I was a little late to the Legends and Lattes bandwagon, but I am fully on the train now! Thankfully, NetGalley and Macmillan understood my needs and granted me advanced copies (both Kindle and audio!) of Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree.

Bookshops and Bonedust is a prequel to Legends and Lattes, and gives us a glimpse into Viv's life before she comes to settle in Thune and opening the infamous coffee shop we've all come to love. In Bookshops and Bonedust, Viv has been injured while on the job for Rackam's Ravens and is forced to recover in the quiet beachside town of Murk. To assuage the boredom of a life without battle, Viv wanders into an admittedly struggling bookshop where she befriends the owner, Fern. Just like in Legends and Lattes, this younger version of Viv immediately finds ways to help Fern improve sales, and hopefully, save the bookshop. There's still a necromancer on the loose, however, so there's no shortage of adventure, and even a little romance!

[STOP READING HERE IF YOU HAVEN'T READ LEGENDS AND LATTES. THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD!]

I really enjoyed this prequel! Just like Legends and Lattes, it's a pretty low-stakes, cozy fantasy that is a refreshing break for someone who loves epic fantasies and romantasy. So much of this series feels like you're in a back corner of the bookshop (or the coffeeshop) watching everything unfold in a town that you love, knowing that everyone will be safe and happy at the end of the day. It's pure contentment in a way that's hard to explain other than to just reiterate that this is a very, very cozy fantasy.

So much of Fern and the bookshop in general will be relatable to book lovers; she has relatable relationship with books--even with books she didn't/wouldn't read or enjoy herself. There's a reverence in her that book people will find kinship with, and it's beautiful. I found myself whispering, "oh, me too, girl" quite frequently at Fern.

We know that Viv and Tandri end up together in Legends and Lattes, so it tracks that we know that the romance between Viv and Maylee is a bit bittersweet; we know it's "doomed." That being said, it's still sweet, and just because flings don't work out, doesn't make them not worth the time you spend together when things are good. Viv and Maylee both know that Viv's time in Murk is temporary, and they're both okay with that, even if they know that there will be some pain at the end.

There's also an adorable fuzzy companion in Pot Roast! He's my gryphet baby angel and I will die for him if needed.

After an injury leaves Viv waylaid in the town of Murk while her crew, Rackam and his ravens continue on hunting the feared necromancer Varine, she finds herself with a lot of spare time on her hands. Wandering the small town, Viv comes across the ailing Thistleburr bookstore run by the rattkin, Fern, and her gryphet, Potroast. After getting hooked by a few recommended books, Viv begins assisting Fern in cleaning up the shop to bring in more customers. Along the way she meets Maylee, a dwarf who owns the bakery Sea-Song, and Gallina, a gnome with something to prove. Of course, not everything can remain sleepy—even in a town like Murk.

When a stranger shows up carrying a satchel and the smell of winter blood coats the air, the necromancer Viv’s crew was hunting might be closer than she thought.

A dash of romance, warm friendships, some light adventuring with a healthy dose of mystery, and some familiar mentions from Legends and Lattes, Bookshops and Bonedust is a bear hug of a book that begs to be read with a lassy bun and a cozy blanket.

Being able to return to Viv's life was an incredible joy. In this prequel, we follow our favorite ork Viv as she gets stuck in a sleepy beach town after an injury on one of her mercenary jobs with her company leaves her needing to heal before going on her next adventure. Little does she expect to have one hell of an adventure in the little unseeming town.
Bookshops and Bonedust is a wonderful addition to Viv's story. You have a wonderful cast of wholesome characters, an unforgettable setting (a dusty bookshop that needs some tender love and care, not to mention and absolutely adorable magical creature/pet I wanted to hug all the damn time) and a mystery that ties it all together.
Seeing Viv find friends in this little town despite her grouchy, somewhat adversary attitude was just so lovely. This also included a bit of a sapphic summer fling that made my heart beat faster!
Honestly, first Baldree got us with a coffee shop and now with a bookshop. I wonder if there will be another installment that will make yet another place beloved to readers all over the world fall for Viv even more.
Absolutely cannot recommend this highly enough if you're a fan of cozy fantasy!

