Book Review: This is Going To Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor – Adam Kay

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“a great doctor must have a huge heart and a distended aorta through which pumps a vast lake of compassion and human kindness.”

Adam Kay once had a different life, after training for years he finally qualified as a Junior Doctor, this is a collection of his own personal diaries, the highs and lows in detail. Adam tells us about the stretch that the NHS is under but also talks about some of the quite humorous instances that he faces when in Gynocology…including some questionable choices by the general public.

I thought about reading this for a while and when I found it on Audible I thought I might as well give it a shot, this was said to be funny as well as showing the life of a Junior Doctor. This book is something else, a real eye-opener that honestly makes me want to campaign alongside NHS staff for more rights for them because they do so much for us.

If you ever think that doctors get a lot of money, kindly read this. Just the sheer number of hours, the training and the situations that they face are astounding. I must stress that through the majority of the book there is no mention of the political, this is very much a funny and thoughtful account of what it is like to be an NHS doctor. Kay talks about the detachment he’s supposed to have but how some patients he can’t help but remember. How the job that he’s passionate about destroys any sense of a social life and the events that lead to him leaving the profession in 2010.

I felt like this was more than a book, it was an insight into the lives of those who don’t get glamorised on screen. Remember, while you’re enjoying your family, someone else is giving up time with theirs. While you’re sick, someone else will take care of you. It’s easy to get frustrated with waiting times and lists but you can really see the pressures that doctors face through Kay’s words.

I felt emotional while reading this but I laughed a lot too. Of course, there are elements which are sombre, but Kay has a way of writing that makes everyday life seem like a comedy sketch with some hardships thrown in. It certainly gets the balance right when it comes to your emotions but know that you will feel them.

Of course, this was a 5-star read. I wasn’t sure initially but once I got in I couldn’t stop. This was absolutely incredible, well thought out and really showed the life of a doctor. My favourite part was a letter at the end to the Health Secretary, the only point I could feel anger and rightly so. This is not a political book, that’s not the purpose but it makes clear what our politicians are choosing to ignore.

 

Did My GCSE Choices Matter?

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Recently I was talking to my younger cousin about what he’s taking at school for his GCSE’s. He rattled off, Geography, Resistant Materials, Business Studies…and one more I’ve forgotten, whoops. Anyway, it got me thinking about my own GCSEs, this summer it will have been 7 years since I left school (which makes me feel a little sick because, um, when did I get old?!) and I’ve never been asked for a job what I did at GCSE.

For the record, I didn’t pick the most academic subjects and by that I mean I didn’t pick any academic subjects. My choice GCSEs were Music, Drama, Art and Textiles, see not one on that list they were all creative and looking back on my emotional, misunderstood self, that makes a lot of sense. Also to me as a very creative adult that makes a lot of sense. Anyway, I’m rambling and getting away from the point. So, I’ve been wondering if what you choose at GCSE makes any difference to your life at all. I don’t think it did to mine.

Now, I know some people will be thinking about jobs like Doctors or Vets in which university admissions basically want you to know that’s what you want to do when you come out of the womb (which is total bullshit, but that’s another post entirely). I get that BUT for the majority of jobs what you choose when you’re full of hormones and spots doesn’t make a huge impact on your adult choices, you can retrain later, you can change your mind. Hell, the job I do now didn’t exist when I was making my choices.

 

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The day I picked up my GCSE results

I got good results, I went on to study at college (enough to add an extra course later on) and then got into university but do you know what? I’ve only been asked once to provide a certificate for my grades, I didn’t get to the interview but that’s one time. I’ve never been asked what I studied at GCSE, it’s never had an impact on my future.

So, did it matter? No, I don’t think it did and I don’t think it does for most people. I don’t think we should put pressure on these kids who make a decision at 14 years old about what they like. Introduce me to one person who still agrees and believes everything they did at that age. I’ve changed since that age, I’ve changed since last year!

What did you take for your GCSEs, do you think it impacted your life? Let me know in the comments!

 

Top 10 Books I Read in Winter

Top 10 Books I Read in Winter

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It’s not a secret that Winter isn’t my fave, once Christmas is done I’m pretty much over it. BUT I did get through some cracking books in the dark winter months and I thought I’d share with you my personal top 10 from the previous season and hopefully give you some inspiration!

 

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The Exact Opposite of Okay – Laura Steven

A sneak peek of an upcoming review but I LOVED this novel so much. The main character made me laugh so much, I thought she was incredible and what we need more of in YA. This surrounds a young woman and a sex scandal. It’s not been out long but you’re going to want to pick this up.

