A Whole Brain Look at Signs and The Signs

Written By Robin Forsyth

The other day, I was on Goodreads writing a review for The Signs: The New Science of How to Trust Your Instincts by Dr. Tara Swart when I noticed a comment that made me pause. Someone had left a pretty negative review after only reading a couple of chapters. They said the book wasn’t what they expected.

And I thought to myself: maybe the book wasn’t the problem. Maybe it just wasn’t speaking to the part of their brain that was leading the reading experience. If they’d been looking for emotional stories that tug at the heart, then Dr. Tara’s structured, neuroscience-driven style might not have clicked. On the flip side, if they were craving logic and research, then Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe by Laura Lynne Jackson — with its soulful, story-rich approach — might have felt too “out there.”

That review got me thinking — leaving feedback based only on one part of your brain isn’t really fair. Not to the author, and not to the book either.

So, for this post, I’m taking a whole brain approach to reviewing both Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe by Laura Lynne Jackson and The Signs: The New Science of How to Trust Your Instincts by Dr. Tara Swart. That way, if you know which part of your brain tends to guide your choices, you’ll also know which book might feel like home to you — or you might discover why reading both together creates such a powerful balance.

👉 Not sure which brain character rules your reading style? Take the short quiz at the bottom of this page — it will show you your dominant brain character and recommend which book to read first.

Why Whole Brain Reviewing?

I first discovered this lens through Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s My Stroke of Insight (watch her TedTalk here). After her stroke, Jill realized that each hemisphere of the brain holds two distinct characters — giving us four inner voices:

  • Left Thinking (Character 1): Logical, structured, organized.

  • Left Emotional (Character 2): Protective, judgmental, cautious.

  • Right Emotional (Character 3): Compassionate, intuitive, heart-centered.

  • Right Thinking (Character 4): Expansive, big-picture, mystical.

Most of us have one of these characters that dominates our daily life. But when we only see the world through that single lens, we miss out on other perspectives. Reading books this way has helped me appreciate them more fully — even ones that might not speak directly to my dominant character.

Signs vs. The Signs: A Whole Brain Review

Both of these books explore the idea of signs and intuition, but they do so in different ways:

  • Laura Lynne Jackson’s Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe is deeply moving, story-driven, and emotionally rich. Science is lightly woven in (she mentions brain scans, animal migrations, etc.), but the heart of the book lies in powerful anecdotes that touch the soul.

  • Dr. Tara Swart’s The Signs: The New Science of How to Trust Your Instincts blends personal stories with her neuroscience background. It’s structured, practical, and includes clear tools for developing intuition in your daily life — while grounding everything in research.

Here’s how each “brain character” might respond to these books:

🧠 Left Thinking (Character 1 – The Organizer)

  • Laura Lynne Jackson: “This is beautiful, but where are the hard facts? I want more studies, more structure. It’s inspiring, but not as concrete as I’d like.”

  • Dr. Tara Swart: “Yes! Finally, someone is giving me science, data, and a framework. I can trust this because it feels logical and tangible.”


❤️ Left Emotional (Character 2 – The Protector)

  • Laura Lynne Jackson: “Her vulnerability is touching, but part of me worries about people getting carried away with seeing signs everywhere. I want to stay grounded.”

  • Dr. Tara Swart: “Her professional background makes me feel safe. She gives me steps to protect myself and keep this intuitive practice balanced.”


🌟 Right Emotional (Character 3 – The Storyteller)

  • Laura Lynne Jackson: “Wow. These stories reach straight into my heart. They remind me of the beauty of love, connection, and the unseen.”

  • Dr. Tara Swart: “I love that she validates feelings while also backing them with science. It makes intuition feel real and trustworthy.”



🌍 Right Thinking (Character 4 – The Explorer)

  • Laura Lynne Jackson: “Her stories expand my sense of wonder. I feel connected to the universe in a bigger, more magical way.”

  • Dr. Tara Swart: “She bridges the mystical with the scientific. This helps me explore new ways of understanding intuition and human potential.”

Both Books, Both Gifts

Here’s my truth: I love both books equally, and I recommend them both five stars.

Laura Lynne Jackson speaks to the soul with emotional stories that feel like sitting by a fire and being reminded of life’s magic. Dr. Tara Swart speaks to the mind with neuroscience, tools, and practical steps to sharpen intuition.

Read one, and you’ll feel moved. Read the other, and you’ll feel grounded. Read them both back-to-back, and you’ll engage your whole brain — heart and head, science and soul.

I believe both books are doing wonders not only for those of us here on this side of life, but also for those “beyond the veil.” I’m obsessed, and I can’t recommend this duo enough.

Want to know which brain character dominates your mind?

Take this simple quiz to find out your dominant “brain character,” see your whole-brain profile, and get a book recommendation tailored to your style.

1) It’s movie night. Which are you picking?
2) You’re starting a new project. First move?
3) Think back to school. Which class felt most “you”?
4) You notice a “sign” (e.g., a butterfly after thinking of someone). What’s your first response?
5) Planning a trip? You tend to…

Robin Forsyth
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