Sunday Post/Mailbox Monday 9/29/19: Goodbye September

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog…
Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists….

Hello everyone. Poof! Just like that, September is just about over. Here comes October and for me, this is when I feel that Fall has really arrived. We have had some beautiful weather these past two weeks. It is still warm and it has been in the upper 80’s but in the mornings and in the evenings it cools down. And we’ve had nice breezy days, Fall is definitely in the air. I love the foliage colors this time of year as the leaves turn vibrant colors.

Onto my bookish updates….

The Tower of Songs (A Duck Darley Novel) by Casey Barrett

source: free review copy courtesy of BookTrip / Meryl Moss Media
title: The Tower of Songs (A Duck Darley Novel)
author: Casey Barrett
published: 2019
genre: crime thriller
pages: 326
first line: Danny Soto opened the door to find Mr. Sun flanked by a pair of female bodyguards.
rated: 4 out of 5 stars

blurb:
Embracing an improbable stretch of sobriety, unlicensed P.I. Duck Darley has proven himself stronger than the temptations that loom in the shadows of New York City. But the familiar pull of self-destruction lingers like garbage in July when Layla Soto, a sharp-tongued Park Avenue teenager with a family as screwed up as his own, presents a twisted missing-persons case he can’t refuse . . .

Layla saw video evidence of her billionaire father being abducted from their home—at the top of the tallest residential tower on earth. She suspects her grandmother, a Chinese social climber on husband number three, orchestrated the act to silence her only son. Duck agrees to investigate the hedge funder’s disappearance, if only for the rush of a new thrill—and an excuse to reconcile with Cass Kimball, his leather-clad sometime partner who nearly got him killed . . .

As the unlikely duo become immersed in a high-stakes ransom linked to the international drug trade and the delicate relations between the two most powerful nations on earth, survival means trusting no one. Because when confronting absolute power, certain forces will stop at nothing to bury the truth.

my thoughts:
The Tower of Songs is book 3 in author Casey Barrett’s Duck Darley series but this thrilling book reads fine as a stand alone.

As the story starts off we witness billionaire Danny Soto being abducted. Fast forward to his teenage daughter Layla and her mom hiring private detective Duck Darley to find her missing father. They have video of Danny Soto being abducted from their penthouse in Manhattan. Layla tells Duck she suspects her grandmother Nai Nai is involved. Nai Nai is the mysterious matriarch of the family and she is well connected.

Caught Up in a Cowboy by Jennie Marts

source: free review copy courtesy of NetGalley / SourceBooks
title: Caught Up in a Cowboy (Cowboys of Creedence)
author: Jennie Marts / Twitter
genre: contemporary romance
pages: 334
published: May 2018
first line: Bits of gravel flew behind the tires of the convertible, and Rockford James swore as he turned onto the dirt road leading to the Triple J Ranch.
rated: 4 out of 5

blurb:
This cowboy plays to win

Rockford James was raised as a tried and true cowboy in a town crazy about ice hockey. Rock is as hot on the ice as he is on a horse, and the NHL snapped him up. Now, injuries have permanently benched him. Body and pride wounded, he returns to his hometown ranch to find that a lot has changed. The one thing that hasn’t? His feelings for high school sweetheart and girl-next-door Quinn Rivers.

Quinn had no choice but to get over Rock after he left. Teenaged and heartbroken, she had a rebound one night stand that ended in single motherhood. Now that Rock’s back—and clamoring for a second chance—Quinn will do anything to avoid getting caught up in this oh-so-tempting cowboy…

my thoughts:
Caught Up in a Cowboy is the first in the Cowboys of Creedence series by Jennie Marts. This book has been sitting in my Nook since last year and I finally made the time to read it last week. I am glad I did.

First of all, can I just mention the cover. THAT is how you put a cowboy on a cover. Simple yet effective.

Crochet in a Day: 42 Fast & Fun Projects by Salena Baca

source: Netgalley / Rowman & Littlefield
title: Crochet in a Day: 42 Fast & Fun Projects
designers: by Salena Baca, Danyel Pink and Emily Truman
genre: crochet patterns / arts and crafts
published: Stackpole Books (April 1, 2019)
pages: 152 pages
rated: 4 out of 5

blurb:
Looking for a quick crochet fix? Crochet in a Day has 42 sure-to-please patterns that can all be started and finished in a day or less. From wearables like cowls, hats, slippers, and even a poncho, to home items like place mats, dish cloths, and baskets, every item will crochet up fast!

This is a book you will turn to again and again when looking for a fun, speedy project that doesn’t require a large time or yarn commitment. Perfect for using up stash yarn or to create something from that perfect skein you were saving, these patterns are creative, colorful, modern, and stylish. Get your hook ready, and crochet something today!

my thoughts:
Crochet in a Day: 42 Fast & Fun Projects contains several crochet projects that are meant to be worked up in one day. I myself don’t really ever look for the time a crochet project will take but these types of projects are nice for when you are looking for something a little faster and easier. I would say the patterns here are for beginners and on and some of the patterns are a little bit more advanced using techniques like Tunisian crochet.

“My favorite types of crochet projects are the ones that look complicated by are actually quick to work up. The pieces I’ve created for this collection use yarns that are readily sourced or substituted and are easy to approach with stunning results.”-Crochet in a Day: 42 Fast & Fun Projects 

Sunday Post/Mailbox Monday 9/15/19: Fall is Coming

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog…
Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists….

I cannot believe that September is halfway through. It is flying right on by. I am enjoying the change of weather and some of the days still feel very summery. I didn’t read as much as I wanted to this past week. I was so busy at work that I just kind of watched TV and fell asleep early most nights. And I wanted to see the Harvest Moon on Friday night but I totally missed it. Did you see it?

Onto my weekly updates…