Love from A to Z

S. K. Ali

Apr 2019 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

A Today Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick

“The bighearted, wildly charming, painfully real love story I’ve been waiting for.” —Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

From William C. Morris Award Finalist S.K. Ali comes a “heartfelt and powerful” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) romance that’s The Sun Is Also a Star meets 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.

Ratings and reviews

Thank you, S.K. Ali. You wrote a book about so many things the world doesn't know about and you made it intriguing. As someone who has close family members with M.S because I live in Canada (which has the highest rate of M.S in the world, I believe), I appreciate you incorporating it into the story. The addition of Zayneb's fiery temper towards islamaphobes is an excellent defiance towards currupt social norms because she deals with things that happen in real life everyday. This book is a clear representative of Islamic culture and how Muslims are, indeed, not terrorists. I encourage everyone who has negative views on the religion to read it and, if you still feel hatred, read more about Islam before making accusations.

I admire the writing, it's so cute, I couldn't stop gushing and screaming by myself because of these two stupid soulmates I love how the author bringing muslim representations –which for me is very much accurate, like how we dealt with islamophobia, also how to behave around boys that's not our mahram yet, and others, I just love it very much PLEASE JUST READ IT, IT'S VERY CUTE

Cliche teen book from a different ethnic/religious point of view, then again who doesn't love cliches <3

About the author

S. K. Ali is the author of Saints and Misfits, a finalist for the American Library Association’s 2018 William C. Morris Award and the winner of the APALA Honor Award and Middle East Book Honor Award; and Love from A to Z, a Today show Read with Jenna Book Club selection. Both novels were named best YA books of the year by various media including Entertainment Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. She is also the author of Misfit in Love and Love from Mecca to Medina. You can find Sajidah online at SKAliBooks.com and follow her on Instagram @SKAliBooks, TikTok @SKAliBooks, and on Twitter @SajidahWrites.