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Archive for February, 2013

Book 7 in the 2013 Book List: Blood Work by Michael Connelly

Thursday, February 21st, 2013

Blood Work by Michael Connelly
Finished: February 20
This is a book that is and isn’t a part of the Bosch series. It is a part of it because somehow it will fit in to the actual Bosch books down the road, it isn’t because it has nothing to do with Bosch himself.
I really enjoyed this book, I really really liked the main character, Terry McCaleb.
In some odd ways I felt a connection with him, like 2 kindred spirits.
This did make me want to read a related/not so related book in the Bosch series called “The Poet” since it was referenced a few times. I give this book an A+!
If I could stomach orange juice, I might have started drinking it after this book.
Instead I settled for orange juice with a little vodka, drinking for Terry.
I really don’t suggest reading these out of order, but this book was better than I thought it would be since it didn’t have Bosch in it, and I want more Terry McCaleb books!
Thank you Mr. Connelly, you find a way to make me like all of your main good characters!

I look forward to getting back to this series, but it will have to wait till I finish Dresden, it’s that time of the month. šŸ™‚
That time of the month where I got a new shiny Audible credit and cashed it in on the next Dresden book and can’t wait to see what my other favorite detective type is up to!
Well, that’s it for now.
Go grab a Bosch book, a Dresden Book, or any of my books I have gave glowing recommendations to thus far.
I promise, I have good taste in books. šŸ™‚

TaTa,
Amanda Ellen

Book 6 in the 2013 Book List: Gone Girl: a Novel by Gillian Flynn

Thursday, February 21st, 2013

Finished February19
Gone Girl: A Novel by Gillian Flynn
Ok, so this book was a suggestion by RO and her 2012 book list. Her post on it is here
This book is amazing, and I agree with RO, don’t read anything but these 2 posts before reading… just don’t do it!
Grab this book and get ready for an amazing mystery! I spent the whole time trying to figure out who did it, why, where, and everything just to have it all be wrong in the end.
A missing wife sounds quite tradgic, and of course the husband is always the first suspect… but did he really do it?
Read this book and find out.
I can’t give this book enough praises. Taylor didn’t like the ending, but even he couldn’t stop listening once he caught on to the story line!
Go get it, go get it now!

TaTa,
Amanda Ellen

The reality of a raise in minimum wage by Amanda B.

Tuesday, February 19th, 2013

So, you think a hike in minimum wage is great?
Yeah, think again!
I hate this and people that are ā€œsupposed to be business majorsā€, have exacerbated my patience with stupidityā€¦.
Yes, in theory a hike in minimum sounds great to the McDonalds person flippin burgers, or to that girl over there ringing people up at the grocery storeā€¦
But I think people fail to realize that everything that sounds ā€œgoodā€ comes with its own set of consequences.
Case in point, Federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 here in the states; Obama wants to make it a flat $9.00ā€¦
Sound good?
Yeah it does, until it doesnā€™t.
Think about this, that cheeseburger that you get at McDonalds for a dollar?
That person is paid $7.25 to make that burgerā€¦
If that person now has to be paid $9 an hour to make the same burger, then your $1 cheeseburger isnā€™t going to stay $1 anymore.
That person working on the assembly lines up in Detroit putting your ā€œAmerican madeā€ cars together?
Yeah, minimum wage doesnā€™t affect them directly, but minimum wage is raised, these people will want more money for what they do.
That nice Ford or Chevy car/truck/Van you have just went up in price significantly.
Oh, you have a job as an assembly line worker, a telemarketer making minimum wage?
Well, hereā€™s the thingā€¦
Companies are almost always about the bottom dollar. If it is going them $9 right now to keep you sitting there doing your job and only $ 2 to have someone in India do it, guess where your job is going?
This equals a much higher unemployment rate in the United States because too many people donā€™t feel the need to better themselves and get educated.
Yeah, it costs a lot of money to go to college, but guess what? You get a degree or certificate of some kind, then that whole minimum wage thing is less likely to affect you directly.
I donā€™t think people realize that yes big box companies like Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Kroger seem like they make up the majority of the market out thereā€¦ but honestly the majority of the market is small business.
The big box stores might take most of the market share, I wonā€™t deny that, but small business is the most dominant kind of business out there.
Those small businesses canā€™t absorb higher labor costs because the President doesnā€™t think we are paying people enough to make a hamburgerā€¦
Ok, so maybe minimum wage doesnā€™t cover cost of living anymore.
But whose fault is that?
The same people wanting a hike in minimum wage!
If people wouldnā€™t have been completely ignorant and stupid by taking out loans that they knew they wouldnā€™t be able to make the payments for, or even if heaven forbid, people did the research on the kind of loan someone offers you before you take it.
If those things were different, and if the housing market and bankers werenā€™t so greedy, then we would not have this recession, insane amounts of inflation, and that $7.25 people make now to flip burgers and ā€œtake my orderā€ could live pretty close to the rest of society.
No, they wonā€™t drive brand new nice cars, have name brand clothes, and may even have to bargain shop, but guess what?
No one ever said life would be easy, and no one ever said everything would be handed to you.
Yes, I am blind; yes I live on the government right now.
Know what Iā€™m doing about it?
I am educating myself, bettering myself, and creating a portfolio of skills that will appeal to employers so that I can earn my money, pay taxes, and have nice things.
Trust me; the government doesnā€™t pay me much better than minimum wage pays Joe Blow down the street working at Burger King.
You donā€™t hear me screaming for increases to my Social Security check all the time!
People need to step up and learn to take responsibility for their own life, play poker with the cards you are dealt, put your big girl/boy panties on and get on with life!
All I can say is that raising the minimum wage will be negated when companies start raising prices for everything to cover that new extra labor costs, start moving jobs overseas to save on labor costs and millions of Americans are left without jobs, and everyone that called for minimum wage increases will be stuck with their thumb up their ass wondering what in the hell happened!
I mean time will be standing in my own little corner shaking my head and saying ā€œI told you this would happen.ā€
So, donā€™t get me wrong, people who can only do minimum wage jobs deserve to live like the rest of society, but if you make it where the minimum wage people can live like upper middle class for a bit, then the whole shit and shebang will come crashing down on all of us.
I think Iā€™ve finished my rant for todayā€¦.
Remember kids, not everything that shines is gold, sometimes itā€™s just spray painted dog shit!
HAHA
TaTa,
Amanda Ellen

