The Secret Doctor by Max Skittle

The Secret Doctor by Max Skittle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - In and out around 2 weeks

Pages - 352

Publisher - Blink

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Welcome to the life of Dr Max Skittle. Therapist, relationship counsellor, social worker, friend, parent-figure - and, yes: doctor.
Join Max - and his patients - as he takes us on a rollercoaster journey through a year in the life of a doctor: from infected toenails, to wonky elbows, to erectile disfunction, to bed bugs; the happy couple expecting a surprise new baby; the teenage girl struggling with body image issues; the loving family grappling with grief, Max shows us all the highs and crushing lows that come with being a GP - and how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed all our lives forever.
This is what really goes on in your local doctor's surgery - spilt urine bottles, existential crises, emails back and forth with social services, utterly unexplainable health problems and appointments always running late - told by a man who, despite it all, really loves his job.


My Review

I tend to enjoy these books as you get a look into the lives of the healthcare professional(s) and a day or more in the job they do. In this one we have the pseudonym Doctor Max Skittle so the doctor can give an honest account and keep his identity. Max is a gp and this is his story and some of his patients stories. Now heads up, Doctor Skittle swears, humour/wording some people may find offensive as often people forget healthcare workers are people and humour, often dark or sweary is a coping mechanism. So if easily offended these types of books, particularly this one wouldn't be for you.

Max lets us see behind the gp door, the ups and downs of being a doctor, the types of patients, problems, insights, conditions and sometimes inappropriateness of your every day person/patient. I think for me when you see the person behind the job it is so important. Especially now as so many people, not all but a lot scream, abuse, verbally and physically towards the doctor(s) who are trying to help.

We get to see the personal life, worries, issues that Max is going through, the celebrations, achievements, disasters, self doubt all whilst managing the patient load. Some of the interactions make you laugh, cry, want to reach in and hug the patient and or doctor, or a gasp out loud of someone brought what into their gp.

Interesting read, well as I said I do find these books interesting and educational laced with humour and emotion, 4/5 for me this time.

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Life Death and Biscuits by Anthea Allan

Life, Death and Biscuits by Anthea Allen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 320

Publisher - Harper Eliment

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads


‘A heart-breaking story of courage and compassion from the front line of the toughest battle our nurses have had to fight. Anthea Allen’s writing is raw, honest and full of love for those she cares for.’ Susanna Reid



An extraordinarily powerful memoir based on the diaries of intensive care nurse Anthea Allen, who worked on the front line of one of the largest hospitals in Europe during the Covid crisis.


With over 30 years of experience as a nurse, Anthea thought she had seen it all. But with Covid came the greatest trial, personally and professionally, of her life. Thrust into hourly challenges – many a matter of life and death – while on the Critical Care units of St George’s in south London, Anthea processed her shocking experiences through writing. It started with an email to request biscuits. But her appeal to help boost the morale of her fellow nurses soon turned into a series of astonishingly moving stories detailing the realities of being a front line worker.


It wasn’t long before Anthea’s accounts were circulating far and wide, capturing the attention of the nation and being feted by the likes of Richard Branson and Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid.


My review

Theses stories aren't for everyone, some people feel it is too close or too soon. I think it is perfect timing because everyone has opinions on everything but not everyone is dealing with the reality of working in healthcare in these uncertain times.

I have read a fair few of these books and whilst it was interesting it wasn't my favourite. The author/nurse started off writing her accounts/experiences as a diary/emailing out to people and keeping them updated on what was going on and also requesting support, kind word, some eateries (cakes/biscuits) and just moral support for what her team where enduring.

I always think it is so interesting to hear from different areas both in hospital departments and actual locations. I was surprised to hear ICU in England cleared and had lulls inbetween the mania. When it hit bad there was help and runners in ICU in the form of a beauty therapist (I think specially a hairdresser, they ran and got all the drugs but advised the author they couldn't administer because they were not a nurse) that was mind blowing. We did see some of the horrific measures healthcare staff faced down in England but it still catches you how dire some of the situations are.

This nurse put a lot of positivity in this and to her team which I think probably kept so many of them going. Unless you are in it you just can't imagine, even reading books like this.

There are some scenes that are graphic and detail what these poor patients endured, high deaths rates and turnovers so just a heads up when going into any of these kind of reads.

A few times I felt it was quite repetitive but then it did start out as a communication and thing for her so understandable. Interesting read none the less and I will continue to read peoples experiences of care giving during the pandemic and just true stories in general of what it is like in different areas, 3/5 for me.

