I loved the concept of this book, but the story itself seemed to drag a little too much for my taste. This is a beautiful book for book lovers, but outside of that characteristic, I'm not sure it offers anything new. The characters are relatable, which is impressive for a cast that spans such a difference in ages. The author does a lovely job connecting everyone and making you root for them. If you are a diehard bibliophile, or if the titular "list" includes all of your favorite titles, you should definitely give this book a chance. But if you're looking for a story that hooks you on every single page, you might find yourself thumbing through the chapters looking for something with a little more zing.

What a wonderful novel, surprisingly the author's first! In London, teenage Aleisha and elderly widower Mukesh meet and become unlikely friends due to a mysterious list of books that Aleisha finds in a library book that she is checking in. The list is titled: "Just in case you need it," followed by the titles of 8 books, mostly classics. Neither Aleisha nor Mukesh is a reader at the start of the book, but that changes, as do both characters and their lives. I laughed and I cried as I followed their journey. This is a tender, gentle, quiet, powerful story of friendship, libraries, and the power of books and reading. I highly recommend it! Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for providing an ARC.

Aleisha is a teenager who just wants to explore life and have fun with her friends. Sadly (to her), she is stuck working at the local library throughout the summer. Mukesh is a widower who recently found one of his wife's beloved tales, To Kill a Mockingbird, under her bed. Knowing this tale NEEDS to be returned, he ventures out to the library and happens upon Aleisha. Both characters don't realize that they need one another. The unexpected reading list found one day brings these astounding characters together in beautiful ways. This story is an ode to book and library lovers.

Sara Nisha Adams writes a stunning debut. I knew from the beginning that The Reading List was a book that I would go back to and reread. The characters were important and Sara let them feel their importance. You could feel Mukesh's loneliness and fear after he lost his wife. You could understand Aleisha's uncertainty but change of feelings throughout. The tale was evenly paced and left a lasting impression on my reader heart.

The Reading List, by Sara Nisha Adams, is such an enjoyable read. A scrap of paper with a list of books makes a way for connections among people that may have never met. The characters are people we all know. The books on the list are all familiar to me (and if they aren't to you, you should read them). I enjoyed reading about the developing friendships while revisiting some old favorite books and seeing how they influenced the readers/characters in the novel. Reading this book was like strolling down memory lane with new friends. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my goodness! This book was absolutely wonderful! I wish it had kept going for much longer. Definitely one of the best books I have read this year. I love that other books were woven into the story it makes me want to read those ones as well.

What a delightful book about a community that came together because a list of books was left for the person that needed it most to find. Mr Patel and Aleisha are brought together by fate.

I liked that this book was about books - I enjoyed listening to the characters discussing books that I knew and loved!

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams is a simple story of the effect that books can have on a person, on many persons, actually. Aleisha has just graduated from high school and is working at the local library, which is the last place she wanted to work, but she needed the money for university in the fall. One day she finds a readying list, with about 10 books on it, addressed to no one. Meanwhile, Mukesh, an elderly widower, finds an overdue copy of The Time Traveler's Wife, under his wife's side of the bed. Wanting to feel closer to her, he reads it. He is normally not a reader, but he loved it and felt his wife near him the whole time he was reading. Going outside of his box, he determines to return this book to the library, and get another. Aleisha, even more out of sorts than she is normally is pretty rude to him. This starts the ball rolling. Having no better guide she starts reading the books on the list so she can recommend them to him and discuss them after they have both read them. The list has been left other places. No one knows who left the list, but many people are now using it as a guide. Meanwhile, they are all living their lives and using ideas in the books to make their lives better in some way.
This book was slow in spots but came together through some tragedy, some memories, and community. Books can have such an effect on a person. It was fun to see these readers use the characters in the books in different ways. Some of them even saw the characters. Some saw people in their lives as the characters. All were the better for the books they read. The ending was stunning, although it was perfect. This was a fun book, especially if the reader has read the books on the list. I liked it!
I was invited to read an e-ARC of The Reading List by Netgalley. All thoughts are opinions are mine. #netgalley #thereadinglist

This book felt like a warm hug from a friend right when you need it. The Reading List isn't just about the importance of libraries and books. It's also about the connection we get from books, public spaces for communities to come together, and life beyond death for the living. I loved this book from beginning to end. Also, Aleisha reminds me a little of Mary from the movie Party Girl.

