‘KALEIDOSCOPE’ BY DANIELE STEELE — I was just a year old when thean book was released but I didn’t read it until years later. This one is a gripping tale of three sisters who are separated at birth and are raised by different foster parents. Going through various twists and turns, the three find themselves face to face in shocking circumstances many years later and how they finally catch up in an emotional encounter. ‘REBECCA’ BY DAPHNE DU MAURIER — I read this book when I was 29 and wondered why I had not touched it in so long. Rebecca is a tale dreams are made of. It transports the reader to the lush gardens of a beautiful mansion, the fairytale romance of the lead protagonist and ultimately the evil conspiracies of the servants and her husband’s skeletons in the closet. The book was published in 1938 and is a Gothic novel by English author Daphne du Maurier. Mrs Danvers and the fictional estate Manderley are the highlights of the book. ‘THE FAMILY AT RED ROOFS’ BY ENID BLYTON — I read this book when I was still growing up among a plethora of others that I read, but this one stayed with me forever. I recommend this book to people of all ages especially for the underlying meaning it aims to get across. Just like the title suggests, the book is about a family that shifts into this beautiful house. The children get to join new schools, the parents get new jobs and the entire life gets a makeover as soon as they shift. But do they leave their pessimism and negativity behind as well? Do they stop quarrelling among themselves and decide to give their children a break? The novel aims to clarify that a house can never become a home until efforts are put in. Enid Blyton’s The Family at Red Roofs was published in 1945 and is a story for people of all ages. ‘A LOTUS GROWS IN THE MUD’ BY GOLDIE HAWN — this was by far the best autobiography I read and definitely the most inspiring one as well. Award-winning actress Goldie Hawn portrays her childhood, teenage years and her struggle in the entertainment industry with aplomb. She inspires all women out there with her story who want to make their mark in the world. ‘THE CLIENT’ BY JOHN GRISHAM — any book list is incomplete without John Grisham’s splendid tales of legal drama. I may have read The Client early this year, but this book was published in 1993. Full of suspense, drama and thrill, the story revolves around a young boy who witnesses a suicide he’s not supposed to see. ‘THE KITE RUNNER’ BY KHALED HOSSEINI — this bestseller which was published in 2003, revolves around the life of a young Afghan boy, his escape from his hometown to start a life in the United States. What grips one in this story is the way the writer explains and essays the picture of experiences the boy goes through, the way he looks at a new country and his friendship with his childhood friend Hassan. Years later, he returns to his home country in search of Hassan’s orphan son. The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of Afghanistan’s monarchy through the Soviet military intervention, the exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the US and the rise of the Taliban regime. ‘SUPERSTITIOUS’ BY RL STINE — RL Stine is renowned for being a children’s writer but Superstitious was his first adult book. Being a fan of his writings when younger, I read this book when I got older. This is a haunting tale of a girl who falls in love with a mysterious man who sweeps her off her feet. As she later finds out, the man she is madly in love with and engaged to is more than just a superstitious person. She finds herself fighting for her life when she discovers his best kept secrets. The book released in 1995. This book deals with Sara Morgan, who falls in love with Liam O’Connor. Stine began writing this book after an agent offered him $1 million advance. It took him four months to write. ‘ABDUCTION’ BY ROBIN COOK — this is a science fiction book, in which a group of scientists gets abducted by aliens. It is a roller coaster ride of survival, human instincts and life-changing experiences. The book was published in 2000. It all starts when a team of researchers in a remote region of the Atlantic become trapped inside an ancient undersea volcano when their submersible is inexplicably drawn in. They discover a technologically advanced world of genetically engineered, physically near-perfect humans living comfortably in an enclosed city. ‘MASTER OF THE GAME’ BY SIDNEY SHELDON — this has to be the most inspiring book I’ve ever read in my life. Sidney Sheldon essays the life of a young, fiery and ambitious girl Kate Blackwell and the way she makes her dreams come true in a bid to make a name for herself. It’ll be hard for you to put down this book as it each page takes you on Kate Blackwell’s journey through her career as a businesswoman. Master of the Game was published in 1982. Spanning four generations in the lives of the fictional McGregor/Blackwell family, the critically acclaimed novel will stay with you forever. ‘SALEM’S LOT’ BY STEPHEN KING — I read this haunting and chilling tale of missing persons who mysteriously turn into cold-blooded vampires and how they pay they terrorise the town. I remember not being able to sleep for days but never once regretted reading it. Do read this book right towards the end to see how the master of horror gives a shocking conclusion. The book was published in 1975. The story involves a writer named Ben Mears who returns to the town of Jerusalem’s Lot in Maine, where he had lived from the age of five through nine, only to discover that the residents are becoming vampires. ‘SPADEWORK’ BY TIMOTHY FINDLEY — this has to be the most relatable book for any person reading it. It’s a family drama that is based on the life of a working woman, happily married and raising a young boy. Her life comes crashing down when her actor husband leaves her for another person, never to look back again and the way she tries to pick up the pieces and move on with her life. The broken home takes a toll on her son’s mental health and all she is left with are her close friends and her house nanny. The book was published in 2001. The complexity lies in the everyday drama of human relationships, enhanced by the intensity of the theatre atmosphere and the ambition of young actors at a crossroads that may lead to a brilliant career or mediocre success. Published in Daily Times, October 26th 2018.