Love from A to Z
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Love from A to Z

S. K. Ali2019
From William C. Morris Award Finalist S.K. Ali comes an unforgettable romance that is part The Sun Is Also a Star mixed with Anna and the French Kiss, following two Muslim teens who meet during a spring break trip. A marvel: something you find amazing. Even ordinary-amazing. Like potatoes—because they make French fries happen. Like the perfect fries Adam and his mom used to make together. An oddity: whatever gives you pause. Like the fact that there are hateful people in the world. Like Zayneb’s teacher, who won’t stop reminding the class how “bad” Muslims are. But Zayneb, the only Muslim in class, isn’t bad. She’s angry. When she gets suspended for confronting her teacher, and he begins investigating her activist friends, Zayneb heads to her aunt’s house in Doha, Qatar, for an early start to spring break. Fueled by the guilt of getting her friends in trouble, she resolves to try out a newer, “nicer” version of herself in a place where no one knows her. Then her path crosses with Adam’s. Since he got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November, Adam’s stopped going to classes, intent, instead, on perfecting the making of things. Intent on keeping the memory of his mom alive for his little sister. Adam’s also intent on keeping his diagnosis a secret from his grieving father. Alone, Adam and Zayneb are playing roles for others, keeping their real thoughts locked away in their journals. Until a marvel and an oddity occurs… Marvel: Adam and Zayneb meeting. Oddity: Adam and Zayneb meeting.
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Reviews

Photo of micki
micki@micki
4 stars
May 3, 2024

this book was truly beautiful! it dealt with a lot of topics and the writing of the author was easy to understand and kept me hooked to keep on reading, i didn’t even notice that i skimmed through these pages that fast but i really enjoyed it!!

+2
Photo of zatul
zatul @zatulasma
5 stars
Apr 24, 2024

even better the second time around 🥰 reread #3: crying 🫶🏻🫶🏻💓💘✨💖🎀🥰💜✨💙🦋

Photo of blue
blue@bluelien
4 stars
Apr 18, 2024

A very beautiful story with a message of utmost importance. I enjoyed the characters - it was easy to like them, to feel for them, and to root for them. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy a story presented to me as diary entries, but this was done so well that I couldn't not stand behind the choice. Not to mention how fun and smart the idea of them sharing a 'wonders and rarities' diary is. The meaning behind this alone is impactful, and to my delight, there were so many more impactful points. To all the Zaynebs out there, keep fighting for what you stand for; and to all the Adams, kudos to you!

+9
Photo of Sarah Sammis
Sarah Sammis@pussreboots
5 stars
Apr 4, 2024

Marvelous. Although the overall result of the novel is a happy ending, it is an emotional rollercoaster. These two protagonists are well crafted, believable characters who you will quickly come to love. You'll worry for them. You'll cheer for them. http://pussreboots.com/blog/2019/comm...

Photo of zed
zed@zed
4 stars
Jan 9, 2024

aaaa, to relate to a book so wholly, is a completely new feeling to me, someone who mainly reads in the romantasy genre with little to no muslim or south asian representation. it was so sweet, so simple, and so casual and yet at the same time made me emotional too. I absolutely loved how topics of oppression and a war torn subcontinent are touched upon, its absolutely necessary to be be given awareness once in a while of our real world scenarios. I aspire to be strong like Zayneb and stand up against the wrongs. and ofcourse, the love story!!! beautiful and so perfect for a modest girly like me. overall, a very cute read.

Photo of poopsoup
poopsoup@sarahahahah
4 stars
Aug 27, 2023

IT WAS CUTE and accurately shows how we muslims crush on people but can't do much unless marriage is brought up. Adam is adorable and Zayneb's entries were so funny with the way she was thinking about Adam. Cute book!

+3
Photo of Razen Ouled Khlaf
Razen Ouled Khlaf@razenx
5 stars
Jul 17, 2023

The most perfect book I’ve ever read. I was seeking for a book that represented my religion in a positive way and the love, shared between two souls, that comes with it. This book is just that.

The love shared between Adam and Zayneb is beautiful, real and very realistic. This book shows us that there are beautiful love stories out there that can be halal and that you have to communicate and stay true to yourself in order to keep things going in life.


