Title: Love from A to Z

Author: S.K. Ali  

Genre: Contemporary     

Publisher: Salaam Reads     

Format: Paperback

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis (Goodreads):

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.

 

Review:

Thank you @simonschusterca for the advanced reader’s copy! I loved this book so much!

The novel follows two main characters: Zayneb and Adam. Zayneb is a high school student in the US who is sick of dealing with Islamophobia and is very passionate about speaking out! Unfortunately this leads to her being suspended and starting her spring break early; going to Doha to visit her aunt!

Adam is in his first year of university in London, and is on his way home to Doha to see his dad and sister. Adam has a secret he needs to tell his family, and this secret has caused him to drop out of university!

So yes the two meet, and develop feelings for each other, but that was not the part of the book that I enjoyed the most (I did enjoy the romance aspect, but the rest of the book was so good). I thought the book did a great job of shining a light on the judgement that Muslim women experience, and ways in which to challenge these judgements! I loved Zaybeb’s character! She is such a strong and fierce young woman, who is learning to harness the passion she feels for activism into ways she can make positive change. I love that Adam wants to learn more about her because of this passion. I don’t read enough fiction set in the Middle East so this was a great book to broaden my horizons with. I also feel like I learned a lot from this book, which always feels great as a reader! I feel like I’m rambling now so I will end this review by saying everyone should read this book! It’s so good!

Happy reading!