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Strangeways: A Prison Officer's Story by Neil Samworth

Strangeways: A Prison Officer's Story by Neil Samworth
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 1.5 days

Pages - 304

Publisher - Pan

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Neil ‘Sam’ Samworth spent eleven years working as a prison officer in HMP Manchester, aka Strangeways. A tough Yorkshireman with a soft heart, Sam had to deal with it all – gangsters and gangbangers, terrorists and psychopaths, addicts and the mentally ill. Men who should not be locked up and men who should never be let out.

Strangeways is a shocking and at times darkly funny account of life in a high security prison. Sam tackles cell fires and self-harmers, and goes head to head with some of the most dangerous men in the country. He averts a Christmas Day riot after turkey is taken off the menu and replaced by fish curry, and stands up to officers who abuse their position. He describes being attacked by prisoners, and reveals the problems caused by radicalization and the drugs flooding our prisons.

As staffing cuts saw Britain’s prison system descend into crisis, the stress of the job – the suicides, the inhumanity of the system, and one assault too many - left Sam suffering from PTSD. This raw, searingly honest memoir is a testament to the men and women of the prison service and the incredibly difficult job we ask them to do.


My Review

I have been finding myself drawn more and more to these type of real life stories books, learning more about some of the jobs some folk just couldn't/wouldn't do. Working in the jail has to be the top of a lot of lists. Neil Samworth takes us through his years briefly before becoming an officer, his early days on the job then throughout his years to what finally lead him to leaving and life after being an officer.

Now I have read a few books on healthcare in prisons, inmates in prison so it was a different take this time. The inmates behaviours are often shocking especially if you haven't read these types of books before - I think one of the things that stood out in this one was also the behaviour of some of his colleagues, shocking to say the least.

The prison system is shocking and this gives an eye opener to just how bad some of it is, what the officers have to endure, cuts, stress, violence, lack of support so so much that is just horrendous. Samworth is very honest about the struggles, personal, professional, the good and the bad, it is a very honest, brutal and at times shocking. Some dark humour (when you work in places like this and your person and health, physical/mental are constantly pushed/beaten upon you develop it), depressing and challenging passages aswell as giving ideas of what he thinks would improve the system. 3.5/5 for me this time, some of it was hard going, some of it is almost diary like and I imagine this book helped the author's mental health and dealing with issues long after he has left this job behind. Not for the easily offended or squeamish, a stark look at life behind the bars as a prison officer in the UK.

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Black Joy by various authors

Black Joy by Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over a month

Pages - 416

Publisher - Penguin

Source - Vine

Blurb from Goodreads

Love, literature, friendship, music, carnival, travel, dance, work, nature, food - Black Joy can be found in so many places.


Edited by award-winning journalist Charlie Brinkhust-Cuff and up-and-coming talent Timi Sotire, join twenty-eight inspirational voices in this uplifting and empowering anthology as they come together to celebrate being Black British, sharing their experiences of joy and what it means to them.


With incredible pieces from:

Diane Abbott - Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé - Fopé Ajanaku - Athian Akec - Travis Alabanza - Haaniyah Angus - Rukiat Ashawe - Bukky Bakray - Richie Brave - Munya Chawawa - Ruby Fatimilehin - Theophina Gabriel - Lauryn Green - Ife Grillo - Isaac James - Chanté Joseph - Vanessa Kisuule - Henrie Kwushue - Tobi Kyeremateng - Mikai McDermott - Jason Okundaye - Tope Olufemi - Melz Owusu - Leigh-Anne Pinnock - Mayowa Quadri - Lavinya Stennett - Timi Sotire - Sophia Tassew

An exciting, much-needed collection of writing perfect for readers of Feminists Don't Wear Pink, Slay in Your Lane and Love in Colour.


My Review

Normally when I take so long to read a book it is because I am not enjoying it, it was the opposite with this one. I really liked it however because it is real stories from people you want to take time to digest it. Each story also ends with a box telling you to do, think, try, call so you just take a bit of time going over what you read.

Lots of experiences, some uplifting, some emotive but all with joy, happiness and or personal growth. You will recognise some of the names in this book, famous people whose experiences may well shock you, the girl from a well known successful pop group being treated very different to her colleagues because of the colour of her skin. How she became stronger and learned to love herself, we learn about her heritage, growing up in love and encouragement.