+7
Photo of k
k@khadijaa
5 stars
Jul 5, 2023

who doesn’t want love like this



(adam’s thoughts really got to me)

Photo of Wafaa S
Wafaa S@muslimahx
5 stars
May 18, 2023

Really amazing book. Everyone should read. 😍

Photo of alexandra
alexandra@twirlingpages
3 stars
May 14, 2023

i enjoyed this so so much :') gave me all the fluffy cute feels as well as intense sadness and rage at all the islamophobia in this world.

Photo of Anum Memon
Anum Memon@anummuna
3 stars
Feb 20, 2023

I gave it three stars because I personally did enjoy but not as much as I would think to enjoy it. Also I was about to give it two stars because I thought the writing was kinda slow and wasn't fast pace like other standalone romances. I also think this one is way substantially better than the authors other book (saints and misfits). I really thought saints and misfits was a dull, boring and tedious. This book however was okay to read because I did have a smirk on my face in a couple parts in the novel.

Photo of menna
menna@midnightcoffee
5 stars
Jan 31, 2023

adam and zayneb are the cutest and I'm in love with them and everything in this book

Photo of Sampurna Saha
Sampurna Saha @samsstory
3 stars
Jan 22, 2023

Cute

Photo of Bvhh759
Bvhh759@bvh759
3 stars
Jan 16, 2023

Lost interest halfway

Photo of Jantien
Jantien @joan_illusion
5 stars
Dec 22, 2022

Thank you for this book. Mashallah. I will never forget how it made me feel.

Photo of Paige Green
Paige Green@popthebutterfly
4 stars
Oct 28, 2022

Disclaimer: I bought a copy of this book on my Kindle. Support your authors! All opinions are my own.

 

Book: Love from A to Z

 

Author: S.K. Ali

 

Book Series: Love From A to Z Book 1

 

Rating: 4/5

 

Diversity: American Muslim MC (Pakistani/West Indian descent), Canadian Muslim convert MC with Multiple Sclerosis (Chinese/Finish descent), other Muslim and Muslim convert characters, Scoliosis character

 

Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, Muslim

 

Publication Date: April 30, 2019

 

Genre: YA Contemporay

 

Age Relevance: 14+ (cursing, death, religion, Islamaphobia, HP references, grief, anti-indigenous actions, parental death, illness, animal violence, animal abuse, slight sexual content, romance)

 

Explanation of Above: There is very very slight cursing in this book. There is some parental death and other death mentioned and grief is shown. The Muslim religion is shown and mentioned several times. There are acts and words of Islamaphobia and there is a non-MC character who participates in anti-indigenous actions by wearing an indigenous Halloween costume that mocks the culture. There are a TON of HP references, but because this was wrote before 2020 I did not take off points for them (but I do wish this book was rereleased without them). There is illness mentioned and shown. There is one mention of a dog bite and animal abuse is off-handedly mentioned. There is one scene where horny jokes are made. There is some romance in this book, but nothing beyond talking and declarations of affection.

 

Publisher: Salaam Reads

 

Pages: 384

 

Synopsis: A marvel: something you find amazing. Even ordinary-amazing. Like potatoes—because they make French fries happen. Like the perfect fries Adam and his mom used to make together.

 

An oddity: whatever gives you pause. Like the fact that there are hateful people in the world. Like Zayneb’s teacher, who won’t stop reminding the class how “bad” Muslims are.

 

But Zayneb, the only Muslim in class, isn’t bad. She’s angry.

 

When she gets suspended for confronting her teacher, and he begins investigating her activist friends, Zayneb heads to her aunt’s house in Doha, Qatar, for an early start to spring break.

 

Fueled by the guilt of getting her friends in trouble, she resolves to try out a newer, “nicer” version of herself in a place where no one knows her.

 

Then her path crosses with Adam’s.

 

Since he got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November, Adam’s stopped going to classes, intent, instead, on perfecting the making of things. Intent on keeping the memory of his mom alive for his little sister.

 

Adam’s also intent on keeping his diagnosis a secret from his grieving father.

 

Alone, Adam and Zayneb are playing roles for others, keeping their real thoughts locked away in their journals.

 

Until a marvel and an oddity occurs…

 

Marvel: Adam and Zayneb meeting.

 

Oddity: Adam and Zayneb meeting.

 

Review: I thought this was a great book! I loved the use of journaling to see inner monologue and I thought the story was compelling. The book was a great story about two teens who meet and fall in love as the subplot. The main plot for one was struggling with a diagnosis after losing their mom to the same disease and the other is struggling with an Islamaphobic teacher who is threatening her chances at a good school. The world building was well done and overall I loved reading this book.

