Who doesn't love to read a book about books?!
Aleisha is a struggling teen who needs an escape from a difficult home life and reluctantly takes a job in the library. Mukesh has recently lost his wife, who loved books, and is trying to connect with his young granddaughter, who is also a bookworm.
When a mysterious list of books appears it brings the two of them together, along with inspiring other people to read.
I didn't feel that these minor characters added anything to the book; there wasn't enough to care about with them, unlike Aleisha and Mukesh. I also struggled slightly with the differing timelines, which related to these minor characters.
Apart from these tiny niggles, I loved this book - pure escapism!

This is an absolutely beautiful and thought provoking book.
I 100 percent recommend you read it. You won't be disappointed. The writing style is beautiful.
Excellent.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review

A book about books and the pleasure of reading. It's compelling, heartwarming and it kept me hooked.
Great plot and character development, good storytelling.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

It's been a long time that I've read a book that totally absorbed me. Everything else going on around me didn't matter as I was so engrossed reading this book. I think this one for my own reasons will stay with me for a long time.

I loved reading about the books listed. I have read a few of them so this was lovely to read snipets of them. I also picked up a copy of The Time Travellers Wife in a charity shop a few weeks back. So this will be my next read!

Thank you so much Netgalley for allowing me to read this amazing book.

Elderly, Mukesh,a Kenyan immigrant living in Wembley, is struggling with life following the recent passing of his wife Naina. Naina loved books and Mukesh, who barely reads, goes to the local library where he meets 17 old library worker (I cannot call her a librarian as it does in the book as a librarian is a professional with years of training) Aleisha who has a difficult family life. Her and her elder brother, Aidan, look after their single mother who has poor mental health and doesn’t leave the house.

Mukesh asks Aleisha for book recommendations but doesn’t get a brusque response. Later, Aleisha, finds a book list containing the books The Time Traveler's Wife, To Kill a Mockingbird, Rebecca, The Kite Runner, Life of Pi, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, Beloved and A Suitable Boy. She is feeling bad for being rude to Mukesh so to make amends she decides to read the books herself and then recommend them to Mukesh if she feels they are suitable for him.

There are also a number of other people who find the same reading list in the years leading up to Mukesh and Aleisha meeting.

I struggled a lot with this book as it just didn’t not grip me at all. I didn’t relate well to any of the characters and some, especially Mukesh’s three daughters, just grated on me as they seem to go out of their way to control him and were quite unpleasant most of the time.

The basic story was very sugary and felt contrived in order to weave in meaning from the text of the of the eight books on the reading list. There were a lot of words that I didn’t know and that Wikipedia on my Kindle couldn’t enlighten me on such as badh, thinki, fua, kemcho, satsaang and tepla. I suspect some were Indian food items but not all and looking them up distracted me from the book itself.

The plot was rather ambulatory and when a big event did happen about 80% into the book it was an event which is a real negative trigger for me and I would not have read the book had I been aware of it. Not a good book for me.

With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction. for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a charming and heart warming book, so perfect for these uncertain times of solitude and isolation. Books have the power to educate, amuse and connect people, as this novel demonstrates perfectly.
Aleisha is a reluctant librarian, it’s a holiday job whilst she mulls over her future work choices. Mukesh is a widower, who is loved by his three daughters, to the extent they have infantilised him, they call him daily, do his cooking and he needs a purpose in life.
When Aleisha finds a reading list tucked away in a library book, she recommends this to Mukesh, and they start reading them together and later, compare what the book said to them. Books help Mukesh to become more assertive and confident in social circles and he finds new friendships. Aleisha finds she starts to connect better with her mother, Leila, who has mental health issues, by reading books together and sharing memories of happier times.
More people are introduced to this reading list and find that their lives are changed for the better, they meet friends, become members of groups, start to do more for their community and become less self centred, which is really what we all need. Loneliness and isolation are literally killers, many older people give up, they don’t have visitors, probably family are not interested or too far away, books can transport you to a better place and libraries offer opportunities to become involved in local issues and find like minded people and groups to join.
I love books, that’s why I read so much and review them. I can’t imagine a world without them, as my creaking bookshelves will testify. However, of all the books on this reading list, I have only read one, Little Women! I am mortified!! I am more like Gigi, I have seen the film versions of most of the list . Does that count?
My boys both read non- fiction, they seem unable to consider fiction as being enjoyable. My daughter is an English teacher, always has several books on the go, and her two year old was introduced to books at a very early age. She has a tote bag with the perfect message printed on it. It simple states, I Bloody Love Books! That says it all to me and my fellow bookworms.
My thanks to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. It was a pleasure to review this book. I look forward to more from this author in the future. I have rated this as a five star read. I will leave reviews to Goodreads and other outlets later.

