Aren't I The Lucky One?

I certainly am feeling lucky! This week I scored huge at my local library and bargain shopping with finding some wonderful books that I have not read yet. I have had these books on my TBR list for ages. Now that I own them, perhaps it will be easier to get around to them. This also gives me some great options to take to Mexico with me at the end of May. So here are the books I scored:

*Laurien Gardner - The Spanish Bride
*Sara Gruen - Water for Elephants
*Kristin Hannah - The Things We Do For Love
*Karen Harper - The Last Princess of Wales
*Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner
*Dennis Lehane - Shutter Island
*Jodi Picoult - Vanishing Acts

I am so excited to get reading these. Though I know that I cannot begin reading them until I finish the fifth installment of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. I'll tell you what, I love her books without question. But they sure do take a while to read, especially when practically balancing two jobs. The Fiery Cross is an excellent book, though not nearly as wonderful as the others in the series, but I confess that I am anxious to be done with it. I hate that feeling; it makes me feel as though I am cheating on my significant other. So I'm sorry, The Fiery Cross, but can we just get this over with? I'm ready to move on.

With love,

Calling All Outlander Fans!

Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series manages to suffocate her readers in a Scottish blanket whether they want to be suffocated or not. Every time we put one of these books down, we find our thoughts being formed in a crazy Scottish accent. In fact, it drives those we socialize with on the regular absolutely crazy. SO, this bit of news may only further our love for Jamie and Claire!



This is some of the artwork from Diana's blog that will appear in the graphic novel The Exile. The graphic novel retells the first book in the series but will focus largely on what happens from Jamie's perspective. Diana has promised that there are new scenes that will answer some questions about what Jamie was up to while we were following Claire around the Scottish highlands. The graphic novel is sure to be a success with devoted Outlander fans. I mean, just look at those abs!

Perhaps one of the greatest things about the new graphic novel? We don't have to wait too long to get our hands on it! The Exile is due to hit book stores in the US and in the UK in September of this year!

For more information about Outlander, The Exile, or about Diana, check out her blog at: http://voyagesoftheartemis.blogspot.com/

Happy reading!

A 999 Update!

Hello all! I am so sorry about my recent lack of updates. Life has gotten in the way of any kind of leisure. BUT, I am back in action and will try to be more frequent with my updates. I thought that I would give an update to where I am with my 999 Challenge!Just a reminder for those who do not know/do not remember what the 999 Challenge is: You choose 9 categories (they can be anything!), then you read 9 different books for each category, and you read them all in 2009! This means that if you complete the challenge, you will have tackled at least 81 books for the year. No double dipping with your categories! The should also be books that you haven't read before (unless you have a "Rereads" category, like I do).

Here is my list, the books that I have already read are in bold. The other books are the ones that I am tentatively planning to read to fulfill my categories. This is where you come in. If you see a book on my list and think you know of a better one to help me fill that category, I would love some advice!

**Nicholas Sparks**
1. The Choice
2. At First Site
3. A Walk To Remember
4. The Wedding
5. The Rescue
6. Dear John
7. A Bend In The Road
8. True Believer
9. Message In A Bottle

**Jodi Picoult**
1. My Sister's Keeper
2. Nineteen Minutes
3. Keeping Faith
4. The Pact
5. The Tenth Circle
6. Mercy
7. Perfect Match
8. Change Of Heart
9. Vanishing Acts

**Tudor Fiction/Henry's Wives**
1. The Boleyn Inheritance
2. The Last Boleyn
3. The Rose Without A Thorn
4. The Sixth Wife
5. Concubine
6. Murder Most Royal
7. Brief Gaudy Hour
8. The Secret Bride of Henry VIII
9. Mademoiselle Boleyn

**Other Historical Fiction**
1. The Heretic's Daughter
2. My Shadow Warrior
3. My Father Had A Daughter
4. Captain Wentworth's Diary
5. Darcy & Elizabeth
6. Courts of Love
7. Fallen Skies
8. The Fiery Cross
9. A Breath Of Snow & Ashes

**Chick Lit**
1. The Other Woman
2. One Fifth Avenue
3. The Host
4. Something Borrowed
5. Confessions Of A Shopaholic
6. Something Blue
7. Bridget Jones's Diary
8. The Beach House
9. Firefly Lane

**Classics**
1. Emma
2. Jane Eyre
3. Persuasion
4. Northanger Abbey
5. Little Women
6. Hard Times
7. Gone With The Wind
8. Mansfield Park
9. The Outsiders

**Georgette Heyer**
1. Lady Of Quality
2. These Old Shades
3. The Quiet Gentleman
4. The Convenient Marriage
5. Devil's Club
6. The Corinthian
7. The Grand Sophy
8. The Talisman Ring
9. Black Sheep

**Vampire Books**
1. Dead Until Dawn
2. Living Dead In Dallas
3. Club Dead
4. Dead To The World
5. Dead As A Doornail
6. Definitely Dead
7. All Together Dead
8. From Dead To Worse
9. Dead & Gone

**Rereads**
1. Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone
2. Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets
3. Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
5. Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix
6. Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince
7. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows
8. Twilight
9. New Moon

Have any replacement suggestions? Leave me a comment!