Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan audio for providing an ARC Audiobook. The book is published by Tor Books and will be released tomorrow, 11/7/2023.
If you liked Legends and Lattes, you would love this prequel BooksShops & BoneDust. This book brings us back to the world of high fantasy, which will appeal to Dungeons and Dragons fans and fantasy readers alike. We follow Viv twenty years before Legends & Lattes, as she is just a young Orc trying to be a mercenary. In the story we learned Viv injured her leg, and she needs to spend time recovering from her injury in a small town, whereby chance she stumbles into a small bookshop.
The epilogue was the ties perfectly between this prequel BooksShops & BoneDust and Legends & Lattes.
This is a heartwarming story with a wonderful message, the perfect cozy fantasy for your Fall TBR.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! I haven't read Legend and Lattes yet as I was waiting for this one. I loved the main character and this is definitely a great cozy read. It has action, a little love, friendship, and the narrator (and writer) did a great job bringing all these characters to life! Definitely a great listen.

First the story itself: As I was reading/listening it kind of felt like the montage scene in a movie as the bookshop was being pieced back together bit by bit. This trope worked really well because it tied the whole thing more closely to the first book (either of which could easily be read as a stand alone except for maybe 2% in book 2 where the first book is referenced) which had its own montage feel. Aside from that though, I wasn't all that engaged by the big backdrop story it was set against. It's not that it wasn't good or I didn't enjoy it, just that it seemed like excess.

As for the audiobook quality: I had a hard time getting used to the narrator's voice at first. Kind of a high pitch that threw me off a it. But I did acclimate and he did his characters justice with his voice acting in the end. In fact, his bakeshop character sounded just as I was picturing her.

All in all, I'd give this a reasonably solid 4 out of 5 and recommend it as a "cozy" story for those that want something a little lighter.

This review is based on an advance copy that I received for free.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complementary audiobook in exchange for my honest thoughts.

If you were a fan of Baldree's LEGENDS & LATTES, then you will absolutely love this prequel BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST! Baldree excels at creating the perfect cozy fantasy atmosphere. I felt transported to Murk to spend time with Viv and friends at the bookshop. B & B has the same vibes as LEGENDS & LATTES with added depth to Viv's character and the world around her.

Where I think this book struggles is with the pacing. There is quite a lull in the middle. Which is okay for some readers since this is a cozy, slice of life story but for me, I felt like this book was a little too long. We know where Viv ends up at the end since this is a prequel to L & L so the pacing of this book let me down a little.

If you get the chance to read BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook. Travis Baldree narrates his own novel so the story is told exactly the way he wanted it to be told. He does so many voices to bring all of the characters to live. The audiobook made for a truly immersive experience!

I'm excited to continue to read anything Travis Baldree writes. Whether it's in this universe or in another!

4/5 stars

There's something so magical about someone finding their love of reading. So if you liked Legends and Lattes you'll definitely love this prequel! Bookshops and Bonedust is the story behind Viv's decision to open a coffee shop and I loved every page of it. We start with Viv getting injured and needing to rest while her leg heals. She stumbles across a run down bookstore then the story really gets going. I won't spoil the plot but this was an action packed, cozy fantasy with laugh out loud dialogue and unique and lovable side characters.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Bookshops & Bonedust" takes us back to a younger Viv, who ends up chilling in a small town after messing up her leg in a scrap. She hits it off with the local bookshop owner, helps the struggling store get its act together, scores a summer fling with a cool dwarf who runs a bakery, and, of course, gets into some trouble along the way. It's a fun and cozy read that gives us a peek into who Viv was before she settled down as an orc managing a coffee joint. It might not top the awesomeness of "Legends & Lattes," but I had a blast reading it and wouldn't mind more stories in this world. I'm all about these chill tales between the wild adventures. Oh, and the author narrating the audio book? Nailed it!

This is a pretty good follow up to Legends and Lattes. I can't say that I enjoyed it as much though, which was a tiny bit disappointing. Because I knew this wasn't where Viv would land, it was almost hard to see her making friends and beginning a relationship in this town. It made me not as invested in the emotional attachments in this one. Had I read it before Legends and Lattes, I think I would feel differently about this aspect. We see Viv entering her baby gay status with Maylee, and we see that she learned a bit, and why she was so much more cautious with the relationship in Legends. But seeing her soft side before she embraced that side of herself on her own was awful sweet. I still love Viv, and want to jump back into her future and learn more about the people around Viv.
The audio on this one was absolutely fantastic imo. Having the author do the narration usually works well for me though. ;)

Travis Baldree has given us another feel-good fantasy and I'm here for it.

