True Love by Paddy Crewe
Set in the North of England, ‘True love’ by Paddy Crewe is about Finn and Keely, both struggling to find connection in their lives, in this gritty and poignant book about grief, loneliness and love.
Earth by John Boyne
‘Earth’ is the story of a young professional footballer who is on trial in a sexual assault case, in another concise and engaging story from master storyteller John Boyne.
Be Mine - Richard Ford (Frank Bascombe #5)
The fifth outing for Frank Bascombe, as he goes on a road trip with his son Paul. Funny. poignant, and wise, Fords prose is as beautiful and resonant as ever.
Book Review - Winter People by Gráinne Murphy
Winter People by Gráinne Murphy is a reflective and emotional book about three strangers on the Atlantic Coast of Ireland, dealing with grief and isolation.
Book Review - A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
‘A little life’ by Hanya Yanagihara is 700 page epic that follows the lives of four friends in New York. Immersive, depressing and heartbreaking, this is a book that continues to polarise opinion.
Ordinary Human Failings - Megan Nolan
A child is murdered on an estate in London, and attention falls on a Irish family who had previously kept to themselves. Megan Nolan’s superbly written second book is about ‘ordinary families’ who find themselves having to face their secrets.
Book Review - Sea of Tranquility - Emily St. John Mandel
Emily St. John Mandels most recent book is a beguiling mix of the contemporary, historical and science fiction, in a story that arcs over the centuries.
Book review - Songbirds - Christy Lefteri
‘Songbirds’ tells the story of Nisha, a migrant worker who leaves her homeland to work as a nanny and maid in Cyprus, but who vanishes one evening. A book about the plight of the vulnerable and invisible in society.
Book Review - Boys Don’t Cry - Fíona Scarlett
Gritty and emotional tale of two brothers living in flats complex in Dublin. After Finn falls ill, gifted student Joe finds his world falling apart.
Book Review - No One is Talking About This - Patricia Lockwood
Patricia Lockwoods book bristles with energy, and is both sharp and funny. What starts off as somewhat ironic take on the online lives we lead gives way to a story that is genuinely moving, with wonderfully lyrical prose. Haven’t read anything like this all year.
Book Review - Leonard and Hungry Paul - Rónán Hession
Rónán Hessions debut novel is a warm hearted read about two thirty something friends relatively happy in their own skins, getting on with their lives. But with a love interest, an upcoming wedding and an unexpected windfall, things begin to change……
Book Review - To Paradise - Hanya Yanagihara
Hanya Yanagihara’s latest spans two hundred years and 720 pages. It’s large in scope and at times unwieldy and this is my attempt to review it. Is it any good? As long as it is, best not to read if you are entering isolation……….
Snowflake - Louise Nealon - Book Review
An accomplished debut by young Irish writer, Louise Nealon, about 18 year old Debbie growing up in rural Ireland before moving to Dublin, about family, mental health and relationships.
Book Review - The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett
The story of two twin sisters born in the strange town of Mallard, with its own system of racial purity. They escape, but their lives take two very different courses.
