Reviews with content warning for Racism - Love from A to Z

Wow. This is the Muslim Rep Romance I've been looking for all my LIFE. I've had this book on my TBR since it came out and I'm an utter FOOL for not reading it sooner. This was so good. It is better than Saints N Misfits in my opinion and Adam was the epitome of a cinnamon roll while Zayneb was SO relatable to teen (and current) me. I cannot recommend this book enough to my Muslim Romance fans.

The Muslim Representation in this book follows most of the Islamic rules while still keeping it grounded in reality to how the "average Western Muslim" may experience and exemplify their religion.

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ciea's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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iamsammie27's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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biacedbooks's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful informative sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Very cute book. I love that at the end

it reveals that Adam and Zayneb did get married ❤️

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redbookpanda's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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annalisaely's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I absolutely loved this book! It is so sweet and happy sappy while still addressing racism, Islamophobia, appropriation, and more. The relationship between these two was so sweet and as I said in an earlier post I really enjoyed reading about how the main characters experienced and practiced their faith and seeing how much I had in common with them. It also inspired me to buy my own burqini, which should be arriving any day now, despite public pools not being something I anticipate using until vaccines are widely available (I did look into it and found that the creator is happy for non-Muslims to use them). I've had bad anxiety about people being able to see my body for years and it has kept me from swimming, something I enjoy a great deal. It made me feel so free to realise there was a solution.
Other reasons to read this book include really sweet familial relationships and a male love interest who likes to make crafts!

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sophiesbookmusings's review against another edition

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Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Love from A to Z - S.K. Ali

Read by Priya Ayyar and Tim Chiou

After confronting her Islamophobic teacher Zayneb is suspended from school in Indiana, where she is a senior. Adam a freshman, who has recently been diagnosed with MS, is returning home for spring break and is struggling to tell his father of his diagnosis. The both meet briefly on the plane to Qatar before being reunited at a party. Love from A to Z follows Zayneb and Adam as they fall in love, with the dual-POV allowing the reader to better understand and explore the realities of Islamophobia, racism and living with a chronic illness.

This was all kinds of wonderful, with so many layers to it that I wasn’t expecting. Yes, this is a book about first love, family, friendships and the challenges that come with these relationships. It is also about Islamophobia, drone warfare, racism, chronic illness, activism and loss. Throughout the Muslin experience is centred, while also making clear that no one experience is the same.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where I’ve rooted for the main characters quite as much as I did for Zayneb and Adam. The strength, compassion and love they both show, they both care so deeply, while not being without their flaws.

A wonderful and heartfelt story, and I can only imagine how important it must be for so many to be able to truly see themselves in a book.

Warning: Racism, islamophobia, death, chronic illness, cultural appropriation, drone warfare

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