2016 Reading Challenge - March

March was a pretty productive month reading-wise, it took me a lot longer than it should have to finish Any Known Blood but as soon as I got through that I sped through the other two; the only reason there aren't even more books for this month is because I started the third Outlander book and it's over 1,000 pages.

Any Known Blood - Lawrence Hill 

I love Lawrence Hill.  If you've read any of my other book-related posts that should be clear.  The Book of Negroes is still his best work and I really don't know if he'll ever beat it but I still enjoyed Any Known Blood.  This book follows Langston Cane V after he loses his job and embarks on a journey to discover more about his family's past and his legacy.  The book jumps around through time telling stories of the different generations of Canes as Langston discovers them but the time jumps are easy to follow and well laid out so that it's not confusing.

Like many of Hill's other work this novel sheds light on black history in Canada and specifically Oakville's involvement in the underground railroad.  The book was very pleasant to read but I wouldn't say that it's a story that really draws you in and is impossible to put down.  Instead this book is a calming, almost relaxing, story to read when you need to escape for a few hours or unwind at the end of the day.

The Year I Met You - Cecelia Ahern

Jasmine is a successful, busy young business woman but then she loses her job and is not able to work for any competing companies for a full year and is suddenly left with nothing to fill her days.  Jasmine hates her next door neighbour Matt because of his provocative radio show but is strangely fascinated and can't help but watch him as he comes home drunk every night and passes out on the patio furniture on his front lawn.  When Matt is also put on leave from his job they start to interact more and the book follows their unlikely friendship as they both try to rebuild their lives.

This book is written as if Jasmine is telling the story of what happened to Matt (hence the title: The Year I Met You) and while I did enjoy it, it was slow to get started but I think it did wrap up nicely and it had a nice message.

Me Before You - Jojo Moyes

I. Loved. This. Book.  Immediately after I finished it I wanted to run out and buy the sequel or simply just read it again from the beginning.  This book is about Lou Clark who loses her job at a cafe and then gets a job caring for wheelchair bound Will Traynor.  Will believes that his life since his accident is not worth living and Lou tries to show him that his life can be worth it.  I don't want to give too much of the plot away but this book was so good.  SO GOOD.  I found myself smiling at the book while I read it, I cried but overall this was a simply beautiful, exceptionally written story that I would read again and again.  (I'm also very excited to see if the movie holds up to how good the book is).