I enjoyed getting lost in this book. It reminded me over and over again of why I enjoy reading, fiction and libraries. This book highlights that and so much more of what reading can give us. I wanted to sit next to characters and read with them and then talk about their lives and books.. This is is a warm hug mixed in with the joys and sadnesses of the lives we live.

Books, what a life saver.
In this uplifting novel, Mukesh a widower finds meaning and fulfilment at the local library by reading books written down on a list that he finds. Aleisha is the Librarian who inspires him although initially she was quite rude and unhelpful towards him.
I have read most of the books on the list, and found them all to be positive and uplifting although sometimes disturbing. My personal favourite is How to kill a Mockingbird, which I only read about two years ago, how had I missed it for so long?
The story follows Mukesh in his daily life trying to come to terms with the loss of his wife, the interference of his daughters and others. He grows with each book that he reads and shares, until he is able to help others and find fulfilment in his own life.,
Aleisha and her brother Aidan both look after their Mother who is going through a nervous breakdown with only the support of her children, this leads to a tragedy for the family.
The mystery of who wrote the list is finally solved.
Unuplifting novel which just proves how important and influential books are in our life.

Books are more than just stories. The ones that capture us, they change us in some way and this book is about that and how books can united people across cultures, religion, age etc. In some ways it is a love letter to books.

Books, friendships, libraries. This book is a delight.

If you love books then I think you will love this because basically it is about how books are experiences that bind us to other people when they are shared experiences. It is a love letter to books and libraries. It should come with some content warning especially for suicide because that part of the story really does suddenly happen and there is no indications and I did find it quite a change of direction in the midst of the story but it does change everything and lead to a satisfying ending.

CW for this book: Mental Health, Suicide, Cancer, Grief

I enjoyed this book about books (and other things). It has inspired me to pick up books I haven't already read to see what these books will do for me - if I will love them as much as others have. I loved the feeling of community in this book and it is a gentle reminder that our libraries are really important too. If a book can inspire me and make me think about what is important - it's a win in my book. If I had to be picky, there were a couple of chapters about random people that could have been cut and would not impact the story, but for me, the story far outweighed this slight flaw.

My thanks go to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this comforting book.

Oh this book - what a glorious, emotional, powerful and uplifting read. This book is all about the wondrous beauty of books, and their ability to heal and help in our hour of need. But it is about so much more than that; it is about love, relationships, friendship and connection, that can be forged regardless of our cultural, racial, age and gender differences, and the secret special importance of libraries, bookshops and kindness.
I absolutely loved it.
With grateful thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and Sara Nisha Adams for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

A book about books - great for a book lover.

Aleisha works in the local library for the summer. It's a job she is enduring until she goes to Uni, she doesn't read non fiction. She's not very customer friendly either, until one day she finds a reading list. She begins to read the books on the list and she gains the ability to be able to recommend books, to one person in particular, Mukesh.

Mukesh misses his wife so much since she passed away. She was an avid book reader, something Mukesh never really understood. But when he finds an old library book his wife never returned he begins to read it. A whole new world is opened up to him in more ways than one.

Both Aleisha and Mukesh begin to see the power of books and help not only one another but those around them find ways to cope with life.

I wanted to love this book but it seemed to go so slow. The story wasn't really progressing, although I was enjoying the parts about the recommended books. Some of which although I knew of but I had never read, but that might change now.

About two thirds into the book it began to change at a pace. Events which meant that things changed for the characters and the books they read beginning to make more sense. I was on a 3 star rating when unexpectedly the book made me cry and I saw the whole story for what it was.

I am going to give the book 4 out of 5 stars because it did drag a little at first. A lovely gentle and insightful read.

A reading list is mysteriously circulating in Wembley. It hides in the back of library books, on noticeboards, in shopping bags. And it reaches out to those who need it, providing solace and inspiration in the fiction that is just what they need. The list is found by Mukesh, a sad widower and Aleisha, a lonely teenager, and through the list they discover not only the joy of libraries, and of reading, but they also find each other.

I found this an uplifting, lovely read. I particularly enjoyed the way the author used her knowledge of language and culture to bring the Hindu family to life. Mukesh was a very vivid character, depicted with real affection.

