LoveReading Says
How I loved this novel, it’s heartbreaking yet warming, beautifully deep yet has a light touch, and is vibrantly colourful yet gentle too. A reading list finds its way to people needing a helping hand. Prepare yourself for a number of emotions, as mental health, grief, fear, and loneliness are written into the pages with huge compassion and empathy. This book truly spoke to me, it is full of love and hope, and highlights inclusivity and kindness. Oh, and that cover, just gorgeous! There are a number of characters waiting to meet you, however the pairing and friendship of Aleisha and Mukesh sits centre stage and creates an inspiring glow. Sara Nisha Adams introduces the books from the reading list with great care and attention, ensuring that while they are discussed by the characters there are no spoilers. So if you haven’t had the pleasure of reading them, you’ll be enticed into finding a copy. One of my favourite sections declares: “When you really like a book, you need to read it again! To relive what you loved and find out what you missed before. Books always change as the person who reads them changes too”. I really can recommend The Reading List with my heart and soul, and I’m glad to declare it a LoveReading Star Book.
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Liz Robinson
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The Reading List Synopsis
NOW A LILLY'S LIBRARY PICK!
"The most heartfelt read...a surprising delight of a novel."--Shondaland
An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.
Widower Mukesh 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, Aleisha passes along the reading list...hoping 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.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9780063025295 |
| Publication date: |
9th August 2022 |
| Author: |
Sara Nisha Adams |
| Publisher: |
William Morrow & Company an imprint of HarperCollins |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
400 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Feel-Good Fiction
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Sara Nisha Adams Press Reviews
'The story is an absolute joy. I loved the way Aleisha and Mukesh found their lives entwined thanks to the power of books . . . A captivating and exquisitely crafted debut' Sunday Times bestseller, Heidi Swain
'A real heart-lifter . . . . A joyful, uplifting read' Good Housekeeping
'A gorgeous debut novel about the power reading has to bring people together, no matter the barriers of age, culture and class' Red
'This is an uplifting and life-affirming novel [...] it oozes charm' Platinum
'Wonderful...It's a perfect escape for anyone who wants to be reminded (if we need to be reminded) of the power of stories' Stephanie Butland
'A beautiful and very special read, which reminded me why I love books so much and it made me miss the library even more' Emily Koch
'If you love books, read this. If you love people, read this. If you love crying with sadness, crying with happiness, and feeling like you have been wrapped in the blanket of someone else's life, read this' Debbie Johnson
'The Reading List absolutely captures the magic of reading and of libraries. I felt a part of Mukesh and Aleisha's book club, revisiting some of my favourite novels alongside these new friends' Louise Hare
'This story utterly stole my heart, it's a love letter to book lovers everywhere and I for one have become entirely smitten by Sara's words' Emma Cooper
'A spellbinding novel about friendship, loss, community and the power of reading. A stunning debut that broke my heart and put it back together again' Radiya Hafiza
'A wonderful read . . . showcases quite beautifully the fundamental power of books to lift our lives from the mundane and transform them into something truly magical' Imogen Clark
'Compassion, humour and intelligence shine through on every page of this wonderful novel . . . Sara Adams finds hope in abundance, and in the most wonderful, unexpected of places' Rosie Price
