The Reading List is an absolute gem of a book. This book follows two main characters. Mukesh is a widower, struggling with the grief of losing his wife, he starts attending his local library in an attempt to feel closer to his late wife who loved to read. Aleisha is a teenage girl working at the library, who starts reading to helo escape from the stress of being a carer from her mum. The two strike up an unlikely friendship whilst reading the books from a mysterious list. Note that I don't think you need to have read any of the books off of the reading list to enjoy this book and it doesn't spoil the ending of them, but does discuss the general themes of their plots.

This book was an absolute delight. Really well written, addictive and a fun story. So heartwarming. I could not put it down.

5/5 stars. One of my favourite books of 2022 for sure.

I had heard good reviews of this book, so I was delighted when NetGalley gave me an arc of it. It is a lovely story. Very different. It is based on a list of books. From “To kill a mockingbird” to “A suitable boy” and several other well known titles in between. The list was hidden in the shoe rack at the Temple in Wembley. Aleisha has a summer job as a librarian. She is bored with it, but finding the reading list helps her and several other people to overcome difficulties in their lives. Some of the sidelines deal with mental health and grief, to name but two. The book ends on a positive note. Thank you to NetGalley adHarper Collins UK for the chance to read this lovely book.

📚R E V I E W 📚

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

Every so often a book comes along that makes you look at how you read differently. This is one of those books.

When Aleisha finds a list of recommended books, she know it might be just the thing to put her in the good books of Mukesh, the widower who is desperately hoping books will help him learn to live again after the death of his wife. As Aleisha hasn’t read the books yet, she reads along with Mukesh. But they aren’t the only ones to discover this list and soon many library visitors are ordering the books to read too, all hoping to see what they can learn from them about life.

As you follow their reading journey, you cannot help but view these classics in a new light. I came away from the book wanting to reread all the books mentioned as now I could see what they truly held within their pages.

I’ve always loved Little Women, Rebecca and The Time Traveller’s Wife but after reading this book I can see them in a whole new light.

Mukesh and Aleisha start to imagine how the fictional characters would deal with the complicated situations that arrive in this book.

I’ve always known how therapeutic reading fiction can be, but this book reinstalled how important it is for our mental health and general well being.

The characters will stay with me for a long time as I warmed to them very quickly and loved seeing how fiction began to bring a community in a large city together in order to save the small local library.

This book is sad and heartwarming all at the same time. The character felt real with real life problems. This book is simply a joy to read from start to finish. I’ve now got a whole new list of books I want to reread.

Thanks to @netgalley @harpercollinsuk @harperfictionpr for allowing me to read this ARC.

I absolutely loved this book! The whole story felt really ‘real’ like I could truly imagine it happening. I already thought that libraries are magical places and had once heard them described as ‘book forests’ which I thought was a beautiful way to think of them. But this story, the interlinking connections that are made in this library were just wonderful.
The story is well written and was a joy to read. The characters were so believable and I very quickly became invested in them.
This is definitely a book that I highly recommend.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

What an amazing novel! This one will stay with me for a very long time. Its a novel that will resonate with anyone that loves books, it opened my eyes to the world and people around me. I love my library and I think this novel shows us the fantastic role libraries play in our own communities.

This was a true life affirming novel that took me on a journey through the lives of several characters who are struggling with death, grief, mental health, loneliness and many other challenging circumstances. It was devastating and beautiful all at the same.

They all came together because of a simple list of books left.. only readers can understand the true power of books and reading.

Honestly I am enthralled and I know you will be too!!!

A delightful read. Thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were true to life, and full of warmth and gentle humour. Recommend.

A look at a community filled with vivid and varied characters held together through a thread of books, I enjoyed this more than I thought and wasn’t prepared for the impact the characters had on me.

This is a story of grief and loneliness. About the power of reading. About the interconnections that lists provide in the vastness of a city, where everyone is invisible and lost in their own self interest. It reminds us about the niceties in life, how you can assume the life of others and be grounded in another reality. It eludes to books as tools of escapism, but also a love letter to the small pleasures of the universe you currently live in.

This book is an ode to stories. Stories you hear about all the time, ones you’ve probably studied in school, or have been recommended in the past. Novels everyone you pass on the busy street on the way or back from work knows of, and that is the very nature of this book.

This book was a pleasure to read, it was a nice break from the business and commotion of the city, I even laughed out loud sometimes on the tube, which is a rare occurrence. The friendship and characters reminded me a little of ‘Sweet Bean Paste’ by Sukegawa, a book I might now return to as I miss the quaintness and innocence of these stories, especially amongst all the hustle and bustle of London.

I miss Mukesh and Aleisha already.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for providing me an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story about the power of books and libraries to help people connect, understand their own feelings and find a solution to some of their problems.
A book list found in various locations connects characters some appear fleetingly but others are more prominent.
An enjoyable read.

This book is just magical! I really didn't want to put it down or want it to end. The characters were so real and relatable. It is a story about how books can help bring people together and help them get through difficult periods in their lives. I now have a long list of books I want to read. I thoroughly recommend it.

Loved this beautiful love story about how two lonely ppl come together

A faded list.
Nine favourite stories.
For two strangers, friendship is only a page away . . .

