The best books I read in 2019

In 2019 I read 15 books which i'm really proud of as it's definitely been a journey to get back into the habit of reading after a few years off! I picked up the pace towards the end of the year to meet my target and this has really helped me to make reading something I do every night rather than a couple of times a week.

I'm much more of a non-fiction lover, opting for medical themed books and ones I can learn from rather than a novel. I've got a couple of fiction books on my to-read pile so 2020 could be the year I finally go back to getting lost in a story! Here are my top six reads of 2019...

This Is Going To Hurt is a book that almost everyone has read and describes life as a junior doctor in the NHS. My final book of 2019 was Adam Kay's follow up 'Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas', which was a festive take on the original and the perfect book to read in December.

Flight Risk is Dr Stephanie Green's experience as a doctor at Heathrow Airport. A really interesting book that captures everything from the challenges of immigration and mental health, through to the responsibility of stopping outbreaks of disease. This book is really well written and without doubt the fastest one I read as I enjoyed it so much.

The Gynae Geek is a book every female needs to own. It's a great way to learn more about how your body works and goes a long way in tackling what can be the taboo subject that is gynaecology. Written by a doctor, this book will put your mind at ease and make you realise that everyone is worrying about the same things and we just need to talk about them more often!

Just Eat It has really made a difference to my relationship with food and explores the concept of intuitive eating. If you feel any kind of guilt when it comes to eating certain foods and spend your life labelling them bad and good or wishing you looked like everyone on Instagram then this is a book you need to read.

Unnatural Causes has made me consider a complete career change. Find out what it's like to work in a mortuary helping to answer questions about how people died, as well as the challenges faced by one of Britain's top forensic pathologists, Dr Richard Shepherd. Many people don't realise that the respect and kindness shown to the dead is exactly the same as those alive and this book does a great job of highlighting this.

Mad About The House is an interior design bible, offering some simple but effective ways to improve your home. It covers everything from how to light a room to the psychology of colour and is a must read if you're planning to renovate your home. I would also really recommend Kate's podcast with Sophie Robinson, The Great Indoors!

My favourite book of 2019 was Unnatural Causes - a book that i've thought about a lot since I read it and one that I would absolutely read again.