Books of the Month

1. Twelve sheep

by John Connell

€13.99 €18.85

For John Connell, the lambing season on his County Longford farm begins in the autumn. In the sheep shed, he surveys the dozen females in his care and contemplates the work ahead as the season slowly turns to winter, then spring. The twelve sheep have come into his life at just the right moment. After years of hard work, John felt a deep tiredness creeping up on him, a sadness that he couldn't shrug off. Having always sought spiritual guidance, he comes to realise that, in addition to the soothing words of literature and philosophy, perhaps the way ahead involves this simple flock of sheep. In the hard work of livestock rearing, in the long nights in the shed helping the sheep to lamb, he can reflect on what life truly means. Like the flock that he shepherds, this book is both simple and profound, a meditation on the rituals of farming life and a primer on the lessons that nature can teach us. As spring returns and the sheep and their lambs are released into the fields, skipping with joy, John recalls the words of Henry David Thoreau, reminding us to 'live in each season as it passes.'

2. Emma Disappeared TPB

by Andrew Hughes

€14.99 €21.75

Everyone is talking about the disappearance of Emma Harte. A high-achieving university graduate and young entrepreneur, she was last seen in the early hours of the morning on grainy CCTV footage in Dublin's city centre before vanishing into thin air. While a national debate about women's safety rages, eyes turn to Emma's boyfriend, Tom - who is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, archivist James Lyster is following the story with undue interest. When a comment he makes about Emma goes viral on social media, he finds himself drawn into the world of a group of idealistic university students involved in the search - and attractingthe attention of the police detective in charge of Emma's case. Then a body is discovered in shrubland near James' flat ... As the police get closer to finding out what happened to Emma Harte, James' life begins to unravel. Is he a victim or murderer? Feminist ally or callous liar?For it turns out that James isn't the only one with secrets ...

3. Hagstone TPB

by Sinéad Gleeson

€15.99 €21.75

The haunting debut novel from beloved, Irish bestselling author, Sinéad Gleeson. The sea is steady for now. The land readies itself. What can be done with the woman on the cliff? On a wild and rugged island cut off and isolated to some, artist Nell feels the island is her home. It is the source of inspiration for her art, rooted in landscape, folklore and the feminine. The mysterious Inions, a commune of women who have travelled there from all over the world, consider it a place of refuge and safety, of solace in nature. All the islanders live alongside the strange murmurings that seem to emanate from within the depths of the island, a sound that is almost supernatural – a Summoning as the Inions call it. One day, a letter arrives at Nell’s door from the reclusive Inions who invite Nell into the commune for a commission to produce a magnificent art piece to celebrate their long history. In its creation, Nell will discover things about the community and about herself that will challenge everything she thought she knew. Beautifully written, prescient and eerily haunting, Sinéad Gleeon’s fiction debut takes in the darker side of human nature and the mysteries of faith and the natural world. A novel from one of our most beloved literary voices, this is perfect for fans of Margaret Atwood and Sarah Moss.  ‘Wild, elemental and brimming with ideas and intelligence, Hagstone feels both ancient and very modern. I adored it’ Louise Kennedy, author of Trespasses ‘A wonderfully surprising and totally original novel from a compelling voice’ Elaine Feeney, author of How to Build a Boat

4. Bored of lunch. Healthy air fryer 30 minute meals

by Nathan Anthony

€19.99 €20.00

FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE NO.1 BESTSELLING AIR FRYER BOOK OF ALL TIME All NEW super-speedy, calorie-counted air fryer recipes so you can have delicious, healthy food on the table in 30 minutes or less. From Nathan Anthony, author of three instant no.1 bestsellers, comes a brand new book of quick, easy and healthy recipes for your air fryer. With dishes ready in 30 minutes or less (including prep time!), this is effortless cooking to maximise flavour while minimising cooking time. Every recipe is calorie counted, so you can have lighter versions of your favourites dishes on the table in just half an hour, making mealtimes and life that bit easier. As a lower-energy alternative to a conventional oven, air fryers are a cost-efficient way to make all your favourite dishes and save on your household energy bill. And with a focus on everyday, easy-to-find ingredients, this is food you can cook without breaking the bank or even a sweat. The incredible, quick recipes include Salt and Pepper Squid, Crispy Fried Chicken, Meatball & Mozzarella Orzo Bake, Fish & Chips and a Juicy Pork Roast. Air frying doesn't get any easier than this! Chapters include: - Fakeaways in a Flash - Hosting in a hurry - Breezy Brunch & Lunch - Midweek Meals in Minutes - Quick Comfort Food - Speedy Sides & Sharing