Some of the stories have some challenging issues to say the least the authors have experienced in their lives and things of joy, power, happiness they share with the reader. It really makes you stop and think, so much tradition, family values and food it was so nice reading so many different life stories infused with ideas for the reader to find their own joy.

It is a different book, it touches on harder aspects of life/inequality/feelings/emotions and despite the things some of the authors have endured they still find happiness, pride and joy and share that with the reader, 4/5 for me!

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Love and Care by Shaun Deeney

Love & Care by Shaun Deeney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 326

Publisher - Endeavor

Source - Vine

Blurb from Goodreads

Shaun is determined to put the past behind him. No longer brooding on his divorce, and with his two daughters grown up, he is making a fresh start in a new country. And hoping to find love one more time. Until the sudden death of his father changes everything.

With his mother in a care home, Shaun knows he has to make a choice: leave his mother there, or give up his new-found freedom to look after her himself in the home she once shared with his father.

Love and Care charts his first year caring for his mother who has Parkinson's dementia; a woman he loves deeply but realises he hardly knows as he tries to connect with her through music, food and everyday joys. Can he face the challenges and prove the doubters wrong? And what will the decision mean for his chances of finding love?

Writing with raw honesty and humour, Shaun reflects on his own relationships - as a son, a father, and as a man. He explores our ability to keep hope alive, to forgive and be forgiven. Along the way he learns that letting go may just be the most valuable lesson in love.

Framed by the changing seasons, Love and Care is a story of redemption, and a celebration of our capacity to love, in all its forms.




My Review

Thisis Shaun's very honest and open journey about his decision and experiences of taking care of his mother. She had been in a care home, when Sean's father passes he decided to move home and bring his mother back to where she knows. She has Parkinson's dementia, Shaun has never been a carer, everyone is a skeptic, this is his and his mother's journey.

This isn't like many of the books I have read from true story healthcare/memoir type stories, whilst it does address the caring aspect there is a lot that does not. We follow Shaun through his decision, how he goes about it and the obstacles he faces. Experiences with mum getting an infection, trying to get carers, getting the home ready however it also concentrates on Shaun. Shaun's journey, thoughts, feelings, past and present, doubts, feelings, trying to date whilst taking on his mother's care. Money worries, paperwork, his past relationship with his father and everything in between.

The book splits into the four seasons and the firsts looking after his mother. It is a very honest account, his concerns, failings, worries - it very much looks at Shaun and how much he takes on, how being a carer is a huge undertaking. Financial, emotional, physical - if you have never taken on care for another adult who has needs it opens your eyes to how much it takes from you. It is very rewarding too and Shaun details some of the battles he wins on account of his mother, her needs and what he feels is right for her.

There are some touching moments and he has done an amazing thing for his mother, bringing her back to her own home. I think this is one of the first of these books where, I felt, it is more Shaun's story than his mothers. Most of the books I have read are focused on the patient, loved one, cared for individual, it was different and interesting to see the person behind the loved/cared for one.

It is like a diary, not as in written like a diary although it is written in first person, more I mean it is an outpouring from Shaun, of his journey, the caring journey through the eyes of the carer, 3.5/5 for me.

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Critical: Stories from the front line of Intensive Care medicine by Doctor Matt Morgan

Critical: Stories from the front line of intensive care medicine by Matt Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 244

Publisher - Simon & Schuster

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Critical is an intelligent, compelling and profoundly insightful journey into the world of intensive care medicine and the lives of people who have forever been changed by it.

Being critically ill means one or more of your vital organs have failed – this could be your lungs, your heart, your kidneys, gut or even your brain. Starting with the first recognised case in which a little girl was saved by intensive care in 1952 in Copenhagen, Matt writes brilliantly about the fascinating history, practices and technology in this newest of all the major medical specialties. Matt guides us around the ICU by guiding us around the body and the different organs, and in this way, we learn not only the stories of many of the patients he’s treated over the years, but also about the various functions different parts of the body.

He draws on his time spent with real patients, on the brink of death, and explains how he and his colleagues fight against the odds to help them live. Happily many of his cases have happy endings, but Matt also writes movingly about those cases which will always remain with him – the cases where the mysteries of the body proved too hard to solve, or diagnoses came too late or made no difference to the outcome.




My Review

True stories from doctor Matt Morgan, what it is like to work in intensive care, some of the patients stories and journeys. There are so many of these types of books out just now covering the medical profession, behind the scenes, heart breaking journeys of patients.

