Novel-lity

This book was in a way so accurate to how medical school is, and also about how anxiety can cripple students. And so through the lens of Harper, our protagonist, I analyse my experience in medical school with anxiety, other people around me and just how important it is to be curious and not judgemental when it comes to people. It's important to understand that everyone had their own honey mushroom (you'll get the context of that in the episode). Goodreads Summary: Harper is anxiously awaiting placement into a top oral surgery residency program when she crashes (literally) into Dan. Harper would rather endure a Novocaine-free root canal than face any distractions, even one this adorable. A first-year dental student with a family legacy to contend with, Dan doesn't have the same passion for pulling teeth that Harper does. Though he finds himself falling for her, he is willing to play by Harper's rules. So with the greatest of intentions and the poorest of follow-throughs, the two set out to be “just friends.” But as they get to know each other better, Harper fears that trading fillings for feelings may make her lose control and can't risk her carefully ordered life coming undone, no matter how drool-worthy Dan is. Blood, gore, and extra-long roots? No problem. The idea of falling in love? Torture.

Now this book was quite heartbreaking and as usual Colleen Hoover knew just how to turn the tap onto my emotions and get the water flowing. But in this book, I found catharsis not only in the tragedy in the book, but in the anger and frustration of the characters in how they tried their best to stick to their value. This book also showed how forgiveness was the true beast that prevented the final resolution. So enjoy Salma and discuss forgiveness, anger and the sheer resilience of Kenna in this book, with a definitely STOLEN game of “Would you forgive this cheater?” from the Just Between Us podcast. Link to the Just Between Us podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1iNAnpr3rVYmuccVJHd2ap?si=IuK0WP5qRP6_HrpcvmY3dw Ledgers Safe Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5whUyhNN7vtxb0nuuNt4qL?si=3WcgSgfJQbGZXjtUIXhZfA Goodreads Summary: A troubled young mother yearns for a shot at redemption in this heartbreaking yet hopeful story from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover. After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter's life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself. The only person who hasn't closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna's daughter. But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna's life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them. The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing

This book reignited an interest in neurology and also really made me interested in what “yourself” really is and what truly encompasses it. So listen to me talk about my thoughts on what our blind spots are to ourselves, and how grateful I am to have control over myself where Ms Cahalan didn't. Goodreads Summary: An award-winning memoir and instant New York Times bestseller that goes far beyond its riveting medical mystery, Brain on Fire is the powerful account of one woman's struggle to recapture her identity. When twenty-four-year-old Susannah Cahalan woke up alone in a hospital room, strapped to her bed and unable to move or speak, she had no memory of how she'd gotten there. Days earlier, she had been on the threshold of a new, adult life: at the beginning of her first serious relationship and a promising career at a major New York newspaper. Now she was labeled violent, psychotic, a flight risk. What happened? In a swift and breathtaking narrative, Cahalan tells the astonishing true story of her descent into madness, her family's inspiring faith in her, and the lifesaving diagnosis that nearly didn't happen.

This author is extremely talented at writing smut. And lately I've been thinking about smut as a concept and how it sits in today's society. So listen to myself and Etta speak about smut, erotica, why it's demonised and how this book specifically has great writing despite being smut. Goodreads Summary: Author Tiffany Reisz returns to the world of The Red with an imaginative sequel full of lust and magic, and the dangers unleashed when the two are combined… On the day of Lia's university graduation party, her parents—wealthy art collectors with friends in high places—gift her a beautiful wine cup, a rare artifact decorated with roses. It's a stunning gift, and one that August Bowman, a friend of her parents and a guest at Lia's party, also has his eye on. The cup, August tells her, is known as the Rose kylix, and it's no ordinary cup. It was used in the temple ceremonies of Eros, Greek god of erotic love, and has the power to bring the most intimate sexual fantasies to life. But Lia is skeptical of August's claims of the cup's mythology and magic—after all, he's a collector himself, and she suspects he just wants to get his hands on this impressive piece of art. So he dares her to try it for herself, and when Lia drinks from the Rose kylix she is suddenly immersed in an erotic myth so vivid it seems real—as though she's living out the most sensual fantasy with August by her side… Realizing the true power of this ancient and dangerous relic, Lia is even more wary of giving it up, though August insists it is only safe with him. He's willing to pay the full value of the cup, but Lia has another type of trade in mind. One that finds them more tangled up in each other—and in fantasy—than either was prepared for.