When Mukesh Patel pops to the local library, forgoing his routine of grocery shopping and David Attenborough documentaries, he has no idea his life’s about to change.

He meets Aleisha, a reluctant librarian and the keeper of a curious reading list – just a scrappy piece of paper with the names of 9 stories. It doesn’t seem anything special. Yet something tells her to keep it close . . .

Story by story, Mukesh and Aleisha work their way through the list – their worries slipping away with every encounter, with every world discovered in their unlikely book club of two.

A fresh chance at life, at friendship, wasn’t on the cards for these lonely souls – but every story starts somewhere . . .

A delightful novel which is so beautifully woven together that from the very start I was enchanted. Rich in detail, full of passion this is a delightful and fascinating read. Evocative, enthralling and enjoyable. A highly compelling, engrossing read.

A poignant uplifting story about book lovers for book lovers. Well written, flows beautifully, often sad and entices you to revisit those great classic books on the list.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the e- advance review copy.

I adored this book, the characters, the reading list, the plot, literally everything about it. I read this in one gready gulp and loved it.

‘Just in case you need it : To kill a Mockingbird, Rebecca, The Kite Runner, Life of Pi, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, Beloved, A Suitable Boy.’

Can I entice you into Harrow Road Library in Wembley, London? It’s a hub for some and let’s just say there are a number of characters who need the diversion of a good book and a mysterious list appears for those in need of it. Mukesh certainly needs to take his mind of his grief for his beloved wife Naina who died a couple of years ago. Naina was an avid reader and Mukesh finds a long overdue library loan of The Time Travellers Wife which he reads, loves and discovers it’s way to connect to her. He tries to return it but temporary librarian Aleisha is not in the best frame of mind when he does … their first encounter does not auger well … until she finds the list.

This is one of the most beautiful books I have read in a while, what a cracking debut, this author sure can write! It’s wonderfully written and whilst it does contain topics that should not be uplifting, it actually is. The characters are simply fabulous. I love Mukesh who is an absolutely delightful elderly gentleman with an emphasis on the gentle man part. His daughters sure are characters too, let’s say they liven up the pages!!! I just want to give his granddaughter Priya a great big hug as she’s so lovely. Aleisha seems all hard edges but her life is not easy but she grows and grows as the book progresses largely due to books and unlikely but true friendship. They find a means to not only survive but to thrive.

It is absolutely riveting and captivating, enthralling and charming. Apart from the spell binding story which makes you feel a whole range of emotions, it also reminds us how important libraries are to our communities. It’s a lose lose once they go. It’s also a fantastic triumphal fanfare for the love of books, as if we need a reminder!!! I’m sure we all have a list of our favourites that live in our hearts and minds and this reading list has some superb examples.

So, thank you Sarah Nisha Adams for making me smile, laugh and cry in the company of some characters that warm your heart.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Without spoilers, this is a book about a friendship between two people and about how they related to different books. I thought the author got the balance right between using the books as a plot device and turning it into critical analysis of the texts and gave just enough away to remind you of the plots of the books referenced. I thought the characters were likeable generally too. I’m not sure what it is though but something about this book didn’t make me love it. It was good and I enjoyed reading it so I’m not sure why it didn’t make me love it. Especially as I should in theory because libraries are the best. Probably best you have a read and decide!
Read for review through netgalley.

I really loved this book.

Mukesh is an elderly widower, struggling to move on and find meaning in his life without his beloved wife Naina. His 3 daughters are busy with their own lives and while they try to check in on him, it’s more about them than him. Eventually, desperate to connect to his granddaughter, he turns to a passion his wife and granddaughter shared: reading. Mukesh makes the journey to his local library to ask for recommendations and meets Aleisha. At 17, she’s already dealing with more than most students her age and she initially gives Mukesh short shrift. But when she finds a reading list, she decides to give it a try, and makes amends with Mukesh by reserving him a copy of the first book too. Soon, this unlikely pair will form their own book club, becoming friends along the way.

The characters in this book were really special. I ached for them both- Mukesh’s grief was so real and tangible and Aleisha was dealing with so much! I’m a big reader myself but I haven’t read all of the books on the reading list. This book has inspired me to rectify that! I want to know how I feel after reading them all.

If you love reading you’ll recognise yourself in this book. It’s a book about friendship, discovery and it reads so very true. I really loved it and I hope you do too. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book

The Reading List is a very funny, scattered to start with story which slowly comes together and leaves us with bittersweet memories..

Thanks to Netgalley and Publisher for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
My thoughts:
I appreciate the idea behind this book and the effort put into writing it.
There are about 8 books on a list of book suggestions written by an anonymous reader which gets passed on amongst several people. Those people in whichever state their life is they pick these books and reading those books makes their life better impacting in one way or another. Among those people this book mainly follows Aleisha, a young librarian and Mr. Patel, an elderly widower. How these books bring people and peace in their lives is the rest of the story.
The reason for not giving it more stars is because the writing was not impactful enough to touch the depth of the lives of Aleisha and Mr. P and many a times things were kind of predictable.

I really enjoyed this book! Easy to get into and I read it in one sitting! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book early!