After Viv, the orc, is hurt in battle, she's sent to Murk, by the beach to recuperate. Throw in a foul-mouthed bookshop owner, a gnome, and a few suspicious characters, and you have the best cozy fantasy out there. Just what you need for a fun escape read.

THIS. BOOK. IS. SO. CHARMING. Honestly melted my cold dark heart. It should go without saying that the author, Travis Baldree, expertly narrates his story. I was so captured by the world and the characters and actually liked this one even more than Legends & Lattes. It maintains all the charm of L&L but has more action and layers to the story which I really enjoyed. I found it to be more engaging. I totally teared up at the end and I don’t want this series/world to ever end. (I’ll say it again louder for Mr. Baldree - DO NOT STOP WRITING THESE BOOKS. Lovingly.)


(Booktok review will be posted on publication day)

Bookshops and Bonedust, Viv's backstory, is an absolutely delightful book in the world of Legends & Lattes. Travis Baldree does an excellent job narrating all the characters and action with all their nuances. This book is a prequel to Legends & Lattes, another fun cozy fantasy. Fingers crossed that Travis Baldree will continue writing more books in the Legends & Lattes world. Highly recommend.

🎧 Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for providing an ARC audiobook of this book, which is published by Tor Books tomorrow, 11/7/23.

Bookshops & bonedust is the prequel to Legends & lattes. It’s rare that the prequel is even more enjoyable than the first in the series but this was the case for me! I loved everything about this book: the plot, the dialogue, the characters, the scenery, the books. The plot begins with Viv needing to heal her leg injury (from a pretty bad fight) in the small, seafaring town of Murk. During a season of rest and discovery, she makes lifelong friends and gets entangled in a serendipitous adventure she wasn’t anticipating.

Characters I loved:
- Fern, the rattkin bookseller whose language is ever filled with passionate expletives and whose bookshop becomes a project for Viv to revive
- Gallina, a fiery spirited gnome who wants to prove her fighting skill and get Viv to put in a good word for her with the ravens (Viv’s mercenary group)
- Potroast, the adorable gryphet (like an owl-dog hybrid pet) I wanted to take home with me
- Maylee, the love interest, baker dwarf whose backstory is fascinating and who brings out a more tender side of Viv
- Satchel, the honor bound skeleton who takes a fancy to reading books and cleaning the bookshop

The dialogue was seriously fantastic and I’m a huge dialogue lover. The wit and banter were excellent. Each character was bursting with so much personality there wasn’t a character I didn’t like. The plot was more adventurous than legends & lattes, with quite a few intense action scenes, but still fitting snuggly within the cozy fantasy genre.

I already had high hopes for this prequel but my expectations were exceeded. What a gorgeous and cozy story I can see myself re-reading in the future. Read this book if you are easily moved by endearing characters, heartwarming friendship, new readers discovering books for the first time, and beautiful character development. ✨

The epilogue was the perfect bridge between this prequel and legends & lattes. It even made me tear up in the happy, sentimental, touched sort of way. So many feels!!! 💕

🎧The audiobook was an amazing medium for this book because Travis’ narration really makes the characters full personalities come alive. He does the most perfect fantasy accents!

📚“You help me remember why I bother.”

✨”See you in the story past the story.”

Of course I loved this audiobook. I was so happy to return to this world and loved this characters even more than the first one. How is that even possible?! I enjoyed everything about this and I hope we get more in this world.

I was so excited to read this book because I absolutely loved Legends & Lattes and how cozy and atmospheric it was, but this prequel unfortunately fell a little short for me. I think because this is a prequel and we already know where Viv's life went and how her story ended in the first book, this story felt a little lackluster. It's always tricky to read prequels that are published after the first book has already been out, and because I care so deeply about Viv and the characters she met in the first book, I found myself not caring about the characters and stories in this book. His writing and audio narration was still excellent so I will definitely pick up more books by Balrdee in the future.

Thank you Tor and NetGalley for the eAudioBook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Tor books for my complimentary arc and the MacMillan audio for my complimentary audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you loved Legends and Lattes, then you are going to want to read Bookshops and Bonedust. This is the prequel to L&L and we get to meet a younger Liv and a fun group of characters in the tiny seaside town of Murk. Satchel was my favorite.

This is a heartwarming story with a wonderful message. You are heading up the hill and someone else is headed down, you meet in the middle for one moment in time, and that’s it. You both move on and do not see each other again. It sounds sad, but it really isn’t because “Sometimes we aren’t the right people yet.”