So reading this book and the film, made me realise I had some personal misconceptions or preconceived ideas about my intelligence that just don't sit right with me. So listen to me speak in awe about the ingenuity of Mark Watney and how that manifests into my life and how the education system doesn't exercise us to our full potential, in the diversity of intellect. Goodreads Summary: Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he's alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills — and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit — he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

This book and movie really moved me and made me evaluate how I made decisions in my life. Was I sacrificing my happiness? Or compromising? Am I settling? Or accepting? Well listen to Catherine and I talk and differentiate between the terms and discuss how this manifested in Lou as a character. Goodreads Summary: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Giver of Stars, discover the love story that captured over 20 million hearts in Me Before You, After You, and Still Me. They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose . . . Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex–Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he's pretty sure he cannot live the way he is. Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living. A Love Story for this generation and perfect for fans of John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn't have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?

This book was an astounding novel of verse, about a young woman grappling with her identity as a Christian, a teenager and a daughter of an immigrant. Hear me speak about how I related to her when it comes to language learning as someone who doesn't know their mother tongue, and how silence can be a powerful tool to oppress others but also for yourself. Goodreads Summary: Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth. Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking. But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about. With Mami's determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. So when she is invited to join her school's slam poetry club, she doesn't know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out. But she still can't stop thinking about performing her poems. Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

TW: Discussion surrounding Domestic Abuse, Sexual Assault and gun violence It Ends With Us is a VERY popular booktok book that I ATE up when I first read it. But when I discussed the book further with others I realised there was much depth to the discussions raised about the topics in this book and also the book itself. So hear Agape and I discuss cycles, in our lives and in the book, and also about Colleen Hoover as a phenomenon. TW: Discussion surrounding Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault GoodReads Summary: Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most. Lily hasn't always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She's come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up — she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily's life suddenly seems almost too good to be true. Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He's also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn't hurt. Lily can't get him out of her head. But Ryle's complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can't help but wonder what made him that way in the first place. As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan — her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened. Agape's podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ZCkwONWK20wBNrSgyIC7P?si=MRbhzLnlQxCxAsiM0eLJLw

Reading this romance was quite cathartic as I was vicariously experiencing a story where things turn out right with a protagonist that shared so many characteristics with myself (black, West African, medical student, struggling

TW: (in the episode we briefly mention gender dysphoria - which we mistakenly mispronounced as dysmorphia, apologies - so just a heads up) KEEP SAFE GUYS The Vanishing half is an amazing book about the consequences and opportunities that follow if you decide to abandon an integral part of your identity - race. And it follows four complex women as a sort of group Bildungsroman about identity, escape and mother daughter relationships. So listen to Omonye and I discuss all three in a lovely discussion about this book and how we perceive these themes to link to our lives as students and human beings. Omonye's socials: Her podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7jyuZ3ASJSItDZIiFO8rWj?si=MrQSqRXsQ8mzlCEJLkBI3g Her TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMNSNpoxh/ Her Instagram: omonyevictoria GoodReads Summary: The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters' storylines intersect? Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.

So I read this book quite a while back and it sort of coincided with me watching a video about Stoicism. I could see how there were multiple bridges between this philosophy and Gottlieb's book. After some consideration, I thought it would be perfect to talk briefly about both and how each approaches death, the practical applications of Stoicism into modern day therapy and the importance of thinking about death to truly appreciate life. GoodReads Summary: From a New York Times best-selling author, psychotherapist, and national advice columnist, a hilarious, thought-provoking, and surprising new book that takes us behind the scenes of a therapist's world -- where her patients are looking for answers (and so is she). One day, Lori Gottlieb is a therapist who helps patients in her Los Angeles practice. The next, a crisis causes her world to come crashing down. Enter Wendell, the quirky but seasoned therapist in whose office she suddenly lands. With his balding head, cardigan, and khakis, he seems to have come straight from Therapist Central Casting. Yet he will turn out to be anything but. As Gottlieb explores the inner chambers of her patients' lives -- a self-absorbed Hollywood producer, a young newlywed diagnosed with a terminal illness, a senior citizen threatening to end her life on her birthday if nothing gets better, and a twenty-something who can't stop hooking up with the wrong guys -- she finds that the questions they are struggling with are the very ones she is now bringing to Wendell. With startling wisdom and humor, Gottlieb invites us into her world as both clinician and patient, examining the truths and fictions we tell ourselves and others as we teeter on the tightrope between love and desire, meaning and mortality, guilt and redemption, terror and courage, hope and change. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is revolutionary in its candor, offering a deeply personal yet universal tour of our hearts and minds and providing the rarest of gifts: a boldly revealing portrait of what it means to be human, and a disarmingly funny and illuminating account of our own mysterious lives and our power to transform them.

