I thoroughly enjoyed this follow up to Legends and Lattes. In this prequel, we follow Viv on another cozy adventure where we meet some more unforgettable characters and spend time in the coziest of bookstores. This look into Viv’s past provided some excellent insight into the first narrative. Can’t recommend this highly enough.

Another great cozy fantasy from Travis Baldree.

I didn't understand the hype around Legends & Lattes when I kept hearing about it. I finally read it a few weeks ago, and it all made sense. I loved seeing how the characters developed and built up the coffee shop. There was something so nice and comforting about the story.

After that experience I was thrilled to get a chance to read Bookshops & Bonedust. I knew going into it that it was a prequel, so I didn't expect all of the same characters. It was fun to see the origins of some of the world elements, and it was a similar style of story.

I didn't get into the story quite as much as Legends & Lattes, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I never would have guessed that I would like cozy fantasy, but here I am, looking forward to more.

The narration was great.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for a free copy of #Bookshops&Bonedust by Travis Baldree. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved being back in a world with Viv! Cozy fantasy at its finest.

This is considered a prequel book as we meet up with Viv long before the events in Legends & Lattes. As she is recovering from an injury in a small town she becomes friends with Fern--a bookseller whose business is not doing so well. Shenanigans and even necromancers then happen. You have bone monsters, romance authors who write 'moist' stories, gnomes, dwarves, baked treats, elves, and conversations around books. My favorite. I really hope we get more stories like this with Viv because I already miss this world.

What I loved:
-all the characters had such a great personality and vibe to them. I especially loved Potroast and Satchel
-The cozy vibes: this book had higher stakes than the L&L, but was still cozy
-The audiobook is narrated by the author and he does an excellent job, highly recommend
-I loved getting to know Viv and her need for adventure before settling down
-The epilogue! I squealed.

Perfect for those seeking:
A cozy read
Light fantasy
Queer rep
Shenanigans

DNF 58% I just can’t get into these books. Unfortunately I didn't read Legends and Lattes until I got Bookshops and Bonedust from NetGalley. I read Legends and Lattes first, but really didn't enjoy it. So I went into this book knowing I already didn't care for the writing style.

It's neat that Travis Baldree is a professional narrator, but I found that surprising when I found out because some of his voices are quite difficult to understand.

I appreciate the cozy elements (books, pets, baked goods), but the story fell flat for me. The plot and characters weren't intriguing enough to keep me interested.

A wonderful glimpse into life before legends and Latte's! I can't wait for more glimpses into this world.
I just reviewed Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree. #NetGalley

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

I think I would have liked this more if I had already read Legends & Lattes, it was interesting but didn't really draw me in as much without that background. I probably would have connected with it more if I had read a physical copy as well- the narrator was fine, I just couldn't focus on it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun adventure in Viv's life. Like most people, I loved Legends and Lattes - and its cozy, low-stakes plot was exactly what I wanted right now. This prequel definitely had the same vibes, but somehow, it was even lower-stakes than the first book, which didn't work in its favor. Because this is a prequel, we already know where Viv ends up, so there wasn't much to question in this book. I think it would have made more sense if the epilogue with the letter Viv receives was instead a prologue. But, this book was still a lot of fun.

Travis Baldree does it again! I loved his first novel so much that I read it and listened to it on audio, so I naturally fell into a cadence with his outstanding narration of this second novel.

Viv, an orc, becomes injured and finds herself in Murk, a small town, where she befriends some quirky characters and has a variety of adventures through a dusty old bookshop.

I really enjoyed this second book and although it's a prequel, I adored the bookshop vibe that brought elements of a bakery, too.

Phenomenal job, Mr. Baldree. You did it again.
#bookshopsandbonedust #netgalley

Enjoyed this prequel to Legends & Lattes and the narration by the author was well done. It took me a bit longer to get into this story, but once I did, I was hooked. Viv, the orc, is wounded in battle, and her band of mercenaries leaves her in the town of Murk. Viv wanders into a bookstore, and gets a recommendation from the proprietor named Fern. Gradually these two form a friendship, with Viv helping Fern breathe new life into the bookshop that she inherited from her father. When a stranger in gray comes into the shop, Viv knows that a dangerous necromancer has come to town, and she tried to figure out what the mysterious figure is seeking. Of course, adventure ensues, along with more memorable fantasy characters, including a skeleton that is animated with a special bone dust. Viv also finds her first love, and the epilogue ties up the story nicely - with the hopes that these characters will continue in another volume.