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This is Going to Hurt – Adam Kay

I feel like this should be required reading for anyone who wants to make cuts to the NHS. Adams account had me both laughing and crying because it was a whirlwind. This is incredibly honest and so well written. Amazing.

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Misogynation – Laura Bates 

It’s no secret that I think Laura is an excellent writer and fierce female. This is her latest collection and I absolutely LOVED it. Every time I read one of these I just feel better?

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Only Child – Rhiannon Navin 

This novel will break your heart. I was lucky enough to get an early copy and be a part of the blog tour after talking about how much I loved it! My review is here, this was a stunning debut.

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A Court of Thorns and Roses – Sarah J Maas

This series has been all over the book blogs and Booktube for ages and I finally picked it up…and then it sat on my TBR pile for 2 months. Why didn’t I start this magnificent series earlier! I am in love with Maas’s writing and my review of the first novel here.

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Love, Hate & Other Filters – Samira Ahmed 

This is one of the first books I read in 2018 and I’m so glad I did! This is a novel about growing up, facing racism and following your passion. I absolutely loved it and if it doesn’t win prizes in YA something is wrong with the world. You can read my full review here.

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Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls 2

If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know I loved the first Goodnight Stories book (review here) and then there was a second and it was as equally badass as the first. You’re not going to want to miss it.

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Nobody Told Me – Hollie McNish 

I’m not a parent but that didn’t stop me falling in love with Hollie’s collection of diary entries and poetry as a first time Mum. We’re taken from Hollie finding out she’s pregnant (on the way to Glastonbury no less) to her daughter at 3 years old. A wonderful and unique book.

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Brave – Rose McGowan 

 Rose was the first to blow the Weinstein scandal wide open with her accusation of rape. I hate writing that because I 100% believe her. This chronicles Rose’s turbulent life and the movement that she started. She’s one to watch.

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Everything I Know About Love – Dolly Alderton

Dolly tells it how it is, your twenties are confusing and this is a great insight. It certainly made me feel less anxious. You can read my review here.

 

What have your top reads been this Winter and what are you looking forward to in the Spring? Let me know in the comments below!

Why Do You Blog?

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I’ve been thinking a lot recently about why people blog after seeing conversations on Twitter about it. There have been some questions about entitlement (which, let’s be honest, there always are) but I think it goes deeper than that. I’ve seen quite new bloggers constantly tweeting and asking about how to make money and get things for free. This really irritated me. Hear me out.

I’ve been writing on this blog for 5 years this summer, I had another one for 2 years before that. I do not make money from my blog. Do I wish I did? Of course, but that’s not the reason that I blog. I blog because I love writing content, connecting with people and just having space on the internet to share my own thoughts and opinions.

This doesn’t mean I haven’t worked with brands or companies. I regularly work with publishers and some small businesses in exchange for gifts. I also know there is a problem with big name brands refusing to pay bloggers for their time, which is ridiculous.

Now as you may know I have a small button on the side of my blog ‘buy me a coffee’, I agonised over putting this in. I didn’t want it to seem that I was demanding this of my readers and I think this is the first time I’ve mentioned it because of that reason.  I thought it would be ok because I’m happy to do it for other bloggers when I have the money to do so.

I’ll put it out there I would love to work with brands, publishers etc and make money from doing this, who wouldn’t? This isn’t a post against that, not at all. I just don’t believe bloggers should go in thinking yep I’m going to write a few bits and make loads of money. You need to love what you do, which most of the blogging community do.

I’m not writing this to rant or blame anyone, it’s just something that hasn’t been sitting well with me recently.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses – Sarah J Maas

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“Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don’t feel anything at all.”

Feyre has to fight for the survival of herself and her family. After killing a Wolf in the woods she can’t believe her luck, they will be able to eat and sell furs, for a little while at least. That is until she is told she has killed a faerie and she must pay. She will either live with the faeries, a kind she despises, or die and leave her family to fend for themselves and almost certainly die.

Wow, wow, wow. This has been on my radar for a while but I didn’t know if Fantasy was my thing but after picking it up I thought I’d try. This was on my list of books to read in 2018, and it was a solid start. Seeing as I started this at the end of January and I’ve now finished the series so far you can guess my feelings towards it.

The world building in this was something else, it’s rare that you feel you can see the story play out in so much detail, but not so much that it bores you. I was rooting for Feyre the whole way through the novel and was constantly in awe of not only her physical strength but her character too.

What wasn’t clear when initially read is that this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but I’ll add this is only to a point. It doesn’t feel Disney-esque, rather you share Fayre’s mix of wonder and suspicion throughout. Who can she trust in this world and will she ever get home? I was absolutely hooked from the first page to the point where I was teased for constantly being stuck between pages.

