Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali

75 reviews

rileydobereading's review against another edition

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Islamophobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Cultural appropriation and War

meat_muffin's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I loved this book so much - absolutely a sleeper hit I didn’t see coming, and whewwwww buddy did it reel me in once it got going.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Cultural appropriation

nightlight_reader's review against another edition

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Xenophobia

Moderate: Medical content and Death of parent

christinesreads's review

hopeful reflective fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia

Moderate: Chronic illness, Grief, and Death of parent

vanessamariebooks's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

I read this for my Diversity is Lit bookclub, but this just wasn't for me. I can see why others like it, but I was just really bored throughout it. My full thoughts here: https://www.youtube.com/live/Af2pR2L0SWw?si=0AV_X3T9midIX20W 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Cultural appropriation, and War

theliteraryteapot's review against another edition

lighthearted fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Quick, nice YA romance book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Hate crime, Racism, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent

onegalonelife27's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

 

I do have to warn that there are some HP references-mainly to the houses and using them for personality traits, like the Meyers Briggs deal.  It's sprinkled throughout the book, so just be advised.

By fate, happen-stance, two young teenagers come across upon the same art-the Marvels of Creations and the Oddities of Existence and decide to create their own journals to record marvels and oddities in their lives. Adam focusing on the marvel and Zayneb focusing on the oddities-and in the same vein-they meet once at airport, the next while she’s on vacation in  his hometown. 

I really love the opposite attract going on between these two Adams like to keep the peace-keep a quiet life going while keeping his diagnosis from his dad. Zayneb is all fury, fighting the wrongs of the world which does loudly and gets her in trouble. 

And what I love about this trope is have characters learn from one another, Adams learns to speak up for himself despite the changes it may brings. Zayneb learns not to give up her fury but focus it not just using anger but other emotions to help her cause. There’s a poignant moment when Zayneb tells her Mom about what’s happened to her, but focusing on her sorrow rather than her anger which is so moving and touching. 

So I recommend this for anyone that feels like they need to keep the peace or feel unheard in their fights for justice. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Islamophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Death, Medical content, and Death of parent

Minor: Bullying, Murder, Cultural appropriation, and War

notsobinaryart's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

Moderate: Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Genocide, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and War

Additional content warning: heavy usage of Harry Potter references, especially Hogwarts Houses. Written in 2019, so before JK Rowling was out as a known TERF, but please know there are at least a dozen references to Harry Potter throughout the book

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Islamophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Medical content

alainajreads's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Islamophobia

Moderate: Grief and Death of parent

Minor: Cultural appropriation and War