This book is a bit different as we get a lot of the background on the medical, how we have the service and procedures we do now. I think for some this may be a bit much but I really enjoyed it, I love reading about medical history and how far we have come along in our knowledge and techniques. I think it is a very important book, tomorrow is never guaranteed and you can never imagine the journey some folk endure both as patients and family of loved ones who experience horrific accidents or when their body fails them.

We get a walk through some of Morgan's patients, their recovery and for some of the ones who didn't make it. Emotive, shocking, educational, shocking, heartbreaking - I can't recommend these true stories/healthcare enough, 4/5 for me this time.

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Love You, Mean It by Patricia Carrington, Julia Collins, Ann Haynes, Eve Charles and Claudia Gerbasi

Love You, Mean It: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Friendship by Patricia Carrington
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 336

Publisher - Hatchette Books

Source - Bought

Blurb from Amazon

How would you feel and what would you do if, one glorious, sunny day your partner and love were to die suddenly, when all he did was go to work and you didn't even wake up properly to say goodbye? How could you possibly cope?

In Love You, Mean It, four women whose husbands died in the World Trade Center tell their own, very remarkable, moving and honest stories, the stories of their very different marriages, the paths that led them to September 11th.

They explain how it was only when they came together, drawn as much by their diverse backgrounds as their shared tragedy, that their mutual support and love saw them through their darkest hours. The truths they discovered in the process are universal, compelling and altogether inspiring.



My Review


Four widows sharing their stories of their lives, the morning the twin towers were attacked, the devastation and how each of them started that day and what followed. We hear about how they met their husbands, their lives together, how their morning started that horrific day that changed theirs and so many lives.

Not only do we get to know the wives, we learn about their husbands who died and how much was taken from them. How they found each other, their friendship cemented and how they got each other through some of the hardest moments you can only imagine. Their last moments together, of normality and their worlds being shattered. I remember that day, I think pretty much everyone does, I remember being in shock, horrified, sad and not knowing what to say, you couldn't believe what you were seeing. So to be someone actually living there, having a loved one near or in there, it is very emotive dipping into these ladies lives.

The stories are told through their words, experiences and they share their grief and raw emotions from hearing their worlds have been torn apart to trying to self heal, recover and face a life without their loved ones. It is a very emotive read and I it takes you back to that day, the images and news footage - I couldn't stop thinking about it, 4/5 for me.

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Your Life in my Hands by Rachel Clarke

Your Life in My Hands: A Junior Doctor's Story by Rachel Clarke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 280

Publisher - Metro Publishing

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

How does it feel to be spat out of medical school into a world of pain, loss and trauma that you feel wholly ill-equipped to handle? To be a medical novice who makes decisions which - if you get them wrong - might forever alter, or end, a person's life?

In 'Your Life in My Hands', television journalist turned junior doctor Rachel Clarke captures the extraordinary realities of life on the NHS frontline. During last year's historic junior doctor strikes, Rachel was at the forefront of the campaign against the government's imposed contract upon young doctors. Her heartfelt, deeply personal account of life as a junior doctor in today's NHS is both a powerful polemic on the degradation of Britain's most vital public institution and a love letter of optimism and hope to that same health service.



My Review

Rachel Clarke was a journalist and is now a doctor working in the NHS. I love reading real life stories, healthcare and think everyone should read them to get a glimpse of what it is to work in that kind of environment. Even people working in the NHS, reading other professionals experiences is an eye opener and makes you appreciate them more, in my honest opinion.

This one is different from the others I have read and I think it is two fold, one because the author was a journalist before hand. Two because whilst the story does have some of the stories on what Clarke experiences in her work a lot of it isn't. There is huge coverage of the junior doctors strikes, the governments impact on funding cuts and patient care, services cancelled and politics politics politics.

We hear a wee bit about her personal background/life and the steps taken, sleeping and camping outside, protests and a meeting with Matt Hancock. I tend to prefer these books about the actual hospital experience so this one was different. It is shocking how many patients and staff suffer due to government decisions and how the news manipulates things to slant in favour of certain politicians or against the NHS. Bureaucracy, quotes from the news and lots of information about the doctors strike, it makes an interesting read, just a tad different from what I was expecting, 3/5 for me this time.

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999 My Life on the Frontline of the ambulance service by Dan Farnworth

999 - My Life on the Frontline of the Ambulance Service by Dan Farnworth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 304

Publisher - Simon and Schuster

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Dan Farnworth brings vividly to life his astonishing experiences as a medic working on the frontline of the UK Ambulance Service. When the 999 call goes out, he has little idea what he will find - and how he will cope with the challenges he faces when he gets there.

