Novel ideas for your Easter break

The bookshops you’ll find in each and every county across Ireland are packed full of stories of lands far, far away. Within them, you can experience a magical escape — even if your staycation is turning out to be one for the ducks!

What’s more, if you get lucky and find yourself lounging on one of Ireland’s glorious beaches or picnicking in one of our stunning national parks on a day where the sun’s made a rare appearance — well, the only thing that could add to such a perfect experience would be having the right book in hand as you kick back and relax.

Here, the staff in some of Ireland’s favourite bookshops share their own personal recommendations for great staycation reads.

Prim’s Bookshop: Bibliotherapy 

Kinsale

This independent, secondhand bookshop is a gem tucked away in the scenic seaside town of Kinsale. At Prim’s you’ll find an impressively large selection of general stock, from crime and thrillers to the absolute obscure — as well as the shop’s adorable resident dog!

If that’s not tempting enough, the shop also serves beautiful Stone Valley coffee that you can take to go or sip away at whilst you browse the shelves.

“If you come back after 6pm, the bookshop will transform into a wine bar,” reveals owner Simon Prim. “You can absolutely still buy books, though they are harder to see by candlelight!” As well as recommending that any visitors to Kinsale ⁠check out the posters on the shop window or Instagram page — as there may even be live music in Prim’s one of the nights you’re in town — Simon also has plenty of tips for finding the perfect holiday read.

“I’d definitely recommend Cork author Lynda Marron’s recently published Last Chance in Paris — perfect choice, beautiful writer. She also does brilliant book reviews on her Instagram page that are worth checking out for other recommendations, or books to avoid!” 

Vibes & Scribes Bookshop 

Cork City 

Vibes & Scribes is a treasure trove for booklovers of all ages, and of all budget constraints!

With not just one, but two, entire shops to explore — one for new and bargain books and another for second-hand books — located side by side on Lavitt’s Quay, the only downside to visiting Vibes & Scribes is ensuring you have enough time to truly pore over their selection.

“We stock everything from newly released bestsellers to more obscure titles at bargain prices, as well as a large range of art/photography/design books and gifts/stationery,” explains manager and buyer Brian Wong. “You’re guaranteed to find something niche and unusual in our second-hand shop too. We stock loads of local Cork interest titles — ideal for finding out a bit more about the city while you visit!

“We have over 500 titles to choose from in our “3 for €12” fiction section, many of which would make a great staycation read. Ali Hazelwood is huge on Booktok at the moment, particularly her book Love on the Brain, as well as Mick Herron’s Slow Horses (now a super popular spy-thriller tv show). If it’s an Irish read you’re after, add in Kevin Barry’s Night Boat to Tangier for an interesting and varied selection for your trip.” 

Chapters Bookstore 

Dublin 

Lush green surroundings, great food and plentiful entertainment sounds like just about all you could want from a great Irish holiday — but a visit to Chapters ensures you can get all that and more within the one building!

The massive bookshop — located just a stone’s throw away from Ilac and Jervis shopping centres — not only contains an endless selection of everything from best-sellers and new releases, to bargain and second-hand books of any and all genres, but is also home to an ‘Urban Green’ area.

The Arboretum garden-café can be found upstairs in Chapters, offering an adorable array of indoor plants as well as a popular crystal zone. The café serves delicious homecooked food and, of course, coffee just the way you like it.

With a warm cuppa in hand, there’s no better place to get stuck into your staycations read. Chapters Manager Sara Phelan has had an exclusive read of some of the most anticipated titles coming out this year, and advises booklovers to look out for the following; “We’ve had the pleasure of reading ( and loved!) 1) The Amendments by Niamh Mulvey, due to be released in April, which explores the lives of three generations of women, love and their battle for freedom, 2) Old Romantics by Maggie Armstrong, another April release, which is a captivating collection of alternative romance stories and 3) Colm Tóibín’s Long Island, the long-awaited sequel to Brooklyn due out in May.

No Alibis Bookstore 

Belfast 

This quirky independent bookstore specialises in crime fiction, with live jazz music and reading events a regular fixture. The team there are all about showcasing and promoting Northern Irish talent, in all its forms.

“We’re always grateful to see people from all over popping into our shop, as it gives us the chance to spread the word about some of the best writers coming out of Belfast — and the North in general — right now,” explains owner David Torrans.

“We try to find books you might not have heard of before, and wouldn’t find in other bookshops. We have Scott McKendry’s Gub for poets, Kelly McCaughrain’s Little Bang for younger readers, and we’re looking forward to Jan Carson’s next collection Quickly, While They Still Have Horses.

“Our top staycation read would have to be Susannah Dickey’s Common Decency — both because of its compelling story and its Belfast setting! Common Decency follows Lily as she grapples with life after the loss of her mother. As time goes on, Lily becomes obsessively interested in her upstairs neighbour Siobhán’s life, and develops a dark desire to ruin it. We’re known here for our crime novels, so we appreciate a story that consumes you with suspense.

“We also have a children’s section tucked around the corner from our general fiction, so there’s no excuse for leaving any of the family at home – we’ll even let you bring the dog in!”