This wasn’t predictable, wasn’t something I’ve ever read before and I immediately bought and ordered the rest of the series while also, successfully, getting one of my best friends to read and fall in love with it as well. I genuinely care about Feyre and what’s going to happen to her in the next novel. While the novel appears tied up at the end you’ll find yourself constantly thinking of little questions until you give in and read the next book A Court of Mist and Fury.

Of course, I gave this 5 stars! It deserves nothing less in my opinion. This has made me want to read more of the same genre and slightly want to worship Sarah J Maas. I know from reviews some people aren’t in love with this book but I don’t see it. I’d 100% recommend picking this up because it is a wonderfully written novel.

Have you read this, what were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

My Myers Briggs Test Results!

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Recently, I retook the Myers Briggs personality test. I’d taken it before when I was at university but knew that some people changed over time, however, I’m still the same, an INFJ. This test is by far the most detailed and correct personality test I’ve ever taken you can take it here.

So, what’s INFJ and how does it relate to me?

INFJ stands for Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, Judging. This is also known as a rare personality type. Most people who know me will be surprised to know I’m an introvert but I definitely am. I love staying at home at the weekend and being with a small group of people rather than a huge party! I also trust my gut in situations, showing intuition. Additionally, in terms of feeling, I am known to feel deeply and care, even more, this can make some situations tricky. Judging, according to others, refers to wanting order and structure which…I might be partial to.

You really agree with this?

Now I get it, can these things really work? I’ve taken this so many times since uni and it sticks. I was surprised because it’s really like me in a specific way, so yeah, I think it can work. Only if you’re honest though.

What jobs do INFJs normally go into? 

The general consensus is that we fit best into creative jobs or those that can help people. Some that have been mentioned are Writer *cough*, Counsellor, Professor,  Designer or Scientist. We are dreamers, which definitely helps.

Who else has this personality? 

Now I can’t say I’ve tracked down these people and made them take the test but people seem to agree that the following are, or have been, INFJs.

  • Carrie Fisher (long live our Princess)
  • Oprah
  • Nicole Kidman
  • Lady Gaga
  • Adam Sandler
  • Martin Luther King
  • Prince

 

What do you think about this personality test? Have you taken it? Let me know if you have and what you are in the comments below! All of the full information is here from the website where I took my test!

 

 

 

 

Taking a Break!

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Hello, hello, hello!

This week I’m doing something that I rarely do and I’m not sure if I’ll achieve…I’m taking a break?! Not from blogging but I’ve booked a week off work to just have some downtime. I’ve only got one day planned and that’s it which feels super weird and that’s not like me.

I’m calling a nerd alert right here but I’m terrible at taking breaks. Even when I was at uni I’d fill up my holidays so that I was doing something all the time whether that was working or doing extra reading etc. I’m a definitely a workaholic and it’s both a blessing and curse. That said, I want to be strict this time and actually give myself time to chill out.

So, I’ve got a stack of books that I’m looking forward to choosing from, my comfy clothes are washed and I have a few empty notebooks that I might see if I feel like writing in. Best of all though, I have Ali at home for the week so we can actually spend some time together.

As a personal thing, I think it’s always been in my mind that I want to feel useful at all times. I want to make sure I’m trying to do my very best and getting ahead of the game. So actually switching off and not stressing and worrying about what’s going on is hard for me.

For tomorrow though, I’m out in Portsmouth taking a wander around the shops with some sea air my Mum, Sister and Grandparents…it slightly helps that there’s a Cadbury shop which is completely my weakness. Fun fact, the HMV at Gunwharf Quays is also the place where I bought Mean Girls for the first time and we all know how that obsession went.

Anyway, I guess this is a rambling post but, why not? Let’s see if I actually stick to chilling out this week!

 

Together We Rise – The Organisers of The Women’s March

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The Women’s March went global last year. After America chose to swear in a proud misogynist, women decided to take action, and so they did. This book details the marches and more importantly, why we marched. As soon as I saw this I wanted to speak to you all about it and seeing as it’s Women’s History Month, what better time is there to speak about it?

I’m really pleased to be working in collaboration with Harper 360 for this post after reaching out to them. As you know I’ve written about the London Women’s March in earlier blogs and why we needed it but what about over a year on? This collection makes it clear that we still need to stand and be counted when it comes to society.

The book is divided into four parts; Before, The March, After and Now What, each looking at the importance of these four periods not only in relation to the march itself but also within a wider context. What I find particularly interesting however is that each part is further broken down into the reason an individual woman marched, as well as some incredible photography of the day itself. We are also treated to insights from some well-known names such as; Rowan Blanchard, Senator Tammy Duckworth, America Ferrera, Roxane Gay, Ilana Glazer, Ashley Judd, Valarie Kaur, David Remnick, Yara Shahidi, Jill Soloway, Jia Tolentino, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and Elaine Welteroth.

