The Reading List: A Captivating Novel by Sara Nisha Adams

Pattimcattack: This book celebrates the healing power of reading and follows several characters on their journey of falling in love with and allowing books to guide them through some of the most difficult life events. Perfect!

United States on Oct 03, 2023

kate F: a connection through books, friendships and family that everyone can relate to. well done sara adams.
looking forward to reading your next book.

United Kingdom on Oct 01, 2023

A E Cox: Certainly emotional and uplifting. I feel like this book found me at the right time in my life, just like the books did for Aleisha and Mukesh

United Kingdom on Oct 01, 2023

Ann J: It certainly wasn't as light as I was expecting... but the characters felt so real to me as I was reading this book - I could barely put it down. I found it to be an enjoyable and satisfying read.

United Kingdom on Sep 20, 2023

Amazon Customer: I fell in love with all the characters. Love the idea of finding the library and growing from reading the books. I have loved reading all my life and loved the library as well. I have loved the book clubs I’ve joined, and being encouraged to read different things than I would’ve chosen.

United States on Sep 09, 2023

Kathleen B. Walker: This is a story about books and how they can affect the way you look at life. A list of novels to read is found in a London library. The story follows a young woman who works at the library and an older, recently widowed man who visits the library for the first time as they read all the books on the list.
I found it unique that this book actually lists the titles of eight well-known novels, beginning with a favorite of mine…To Kill a Mockingbird. As the characters read each book, we see how something from each title influences or affects them in some way.
It is also a story about the status of libraries today. This library is in danger of closing…due to lack of use. At first this idea startled me a bit. I happen to live in an area where my library card is accepted at three neighboring libraries. Each of these libraries is new or remodeled. They offer many services and programs and are busy places in our community. But then, I thought of other areas where businesses have left, and towns may not have the funds to expand their libraries for their communities.
This story shows the benefits of reading and free access to books. However, in this current society libraries...

United States on Aug 18, 2023

Beth Deese: One of the first things I wonder when I pick up a new book is if it will be worth my time, worth the investment of stopping all my other activities to read what this one author wants to say about life.

The Reading List certainly was worth my time and I enjoyed the characters and the taste of both Indian and English modern suburban culture. It’s certainly a unique storyline!

The setup is a bit confusing as the point of view switches between multiple characters. I found that hard to follow, especially at the beginning when you’re trying to get a handle on how to read the book, though it’s explained by the ending so I’ll forgive it.

Different people are finding the same reading list at different points in time. I was trying to track the list as I read but there was no link to how it was passed on. Also, some of those characters weave into the story and some really don’t. I kept expecting them to come back. We do find out the link between them and the lists later so I won’t give it away. But I would have liked more follow through with the minor characters and a better meshing of all of them so they enriched the story.

The 2 main characters,...

United States on Aug 15, 2023

Santiago A. Martínez Sierra: Aún estoy en ello pero ayuda a mantener en forma el inglés

Spain on Jul 11, 2023

Lee: A reading list is found inside a library book with the heading: "Just in case you need it." The same list ends up circulating throughout the small town of Wembley and as the story progresses, we see the impact that this list ends up having on various members of the community. In the story, each character has to deal with various harsh realities that life hurls at them — issues that are difficult and perhaps even unresolvable, since they are part of what it means to be human. Most of the characters come upon reading by chance, but become lifelong readers after witnessing for themselves how much the books they pick up end up helping them work through certain things. As an avid reader myself who has experienced first- hand how finding the right book(s) at the right time can truly be life-changing, I love how the author, Sara Nisha Adams, emphasized this point in the ways she incorporated each of the books on the list into the story line.

This was a story that covered a lot of ground emotionally, as it made me both laugh and cry in turn. The characters were endearing and I absolutely loved spending time with them — to the point that I honestly didn't want the story to end....

United States on May 27, 2023

Andrew N: This seems to be a book written by a bibliophile, for bibliophiles about a bibliophile, albeit a nascent one. I found it entertaining but was disappointed by its inherent narrowness and lack of depth. Apart from Mukesh, firmly embedded in his Hindu community, I was disoriented by the lack of social context of the other characters. London is a melting pot, but that doesn’t homogenize the cultural diversity – quite the opposite. The central plot theme, the friendship based on reading books between an adolescent girl and a much older man from a different community is a worthy subject for a novel, but both the relationship and the analysis of it remain superficial. Mukesh is a King Lear character, but why is Aleisha drawn to him? Doesn’t she have grandparents of her own? The problems of being a young carer would also be worth rehearsing in greater depth. It undoubtedly leads to isolation, reading books might be reasonable refuge, although that wouldn’t help solve any problems. Confiding in someone willing to help would have been more valuable. Doesn’t she have any friends or wider family apart from a busy and distant cousin? Did she descend from Mars? A suicide occurs, which...

United Kingdom on Feb 27, 2023