Anna Bonet

Professional organiser Ellie Fife recommends reducing the need for daily tidying by giving every item a permanent home, finishing small tasks immediately, using designated baskets for items that belong elsewhere, and applying a one-in-one-out rule. She also advises creating an exit route for unwanted possessions, following a fixed end-of-day checklist, limiting tidying to a focused 15–20-minute period, and owning fewer things overall. The central argument is that preventing clutter at its source is more effective than repeatedly clearing it.

A curated selection of 14 historical novels that offer uplifting alternatives to the genre’s usual focus on war, poverty and injustice. The recommendations span romance, comedy, adventure, family sagas and stories of friendship, resilience and social change, ranging from ancient Syracuse and wartime Europe to 20th-century America and postwar Britain.

A roundup of notable books scheduled for release in August 2026 spans literary and historical fiction, romance, Gothic horror and memoir. Highlights include Hallie Elizabeth Newton’s darkly comic Agnes Lives!, Meg Mason’s follow-up to Sorrow and Bliss, Jason Arday’s account of his path to becoming Cambridge’s youngest Black professor, and Simon Sebag Montefiore’s broad history of the Middle East in The Cauldron. Other featured titles explore the Korean War, family secrets, autism, migration, love, social conventions and the lives of performers.

Grandparents are encouraged to support families during the summer holidays without becoming default childcare providers or taking over parenting decisions. Experts recommend agreeing expectations in advance, following children’s familiar routines, allowing downtime and boredom, making space for one-to-one attention, and prioritising simple shared activities over expensive entertainment. Regular contact, family traditions, children’s involvement in everyday tasks and attentive listening can strengthen relationships, while grandparents should also protect their own time and wellbeing and accept that visits do not need to be perfect.

A curated selection of 14 recently released children's and young adult books spans fantasy, mystery, coming-of-age stories and emotionally driven narratives, offering options for readers from ages five to eighteen. Each recommendation highlights key themes such as friendship, grief, resilience, humour and adventure, with notable contributions from well-known authors and publishers. The list emphasises engaging storytelling aimed at capturing the interest of even reluctant young readers.

Steve Cavanagh recommends five legal thrillers that influenced his reading and writing: John Mortimer’s Rumpole of the Bailey, Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, John Grisham’s The Firm and Imran Mahmood’s You Don’t Know Me. He highlights their courtroom realism, morally complex lawyers, explorations of justice and prejudice, suspense, and innovative narrative structures. Cavanagh’s own novel One of Us Is Guilty is announced for publication on 30 July.

Clive Myrie describes how he maintains balance amid the pressures of frontline journalism by limiting daily news intake and prioritising cultural pursuits. He highlights the importance of making the BBC Proms more accessible and reflects on how music shaped his life. Myrie discusses his path into journalism, the challenges of racial stereotyping earlier in his career and the BBC’s evolving commitment to representation. He acknowledges the organisation’s mistakes but emphasises the need for strong processes and learning from missteps. Approaching retirement is not on his mind as he continues to enjoy broadcasting while maintaining a healthier work–life balance.

A curated selection of 14 books receiving paperback editions in July 2026, spanning literary fiction, domestic and psychological thrillers, memoir, friendship studies, romance and legal nonfiction. The recommendations highlight titles by authors including Catherine Newman, Alice Feeney, Philip Pullman and Lady Hale, with recurring themes of family, grief, identity, relationships, trauma, justice and secrets.

Candice Carty-Williams highlights five humorous novels that shaped her life and writing, praising each for its distinctive comedic voice and personal significance. She reflects on the enduring influence of works by Nora Ephron, Louise Rennison, Sue Townsend, Martin Amis and Helen Fielding, linking their memorable characters and humour to her own development as a writer. Her new novel, Queenie is Working on It, is noted as recently released.

Professional organiser Rachel Burditt advises starting small when decluttering and highlights ten common categories of unnecessary items, including expired toiletries, excess reusable bags, unmatched food containers, old cables, unworn clothes, and outdated paperwork. Removing these items helps reduce stress, improve home functionality and prevent clutter from accumulating unnoticed.

A curated selection of new crime and thriller books for July 2026 spans psychological, gothic, speculative, historical and globe-spanning mysteries. Featured plots include murder investigations, kidnappings, espionage, time travel, emotional-transfer technology, archaeological adventures and disappearances, with releases from authors including Ajay Chowdhury, Lisa Jewell, James Patterson, Jo Spain and Chris Chibnall.

A guide to 20 inland beaches across the UK highlights lakes, reservoirs and rivers suited to swimming, paddling and water sports. Locations range from family‑friendly sandy shores with lifeguards and cafés to remote scenic spots ideal for walking or wild swimming. Facilities, accessibility and available activities vary, offering options from adventure parks to quiet nature escapes for summer day trips.

