I have mixed feelings about this book. The overall concept was interesting, and I was generally entertained/engaged throughout the the book. "Heartwarming" has been used a lot to describe this book, and I suppose I'd agree. There are elements of A Man Called Ove and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry; fans of either/both of those titles will likely enjoy The Reading List as well.

Some stuff I didn't like:

>How the library was portrayed didn't seem especially believable, especially given the location (in Wembley, a town of 100,000+); but perhaps London-area libraries are just VERY different from what I'm used to?

>There wasn't much description of anything really, and I'm not personally familiar with Wembley, so it was difficult to picture people/places as I was reading.

>There was minimal internal dialogue for any characters, so it felt more like I was 'reading' a movie.

Thank you NetGalley and the Book Club Girls for the chance to read this ARC!

3.5 stars rounded up

Stars: A sweet story about a reading list that unites a number of "misfits" searching for connection. Gotta love a book about books - especially books that I too have read and loved! Loved Mukesh and his family.

Wishes: Was a little difficult at times to follow the various threads of the story. Though I enjoyed the conceit, it did become a bit predictable. Reminded a little of the Jane Austen Book Club. I am not sure folks unfamiliar with the books on the "list" would appreciate it as much? Plus there was a lot of telling, not showing.

All in all though, a lovely debut novel. I look forward to her next novel!

I really liked the idea of the book, The Reading List. A young Librarian finds a list of books in the back of a book and decides to read them.
When Mukesh, a widower goes to the library he starts reading along with the librarian. This makes him feel closer to his wife who passed away.
This brings the family closer together. Reading and the library helps both Mukesh and the young librarian, Aleisha.
I did enjoy the book. The writing was good along with the story. There did seem to have a disconnect which I really cannot explain.
The different books on the list made the story interesting. Thank you, Net Galley, for an advanced copy for an honest review.

Mukesh is lonely in his widowhood. After reading a library book left behind by his deceased wife, he decides to read more. At the library, he meets Aleisha, a lost teenager who works at the library as a library assistant (the book refers to her as a librarian, but you need a degree for that job). After a rough beginning, she finds a book list and uses it to form a friendship with him.

First, this didn't impact my rating, but the way Pride and Prejudice is treated annoyed me. All the other books on the list were dealt with love and consideration. When it was Pride and Prejudice's turn, it was dismissed as a soap opera. Aleisha says that Elizabeth plays games with Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth legitimacy doesn't like Darcy for half the book. She wasn't playing games as opposed to how Aleisha treats her supposed love interest. How she treats and thinks of him is confusing. When she first sees the guy, she follows him to the subway. When she can speak to him, she acts like he's a stalker. She ends up dating him because being single at the end of women's literature books is an unhappy ending?

Aleisha's mom is mentally ill. I don't know from what. Based on her actions, my guess is depression, but the way she treats Aleisha shouldn't be dismissed as her having problems. There is no talk of getting professional help. Instead, it's all put on Aleisha and her brother. Maybe I've been reading so many new books that deal with mental health realistically that my expectation was too high to read a book using it as a convenient plot device.

I liked the friendship between Aleisha and Mukesh, and this book handles the reading list well. However, the book has interludes of telling how random people also found the list and how it changed their lives. But I found that inconsequential.

Review based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

A book list is discovered in a library and so begins a tale of two inauspicious friends brought together in their time of need by a love of books. I loved the choice of books for the list and the setting (a neighborhood library) and the pairing of a recent widower and a much younger library assistant. For some reason, the book did not connect with me the way I thought it would. I am just not the right reader for it. Everyone else seems to love it, so it is entirely my loss. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

If you love books, libraries and reading stories about how books bring people together and change lives, then this book is for you! It’s a heartwarming novel about how a chance encounter with a list of eight library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb. This book completely delighted me and I think it will delight you too.

Starting slowly and quietly, this poignant book builds momentum as the story progresses, and its conclusion will touch your heart.

It begins with a reading list that seems to come from nowhere: To Kill a Mockingbird, Rebecca, The Kite Runner, Life of Pi, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, Beloved, and A Suitable Boy. Mukesh Patel, age 80, finds the list accidentally at a library in his local London community. His beloved wife of 50 years has passed away a year ago, and Mukesh can't seem to move on. He has never been much of a reader, but he feels closer to his wife when he reads something she has read--only The Time Traveler's Wife so far, which he found at home.
Mukesh has three daughters who touch base with him often but don't seem to understand what he is going through.
.
A teenage library employee convinces Mukesh to read the first book on the list, and it opens him up to conversations with strangers, and to a closer relationship with his young granddaughter. The library employee, Aleisha, lives with her brother, Aidan, and their artist mother, whose intermittent, debilitating ailment will not allow her to live alone. Aleisha has never been a reader either, but she has to start reading so she can recommend books to library patrons, and she finds a solace she never expected.