A heart-warming bookworm read ★★★☆☆

When temporary librarian Aleisha finds a list of books on a scrap of paper, little does she know that it will change her life and that of her unlikely new friend, widowed grandfather Mukesh.

Aleisha and Mukesh find that these fictional worlds and characters, far from being trivial, help them understand and navigate their own lives. The list gives them a new joy and escapism in reading which helps them reconnect with their families and find some inner peace.

The main characters and their families are lovingly portrayed and we get a sense of their real, and very different, fears and hardships. The identity of the list writer is no surprise yet at the same time the tragedy later in the novel is unexpected and raw.

Based on the author’s own relationship with her grandfather, this is a gentle novel of grief, loneliness, and community which champions the power of books to bring people together.

Thank you to @netfgalley and @harperfictionpr for kindly gifting me this ARC.

There’s a reason this debut has become an instant hit in all its early reviews, as it’s truly a stunning read.

The Reading List is an ode to the beauty of books and how they can heal wounds, offer escapism and form beautiful bonds. In some kind of bookception genius, each part details how the novels from the reading list such as To Kill A Mockingbird and The Kite Runner profoundly impact the various characters’ lives.

Whilst there’s plenty of heartbreak in this one (I definitely got misty eyed at various points!), this book is full of hope. The Reading List would resonate with anyone who has used reading to pull them through tough times and to find their happy place in other peoples stories. I implore everyone to read this, as I’m also now completely compelled to read every book mentioned in the story that I haven’t picked up yet!

Read and enjoy. It's hard to do this book justice in a review. Interesting characters that stay with you, themes of joy and grief, the reading list itself and the locals trying to save the library in the heart of town make it a fascinating read. It helps if you've read some of the books on the list but, if not, you will have heard of them. The story is of how various people find a discarded reading list, what they do with it and how it eventually brings them all together. It's only right at the end that you discover who exactly wrote this list and who for. While troubled Aiden ignores it, reluctant young librarian Aleisha starts reading from the list and encourages grieving widower Mukesh. to do the same. The two become friends. A really absorbing story. Hope to hear more from Sara Nisha Adams.

Heartwarming, endearing, cheerful: if you’re looking for these things, then this book is absolutely for you! A book about reading books, this is one for both new and old book lovers.

We begin by following several characters who don’t really read as a hobby or who are lonely or in need of help in some way. Each discover a mysterious ‘reading list’, a list of classic reads curated by an unknown hand, and as each character begins to follow the book recommendations on the list, they each begin a journey of self-discovery and uncover the joy of reading for the first time; as well as meeting new friends and making new connections within their local community. This made me appreciate why I love reading all over again with new eyes, and it recounts the myriad ways a love of reading can expand horizons and help people in real ways. In this book, reading brings together a diverse community. There are several characters but the main two are Aleisha, a 17 year old woman with a difficult home life; and Mukesh, a 90 year old Indian man who has recently lost his wife and is struggling with his grief. Both Aleisha and Mukesh were really endearing, lovely characters and I really enjoyed spending my time reading about them. And I’ve come away with a follow-on reading list, as there were a few books within the book that I haven’t read myself and this book really shines a light on those it uses as part of its narrative.

My thanks to #NetGalley and Harper Collins for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a public librarian of 30 years who reads copiously, how could I not love this book!
It is the best fictional book I have read that conveys the magic of reading; how it takes you away from your problems but also helps you grow as a person by putting yourself in other people's shoes and situations.
Through The Reading List in the book we encounter various characters, and the act of reading and visiting the library draws them together, building connections and friendships. The library acts as the central community point where people are able to meet and enable them to find a connection between each of us.
Experiences and feelings brought to the fore in the act of reading a particular story can be shared and understandings forged.

The family narratives within The Reading List are engaging and for the main part heart-warming. There is a pretty unexpected act of suicide that throws a curve ball, and it was understandable and realistic that all the world's problems cannot be solved by reading a book - but they will be waiting for when the time is right to heal.

An enjoyable read and a justification of my career choices

Like a lot of bookworms, I love books about books and other bookworms. With a title and cover like this, I knew that this would tick that box but I didn’t really know what to expect other than that.

Mukesh lost his beloved wife Naina two years ago and ever since, he has been living a very quiet life in Ealing. His three grown up daughters phone him regularly to make sure he’s ok but for the most part, he is alone. Aleisha is a teenager with dreams of being a lawyer. Over the summer, she takes a job at Harrow Road Library despite not being a big book lover. But when, Aleisha finds a list of books titled ‘In case you need it’ slotted into the back of To Kill A Mockingbird, she decides to make her way through them and is suddenly captivated by the magic of reading. When Mukesh arrives at the library looking for books to share with his granddaughter Priya, Aleisha decides to start recommending and reserving the books on the mysterious reading list.

