Books are a guiding light. Every year we find ourselves diving deeper and further into the imagined lives and stories of new characters, leaving behind our world to spend an hour or two a day in the worlds given to us by authors and illustrators. Books are a solace; they invite us in and challenge us, they open us up to possibilities and experiences we might never have come across otherwise. Books are, have always been, and will always be, our greatest lifeline in times of unease. And as booksellers it is our job to guide you in the right direction, leading you to the authors and titles we have loved and revered the most throughout the last twelve months. So, after much consideration and reading, here are our bookseller’s favourite reads of 2021. In here you’ll find titles old and new, with enough recommendations to keep you going well into the new year.
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (chosen by Danielle in Support Office, Emma in Cork, Tanya in Support Office, Sean in Liffey Valley, Adam in Stillorgan, Karen in Grafton Street, Nicola in Bray and Aoife in Grafton Street)
Still Life by Sarah Winman (chosen by Martin in Rathmines and Aileen in Liffey Valley)
56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard (chosen by Adrienne in Support Office, Jennifer in Support Office and Roisin in Support Office)
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart (chosen by Neasa in Dundrum and Mairead in Support Office)
A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa (chosen by Leanne in Rathmines and Caoimhe in Cork)
Detransition Baby by Torrey Peters (chosen by Emily in Cork)
Everyone in This Room Will Someday be Dead by Emily Austin (chosen by Eoin in Rathmines)
The Magician by Colm Toibin (chosen by Natalie in Support Office)
Unsettled by Rosaleen McDonagh (chosen by Alison in Liffey Valley and Margot in Stillorgan)
Mordew by Alex Pheby (chosen by Sarah in Grafton Street)
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah (chosen by Manuela in Cork)
Aldrin Adams and Cheese Nightmares (chosen by Vivienne in Rathmines)
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel (chosen by Imogen in Dundrum)
Dune by Frank Herbert (chosen by Eadaoin in Rathmines and Shane in Bray)
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (chosen by Reiltin in Galway)
I Want to Know That I Will be Okay by Deirdre Sullivan (chosen by Karina in Dundrum)
Monsters by Barry Windsor Smith (chosen by Leon in Galway)
All The Young Men by Ruth Coker Brooks & Kevin Carr O’Leary (chosen by Mary in Dun Laoghaire)
Godspeed by Nickolas Butler (chosen by Donal in Dun Laoghaire)
Barbara Throws a Wobbler by Nadia Shireen (chosen by Maria in Support Office)
Foe by Iain Reid (chosen by Shane in Rathmines)
History of the Rain by Niall Williams (chosen by Ciara in Cork)
A Keeper by Graham Norton (chosen by Naomi in Rathmines)
Conversations on Love by Natasha Lunn (chosen by Bobbie in Stillorgan)
Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka (chosen by Olivia in Bray)
The Secret History by Donna Tartt (chosen by Robbie in Dun Laoghaire)
Wolfstongue by Sam Thompson, ill. by Anna Tromop (chosen by Lisa in Grafton Street)
Billy Summers by Stephen King (chosen by Ronan in Galway)
Ace of Spades by Faridah Ábíké-Íyímídé (chosen by Laura in Galway)
The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson (chosen by Shane in Dundrum)
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (chosen by Sarah in Rathmines)
By Ash, Oak and Thorn by Melissa Harrison (chosen by Jay in Galway)
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (chosen by Ben in Grafton Street)
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell (chosen by Eimear in Dun Laoghaire)
Tree of Smoke by Dennis Johnson (chosen by John in Grafton Street)
The Department of Truth by James Tynion, ill. by Martin Simmonds (chosen by Ruairi in Rathmines)
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles (chosen by Susan in Support Office)
Troy by Stephen Fry (chosen by Megan in Rathmines)
Holding Her Breath by Eimear Ryan (chosen by Caoilfhionn in Support Office)
Just One of Those Days by Jill Murphy (chosen by Una in Liffey Valley)
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow (chosen by Mona in Galway)
The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary (chosen by Ciara in Bray)
Mythos by Stephen Fry (chosen by Michelle in Stillorgan)
Panenka by Rónán Hession (chosen by Martha N. in Liffey Valley)
A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasam (chosen by Mary-Louise in Galway)
When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut (chosen by Garrett in Grafton Street)
Hyperion by Dan Simmons (chosen by Ryan in Cork)
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna (chosen by Samantha in Dundrum)
Wonder by R. J. Palacio (chosen by Gráinne in Stillorgan)
The Lyrics, 1956 – Present by Paul McCartney (chosen by David in Bray)
The Tokyo Zodiac Murders by Soji Shimada (chosen by Ailbhe in Galway)
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (chosen by Aisling in Dun Laoghaire)
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki (chosen by Erica in Liffey Valley)
The Eye of World (The Wheel of Time Book 1) by Robert Jordan (chosen by Emma in Bray)
Mudlarking by Lara Maiklem (chosen by Sara in Cork)
The Life and Loves of a He Devil by Graham Norton (chosen by Daniel in Cork)
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (chosen by Shauna in Dundrum)
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa (chosen by Ben in Dundrum)
A Hundred Million Years and a Day by Jean-Baptiste Andrea, trans. by Sam Taylor (chosen by Brian in Liffey Valley)
Are You Somebody by Nuala O’Faolain (chosen by Martha F. in Liffey Valley)
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang (chosen by Gabbie in Dun Laoghaire)
Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan (chosen by Breno in Dun Laoghaire)
Libra by Don DeLillo (chosen by Aoife in Stillorgan)
Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen (chosen by Sam in Stillorgan)
The Very Dangerous Sisters of Indigo McCloud by John Hearne (chosen by Oisin in Bray)
The God is Not Willing by Steven Erikson (chosen by Keith in Grafton Street)
The Dark Stuff by Nick Kent (chosen by Abby in Grafton Street)
