The Dose Effect by Neuroscientist TJ Power Book Review

People, my bedroom is tidy. Why? Because this excellent book told me so. It had a positive impact, and was one of many little nuggets in this book that will enhance your life. Written by Neuroscientist TJ Power, who really knows his stuff, this book will make your 2026 the best year so far. Because it focuses on everyday habits, the advice in it all seems achievable. It is as easy to read as it is to implicate. Brilliant stuff. Get your copy now.

SMALL HABITS TO BOOST YOUR BRAIN CHEMISTRY

‘This is the book all parents need in their lives.’ – This Morning

‘If you want to buy just one book this year to make your life better…Get this one. And live by it. – Chris Evans, as heard on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Virgin Radio

‘This book will help you find more motivation, create deeper connections, energise your body and destress your mind.’ – Jay Shetty, author of Think Like a Monk

‘The best book I’ve read on this subject.’ – Dr. Julie Smith, author of Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?

***

Life can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

Today’s fast-paced world leaves many of us struggling with extreme emotional highs and lows caused by chemical imbalances in our brains, brought on by the pressures of modern life and constant digital connectivity.

In The DOSE Effect, Neuroscientist TJ Power shares how you can reset and balance your brain chemistry with simple, everyday habits to lead a happier, healthier, and more productive life.

Unlock your brain’s four key chemicals and discover the powers of:

DOPAMINE to get motivated and stay driven

OXYTOCIN to build deeper connections with others

SEROTONIN to boost your energy and mood

ENDORPHINS to destress and find calm

TJ’s practical approach and straightforward solutions will guide you on an exciting, action-based journey to optimise your brain chemistry and transform your mental health.

TJ Power’s book ‘The DOSE Effect’ was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2026-01-26.

This brilliant book is available here.

Where The Light is Hottest Book Tour

The best thing about having your book published is the reception it gets. When the reviews start coming in and people tell you they read it and enjoyed it. That is gold. Where The Light is Hottest went on a blog book tour with Rachel’s Random Resources. I cannot recommend doing this enough. It’s a wonderful experience and the dedicated book bloggers and influencers make such a difference to the book community.

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An excerpt and introduction from Let Us Talk of Many Things.

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An interview with the amazing and supportive Honest Mum.

A piece in The Sunday Times all about my inspiration behind the book. Both print and online.

Writing about finding inspiration for A Knight’s Reads

Another great piece in Futures.

A great review on Bookmarks and Stages by Lou.

I wrote a guest post on persistence for Mai’s Musing.

Another review in Rambling Mads.

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Great review on Becca’s Book Ramblings.

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Another great review on Portable Magic.

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An extract and intro in Novel Kicks.

On finding inspiration on A Knight’s Read.

Another excerpt and introduction at Bookish Jottings.

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A fantastic review from Beyond The Books with the lovely Sharon.

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An interview at the Portobello Book blog.

Another great excerpt on Celticl Lady’s reviews.

A great review on Reading For Leisure.

Stacey-Ann Say shared an extract.

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Living Well with Autoimmune Diseases Book Review

Living Well with Autoimmune Diseases

A Rheumatologist’s Guide to Taking Charge of Your Health

By Julius Birnbaum, MD, MHS

Medical books can be very dry and hard to read. Not so, Living Well with Autoimmune Diseases. This book is a must read. A much-needed book that tells you more about autoimmune diseases than I have read anywhere else. It is a guide full of knowledge and actionable information. I felt like a friend was taking my hand and telling me all about these various conditions. Both comprehensive and insightful, I cannot recommend this book enough. It is a must buy for everyone who has, or cares for someone who has, an autoimmune disease. Get a copy now.

With one in ten adults in the UK living with an autoimmune disease, Living Well with Autoimmune Diseases offers essential advice for navigating the complex world of various autoimmune diseases. This substantial and compassionate guide helps patients, caregivers, and health care professionals understand the diagnosis, management, and treatment of conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, and more.

Author Dr. Julius Birnbaum, an expert in both neurology and rheumatology, covers a wide range of topics, from the basics of autoimmunity to the nuances of various rheumatic diseases and their interconnected nature. With an engaging blend of scientific rigour and empathy, Dr. Birnbaum:

  • Provides a primer on autoimmunity, explaining how the immune system can mistakenly attack the body’s own tissues
  • Discusses the roles and limitations of blood tests and biopsies
  • Covers the complexities of various treatment options, including when to use immunosuppressive therapy and when simpler symptomatic treatments might be appropriate
  • Emphasizes the importance of personalised treatment plans that consider the unique needs of each patient
  • Debunks common myths about rheumatic diseases and provides practical advice that can help improve quality of life
  • Provides captivating patient narratives from his clinical practice that clarify how to diagnose and treat autoimmune diseases.