As you might imagine, this book is a pure celebration of the magic of books. Therefore, the library is often cast in this warm, golden glow and the author does an amazing job of depicting it as the perfect sanctuary from the outside world. It’s almost as if the library itself is shrouded in this magic that houses hundreds of wonderful stories and forges connections between people who would never normally move in the same circles.

Naina was a big reader and huge figure in the community. However, she was also Mukesh’s whole world and his love for her surpasses her death. Throughout the book, Naina’s presence is so strong and I knew that the reading list would bring Mukesh closer to her. In so many ways, the books on the list are her and Mukesh’s story and Mukesh revisits that in the most beautiful, unique way possible.

Aleisha’s brother Aidan is much of a reader than her. He is a former Harrow Road Library employee himself and it’s really down to him that Aleisha has even found herself behind the desk there. Aleisha probably would never have got into reading novels and she certainly would never have crossed paths with Mukesh, if she hadn’t taken the job. So, Aleisha has much more to thank Aidan for than she perhaps even knows.

The Reading List highlights how books can reflect our real lives. How watching the characters play out situations not dissimilar to our own can help us find clarity or make us feel less alone. This happens for both Mukesh and Aleisha with pretty much every book on the list. Considering how different they are as people, the fact that they can both connect to the same books is really quite mind-blowing.

Mukesh’s 12-year-old granddaughter Priya is a huge bookworm and when Mukesh starts to pass on the reading list books to her, he gets a huge thrill from knowing that they are sharing something. Talking about a book with someone is a very unique, heartwarming experience, even when you do it regularly. To discover this feeling for the first time as an older adult must be fantastically eye-opening and magical.

When Aleisha experiences the most horrendous tragedy, Mukesh tries his hardest to remind her how books can help her to heal. Even when she doesn’t want to pick up another book, Mukesh is persistent in trying to get a copy of The Time Traveler’s Wife to her because it helped him remember and reconnect with Naina. He really is a wonderful friend and I really wish we all had a Mukesh in our lives!

There are also some lovely, funny moments that usually involve Mukesh. He gets a little muddled sometimes and that’s all part of his endearing persona. He wants nothing more than to bring people together and teach people how books can do that. I know that he’s a character who will live rent free in my head for a while and I’m delighted about that.

The Reading List is a beautifully written, incredibly thoughtful book. It’s undoubtedly a book for bookworms but I feel like it could also have the power to inspire non-readers. The books on the reading list all have incredibly relatable themes and captivating stories that most people would be able to see themselves in. You should be aware of a devastating part of the book towards the end. I won’t spoil anything but get the tissues ready because it comes completely out of the blue and therefore punches you straight in the gut. This is the perfect story of unlikely friendship, the important role that libraries play and why we need to protect and encourage a deep love of books.

A book set mainly in a library and about the joy to be gained from reading, that’s got to be the literary equivalent of catnip hasn’t it? It certainly was to this reader, along with the gorgeous cover that made me slightly sad I was reading a digital copy. I may just have to visit a bookshop soon and treat myself…

The Reading List is eloquent about the benefits to be gained from reading, whether that’s the power of books to inform, to distract from everyday worries, to evoke memories, to prompt discussion or to provoke connections with others. It’s also a passionate advocacy for the value to communities of public libraries.

Talking of communities, the author certainly creates a vivid picture of the area of London (Wembley) in which Mukesh lives and that is the location of the Harrow Road Library. I also admired the creative ways the author used the reading list to give us an insight into the lives of other secondary characters. I developed a great affection for Mukesh and his willingness to try new things, inspired by what he believes his late wife, Naina, would have wanted him to do.

Although there is plenty of humour in the book, it tackles more serious issues such as bereavement, the burden of caring responsibilities, loneliness and mental illness but in such a way that you always feel there is a glimmer of hope, a possible way out of the situation. However, as with some of the books on the reading list, it has moments of sadness.

When it comes to the books on the reading list of the novel’s title, the author carefully treads the fine line between revealing enough of each book’s content to demonstrate its relevance to the situations her characters find themselves in, and not giving away so much that readers who might want to follow the example of Mukesh and Aleisha and read the eight novels on the list think there’s no point in reading them now. As it happens, I’ve only read four of the eight on the list but am intrigued enough to add the remainder to my wishlist.

As well as being a thoroughly engrossing read, what The Reading List has showed me is there’s no shame in peeking at what others are reading on the bus or train, and that if your local library is under threat of closure you should join (or start) the campaign to save it now.

I loved this book - it completely absorbed me.

A list of books brings together Mukesh - a widower - and Aleisha - a teenager working in a local library. As she reads the books on the list they take her away from the realities of her home life. She shares the books with Mukesh and an unlikely friendship is born - one which enriches them both and helps them move forward with their lives.

Lovely and life affirming.

One to be recommended.

