Ever read a book so good that each time a scene hit you right in the heart or brain, you looked around frantically, hoping that someone, even just one person saw what you saw?

This is me all the the time, especially when I read a good book before my book buddies can read it.

I have picked out 5 books that I think everybody should read at least once in their lifetime. I’m a fiction writer so please don’t judge me for not including any non-fiction books in my list. I am deep, but in this post, I just want to draw attention to works of fiction that introduced me to an assortment of lives and showed me that there’s no one method to living…and that other people’s lives will actually shock you.

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This is the book that I read for 2 years, over and over again until I could quote page after page by head (gee, thanks ZIMSEC). However, I feel like I missed out on the deep lessons that I was supposed to draw from this amazing story, so beautifully (and sometimes grossly) narrated by Adichie. You see, the moment Father Amadi was introduced into the story, I blocked out my conscience and common sense. I have never shipped an unlikely couple as hard as I shipped Kambili and the good priest. I think my Literature teacher suffered second hand embarrassment everytime she read my essays. Needless to say, I only came to my senses AFTER I finished high school and had a crush on a boy who treated me very well but would never let me out of the friendzone. It hit me then – that all that time, Kambili was feeling the same way I was feeling. Lousy and hopeless, but still in love. I recommend this book to anyone who has never been to Nigeria, thinks rich men are all that (you’re in for a shock) and enjoys having their emotions toyed with.

Pains of a Maid by Sarah Mkhonza
There’s a story to this story…it was about 16 years ago and my sister and her bestie owned the original copy of this book. They raved about it so hard that naturally, I knew I had to read it – but alas, I was too young to read it, they said it. This made me want to read it more and anyone who knows me well knows that you can’t keep me away from a good book. I have a nose for a good story. I eventually found the hidden book, read it and loved it. When I was about 19 years old, I was at a book fair and right in front of me was…THE book. I took out all my savings and bought it without thinking twice. And before you ask how much my savings were, let’s just say at the time, I could have bought a dress AND a pair of shoes if I wanted to. But I didn’t. Books over dresses. Anyway, onto the book itself…

What happened was, Thembani the maid fell in love with the big baas’s son Baas Jan and for months slaved for him but didn’t mind because she pretended to be his wife while washing his underwear and cleaning his bedroom. Now, Baas Jan (the book says he was hot and I believe it) fell in love with her too. So what? you may ask. Well, this was the apartheid era and blacks weren’t treated like people at all. Infact, when the baas asked you to clean their room, it was the ultimate promotion. What followed their forbidden love affair was a lot of eye popping drama. What was meant to be a sweet love story turned sour very fast and left me with some mixed and unresolved feelings to this day. I’ve always been a huge fan of interracial relationships and instead of fighting each other all the time, I think everyone should read this amazing love story and find out what it’s like to fight yourself and society to get to the love of your life.

In 30 Days by Ntombikamama Moyo
I know, I know, I’m plugging my own stuff in but if you’re not your own biggest hypeman, you don’t deserve a seat at the writers’ table. I first wrote this story when I was in high school (for myself) because my friend Thando (the most beautiful girl I know) had told me about this person she knew who had a unique name, Herndel…Herndel…gosh, the goosebumps I’m getting just from typing this. Anyway, I always wondered if finding true love really depends on timelines or I could just marry a man a week after meeting him, especially if he has a yummy name like Herndel.

My mind went into overdrive and whenever I could, I updated my story until I had 30 solid chapters. I let them stew for years, serving as my bedtime reading material. Only in 2017, was I ready to share it with the world on my blog. Let’s just say my small community of readers loved it so much that I took it down and I’m turning it into book: hard cover, fresh pages and all. In the meantime, men hold onto your women because after reading this book, they’ll be comparing you to Herndel. Make sure you have some extra cash to buy her, I don’t know, a BMW X6 to get yourself back in the game.

The Baby Bond by Sharon Kendrick
FACT: This list wouldn’t be mine if Mills n Boon were missing from it. I mean, what’s romance without a little fire (albeit obviously fake – come on, those billionaires are too good to be real. You can’t be rich AND devastatingly gorgeous. Pick one). What I love about The Baby Bond is the storyline and the fact that though he is rich, Rory Mandelson is actually real, well as real as Herndel Jones. I can name people in real life who would perfectly be him anyday – cough – George Percy – cough. My point is, it’s easy to believe his character. This storyline is to die for. In fact, I wouldn’t mind writing something along these lines.

Rory’s brother Chad marries a beautiful down-to-earth girl and for two years Rory pretends to hate his sister-in-law, but deep down he luuuuurves her. Anyway, Rory’s douchebag brother cheats on that sweet girl and has a baby with his side chick. His plan is to divorce his wife and marry his side chick…but then karma steps in and this karma don’t play. On his way to introduce his baby ma and baby to his sweet soon-to-be ex wife, a car crash happens, killing the two cheating-lying-ass-good-for-nothings. Baby survives and is now Rory’s full responsibility. Something possesses Rory and he thinks asking his would-have-been ex sister-in-law to help him raise baby Chad is a good idea. The drama! It was the first Mills n Boon I read that didn’t feel like one. I read it exactly 10 years ago and I still remember every little detail. If someone gifted me this book today, I’d love them forever, straight up. I think everyone should read it because it is beautiful and melts even your ex’s cold heart.

Day Four by Sarah Lotz

At this point, you must be rolling your eyes and thinking I should have just titled this blog post “5 ROMANCE novels everyone should read”. In a way, you’re right but believe me when I say this particular book isn’t a romance novel. In fact, it’s the furthest thing from any romance novel I’ve ever read. It’s horrific, spooky, insane, out right gross and nauseating…you know what, the only reason I threw it in this list is because I didn’t want to be grossed out by myself. Why should I be haunted by the atrocities of that horrendous excuse of a book by myself? I have a hard copy and I’m willing to give it to anyone who wants it…let’s be grossed out together!

Oh, you want a brief synopsis? Okay, so these people go on a boat cruise and in the middle of the sea, the electricity goes, the engines and basically everything else stop working. People start getting sick, their tummies are running and there’s no water….and as if things couldn’t get more complicated – there’s a whole ghost on the ship and a woman who keeps predicting bad things. I can’t…what was the writer thinking?

There you go, four romance novels and an atrocity that I think everyone should read. Let me know what you think. I can’t enjoy (and be disgusted) on my own. Also feel free to drop your 5 must read FICTION books on the comments below.