This indispensable overview of autoimmune diseases, supplemented with helpful tools for readers and their loved ones, offers hope and empowerment for managing these complex conditions.

May 2025 | Paperback 440 pages | ISBN 9781421449890 | Price £25.00

For further information about this book please click HERE,

The Sufi Storyteller by Faiqa Mansab Book Review

From the first page I was deeply drawn into The Sufi Storyteller. Faiqa Mansab is a fantastic storyteller. Her prose is beautiful and eloquent. This book is steeped in myth and I found the tales of Sufi story traditions fascinating. The books’s deep and full of knowledge, with a murder mystery woven through it. It is high-end literary fiction with a riveting crime twist.

Set in America and Afghanistan, the book is sprawling and is set in the past and the present. The novel is unique and immersive. I was hooked until the very last page. With a darkness that lingers through it, you will struggle to put it down. Faiqa Mansab is a writer to watch. Five stars.

An estranged mother and daughter urgently need to reconnect and navigate a world of Sufi story traditions to catch a killer, and to save each other.Layla is a scholar of women’s histories and stories. Her life is a carefully constructed set of routines in her small American liberal arts college, but all of that is about to change…

Mira is a renowned Sufi storyteller who is running from a terrible past. When she learns that the murdered woman in the library was carrying a note from the killer addressed to her, she is presented with an opportunity to break a cycle of trauma and hurt. To confront her past, she must disclose the truth to Layla.

Together they enter the realm of Story, but can Layla find the forgiveness in her heart necessary to lead them to the answers they are looking for?

This contemporary murder mystery takes readers from small town America to the mountains of Afghanistan.

One Cornish Summer With You by Phillipa Ashley Book Review

Phillipa Ashley is at the top of her game. I devoured this book in a day and a half. It’s quite chunky so that’s an achievement. I was swept away in the works of art Tammy makes, and this wonderful story of love and family. All set in glorious Cornwall.

Tammy cherished her childhood growing up in the charming harbour town of Porthmellow. However, when her father’s bankruptcy and her mother’s abandonment shattered her world, she quickly realised that nothing lasts forever.

Now, Tammy dedicates her days to creating art in the golden Cornish sand, determined to shield herself from further heartbreak. But her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Ruan – a captivating solicitor who has relocated to Cornwall seeking a fresh start.

As Tammy begins to question if Ruan could be the key to breaking down her walls, she uncovers a shocking secret – one that shatters everything she believed she knew about her past.

Can they work past it? Will everything be okay? Read this brilliant book and find out.

A Sharp Scratch by Heather Darwent Review

I loved Heather Darwent’s first novel, the Things We Do To Our Friends. While second books can be tricky things A Sharp Scratch is another stunner of a book. This is a compelling and dark tale of chronic illness and obsession. A searingly smart take on the wellness industry. It’s original and compelling with unforgettable characters and a plot that leaves you guessing. It is completely original with a twist you will not see coming.

I loved the take on chronic illness and feel like it’s a subject that isn’t written about more. The book is a wonderfully dark satire on modern living. A Sharp Scratch captures how healthy people react to those who are chronically unwell. I loved the complex relationships in the book. The messy female friendships, and that desperate need to be liked are written about perfectly. The tension gave my stomach a good ache as well. I couldn’t put it down. Heather is such a talent. It’s a ride of absolute dark, thrilling, sumptuous literature. Utterly compelling and completely original. She’s done it again. I read it in a day.

We can fix you.

It’s a promise that Betsy has heard far too many times. From the child psychologist, from her husband, and from the wellness trends that scream at her from her screen.

So far, it’s been a lie.

But this time, she believes it. Because Betsy has been offered a place at Carn – a luxurious, unorthodox retreat, where healing really is possible. At Carn, she discovers that her imperfections make her unique, not weak. She isn’t broken, just special.

All Betsy has to do is follow the rules . . .

Perfect Books To Read Now

Diva Daisy Goodwin

An absolute note perfect novel based on Maria Callas’s love affair with Aristotle Onassis. A fictionalised story of the ultimate Diva of Opera. I was obsessed with this book and did not want to put it down. I have always been a fan of Maria Callas, and Daisy Goodwin is a writer at the top of her game.

In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas is known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic and striking beauty, she’s the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. Yet her fame has been hard won: raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her, Maria learned early in life how to protect herself.

