Reviews with content warning for Chronic illness - Love from A to Z

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

Content Warnings

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

Y’ALL THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING.

A Marvel: This book.

An Oddity: That I didn’t read it sooner!

First of all, I know I’ve talked about this book before (because I was a part of the Street Team and I did a post about Marvels and Oddities in My Life) but I didn’t get a chance to read it until now and it even fit a prompt for the #RamadanReadathon so YAY!

Anyway, THIS BOOK GAVE ME ALL THE FEELINGS. I WILL FOREVER TREASURE THIS BOOK. FOREVER.

I mean the cover alone had me giddy because HIJABI REP. I really enjoyed Saints and Misfits and am really excited for the sequel, but this book was totally different and is held to a whole new level of PERFECTION.

Just from the first page (“This is a Love Story. You’ve been warned.”), I was head over heels in love. I love the witty nature of the narrator in the first chapter before transitioning into a dual POV between Adam and Zayneb.

It was so great seeing this unapologetically Muslim woman be unapologetically herself and fight for what she believed in. I think it was so important to see someone standing up for herself and her religion and culture and just be angry with the situation in the world.

Zayneb was a force to be reckoned with, while also just being an adorable person that I want to just hug and be best friends with!

Adam is a rare pokemon that I need to find?! How do I get myself a guy who is just so absolutely adorable and pure and kind and smart and handsome?! When I started reading this book, I didn’t actually realize Adam was Muslim, so that made me REALLY HAPPY.

I really loved that it wasn’t insta-love (more insta-attraction… but like who wouldn’t be tbh) and that we got to this beautiful romance develop so well! I loved seeing the interactions and swoon over all the cute little things (just like Zayneb would hehe).

On top of the romance, I just absolutely loved the family and friendship! Zayneb’s aunt is one of my favorite people on the planet and she definitely had the most important quote in the book in my opinion!

Never, ever quake in the face of hate.

Adam’s family (particularly Hanna oh my gosh what an adorable little child) is so wonderful and I honestly cried at one particular incident that I won’t spoil but IT INVOLVED FRIES and just hearing their journey and seeing how strong and faithful they were just warmed my heart!

It was also just so great seeing such wonderful supportive friends. The three Emmas (I laughed out loud when I saw that! AMAZING!) and CONNOR. EVERYBODY NEEDS AN AMAZING AND SUPPORTIVE FRIEND LIKE CONNOR OKAY?!

Even the smallest things (like saying As-Salamu-Alaikum in an airport or praying together as a family) made me so happy! Just everything about this book gave me all of the feelings and I will be pushing this book in front of everyone for forever!

If you enjoy AWESOME MUSLIM REP and super adorable meet-cutes with super adorable guys named Adam that will give you really high expectations for meeting someone just like that then this is the book for you! Obviously, this is an #ownvoices book so if you love that, you’ll LOVE THIS.

If you like traveling, standing up to Islamophobia and racism, really hilarious (but also cute) water metaphors, singing about rain in the middle of the desert, journaling, crying your heart out because of all the feelings, and an absolutely beautiful love story you will absolutely love this book!

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