 

The only issue I had with the book is that there were SO MANY HP references. I didn’t mark off because of when this book was published, but the amount of them used to describe characters based on houses really dated the book and it made character development confusing when you’re not in the HP sphere anymore. The book was also super slow in a lot of parts of it.

 

Verdict: It was good! I liked it!

Photo of Turtle lover
Turtle lover@turtle05
2 stars
Aug 25, 2022

not for me

Photo of Stephanie Ridiculous
Stephanie Ridiculous@stephanieridiculous
5 stars
Aug 21, 2022

Uhhh, adorbs. What a great read.

Photo of Marisa Petri
Marisa Petri@risareads
4 stars
Aug 18, 2022

This book was so sweet and honestly quite surprising. I had very high expectations since my friends told me to read it with such passion... Oh WELL, I guess they were right to insist. I didn't know it would bring me to tears!! Besides being adorable andvwell written, it also brings a concrete example of love within Islam which is very welcome.

Photo of Zahia Saeed
Zahia Saeed @zahiawrites
5 stars
Aug 15, 2022

Second read! (I cried so much) I am glad I still love this book to pieces. If this book was human I'd hug it until I am stuck on it. 100✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Photo of kay
kay@ninariva
5 stars
Aug 14, 2022

crying because it makes me sm happy to see Islam being accurately represented in this book. zayneb's story portrayed the daily struggles Muslims go through every day, and not just in western countries. as much as it hurt to read (because i recognized it) i think it changes how people see Islamophobia and the perceptions of Muslims in the world right now. adam and zayneb adopt me please !!!!!

Photo of Nikki
Nikki@beaushelly
5 stars
Jul 1, 2022

TAKE ME BACK TO ADAMZAYNEB I WANNA GO BACK TO ADAMZAYNEB

Photo of Fraser Simons
Fraser Simons@frasersimons
4 stars
Jun 9, 2022

Sad, sweet, earnest.

Photo of Roz
Roz@irasobrietate
5 stars
Mar 27, 2022

This book was beautiful. The hope, peace, and justice that it embodies was so wonderful to experience.

Highlights

Photo of blue
blue@bluelien

Wanneer heb je ooit iets probleemloos ten goede zien veranderen?

Page 323

True. Om je doel te bereiken moet je soms hard werken. You might face a lot of backlash, but you shouldn't give up.

Photo of blue
blue@bluelien

Waarom zou je iets anders zijn, waarom moslim zijn, waarom iets zijn waarvan de maatschappij zegt dat het niet normaal is, als je het niet echt in vrijheid kunt zijn? Waarom moeten we lijden om onszelf te zijn?

Page 323
Photo of blue
blue@bluelien

En weet u wat? Hoe ik eruitzie en wie ik ben, ga ik niet veranderen vanwege uw vooroordelen, uw boosheid, uw zogenaamde vriendelijkheid. Uw verzet tegen mijn bestaan is zinloos, oké?

Page 297

vanaf nu is dit mijn standaard reactie als ik word geconfronteerd met islamofobie enz.

Photo of blue
blue@bluelien

Die zucht naar gerechtigheid in je hart is daar door God geplant. Je dapperheid ook. Laat niemand die onderdrukken, want dan onderdruk je de bron ervan.

Page 273

mooi gezegd (tante nandy, slayyyy)

Photo of blue
blue@bluelien

Islamofobie zorgt ervoor dat mensen zoals wij zonder repercurssies vermoord kunnen worden.

Page 271

islamofobie, maar ook racisme over het algemeen. iedereen die niet 'westers' genoeg is mag van hen sterven :/ (denk aan vele afrikaanse, aziatische en zuid-amerikaanse landen; moslim of niet, als je niet 'blank genoeg' bent is er een hoger kans dat je dood niet zo veel uitmaakt)

Photo of blue
blue@bluelien

Vorig jaar waren we voor onze eindexamenreis in België en daar zagen we die schoenen, meer dan vierduizend, die waren uitgestald om de Palestijnse slachtoffers van de laatste tien jaar te herdenken.

Page 266

4000 schoenen voor een periode van 10 jaar is super erg; maar ongeveer 40 000 schoenen zouden we nu moeten plaatsten voor slachtoffers gemaakt in een halfjaar. Dit brengt dingen in perspectief, hoe afschuwelijk alles is...

Photo of blue
blue@bluelien

Het deed pijn dat sommige levens minder waard waren.

