Love from A to Z
Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali
Reviewed by Tanya
📘📘📘📘
You know how much I love a cute YA novel, so this was right up my street. It wasn’t just all romance though, it dealt with issues such as Islamophobia, social injustice, family relationships, friendships and illnesses.
I’m not going to lie it did take me a while to get into it. I first tried reading it in 2019 and just couldn’t get my head around it and last year I picked it up when I was having a reader’s block and just whizzed through it.
Adam, a Chinese-Finnish Canadian university student is finding the courage to tell his dad and younger sister that he has MS, the same disease that killed his mum 10 years before. Zayneb, a Pakistani Guyanese Trinidadian high schooler from Indiana, got an unexpected early start to her holidays by being suspended from school after confronting a teacher who constantly brings his Islamophobia into the classroom.
After meeting on a plane briefly, the two reconnect at a party, and Adam and Zayneb (often with his younger sister, Hanna) begin spending time together. As young Muslims (Adam, his father, and sister are Reverts), they share a common set of values when it comes to even casual dating: no kissing, touching. They're still beginning to explore their feelings for each other when their relationship is put to the test.
The story is told through journal entries of Adam and Zayneb, both relatable and thoughtful characters! I honestly loved both characters and how connected they were to their faith. I loved how they both stayed true to themselves and didn’t give into temptations. (like they do in these Netflix shows…come on who opens their fast with a shot of tequila LOL smh) Both Adam and Zayneb’s families were so supportive and I enjoyed the difference in their culture and personalities. Thank you @skalibooks for keeping it halal!!