Alice Oseman recommends five graphic novels: Tillie Walden’s autobiographical Spinning; Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell’s Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me; Mars Heyward’s supernatural webcomic Long Exposure; Zoe Thorogood’s memoir It’s Lonely At The Centre of the Earth; and Wren James and Beth Fuller’s fantasy story The Victors. The selections are praised for their emotional honesty, queer perspectives, mental-health themes, imaginative storytelling and distinctive artwork.

Doctors recommend using summer to eat seasonal fruit and vegetables, follow a Mediterranean-style diet, spend time outdoors, swim, rest and maintain meaningful social connections. They caution against repeated dehydration, poor sleep, excessive alcohol, prolonged sitting, sugary drinks, heavily charred meat and meat-heavy barbecues, while emphasizing regular movement, hydration, plant-based foods and moderation. Consistent sun protection is also advised because cumulative UV exposure increases skin-cancer and premature-aging risks.

Nisha Katona describes growing up ashamed of Indian food in a Lancashire village where her family faced racism, before turning her passion for cooking into Mowgli Street Food. The restaurant group now serves tens of thousands of diners weekly across the UK, while her cookbook The Curry Bible presents Indian cooking as simple and accessible. Katona discusses leaving a legal career, building the business without generational wealth, and encouraging women to pursue ambitious careers later in life. She also warns that rising wages, employer National Insurance costs, inflation and weaker consumer confidence are threatening hospitality, while her Crohn’s disease has forced her to reconsider the personal cost of work and financial success.

Experts offer 25 ways for families to enjoy the summer while reducing costs. Suggestions include swapping toys and activities with neighbours, using free local events, travelling midweek, splitting train tickets, comparing prices, booking attractions early, using loyalty points, preparing picnics and meals at home, choosing shared holiday rentals, and setting clear budgets for children and entertainment. The advice emphasises advance planning, flexible schedules and avoiding guilt-driven spending.

A curated selection of 14 books for July 2026 spans literary and commercial fiction, short stories, essays, popular science, memoir and national-security nonfiction. The recommendations include Candice Carty-Williams’s return to Queenie, Colson Whitehead’s Harlem crime trilogy finale, David Sedaris’s latest essay collection, Dino J Martins’s exploration of parasites, Carol Atherton’s examination of adoption, and Annie Jacobsen’s biological-war scenario.

Matt Cain recommends five uplifting LGBTQ+ novels: Justin Myers’s Leading Man, Ryan O’Connell’s Just by Looking at Him, Seth Insua’s Human, Animal, Laura Kay’s Making It and Nathan Evans’s One Last Song. His selections emphasize queer joy, romance, disability, mental illness, gender identity, family tensions and the experiences of older LGBTQ+ people. Cain also discusses his latest novel, The Castle of Stories, the first title from Pansy, the independent queer-focused publisher he founded with his husband Harry.

Strength training is presented as an important way to support longevity, mobility, balance and independence after age 40. Personal trainer Hamid Ghasemi recommends seven exercises—single-arm dumbbell rows, dumbbell lunges, push-ups, barbell squats, deadlifts, overhead presses and planks—to preserve muscle, bone density, joint stability and functional strength while reducing risks such as falls, poor posture and back pain.

Broadcaster Anita Rani describes entering her “freedom years” after menopause and divorce, saying she feels empowered and less bound by expectations to conform or please others. She discusses growing up as a British Asian woman in Bradford, challenging stereotypes, working harder to establish herself in mainstream television, and confronting unequal pay and limited opportunities for women of colour. Her new podcast, Sisters of Defiance, explores female rebellion and resilience, while Rani says her priorities have shifted from career ambition toward living a purposeful life.

A destination-by-destination reading guide recommends novels and memoirs to accompany holidays across European locations. The selections pair settings such as Spain, France, Portugal, Turkey, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Croatia, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Scotland with books that reflect local landscapes, histories, food, communities and cultural tensions.

Naomi Ishiguro recommends five fantasy novels that have influenced her life and writing: Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora, Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone, R. F. Kuang’s Babel, Christelle Dabos’s A Winter’s Promise and Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea. Her selections emphasize found family, hope amid conflict, colonialism and translation, imaginative worldbuilding, human fallibility and moral courage, while also reflecting the inspirations behind her fantasy trilogy The Rainshadow Orphans.

Sleep expert Lisa Artis recommends keeping bedrooms cool by blocking sunlight during the day and opening windows only when outdoor air is cooler. Other advice includes using fans near open windows, taking a lukewarm shower or cool foot bath, choosing breathable natural-fibre bedding, staying hydrated throughout the day, wearing lightweight sleepwear, chilling a hot-water bottle and eating lighter evening meals.

A collection of small, practical habits intended to improve wellbeing over the summer. Recommendations include getting morning daylight, protecting the eyes, organising weekly tasks, setting boundaries, stretching, tidying, eating more protein and nutritious foods, exercising consistently, reading instead of scrolling, staying hydrated, walking, spending time outdoors and scheduling periods of rest. The advice emphasises consistency and manageable changes rather than ambitious overhauls.