Aleisha and Mukesh begin a relationship that is new--and mutually beneficial--to both. Along the way, several other people mysteriously find the same list, and we learn how it positively affects their lives.as well.

I found this book to be an unexpected gem that used a library in trouble, a list of book titles, and the lessons to be learned from books to enrich the lives of almost everyone they touch. The debut author has captured just the right mood to encourage us to read and to reach out to others to improve the world around us. And yes, we do find out who originated the list--the perfect ending!

My thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

There it is. Where did it come from? Who left it? Is there a reason I was the one who found it? These are some of the questions being asked when a list with the titles of eight different books is found.

Aleisha has never been a book reader, unless it was a textbook. So, she knew it would be a boring summer after her brother recommends she work at the local library. That is until, she finds a list when cleaning out a returned book brought in by a man, she happened to be rude to.

Mukesh always loved watching his wife read, even though he never read himself. After she passed, he hid away desperately clinging to anything that would keep a part of her close. So, when his daughter came across one of his wife’s library books, he struggled to let it go. When he finally returned the book, as he knew his wife would have wanted, he never imagined how close he could get to the woman he so dearly loved.

Follow along with Aleisha and Mukesh as their lives begin to intertwine through a series of books in Sara Nisha Adams’ "The Reading List". Sara takes her readers along for a ride towards self-discovery, healing, and strength. Focusing on how a certain book at a certain time can impact a person’s life.

A little confusing in the beginning with a timeline that jumped around and taking a while to get to the know the characters this book gets 4 out of 5 stars. The amount of profanity is noticeable, but not enough to be distracting. The traditions of Hinduism are apparent; however, it is more about the background and beliefs of Mukesh, rather than the religion. Adequately edited, little to no spelling and grammar errors were found.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable book and would recommend to anyone dealing with the daily struggles of life. You never know when a person will have an impact on one’s life, even if it that person happens to be a character in a book.

A charming book about the power of books, a library, friends, family, and community. It is especially a story of special friendship between a teen doing a summer job at the library and an Indian Hindi grieving the death of his wife. Through sharing books from a reading list the friendship grows and helps them cope with life. A great, heart warming read!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing for this ARC. This beautifully written book is for anyone who has a true love of books, the library, and stories about budding friendships. The author made you fall in love with Murkesh and Aleisha. It also pushed me to pick up a few of the classics that I have yet to read. This debut novel gave me all the feels. I could not put it down and it was a story that had me in a book hangover because it made such an impact on me. I highly recommend reading this one when it comes out on 8/3/2021.

As a librarian, this book really resounded in me. An ode to the connecting power of books, this is a novel meant to be savored. While others may complain about the slow pace, I think this suits the book entirely, especially as you grow to learn more about the two main leads, and discover what have led them to this point in their individual lives. Beautifully poignant, this book is quietly memorable.

A book about books is my kind of book. As a librarian I really connected with this story. Mukesh Patel has lost his wife and finds a library book that she was reading so he returns it to the library and this starts up a friendship with a local young library assistant, Alisha.
The power of books and the connections they can create!
A really lovely story.

This book takes us back to some of our beloved Classics: 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.

The story revolves around these books which are read by Mukesh, an older man that recently lost his wife to cancer and Aleisha, a 17-year-old librarian assistant. Mukesh's wife, Naina, was an avid reader whom he missed dearly. One day he found a book under his bed which she forgot to return. He read it to get close to her and then took it back to the small library in Wembley near London. After a frustrating visit, he later connected and became friends with Aleisha. Together they discussed books from the list of eight. They talked about some characters with complicated relationships that may be similar to those in their lives. Aleisha said, "The books say different things to different people."

If you haven't read any of the Classics on their list, then It may be a challenge to understand parts of the discussion between Mukesh and Aleisha. While I found it to be slow-moving, the book shows the importance of the library and novels that connect us together. At the end, the author includes a personal list of recommendations. She adds that "These books found me at just the right time in my life." I think this book would relate to someone that needs help with grief and inspiration in their life.

My thanks to Sara Nisha Adams, Harper Collins Publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy to be released on August 3, 2021.

THE READING LIST by Sara Nisha Adams is a heartwarming and uplifting story of family, friendship and the power of books to teach, to heal and to connect people to one another in a myriad of unexpected ways. It also reinforces the importance of libraries to bring diverse communities together. Mukesh is a widower still mourning the death of his beloved wife, Naina. Although his three adult daughters check on him often by phone, he longs to find a way to connect to his granddaughter, Priya, who shares his late wife’s love of reading. Aleisha is a bright teen girl who feels stuck working at the local library for the summer. She’s never been much of a reader, but she is grateful to escape her suffocating home life where she and her brother Aidan take turns caring for their troubled mother, Leilah. Mukesh finds himself at the library to return a book he found under Naina’s bed. Aleisha has found a left-behind reading list and decides not only to read the books herself, but to recommend the titles to Mukesh. The two form an unlikely friendship that reaches to a host of secondary characters that also become tied to the mysterious reading list. The books form the basis of a life-changing bond that helps the characters deal with grief, loneliness and tragedy. I loved this wonderfully-written and touching story and highly recommend it. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review and early copy.