5. Calamity Of Souls TPB

by David Baldacci

€14.99 €21.75

Set in the tumultuous year of 1968 in southern Virginia, a racially-chargedmurder case sets a duo of white and Black lawyers against a deeply unfair systemas they work to defend their wrongfully-accused Black defendants in thiscourtroom drama from the number one bestselling author David Baldacci.Jack Lee is a white lawyer from Freeman County, Virginia, who has never doneanything to push back against racism, until he decides to represent JeromeWashington, a Black man charged with brutally killing an elderly and wealthy whitecouple. Doubting his decision, Lee fears that his legal skills may not be enough toprevail in a case where the odds are already stacked against both him and his client.And he quickly finds himself out of his depth when he realizes that what is at stake isfar greater than the outcome of a murder trial.Desiree DuBose is a Black lawyer from Chicago who has devoted her life to furtheringthe causes of justice and equality for everyone. She comes to Freeman County andenters a fractious and unwieldy partnership with Lee in a legal battle against thebest prosecutor in the Commonwealth. Yet DuBose is also aware that powerfuloutside forces are at work to blunt the victories achieved by the Civil Rights era.Lee and DuBose could not be more dissimilar. On their own, neither one can stop theprosecution’s deliberate march towards a guilty verdict and the electric chair. Buttogether, the pair fight for what once seemed impossible: a chance for a fair trial andtrue justice

6. This Is Not A Self Help Book P/B

by Mark Mehigan

€17.99 €18.99

Much of Mark Mehigan’s twenties read like a ‘how-to’ manual: How to get very drunk without raising people’s suspicions you might be an alcoholic. Although outwardly successful, nearing 30 he was hurtling towards a nervous breakdown and using payday loans to fund a burgeoning cocaine habit.Eventually Mark became sick and tired of being sick and tired. His only choice was to finally relinquish control and ask for help. In doing so he discovered contentment and freedom. This new way of life embraced letting stuff go. Giving things up. It meant trying to find out how to live without relying on destructive behavioural patterns to cope with life.Mark’s story is one of hope: everything genuinely can get better. Perhaps Mark’s story can be the spark that ignites that journey for you, or at the very least a guidebook on how not to mess up your life. Either way, it’s definitely not a self-help book.

7. Amendments TPB

by Niamh Mulvey

€15.99 €21.75

In London, Nell’s partner wants to have a baby. She also wants to know why Nell hasn’t been home to Ireland to see her family for so long, and why she won’t speak to her mother. They’ve ended up in a therapist’s office to get to the bottom of it all, and Nell is running out of places to hide from her past. But how can she even begin to explain what happened back then? About the Movement, the boy, the last baby, all of the grief. And Martina, what could she say about that gentle, kind woman she looked up to most throughout her teenage years, who she brought her troubles to when her mother just didn’t understand, who provided guidance but who ruined everything in the end? How could Nell face the truth she has secretly come to recognize after all this time, that maybe she is to blame for it all? And given how the women in her family have failed at successful mother-daughter relationships for decades back now, what hope do she and this new baby have? Delving into the lives of three generations of women, The Amendments shows how Ireland has changed and how it hasn’t. As the country debated the rights of women, over and over, girls tried to decide their own fates in bedrooms and at the kitchen table. The Amendments is an extraordinary debut novel about freedom and compassion, belonging and rebellion – and about how our past is a living, breathing thing which sits alongside us always.

8. Earth H/B

by John Boyne

€13.99 €18.85

It’s the tabloid sensation of the year: two well-known footballers standing in the dock, charged with sexual assault, a series of vile text messages pointing towards their guilt. As the trial unfolds, Evan Keogh reflects on the events that have led him to this moment. Since leaving his island home, his life has been a lie on many levels. He’s a talented footballer who wanted to be an artist. A gay man in a sport that rejects diversity. A defendant whose knowledge of what took place on that fateful night threatens more than just his freedom or career. The jury will deliver a verdict but, before they do, Evan must judge for himself whether the man he has become is the man he wanted to be

9. Funny Story

by Emily Henry

€15.99 €21.75

Set over one sizzling summer comes a shimmering, joyful new novel about the happily-ever-after that wasn't and the exes determined to make the best of it from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Happy Place and Book Lovers.  Daphne always loved the way Peter told their story. How they met, fell in love, and moved back to his hometown to begin their life together. Too bad it turned out to be more of a prequel to Peter's actual love story with his childhood best friend, Petra. So that's how Daphne's next chapter starts: stranded in a too-small town, propositioning Petra's heartbroken ex to move in. As roommates of course. A temporary solution until she gets a new job literally anywhere else. Miles is the exact opposite to Daphne, and it's mostly just unbearably awkward until one drunken night. A tenuous friendship formed, Miles convinces her to give this idyllic town one last summer - he'll show her why he loves it and if they happen to post deliberately misleading photos of their adventures together, so be it. But asDaphne starts to fall for the town, she is faced with a question: is Miles an interlude in her great love story with Peter or wasPeter was just a footnote to that time she fell in love with her ex-fiance'snew fiance's ex boyfriend?