Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - Sagas & Sable d'Os

Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Sagas & Sable d'Os by Travis Baldree

51 reviews

cocoamoovamp's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious relaxing medium-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? Yes

4.75

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lucyatoz's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-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? Yes

3.0

"High Fantasy. First Loves. Second-Hand Books."

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree is another cosy fantasy that you could almost fall asleep to! Almost...

This novel is a prequel to Legends & Lattes, taking a peek at Orc Viv's life before opening a coffee shop in Thune. Following a battle, Viv is injured and ends up in the seaside town of Murk, where she makes friends with Fern, owner of a rundown bookshop, and her furry pet Potroast. Between reading books recommended by Fern, she has a summer fling with the gnome owner of the nearby bakery, Maylee, clashes with the town doctor Highlark and Gatewarden Iridia, gets into a fight, which lands her a night in jail and battles not once but twice with a necromaner.

I borrowed a copy of this book from Taunton Library and listened to it on cloudLibrary. As with his first novel, Travis Baldree was the audiobook narrator, which I appreciated. I read this for the 52 Book Club Summer Reading Challenge 2024, for prompt 21, team football/soccer, double letter word in the title.

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creationwing's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-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

4.0

Enjoyable prequel to L&L, with loveable characters I'd like to see more of. That said, I almost wish there were fewer so we could explore a few relationships more deeply.
This book is not as strong as the other in terms of having a cozy setting, I would say. The nature of Viv being there to recuperate means that she cannot build a hearth and home. The

looming threat once she gains the sword

also makes it difficult to settle into the cozier scenes in the latter half.
As always, the narration by Baldree is well done, and helps to immerse with the world.

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bear_ridge_tarot's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Viv’s career with the mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned. She was wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer and is packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy town of Murk. So far the only action she has to look forward to is staring out at the ocean. Spending her free time at a beleaguered bookshop.

I enjoyed this cozy read. I read this before reading Legends and Lattes, so was not disappointed in the similar plotlines. It was just enough action to satisfy the D&D player in me but not not so much that it took away from the flow of the narrative.

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s3ag0at's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

Solid. Delivers more of the world in little snippets that feel natural rather than lore dumping.

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lakea's review against another edition

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adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-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? Yes

4.75

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renyoi's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-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? Yes

5.0

Another score for Travis Baldree. It’s difficult to make a prequel that doesn’t fall into what I like to call the “Young Sheldon Problem,” wherein a character cannot learn or change too much lest it risk undermining or ret-conning the original story, but Baldree does it beautifully.

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beckyyreadss's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

I wanted to read this book because I loved and adored the first book in this series and when I saw he was making this book in the series, I was so excited what it was going to be about. I was a little nervous with it being a prequel but was so happy it still included Viv.

This book is based on Viv the orc barbarian, who we met in Legends & Lattes and her career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam’s Raven isn’t going as planned. She has been wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer and she is packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk, the town is so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it. What's a thwarted soldier of fortune to do? Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn’t possibly imagine. Still, adventure isn’t all that far away. A suspicious traveller, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful that Viv could have ever expected.

This storyline was so full of action but was still very relaxing at the same time. I loved jumping back in this world and still wanted to spend the whole book giving Viv a hug. I loved the themes that are in this book – the found family, the LBGT representation and the females in this book kicking ass and taking names. I loved the side characters; they were all built and had their own characters developments as well as Viv. Just like the previous book in this series, I liked that the fantasy was basic and would recommend this book to anyone who doesn’t know if they like fantasy or don’t want the complicated world-building. Even though it was an adventurous book, I loved the bookish vibes with the bookstore still being the focus of this book, but that there was also a serious storyline, and you wanted them to success and defeat the villain.

I did miss the cozy, autumn vibes that we got from Legends & Lattes. The pacing of this book did lag a bit in the middle, I was finding myself struggling to push through to the end, but then the action started, and it picked up towards the end.

I would love for Travis to write another book in this universe and with these characters. But if he writes anything else, I will probably read it as well.

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onegalonelife27's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-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? Yes

5.0

This is such a delightful prequel, it’s interesting to see Viv-itching for a fight, ready to attack verusu the Viv we were introduced to in Legends & Lattes, ready to settle down. As its said in the book, a seed was planted in Viv on this journey that takes root.

Oh to be able to read by the ocean~

This one does have more excitement, more action than in Legends and Lattes with a necromancer on the loose and a mysterious man running around...

I also love the idea a fictional world having its own fictional stories-like when do we hear about the kinds of stories that D&D characters sit down and read? There’s been a bit more in media, but little peeks at the kinds of stories a world tells itself is great! Also love Viv’s reaction to some of the more spicier recommendations.

I also love Fern, the swearing book shop owner that becomes Viv’s friends through her time of healing. I’m a lover of a heavy swearer and someone who keeps a dream going as hard as it is. Viv provides a breath of fresh air to the old shop, coming up with ideas to add more customers and fix up the shop too. I work in a bookstore so I’m quite familiar with some of their ideas-well minus the fresh coat of paint.

A lovely book that you want to just curl up with!

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