If you’ve ever wondered what’s on an AMVCA-winning video editor’s reading list, this is for you. Samuel Karunwi (To Kill A Monkey) is on a mission to read 70 books before the end of 2026, and he has just completed the first 20. He shares his thoughts on the books, including which ones he recommends for your reading list and which you could probably do without.
Samuel:
I’ve never had to rank the books I’ve read before. This year so far, I have read 20 books from 13 authors (yeah, I love sticking with the same authors). Elif Shafak and Paulo Coelho lead the authors’ list with 3 books apiece, followed closely by two of my faves, John Grisham and Chimamanda Adichie, with 2 books each.
Here is how I would rank each book from the 20th to the 1st, because, I mean, good things take time.
(Minor spoilers ahead)
20. Efuru by Flora Nwapa – 2/5
This is the only unfinished book I have. It’s quite strange how, normally, I would love this style of writing, but I just couldn’t get past it. I also got tired of Efuru repeating the story of her mother-in-law. I left it to go back to it when I am in a better mind space (or never).
19. The Boys from Biloxi by John Grisham – 2/5
While I am a big Grisham fanboy (as evidenced by the number of Grisham books I have), this felt a bit underwhelming. It felt like he was doing too much, almost similar to Rooster Bar, but without the climactic end.
18. The New Tribe by Buchi Emecheta – 2.4/5
If you are familiar with Buchi Emecheta’s work, you will know how her books make you wonder what kind of life she has lived. But this toes a different path. I do love the Nigerian part of the story and the seemingly happy ending it had, but I wonder how someone could be that gullible. Eventually, when you are on a search for something, it’s almost like other senses are deadened. I love the love story between him and his supervisor, also. Thanks to my friend Phendy for lending me her copy.
17. Prince of Monkeys by Nnamdi Ehirim – 2.4/5
I got this book at Ouida last year, and I was fascinated because it was autographed. I didn’t give it much thought till after I read the author’s second book, “The Brevity of Beautiful Things.” For this book, I think he beat around the bush quite a lot. I love the simplicity of the writing and the Fela references, though.
16. For What are Butterflies Without Their Wings by Troy Onyango – 2.8/5
I remember my friend Zeeza recommending this book about 3 years ago, and I read it, but didn’t enjoy it. Something changed this year. I read “The Brevity of Beautiful Things” by Nnamdi Ehirim, and I loved it so much that it made me read about 3 books that followed similar themes. I appreciate the artistry behind the work. My favourite story is “Whirlwind.” I remember being asked recently what my favourite trope was, and this story is an illustration of it. The ending was sad, though; heck, the whole story was. It was a tale of love separated.
15. Dear Senthuran by Akwaeke Emezi – 2.8/5
Yet another book I picked up after reading “The Brevity of Beautiful Things” by Nnamdi Ehirim. I remember reading this for the first time in 2022, and I wondered what kind of person that was, because it was unfamiliar. But what I do love about the book is the writing style; it was without pressure; it was like she let me into her journal. It felt real and personal, and yes, I know it is a memoir of sorts, but this just felt different.
14. Manuscripts Found in Accra by Paulo Coelho – 2.8/5
This was my second read for the year, and coincidentally, I read it in Accra (that was what inspired me to buy it). It took a leaning towards one of the stories in “The Richest Man in Babylon,” only this wasn’t finance-focused. It was just philosophical wisdom for living. It is also the fastest book I have read, because I finished it in about 4 hours or so, the only book I have finished in a single day. Lest I forget, it opened up philosophical books for the year, because I have read 3 of Paulo’s books, and I am starting the 4th, “The Alchemist.”
13. The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho – 2.8/5
Another interesting book. I was at my friend Ayomide’s apartment when he gave me this book because he didn’t have any new Khaled Hosseini books for me. I was quite skeptical, but I needed to read something new; I needed a break from the fiction I had been reading so far. What is a better way to learn than from a lived experience?
Here are some things of note from the book:
“It is the road that teaches us the best way to get there.”
“I don’t think you look to love as a means to a comfortable retirement.”
“I must not be afraid to change my life. If I liked what I was doing, very well. But if I did not, there was always the time for a change. If I allowed change to occur, I would be transforming myself into a fertile field and allowing the creative imagination to sow its seeds in me.”
Finally, I would add something from my journal that was noted when I was reading this book:
“It’s not a coincidence that during the week Dan told me about St. Francis of Assisi, and while I was reading about him, his name came up in the book. It is not a coincidence that on the road to Santiago, Paulo was experiencing different changes, and he was practising different exercises. The last one of note that I remembered was, “The exercise of burying yourself alive.” I thought to myself, “What sort of extreme exercise was that?” But overall, the book has been insightful. I’ve not been practising the RAM exercises, but it looked like life had one for me.
I am glad I learned from the exercise life had for me. I will definitely reread it; I think it will get better with each reread.
12. Honor among Thieves by Jeffrey Archer – 3/5
I got this during a book swap facilitated by my darling friend, Palmer. This was the last of the 3 books I got from them, and I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did. It kept me on my toes for the 3 days I spent reading it. It felt like I was in a movie, and I was definitely entertained. I didn’t see the end coming like that either.
11. By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept by Paulo Coelho – 3.1/5
Here we go with my 20th book and my 3rd Paulo’s book this year. I got this book after winning the AMVCA, and I wanted to spoil myself. This book is so similar to “The Forty Rules of Love” by Elif Shafak. It felt like I was reading the same story, only that this time it was between a man and a woman.
