.25 is just for Satchel! Love him so much <3

Personally, I don’t drink coffee, so I resonated a lot more with this book with its celebration of bookshops and reading when compared to Legends and Lattes. The plot and characters were very compelling and, since Viv is still a mercenary in this one, we get more action than Legends and Lattes, which I found quite enjoyable, although the vibes are still very much warm and cozy. 

 

I definitely think you could pick up this book having never read Legends and Lattes. I listened to and enjoyed the audiobook, which was read by the author, Travis Baldree. I think that when the authors narrate their own stories, they tend to enhance the experience and this was no exception. Additionally, Travis Baldree has prior experience working as an audiobook narrator so the quality of his narration is incredible! (And yes, I actually looked that up after finishing this because his voice sounded so phenomenal.) 

 

Personally, I also really loved the themes (mild spoilers on the themes discussed in the remainder of this paragraph.) The book really centered on the value and importance of transient experiences and relationships within shaping our lives, which I found to be incredibly unique and refreshing. Additionally, these themes add a lot of value to this story considering that it is a prequel and we already know where Viv will end up long-term. 

 

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the arc!

This has such a lovely vibe to it, the atmosphere of this book was much cozier than I was expecting it to be.  I loved the story and the narrator did a wonderful job with bringing each character to life.

I actually haven't read Legends & Lattes yet but after this am definitely going to have to pick it up.  I loved the worldbuilding and the character development, the writing style was so pleasant.  This is the type of fantasy for me, there wasn’t a bunch of character names I needed to learn on the first page, and the plot was slow-paced in such a good way.  I was able to fully follow along and everything unraveled really well, the ending really brought in all the feels and I couldn’t be happier with it.  This book was amazing.

     

Thank you so much to the author, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)

Release Date: 07, November 2023

POV: Third Person

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Rep: Queer (MC)

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for this audiobook ARC of Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree in return for an honest review!

In Bookshops & Bonedust we meet young Viv, an orc merc with a love of bashing skulls, in what at first seems like the lowest moment of her career. Injured and feeling abandoned, Viv is healing from a stab wound in the sleepy seaside town of Murk while her associates in Rackam's Ravens are off trying to hunt down a dangerous necromancer. As luck would have it, Viv's uncanny ability to make friends puts her firmly in the middle of a cozy business restoration (readers of Legends and Lattes will find this familiar, but no less charming) as well as in the crosshairs of trouble. 

The book brings all the cozy fantasy energy that Legends and Lattes was praised for, with a more adventurous and involved plot. The bookshop elements up the cozy and familiar factor for readers in the best possible way, and with the lovable characters that fill the shops walls, it's easy to cheer for the inevitable happily ever after. 

Travis Baldree's ability to create a fantasy world that feels believable without getting lost in the weeds of unnecessary/ excessive world-building is commendable and makes it easy for any reader to enjoy the novel without feeling out of depth. Readers need not enter into the book with a vast knowledge of fantasy creatures and tropes, as while the inclusions are fun for those familiar, it is primarily set dressing for the warm story of interpersonal dynamics. 

This is the perfect prequel to Legends and Lattes and can be read before or after the cozy coffeeshop fantasy. I highly recommend this read to anyone looking for a read that will make them feel warm and well cared for. This book, much like Legends and Lattes, is the literary equivalent of a blanket and cozy fireplace on a cold winters' night. 

This book is so DELICIOUSLY COZY that it CURED my common cold—or at the very least it warmed me all the way up, gave me a kiss on the forehead, and made me feel a whole lot better! Wounded in her first venture as a mercenary, a young Viv washes up in a seaside town with a ramshackle bookshop and ends up finding fiction, friendship, first love, the mutually enriching relationship between small businesses and their community, and a little badass bone-busting adventure along the way! It’s hard to believe, but I loved Bookshops & Bonedust even more than Legends & Lattes and literally hugged this book when I finished it.