Read if you: Want a charming story about the magic of books, sharing books, and the importance of libraries.

I'll be honest. Books about the magic of books, libraries, bookstores, etc usually leave me cold. Now, I totally believe in the power of books to comfort, entertain, challenge, educate, and change lives. However, I usually find such stories....annoying? I realize I'm in the minority with that opinion.

However--this has received so much love on #ewgc chat among librarians that I wanted to check it out, especially since it features an Indian-British family. This is a very idealized view of what it's like to work in libraries (and it steers somewhat into invasion of patron privacy), but if you need a warm and bighearted read this summer, try this one.

Librarians/booksellers: Patrons/customers LOVE books about the magic of books and libraries/bookstores. (There is a bookstore scene, booksellers!)

Many thanks to William Morrow/Custom House and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

🌟🌟🌟 3/3 I LOVE this book! Books about books are my favorites (if you love them as much as I do, I have a whole podcast episode about some of my other books about books).

What starts with a Reading List becomes something so much more.

From the first paragraph, I knew this book would be a good one. I immersed myself into the book from the first chapter and I cannot say enough good things about this book! Honestly amazing! The writing is incredible and the plot is just one to die for. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. My favorite part would have to be the character development throughout the book. Character development is something I look forward to and this book did not disappoint.

Mukesh is a widower living alone missing his wife, Naina. Naina was a voracious reader and always had a book in her hand. One day Mukesh finds a library book that she forgot to return before her death. In a fit of desperation, he sits down to read it, trying to feel close to Naina again.

Aleisha is a 17 year old sister and daughter overwhelmed with life. When Aleisha gets a job at the local library she finds a reading list that she just can't throw away, though she has no idea why not. One afternoon Mukesh, having thoroughly enjoyed Naina's overdue library book, braves the outside world and comes to the library seeking something else to read. Aleisha recommends the first book on the list she found and then decides that she better read it too so that when Mukesh comes back she can speak intelligently about it. Slowly, as they make their way through the list, the two become friends.

This book was a thoroughly enjoyable read. There are some spoilers for the books on the reading list, so beware. The secondary characters are not as well-fleshed out as Mukesh and Aleisha, but they are a lot of fun, too. It's an obvious homage to libraries and to the power of books to heal and unite, but it has a bit to say about mental health as well. I definitely recommend this sweet, uplifting story.

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I've read many fiction books lately where library books are "paired" with the appropriate people to read them and these books end up changing their lives for the best. This book ranks right up there with the other books I've read.

This was a cute quick read. I enjoyed it. It is all about books and connections. It was like a love letter to books and what they do for people.

This was an interesting idea, but I think it could've focused more on the main characters & their families and cut some of the other minor characters that find the list. I have read most of the books, but may read the ones I missed. I liked the ending. Everyone who works in a library is not a librarian! ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Cute and mindless, this felt like a literary equivalent to a feel-good hallmark movie for book lovers. I enjoyed it, but didn’t find it super noteworthy.

When Mukesh Patel discovers a copy of the Time Traveler's Wife in his late wife's belongings, he does something he never would have done before. He reads it. And thus begins his life as a reader. That single book starts him on a journey that takes over not just his imagination, but starts him down a path to discovering not just new books but to his local library where he befriends a surly teenage library clerk, Aleisha, whom he approaches for book recommendations.

Aleisha doesn't know much about books and is only there because she needs a summer job. So she's not really equipped to answer Mukesh's questions. But she discovers a reading list tucked into a book and decides to read the books, and if she likes them, she will then recommend them to Mukesh. As the story unwinds, we witness the power of books to shape our hearts.

There is much to be said for finding the right book at the right time. As Ranganathan's 2nd and 3rd laws of library science state: Every book it's reader; Every reader their book. This story romanticizes the library and glosses over some of the realities, but is a good reminder of why we do what we do and how it feels to help somebody discover the joys of reading.

This author’s love of books, libraries and people shine through in this title. The novel tells the story of Mukesh and Aleisha as well as some others. Mukesh was widowed and feels lost without his wife. When he comes across her copy of The Time Traveler’s Wife, he wants to return this overdue book to the library. This is a surprisingly difficult expedition for him. Mukesh even literally has difficulty getting in the library door which he does not know how to open.

Inside the library is Aleisha who is halfheartedly performing her duties as a summer employee. While her brother always adored the library as a child, Aleisha did not enjoy being there. Will this change?

Over the course of the novel, these two characters interact and their lives change as the result, in part, of a book list.

Bibliophiles will very much enjoy the book’s premise and will root for the characters. They will also enjoy seeing the book titles and lists that the author includes in this novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

What a lovely story about the power of books. The main characters are Mukesh, a widower, and Aleisha a teenager working a summer job a the local library. Mukesh finds a book that his late wife, Naina forgot to return, The Time-Traveler's Wife. He reads the book in order to bring Naina closer to him and to understand why she loved reading. Mukesh meets Aleisha when he goes to return The TIme-Traveler's Wife. Aleisha is not thrilled to be working at the library (she is not much of a reader) and she is quite impatient and rude to Mukesh. Later, Aleisha finds a reading list of eight books. Aleisha decides to read these books and also begins to share her reading journey with Mukesh. A beautiful story of how books can change your life. I love when Mukesh tells Aleisha that books show us the world; they don't hide it. This story does not disappoint. You will laugh and cry.