Book 5 in the 2013 Book List: Angels Flight (Harry Bosch Series) by Michael Connally

Sunday, February 10th, 2013

Angels Flight (Harry Bosch series) by Michael Connally

finished: February 10

I don’t know where to really start with this book. It’s one I picked up last year and tried to read and got side tracked by any number of things.
I do like Harry Bosch, in fact he ranks on my list of favorite fictional detectives, but I cannot honestly say this was my favorite Harry Bosch book.
It was really slow in the beginning which is probably why it allowed me to get side tracked so easily…
but toward the middle and end, the book was great…
but I do have to say Mr. Connally, either I am getting smarter, or you slipped up in Angels Flight because I figured out half the “who done it?” half way through the book!
Even before Bosch and his partners put anything together, I feel super smart now!
For those of you that have red Connaly before, you know what I’m talking about!! He never ends it with who you “think” it is.. but he did get me on the second half.. I’ll give him that!
I really did not like how this book ended, especially since the next book is not Bosch specifically, it is a Bosch related book, if that makes sense.
Anyways, I have 10 or so days till the next Dresden book graces me with its presence, I should be able to get another Bosch book done by then. šŸ™‚
Plus, I am about a third of the way through my alternative book too. That one really is starting to grab my interest!
I guess that’s what I’ll leave you with, extreme vagueness.. only because I don’t want to give anything away.
Poor Bosch! šŸ™

TaTa,
Amanda Ellen

Book 4 in the 2013 Book List: Death Masks (The Dresden Files series book 5) by Jim Butcher

Thursday, February 7th, 2013

Finished: February 5
Death Masks (The Dresden Files series book 5) by Jim Butcher

Yeah, so I have started the new habit of reading 2 books simultaneously. I find I have the chance to read more that way.
This is book 5 in the Dresden series, and certainly 1 of the most entertaining by far.
This has a religious touch to it since it deals with “the shroud” the one Jesus was wrapped in for burial.
Taylor and I both really enjoyed this book. I love the narrator, I love the way the author writes the books… there’s always something funny, serious, and a little of everything in each book!
Plus, Taylor enjoyed it since a certain character wasn’t around much in this one. *rolls eyes*
I really enjoyed it because a new favorite character of mine that showed up in book 3 came back in this one.
He’s a playboy vampire, and he is just hillarious! Thomas showed up in book 3 and has been a “friend” to Dresden ever since.
This book has a lot of action to it, but it just left me wanting book 6!
Damn having to wait for more Audible credits!
Look out for one of the next couple of posts, I am currently reading a suggested book! šŸ™‚
Anyways, I am close to brain fried, and don’t want to ruin this post anymore than I already have!
Go read the Dresden series, I highly suggest it!
TaTa,

Book 3 in the 2013 Book List: Area 51 by Bob Mayer, Robert Doherty

Thursday, February 7th, 2013

Area 51 by Bob Mayer, Robert Doherty

finished: February 5
Ok, so I’ve been lazy and a little sick so I am just slightly behind on posting completed books.
Here’s the first one…
This book was a grab from an Audible sale. The publishers summary sounded great so I thought I’d give it a try for $5.
Let me tell you, the book is ok, not great. It is a little strange, but I managed to get past it. I mean, after all, it is a fictional book about Area 51!
It is a part of a drawn out series which I do not think I am inclined to continue. I had my curiosity satisfied by the one book, and think I’ll return to my more normal reading selections.
It puts an interesting spin on some history, but honestly, I did not see the need for a whole series. Maybe one day my curiosity will arise again and I might check out book 2.
But yeah, if you like aliens and government conspiracies, then certainly check out this book. The narrator was ok, he narrated a book I read last year that had something to do with ghosts. That was a better book than this one! lol
Also, I am not sure what the deal is with the author, it sounds like it is 1 author that uses 2 names on one book. Kinda weird if you ask me! lol
Anyways, that’s it for this one…

TaTa,
Amanda Ellen