When she meets the fabulously rich shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis, her isolation melts away. For the first time in her life, she believes she’s found a man who sees the woman rather than the legendary soprano. Desperately in love, Onassis introduces her to a life of unbelievable luxury, mixing with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

And then, suddenly, it’s over. The international press announce that Onassis will marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces.

Diva is sexy, glamourous and an absolute must-read. Available here.

HRT Husband Replacement Therapy Kathy Lette

Kathy Lette is known for her wit and this book is no different. It takes serious issues and even tragic moments, and tells them with humour and aplomb. Endlessly entertaining, and both heartwarming and funny, HRT Husband Replacement Therapy is a great antidote to reality. Escape between the pages.

An outrageously funny, heartbreaking read – when Ruby finds out she has cancer on the brink of her 50th birthday, she decides to start living instead of complying…

Ruby has always been the generous mediator among her friends, family and colleagues, which is why they’ve all turned up to celebrate her 50th birthday.

But after too many glasses of champers, Ruby takes her moment in the spotlight to reveal what she really thinks of every one of them. She accuses her husband of having an affair and lambasts her mother for a lifetime of playing her three daughters against each other – it’s blisteringly brutal.

As the stunned gathering gawks at Ruby, the birthday girl reveals that she has terminal cancer, and has cashed in her life savings to take her two estranged sisters cruising into the sunset for a dose of HRT – Husband Replacement Therapy. But is Ruby being courageous or ruthlessly selfish?

HRT is available here.

The Revenge Club Kathy Lette

Another belter from Kathy Lette. This time four women reunite for the first time in decades as they enter midlife. The world has decided they are no longer relevant and so they take their revenge. It’s a fantastic, escapist comedy. Throughly enjoyable with many laugh out loud moments.

WHEN THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU, IT’S TIME TO GET EVEN.

Matilda, Jo, Penny and Cressy are all women at the top of their game; so imagine their surprise when they start to be personally overlooked and professionally pushed aside by less-qualified men. 

Only they’re not going down without a fight.

Society might think the women have passed their amuse-by dates but the Revenge Club have other plans.

After all, why go to bed angry when you could stay up and plot diabolical retribution? Let the games begin…

Revenge Club is available here.

The Comeback Ella Berman

I needed a moment after finishing this book. Damn, it’s a masterpiece. The story about a former child actor who quit at the top of her game because of the actions of the director she worked with for years. It’s a forensic take on Hollywood and the metoo movement. Ella Berman knows her characters inside out. The relationships between them is tender and realistic. You won’t be able to put this book down.

Grace Turner was one movie away from Hollywood’s A-List. So no one understood why, at the height of her career and on the eve of her first Golden Globe nomination, she disappeared.

Now, one year later, Grace is back in Los Angeles and ready to reclaim her life on her own terms.

When Grace is asked to present a lifetime achievement award to director Able Yorke – the man who controlled her every move for eight years – she knows there’s only one way she’ll be free of the secret that’s already taken so much from her.

The Comeback is a moving and provocative story of justice – a true page-turner about a young woman finding the strength and power of her voice, from the author of Reese’s Book Club pick Before We Were Innocent.

The Comeback is available here.

Be Kind Rosie Nixon Illustrated by Jakki Jones

CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDE: Fearne Cotton, Matt Haig, Katie Piper, Melanie B, Holly Willoughby, June Sarpong, Izzy Judd, Beverley Knight, Dermot O’Leary, The Duchess of York, Jo Malone CBE, Paul Weller, Alex Scott MBE, Dr Julie Smith, Emma Bunton and Melissa Hemsley

I absolutely adore this book. Kindness is the most important thing. This book is full of quotes and wisdom, as well as things to do and advice. It is perfect for adults and children and is beautifully illustrated. Buy in bulk to hand out this Christmas.

Unlock the incredible power of kindness with this small book with a huge heart.

Packed with inspirational quotes, tips, actions and pearls of wisdom from famous personalities, experts and inspirational leaders alike, each page of this beautiful book will help you be kinder to yourself, to other people, and to the planet. Be Kind celebrates kindness in all its forms and demonstrates that kindness can truly change the world. Kindness is your superpower, and this book will teach you how to use it well.

Rosie Nixon lives in Surrey and is an author, coach and broadcaster. A former magazine editor in chief, she is the founder of Rosie’s Reinvention Retreats, a series of carefully curated ‘retreats in a day’ to support midlife women. She is a mother of two and the author of three previous novels, The Stylist (2016) and sequel, Amber Green takes Manhattan (2017), and Just Between Friends (2020). Be Kind is her first non-fiction book.

Be Kind is available here.