Travis did an amazing job with the narration and I enjoyed listening to him read his book. Every character has his/her own distinctive voice. I could listen to Satchel for days. Please give him his own book !!

This is the perfect cozy fantasy for your Fall TBR.

From instant New York Times Bestseller Travis Baldree comes the newest novel Bookshops & Bonedust. This isn't a sequel to Legends & Lattes as I'd assumed. It's touted as being "set in the world of New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes." Since the main character remains the orc named Viv, and it mainly covers events before the first book, I'd consider it a prequel. Regardless of how it's tied to the first book and it's bestselling success, this book brings us back to the world of high fantasy, which will appeal to Dungeons and Dragons fans and fantasy readers alike. It’s already been named A Barnes & Noble Best Fantasy Book of 2023.

Like the first book, Bookshops & Bonedust is filled with memorable characters, which the author brings to life with his skillful narration.

As a young member of the notorious mercenary company named Rackam's Ravens, Viv is injured and left behind in a quiet little beach town to recover. There she finds a lovely bookshop with a feisty shop owner, falls in love, and uncovers a mystery when a suspicious stranger appears.

Bookshops & Bonedust shows us how people evolve, and my favorite line was "Sometimes we aren't the right people yet.” I can especially relate to this, and I think many readers will.

Book lovers will adore the discussions about books that Viv gets into while recovering from her injury, as well as the snippets readers get to see of the books Viv reads. Writing books within books isn’t easy, but Baldree does it deftly.

It’s not all idleness while recovering, however. Expect some sapphic romance, high fantasy magic, and a little adventuring, as well. Altogether it’s a brilliant second novel.

The epilogue ties both books together - it’s absolutely lovely. Twenty years later Viv tells Tandree, "Books are what brought me to you.” Swoon. Is there anything more romantic to a book lover?

I had the pleasure of receiving the audiobook as an ARC, which is a rare treat for this reader. As with the first book, the narration is spot on. I always love when the author narrates their own book, and in this case it's extra special because the author is a professional audiobook narrator. As such, I've wondered several times if being an audiobook narrator gave Baldree an edge when it comes to crafting a book that’s easy to narrate.

I look forward to more books about Viv and her adventures, but I’ll read anything Baldree writes.

I enjoyed this even more than Legends & Lattes.
Getting to know Viv when she was still a mercenary was much more interesting.
I loved seeing her vulnerable and learning how to cope with day to day life while NOT wielding a sword. It was cute how Fern and Viv develop a friendship and I really enjoyed the banter that had.
Much love to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for my ALC.

First of all I want to thank NetGalley and MacMillian for the audio advance copy, in exchange for this honest review.

THIS BOOK! Just... I have no words...
Except that, my expectations were high as I loved Legends & lattes so much last year, and sometimes I do get a little disappointed as the next books in a series are never as good...
Well, I can safely report that it was NOT the case for this one!!!
I think I loved it even more, which is saying a lot!

We follow Viv twenty years before Legends & lattes, as she is just a young orc trying to be a mercenary.
As she gets injured, she needs to spend her convalescence in a small town, where by chance she stumbles into a small bookshop, forms friendships, while she discovers the power of books.

If you liked Legends & lattes but wished for a little more action, this book is the perfect blend in my opinion of coziness and adventure!

Needless to say, 5/5 stars for this, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next chapter in Viv's story!!!

What a delight!

Honestly, I will always love little Ratkin shop owners. I am so happy that we got to meet some new adorable new characters (I'm looking at you Pot Roast), that felt fresh and still like home. It was also niced to experinve Viv while she was younger and in her fighting prime. It gave you the inklings of where her idea of the coffee shop came from, and just the delightfulness of her working with other creatures to get things done and to find out what they really want to do in life. It's was sweet, and everything I needed it to be and more.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for an early copy.

I loved learning more about who Viv was before Legends & Lattes! A soldier, injured in battle, is dumped off in the small town of Murk until she heals. She makes herself useful at a bookshop, makes friends with a bakery owner, and finds a friendly bag of bones. Another cozy hug in book form!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc! This book comes out on November 7, 2023.

I gave book one three stars and was not sure if I would read the second, but decided to give it a chance. Really happy I did because I enjoyed it a lot more! Book two gets three and a half stars. Book one was fine but I went in with high expectations and I didn’t feel like they were met. This book, I went in with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised.

Why did I enjoy this one more? I’m not quite sure because the level of coziness and plot is basically the same. I think the round family was just stronger in this one, and the way the end connected with book one made me happy.

Defs worth it if you liked book one!