I think the novel does read like the work of a new writer. There are some aspects that don't work as well as they should. Some of the the list finders, for example, are so briefly and barely developed that if they reappear later on, you can't actually remember anything about them. I think these needed to be slightly longer vignettes, or more carefully developed characters. I also thought that Aidan could have been more central to the narrative, so that we could have more engagement with his emotional journey. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the novel. It has a wonderful sincerity and honesty that I found really engaging and I look forward to reading more from this talented young writer.

A book about books. I was drawn to this for that reason and this is a book that will appeal to bookworms.
It’s a love letter to the power and beauty of both libraries and books. An easy gentle read with well drawn , mostly likeable characters. However , I did find it a little slow and maybe a little too long and I found myself distracted by other books when reading so i found myself dipping in and out of this one.

Well written though and I’d read another from this author.

I loved this book!! Rich, lovable, vivid characters. Heartbreaking, yet uplifting beautiful story. But most of all a delightful indulgence into books, the love of reading and the power of story. Such a feel-good read! Perfect for snuggling up and getting cosy with this Autumn.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is perfect for anyone who loves to read. It's such a sweet reminder of the lifeline books and community can be. I was so moved, thank you so much for this ARC!

An absolute gem of a book! I loved everything about this story. Authentic and believable characters weaving their own story into the library's tapestry. Loved the references to all of the books and how they have impacted each character in some way.

Around 1/3 of the way into this book it nearly ended up in the DNF pile. I cannot tell you how happy I am that it didn’t. It’s most definitely a slow burner, but my oh my, once it gets going it’s on FIRE! If you are a lover of books, reading, libraries, the written word and community, then this book is for you.

This book is more than a story of a found reading list. It’s about family – both the one your born into and the one you chose to surround yourself with. There is a lot of grief in this book and detailed descriptions of the characters dealing with their emotions. By no means is it a sad book though. Yes, there are sad moment and I was in floods of tears at the end, but tears of joy and hopefulness and the sheer realisation of just how life-changing a good story can be.

“There was something magical in that – in sharing a world you have loved; allowing someone to see it through the same pair of spectacles you saw it through yourself.”

The Reading List is a great reminder of why we read books — how we can find comfort in stories, gratitude for our own families after reading about others, education when we learn about new perspectives — and why we love to read. Adams does a great job of incorporating in the chapters and the lives of the characters.

Several characters get involved with the list and reading the book; in turn realising their true value. I loved watching the connections between the characters develop. The story portrays sadness, mental illness, death, loneliness and despair, but it is also uplifting, engaging, insightful and heartfelt.

It’s a book about books, about the connections we find through reading, and about the way a book can change the way we view the world and ourselves. Beautiful and heartfelt, this novel is an ode to book lovers everywhere.

I adore books about books and The Reading List absolutely captured my heart. And broke it. And put it back together again.

It reminded me why I love books so much. They make us feel less alone. They teach us. They connect us.

The story brings together a cast of people, all lost in their own way. The hub is their local library - a place where peace can be found, but also where friends are waiting.

Mukesh is grieving for his wife Naina.
Aleisha and Aidan have put their lives on hold to care for their mentally unwell Mum, Leilah.

A summer job at the library leads to Aleisha finding a reading list, and this list ignites a passion for books, which then connects her with Mukesh when she starts recommending titles for him.

Little does she know that she is not the only one to find the list.

But who has written it?

There is tragedy in this book, and it raises important issues about community, loneliness, depression, and shame. But it also contains hope. And magic. Books are everything.

I loved this story. Complex and relatable characters, fascinating plot, just lovely. Made me want to make my own way through the reading list in the story all over again as well.

Aleisha has a summer job at the local library, she's not a reader but it's takes her mind of the deteriorating mental health of her mother. Mukesh is a widower missing his wife terribly. When he goes to the library to return her book he mets Aleisha and finds the 'reading list'. Now both form an unlikely friendship whilst follows this list of books that pull the community together.
This is a very contrived plot which funnily enough distorts my review. That is because there is some excellent writing here about mental illness and grief which are probably not developed as far as they could be. Of course a love of books is the core thing and I can't really argue with the 'list'!

