Today I am bringing you two book reviews in one post! Both by the fantastic author Juno Dawson. One is a fictional YA horror and the other is a non fiction book all about mental health. Spoiler: I loved both of them.

Under My Skin
Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23582973-under-my-skin

Accidentally ending up in the seedier side of town one day, Sally finds herself mysteriously lured to an almost-hidden tattoo parlour – and once inside, Sally is quickly seduced by its charming owner, Rosita, and her talk of how having a secret tattoo can be as empowering as it is thrilling. Almost before she knows what she is doing, Sally selects sexy pin-up Molly Sue, and has her tattooed on her back – hoping that Molly Sue will inspire her to be as confident and popular as she is in her dreams.

Under My Skin is a thrilling and entertaining book. Right off the bat I’ll tell you, I don’t do horror films. But after really enjoying Say Her Name, also by Juno, I decided to give this one a shot. It’s also a super addicting book. Especially towards the explosive ending. Shit goes down. It was super addicting, that I missed two bus stops on my way home from work just so I could finish it. Juno has created a wonderful cast of characters, they felt like real teenagers in present time! I loved the conversations between Sally and her friends where they flailed over their favourite TV show Satanville. It’s a really great representation of the tumblr generation which made me love the book and these characters even more. I highly recommend this if you’re looking for an adrenaline pumping read.

Mind Your Head
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27799078-mind-your-head

We all have a mind, so we all need to take care of our mental health as much as we need to take care of our physical health. And the first step is being able to talk about our mental health. Juno Dawson leads the way with this frank, factual and funny book, with added information and support from clinical psychologist Dr Olivia Hewitt. Covering topics from anxiety and depression to addiction, self-harm and personality disorders, Juno and Olivia talk clearly and supportively about a range of issues facing young people’s mental health – whether fleeting or long-term – and how to manage them, with real-life stories from young people around the world.

Mind Your Head is a very inspiring and educational book about looking after your mental health. I really wish I had this book when I was younger. (That makes me sound a lot older than 19 but still…) I do feel like a guide like this would have helped me understand myself and understand other people better. Accompanied with expert medical advice from Dr. Olivia Hewitt and illustrations from Gemma Correll, Juno covers a range off topics from anxiety to personality disorders to medication to her own experiences. There’s a crossword at the back of the book to quiz you on what you have learnt. I read this on my parents’ iPad so I couldn’t fill it in so this means I’ve got to get my physical copy ASAP. I highly, highly recommend this book to everyone, I really think this book has the power to save lives.