"I have worked as a Family Support Worker in the NHS since 2007 and absolutely love my job. In my spare time I am also a writer with four unpublished manuscripts that I will hopefully get published one day! I love reading and this inspired me to set up a Book Club at Newham Hospital. My aim was to bring books to hardworking staff who due to working shifts may not have the time to visit Libraries. The Newham Book Shop (743-745 Barking Road) have been amazing in donating books, lots of them signed by local authors. The bookshop is a hidden gem in Newham so if you're local pop in, it's such a great place!"
Victoria has set up a Book Club at Newham Hospital: Whether you’re an avid bookworm or looking to get back into reading, our new book club is the perfect place to discover new books, meet colleagues and chat through your latest read.
Meetings will be held on the last Friday of every month at the Wellbeing Hub, and you’re invited to come along, share your thoughts on a book you’ve recently finished or are currently reading, and most importantly, relax!
Thanks to generous donations from Newham Bookshop, we have a great selection of books for you to choose from, including books from local authors and some signed editions as well. You can pick up a book from the Rainbow ward school room to read and return during the first book club meeting.
Please email Victoria at victoria.turone@nhs.net to sign up.
Love Marriage - Monica Ali
Yasmin Ghorami has a lot to be grateful for: a loving family, a fledgling career in medicine and a charming, handsome fiancé, fellow doctor Joe Sangster. But as the wedding day draws closer and Yasmin's parents get to know Joe's firebrand feminist mother, both families must confront the unravelling of long-held secrets, lies and betrayals.
While Yasmin dismantles her own assumptions about the people she holds most dear, she's also forced to ask herself what she really wants in a relationship and what a 'love marriage' actually means.
Victoria says: "I really enjoyed this book this book as I grew to love Yasmin and her family. A beautifully written book an enjoyable read".
Lives Like Mine - Eva Verde
Mother to three small children, their heritage dual like hers. Daughter -To a mother who immigrated to make a better life but has been rejected by her chosen country. Wife -To a man who loves her but who will not defend her to his intolerant family. Woman -Whose roles now define her and trap her in a life she no longer recognises…
Victoria Says: "A fabulous read with authentic characters. The underlying theme of not fitting in is easy to relate to and if you’ve ever undertaken any personal growth you’ll connect with Monica and her situation."
These Streets - Luan Goldie
Set on the streets of East London, These Streets, is a searing and powerful novel that explores how we are meant to find our place in a world that is designed for only the privileged to succeed. Beautiful and honest, it is an essential story about living in Britain today.
Victoria says: "Such a great book and one that is certainly realistic as housing is a huge problem in London. I sadly see this every day in my work with the families in Newham. This book captures the heartbreak and stress unsecure housing can cause."
Take it back - Kia Abdullah
The victim: A sixteen-year-old girl with facial deformities, neglected by an alcoholic mother, who accuses the boys of something unthinkable.
The defendants: Four handsome teenage boys from hardworking immigrant families. All with corroborating stories.
Victoria says: "This book is fantastic. I literally could not put it down. It keeps you in suspense right until the last page. Only read this book if you have time as it captivates you from the first page! Kia is a local writer and donated several books to our Hub in Newham Hospital."
The Little Wartime Library - Kate Thompson
A heart-warming story of how friendship and the written word sustain us in the toughest times.
A gripping and heart-wrenching novel set in London in World War Two, following the two women who run a secret underground library
Victoria says: "A lovely read that resonated with me as reading can often give you some escapism – especially during Covid it was lovely to come home switch off the news and lose myself in a book. So I can understand why the Library during war time would have proved popular! I would have definitely have been a member. Kate has also donated copies of her books signed to our Newham Hub Library."
Still to read: On Brick Lane - Rachel Lichenstein
Bringing to life the memories and realities of Brick Lane's many communities, Rachel Lichtenstein harnesses the voices of the famous, the infamous and the obscure, merging memoir, reportage, poetry, photography and local history. The result is as vibrant and fascinating as the neighbourhood it so movingly celebrates.
Victoria says: "I purchased this book as it evokes fond memories of visiting Brick Lane with my late Father in the 1980s, waking up early Sunday to go down Petticoat Lane and all the fabulous characters that you would meet."
Record:
"The Best of the 80s Soundtrack!"
Luxury Item:
"My luxury item would have to be my laptop so I could continue to write my books."