I love this book so much. I'm going to recommend it to everyone.
I could really understand the love of the library and books that the characters have.
The story follows various people who find a list of books and start reading them. The books are all ones I've read or am familiar with so it was interesting to see what the characters thought and got from them. The way those linked all of the people together was well done. It created a community and I felt like I recognised the different types of people.
It's such a lovely story about the importance of reading and libraries to help us connect with people and escape from our normal lives into the different worlds of fiction.

“Books aren’t always an escape; sometimes books teach us things. They show us the world, they don’t hide it”

This book was made for book lovers. It explores the power of books, how readers can see themselves in characters and stories, and how books have the power to comfort its readers when most needed.

The main characters in this novel Mukesh, an elderly widower, and Aleisha, a seventeen year old, are both struggling. Generations apart they both suffer from loneliness and a feeling of being separated from their families and friends, yet books bring them together as they read through the novels on the reading list Aleisha finds. From To Kill A Mockingbird through Pride and Prejudice to A Suitable Boy they find a love of reading and form the most lovely friendship. The characters are so likeable, Mukesh in particular was a delight. I found him so relatable in his worry about moving out his comfort zone, and about saying the wrong thing and embarrassing himself. They were well-written and well rounded characters, and I enjoyed flitting between their points of view through the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins and the author for an eARC of The Reading List to read and review.

Aleisha reads each of the books as she suggests them to Mukesh, before they discuss the themes. Although a lot of these conversations happen off the page, I thought it was great to show how books can bridge the divide between two such different generations. As he read the novels, Mukesh would “see” the characters in his day to day life, and I really loved the imagery of this, whether that be Atticus Finch giving him strength or Mrs. Danvers angrily judging him in the corner.

The mystery of who wrote the reading list weaves through the novel, as we are introduced to other characters who also find the reading list and use it to help their own lives. I did think the answer was pretty obvious, but this did not stop me from enjoying the story and the reveal.

The story is a mix of heartwarming and heartbreaking, with a devastating event in the second half of the novel, but it is has an uplifting ending. It shows the importance of community and of people coming together. It is also a love letter to libraries, and how they can play such an integral part in creating a community. I think a lot of readers will appreciate these messages. And as a book about the importance of books it’s definitely one I’d recommend reading.

'Books aren't always an escape; sometimes books teach us things. They show us the world, they don't hide it.'

If you're a booklover, if you dip in and out of reading or even if you haven't picked up a book since school, then this book is for you. It is for everyone. Both heartbreaking and heartwarming this book may well change your life. It really struck a chord with me, as a lifelong booklover, and was written so beautifully and elegantly.

It's about a list of books compiled by a mystery reader which is left in several places and we get to see how reading the books impact on each character's lives. I cried at the ending. It was perfect. A real delight to savour and cosy up with.

The Reading List is out on July 22nd 2021. Thank you @netgalley for the ARC.

I think anyone who loves reading will love this book about reading books! I loved it. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Novels can ensnare our senses, soothe our heartaches and inspire us onto bigger & better things. When you find the books that totally consume you, you want to share the magic with others. A mysterious reading list of such gems has found its way to Aleisha, a librarian who doesn’t see the joy in reading and is drowning in the challenges of her life.

It took a couple of chapters to draw me in but then I was totally captivated, and I was desperate to see the main characters break out of the shackles of their own self-imposed boundaries. I was hooked by the way that the reading list was like an awakening for both Aleisha and Mukesh. They gave each other a new way of seeing the world through the wonders of the written word and the power of sharing what joys a library can bring. I adored Mukesh and how he was trying to cope in a world without the love of his life by embracing her hobby of reading. He had me in tears with sadness and enthusiastic joy.

Sara Nisha Adams has created something special that bookworms will embrace and that will embolden others.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins and Sara Nisha Adams for my arc of The Reading List in exchange for an honest review.

Published: 22nd July 2021

An unlikely friendship blossoms over the love of books. Widower Mukesh spends his time watching nature documentaries, since he wife died he feels adrift, disconnected from his book loving granddaughter and his daughters who are focused on their own lives and only call him to leave voicemails. Aleisha is struggling, hoping to study law at university she has taken a job at the local library to get her out of the house where her mum is struggling with her mental health and needing constant care. So when she finds a list of novels in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird she impulsively decides to give them a read. And when Mukesh arrives seeking book recommendations as a means to feel closer to his book loving wife, she recommends the list to him too and slowly a friendship blossoms over the love of a good book.

This was a beautiful heart warming story with great characters and an enchanting message. It was one of those books like Where the Crawdads Sing, or A Man Called Ove or The Keeper of Lost Things that is a little sad but a little lovely all at the same time. Exploring the depths of the human condition, love, loss, grief, friendship and how we can pull together as a society, a community or even just as two friends to make life just that little bit better. That little bit more worth living.

I really enjoyed it start to finish and have found some new books to read from the list as well!