Having worked in the emergency services for more than fifteen years, Dan Farnworth has seen it all. There was the time he was called to take away a dead body - only for the 'corpse' to jolt back into life and demand to know what he was doing in her house. Earlier in his career, he unwittingly disturbed a crime scene as he shared the sad news of the victim's death with her son. Along with the 18,000 other paramedics in the UK who serve us day and night, Dan constantly finds himself pushed into extraordinary circumstances where he not only has to deal with those he has been sent to help, but also their worried families and friends - and even with irate drivers who object to his ambulance getting in their way as he desperately works to save someone's life.



My Review

I always think Joe Public should read these kind of true stories type books, have a bit of appreciation for the service and what the workers go through. This is Dan's story or rather stories, a paramedic who takes us through his career from starting out, during, to present day.

Emotive, shocking, horrific, sad. Farnworth takes us on a few of the callouts he has attended, some heartbreaking and how it impacted on him. How the job takes a toll on his personal life, his mental health and what he did as a result of that.

I would say this book has a more personal look, the actual affects on Farnworth himself, his personal life and a fair bit about him. Some of these books focus purely on the job and things they encounter, this has a bit more laid bare approach and a lot about the author himself. 4/5 for me this time, I do like reading true stories about other professionals, makes you appreciative to the services out there and the people who keep them going.



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Can You Hear Me? by Jake Jones

Can You Hear Me? by Jake Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 304

Publisher - Quercus

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

A memoir of the chaos, intensity and occasional beauty of life as a paramedic.

A young man has stopped breathing in a supermarket toilet. A pedestrian with a nasty head injury won't let the crew near him on a busy road. A newborn baby is worryingly silent. An addict urinates on the ambulance floor when denied a fix. This is the life of an ambulance paramedic.

Jake Jones has worked in the UK ambulance service for ten years: every day, he sees a dozen of the scenes we hope to see only once in a lifetime. Can You Hear Me? - the first thing he says when he arrives on the scene - is a memoir of the chaos, intensity and occasional beauty of life on the front-lines of medicine in the UK.

As well as a look into dozens of extraordinary scenes - the hoarder who won't move his collection to let his ailing father leave the house, the blood-soaked man who tries to escape from the ambulance, the life saved by a lucky crew who had been called to see someone else entirely - Can You Hear Me? is an honest examination of the strains and challenges of one of the most demanding and important jobs anyone can do.



My Review

I feel I should open with a huge THANK YOU to everyone who puts on the paramedic uniform. The book gives us a brief glimpse into the working life of the heros in green. Jones takes us through some of the things he has seen in his career over a decade, the characters he has met along the way and his relationship with his co workers.

I think every person in the UK should be reading this book, the abuse of this amazing service is utterly appalling. From Physical abuse, verbal abuse to the misuse of the system, the manipulation - some folk will be utterly horrified at the behaviour of some of our fellow humans. It also highlights the amazing work and some of the horrors these guys see day in and day out.

Not that long ago we saw bampots leaving notes on ambulances because their driveway or car was being blocked. Reading this book may make them rethink their behaviour and appreciate the (often) life saving work/treatment they are doing. But for the grace of God go I, any moment it could be us in need, our heart stopped beating or that of someone we love *touch wood* these heros need/deserve much more appreciation - actually even just respect (how bad is it this needs to be said!). Ha sorry I have went off on a rant whoops.

The book covers some heart stopping (literally) moments, some touching, some ridiculous and some that will stay with the reader long after the last page. I think stories like these are so important, especially now, people can be so self involved. This reminds us how precious life can be, how things can change on a dime and you never know what is around the corner, be kind and look after yourself, we cannot pour from an empty cup, 4/5 for me. I have bought quite a few true life healthcare type stories, hopefully get to them sooner rather than later.

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Dear NHS 100 Stories to Say Thank You - Adam Kay and various celebrities

Dear NHS: 100 Stories to Say Thank You by Adam Kay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days

Pages - 408

Publisher - Orion

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads


Created and edited by Adam Kay (author of multi-million best seller 'This is Going to Hurt'), 'DEAR NHS' features household names telling their personal stories of the health service. Contributors include Joanna Lumley, Naomie Harris, Kate Tempest, Lee Child, Tanni Grey Thomson, Bill Bryson, Trevor McDonald, Jack Whitehall, Michael Palin, Stanley Tucci and many, many more.

