This was probably in my top three books of the year. I loved it even more than Legends & Lattes and I adored that title too. It was a delight to catch Viv earlier in her life and see when she first witnessed a smaller and quieter life early in her career, which ended up staying with her to inspire her cafe much later. All of the characters were an absolute delight and the diversity of creatures and identities felt very natural. Baldree's narration is SO satisfying too. Do not sleep on the audio! His accents and delivery have a true storybook quality.

At its face, one might think this book is just a fun romp of magical creatures, but it goes much deeper than that. The growth and conversations and reflections that Viv and her friends experience are a generous mirror of what actually makes our own contemporary lives most rewarding: having trusted companions and a sense of community, welcoming new experiences, being open-minded, finding meaning in art, and discovering and reinvesting in one's passions.