Books and movies

From suspenseful love stories to dark thrillers that will keep you up at night, here are the great reads and films for every mood.

BOOKS AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE By Tayari

Jones (Oneworld; R255) A nod from Oprah isn’t the only reason you’ll fall in love with Tayari’s story of Celestial and Roy, whose lives are torn apart when Roy is wrongly convicted of rape. Tayari’s writing is brilliant, as she examines just how far racial injustice in the US can change a family.

COLOUR ME YELLOW By Thuli Nhlapo

(Kwela; R257) Journalist and media exec Thuli Nhlapo was only seven when she learnt to shut out the abuse inflicted by her mother. Years later, Thuli confronts her mother about her childhood, and uncovers unsettling family secrets.

WHITE CHRYSANTHEMUM By Mary Lynn Bracht

(Penguin; R290) After being captured by a Japanese soldier while trying to save her sister, Hana, 16, is forced to work in a brothel in ’40s Korea. A compelling read that proves how the human spirit can triumph.

WHAT IT MEANS WHEN A MAN FALLS FROM THE SKY By Lesley Nneka Arimah

(Riverhead; R417) Lesley Nneka serves up a vibrant collection of short stories set in Nigeria and the US. From folklore tales to science fiction, all the stories are cleverly connected by their complex relationships.