All profits from this book will go to NHS Charities Together to fund vital research and projects and the Lullaby Trust which supports parents bereaved of babies and young children.

The NHS is our single greatest achievement as a country. No matter who you are, no matter what your health needs are and no matter how much money you have, the NHS is there for you. In 'DEAR NHS', 100 inspirational people come together to share their stories of how the National Health Service has been there for them and changed their lives in the process. By turns deeply moving, hilarious, hopeful and impassioned, these stories together become a love letter to the NHS and the 1.4 million people who go above and beyond the call of duty every single day - selflessly, generously, putting others before themselves, never more so than now.

They are all heroes, and this book is our way of saying thank you.



My Review


Someone said to me, if you work in the NHS and read this don't you think it is a bit self serving (or something to that effect). No! Yes the book is a Thank You to the NHS but it is about the people sharing THEIR stories, it is THEIR experiences and they just happen to be celebrities.

Working in healthcare, in any setting, if you don't work in it it is hard to explain. You are blessed, challenged, pushed, stressed, happy, sad, privileged and get to experience and share things that you otherwise, in any other job or walk of life you would not.

This book is a collection of many peoples stories, what happened to them and their experience in and with the NHS, there are poems too. The actual stories, some are heartbreaking, frightening, breath taking, very personal glimpses and snapshots into what these people experienced in their time with or appreciation of the NHS.

I would recommend this book to anyone, whether you work in the NHS, like healthcare stories, have an interest in celebrities - this book offers something for everyone. I felt quite emotive reading the personal accounts, peoples brushes with the NHS, no matter how you feel currently, the NHS is a special and precious service to many, 4/5 for me this time. I read tons of books across many genres but I do find true stories in health settings so interesting. Accounts and experiences are so varied, life is so precious, the old but for the grace of God go I.

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The Prison Doctor Women Inside by Doctor Amanda Brown

The Prison Doctor: Women Inside: Stories from my time inside Britain’s biggest women’s prison. by Amanda Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 288

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

From the Sunday Times bestselling author Dr Amanda Brown.

Insights into the world of a Prison Doctor, this time taking us deeper into the walls of Bronzefield, the UK’s biggest women’s prison.

From the drug addicts who call Amanda ‘the mother I never had’ to the women who’ve pushed back at domestic abuse, to women close to release in their 70s, who just want to stay in the place that they’ve always known, these are stories that are heartbreaking, harrowing and heart-warming. Amanda listens, prescribes, and does what she can. After all, she’s their doctor.


My Review

This is the second book by Doctor Brown, you don't need to have read the first to read this one. Doc Brown recounts some of the situations she has encountered in her time working in the prisons and many of the people she has treated or came across.

I think it is so easy to judge folk, people in prison, people with habits - often a combination of both. I think what this does is helps you get past potential prejudices, realise in many cases it really is before the grace of God go I. We get brief glimpses of some of the women she has met, treated and been affected by. A stark realisation of what prison life can be like for these poor woman.

After reading this I started looking into donations for women's prisons charities and hopefully once you read this book you may be a bit more understanding or less judgmental of people (not just women) behind bars. A look at the medical issues these women present with, the difference between care readily available at the call of a cab or your gp. If you haven't read the first book it is really interesting so please check it out. I hope she writes more about her experiences, I think these books are so important for your "average joe". In a world where we need more understanding and kindness, I think these books give a bit of insight into other peoples hardships. 4.5/5 for me this time - recommend for sure and like I say I hope she writes more.

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The Language of Kindness A Nurses Story by Christie Watson

The Language of Kindness: A Nurse's Story by Christie Watson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 352

Publisher - Vintage

Source - Bought copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Christie Watson was a nurse for twenty years. Taking us from birth to death and from A&E to the mortuary, The Language of Kindness is an astounding account of a profession defined by acts of care, compassion and kindness.

We watch Christie as she nurses a premature baby who has miraculously made it through the night, we stand by her side during her patient’s agonising heart-lung transplant, and we hold our breath as she washes the hair of a child fatally injured in a fire, attempting to remove the toxic smell of smoke before the grieving family arrive.

In our most extreme moments, when life is lived most intensely, Christie is with us. She is a guide, mentor and friend. And in these dark days of division and isolationism, she encourages us all to stretch out a hand.



My Review

Watson takes us on her impressive career as a child's nurse and the exposure she had giving others care. The run up to how she got into care, person experiences, different areas and situations. Some of it is harrowing, some of it uplifting and as I have always known, I could never be a pediatric nurse, hats off to them.

