This preview makes me excited for Baldree's sophomore novel. Legends & Lattes is now my favorite cozy fantasy novel and this preview tells me that Bookshops and Bonedust is going to be its predecessor's equal. Perhaps surpassing it. Viv is a character I want to read so much more about.

This audiobook is just as excellent as the first novel. I love the way Travis Baldree brings each character to life. This is quintessential cozy fantasy. I have a lot of high stress in my life and turning on Bookshops and Bonedust makes it all melt away. I highly recommend this book and audiobook for anyone who loves fantasy, but is in need of a relaxing story. I love that there are still high stakes, but it leaves you with with a sweet smile!

This was a cute prequel to Legends and lattes. I liked it well enough (didn't love it though). I was hoping I'd enjoy this more than I did the first book (which wasn't as much as most other people seemed to sadly).

I don't know if this style just isn't for me but I had a hard time getting invested in the plot. The characters are charming and quirky and who doesn't enjoy a good story about books and bookshops.
The author does a great job narrating his own book though and if you like audiobooks I'd recommend listening to it for his performance alone.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital and audio copies in exchange for my honest review. I honestly think this is a just me not you thing and lots of people are going to love it like they did his debut.

This was excellent! I absolutely loved Legends & Lattes so I had high expectations for this and Baldree did not disappoint! And on top of that the author was also an excellent reader.

As an audiobook, I loved the changes in his voice to accommodate the cast of characters. His vocals really pulled me in and brought the story alive.

I liked that there was a bit more action in this one than in Legends & Lattes. While I loved L&L's cozy slowness, I can also appreciate that this started off with a high stakes fight scene, had more going on and still managed to have a general warm and cozy vibe.

Once again, Baldree does an excellent job with characterization. Each one has a unique personality that is distinctive and memorable. On top of that, all of the characters- despite vast differences- blend so well together.

Especially loved the short add-on at the end of the book that eludes to a third installment that brings the stories of B&B and L&L together.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Books for an e-arc!

This was a lovely prequel with comfortable predictability in character relationships, and charming surprises throughout. When I saw this was Viv's story, I was worried there would be graphic violence, but Baldree stayed true to the cozy mystery genre with fantasy elements that were easy to follow. Highly recommend to readers of TJ Klune and Charlie Holmberg.

When I first started listening to this book I didn't realize it was a prequel. I thought maybe I should have waited to listen to Legends and Lattes but by the end of the book I was so glad to have read them in the right order. Getting to know Viv all over again as an injured orc mercenary stuck in an inn to recover was so very fun. Her interactions with the other frequenters of the town was great. My favourite character was Fern, the bookshop owner. She was the best book chooser and helped Viv find her love of books which couldn't have been better. There was an amazing battle and lots of creepy scenes plus some love scenes. I liked that Gallina is in this book too and has a larger part than in L&L. My very favourite was the Epilogue and the way the story came to a close. Maybe a bookstore for a neighbour to L&L?

Having the author, Travis Balder, as the narrator again was perfect. He is such a great reader and adds so much to the story. No one could do it better!

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the chance to listen to this book.

Bookshops & Bonedust takes place prior to Legends & Lattes, but I think anyone would can enjoy this one even if they haven't read L&L. Baldree's narration is so perfect and I really enjoyed. It's action-packed and super thrilling, and I think it's a super fun read.

Travis Baldree is a wonder narrator of is own novels (something you can't say about many authors). Yes, this takes place before Legends & Lattes, but really, do yourself a favor and read L&L first. It's hard being a warrior and making that difficult choice between your heart and your vocation. And yes, you will want to live in a town that has this bookshop. We all should know a friend like Satchel, BTW.

This prequel to Legends and Lattes follows a similar plot formula, so if you enjoyed L&L, you'll love this one, too!

Viv is an orc whose career path is focused on murder and rampage. When she's injured during a battle, her mercenary group leaves her in a lazy coastal town to recoup. She quickly makes friends with the local baker and bookshop owner, and the calm soon gets replaced by calamity and mystery.

This series is being described as "cozy," and I completely agree. The plot is well structured and there is a clear conflict with drama and suspense. However, there are also many pages detailing Viv's remodeling of the bookshop, developing relationships, and internal feelings about her injury and career path as a mercenary dissolving. The action and mystery are background to the character development.

This one could be easily read if you haven't read Legends and Lattes yet. There is an epilogue that is set after Legends and Lattes, but it's pretty easy to follow. I would still recommend reading L&L first if you have the choice.

3.5 stars rounded down. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy!

