Eason Novel of the Year

White City – Kevin Power (Simon & Schuster)

From the highly acclaimed author of Bad Day in Blackrock – inspiration for the 2012 award-winning film What Richard Did, directed by Lenny Abrahamson, White City was published in April to glowing reviews and went straight onto the bestseller list at number 2. Described as ‘brilliantly entertaining and profound in the most unexpected ways’ White City tells the story of Ben, the only son of a rich South Dublin banker piecing together the shattered remains of his life

“Outstanding second novel... A brilliantly entertaining novel that is profound in the most unexpected ways. Power is that rarity, a genuinely funny novelist... Yet all the more remarkable is Power's handling of tone: this novel moves effortlessly between humour and sincerity; it is steeped in empathy and raw anger” Literary Review

Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year

Diving for Pearls – Jamie O’Connell (Doubleday Ireland)

Jamie’s debut novel Diving for Pearls was published in June and entered the bestseller list at number 7 on its first week of release

A glorious interwoven story of the lives of several characters, each striving for a better life in Dubai. When the body of a young woman is found floating in the city's marina, each character must reckon with the bargains he or she has had to make to enjoy this slice of paradise.

“Sprawling and encompassing so many worlds, it's utterly gripping. Excellent” Sophie White, author of Corpsing

Snowflake – Louise Nealon – (Bonnier Books UK)

Published in May Snowflake became a number bestseller in Ireland while enjoying widespread critical acclaim. Endorsed by Roddy Doyle and Marian Keyes Snowflake is an affecting coming-of-age story about eighteen year old Debbie White who lives on a dairy farm with her mother and who is about to step into life as a student at Trinity College Dublin and navigate a world that constantly challenges her sense of self.

Published by Harper Collins in the US in September People Magazine selected Snowflake as a People’s Pick in their October 4th issue. Snowflake was also an Amazon US spotlight Pick For The Month Of September As Featured Debut, selected among Bustle’s Most Anticipated Books of the Month and picked as one of Shondaland 5 Best Books for September. Snowflake was also chosen by  The Nervous Book Club (TNB) as their September book.

‘Wonderful and mad' Roddy Doyle

National Book Tokens Popular Fiction Book of the Year

About Us – Sinéad Moriarty (Sandycove)

Published in July About Us topped the bestsellers list and became Sinead’s 15th bestseller. It tells the story of three couples who all find themselves in the office of a relationship therapist.

“About Us explores the demands of motherhood, the need for physical touch and – most importantly – the need to be seen, heard and loved. There is a bit of each of these women in us all. A charming, laugh-out-loud read with some really genuine characters” The Sunday Independent

Bookstation Lifestyle Book of the Year

A Cloud Where the Birds Rise: A book about love and belonging – Michael Harding and Jacob Stack (Hachette Books Ireland)

Published in October A Cloud Where the Birds Rise: A book about love and belonging  is a unique collection of quotes and observations from Michael Harding, one of Ireland's best-loved memoirists, with stunning and evocative illustrations from Irish illustrator Jacob Stack. In these pages, the reader is held in moments of belonging, solitude, love and healing as we witness the beauty of falling snow, the pain and love of goodbyes, and the shared lives and deaths of neighbours amid the sweeping landscape of Ireland.

A celebration of finding beauty and hope in the ordinary.

TheJournal.ie Best Irish Published Book of the Year

Tree Dogs, Banshee Fingers and Other Irish Words for Nature – Manchán Magan, illustrated by Steve Doogan (Gill Books)

Having enjoyed huge success with his bestselling book Thirty-Two Words for Field, Manchán now brings his infectious wonder and enthusiasm for the Irish language to a younger audience, offering delightful translations and explanations of animal, bird, fish, insect and nature words.

Published in October Tree Dogs, Banshee Fingers and Other Irish Words for Nature follows Manchán’s fascination for words, particularly Irish words, with all of their complex meanings and associations and their connections to the natural world.

‘In Irish there are so many great rain words and magic words and highly specific natural words (such as the material put on the hooves of donkeys to stop them slipping in ice), or words to communicate with animals, or evocative plant words, or the gorgeous words for different amounts of light in the sky, or words that hint at different ways of seeing colour, or twilight words … ’

Teen / Young Adult Book of the Year

The New Girl – Sinéad Moriarty (Gill Books)

Published in September The New Girl  charted in the children’s best sellers list. The book tells the story of Ruby and Safa. At school, Ruby is the odd one out. Although Denise and Clara are her friends, they are each other’s best friend and she is the ‘other’ friend. So when new girl Safa, a refugee who has just arrived in Ireland from Syria, joins the class, she is put sitting beside Ruby. Safa and Ruby realise that their lives are very different. But as they get to know each other they soon discover that they have more in common than they might think.

Sinéad Moriarty is the much-loved author of 15 novels, and her books have been translated into 25 languages. She hopes The New Girl will inspire a new generation of readers.

"A story about friendship, hope and courage … I loved it and couldn’t put it down!" Christy Lefteri, The Beekeeper of Aleppo

RTÉ Audience Choice Award

Your One Wild And Precious Life (championed by Doireann Garrihy) – Dr. Maureen Gaffney (Penguin Life)

Published in September Your One Wild and Precious Life: An Inspiring Guide to Becoming Your Best Self At Any Age topped the Irish bestseller list for paperback nonfiction for five weeks since its publication.The book offers a framework for embracing middle age and beyond – from acclaimed psychologist and No 1 bestselling author of Flourishing.

“No matter where you locate yourself in this book there’s an energy to the prose that makes it a fascinating read… This book is a powerful reminder that history does not have to dictate our future”

The Irish Times

Library Association of Ireland Author of the Year

Liz Nugent

In early 2014 Liz’s first novel, Unravelling Oliver, was published.  It went straight to the top of the bestsellers list and also won the Crime Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards.  Television rights for Unravelling Oliver have been optioned by EOne and Appian Way, Leonardo Di Caprio’s production company in Los Angeles.Her second novel, Lying in Wait, was published in July 2016 and also went straight to number 1. It won the Radio Listener’s Choice prize at the Irish Book Awards and was shortlisted for Crime Novel of the Year. On its UK release in January 2017, Lying in Wait went straight into the UK bestseller list and was chosen for the hugely popular Richard & Judy Bookclub Spring 2017 list and won the Reader’s Choice award for that season. Liz’s third novel, Skin Deep, was published in Ireland in April 2018, hit the number 1 spot and spent five months in the top ten bestsellers list. It won two awards at the Irish Book Awards that year. Liz’s fourth novel, Our Little Cruelties (released as the pandemic hit in March 2020) went to the top of the bestsellers list in Ireland and remained there for six weeks while most bookshops were closed. Published as Little Cruelties, by Gallery/Scout Press in the US and by Simon & Schuster in Canada the book was included in the New York Times recommended best books of 2020. Our Little Cruelties‎ was longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel 2021. In January Sandycove Penguin Random House acquired Liz’s next two novels.