An eye opening story about different aspects of care, pressures, fears, struggles and some of the most rewarding points of working as a nurse in these areas. There are some big words used that if you don't work in health you would need to look up, a wee glossary would have helped for non medical folk. I don't think it detracts overall from the stories though. Emotive, thought provoking and a huge thank you to Watson for the care she gave over the years to all of those patients.

I have found myself buying and reading a lot more medical books and those in other professions, it gives the public an insight into just how horrific some of these jobs are and how much it can demand from a person. 3.5 out of 5 for me this time, absolutely worth a read, have a wee tissue nearby though.

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Twas the Nightshift before Christmas by Adam Kay

Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas by Adam Kay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 2 hours

Pages - 144

Publisher - Picador

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas is the hilarious, poignant and entertaining story of the life of a junior doctor at the most challenging time of the year. With twenty-five tales of intriguing, shocking and incredible Christmas incidents, the British public will finally appreciate the sacrifices made and the challenges faced by the unsung heroes of the NHS.

Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas will be fully illustrated (as tastefully as possible) and will delight all of Adam’s fans throughout the festive period of Christmas 2019 and for many years to come.


My Review

If you haven't read Kay's first book you may actually enjoy this more as you have nothing to compare it to. "This is going to hurt" is book one, a few hundred pages and really in depth over his career and what led to him no longer being with the NHS. This book is tiny in comparison and only covers the handful of Christmas shifts he had to do as a doctor over the festive season.

Funny, cringe, sad. horrific and lots and lots of swearing. Kay takes you on a journey with him as he covers many medical situations in his time in the NHS and a wee glimpse of some of the issues the staff face, no time off for a loved ones funeral :O and some of the weird and wonderful things human beings experience.

There is one chapter highlighted before it goes into it that some readers may find horrific and hard going, on abortion and one particular case for him. It is well signposted and you can skip past which I think is really good of him as once seen you can't unsee and abortion is a very emotive subject for many for a variety of reasons. Like I said if you read and loved the first book I am sure you will enjoy this one, I did but I couldn't help but compare the two from the minute I got my hands on the physical book of this one. Lacking in size, depth and maybe a quarter of what the original one gave us, to be fair I could read his stories all day and was left wanting more, 3.5/5 for me.

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Unnatural Causes by Doctor Richard Shepherd

Unnatural Causes by Richard Shepherd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - on and off over 5 days

Pages - 442

Publisher - Penguin

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Meet the forensic pathologist, Dr Richard Shepherd. A detective in his own right, he must solve the mystery of sudden and unexplained deaths.

He has performed over 23,000 autopsies, including some of the most high-profile cases of recent times; the Hungerford Massacre, the Princess Diana inquiry, and 9/11.

He has faced serial killers, natural disaster, 'perfect murders' and freak accidents.

His evidence has put killers behind bars, freed the innocent, and turned open-and-shut cases on their heads.

Yet all this has come at a huge personal cost.

Unnatural Causes tells the story of not only the cases and bodies that have haunted him the most, but also how to live a life steeped in death.


My Review

Forensic Pathologist Doctor Richard Shepherd, you may recognise the name as the guy who goes over the autopsies of the celebrities on the tv program. In this book we get an insight into his personal life as well as (and the main focus) his job as a forensic pathologist.

Some of the cases are very high profile and you will recognise them, even if you hadn’t been born, they have been so publicised in the news you can’t help but know of them. The book is pretty brutal, honest and in depth which some readers may find upsetting or stomach turning.

There are three chapters that cover children’s deaths and I know this is an upsetting topic for some people, I took note of it but left the book at home. I will update this when I get back to include the chapters so readers can skip them but still get to read the book as they are confined to those chapters only.

It is a very interesting read, how he got into forensic pathology, before and after, the impact it had on him, his family and when he came under fire from the public. The stress the job can have and impact on him and his life as a result. It is a very honest read, informative and there was one case that I remember public outrage and hearing from the victim’s families. I had no idea he was the pathologist nor had I really thought about their role in what happened so it was interesting to hear his side and how it impacted on him. Emotive, hard hitting and I would absolutely read more in this vein or by this author, had life not gotten in the way I would have finished it much quicker, 4.5/5 for me this time.

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Hard Pushed by Leah Hazard

Hard Pushed: A Midwife’s Story by Leah Hazard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 304

Publisher - Cornerstone digital

Source - ARC (Netgalley)

Blurb from Goodreads

No sleep for twenty hours. No food for ten. And a ward full of soon-to-be mothers… Welcome to the life of a midwife.