Page 246
Photo of blue
blue@bluelien

Je moet altijd je rug recht houden als je met haat wordt geconfronteerd.

Page 164
Photo of blue
blue@bluelien

Hijab betekent niet noodzakelijkerwijs moslimachtiger. Het kán moslimachtiger betekenen, en het kan ook níét moslimachtiger betekenen.

Page 135
Photo of blue
blue@bluelien

Er is nog een ander soort haat, vooral van vrouwen die zich bezighouden met wit feminisme, die denken dat ze moslima's helpen door deze manier van kleden als onderdrukking te bestempelen. Ze doen net alsof ze ons redden door ons te "bevrijden" van onze religieuze leer, die volgens hen onderdrukkend is, want zij zijn zo slim, haha, dat ze dat doorhebben.

Page 136
Photo of blue
blue@bluelien

Meisjes zoals ik, die de pijn en de problemen van de wereld zien en voelen, worden niet begrepen.

Page 132

I felt that. Het feit dat ze zover in het boek nog altijd denkt dat ze 'rustig' moet worden en dat boos worden over oneerlijkheid niet verantwoord is maakt me boos.

Photo of blue
blue@bluelien

Wat me irriteert is dat mensen denken dat islamofobie bestaat uit kleine of grote geweldsincidenten. Een hoofddoek die van iemands hoofd wordt gerukt, iemands winkel die wordt vernield, iemand die gewond raakt of zelfs vermoord wordt. Nee, er is ook een ander soort, en dat komt veel vaker voor: het langzame, gestage spervuur van kleine vooroordelen, de jouw-soort-mensen-zijn-uitschot-steken met een lichtvaardig die steeds een flarden van je ziel afhakken totdat je hart zo verdoofd is dat je het niet meer voelt. Je ziet bijna alles negatief en je bent alleen nog maar boos.

Page 22
Photo of Rana
Rana@hareem

Here was a girl I was interested in, way more than any other girl I'd met before.

Page 166
Photo of Rana
Rana@hareem

I closed my eyes. God, she was.....cute.

Page 141
Photo of Rana
Rana@hareem

When I got my first impression of her: busy, beautiful, brilliant blue.

Page 139
Photo of fc ♡
fc ♡@fuzzyreads

I don’t know why I just had to show her the journal—maybe to let her know there were two of us?
No, I think maybe it was to see that smile again.

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of fc ♡
fc ♡@fuzzyreads

I was still floored that we had the same journal, so I kept stealing glances at her. And then she stopped with her pen to her lips and looked straight at me.
Luckily, I saw it coming and moved my eyes in time. I hope.

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of fc ♡
fc ♡@fuzzyreads

l promised a marvel for every oddity, so… Okay, here, I’ll give you one: cute guys. Well, the cute guy across from me as I write

the first time we locked gazes, his eyes had looked lively somehow. Like he wasn’t closed up. Like there’s this easy smile on his face, even while reading his laptop screen.
His hair was—okay, that’s all. He saw me looking at him a few times, so I’m going to stop.

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of fc ♡
fc ♡@fuzzyreads

Was there anybody on this plane who wouldn’t look at me and think troublemaker? Or worse, terrorist?

Photo of fc ♡
fc ♡@fuzzyreads

I took my laptop out and opened it on my knees—but I’d be lying if I said I was browsing online. Instead, shielded by eyes staring at the log-in screen, my mind was in scrambles

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of fc ♡
fc ♡@fuzzyreads

An orange book sticking out caught my eye. In big, bold, black handwritten letters it said MARVELS AND ODDITIES JOURNAL.
I think I must have made a sound, because she looked up, her eyes inquisitive.

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of fc ♡
fc ♡@fuzzyreads

How do you meet that one exact person who’s right for you?

Photo of fc ♡
fc ♡@fuzzyreads

I’ve dropped out of school. I don’t want to run out of time

:/

Photo of fc ♡
fc ♡@fuzzyreads

people think Islamophobia is these little or big acts of violence. Someone getting their hijab ripped off, someone’s business getting vandalized, someone getting hurt or, yes, even killed. No, there’s the other kind too, and it’s a more prevalent kind: the slow, steady barrage of tiny acts of prejudice, these your-people-are-trash lightsaber cuts that tear and peel strips off your soul until you can’t feel your numbed heart any longer.
Angrier than angry, because then you’ve got almost nothing positive left inside