Room 1, Zac is mildly interested. When he discovers that it is a girl about his age, he becomes intrigued. She blasts Beyoncé through her speakers, and, after the thirty-ninth time, Zac has enough. He pounds on the wall, and is surprised when she knocks back. Soon the two of the develop a relationship through Facebook, knocks, and exchanged messages. The end of her treatment means she gets to go home, while Zac stays at the hospital. Upon her return, he learns that her name is Mia.

Mia, for her part, discovered a localized tumor on her ankle. She receives chemotherapy treatments which are ineffective and she eventually loses her leg below the knee. She had been looking forward to a formal dance with her friends and her boyfriend, but now she’s bitter and lost. Who could possibly love a cripple and cancer survivor like her?

As they both try to move on from their most recent experiences, they can’t forget each other. As they navigate recovery, they realize that they mean more to each other than friends, but that facing truths about the odds of survival and the impact of cancer will be the greatest battle of their lives. Fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars will appreciate Zac and Mia’s special relationship and the measures they take to fight against their disease.

Brave Enough

Gardner, Kati. Brave Enough. 2018. 320p. ISBN 978-1635830200. Available at FIC GAR on the library shelves.

Cason Martin has been working her whole life towards joining the Studio Company of the American Ballet Theater, the best ballet school in the country. The best dancer at her mother’s school, Cason breathes and lives ballet. In the last few days leg has been strained, a presence so painful her knee and tight are swollen and every movement sends stabbing shards of pain up her spine. A perfect performance in her audition for a spot at the Studio Company will take her away from Atlanta and her controlling mother, but a discovery right after her performances has her struggling for more than dance. She has cancer in her leg, and the best outcome includes several chemotherapy sessions and physical therapy, while the worst, short of death, involves a leg amputation.

Arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, Davis Channing did a stint in rehab and avoided prison by being sentenced to community service in the oncology service of the Children’s Hospital, the same place he spent time as a cancer patient four years ago. Haunted by the decisions he made while using drugs, his brain still craves for one more hit, and sobriety is a constant daily battle.

When Davis enters Cason’s room, she at first believes he can’t understand what she’s going through, plus she knows of his arrest and sentence. For his part, though he can’t relate to her desire to dance again, Davis knows what it’s like to live with cancer and to be addicted to something, and he knows that Cason will need a friend in the weeks and months ahead. As they spend more time together, however, they soon discover that they have more in common than they thought. An accident in the shower and the re-apparition of Alexis and Ethan, Davis’ ex-girlfriend and his dealer, however, threaten both of their futures. Are they brave enough to confront their demons and move forward?

Cason’s frustration at being a cancer patient, then an amputee, come through clearly in the vivid descriptions of daily life. Davis’ struggles with addiction are palpable and realistic. Natalie’s powerful conversion from smothering dance coach in complete denial about her daughter’s cancer to understanding and caring mother adds an element of healing to the story. However, the myriad discussions on going to Camp Chemo throughout the book build an expectation that is not fulfilled at the end, and though Cason dances again, the conclusion feels rushed and incomplete. Sparse use of swear words and authentic descriptions of drug abuse make this book more appropriate for older teens. Fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars or of A.J. Bett’s Zac & Mia will enjoy this story of healing.