I think this is both an important and accessible book, giving insight into the thoughts, feelings and power that the March created. It’s also one that you don’t have to sit and read in one go, you can pick it up when you want to feel inspired or are struggling. I can’t wait to have this on my shelves and dip into it, although I’m definitely going to be tempted to dive in and read it cover to cover!

Are you planning on picking this up? Have you already? Let me know in the comments below!

 

Fantastic Feminist Authors

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On the 8th March it’s International Women’s Day, so what better time to share some kick ass authors for you to get into. In a recent Twitter poll you guys said you wanted to see more bookish content on the blog which is fine with me, so let’s get started!

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Holly Bourne – YA Queen

From the first few pages of The Manifesto on How to Be Interesting, I fell in love and knew that Holly was one to watch. Her novels speak to young adults in a way I haven’t seen before. She talks about Feminism, without making you feel like she’s preaching. A fantastic author and you can read my review of Am I Normal Yet here.

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Laura Bates – Conquering Everyday Sexism

Laura created the Everyday Sexism project, started to show that sexism is very real and giving a platform to share it. She has just released her third book Misogynation, after Everyday Sexism and Girl Up. She’s factual as well as standing up for women’s rights. A must-read author.

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Caitlin Moran – The Reason I’m a Feminist

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, How To Be A Woman changed my life and perspective and, ultimately, made me a feminist. Caitlin says what she wants and has no time for bullshit. I’ve read all her non-fiction works as well as her novel How To Build A Girl, which is also a cracker. Great for getting the information with a great laugh at the same time.

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Holly Baxter and Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett – Taking on the Magazines

Holly and Lucy run their own blog of the same name but I found the book first. This is different to any I’ve read before, particularly as neither are that much older than me. This examines the way we take in magazines and the media industry. It was fantastic, absolutely fantastic. Here’s my review to wet your appetite.

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Rupi Kaur – Bringing Poetry Back

She’s become amazingly popular and for good reason. I haven’t seen poetry get this popular, well, ever. Rupi talks about the female experience in her poetry and it’s absolutely beautiful as well as thought-provoking. You can read my review of her second collection The Sun and Her Flowers here.

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Louise O’Neill – Tackling Taboo

For incredible, thought-provoking fiction Lousie O’Neill is the one to go to. Her novel Only Ever Yours freaked me out but I couldn’t stop thinking about it and later novel Asking For It has been raved about since its release. She’s not afraid of writing about taboo subjects and feminism, what more do you want? Review of Only Ever Yours here.

 

Who would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!

 

5 Things You Should Know About Living With Chronic Pain

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Recently I asked on Twitter if people would be interested in some posts about living with pain. I get asked all the time how it feels, what I do, how I still do so much so here are a few posts about it starting with things you should know.

Chronic pain (although apparently it’s now being relabeled as persistent pain) is classed as being in pain for more than 3 months. It can happen for a variety of reasons and impacts everyone differently. For me, mine was triggered by a horse riding accident when I was 20, in which, I broke part of my spine and damaged the surrounding area. I’ve been living and dealing with this for three years and there are some things I’d love people to know.

We can still do a lot, so ask us! 

Things change and it’s hard to know how what and how your friend or family member can do but you should still ask! Even if we can’t go, being asked is still important. There might even be a way around it!

It’s a case of good and day days 

As with most things, there are good pain days and bad pain days. It’s all about taking it one day at a time and seeing how things pan out. Sometimes we might be a bit quieter or sharper, it might not happen very often but it’s worthwhile keeping this in mind.

We’re still the people we were! 

Chronic pain might change a few things but not the person themselves. They’re still the person you know and love. Their humour wasn’t taken away, nor was their personality! No one wants to be treated differently for something they can’t control.

Being in pain is exhausting so don’t feel like your friends don’t want to see you. 

Honestly, on a bad pain day, it can completely wear you out. I work full time so if I am aching the last thing I want to do is have to go out after work. All I really need is a bath, some comfy PJs and an early night, it’s nothing personal!

There’s a lot of guilt and loss 

For some chronic pain is permanent there can be feelings of loss, for the things you may have had to give up (for me it was riding) and guilt for the things you might not be able to do or things you might not be able to go to! I can’t go out dancing all night like I used to, for example, not a life or death situation but it sucks all the same.

 

Is there anything you wish people knew about chronic pain or do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments below!