I was one of the first readers and reviewers of Legenda & Lattes and a huge fan of the burgeoning Cozy Fantasy genre, so was super excited to read the sequel.

This books delivers. Twice as much as earlier book! If you liked book 1, you'll love book 2.

The book follows the winning mix of charm, lovable characters with a dose of humour and romance sprinkled in. We get to a younger Viv who's injured and bored off her wits in a middle of nowhere town setting the scene to to book. The characters introduced in earlier book make their prequel appearance and some new characters add to a well rounded plot.

Highly recommended.

These are just such lovely, cozy stories. It’s like a nice cup of tea on a chilly day out into a book. I have really enjoyed Travis Baldree’s stories and look forward to many more! Thank you @netgalley for the arc!

Bookshops & Bonedust takes everything you loved about L&L and doubles the recipe. It is as witty and adventurous as it is nourishing to the soul. Baldree's sophomore novel is worth the hype and is perfect for those looking for a read that is both homey and moving.

This was such a sweet, cozy, funny and a little bit romantic fantasy. It was fun to learn more about Viv and who she was before we meet her in Legends and Lattes. I really enjoyed seeing her interact with everyone in the small town. And seeing her connect and become part of the community. Definitely recommend picking this one up.

This was a lovely read and had all the elements that made me love Legends and Lattes. The relationships are where the story truly shines and I just adored this book.

“Having you here is connecting me to why I do this. To why I used to love it. I don’t know if I can explain it, but watching you read what I give you, pulling a book in your hands and seeing what happens to you once you put it back down…I can’t make you understand how that gives me something I didn’t know I had to have.” - Fern

Being re-emerged in Baldree's world of low-stakes adventure is just what the doctor ordered. I've never read a book before that has felt like a familiar friend upon a first read, but here I am. It's not too much to describe his world as a warm cup of hot chocolate while you're wrapped in a fresh-from-the-drier blanket. It feels so good to be home, and from page one to the final sentence of the epilogue, I was not disappointed.

In this prequel, Viv’s life is set off course by a battle wound that needs time to heal. She is sent to a small seaside village where she meets a cast of characters that are so distinctly Travis Baldree creations. I would DIE protecting Fern. Baldree's ratkin are some of the sweetest and most loveable fantasy creatures I've ever happened upon. A ratkin that sells books, swears like a sailor, and has a trusty gryphet companion? Yes please. And Satchel? I could do with a spinoff of just he and Fern and that little bookshop by the sea.

Seriously, if you’ve read Legends and Lattes, this book is a no brainer. It needs to go to the very top of your to-read pile.

Charming and just the right blend of adventure and coziness. Also the fun return to a timeline post LEGENDS AND LATTES is a fun treat in the epilogue.

What a delight to return to the magical land where an orc named Viv can do battle with evil, and also deal with the everyday tasks of buying coffee. Or in the case of Bookshops and Bonedust, discover a new love of reading "moist" books.

This prequel actually takes place before the events of Legends and Lattes; arguments could be made for reading either book first. I think having read L&L first, that one was a bit more special for me; it was the first entrance into this cozy world, and the idea of magical fantasy characters living their usual normal daily lives. Bookshops and Bonedust deals with books, bookshops, authors, etc. so readers will love staying in that familiar space (much like how Hollywood loves a film about movies and the industry). Part of the wonder of L&L though was the idea of introducing coffee, and a coffee shop vibes, to a community. Bookshops and Bonedust doesn't have that layer of unknown, but still has plenty of wink wink nudge nudge moments for book lovers.

My favorite side character was Fern the rattkin bookshop owner with the mouth of a sailor. (Such a fun contrast to Thimble in L&L.) Satchel was also a treat - his robotic style commentary on things was great, and added a lot to the found family working to save Fern's bookstore.

Anyone who enjoyed Legends and Lattes will have fun seeing a younger Viv and learning more of her backstory. Bookshops and Bonedust is a gentle, cozy, warm-blanket-personified book that hews close enough to L&L, while also not feeling like an exact carbon copy.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for an eARC of Bookshops & Bonedust in exchange for my honest review!

I loved Legends & Lattes and was so excited to be picked to read this one, however, I didn’t end up loving B&B as much as L&L because it seemed like the stakes were so much lower in a book that was already low stakes to start with since it’s a cozy fantasy.

