Landy wins book of decade award - The Irish Times - Mon, May 31, 2010

Landy wins book of decade award - The Irish Times - Mon, May 31, 2010

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner - an Eclipse Novella

To compliment the release of Eclipse, the third instalment of the Twilight Saga movies, Stephenie Meyer is publishing The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner – an Eclipse novella.

Written as an exercise to explore the darker side of the newborn vampire world introduced in Eclipse, the story of Bree Tanner grew, and just as the other books in the Twilight series, began to encapsulate an air of mystery, danger and of course romance.

What started out as the exploration of an idea became an unexpected novella that is set to portray another side to the Twilight story as we know it. Follow Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, as she and the newborn vampire army prepare for battle against Bella and the Cullens.

Any Twilighter / Twihard / Fanpire is sure to be satisfied with this new bite of the Bella and Edward world. And no doubt it will also appeal to those of us that keep the Twilight Saga as our dirty little secret and guilty pleasure…

Released Saturday, June 5th.
Get your copy of The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner at 10am from Village Books.

The Slap: Christos Tsiolkas

At a suburban barbecue, a man slaps a child who is not his own...The reverberations call into question the relationships between all those who witness it. At a suburban barbecue one afternoon, a man slaps an unruly 3-year-old boy.
The boy is not his son. It is a single act of violence, but this one slap reverberates through the lives of everyone who witnesses it happen.
This book has received great reviews and I think may win a few prizes. Have a look at the Sunday Times review here: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article7117246.ece

The lonely Polygamist

Golden Richards, husband to four wives, father to twenty-eight children, is having the mother of all mid-life crises. His construction business is failing, his family has grown into an overpopulated mini-dukedom beset with insurrection and rivalry, and he is done in with grief: due to the accidental death of a daughter and the stillbirth of a son, he has come to doubt the capacity of his own heart. Brady Udall, one of America's best young fiction writers, tells a tragicomic story of a deeply faithful man who, crippled by grief and the demands of work, religion and family, becomes entangled in an affair that threatens to destroy his family's future.

The Puffin Handbook

It is Puffin’s 70th birthday and to mark the occasion they have released “The perfect little guide to the 70 best books for children…”

This handbook is packed with recommendations, exclusive articles and tips on how to choose the perfect book for your child. It thoroughly examines the best buys for babies to teens and advises on how to introduce reading to your child and maintain a life-long love affair with books.

With author interviews including Eoin Colfer and Jeremy Strong and a section dedicated to Roald Dhal, The Puffin Handbook contains everything you need to know about the magical world of children’s books. It even includes an article on how to get the most from your bookshop!

So why not pop into Village Books to collect your copy today.

And did I mention…. IT’S FREE!!

VILLAGE BOOKS JUNIOR BOOK CLUB

Village Books is currently looking for new members for its Junior Book Club.

It is an in-shop, after-school book club for kids aged between 9 and 12. The club reads one book a month and has one meeting a month, and of course, its members have a say on what is read next.

If you know a child that's interested simply email their details to  info@villagebooks.ie or drop into the shop to register.

Siobhan Parkinson: New Children’s Literature Laureate

Childrens writer Siobhan Parkinson has just been appointed as the Irish children’s literature laureate. Her role is to promote books here and abroad. Read more on the Irish Times website: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2010/0511/1224270124721.html

"LIfe" by Jane Smiley

There is a really good review of  Jane Smiley's new book in The Irish Times seehttp://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/0515/1224270446708.html. 
For those who haven't had the pleasure of reading her, she is well worth a look. Especially one of her earlier books " A Thousand Acres" which is a modern reworking of the story of King Lear. Do not be put off by this as it is a very exciting read with great insights into the internal workings of a family.

The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch

This is a fitting read for those who still marvel in the wonders that await at the beach.

Set along the shores of Washington’s Puget Sound, The Highest Tide is a coming-of-age tale with an insightful ecological flavour.



Follow 13 year old Miles, as a freak discovery along his beloved shore line rockets him into the limelight. However, this sudden burst of fame is only a further complication in his ever problematic life.



Now with a host of unwanted attention, his knowledge of the ocean is put under the microscope. His parents are drifting further apart. A whole host of unbelievable discoveries await him. And all he really wants to do is stroll on the beach with the girl next door.



The Highest Tide is a sweet story about the struggles a young boy faces and the phenomenal life aquatic he discovers on his doorstep. It will awaken a new fondness for the sea in anyone who reads it.

Top 10 Modern Literature

Top 10 Modern Literature

1. Tortilla Curtain
TC Boyle

2. Secret River
Kate Grenville

3. Burnt out Town of Miracles
Roy Jacobsen

4. Mudbound
Hilary Jordan

5. Time Travellers Wife
Audrey Niffenegger

6. American Wife
Curtis Sittenfeld

7. Namesake
Jhumpa Lahiri

8. The Year of Wonders
Geraldine Brooks

9. Crazy in Alabama
Mark Childress

10. The Reader
Bernhard Schlink

Top 10 New Crime Fiction

Top 10 New Crime Fiction

1. 61 Hours
-Lee Child

2. Caught
-Harlan Coben

3. Black Water Rising
-Attica Locke

4. Presumed Innocent
-Scott Turrow

5. Innocent
-Scott Turrow

6. Last Child
-John Hart

7. Accused
-Mark Gimenez

8. Three Weeks to Say Goodbye
-CJ Box

9. Among Thieves
- David Hosp

10. Fear the Worst
- Linwood Barclay