This book is one of those few books that made me reflecting on what life can be like, if I just made a few different choices. Evelyn Hugo is iconic, she is a strong bisexual woman who, made a lot of choices that grew her fame, broke some relationships, got her married seven times and ultimately led her to do horrible things. With some choices there leaves regret and here you can listen to Salma and I talk about regret and how the choices we make makes us learn and grow. GoodReads Summary: Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. Summoned to Evelyn's luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn's story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique's own in tragic and irreversible ways.

This book was the first self-help book that I already know I will re-read and enjoy for the rest of my life. This ignited my mission to recapture some of my old optimism and curiosity in human nature for the new year as well as watching the fantastic TV show Ted Lasso. I also appreciate that toxic positivity exists and should be examined whilst I'm on my year long mission, so listen to me discuss my thoughts and how I'm going to change my mindset this year. GoodReads Summary: The new uplifting book from Matt Haig, the New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Library, for anyone in search of hope, looking for a path to a more meaningful life, or in need of a little encouragement. “It is a strange paradox, that many of the clearest, most comforting life lessons are learnt while we are at our lowest. But then we never think about food more than when we are hungry and we never think about life rafts more than when we are thrown overboard.” The Comfort Book is Haig's life raft: it's a collection of notes, lists, and stories written over a span of several years that originally served as gentle reminders to Haig's future self that things are not always as dark as they may seem. Incorporating a diverse array of sources from across the world, history, science, and his own experiences, Haig offers warmth and reassurance, reminding us to slow down and appreciate the beauty and unpredictability of existence.

Self help books are very popular nowadays with people trying to grow and find happiness and one of the most popular is How to Win Friends and Influence People. I'll get straight to the point and say I found it quite manipulative at times BUT it had it's good moments. So hear Agape and I speak about what we got from this book, what's going on in the mindsets of self - help book readers and I even give her a few scenarios to determine what's the difference between manipulative and persuasion. GoodReads Summary: AN UP-TO-THE -MINUTE ADAPTATION OF DALE CARNEGIE 'S TIMELESS PRESCRIPTIONS FOR THE DIGITAL AGE DALE CARNEGIE's commonsense approach to communicating has endured for a century, touching millions and millions of readers. The only diploma that hangs in Warren Buffett's office is his certificate from Dale Carnegie Training. Lee Iacocca credits Carnegie for giving him the courage to speak in public. Dilbert creator Scott Adams called Carnegie's teachings “life-changing.” In today's world, where more and more of our communication takes place across wires and screens, Carnegie's lessons have not only lasted but become all the more critical. Though he never could have predicted technology's trajectory, Carnegie proves a wise and helpful teacher in this digital landscape. To demonstrate the many ways his lessons remain relevant, Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc., has reimagined his prescriptions and his advice for this difficult digital age. We may communicate today with different tools and with greater speed, but Carnegie's advice on how to communicate. Agape's Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ZCkwONWK20wBNrSgyIC7P?si=633Nww1jQjucCoSn33uLHg

A friend recommended this book and I'll be honest it frustrated me a little. It was a caveat that fire safety is very important

Guys, this romance appealed a lot to my strict time-oriented planner self. I was able to recognise (with the help of tick, tick BOOM!), my relationship with time and the greatness of being spontaneous. Hear me discuss all of the above as well as think of the distinction between spontaneity and Impulsivity through the lens of our main characters Olivia and Max. Goodreads Summary: A chance meeting with a handsome stranger turns into a whirlwind affair that gets everyone talking. Dating is the last thing on Olivia Monroe's mind when she moves to LA to start her own law firm. But when she meets a gorgeous man at a hotel bar and they spend the entire night flirting, she discovers too late that he is none other than hotshot junior senator Max Powell. Olivia has zero interest in dating a politician, but when a cake arrives at her office with the cutest message, she can't resist--it is chocolate cake, after all. Olivia is surprised to find that Max is sweet, funny, and noble--not just some privileged white politician she assumed him to be. Because of Max's high-profile job, they start seeing each other secretly, which leads to clandestine dates and silly disguises. But when they finally go public, the intense media scrutiny means people are now digging up her rocky past and criticizing her job, even her suitability as a trophy girlfriend. Olivia knows what she has with Max is something special, but is it strong enough to survive the heat of the spotlight? Link to Article Read: https://jemmajorel.medium.com/impulsive-vs-spontaneous-7dc9569180df WATCH tick,tick BOOM!: https://youtu.be/YJserno8tyU

Now I read this book just looking for a simple romance that will help me relax on the weekend. But I noticed a few different things here - these guys are child free?, she's plus sized?, this is actually funny?

YA fantasy has finally levelled up. Representation has improved and being integrated into literature without eclipsing a larger plot - just like this amazing debut novel by Tracy Deonn. Without taking the colour blind approach it also includes amazing historical context in the magic system with a diverse and likeable cast. Anyway, hear Salma and I gush over this book and speak about representation and race in media.