A beautiful prequel to Legends & Lattes, Bookshops & Bonedust was a lot more action packed and thrilling than L&L, but no less heartwarming. I loved it to pieces. It was exciting seeing a younger Viv, one that yearns for the rush of a battlefield, rather than grown weary of it.

I NEED to know what happened with Satchel. He requires his own spin-off.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

4.5⭐

The fact that I didn’t experience the first book as an audio book I am kicking and punching the air. Baldree knows HOW TO NARRATE. Such a fun listening experience!

“For some reason the concept of an author being a real person you might bump into on your way down the street seemed impossible to imagine.”

---> Viv was so relatable with this thought. Literally responded SAME to her thought.

Also Pot Roast, the best little BABY!

Definitely cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy! The only thing that was really hard for me was a new love interest. Which is technically an old love interest because it’s a prequel. A lot of us really want more Viv and Tandri!

After listening to this book, I just want to say how much perfection the cover is!

The EPILOGUE OMG. Sequel please!!!!!

Thank you so much for the advanced audio, I am going to weep with happiness into my pillow now.

4.5 ⭐ In Bookshops & Bonedust, we meet a younger Viv as she recovers from an injury in a small seaside town. While there, she manages to befriend a gnome, a dwarf (who runs a bakery), and a ratkin (who runs a bookshop). This cozy fantasy follows Viv as she learns to love reading and fumbles through a summer romance, but in the background of it all, something more sinister is creeping up on her and her new friends. Where did the necromancer Viv was hunting before her injury go? This time around, the stakes felt higher than they did in Legends & Lattes but without sacrificing the coziness. I absolutely fell in love with the characters in this story and was in tears by the end. The audiobook is narrated by Travis Baldree himself, and he does a great job with the different voices and characters. I did find the beginning of the story to be a bit hard to get into, and because of that I haven’t given it 5 stars. However, this is a story that is more than worth that initial slump! If you are, like I was, reluctant to read a prequel instead of a sequel, I say have no fear. This story does not disappoint. Fans of fantasy, fans of slice of life, and anyone who has ever enjoyed a session of D&D will love the antics, the (low? medium?) stakes, and most of all the adorable characters that make Baldree’s stories so amazing.

Oh this was such a beautiful prequel to Legends & Lattes. I don’t read a lot of cozy, low stakes books but these are just so wonderfully written.

Younger Viv is just as lovable and kind and getting to peel into her life before the coffee shop was so wonderful. I could read 100 more stories of Viv and the trail of friendships she left in her wake.

Bookshops & Bonedust is a prequel to Baldree's New York Times bestseller Legends & Lattes, and it tells the story of Viv, a mercenary who is forced to retire after a serious injury. Viv is sent to the sleepy coastal town of Murk to recuperate, and she quickly finds herself drawn to the local bookshop, run by the foul-mouthed but kind-hearted Fern.

As Viv spends time at the bookshop, she begins to rediscover her love of reading and storytelling. She also develops a close friendship with Fern, and the two of them work together to save the bookshop from a greedy landlord.

Bookshops & Bonedust is a charming and heartwarming story about friendship, community, and the power of books. Baldree's writing is warm and engaging, and his characters are complex and relatable. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Viv and Fern, and the way that Baldree explores the themes of second chances and new beginnings.

One of the things I loved most about Bookshops & Bonedust is its setting. Murk is a delightful little town, full of quirky characters and hidden secrets. I could have easily spent the whole book exploring Murk and its many charms.

Another thing I loved about the book is its focus on books and storytelling. Baldree clearly has a deep love of books, and it comes through in every page of the story. He also does a great job of exploring the power of stories to transport us to other worlds and to help us understand ourselves better.

I think Bookshops & Bonedust is a good book, but it's not without its flaws. I would recommend it to fans of fantasy, romance, and heartwarming stories, but I would advise them to be patient with the slow pacing in the first half of the book.

📚 Review: Bookshops & Bonedust 🩼📖

By: Travis Baldree
Published: November 7, 2023

Viv’s career as a mercenary isn’t going as planned - she got injured during the hunt for a powerful necromancer and gets sent to the sleepy beach town of Murk to recuperate. To her own surprise, Viv ends up spending her hours in a bookshop with the company of its foul mouthed proprietor. Adventure isn’t too far away though, whether on page or in town.

With just a few weeks until pub day, I figured it was time to put my thoughts on this gem out into the world!

This book is set before the events of Legends & Lattes, showing us the seeds being sown for the Viv we know and love today. I felt a really special connection to this book - It starts with Viv hurting her leg and being frustrated over the limitation of her body & I read this while dealing with my own injury and frustrations surrounding it.

