Reviews with content warning for Grief - Love From A to Z

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali

40 reviews

justagirlwithbooks's review against another edition

4.0

“Maybe that's what living is--recognizing the marvels and oddities around you.”

Aaah I really enjoyed this book! It was so good! I loved reading it, Adam and Zayneb have my whole heart and I really need more stories like this in my life, with more Muslim representation and disability representation that is actually positive and accurate! The character's struggles and beliefs were so clear throughout the whole novel and I just loved reading about them falling in love. I felt for these characters so much. This was really good.

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alainajreads's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.75

I read S.K. Ali’s Saints and Misfits a few years ago and enjoyed Love from A to Z even more! Everything I wanted from a Young Adult romance— sweet, emotional, and hopeful, and oh-so-swoony. With a fateful first meeting at the airport on their spring break trip to Qatar, Adam and Zayneb find their paths crossing again and again. Adam is hiding his Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis from his family as his mother died from the same disease years earlier. Zayneb and her friends are trying to take down an Islamophobic teacher when she is suspended from school in the process. The similarity— they both have a Marvels and Oddities journal to reflect about the universe.

I was captivated by Adam and Zayneb’s love story, and how their connection was emotional and respectful as according to their Muslim faith, as both are devout and their religious identity is a large part of their relationship. Adam’s MS is handled with sensitivity and care and he and Zayneb help each other grow and bring out the best in each other, and his relationships with his father and sister truly shine. This novel addressed social issues such as Islamophobia, white feminism and how it can be weaponized against hijabi women, and drone strikes and war (which hit especially hard when considering the U.S.’ role in the genocide in Gaza), and Zayneb is a passionate and outspoken activist. Though didactic at times, these topics were all handled well and inspired by the author’s own experiences as a Muslim woman. There are a number of HP and other references which dated the book a little bit for me but didn’t impact my overall enjoyment or rating of the book. With beautiful messages about family, grief, young love, and the complexities and beauty of the universe and our place in it, Love from A to Z is unforgettable.

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kenzieburke's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional inspiring lighthearted fast-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? No

5.0

Oh gosh, this book just rips at your soul. While a beautiful story about two young Muslim teens experiencing the vastness of human connection and finding love. It’s also a story about a young girl trying to find justice in a world so hateful, finding that fire, that courage, to stand up against hate. Learning how to exist and move in a world that doesn’t feel fair in the slightest, and how to still see beauty and goodness or Marvels despite immense fear and tragedy.

I will say, I wanted to fight so many characters while reading this. Especially after having several teachers like Fender. People around you like Madison. Just a lot of raw feelings this book brings out.

Zayneb is beautifully human and I wish I knew someone like her while growing up. To have someone who fights so much for those she cares about and what is right. Adam is one of those characters whose heart and soul you wish you just had yourself sometimes. And watching them grow throughout this novel together was everything. Zayneb and Adam are really a great duality of one another, and their experience as teens.

Some of my favorite lines *there were many*:

Girls like me who see and feel the pains and problems of the world don’t make sense to people. So maybe we’re meant to be alone, or only with people exactly like us.

As Jo traipsed around being allowed to be angry when she wanted to be, and Amy threw things in the fire during one of her rage sessions, it hit me that maybe it was because Jo and Amy were considered cute that they got away with showing their emotions. …

Was that a factor in me not being able to just be messy me?

This way of noticing that even during the suckiest moments in life there was something marvelous to be seen, heard, touched. Or just a tiny awe felt in the heart.

I don’t think I can actually write much more about this book without crying again. But from Adam, Ayaan, Hanna, Auntie Nandy, Kavi to Zayneb, you truly have an amazing cast of characters who you will forever connect to. 💕

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dar0822's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-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? No

4.0

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mahaofhyrule's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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? Yes

4.25

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rafacolog's review

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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bujo_bellel's review against another edition

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hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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? Yes

3.0

This book was very informative about MS and about the hate that Muslims receive because of their religion (especially in America). I liked learning about another culture and really liked getting to know our main characters, Adam and Zayneb. Zayneb is a very righteous character and will fight for what is right. Adam is really caring and kind. They're kinda opposites attract, tho they both share the same journal based of Marvels and Oddities. I'm really proud of Zayneb and her friends for being able to

take down Fencer, and everyone following Zayneb out of the classroom to protest against Fencer

. Though I was not really into the book and had to put it down quite a few times. However, I think it's a good book to learn more about another culture and a medical condition.

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fromjuliereads's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a good read! I tend to struggle a little more with YA books these days but this had so many fantastic moments and important elements to it that I read it fairly quickly. I admit that the familial relationships and friendships were my favourite parts over the main characters' romance. I liked them and they are a good fit, but the moments with Adam and his dad, or his friendship with Connor? The conversations with Zayneb and Aunty Nandy? Those moments were my favourites. Those were the parts that made me tear up. S.K. Ali writes fantastic familial relationships and friendships, and the moments that show them.

Also I had no idea that S.K. Ali is Canadian until the acknowledgements, but what a welcome surprise!

Warning: a LOT of HP references. I know this was written a little bit ago but it was too much for me...

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tinysierra's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

Marvel: Love from A to Z
I loved this book. The romance, the format, the family ties, the Muslim main characters. I didn’t know much about MS and I’m still learning about the Muslim faith so this book taught me a lot! I loved Zayneb’s passionate and fiery personality.

Oddity: Positive references to Harry Potter in a book about prejudice and hate crimes. Like, am I missing something? This book was published in 2019… how many trans people are dead now as a result of JKR’s TERF rhetoric?

If you like this book, I recommend:

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Jackpot by Nic Stone

Content Warnings

mina2299's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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

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