There’s always a big push in January to become a better, brighter, more efficient version of yourself. However, the pressure of maintaining this often leads to most of us crashing and burning out by February. But don’t fear, these books lead with compassion, reflection and practical tips. Rather than focusing on quick fixes and endless goal setting, this list will help you become a more balanced and grounded individual whether that’s in relationships, the workplace or your health. Make 2026 work for you!
No More Mediocre
By Laura Danger
Plume | 9780593474785 | Hardback | £25.99 | Out Now
From educator and TikTok phenom Laura Danger, an insightful and practical guide that will teach you how to transform your relationships, find your community—and break free from a life of mediocrity.
Ever had the feeling your spouse is totally capable of doing that simple household task? Ever felt so burned out you want to hide in the bathroom while your house devolves into chaos? All of us are running a race against a culture telling us we need to be more, to hustle more, and that we should be doing it all ourselves. It’s a cycle that needs to be broken, and in this book, Danger, an experienced educator, facilitator, and domestic equity advocate, sets out on a path of unpacking the inequity and rage in the erasure of domestic labor and care to guide readers to a healthier and more balanced life.
Organised in seven chapters covering topics like harmful stereotypes and communication models, from the nag paradox to weaponised incompetence, No More Mediocre asks why we make light of deeply problematic dynamics and who wins when we buy into them. A battle cry for better, Laura Danger shows that there are countless practical ways to maintain bonds, beat back against the status quo, and to meet our own and one another’s needs, because we all deserve more than mediocre.
Self Care Won’t Save Us
By Caroline Moore
Microcosm Publishing | 9781648412417 | Paperback | £12.99 | Out Now
Is the daily grind getting you down? You’re not alone!
More than half of working adults in the U.S. say they’re experiencing at least some degree of that dreaded late-stage-capitalism affliction: burnout. But workplace well-being needn’t remain out of reach. With a focus on actionable alternatives, Self Care Can’t Save Us examines the mash-up of money and morality that got us into this mess alongside practical ways we can get ourselves out of it.
Author Caroline Moore digs into hustle culture’s takeover of the way we do business, how its rise has allowed work to creep into every aspect of our daily lives, and how we can re-envision what work is and what it should mean to us. Exploring possibilities like co-op models, shorter working weeks, policy changes in the workplace, and other simple adaptations to help you to thrive, this book offers real tools to battle burnout, rather than burning you out with more burnout facts. Whether you’re a business owner, a union steward, a new employee, or a freelancer, this is the working person’s guide to making positive change for ourselves and each other.
The New Rules of Women’s Health
By Meghan Rabbitt, Foreword by Maria Shriver
The Open Field | 9780143137962 | Paperback | £31.99 | Out Now
A vital guide to the most pressing health concerns women face-including fertility, menstrual health, chronic pain, menopause and beyond.
The medical field has long ignored women’s unique health needs, treating us as if our bodies were the same as men’s — just smaller and with a few different parts. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Based on the latest solely women-centred research and insights from the world’s top female health experts, The New Rules of Women’s Health is the comprehensive, evidence-based, and empowering resource you need to take charge of your well-being. The time is now to take charge of your well-being. Consider The New Rules of Women’s Health your resource for life.
All the Colors of Life: Deluxe Gift Edition
By Lisa Aisato & Olivia Lasky
Arctis | 9781646900534 | Hardback | £23.99 | Out Now
A new, deluxe edition of the international bestseller by Norway’s most popular illustrator.
Celebrated artist Lisa Aisato distils the many stages of life, in all their rainbow hues, into a lushly illustrated book that will inspire and comfort readers at all moments of their journeys. More than one hundred beautiful images, stunning in their diversity, each illustration an exuberant story unto itself. Colourful and heartfelt, All the Colors of Life explores the universal ups and downs of a life while highlighting what is most important in life… love.
What’s True About You
By Katherine Woodward Thomas
Penguin Life | 9780593994405 | Hardback | £26.99 | Out Now
Break free from your past, embrace the true you, and unleash your brightest future.
A lot of us have been trying to “fix” ourselves for a really long time. We’ve spent years “working on ourselves” and analysing our past to try to get beyond it. We assume that once we understand why we are the way we are and heal all the wounds of our past, we’ll finally be free to live the lives we yearn to be living. Yet healing and transformation are two different domains. The truth is that while healing your past can certainly save your life, it won’t necessarily change your life.
In What’s True About You, licensed therapist and New York Times bestselling author Katherine Woodward Thomas reveals a revolutionary way to leave behind a painful past and grow into the abundant and fulfilling future you desire. In this book, Thomas guides us through her radically effective, life-altering seven-step process. This process liberates us from the false beliefs we have about ourselves — born of past pain — and empowers us to begin living and loving as our true selves. The version of ourselves we’ve always sensed we could, and should be. We no longer need to let our past define or limit what’s possible. Instead, by following Thomas’s ground-breaking and refreshingly inspiring protocol, we can change who we are today. We can manifest the positive possibilities we hold for a bright and beautiful future for ourselves and for our world.
