Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes)

Product Information

Spending her hours at a struggling bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted. Even though it may be exactly what she needs. Still, adventure isn't far away. A suspicious traveller in grey, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected. Thank you to Tor Books for sending me a copy of Bookshops and Bonedust in exchange for an honest review. This is the premise of Bookshops and Bonedust. And I guarantee you whether you have read Legends and Lattes or not will influence your experience of Bookshops and Bonedust, even though this is designed to be a standalone novel in the series as well. Except maybe for the epilogue that would make more sense and impact if you have read Legends and Lattes. But if you have read Legends and Lattes first, there is the possibility the stakes of the plotline will feel even lower than it should be. That is the nature of this book as a prequel. You will know Viv’s fate in Legends and Lattes already, and the dangers she faces in this novel will feel more minimal. Every reader will have a different reaction, but personally, this is a cozy fantasy. Stakes and dangers were never in my mind when I started reading Bookshops and Bonedust. If Legends and Lattes is a story about starting something new, no matter how late it is in your life, then well, Bookshops and Bonedust is about planting the seeds of hope that the change in life is possible. This book perfectly balances the cosiness and the adventure. It definitely has higher stakes and more conflict than in L&L yet it never loses that great sense of comfort that both books nurture. That is the one thing I could say over and over and over again about this book; it is astoundingly comforting. I loved all the community of Murk, every single character brought such life to it. And, for me, a bookshop is the ultimate place of comfort. There could have been no better setting for this story. Travis Baldree is the master of making his books feel like a warm hug. I was so happy to see it pop up in my Kindle yesterday, like a surprise birthday present, but your birthday isn't for six months.

Viv's journey is not unlike traditional tales of a traveling hero trapped in unforeseen circumstances. It hits a lot of the tropes and isn't really shy about it either. Viv becomes engrained in the small community she has temporarily made her home, making acquaintances with several people that help her and Fern bring new life to the struggling bookstore. Viv even finds time for romance, charming the dwarf who owns the local bakery, Maylee. It's like a Hallmark Christmas movie but with a Dungeons & Dragons motif. This is not a nail-biter of a book: the reader never truly worries that she will end up homeless and destitute—the stakes are never quite that high. Rather, the challenge is whether she will give up on her dream and whether she is willing to continue trusting herself and the path that she has chosen and, more importantly, whether she is willing to ask for help—or, more critically, accept when others offer the help she so willingly and unquestioningly gives to strangers.Because I'm headed down the hill, and you're headed up it. I'm just glad we chanced to meet on the way."

Read by the author, a talented and animated fantasy narrator who also voiced Legends, the book presents a colorful cast of new and familiar characters that is sure to ensorcell and delight listeners." — Booklist While the stakes may have been low, the book certainly wasn’t dull. It was really exciting and interesting. I enjoyed the storyline surrounding the bookshop. This was very much in the spirit of Legends and Lattes so it felt like a fantastic prequel. I also enjoyed Viv learning to be more than just a fearsome warrior. When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn’t always what we seek.There was a wee romance arc with the baker Maylee . Maylee was an ex warrior and instantly was intrigued by Viv. I liked their relationship and how they bonded over a shared past despite being in different phases in their lives. Bookshops & Bonedust" is set an indeterminate amount of time before "Legends & Lattes" taking place in a beach town called Murk, where Viv has found herself stranded for several weeks while recuperating from battle wounds. Having nothing but free time on her hands, Viv befriends a local book merchant named Fern, and helps her around the shop in exchange for free books. Fern, a giant mouse who wears a charming cape and has a gryphon puppy named Potroast, is struggling to keep her shop open due to a decline in business and passion for her trade. Travis Baldree's narration is excellent as always. He gives each character a distinct and easily recognized voice and personality. His narration really brought this story and its characters to life.

It’s with incredible pleasure that I learned I had the chance to review the second book set in this world—which came out just today, November 7, 2023. Bookshops & Bonedust is a prequel that takes place 20 years before Legends & Lattes. In this book, we meet a much younger Viv who has just started her career as an adventurer. Her career gets waylaid (and potentially derailed) by an injury, and she's left behind in a small seaside village to recover. As Viv regains her strength and starts to move around town, we get to know the town and its inhabitants along with her. I fell in love with the place. With its immersive worldbuilding and charming characters, Bookshops & Bonedust is every bit as delightful as its predecessor. A spellbinding read that somehow manages to be both gripping and restful." - Heather Fawcett The most fun I've ever had in a coffee shop.”—Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of LondonI started the book worried about it not having my favorite characters and ended up falling in love with a whole other town! I cried at the end - a lot. There's no telling how long with book hangover will last.