The Christmas Cottage Sarah Morgan

The Perfect Christmas book from the Queen of Christmas. Best read with a hot chocolate for extra festive feels. It has family drama, a love story and it’s set in a Cotswolds village. Bliss.

Will this Christmas finally bring comfort and joy?

A PAINFUL SECRET

Imogen loves her job as an events organiser, and her colleagues are in awe of her. But Imogen isn’t the person she pretends to be, and she’s hiding painful truths about her past. But as long as she can keep on top of her work, Imogen can put everything else to one side.

AN ACT OF KINDNESS

And then Imogen makes a catastrophic mistake at work, and finally realises it’s time to reset. When her favourite client, Dorothy, invites her to spend Christmas with her and her family, in her cottage in the Cotswolds, it sounds like the perfect way for Imogen to take stock.

FINDING HAPPINESS AT CHRISTMAS

Imogen soon settles into idyllic cottage life, especially with the prospect of a new romance on the horizon … but when long-buried secrets and unwanted faces from the past resurface, Imogen’s new peace is threatened. Will Imogen end up alone this Christmas, or can she find it in her heart to forgive and move on?

The Christmas Cottage is available here.

The Palace Dressmaker Jade Beer

This is a sumptuous page turner. The lives of two women are told expertly. It’s a glamorous love story which is both heartwarming and heart-wrenching. Perfect for fans of The Crown.

A royal princess. A dress lost for decades. A love story waiting to be uncovered…
London, 1988: 
Meredith has landed her dream job at London’s most prestigious fashion house, creating beautiful gowns adorned with intricate beads and embroidery. But now Meredith is about to create a dress like no other for the most famous woman in the world: Diana, Princess of Wales. As Meredith pours her heart into this career-defining dress, she works under the handsome and exacting William in the workroom.

William, and this commission, could end up changing her life in more ways than one…

New York, 1997: 
The red carpet has been rolled out on Park Avenue for the auction of Princess Diana’s dresses for charity. Of the eighty items listed for sale, only seventy-nine will sell.

Because dress Number 19 is missing…

England, 2018: 
Jayne has met all the neighbours in her new building bar one: Mrs Chalis on the first floor. When she finally meets Meredith Chalis in the hallway, she is taken aback by how upset she seems and offers her help. Entering her home, Jayne immediately knows something is very wrong. The house is in complete disarray and there is no sign of Meredith’s husband.

But then Jayne sees the most beautiful evening dress thrown over a chair and reads the note laid beside it.

Jayne realises that Meredith has an incredible story to tell… and only she can help uncover it…

Out on November 5 | Hodder.

A Dance For a King Anton Du Beke

Perfect for fans of Strictly and historical fiction. We’re a sucker for a wartime story, and this is a page turner.

You’re invited to a show to remember at the prestigious Buckingham Hotel . . .

In London 1942 the war is far from over for soldier Raymond de Guise. His wife Nancy is overjoyed to be reunited with her husband, and to introduce him to their son. But their safety is threatened once more as Raymond returns to the ballroom at the Buckingham Hotel, ordered to discover the dark secrets held by the glittering high society. On the dancefloor Raymond uncovers a dangerous relationship that could change the course of the war, and also threaten his marriage to Nancy. Can he protect his King and his family before it is too late?

A DANCE FOR THE KING is a pageturning and epic wartime story filled with drama, mystery, dance and romance.

A Dance For a King is available here.

Our Holiday by Louise Candlish Book Review

I am lucky enough to get invited to the HQ Digital Showcase. The last one I went to had the amazing Louise Candlish talking about her new book. Louise is incredibly talented and there was such a buzz in the air when she was talking. A true superstar author with a fantastic career. We hung on her every word.
There wasn’t much information about the book but it was about holiday homes and the housing crisis. I knew immediately that I wanted to read it. I couldn’t wait.
Luckily, time goes fast and the book was in my hands soon enough and, damn, what a corker.
My invitation to Pine Ridge did not disappoint. Charlotte and Perry have owned their clifftop holiday home for years and now their city friends, Amy and Linus, have bought a home nearby. The two couples and their families look forward to a fun summer socialising and sipping rosè. Problem is, the locals are sick of being priced out of their home and now they’re protesting, headed up by the charismatic Robbie.
What follows is an intriguing novel that entertains with every single page. I read Our Holiday months ago and it has stayed with me. From the well-rounded characters you can’t help but feel you really know, to the clever plot that weaves every trail together beautifully. Our Holiday is one of the books of the year. Written by a writer at the top of her game. This is the perfect summer thriller. Grab a copy now. You won’t regret it.