A curated list of 14 recommended 2026 holiday reads spanning literary fiction, thrillers, mysteries, memoirs and accessible nonfiction. The selection includes new work by prominent authors such as Ann Patchett, Maggie O’Farrell, Elizabeth Strout and Douglas Stuart, alongside notable debuts and genre-crossing titles. The books are praised for combining readability with emotional, intellectual or narrative depth, making them suitable for summer travel and leisure reading.

Jennifer Saint recommends five mythology books: Charlotte Higgins’s Greek Myths, Madeline Miller’s Galatea, Nikita Gill’s Hekate: The Witch, Rosie Hewlett’s Sweetbitter Song and Emily Hauser’s Mythica. The selections combine retellings and nonfiction, with a strong focus on women, marginalized figures and female perspectives in ancient Greek myth. Saint praises the books for their emotional depth, feminist reinterpretations, examinations of conflict and trauma, and efforts to recover the lives and voices of women from the ancient world.

James O’Brien says therapy helped him move away from the combative personality he displayed both on LBC and in private. He links that behavior to hypervigilance developed at boarding school, where he experienced violence and later learned of abuse affecting classmates. Years of anxiety, professional setbacks and difficult experiences eventually led him toward therapy and a more measured approach to broadcasting. Now a high-profile LBC presenter and i Paper columnist, O’Brien says he wants to be trusted and enjoyable company rather than simply defeat callers in arguments. He discusses the effects of viral clips and online abuse, expresses alarm at British politics and figures including Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, and reflects on privilege, private education, adoption, marriage and being a more present father.

Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Amir Levine argues that secure, reliable relationships can significantly improve wellbeing and longevity. Drawing on attachment theory and his books Attached and Secure, he recommends six practices: behave consistently and reliably, clearly express relationship needs, move repeatedly distressing relationships to the outer circle, build regular community connections, respond with a calmer “secure script,” and focus on present choices rather than viewing childhood as destiny.

A selection of fourteen paperback releases for June 2026 spans literary fiction, memoir, crime, historical fiction, sports writing and celebrity autobiography. Highlights include Arundhati Roy’s memoir Mother Mary Comes to Me, Virginia Evans’s Women’s Prize-shortlisted The Correspondent, Geraint Thomas’s cycling memoir According to G, Val McDermid’s Silent Bones and historical espionage novel The Traitor’s Circle. The recommendations emphasize accessible, engaging summer reading, with themes including grief, family, class, politics, war, identity and power.

The Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist is praised for its exploratory character, with four debut novels from independent presses and several late-blooming or word-of-mouth successes. The review assesses all six books: Kingfisher is admirable but emotionally distant; Dominion becomes a powerful examination of patriarchy, complicity and faith; Flashlight is demanding but ambitious and emotionally weighty; Heart the Lover is an elegant and devastating story of love and memory; The Mercy Step combines painful depictions of domestic abuse with humor and resilience; and The Correspondent, told entirely through letters, is the reviewer's strongest recommendation and preferred potential winner.

Joanna Cannon recommends five novels for book clubs: Patrick Gale’s Love Lane, Elizabeth Day’s One of Us, Sanam Mahloudji’s The Persians, Rachel Joyce’s The Homemade God and M. L. Stedman’s A Far-flung Life. She highlights their memorable characters, family tensions, questions of identity and belonging, political and social themes, and potential to provoke discussion. The selections span post-war Britain, the British establishment, Iranian diaspora and political upheaval, an unconventional family in Italy, and a multigenerational story set in Western Australia.

Physiotherapist Will Harlow identifies back pain, neck and shoulder pain, hip pain, knee pain, and foot and ankle problems as common midlife issues that should not simply be dismissed as ageing. He argues that appropriate movement, progressive strengthening, and professional assessment are generally more effective than prolonged rest, while outlining exercises such as toe taps, chin tucks, glute bridges, sit-to-stands, step-ups, short-foot exercises, and calf raises. The advice emphasizes addressing weaknesses and movement problems across the whole body rather than treating painful joints in isolation.

Jordan North reflects on his rise from struggling local-radio worker in Lancashire to a leading British broadcaster. He describes securing a London mortgage as his personal definition of success, discusses his move from BBC Radio 1 to Capital Breakfast, and says he has no regrets despite the controversy surrounding his departure and Jamie Laing’s appointment as his replacement. North also discusses his friendships with co-hosts Chris Stark and Siân Welby, his podcast Help I Sexted My Boss, his voice-acting debut in Toy Story 5, and the pressures of maintaining an upbeat public persona. He hopes to help open doors for more working-class people in the media and may eventually return to the North of England.

A selection of fourteen crime and thriller novels recommended for June 2026 includes new releases and returning authors. The featured books range from Mumbai satire and historical mysteries to psychological thrillers, domestic suspense, police investigations and espionage fiction. Notable entries include Abir Mukherjee’s The Pinnacle, Terry Deary’s Actually I’m a Corpse, Chris Ryan’s Breakout, Akinari Asakura’s The Final Six and James Comey’s Red Verdict.