BOOK REVIEW THE SKELETON CUPBOARD BY TANYA BYRON

The Skeleton Cupboard is Professor Tanya Byron’s account of her years of training as a clinical psychologist, when trainees find themselves in the toughest placements of their careers. Through the eyes of her naive and inexperienced younger self, Tanya shares remarkable stories inspired by the people she had the privilege to treat. Gripping, poignant and full of daring black humour, this book reveals the frightening and challenging induction faced by all mental health staff and highlights their incredible commitment to their patients.

Powerfully moving and beautifully written, The Skeleton Cupboard shares the tales of ordinary people with an amazing resilience to the challenges of life.

The cover of this book was what intrigued me straight away in the shop .I then realised it was a memoir of sorts of Tanyas and knew I had to read it.

I studied counselling and psychology for many years and I am still fascinated with the whole subject .Us humans are fascinating and complex creatures. As well as being on the academic side I have been the patient many times and will be again in the future . I am not ashamed of that and I believe talking helps .

This book is brilliant and i really enjoyed it ,and felt like I gained a lot from reading about the case studies from the professionals point of view .

You  also read how Tanya grew as a person both in and out of her work .

The people she meets along her training have had a profound effect on her and I am sure she will never forget them .

As she done her training in a variety of places she meets a variety of people from all walks of life .

Overall a honest sensitive look into the mental health world .

BOOK REVIEW VERSIONS OF US BY LAURA BARNETT

Some moments can change your life for ever. Have you ever wondered, what if…?

A man is walking down a country lane. A woman, cycling towards him, swerves to avoid a dog. On that moment, their future hinges. There are three possible outcomes, three small decisions that could determine the rest of their life.

Eva and Jim are nineteen and students at Cambridge when their paths first cross in 1958. And then there is David, Eva’s then-lover, an ambitious actor who loves Eva deeply. The Versions of Us follows the three different courses their lives could take following this first meeting. Lives filled with love, betrayal, ambition but through it all is a deep connection that endures whatever fate might throw at them.

The Versions of Us explores the idea that there are moments when our lives might have turned out differently, the tiny factors or decisions that could determine our fate, and the precarious nature of the foundations upon which we build our lives. It is also a story about the nature of love and how it grows, changes and evolves as we go through the vagaries of life.

Firstly thanks to Rebecca at orion books for sending me a copy to review .

I believe in fate hugely and I have often led my life following my instinct so to read this treasure of a book was a honour and  I feel I read it at the exact moment I needed to .

Often books choose us not the other way round…

I finished about hour ago and I feel like my heart has been touched by this beautifully written debut book….debut I repeat!

This book will make you think about life love and all those what if moments and I felt quite choked up without it nessacery being sad .

This is beautifully written and one I actually spread over a few days to really enjoy and not rush .

I don’t even feel I can do it justice as its one of those books you need to read yourselves as I think it will touch each person in different ways .

When I received this book it had a postcard for me to fill in my what if moment which I thought really added to the whole remise of the book .Here is the picture of mine that I tweeted Orion 🙂

When I read this I was recovering from a suspected mini stroke so was already in quite a vulnerable emotional place and this book was much appreciated . I apologise if this review is not brilliant as my brain still bit fragile after the above lol .

I loved this concept of the different versions of a couples life and all the twists and turns that life throws at them .

Published 4th June 2015 and I wish Laura every success with this powerful emotive story.