I find it hard to believe this is a debut novel. It is very accomplished and masters the floating timelines and diverse voices beautifully. I liked the fact that each character had a totally clear voice and it felt at times like having a chat about books round a kitchen table. Ms Adams has written a book that is funny, sad, heartbreaking, life affirming and yet tackles some really difficult subjects. The topics are faced front on and the characters grow through the narrative.

Mukesh is mourning his dead wife while trying to negotiate a way through his three well meaning daughters who all know what’s best for him. He finds a list of books inside a library book and decides this will be the way he can remain close to his wife who read voraciously. This kicks off a relationship with some of the folk who use and work at his local library, which is under threat of closure. Doesn’t sound like much but it will catch you and sweep you in and you will be reading into the night. Some memorable people live around Wembley and it was a joy to meet them, and the reading list in the back is an added bonus.

Recommended if you love books, if you love good writing and if you can appreciate pain amidst a live well lived. I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review

I saw lots of really positive reviews for this book before deciding to read it.
This is the story of a reading list, comprising several books including The Time Traveller’s Wife, Pride and Prejudice, The Kite Runner ..which is found by different readers visiting a London library. Each reader has their own story, each reader is in need of rescue. Aleisha and her brother Aidan are carers for their mother who is suffering from what I presumed to be depression. She sometimes does not leave her bedroom let alone her home. Mukesh has lost his wife to cancer. His children leave him constant messages every morning to keep him going..He finds an old library book that his wife left and visits the library in search of a connection with her memory.
The idea of reading about characters reading books was really interesting. It mostly worked well and worked in many ways: as a plot device; as a way of introducing and exploring character ; as a beautiful medium of connecting people’s experiences, and a mechanism for connecting characters together in the narrative. The book is a celebration of literature, of reading, of libraries and human connection through the medium of shared literature. The author does very well to immesh the plots of all the different books from the list into her own plot and the lives of her readers. This worked really well most of the time. However, I did find that sometimes the parts which discussed characters reading the books from the list rather overwhelmed the plot of the main story. At these points my enthusiasm wavered and I became a little irritated by the book. I might possibly have awarded this 3 * were it not for the parts where the plot resurfaced and we followed the personal stories of Aleisha and Mukesh. The book touches on some serious subject matters - mental health; bereavement; suicide; cancer. Aleisha and Aidan’s story was particularly poignant and provoked a myriad of emotions in me in response. It is a sensitive, insightful and heartbreaking depiction of mental health and how it impacts on individuals and families.
This is a gentle and uplifting read and it added several titles to my own reading list. With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for a copy of this very individual story.

This book was so beautifully written. I ended it sobbing my heart out.

This book was pure, honest, heartbreaking and powerful.

As a book lover, I know how much books can help during incredibly hard times, like when you’re lonely or depressed or grieving. I know how they help us to escape when we need a break or cannot handle real life situations, but I also know how they can teach us to do and be better. They are guidance and advice when we are lost.

If you love books, you’ll love this book. It was relatable and enchanting. The way the author brought so many people of different ages and cultures together was inspiring, and I hope we can learn from this book. That we are all in the same boat, and could all use a friend from time to time.

I really enjoyed this one. A book about books! So many times I read 'books about books' and end up disappointed, but this was very well executed.
I liked the characters, although did struggle at first with Mukesh's chapters. I listened to the audiobook and this narrator had a strong accent that took a little time to get used to.
I loved the books on the reading list, and actually feel like I want to read them for real! They were well chosen and kept in line with the story.
This was a little bit of a struggle at times with the story around loss (I lost my sister in April 2020 and found this part of the book difficult but very true to reality), and it brought me to tears this morning.
Would definitely recommend this book for readers who love a book about books!

I’m not sure I have the words to express just how much I loved this book, it is just wonderful and a delight from the first page to the last. Such a moving exploration of grief, depression and ultimately hope , all centred around the staff and patrons of a public library. Any book lover will identify with the theme of books having the power to change and enhance your life and I’m sure many will want to compile their own life book list