Now this book was twisted, BOTH because it had a great plot twist but also because every character had something dark about them, especially our serial killer protagonist who has such interesting morals in regards to the men she killed. This book reignited my obsession with anti-heroes (who will always be the most interesting characters), but also made me thing about how far can you push someone before they CRACK, or in this case, turn to murder… TW: mentions of violence against women (sexual assault). (Also SPOILER ALERT for Peaky Blinders, Umbrella Academy and Breaking Bad). SYNOPSIS:Scarlett Clark is an exceptional English professor. But she's even better at getting away with murder. Every year, she searches for the worst man at Gorman University and plots his well-deserved demise. Thanks to her meticulous planning, she's avoided drawing attention to herself—but as she's preparing for her biggest kill yet, the school starts probing into the growing body count on campus. Determined to keep her enemies close, Scarlett insinuates herself into the investigation and charms the woman in charge, Dr. Mina Pierce. Everything's going according to her master plan… until she loses control with her latest victim, putting her secret life at risk of exposure. Meanwhile, Gorman student Carly Schiller is just trying to survive her freshman year. Finally free of her emotionally abusive father, all Carly wants is to focus on her studies and fade into the background. Her new roommate has other ideas. Allison Hadley is cool and confident—everything Carly wishes she could be—and the two girls quickly form an intense friendship. So when Allison is sexually assaulted at a party, Carly becomes obsessed with making the attacker pay... and turning her fantasies about revenge into a reality. LINK TO JORDAN PETERSON VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ez2-W21EHKs

This book was very sweet, it's about friendship and career changes and also having the strength to go on different route than expected. But what I really wanted to talk about in this book was identity, how school (especially medical school

Now for anyone in the UK doing their GCSEs you had to do over 20 exams at 16 years old from languages to English lit and one thing that has always irritated me about the school system is how they ruin reading for you. Macbeth, looking back at least, is an interesting tragedy that looks at greed with a groundbreaking Machiavellian villain (Lady Macbeth), but I never saw that then. In this episode me and Etta discuss where school went wrong, what is so interesting about Macbeth and why study Shakespeare. Follow my TikTok if you wanna!: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRCTEWdV/

TW: suicide and depression. This book was such a surreal fever dream. It was confusing, then frightening, then immediately tragic. Loneliness can conjure many harrowing mental illnesses, one of those is Maladaptive Daydreaming, which is how I decided to interpret this book. In this episode I'll discuss MADD and also loneliness and the importance of social interaction, through the lens of “I'm Thinking of Ending Things”. This is the Goodreads Summary for anyone wanting to read it: Now a Netflix original movie, this deeply scary and intensely unnerving novel follows a couple in the midst of a twisted unraveling of the darkest unease. You will be scared. But you won't know why… I'm thinking of ending things. Once this thought arrives, it stays. It sticks. It lingers. It's always there. Always. Jake once said, “Sometimes a thought is closer to truth, to reality, than an action. You can say anything, you can do anything, but you can't fake a thought.” And here's what I'm thinking: I don't want to be here. In this smart and intense literary suspense novel, Iain Reid explores the depths of the human psyche, questioning consciousness, free will, the value of relationships, fear, and the limitations of solitude. Reminiscent of Jose Saramago's early work, Michel Faber's cult classic Under the Skin, and Lionel Shriver's We Need to Talk about Kevin, “your dread and unease will mount with every passing page” (Entertainment Weekly) of this edgy, haunting debut. Tense, gripping, and atmospheric, I'm Thinking of Ending Things pulls you in from the very first page…and never lets you go.

The Silent Patient for me was a book that initiated a immense appreciation for mystery novels and great plot twists, but it had me thinking. What even makes a good plot twist? I also had to talk about communication with a game called “Speak Up or Shut Up”, where I give my friend scenarios to choose whether she speaks up or remains silent.

I've recently gone through a mystery book binge and a very prominent running theme is that they all involved a messed up marriage that turns dark and twisted. And the thing is it got thinking why is this even the case? And why is this a recurrent twisted thing people can conjure in their minds? Listen to me talk about Gone Girl and how I perceive Machiavellian women. 00:00 - 9:10 : history of Marriage, 9:10 - 21:30 : plot of Gone Girl 21:30 - end: my theories and thoughts

Hello! Verity is a dark and page turning read. But it had me thinking about the Duality of truth. So here I bring a fellow med student friend called Nusrat to discuss lying, brutal truth, the duplicity of other medical students and more! (SKIP to ~ 20 minutes to get into discussion of the book rather than just summaries) TW: murder, child abuse