Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog! I'm Genni, and today I'll be doing another backlist book review. Backlist book review is a new series on my blog where I review books that I read weeks, perhaps months, ago. Check out my first three backlist book review posts, where I reviewed This Cruel Design by Emily Suvada, Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi, and The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. Instead of my usual paragraph format, I'm going to be answering four questions:
- What is my rating?
- What is the book about?
- What do I remember?
- Does my rating still stand?
Without further ado, here is my backlist book review for Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali!
Title: Love from A to Z
Author: S.K. Ali
Series? No, Love From A to Z is a standalone.
Pages: 384
Publication Date: April 30, 2019
Publisher: Salaam Reads (imprint of Simon and Schuster)
Source: I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. :)
What did I rate it?
4 out of 5 Flowers!
What is it about?
Love From A to Z follows two main characters: Zayneb, a Muslim high-school student who notices all the oddities of the world, and Adam, a college student who is hiding his recent diagnosis of multiple sclerosis from his family. After one of Zayneb's teachers, who is an Islamophobe, makes a mountain out of a molehill, Zayneb is suspended right before spring break. She travels to Doha, Qatar for an early spring break with her aunt. On the plane ride, she meets Adam, who, lo and behold, is in Doha for the spring as well. The novel isn't just a romance, even thought that is a key plot point. Love From A to Z also tackles Islamophobia, grief, chronic disease, and activism with such grace.
What do I remember?
I actually don't remember too much about Love From A to Z. This is very much my fault, though. I took my time reading my ARC, so my reading experience was spread over a couple weeks. However, I do remember crying multiple times and being so enraptured by the novel. Love From A to Z is very much character-driven; I normally don't do well with character-driven novels, but I felt so connected to both Zayneb and Adam. Just writing this review and thinking back to the book makes me want to pick it up and skim it again!
Does the rating still stand?
Yes, the rating still stands! Though I don't remember too many specifics (there are some scenes that still stand out, but I can't recall character names well), my strong feelings are still there. Love From A to Z left me feeling so satisfied when I finished it. Not only did I think the ending was lovely, but I also felt like reading the book is a quiet form of activism. I am a strong supporter of reading diverse novels, and Love From A to Z is an own voices novel about a practicing Muslim teenager. I felt like I both learned a lot about Islam while not feeling lectured, which is such a fine line. The writing is fantastic, and I look forward to reading more from S.K. Ali.
Have you read Love From A to Z? What did you think?
Thanks so much for stopping by and I'll see you soon with another post!
Happy Reading!
Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!
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