Oh, Viv! Young Viv! Gah!

This was an absolute treat. There was a little more excitement in this one than in L&L, but it was so well done. I loved the Bookshop and how Baldree set it up. I wanted to live in this novel like I did the first one.

This is a wonderful cozy fantasy that I will come back to again and again. I really want to go reread Legends & Lattes now because I love how these books make me feel.

AND THE EPILOGUE WAS SO SWEET

I loved this book. When I read Legends & Lattes I felt like it was the perfect book and I feel the same about Bookshops & Bonedust, I think the characters are described perfectly and you get to know each of them and their personalities. I don't feel like any part of the book is over done. At the end of reading I was completely happy with the ending and didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. I would absolutely love to read more books about Viv. I'll definitely be checking out other books by this author and recommending them to my customers, friends and family.

Fun, cosy, sweet prequel of Legends & Lattes that I loved so much.
I have listened to the audiobook and it was okay.

This is my first cozy fantasy that is a full length novel. I was enjoying the cozy vibes at first but it lulled at some points, and the main issue of the book I just didn’t find compelling. Note that while this is a low stakes fantasy in the sense that the world is not going to end at any action made, the character’s lives still are still threatened.

I listened to this on audio which Travis narrated himself. He did an excellent job and made each character come to life with a distinct voice. In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with an author reading their own book. He knew exactly how to execute his own story & did so beautifully.

I read this before ever diving into Legends and Lattes, and I will be continuing the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I'd like to express my gratitude to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book! It was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and I could truly sense the growth in Travis as a writer. His confidence shines through in this work.

The story was incredibly charming, striking the perfect balance between cuteness and a touch more action compared to the first installment. The infusion of mystery and adventure into the cozy narrative was executed flawlessly.

The banter between Viv and her newfound friends was heartwarming, and their playful teasing, particularly about her penchant for romance novels, provided a delightful nod to the spicy book community. Additionally, Travis's narration as the audiobook narrator was remarkably smooth and soothing, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the story.

In summary, this book is a delightful, wholesome, and campy treat. I eagerly look forward to another installment – please, may I have another?

First things first, this was one of the cutest books that I have read this year. That being said I did knock off a star because I wasn't the biggest fan of the narrator, but I still loved the story. This was a super cozy book and it definitely lived up to what I expected it to. I really appreciated that we got to see Viv’s past. I would have to say that my favorite character was definitely Fern and the fact that she had a bookstore made me love her even more

There is nothing quite like receiving the ARC for a book about books that you’ve been waiting months for on a dreary fall afternoon. This was fantastic, it lived up to the hype, and it is a worthy successor to Legends and Lattes. I couldn’t put it down and I finished the audiobook in a single sitting. Please tell me there is more coming from this world!

Viv is back, well this is actually before, so future Viv is now past Viv. She has injured her leg battling a necromancer and has to do some recovery in a small town and some how entertain her self while not going stir crazy till her crew comes back for her after her recover. But she also has the lady necromancer leader some how still in her life due to her assistant running away and coming to the same town Viv is in and ends up dead. Now their is a bookshop that needs drastic updating, and bakery with a lovely lovely baker who likes viv, a gentleman skeleton, and a gnome who wants to fight battles. This book has the same vibes as legends and lattes just a different story line but with a lot of similarities on how characters personalities are. Still has the cozy fantasy vibes as before but for me wasnt quite as great as the first book but still had a feel good story and relaxing read.

A fun, cozy fantasy with low stakes. I loved that the author narrated the book, it was so well done! This was a good one to put on while I worked. It was easy to listen to and easy to understand. I'd highly recommend the audiobook!

That said, it was a little harder for me to be invested in the story and characters but this didn't take away from my understanding of it. I liked it but it wasn't groundbreaking, that's why it got 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced listener copy of Bookshops & Bonedust. This is my honest review.

Unfortunately the audiobooks didn't quite do it for me. The narrator just wasn't right.
However I didn't let that stop me from listening to this one- I just think reading it would have been better. The story was still cozy, and had the same vibes as the first one. I may have to do a re-read once its released in print.

I received this ARC on the 24th and finished it in about 6 hrs so it is safe to say I loved it!
Every book lover needs someone like Fern in their lives, I want the reading skills of Satchel. Being a book lover reading about someone falling in love with reading is such a heartwarming feeling. The characters are relatable the story is captivating and I hope we will be getting more of this universe. The blurb on the cover is completely true I felt like this book was a hug you never want to end when you are saying good bye to a really good friend.