The Correspondent tops Waterstone’s Ballymena chart as August Books of the Month revealed

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans has taken the number one spot at Waterstone’s Ballymena this week, leading a Top 10 that brings together contemporary fiction, science fiction, thrillers, Irish literary classics and poetry.

There is plenty more for local book lovers to explore during August, with Waterstone’s Ballymena unveiling its latest Books of the Month across fiction, thriller, fantasy, non-fiction, Irish writing, children’s and young adult categories.

The selection includes Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize winner May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry, while Edna O’Brien’s groundbreaking The Country Girls earns a double appearance this week — featuring among the Ballymena Top 10 and being selected as the store’s Irish Book of the Month.

Top 10 this week

1. The Correspondent — Virginia Evans

A warm and quietly compelling novel told through letters, following Sybil Van Antwerp as correspondence with the people in her life gradually reveals a story of friendship, loss, forgiveness and connection.

2. Project Hail Mary — Andy Weir

The author of The Martian delivers a gripping science-fiction adventure centred on an astronaut who wakes aboard a spacecraft with little memory of who he is — and the daunting realisation that humanity’s survival may depend upon him.

3. The Secret of Secrets — Dan Brown

Robert Langdon returns in another fast-paced mystery from the author of The Da Vinci Code, with the symbologist drawn into the mysterious past of Prague while trying to solve the disappearance of the woman he loves.

4. Summer Island — Kristin Hannah

An emotional story of family, fractured relationships and second chances from the bestselling author of The Nightingale.

5. The Eights — Joanna Miller

Historical fiction centred on a group of pioneering women navigating university life, friendship and the expectations placed upon them.

6. 100 Poems — Seamus Heaney

A collection bringing together 100 poems by Nobel Prize-winning Northern Irish poet Seamus Heaney, offering readers a journey through one of the most celebrated bodies of work in modern poetry.

7. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil — V.E. Schwab

From the bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue comes a spellbinding queer love story following the desires and dreams of three enigmatic young women.

8. The Divorce — Freida McFadden

From the bestselling author of The Housemaid comes a sinister psychological thriller about a wronged wife who, amid divorce proceedings, develops an unhealthy interest in her husband’s new young lover.

9. The Country Girls — Edna O’Brien

The groundbreaking coming-of-age novel that scandalised 1960s Ireland follows two girls from a rural community as they experience the freedoms, expectations and realities of life in Dublin.

10. The Housemaid — Freida McFadden

McFadden’s hugely successful psychological thriller follows a woman who takes a job with a wealthy family, only to discover that behind the doors of their apparently perfect home lie disturbing secrets.

Half Price

Two very different titles feature among the latest half-price offers.

• BBQ — Jamie Oliver

From paprika pulled pork to black pepper grilled peaches, Jamie Oliver serves up bold and smoky flavours in a barbecue cookbook filled with tips and recipes for outdoor cooking.

• Reckless — Lauren Roberts

Following Powerless, the second instalment in Roberts’ bestselling romantasy trilogy sees the balance between hunter and hunted shift as king-killer Paedyn Gray and the new king’s brother, Kai Azer, meet in the hostile city of Dor.

Books of the Month for August

August’s selections span everything from prize-winning literary fiction and psychological suspense to sleeper-train adventures, technology, dystopian YA and an Irish literary landmark.

• Fiction: May We Feed the King — Rebecca Perry

A striking blend of history, imagination and the human psyche, May We Feed the King follows the curator of a medieval royal palace as she becomes increasingly drawn into the lives of its former occupants — including a reluctant ruler and the courtiers plotting to replace him.

The novel is the winner of the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize and has also been longlisted for the Booker Prize.

• Thriller: Dead Heat — Sabine Durrant

The bestselling author of Take Me In and Finders Keepers returns with a sun-drenched thriller about a writer stuck in a rut who joins his wealthy, Gatsby-esque friends at their luxurious villa on a Greek island.

• Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil — V.E. Schwab

Also appearing at number seven in Ballymena’s Top 10, V.E. Schwab’s latest novel is a spellbinding queer love story following three enigmatic young women and their desires and dreams.

• Non-Fiction: Moonlight Express — Monisha Rajesh

The author of Around the World in 80 Trains embarks on another global railway adventure, this time travelling aboard overnight services including Austria’s Nightjet and Finland’s Santa Claus Express.

• Non-Fiction: Careless People — Sarah Wynn-Williams

A former Facebook employee offers an inside account of the global technology industry, examining its culture, leading figures and the extraordinary influence wielded by some of the world’s biggest technology companies.

• Irish: The Country Girls — Edna O’Brien

First published in 1960, O’Brien’s groundbreaking debut charts the sexual and social awakening of two girls from rural Ireland as they encounter life in Dublin.

Its selection as August’s Irish title comes as the novel also sits at number nine in Waterstone’s Ballymena’s weekly bestseller chart.

• Children’s: The Wild Ones — Steve Cole

An animal adventure for young readers following a determined terrier attempting to lead a group of pets to safety after the humans disappear and dangerous beasts take their place.

• YA: Sunrise on the Reaping — Suzanne Collins

The fifth book in The Hunger Games series and its second prequel puts Haymitch Abernathy at the centre of the action during the fiftieth Hunger Games.

Saturday Storytime

Younger readers have another opportunity to enjoy books and activities in store this weekend.

Waterstone’s Ballymena will host its next storytime and colouring session at 12pm on Saturday 15 August.

This week’s story is Mr Norton’s New Hat by Huw Lewis Jones.

From contemporary bestsellers and literary classics to fantasy, thrillers and children’s adventures, the latest selection at Waterstone’s Ballymena offers plenty of inspiration for readers looking for their next book this summer.

With August’s Books of the Month adding another collection of recommended reads — and weekly storytime continuing for younger visitors — there is plenty for local book lovers to discover in store throughout the month.