This one has so much magic in it that was a balm to my soul - delicious baked treats, discovering the fun/adventure/pull/excitement of books, found family, and community building to name a few. I loved seeing Viv’s soft, caring interior peek out from all her muscles.

Pick this up if you’re looking for some warm and fuzzies with a dash of action and adventure! Out 11/7!

Verdict: Really Loved 🥰

Thank you so much @torbooks for this #gifted copy! 🥰

This story is unbelievably charming, hilarious, and kept me entertained from the beginning to the very last word. Travis Baldree s not only an amazing, witty writer, but he is a gifted storyteller. He’s proven as much by being the narrator of his own audiobook.

What I love about an author reading their own work, is that you get a real sense of how the author sees this universe they have created. You hear the characters voices as the author hears them, you hear the pronunciation of the names as the author pronounces them , and you get the inflection and mood that the author is trying to portray. Now, any good author does that without having to narrate their own books, but there’s something so magical about having a book read to you by the author.

If the video game “Animal Crossing”, put out a D&D version of their game, then you would have the world that has been created in Bookshops & Bonedust.

Viv is a mercenary Orc who is recovering from wounds received from a powerful necromancer in her first battle. She’s stuck in the sleepy seaside port town of Murk with nothing to do. She’s already notorious among the residents for nearly choking to death the elf doctor who attended her wounds. Bored and missing battle, she happens upon a dilapidated bookstore and discovers a whole new world.

Viv”s fateful encounter with the proprietor of the bookshop-a foul-mouthed Ratkin called Fern-brings forth a cast of incredibly developed and (mostly) endearing characters who will all have a hand in helping shape this young Orc. Not all is as it seems in Murk and it turns out Viv just might be in the wrong place at the right time.

I didn’t know cozy fantasy was a genre I was missing in my life, but here I am, LOVING it. I didn’t want the story to end, I wanted more of the creatures that live in this world. My favorite characters were a homunculus, with a Jeeves-like personality, named Satchel, and of course Viv herself.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Audiobook ARC provided by NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books!

Travis Baldree's writing and his voice feel like wrapping up in a cozy blanket with a cup of tea. His books are feel good fun reads and I am so grateful that I was able to get a copy of this ARC.

Since this was an audiobook ARC I'd like to start off with my audiobook specific feelings. Travis is a talented narrator, especially since he is also the author he does perfect justice to the story. His voices for characters are distinct enough to tell the difference between everyone without being too over the top or goofy. It's an enjoyable and immersive listen, very fitting for this book.

If you enjoyed the pace of Legends and Lattes then this one will likely also be for you. This book follows a young Viv having a somewhat quiet summer in a sleepy little town. Lots of sweet little moments between characters and slice of life scenes. I enjoyed watching the bookshop change and the characters change as well. I also laughed out loud at some of Fern's cursing.

I wasn't expecting to feel *too* many feelings about this book but the epilogue genuinely made me emotional, enough so that I need to go back and give legends and lattes a re-read. I hope Travis continues this series, I will keep reading them as long as he keeps writing them.

I don't give a lot of books 5 stars but this one earned it from me.

If you are a fan of Legends and Lattes, you are going to be so happy to have this book in your hands. It is not often that a book feels like a warm hug, yet Baldree manages to do that not just once but twice.

Bookshops gives us a view into Vivs life before we meet her in Legends. The story is sweet, mysterious and entertaining all wrapped into a sweet book. This series seems to be very popular on social media so I do not want to spoil any part of the story. If you enjoy a story of found families, origins of characters you already love or maybe you want a book that will make you feel good, this is a wonderful book to choose.

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree is the perfect cozy prequel to Legends & Lattes. In this story we get to learn a bit more about why Viv wants to slow down and retire from all the quests and pillaging. After being injured during battle, she is forced to slow down to heal and recoup in the town of Murk. There she meets an adorably sassy bookstore owner and helps her get her business back in shape. I loved watching the process of Viv falling in love with reading and the slower life.

This book checks off all the cozy fantasy boxes for me. We have slow living, books, baked goods, orcs, ratkins, and gnomes. It is pure perfection. And I love any book that talks about books! This book feels like a warm hug, just like Legends & Lattes. Fingers crossed for a sequel!

The story is read by the author which I love. I feel like we get a full sense of all of his intentions throughout the story.

Enjoyed the first book very much and was excited for this one. Great cozy book to read between the titles that stress you out or while spending more time inside and wanting to curl up and read all day. Low stakes fantasy is my new love. As a library worker/ bookstore lover this felt like he was writing to me and for me. He gets us. A coffee novel and now books... swoon. I love that he reads the audiobook too, so he gets his characters and their voices. I will be adding him to my first read list with other authors that I grab immediately upon release!