I can't say I "dove" into this one as much as I did his previous novel, Legends & Lattes. It's the same world, and is there anything better than a bookshop? I think the fact that this is a prequel threw me off. I think if this were any other main character I would have absolutely devoured this book.

We read the first book in this series for my D&D bookclub, and this one would be another great fit!

This series is great cozy, fantasy with a LitRPG/D&D bend addition for any collection.

An excellent prequel to Legends & Lattes. I cared about every character, even knowing Viv was going to leave them. It was a perfect balance of cozy and danger.

Legends & Lattes was my favorite book of 2022, by a WIDE margin, and I've spent the last two years enthusiastically screaming its praises to everyone I cross paths with, to the point of obnoxiousness. And with this prequel, Baldree proved he wasn't a one-hit wonder -- in these rough times, the world desperately needs more low-stakes high-fantasy of this caliber. Loved seeing barbarian Viv's earlier days, when she was a bit more brawns than brains, and the beginning of her blossoming into a reader/connoisseur of the finer things in life. (It's always so heart-warming/soul-nourishing, to see a person discover their passions and purpose in life -- especially when that person is queer/may have the deck stacked against them in some ways, as Viv does in a world that pre-judges orcs/barbarians.) A delightful read from start to finish, and I can't wait for the next gem from Baldree!

Cozy, fun, and so sweet. An excellent mini adventure that makes you fall in love with reading again. This book slows down both the characters and the reader - making both take a breath, have a snack, and devour a good book. Viv is a delight as usual, and the new characters are so charming and lovely.

This was an excellent prequel to Legends and Lattes. I love the atmosphere Baldree creates; it's both action-packed and cozy.

Such a cute and cozy read. I loved all the parts with Viv making friends, discovering her love of reading and spending time in a little bookshop in need of some tlc. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was all the stuff with the necromancer, I just didn’t care about any of it and would have preferred more bookshop shenanigans.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the e-arc, it was great getting to spend some time with Viv again

Travis Baldree does an amazing job at writing fun and engaging cozy fantasy stories. There's a reason that he is so popular right now. Set up as kind of a prequel to Legends & Lattes, Bookshops & Bonedust gives us a new perspective on Viv and her life at the bookshop.

It was fun and lighthearted and I liked the fact that I didn't have to read Legends & Lattes first to understand what was going on with the story or to connect with the characters.

Sweet cozy fantasy is the new thing, and we are here for it. Back in the world that gave us orcs making coffee to remind us that bookshops are the staple cozy setting for a reason.

Travis Baldree, you are now one of my auto-reads! Congrats!

Bookshops & Bonedust was a wonderful revisit into the world we all fell in love within Legends & Lattes. In this installment we met a young Viv who is seriously injured during a battle while chasing a necromancer and is left behind by the mercenary company Rackam's Ravens. During her recovery she explores the city of Murk. Her life tangents off in a new direction through her interactions with the proprietor of a suffering bookshop. Fern opens Viv's eyes with her perfect book suggestions. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, as this cozy fantasy has a touch of mystery but it was a joy to witness Viv emersed herself in the possibilities of a life that has nothing to do with battles.

Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I recommend!

Bookshops & Bonedust is the prequel to Legends & Lattes. This fantasy combines first love and secondhand books. I enjoyed the setting of the bookshop and the friendships that were made.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC! While not as successful debut, it was still lovely to be in this universe and with these characters. Out now!

We meet Viv as a young brash mercenary. Her impetuousness lands her in a small beach town recovering from a injury while the rest of her company moves on to deal with the necromancer who is their target.

The author gets the rainy-day-grey-sad-beach vibes right, and also the sunny-day-grassy-sandy-dunes-boardwalk atmosphere right too. I'm American but this felt sort of like a British seaside town vibe to me. Another thing that the author gets right is how difficult it can be to run an independent bookstore. Bookstores have a way of hooking into you and investing you in their success if you work in them at all and Viv finds herself spending time beating dusty rugs, giving the walls a new coat of paint, and finding thrift store furniture to make the place cosier.

Yet a third thing that the author gets right is the difficulty of recovering from an injury. Viv's hurt leg takes time to mend, she overdoes it and gives herself a setback, she has to slowly work her way into gradually getting better. It feels like a real presence instead of the way so many novels give lip service to the idea of injury but then go on to ignore it because it's inconvenient.

Viv doesn't think she's a reader but is convinced otherwise. I liked how what she's reading ends up coming up in her own life. She reads an adventure story and finds more adventure, reads a steamy romance and romance comes into her life, starts a mystery book and finds a murder to solve, reads a gothic novel and here comes the spooky stuff.

This was a great way to escape for a while into a world with some time on your hands and books to read, succulent baked goods and an adventure that wasn't too stressful.

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree is a charming and enjoyable read, though it didn’t quite reach the same heights as his debut, Legends & Lattes.

One of the highlights of this book is getting to explore the "origins" of the characters from Baldree’s first novel. It’s a delightful treat for fans who are eager to delve deeper into the backstories of these beloved figures. The cozy fantasy world that Baldree continues to build is as enchanting as ever, offering a comforting escape from more complex high-fantasy narratives.

The novel is a fun, light-hearted adventure that fits perfectly into the niche of accessible fantasy. For readers who appreciate a more relaxed pace and aren’t interested in getting bogged down by the lengthy tomes of high-fantasy literature, Bookshops & Bonedust is a perfect choice. It delivers the right amount of whimsy and warmth without overwhelming the reader.

Overall, while it may not surpass Legends & Lattes in terms of impact, Bookshops & Bonedust is a delightful addition to Baldree’s oeuvre. It’s a feel-good fantasy that continues to showcase his talent for creating immersive and cozy worlds.

An absolutely perfect prequel to Legends and Lattes. Endearing and action packed. Loved it and I can't wait to see what else Baldree does in the future!

Let’s start by saying this epilogue is 5 star worthy alone! This one is a sweet cozy prequel to Legends & Lattes. If you loved book one you’ll love this one as well. A sweet cozy fantasy in a bookshop, say less! I was totally here for it!

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review! All opinions are my own. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series and quite literally anything Travis Baldree puts out next! Such a magical fun time.

When I first came across the blurb for Legends and Lattes, I told another bookseller that it was either going to make it big and be fantastic, or it would be a cult classic. I think that he managed to achieve both, already! The second book in his set only builds on his excellent writing and a fun advancement for the series. I'm hoping to see a third come out!

Rating: 3.5
Overall, it was great to revisit Viv on one of her various adventures and get introduced to a whole new set of small town characters. While I did miss the atmosphere of the Legends & Lattes coffee shop the next best thing was a bookshop. I think this one definitely had more of a plot which may be a good or bad thing when it comes to cozy fantasies. I think this could of ALMOST been too much action to be considered cozy but I think the addition of the books and their excepts made for a more immersive read. I would recommend this if you really enjoyed the first one but I am glad I read Legends and Lattes first because I am not sure if it was enjoyable enough for me to have continued to the next book.

I received an ARC of this audiobook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A fun, low stakes follow up to Legends and Lattes! It might be my autism, but I love this type of book that harkens to the type of video where you run a coffee shop, run a pizzeria, all those good things. Problem presented? Problem solved! Problem presented? Character has new idea of how to run things! Plus a bit of intrigue and magick and necromancy never hurt anyone either. I loved the new characters we saw as well! Overall lovely way to pass an afternoon.

This book was exactly what I needed. The setting was incredible. I lived my dreams of owning a bookshop vicariously through our characters. If Travis wants to keep adding to this series then I will be sat and ready!