Radiant: Recipes to heal your skin from within (Hannah Sillitoe Books)

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When Hanna Sillitoe appeared on Dragons' Den, every Dragon offered her investment. In her first book, Radiant, she shares the lifestyle changes and recipes that transformed her life. There's also the pull of hindsight, as we now know the devastating effects of the radioactive element and it's almost cringe-worthy to experience a time when those were not known. In today’s society, almost every women could benefit from the message that Priscilla offers. I think this book would work well as a women’s study guide, although reading it ‘solo’ would certainly be beneficial. Most readers have probably not heard of Loie Fuller, the American performer whose pioneering work in modern dance and theatrical lighting techniques — particularly with her popular "Serpentine Dance," a swirl of silk skirts and rainbow-colored spotlights at Paris's Folies Bergères — centered her in the Art Nouveau and Symbolist movements. Did you know that God’s light can shine through every facet of your identity? Radiant is an invitation for teen girls and young women to enjoy a candid conversation on identity with bestselling author Priscilla Shirer. You’ll hear reflections on life lessons she’s gathered from her teen years until now. She’ll show you how the light of God’s Word shaped her identity, and she’ll teach you how it can change and shape your life as well.

For more than 20 years, Hanna Sillitoe suffered from severe psoriasis, eczema and acne. They dominated her life and shattered her confidence. At times she even resorted to wrapping her skin in clingfilm to stop her clothes rubbing against her raw skin. When her doctor told her the only remaining treatment was chemotherapy, she started researching diet and skin, and ultimately changed her life, cutting out caffeine, alcohol, sugar, dairy and wheat, with dramatic results. Beginning with a juice cleanse, Hanna takes you through a range of delicious, skin-loving meals including Turmeric and Ginger Chia Pudding, Immunity Ramen, Beet Burgers and even Clean Tiramisu. She also shows you how to create homemade beauty products, including an Avocado and Honey Facemask and Rosemary and Lemon Salt Scrub, which have gone on to inspire the eponymous skincare range for which she secured funding on BBC 2's Dragons' Den. Both women faced struggles with the male-dominated society that existed in the late 19th and early 20th century. I especially enjoyed learning more about Marie Curie's life as a scientist, wife, mother and celebrity. Even a century ago women found that their personal life could be used against them by sensational journalism. Marie and Loie both met and were friends with many of the famous lights of their time - from Rodin and Isadora Duncan to Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison.Most readers have probably heard of Marie Curie, the Polish and naturalized-French scientist whose groundbreaking research on radioactivity and the isolation of radioactive isotopes led to her becoming not only the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, but also the first person and the only woman to win it twice in two different fields: Physics in 1903 and Chemistry in 1911.

I found Radiant to be a fascinating read. While I was familiar in a shallow way with Marie Curie's life story, I had never heard of Loie Fuller. The juxtaposition of the main characters- a scientist and a dancer- and their worlds was striking. While the author calls the book "creative non-fiction", I found the extensive research she did convincing. When I was a kid, I loved reading biographies about famous women: Amelia Earhart, Clara Barton, Marie Curie, etc. She talks as an older sister to her younger sister, writing with both love and experience, and that shows through. A scientist we know as Madame Marie Curie pursues her work with radium for such uses, among many, with medical diagnostics and treatment.

A fresh and lovely dual biography of two extraordinary women who met at the intersection of science and art in the singular landscape of Belle Époque Paris. Radiant is about Marie Curie and a dancer I'd never heard of, Loie Fuller. These two women developed a lasting cooperative friendship and both broke barriers in early 20th century Paris. As a fan of historical fiction, my initial reaction when finishing a book is to try to find out how much of it actually happened. The author’s ability to spin together both fictional and nonfictional together in a story can be mesmerizing. Radiant is a beautiful true story, examining the importance of female friendship.