It truly was cozy like the last one, but I didn’t love it as much! It’s still a lot of fun and worth it for people looking to be introduced into fantasy or D&D.

Perfect vibes, absolutely cosy and just the best read for a rainy summer day (at least when I read it, it was a rainy day!). Really enjoyed knowing more about this fantasy world and its characters!

We follow Viv before the opening of her coffee shop, so it is a good amount of nostalgia if we take it this way. There are new sets of characters, new low stake challenges and all in all, amazing found family bonds and perfectly cosy vibes!

It can be read without reading L&L first, perfectly works as a standalone too!

This is a prequel to Legends & Lattes so it is not necessary to have read that first, although I definitely recommend reading the book at some point simply because I love that book.

This book follows a younger Viv as she heals from an injury in Murk & after stumbling upon a bookshop she discovers her love of reading.

The epilogue was such a pleasant surprise & makes me want a dozen sequels to Legends and Lattes!

Baldree just keeps getting better and better!

Bookshops & Bonedust follows our favorite orc Viv in the early days of her mercenary career, when she's dropped off in the small town of Murk to recover from an injury. But Murk isn't so sleepy once Viv comes to town. There's a bookstore in desperate need of revival owned by a foul-mouthed Ratkin; a bakery to put Thimble to shame (gasp!); a familiar gnome with something to prove; and traces of a necromancer Viv's company was hunting down...

If Legends & Lattes tickled your fancy at all, you'll love Bookshops & Bonedust!

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available to me.

This was a sweet prequel to the highly entertaining "Legends & Lattes". Vivian, our orc protagonist, has been temporarily sidelined with an injury from her over-enthusiastic work as a mercenary. While recuperating in a small seaside town, she befriends a few of the locals, in particular a ratkin bookstore owner who opens her eyes to the joys of reading. Viv also learns that she can get great enjoyment out of helping others, even without the use of her combat skills. This one does have a little bit more violence than the previous book, but most of this book is spent in Viv learning how to enjoy the non-violent moments in life. And books. And "moist" books.

We can only hope that the author will be able to give us more books in this world that they've created..

At first glance, Bookshops & Bonedust looks like more of the (admittedly excellent) same - Liv, flush with cash from bounty hunting, puts her effort into a small business. There's a taciturn craftsman, a passionate woman who works with Liv, and tasty treats (note: if the cinnamon buns get a recipe in the paperback I will happily make them for anyone who wants, as an excuse to eat them myself). Delving deeper, though, brings a love letter to books and those who sell them, am ambitious adventure plot, and a Liv just starting to find her feet as a mercenary. Fern, the foulmouthed ratkin bookseller, is a glorious creation and my runaway favorite of the series. If the sequel brings Fern to Liv's coffee shop I'll buy it in every edition made. Liv's romance with Maylee feels sweet without undermining Liv's relationship with Tandri. There is more action here than in the first book, with a necromancer threat that is menacing but not overwhelming. I'm sure I'll see this title on award lists next year, and it's destined to be as big a seller as the first (but especially if the recipe is included [I'll buy three]).

A cozy prequel of sorts that shows us the start of Viv's journey from an intense and headstrong young warrior to the more battle weary person reader came to know and love in Legends and Lattes. With strong characters (shoutouts to Fern), a compelling story that somehow manages to be both very chill and also very tense and upsetting at times, this book is a must for people who loved the first book and wanted more opportunities to explore the wonderful fantasy world that Baldree has successfully created here.

Well worth a read for anyone interested in cozy romance or low stakes fantasy worlds, and it is probably best to read Legends and Lattes before starting Bookshops and Bonedust, though it certainly isn't required.

Overall I enjoyed this book quite a bit! I love a cozy fantasy and Bookshops & Bonedust was most certainly that! I thought the epilogue was fantastic and tied all of the characters together in a lovely way. I will say this one dragged on a bit for me. It wasn’t as easy of a read as Legends & Lattes, but it was still a good time.

This book was a treasure. There’s not much more to say. There is actually, but I can’t say all of it. I love Viv and I loved reading the adventure that put her on the path to become who we know her to be in Legends & Lattes. Truly a treat to read.
I can't wait to share this with my fantasy reader patrons