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tracey_stewart's review against another edition
5.0
Josh Lanyon was a sort of accidental discovery, starting with an almost guilty purchase from Samhain Publishing - I just won't tell anyone about the smut I read… But this isn't smut. This is good stuff, a well-done cozy mystery (!) (in that the primary investigator is a mystery writer, these are cozies) with a couple of steamy (but not appallingly explicitly steamy) scenes worked in.
All She Wrote is number two in the "Holmes and Moriarity" series – and that extra "I" in Moriarity (and the way it's handled) makes me happy, makes it less an eye-catching gimmick and more a sort of joke shared with the main characters. Christopher (Kit) Holmes is crotchety, set in his ways, fragile of confidence hiding behind a veneer of apparent arrogance, and loath to trust in good fortune since it usually comes with a sting in its tail, and I love to share his point of view. And J.X. Moriarity, the long-suffering and gorgeous… Yeah.
I enjoyed the writing, so very much. A snarky, funny first-person POV, self-deprecating – the latter masking deep, deep, bleak insecurity – and with just a hint of Lord Peteresque blather. ("He who argues with a fool is a bigger fool. Or drunk. And I was neither. I wasn't drunk, anyway. Worse luck.") It's incisive and clear-sighted, and Lanyon via Kit delivers solid observation with a flair of humor ("This went beyond talent and hard work, this was gifted. This was the kind of acuity you were either born with or you weren't. Like having perfect pitch or Brad Pitt's cheekbones.")
And for fun here's a quote I would l like on my gravestone, if I have one: "Did I mention I hate driving in snow? It should go without saying."
Wonderful quotes:
I threw a quick look back at J.X. His weary, drawn face reminded me of a young, handsome Don Quixote. I wouldn't have been surprised to spot pieces of broken windmill scattered in the sheets around him.
He scooped up Victoria practically before she hit the ground, well within the five-second rule. If she'd been a potato chip, he could have still eaten her. Not something I particularly wanted to contemplate.
All She Wrote is number two in the "Holmes and Moriarity" series – and that extra "I" in Moriarity (and the way it's handled) makes me happy, makes it less an eye-catching gimmick and more a sort of joke shared with the main characters. Christopher (Kit) Holmes is crotchety, set in his ways, fragile of confidence hiding behind a veneer of apparent arrogance, and loath to trust in good fortune since it usually comes with a sting in its tail, and I love to share his point of view. And J.X. Moriarity, the long-suffering and gorgeous… Yeah.
I enjoyed the writing, so very much. A snarky, funny first-person POV, self-deprecating – the latter masking deep, deep, bleak insecurity – and with just a hint of Lord Peteresque blather. ("He who argues with a fool is a bigger fool. Or drunk. And I was neither. I wasn't drunk, anyway. Worse luck.") It's incisive and clear-sighted, and Lanyon via Kit delivers solid observation with a flair of humor ("This went beyond talent and hard work, this was gifted. This was the kind of acuity you were either born with or you weren't. Like having perfect pitch or Brad Pitt's cheekbones.")
And for fun here's a quote I would l like on my gravestone, if I have one: "Did I mention I hate driving in snow? It should go without saying."
Wonderful quotes:
I threw a quick look back at J.X. His weary, drawn face reminded me of a young, handsome Don Quixote. I wouldn't have been surprised to spot pieces of broken windmill scattered in the sheets around him.
He scooped up Victoria practically before she hit the ground, well within the five-second rule. If she'd been a potato chip, he could have still eaten her. Not something I particularly wanted to contemplate.
malus23's review against another edition
3.0
Kit is once again extremely whiny in this one, and the culprit was very very obvious way too soon. In spite of that, it was enjoyable. Like the first one, I felt like there was a tribute/gentle mockery of some older mysteries, that sense of the author having a fondness for old cheesy favorites, while being aware of their flaws. This isn't a deep mystery to stretch your brain on, it's just fun little fluff, and sometimes that's ok.
teri_dost's review against another edition
2.0
Pořád nevím, co si o téhle knize (sérii) myslet... a i když jsem si asi tak první půlku knihy myslela, že druhý díl bude lepší, než ten první, tak se to úplně nestalo.
Ta knížka (série jako taková) stojí na super základech - fajn hlavní postavy (i když Holmes by mohl být méně patetický a JX zase o něco méně dokonalý), základní dej je taky fajn (autor detektivek, který sám řeší případy), ale to provedení už je nic moc - zejména proto, že autorka se tomu nevěnuje dostatečně a má zbytečně rychlé konce, kdy zrovna tahle knížka by si zasloužila tak 70, 80 stran navíc.
Když to shrnu, není to špatné, ale nic extra od toho nelze čekat... to mě ale určitě nezastaví od přečtení si dalších dílů!
Ta knížka (série jako taková) stojí na super základech - fajn hlavní postavy (i když Holmes by mohl být méně patetický a JX zase o něco méně dokonalý), základní dej je taky fajn (autor detektivek, který sám řeší případy), ale to provedení už je nic moc - zejména proto, že autorka se tomu nevěnuje dostatečně a má zbytečně rychlé konce, kdy zrovna tahle knížka by si zasloužila tak 70, 80 stran navíc.
Když to shrnu, není to špatné, ale nic extra od toho nelze čekat... to mě ale určitě nezastaví od přečtení si dalších dílů!
sonovahades's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
scribblinaway's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
3.0
emmascc's review against another edition
4.0
oh my god ????? i cannot believe anyone would do to kit im outraged for him and then to say that about j.x. on top of that??? i will fight
estelleisreading's review against another edition
2.0
Alright, it wasn't much better. I liked the murder mystery plotline and J.X (how do you pronunce that?) but that's about it.
I still can't picture the main character, Christopher. He keeps referring to himself as old, wrinkly, out of shape, he has a bad back and so on. It's hard not to picture a very old man when in reality he is 40! On top of that, his personality frankly sucks. Fat shaming, weird gay stereotypes, he whines all the time. He is such an unpleasant character, I don't understand why J.X finds him so interesting...
The sex scenes were awkward and cringy. Odd choice of words and weird metaphors.
Anyway, I'm calling it quits. I can't keep going just for the mysteries.
Rep: gay mcs
Cw: fat shaming
I still can't picture the main character, Christopher. He keeps referring to himself as old, wrinkly, out of shape, he has a bad back and so on. It's hard not to picture a very old man when in reality he is 40! On top of that, his personality frankly sucks. Fat shaming, weird gay stereotypes, he whines all the time. He is such an unpleasant character, I don't understand why J.X finds him so interesting...
The sex scenes were awkward and cringy. Odd choice of words and weird metaphors.
Anyway, I'm calling it quits. I can't keep going just for the mysteries.
Rep: gay mcs
Cw: fat shaming
jace_in_books's review against another edition
4.0
Cz:Bylo to o něco slabší než první díl, ale od chvíle co se zas objevil Jx to bylo ohromně žhavý. Moje výhoda je, že nejsem schopnej uhodnout vraha, takže sem si to užíval až do konce, ale myslím, že kdybych byl dobrej v odhadovamí vrahů tak by mě to tolik nebavilo
tanilian's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5