Here are some quotes from the book that stuck:
“Those who love conquer the world and have no fear of loss. True love is an act of total surrender.”
“Love can only be found through the act of loving.”
Finally, “Only a man who is happy can create happiness in others.”
This leads to the next book.
10. The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak – 3.3/5
This is a masterclass of love, I mean, the love that changes your life, and it follows 4 people across different generations, 2 per generation. This book exposed me to the “Sufi” tradition. I also learned about the mystics. But the most important thing from the book is what love makes you do. I enjoyed it so much that I wasn’t really taking notes on the rules of love.
“Every true love and friendship is a story of unexpected transformation. If we are the same person before and after we loved, that means we haven’t loved enough.”
“Love cannot be explained. It can only be experienced.”
I love Ella’s journey, but most importantly, Shamz was so insightful.
9. Patsy by Nicole Dennis Bean – 3.5/5
This book stretched me; it made me remember reading “Transcendent Kingdom” by Yaa Gyasi, one of my favourite books on earth. My good friend Zeeza gave it to me, and for the first time, I was giving real-life updates as I read. At so many points in the book, I kept saying, “Haaa!”
This book enforced the saying, “Hurt people hurt people.” Also, it showed the lens of undocumented immigrants in America, and it’s crazy.
You definitely should read this. Plus, it is written in Patois.
8. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – 3.5/5
This was my first read this year. I know I said Jeffrey Archer’s book made me feel like I was in a movie; this one was more vivid. I felt like I was in Hollywood with Evelyn Hugo. I loved the style of writing, so simple that I didn’t know where the pages were flipping.
Her life was as complicated as her storytelling. Monique getting the story was like Andy getting the green light to tell Miranda’s story in The Devil Wears Prada 2. Both were horrible people, but wanted to get their stories out.
What I loved about her (Evelyn Hugo) was how she didn’t flinch on getting the raba.
7. Camino Winds by John Grisham – 3.5/5
This is a spin-off of the Camino Island book by John Grisham; the characters were fairly consistent, but the story shifted from Mercer to Bruce. I also love how little was said about Bruce’s wife.
I love Bruce the investigator more than Bruce the bookseller (even though that’s who I would want to be in real life).
6. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie – 3.7/5
Do I really have to say anything about this book, other than, “Where is Kainene?”
I tell people that I want my house to be like Odenigbo’s house before the war, filled with high-pitched laughter and so much argument.
I loved the word (“sophist”) used to describe Odenigbo so much that it has found its way to my daily vocabulary.
It also took the third read to see that it was all from Ugwu’s perspective. He became an author after. I also noticed that the incoherence between the parts was intentional.
Highly recommended, I reread it every year.
5. Bastards of Istanbul by Elif Shafak – 3.8/5
Some time in March 2025, I decided I needed to read new authors, and I saw this book that wanted to be judged by its cover staring at me. I did a quick Google search and saw that the author was arrested after writing this book, and I was sold.
This book introduced me to Elif Shafak, and I have never regretted it.
This book also made me open my dictionary a lot of times. Most importantly, I love Cafe Kundera, and it is also one of the descriptions of what I want my space to feel like. I love the names of the characters at the cafe. One of my favourite arguments was when they were arguing about “Platonic love.”
I won’t move on to the next book without dropping my favourite quote from the book.
“Asking ‘Why me?’ Was another way of saying, ‘Why not someone else?’
4. Indigo by Molara Woods – 4/5
Here is my best collection of short stories; every story here is quite relatable, and most importantly, the language is simple. The story cuts across Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Osun, and some places in the United Kingdom.
My favourite stories are Indigo and Scarcity of Common Goods. Honourable mention is Kelemo’s woman.
Highly recommended, I reread it every year.
3. The Brevity of Beautiful Things by Nnamdi Ehirim – 4.1/5
This is the book you have had on your shelf and had to read out of boredom, but you didn’t know you would be discovering a gem. I enjoyed this book so much that I spread the gospel to Wura, and she finished it in a night.
I like how the author likes to follow his characters from teenagehood to adulthood.
This book made me question some of my stances on life, also.
I don’t want to spoil it; you must get your copy.
2. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie – 4.8/5
Some days ago, someone posted the title page of the first act on Snapchat, and I immediately told him what book he was reading and the opening paragraph.
At every point I have read this book, I have always been amazed at how CNA’s mind works, and this book was published when she was 25.
I will drop my favourite quote:.
“It was what Aunty Ifeoma did to my cousins, I realised then, setting higher and higher jumps for them in the way she talked to them and in what she expected of them. She did it all the time, believing they would scale the rod. And they did. It was different for Jaja and me. We did not scale the rod because we believed we could; we scaled it because we were terrified that we couldn’t.”
1. 10 minutes and 38 seconds in this Strange World by Elif Shafak – 4.8/5
I think I am a sucker for nice book titles, but I was drawn to this book because of, first, the author and, second, the theme. Shortly after reading the book, I had to navigate someone spending “10 minutes and 38 seconds in this strange world.”
Beyond the title, it follows the life of Leila and, most importantly, her death. It shows how friendship can make people do things that aren’t consistent with their characters. It also shows the power of love.
My favourite part of the book was when they exhumed her, and they were trying to toss her under the Bosphorus bridge, how people were looking at them like lunatics, how they were arrested, and how Sabotage Sinan began thinking about how his cheating wife would feel.
That’s it! Overall, I am hopeful to see how this list will change when I read my 40th book or when I cross my 70-book goal.
To you, Halima, I wouldn’t have done this without you insisting I do it. So, thank you!
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