From absorbing new releases by the cream of the Irish writing crop to rereads of non-fiction titles that really strike a cord, here are the books currently on the night stands of the IMAGE staffers.
Leonie Corcoran, Business Editor
I had made it my mission to finish a novel before my baby’s due date. Luckily, I was unusually ahead of schedule because so was he! I went for Long Island by Colm Tóibín because both it and The Bee Sting by Paul Murray have been shouting at me from the bookshelves, and The Bee Sting is a much heavier book.
Long Island dives straight into the action as only sequels can (I have not read Brooklyn that I can recall), is rich in characters, with some of my favourite being the supporting roles, and has some very funny, subtle humour. It’s Colm Tóibín, so I expected an impressive plot, and I got it. In fact the plot was very busy towards the end of the novel, or maybe that was my mindset… I’m not sure but I’ve happily already shared it with a pal to enjoy the read.
Lizzie Gore-Grimes, Editor-in-Chief
I’m about halfway through Butter by Japanese author Asako Yuzuki. It was recommended to me by a friend and I’m enjoying it. It’s quite unusual but strangely gripping. Based on a real-life case, an ambitious young journalist is fascinated by the story of a female food blogger turned murderer and succeeds in making a connection with her.
As our protagonist embarks on a discovery of food journey (guided by her serial killer muse); she becomes intoxicated by experiencing ‘proper’ butter for the very first time – and let’s face it, who can blame her!
While it’s not a gripping yarn per se, the descriptions of food are provocative and absorbing and Yuzuki’s insights into the life of a contemporary young Japanese woman are fascinating (with misogynistic office culture and fat shaming called out).
I often judge a book by asking myself if I lost it tomorrow, would I feel compelled to go out and buy a new copy. With this one, I’m not sure I would but I’m certainly enjoying it, and appreciating my daily Kerrygold dose even more as a result.
Megan Burns, Editor, IMAGE Interiors; Deputy Editor, IMAGE
I’m currently reading What You Are Looking For Is In The Library by Michiko Aoyama. Originally written in Japanese, it’s almost more like a series of short stories than a novel, and sees different people ending up at the same library. As the title suggests, they are all in search of something, and the book follows how they find answers in unexpected ways. It’s a pleasant and uplifting read, and I would definitely recommend it.
Sarah Gill, Features Editor
I fell in love with John Patrick McHugh’s writing back in 2021, when I read his short story collection, Pure Gold, so news of the release of his debut novel, Fun and Games, was literal music to my ears. During Cúirt International Festival of Literature, I attended an event with John Patrick in conversation with Sally Rooney, and to call it thought-provoking would be an understatement.
Of the novel’s packaging as a ‘coming of age’ story, John Patrick asked the prudent question: Do Irish men ever really come of age? Set on an island off the west coast of Ireland, Fun and Games opens in the summer following the Leaving Cert exams, that liminal space of being too young to get into nightclubs and too horny to think straight.
Not one word is out of place, and the writing roves between beautiful, almost lyrical prose and the contemporary Irish tongue we hear out in the world every day. He’ll take the time to whittle out the details, but isn’t afraid to cut in with a ‘you know yourself’. The book is also giving me a newfound appreciation for the poetry of GAA, which is bonkers because I have always considered myself staunchly anti-organised sport. Such is the power of John Patrick McHugh’s writing! If only men really read books, I think they would enjoy this one.
Meghan Killalea, Marketing Account Executive
I’m currently reading Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas, the eighth book in her Throne of Glass series. I was that classic teenager who was obsessed with reading. I devoured hundreds of books and then the minute I hit my 20s, my grá for reading became nonexistent. I really struggled to find a book or series that would actually grab my attention, but oh boy, has the Throne of Glass series done just that.
It is the perfect series for those who loved Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and all things fantasy growing up and want to get back into reading. It’s full of intrigue, politics, magic, and enough cliffhangers that you’ll be reading into the small hours of the night to know what happens next. I’m admittedly reading this one slowly because I don’t want the series to end!
Shayna (Sappington) Healy, Branded Content Editor and Wedding Editor
I’ve been glued to Burn After Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard since the moment I picked it up. She’s one of my favourite Irish crime authors and this latest book hasn’t disappointed. It follows a famous Irish cyclist who lost his wife in a tragic house fire. However, when evidence shows she died before the fire began, the whole country turns on him. He hires an author to tell his side of the story and proclaim his innocence, and we follow her as she tries to uncover the truth…
Amber O’Shea, Social Media Manager
I am currently reading Territory of Light by Yuko Tshushima, a book set in Tokyo that follows the story of a mother raising a child alone while figuring out who she is. There are themes of loneliness and alienation, but it’s told through twelve dreamy little slices of her life over a year. She’s trying to hold it together whilst her life is slowly unravelling, I’m flagging it now — it’s emotional and very introspective!
Dominique McMullan, Editorial Director
Right now, I’m reading The Years by Annie Ernaux, it’s a book a friend recommended to me months ago and I am so glad I followed the recommendation. It’s moving, beautiful, and captures the sweep of life in such a profound way. I’m also deep into The Myth of Normal by Dr Gabor Maté and his son Daniel, a powerful exploration of how modern society impacts our health and what true healing might look like. They are two very different books, but both offer much to think about.
Emily O’Neill, Marketing Account Executive
I just finished reading Swept Away by Beth O’Leary, which at first glance is another typical romance book. However, it delves so much deeper into navigating difficult relationships with parents and siblings whilst also sparking a new relationship between the two main characters, Lexi and Zeke. I love all of Beth O’Leary’s books and this one certainly didn’t disappoint!
Holly O’Neill, Editor, IMAGE.ie; Beauty Editor, IMAGE Magazine
All of Abigail Dean’s books are completely unputdownable and her latest, The Death of Us, is as incredible as her first two. Make sure when you pick it up that you have nothing important planned, because for the third time with one of her books, I opened it, read through the night and only put it down when I finished it the next day.
They all centre around a traumatic event, flicking between characters across the past, present and future, how they remember the event and how it affected them throughout their lives. The Death Of Us is Abigail Dean’s first love story and I hope she continues to write love stories in the future because this one gripped me, telling the story of three decades of love between Isabel and Edward, who reconnect when the perpetrator of a terrible night of violence that destroyed their marriage is finally brought to justice. Save it for a free weekend, go read her other two and thank me later!
Susan Vickers, Account Manager
I’m currently re-reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. I’ve previously read this, but after slipping out of my usual routines and habits, I felt it was the perfect time for a refresher and a bit of inspiration to get back on track! I love how he talks about habit stacking and how the tiniest changes can lead to huge improvements over time. He uses this analogy: if a plane changes course by just 3.5 degrees, it will end up in a completely different place and the same goes for habits – small changes, if done consistently, lead to big transformations and changes over time!
Dearbhla Lovett, IMAGE First Activations Freelancer
What I have been reading and loving at the moment is Dolly Alderton’s Everything I Know About Love. This book deserves all the hype it received when it was first released. The style of writing makes for such a lovely read, and Dolly’s voice and storytelling perfectly capture the feelings of growing up from your teens into your late 20s. She makes you want to be single, she makes you want to be in a relationship, she makes you want to quit your job and move across the world with your friends. She also makes you feel quite good about the fact that absolutely nobody has life figured out (while also making you laugh out loud). The perfect beach or poolside read for your holidays this summer!
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