A lovely and cozy companion to the first book by Baldree. I liked getting some backstory on young Viv, and seeing her have to get her feet under her (literally and emotionally) as she settled into the seaside village. The bookstore was great, the supporting characters were well-rounded, and the mystery/adventure sucked me in.

This was very cute. It wasn't quite as charming as the first book by Travis Baldree (I think because it's hard to top something so unexpectedly charming) but that doesn't mean it's not lovely. Books about books are great, getting to know Viv in the past was cute, and seeing some more action and slightly higher stakes was a really fun way to go about this. Also, Satchel is my favorite character in all the series, and the end of this was just *chef's kiss*.
Very well done overall!

4/5 Stars

I ADORED Legends and Lattes and was very excited to be approved to read an advanced copy of the prequel.

This prequel follows a young Viv after an injury and she is benched by her mercenary band to recover. Through her recovery she takes up the hobby of reading!

So many of the characters had me laughing out loud and there were a couple lines of dialog that made me want to cry. I loved having the opportunity to immerse myself in this world for a second time.

This book is every bit as delightful as the first and every DnD player and fantasy reader alike will love! The cast of characters is every bit as colorful, fun, and loveable as to be expected from Baldree's work!

I loved this follow-up prequel to Legends & Lattes. Learning more about Viv's past, while still only getting a glimpse of her heroics, was fun.

It’s a fine book, if very much a retread of familiar ground to anyone who read Legends & Lattes. There are places where Viv’s inner monologue gets tiresomely repetitive, and the romance element feels rather thin. But it’s a quick read and a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.

First, I have to admit that I haven't read the first book. So I went into this not sure of connections to Baldree's previous work. That said, I think this still works as a great standalone novel. The characters are great and I can sympathize with some of them as a fellow book lover. I think Baldree weaves the multiple plots together well to give depth to the world and to help us learn more about and connect with the characters. If you're a fan of Dungeons and Dragons, or that type of fantasy world in general, then consider giving Bookshops & Bonedust a read.

What a heartwarming prequel to Legends and Lattes! I especially loved the letter we got at the end. Being back with Viv was such a treat!

Amusing, heartfelt, filled with old books and flaky pastry; this book was an utter delight.

Loved being back in Viv's world!

I wanted to like this book so much since I adored Legends and Lattes but this fell flat for me. Not at all terrible or bad writing, just boring. I did however, love the bookshop.
I may read this again sometime to see if my opinion changes since it could have just been my mood.

When I read that there would be another book set in the same realm as Legends and Lattes I was nervous for Travis Baldree. Sequels are hard, prequels are worse, and I didn’t think it would be possible to match the cozy and comfortable fantasy vibes of L&L. I’m so happy to say that my nervousness was misplaced. Bookshops and Bonedust exceeded all of my expectations. It’s cute and funny, cozy and comfortable, and has just the right amount of swords slashing to keep things interesting. Knowing how things turn out for the Main Character, Viv, didn’t stop me from experiencing all kinds of emotions as the story unfolded. A sweet romance, friendships forged, evil necromancers, and all the food and books I could possibly ask for. I can’t wait for this book to come out so I can make everyone I know read it so we can eat pastries, drink coffee, and talk about it.

Very different from the books I normally read. Took me a while to get the characters and their characteristics in sync. The major character is recouping from a fighting injury in this small quiet town when she befriends the owner of a bookshop. While helping improve the shop she begins to feel she is being watched. Will her query in up in this small town? What is the bag of bones?
Goodreads

Viv is left in the small town of Murk to recover from an injury while trying to defeat a necromancer. While recovering, she beings to explore the town and meets a ratkin named Fern who runs the local bookshop and a dwarf baker. Viv finds ways to help Fern around the bookshop in exchange for books. Along with a gnome who wants to be part of Rackham's Rangers, Viv discovers the secret of the mysterious figure in grey and a secret about the necromancer she was hoping to defeat.