Books and libraries bring people together, and in this sweet, heartwarming read, Alisha and Mukesh bond over books and help others do the same.

Alisha had never liked books, but she worked in a library.

Mukesh had never read a book in his life, but his wife was an avid reader. When he met Alisha she wasn't too friendly, but then one day they bonded.

Alisha found a reading list with books that she read and that she shared and discussed with Mukesh. In fact, that reading list was found all over town tucked in books, in grocery stores, and in any place where someone would likely find it.

The mystery is who wrote “The Reading List.”

THE READING LIST is an alluring, uplifting book that proves the magic power of books and their ability to connect people in so many ways.

It also addresses the importance of libraries to help bring people and ideas together.

Readers who enjoy a feel-good, sweet, clever read will want to add this book to their "reading list" this summer.

What can be better than a book promoting the love of books and libraries and how they change your life and can bring you closer to others. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an electronic ARC from William Morrow and Custom House through NetGalley.
The idea of leaving a reading legacy drew me to this book and the main story line wove the books on the list into the overall story. The side story chapters provided background for some of the secondary characters but were not as successful at doing more than simply providing a few pieces of information about that person. Readers will connect to the issues both main families are going through. We meet Mukesh, a widower who has done little to move forward with his life. Reading was one of the major pleasures for his wife and he tries reading a book that wasn't returned to the library after her death. Naina remains a character throughout the book. We also meet Aleisha, a teenager stuck working at the library for the summer. She finds a list of books, and, after a rocky start, connects with Mukesh as they both read the books included on the list. Aleisha's family struggles include a mom with serious mental health issues. The two family storylines interweave and run separately as several characters read the various books on the list.
It was fun to see how various characters responded to the same books. Several copies of this list were left for specific people to find. Readers will figure out early on who left these lists and that adds to the tender overtones of the story.
The first few chapters are slow reads but stay with this one. Once the characters are established, the pace picks up and readers will appreciate how each portion of the story is connected with the book the two main characters are reading.
If you're looking for a sweet story about dealing with grief and other family issues, this one should be added to your own reading list.

I was a bit torn about this book. I love reading books about books, especially those that lean into the idea of your current read being relevant to your life. However I felt like there were a few too many characters floating around that could've been pared down. Aleisha and Mukesh were a joy to read about and I loved watching them grow throughout the books. This book has the potential to be devastating for some, so check the trigger warnings first if possible.

*Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

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.

"Sometimes, books just take us away for a little while, and return us to our place with a new perspective."

I love this book! I could identify with every character in some way. And the way it describes the books on the reading list has made me want to read them all - even Pride and Prejudice - and I have never been interested in Jane Austen before!

“The Reading List” shows the impact that finding an anonymously created Reading List has on a varied group of people in Wembley, England, focusing on two in particular: Aleisha, a sullen teenager, who with her 25 year old brother, take care of their mentally ill mother; and Mukesh, a lonely, elderly widower, who comes to the library to return his late wife’s library book. There he meets Aleisha, a reluctant librarian at the small local library that’s in constant danger of being closed due to budget cuts.

Initially, Aleisha is rude to Mukesh when he seeks her advice on books to read. He is trying to read books for the first time in order to feel a connection to his late wife, and to forge a bond with his quiet granddaughter, Priya. Aleisha is ashamed of her rude behavior and later goes out of her way to share with him the books she found on a reading list left in a returned library book. The author describes the characters’ reaction to the books they are reading from the list, and draws parallels between the books and the characters’ own lives. The book also shows how reading can not only help the readers escape their own lives, but also find strength to cope with their problems, such as feelings of loneliness, loss and grief.

Although the novel got off to a somewhat slow start, the book was ultimately gratifying as it let the reader into the lives of each of these complex characters and their close family and friends, watching as they forged connections and drew strength from books and a sense of community fostered by the small local library. The narrative takes a surprising turn towards the end, which, in my opinion, further strengthens the book. I found myself thinking about these characters and their lives long after I finished the book. I would have given this book 4 1/2 stars if that were available. It didn’t quite rate a 5 because of the somewhat slow start, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

“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”
A reading list keeps popping up all over Wembley, unbeknownst to those who find it. As each of the character work their way through the list, learning countless lessons along the way, their relationships flourish in unexpected ways.

This bookish girl loves any book about books, and this is no different. It really spoke to the power of the written word and how stepping into a fictional world can help guide you through obstacles in your reality. I felt overwhelmed by the amount of characters in the beginning but once you begin to see how they all intersect, it’s beautiful. Despite all of the loss in this book, it was such a feel-good read that somehow managed to restore my faith in humanity.