Too long!

I've been gone way too long since the last post. I read a good number of books - some of them pretty quickly, but as I was starting to list what I've read, I realized I spent a bit too much time finishing movies I'd checked out from the library (Sinner, Dear J, Quantum Leap: The First Season, and one or two more that I can't remember) - I haven't actually read as many books as I thought I had.

I finished The Citadel pretty easily a few days after I'd started it. I was quite amused by one of the first "treatments" used in the book - blowing up the sewer seems a bit unorthodox, but it worked. I enjoyed this book thoroughly - even if I was a bit annoyed at Andrew a bit at times, and I looked forward to more of A. J. Cronin's works.

After finishing that, I decided I should read the next book that was due as opposed to the next book I'd actually checked out from the library (I had renewed The Keys of the Kingdom), so I read Peter and the Sword of Mercy by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. I enjoyed this about as much as I enjoyed the three previous books in the series. Although I hadn't expected any more of these books, I'm quite glad it came. Some of the Peter Pan story that I'd wondered about a bit was answered in this book. Also, although it had been offered that Captain Hook and crew were going to get off of the island of Neverland, I didn't quite expect success - Peter Pan wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

This book took me less than a day to read - so I was able to return it pretty quickly and move on to the next book in my list (again the next one due, not the next one I'd checked out), Ghosts Among Us: Uncovering the Truth About the Other Side by James Van Praagh. This book was relatively good, but it didn't have as many ghost stories per se as I was expecting. I was amused by some of his stories - most memorable for me is perhaps the woman who was followed by a man with dark glasses - he thought he should know who this man was, but just couldn't figure it out. Then, after talking to the woman (whose name I've forgotten - sorry) he found out she was the widow of Roy Orbison - he commented that he was glad Roy Orbison still had his "Pretty Woman." I thought that was a cute story and comment. I do think it would be rather interesting to ask James Van Praagh why he based Melinda's character on the experiences of a friend of his, rather than on his own - my main guess is that it's to match gender better - otherwise perhaps he thought there would be more story possibilities this way. Who knows (well, presumably, he does)?

Having finished that I moved on to The Keys of the Kingdom by A. J. Cronin. I enjoyed this story quite well too (although I wanted to yell at/complain about some of the characters at times). I had expected to enjoy this story as I'd already seen the Gregory Peck movie version of it - this also led to me picturing all (or at least most) of the characters as the actors from the movie. Again, finishing this story didn't take too long, but it took me a bit longer as I'd started making my way through the movies I had from the library.

Having finished that, I moved onto the book I'm currently reading, The Phoenix Transformed: Book Three of the Enduring Flame by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. I've read all five books that precede this one (although not quite in the proper order - first the first book of this trilogy, then the three books of the preceding trilogy, then book two of this one). I'm not quite sure what's going to happen, but I'm rather enthralled. Finishing up those movies, as well as watching the Olympics a bit has distracted me from finishing the book, but hopefully I'll get to finish it soon (I hope to return it to the library when I work next).

One more thing distracted me a bit from this book - the next Junie B. Jones book was returned on Saturday, so that afternoon I spent a little time reading Junie B., First-Grader, Shipwrecked by Barbara Park. It was about like the rest of the series so far. Her commentary and thought process are quite amusing at times, although I also quite understand the opinions of the adults in her life as well.