I was so excited to be able to read this an an e-ARC. Baldree once again has a hit. In this prequel to Legends and Lattes, we get a glimpse of what Viv was like before she retired. I loved the friendship that developed between Viv and Fern. As a librarian, I especially loved Fern's love of books and of connecting the right book to the reader. Potroast is adorable, I want to protect him forever. Satchel is an amazing character. As with Legends & Lattes, this one is a bit of a slow start but gets so much better as you go.

Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree, A really enjoyable read. This book is a fun read with great characters and a good plotline.

This is a deeply enjoyable book, without a doubt -- I was curious how Baldree would deliver a cozy vibe while Viv was still an adventurer, but having her go on a rest holiday is the perfect excuse. I enjoyed traveling through Murk and meeting its cast of characters, with Potroast and Satchel *obviously* being my favorite. A cute & very chaste love story, a fun 'save the local shop' plotline, many descriptions of good meals, and eventually a more high-stakes villain plot make for a fun read. I liked this one more than Legends & Lattes, frankly!

I think this was a great installment in Viv’s story and it kept the same vibe as Legends and Lattes. I didn’t enjoy this as much as Legends and Lattes. I think my expectations were a little high after how much I loved the first one. That being said, I teared up a little during the epilogue. I loved the new characters, especially Fern, Potroast, and Satchel.

I was looking for a cozy read to break up the craziness of the suspense thrillers I've been reading recently and this fit the bill. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that this was a prequel to Legends and Lattes. This prequel has a bit more action and intrigue than I remember Legends and Lattes having, but overall it was still fun. The characters were fleshed out and I do hope the author continues to dabble in this world.

As one of my favorite books ever, I was a little disappointed in this prequel to Legends and Lattes. I felt as if the vibes weren’t as cozy, very repetitive descriptions of the injury and was a bit confusing. The ending of this book was EVERYTHING and saved this book for me. It was very similar to Bookshop and the Barbarian.

I wanted to love this book as much as the first, but it didn't grab me as well. The world is enjoyable and the characters delightful, but the magic of the previous book was missing a little. This is a solid 4-star book, but Legend & Lattes was a 4.5, almost 5-star book for me. I was surprised because, as someone who loves books and not so much coffee, I thought I would love this one even more.

Viv, this time, is a headstrong new adventure instead of a wisened one, and I think that makes a difference. She isn't trying to reinvent herself but instead wants to go straight back to the adventuring life after an injury. I did love her relationship with the townspeople, especially with the baker and the bookshop owner. I like Viv slowly falling in love with books, though I think it doesn't capture the magic of discovering a book, as well as the previous book captured the feeling of coffee. The fantasy adventure plot was more prevalent throughout the story, which made sense, with Viv still adventuring in her prime.

Overall, it was very enjoyable but not as wonderful as the first.

4.5/5, rounded up.

In Bookshops & Bonedust, we see Viv before she opens her legendary coffee shop in Legends & Lattes. She's new to the mercenary industry, and Rackam's Ravens, and gets injured on her first mission. Rackam leaves her to heal in a seaside village called Murk. Viv fears she won't be able to return to the life she'd always wanted, but she makes the best of her situation by making friends with the local bookshop owner, Fern.

Fern is a foulmouthed rattkin whose shop has seen better days. Viv decides to use her skills and free time to help revive the old shop. Meanwhile, Fern gives Viv new books to read in exchange for the help. All is going well until a mysterious traveler in gray shows up in town and causes a ruckus.

Viv suspects this traveler's appearance is connected to the necromancer she and Rackam's Ravens were hunting, so it's up to her to take her nemesis down.

If you loved Legends & Lattes, I hope you'll feel the same about Bookshops & Bonedust. I could read a dozen books set in this universe and still feel entertained. This is the perfect book to pick up on a chilly day, so grab some coffee and pick it up when it's released on November 7!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pretty great sequel, though it didn't quite live up to 'Legends and Lattes.' I really loved the new characters introduced, particularly the bookshop owner and her little creature. He was adorable! The cozy vibes were pretty immaculate, but (like with 'Legends and Lattes') I wanted even MORE cozy and less action, much as I know that puts me in the minority.