Life on the NHS front line, working within a system at breaking point, is more extreme than you could ever imagine. From the bloody to the beautiful, from moments of utter vulnerability to remarkable displays of strength, from camaraderie to raw desperation, from heart-wrenching grief to the pure, perfect joy of a new-born baby, midwife Leah Hazard has seen it all.

Through her eyes, we meet Eleanor, whose wife is a walking miracle of modern medicine, their baby a feat of reproductive science; Crystal, pregnant at just fifteen, the precarious, flickering life within her threatening to come far too soon; Star, birthing in a room heady with essential oils and love until an enemy intrudes and Pei Hsuan, who has carried her tale of exploitation and endurance thousands of miles to somehow find herself at the open door of Leah’s ward.

Moving, compassionate and intensely candid, Hard Pushed is a love letter to new mothers and to Leah’s fellow midwives – there for us at some of the most challenging, empowering and defining moments of our lives.



My Review

I generally love reading these true account type books from workers within health settings. I think it gives us, members of the public and professionals working in care to see the other side of the coin. Hazzard takes us through her career both as a student starting out and as a qualified midwife, working with people from all walks of life, different colleagues and the joys and horrors encountered helping bring babies into the world.

I read the kindle version of this, there is a list of words/terms used within the book that readers will find helpful especially if not familiar with midwifery. If reading on the kindle it may be worth checking them out before starting the book so you don't have to flip back and forth. Hazzard gives an honest look into her day to day duties and how different one birth can be to another. Different aspects of her job, the joy, the fears, the sheer volume and crises midwives of today have to face.

I loved reading her passion for what she does, it comes across pretty much throughout every encounter. I learned a few things too and whilst I have always respected midwives for what they do I didn't realise how much their job entailed and if possible have an even greater respect now. Being with and assisting another person bring a child into the world is an amazing thing and sometimes we forget or ignore all the potentials that can go wrong. The book gives insight into it all and I have always said women who gave birth should have a gold star, I am thinking two or more now! The human body is an amazing thing and stories like this bring home just how fantastic and wonderful it can be. An emotive read and an eye opener of yet another service that is working under the strain of cuts from the government, more demands than often they can cope with and yet the staff continue to give 100 percent because what else can you do when working with people. 4.5/5 for me this time, the book is out to buy from May 2nd, ebook and tree book format.

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Deadlier Than the Male by Terry Manners

Deadlier Than the Male: Stories of Female Serial Killers by Terry Manners
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2.5 days

Pages - 372

Publisher - Trafalgar Square Publishing

Source - Friend from RISI

Blurb from Goodreads

The phenomenon of the female serial killer has been increasingly capturing the public's attention. This book examines the motivation of, among others, the revengeful Aileen Wournos, the materialistic Dorothea Puente, the sexually abused Terri Rachals, the psychologically disturbed nurse Beverley Allitt and the obsessive lover Karla Teale. An even more complex creature than her male counterpart, the female serial killer rarely taunts the police nor revels in her sinister "superiority", making her capture more difficult. This book tells the stories of these women, from early childhood to their obsession to kill. From the court case to the psychiatrist's reports, it explores the caverns of the female serial killer's mind.


My Review

A brief look at some of the worlds females serial killers, Mary Ann Cotton, Nannie Doss, Christine Falling, Velma Barfield, Terri Rachals, Dorothea Puente, Beverly Allitt, Aileen Wuornos, Karla Homolka. We briefly examine the different type of killers, The Comfort Serial killer, The Visionary, The Power Seekers, The Disciple and the Hedonistic serial killer. Each killer gets approximately 40 odd pages so I would say this is a good book to start for a brief beginning if you are interested in this kind of subject.

I had heard of a few of them but not all and even the ones I had heard of there were some details that were new to me. It can make for a tough read, whilst it doesn't go into as much detail as some books there is still enough to be brutal. The author has taken a wee bit of artistic creativity with the dialogue however he does say at the beginning where he has gotten his information and what he has done with it.

A good starter book, decent sized chapters, easily enough to read in respects to how it has been written rather than subject content. There is murder, abuse, depravity, child murder and endangerment which is hard to read, sexual deviancy and as I said hard to read the darker side of humanity but in regards to some books in this genre it isn't as heavy. 3.5/5 for me this time, this is my first time reading this author, I will look and see what else he has written.

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