Mukesh is a widower who lives a quiet life in Wembley, in West London after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries. Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home. When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Priya, Aleisha passes along the reading list and hopes that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.

As a retired librarian, I am always drawn to books about books, whether it is bookstores, libraries, librarians, etc. I was intrigued by the title as I have read many books from lists. The book was very well written with the characters developing and growing throughout the book. It is a wonderful story of the value and importance of friendship. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request to read this book.

I loved this book. It was an unexpected heart-warming story, showing life's ups and downs and the resilience of people. I love how the author incorporated memorable books, the library and relationships, and how books can impact how we see the world.

🎶 All the lonely people, where do they all belong?🎵 The library, of course! This book is a beautiful tribute to libraries, community, and the power in books to bring us together and heal us. I loved it! Thank you for the ARC.

This book was about people who found a hand written reading list and how this list helped them be better humans. The really compelling part was the description of the books on the list, it made me want to reread old favorites and try books that I haven't read yet. Pure book lover candy!

Such a delightful heartwarming story that shows the story of a surprising friendship that is based on a list of library books. Aleisha is an anxious teenager working at the library who finds a list of books and decides to read them. She shares the list with Mukesh, a widower, who is trying to reach his granddaughter Priya. This is such a breath of fresh air story that will resonate with any book lover. It shows th empower of a book as well as how helpful friendship can be. It’s an emotional rollercoaster and you feel uplifted as you read.

This is a truly heartwarming story of unlikely friendships and most importantly, the power of books. A mysterious reading list brings together a very eclectic and interesting group of people with miscellaneous tragedies and fears in their lives, and show them all that books can not only help you escape for a bit, but can show you the way to go forward and teach you many things. Many thanks to the Book Club Girl group and NetGalley for the arc - I really liked this one! Sweet but powerful.

Cute premise and wholesome characters. A very nice, light, and fun read, perfect for late summer/autumn.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest opinion.

A sweet read that was heartwarming without being maudlin.

The Reading List is the perfect book for book lovers. Mukesh is a lonely widower who meets Aleisha, a teenager with too many adult problems, at a local library where she has a summer job. After finding an anonymous book list to alleviate some of the boredom of her job, she decides to read the books from the list. When Mukesh asks her for recommendations, she starts to give him the names of the books on the list. They forge a friendship as the books on the list become relevant to the problems in both of their lives. Where did the list come from? We learn as several local characters are cleverly woven through the story. I loved all of the characters, particularly Mukesh's daughters and his granddaughter Priya. Book lovers will appreciate the mentions of the many great books on the list. The Reading list will have you both crying and laughing...such a good read.

The Reading List is a stunning debut novel. I have been reading practically all throughout my life and books have always been my constant companion. So a book about books was too much to resist. The story is about two non readers who are poles apart in age but meet in a library. A 17 year old and a 80 yr old connect through books and a reading list. What follows is a beautiful journey of these two characters though not always happy.
The Reading List is a very beautiful novel. The books mentioned in the reading list are some of my favorite books and practically the characters jump to life under this author's pen. The author has brought to life all the reasons why we read. The inspirations we find in these stories has been beautifully presented by the author. A must read and one of my favorite books of the year. I want to go back and read again all of the books mentioned in the list. I probably will start my own reading list now!

I love books so much, so I was delighted to read a book about how great books can be at transcending differences and connecting us when we share nothing else in common. I loved thinking about a lot of these classics as I went and connecting with them as the characters did. Made me want to read the ones I haven;t!