It Takes Blood and Guts

Bought as gift sister and is a good read

Skin is a great musician and writes epic songs about life, but she is also a very positive and dynamic person who sees the best in everyone and loves adventure - of which this book contains many. I love the way she and excellent writer Lucy O'Brien tell her story starting from where her family came from and the influences that shape her childhood, growing up in Brixton with her strict and loving mum providing an anchor in the turbulent racism and anti-racism of the 1980s. Skin seeks integrity and truth and from her friends gains the confidence to push back at abusive boyfriend and harassment from a street stalker. From these experiences, she realizes the importance of finding her voice. She keeps searching until she discovers who she feels happy to be, the band she loves to play with and the musical energy that makes every concert a best-ever for the audience because of sheer spontaneous energy and raw waves of music. The book is inspiringly honest, reading between the lines you can see Skin's persistence, discipline and drive in picking up and giving her best again and again. The story is beautifully crafted too, great selection, fastmoving and a page turner as Skin's character and the band's world beating career grow, get setbacks, and eventually recover better into a beautiful positive vibe. Whether you like her music or care to read insights into difficulties and beauties of being Black in Britain - or the world - this is a highly recommended book of honesty, leadership, integrity, respect, passion, history and music, and non-stop searching. DISCLAIMER: Reviewer is biased.

Not great literature but a great story of of the twists and turns to success from small beginnings. An enjoyable and informative read and made me go back to some of her music which is also a good listen

Great book with lots of insight into her life. Well written and difficult to put down

ILL RE READ PARTS OF This for years. Best memoir. Also so many lessons to learn x Love love love Hoping for book two "the tea" or if not book two "chapter two" XXX I could listen to her for hours. (And do she has a radio show on absolute radio Sunday night and a podcast go look them up)

I’ve always been a huge fan of Skin and Skunk Anansie, and this had plenty of nostalgia, entertaining stories and insights into Skin and what has influenced her. Some sad, some surprising or shocking, but most leaving me with a smile. Some nice stories about the band members and people in her life too.

You always know a good book when you're grinning from ear to ear at the end but gutted it's finished. Skin has faced so many fights in her life, reading her story was heart warming, heart breaking at times but fills you with love and strength. Educational and filled with so many stories. Loved it. Wishing her all the best for the future.x

I'm struggling with this, it's not as interesting as I thought it would be, and not very well written. It just kind of rambles on. I'll persevere though.