Eimear Hutchinson: My ten favourite books...

I AM stuck in the middle of a run of bad books, two recently I haven’t bothered finishing and the last one I read I almost pitched my kindle across the room when I did finish it, frustrated at having wasted my time trudging to the end.

I have a mathematical mind, so long-winded, drawn out, whimsical and intricate descriptions are not really my thing (if they are not yours either, then avoid Emily Henry’s new book Happy Place!). Get to the point as directly as you can and I am a happy woman.

I always love this time of year when the thoughts of summer holidays are to the forefront of our minds. I think we crave the break from the full-on schedules that many of us have around this time of year. In this house, we are up to our necks in camogie blitzes, football matches, piano exams, athletics competitions... and that is just one of the four girl’s schedules.

I am sure I don’t need to stress the importance of a good book, but I think now, more than ever, books are the ultimate form of escape.

A book gives you the ability to be drawn into a world where you can totally escape. I read a lot and often get messages on Instagram from people saying they don’t have time for reading. I hope the irony of that isn’t lost on people, there is always time, it’s just what we choose to do with it that counts.

I thought, given my frustrating run of poor books, that I would do a shortlist of my ten favourites from the last few years so that you can avoid the poor choices I made and make the best of your reading time.

I will keep the descriptions short, but you can always give them a Google to see if they tickle your fancy.

If you have plenty of time over the summer, first and foremost, I must mention the Seven Sisters series from author Lucinda O’Reilly, which is tinged with a little sadness in that the author died before she finished the last book in the series. Her son, Harry Whittaker, wrote the final book in the series as per his mother’s wishes, which was released last month.

The books are long and follow the unusual lives of the D’Aplièse Sisters and their journey to find out who they are and where they come from. Each books whisks you away to a different time and place and I have yet to meet someone who hasn’t enjoyed those stories thoroughly.

Strange Sally Diamond is the latest book by Liz Nugent and it’s one that both my sister and I agreed was fantastic, so I take that as a mark of it being a really good book. Her books are always somewhat quirky and often dark with characters that you will both like and dislike because of their flaws.

John Boyne is a fantastic Irish author who writes the most intense books that really challenge your thinking. His latest, All The Broken Places, is a follow-up to The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas and it is simply brilliant.

The Stranding by Kate Sawyer is set in a post-apocalyptic future and really makes you think about a world where all the learning we have accumulated is wiped out. I read the book a few years ago and it still pops into my mind from time to time.

The Girl With The Louding Voice is by author Abi Dare, set in Africa, and tells a story of one young girl’s resilience in the face of age old traditions created by men.

The book is written as if the girl was writing it, so the English is broken, but this helps transport you totally and utterly.

Tayor Jenkins Reed is an American author that is firing out books over the last number of years. I wouldn’t be a great fan of many of her books, but I will make exception for The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo.

How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie was a punchy, witty book that I really enjoyed, my sister, however, hated it so I feel like I recommend this one with a hint of trepidation!

I have recommended Trespasses, the debut novel by Louise Kennedy, before but I can’t compile a list of books I love and leave it out – a hugely insightful book set during the height of the troubles in Northern Ireland.

Lessons In Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus, is a great book that challenges the roles that females had in the 1960s through the eyes of an inspiring and intelligent woman.

The Queen Of Dirt Island is the latest book by Donal Ryan, a Tipperary author that I really love. His writing is completely different to anything I have previously suggested, every single word is chosen with thought so you have to slow down and drink in the text to really appreciate his way with words. So beautiful.

Happy reading!