This was a fast, easy read all about books and how they have the power to connect, heal, and give us an escape when we need it.

My heart!! Grab a box of tissues, your softest blanket and your favorite beverage. You will need all the comfort as you dive into this emotional story. This book was a beautiful reminder of how much books mean to readers. How we can all connect through and can be comforted by stories. I absolutely loved this book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a lovely, slow-paced book about books, but really about the people who read them. I enjoyed getting to know the two unlikely readers at the center of the book.

It's taken a few days after reading to post a review... because I loved this book so much! I've had to ponder what exactly I loved and why it was so meaningful.

This book revolves around a small community library and its patrons. It also revolves around a mysterious reading list that's circulating around the library. This list is picked up by different people at just the right times in their lives, and we go through each book on the list whilst seeing it's affect on it's readers.

That bare bones synopsis doesn't quite bring the life of the novel to light though. The book is of course about the power of novels to change people. It's also about the power of community, and community centers like libraries. None of that would have really mattered if the characters hadn't been so real though. Each and every character, even those who only had a few pages, became so beloved as we looked into their lives and struggles. The impact was phenomenal, and even though I wasn't wholly surprised by any of the events in the book, they still felt right.

I'd love to see this as a miniseries someday, simply because the story deserves a huge audience and would translate well to screen- and because it is the kind of thing I would watch. And read.

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 fro a little while, and return us to our place with a new perspective."

The story, set in London, centers around 2 main characters, Mukesh, a recently widowed older man whose wife, Naina, was an avid reader, and Aleisha, a new employee at the Harrow library, who has not been much of a reader. The exquisite way the characters are developed brings you into their worlds and gives context for the rest of the story. Mukesh and Aleisha meet while Mukesh is visiting the library to return a library book checked out by his deceased wife, found under their bed. He decided to read the book, The Time Traveler's Wife, prior to returning it, and in doing so, he felt Naina close to him again. He wants to experience more of the same, and decides that reading, which was her passion, will help him achieve that. Aleisha took the job at the library through a recommendation from her brother, Aiden, who used to work at the same library. The big difference is that Aiden was a big reader, while Aleisha is not. The reader learns that Aleisha and Aiden's home life is suffocating, as they shoulder the extreme responsibility of caring for their mentally fragile and unstable mother.

While preparing books to be re-shelved at the library one day, Aleisha finds a "reading list" in one of the books with the names of 8 books and a heading that reads, "Just in case you need it:". She sets out on an amazing reading journey beginning with the first book on the list. She shares the books on the list with Mukesh and as they discuss the books, they develop a friendship. During the course of their reading journey and bourgeoning friendship, they realize the impact that books and reading have on their lives. It enables them to connect with others at the library, to fend off their frequent feelings of loneliness and also teaches them about the world around them.

Without going into too much detail, several characters get involved with the list and reading and discover the value of books, the library, a shared passion for reading and community. I really enjoyed the view into the Indian culture through Mukesh and his family. There are several minor characters who are also pivotal to the story including Mukesh's daughters, grandchildren and friends, Aiden and Leilah, Chris the thriller guy among other library patrons, Leonora, Nilakshiben and Zak . I loved watching the connections develop between all of these characters. The story portrays sadness, mental illness, death, loneliness and despair, but it is also uplifting, engaging, insightful and heartfelt.

I can't recommend this book enough. I LOVED it! Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow/Custom House for my gifted advance copy to read and review.

This book was like a hug at the end of a long year. Like most readers, I am always drawn to books about books. I read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry after graduate school, and it renewed my joy of reading for fun. The Reading List accomplishes this exact same purpose, as it dives into the ways that reading a certain book at a certain time can truly change your life. In the beginning of the book, we meet an apathetic employee at a library and a widower who is lost without his wife. The two discover a love of books through a found reading list, and become integral parts of each other's life. The characters in this book are so complex and well-written, and the story is a beautiful journey of love and loss. Be ready to want to read (or re-read) the books on the reading list!

I just adored this novel! It spoke to the joys of reading and how settings, characters and plots can wrap themselves around our minds and our hearts. It spoke to grief, lonliness, and community. The books on hte list entered the lives of the protagonists and taught them much, and relayed lessons to this reader as well. I laughed, and cried, and the story will live with me for a long time.

Who doesn’t love a book about people loving books? I thought this was a smart and charming read - loved the characters AND the list of books that brings them all together. Excellent read for anyone wanting a little bit of a lift upwards.

Mukesh Patel’s daughters are overager to check in on him after his wife Naina’s death. She loved to read, and in the process of his daughters cleaning out their room a year after her death, they find a library book, The Time Traveler’s Wife. Mukesh reads it, feeling like it’s one remaining thing connecting him to Naina, and then sets out to the Harrow Road library to return it. Once there, he meets Aleisha, a young woman who is facing some family challenges of her own. After a rough first encounter, the two connect through a reading list that Aleisha finds in the back of a library book…

This is such a dear book and a stunning debut! The characters are lovable, relatable, and well-developed, and their intertwined narratives make this an engaging read. It’s a book-lover’s book and focuses a lot on the power of stories and the connections of family. Thanks to William Morrow for a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I’m looking forward to reading through the famous reading list myself and I'm eager to own a copy of this novel once it’s published!