Commit!

Enda McNulty | Penguin

So many of us start the year with a plan, a goal, an ambition to achieve. Mindset is important in making that plan a reality and All-Ireland footballer, performance coach and businessman Enda McNulty can help you in that regard with his new book, Commit! Sharing powerful truths, inspirational advice and tried-and-tested techniques, Enda has helped some of the top high achievers in this country. Brian O’Driscoll, Paul O’Connell, Annalise Murphy and a host of top management teams in companies such as Facebook, Microsoft and Diageo have all worked with him in reaching their potential but these are just the big names – he has worked with a host of people from different backgrounds so his message is adaptable to the individual goal you are trying to achieve. He demonstrates how to harness your strength to live a more purposeful life, develop a mindset that helps you recognise and embrace opportunity, and provides a unique perspective on resilience and mental toughness. On shelves from 5 January, this is the inspirational but practical book you need to start 2017 off on a good note.

Rocka Doon Shore

Rory Glesson | Hachette

It was supposed to be an idyllic weekend away, it was supposed to be the answer to their problems and Cath and her friends certainly have a few. Dan-Dan is struggling with the death of his ex, Lucy is drinking too much and Steph has retreated into herself. A weekend at Rockadoon Lodge in the wilds of the west of Ireland is just what they need. However, the weekend doesn’t exactly pan out like that and things become even more messed up as JJ is determined to get high while another friend, Merc, seeks revenge. As an elderly neighbour shows up in the dead of night with a shotgun, what unravels is a weekend that the characters and you the reader won’t forget. In a novel that captures the self-obsession of the young, Rory Gleeson proves himself to be an exciting storyteller. Sex, drugs and Rockadoon Shore all rolled up into one.

The Stolen Child

Lisa Carey | Weidenfeld & Niolson

St Brigid’s is a windswept island off the coast of Ireland, home to a community in decline. No modern conveniences, electricity, or even doctors or priests, it really is unique and remote. The islanders cling to their traditions but their way of life is under threat as the Government is forcing them to re-locate. Among those refusing to leave are sisters Rose and Emer. Rose is the sister that people adore, blessed with beauty, a loving husband and fertility. Emer, on the other hand, was blinded in one eye as a child and as a result is scarred and wary, and cursed with a punishing gift. When Brigid arrives on the island, everyone is immediately suspicious but she is in search of a miracle and, over time, carves out a place in the community. However, this journey is also one filled with betrayal, fear and desire, culminating in a shocking night that will change the inhabitants of St Brigid’s for ever.

The Fractured Life of Jimmy Dice

Jimmy Dice | Tinder Press

Jimmy Dice was born a twin and while he doesn’t know it, his nearest sibling has stayed with him, overseeing the drama of his life being played out. The most traumatic and the first of many disasters was losing a limb to a starving attack dog. However, this horrendous event helped shape the character of a young man with heart and belief, a loyal son, a good friend, a sweet and passionate lover. Part love story, part coming of age, The Fractured Life of Jimmy Dice is a book about the changing streets of Ireland from the start of the Troubles to the boom years and Dublin today.