This was a great audiobook, the narrators voice and pacing was great. The story itself is like a warm hug but also has a lot of fun interactions. I am loving the cozy fantasy vibe and that epilogue was everything.

"Bookshops & Bonedust" by Travis Baldree is a charming and heartwarming fantasy novel that takes readers on a journey filled with adventure, unexpected friendships, and the magic of second chances.

The story follows Viv, a battle-hardened orc warrior, who finds herself sidelined by an injury and sent to the quiet town of Murk to recover. Frustrated and out of her element, Viv's plans to get back to her mercenary lifestyle are put on hold as she becomes acquainted with the town's bookshop and its eccentric owner. As Viv reluctantly spends her days amidst books and conversations, she discovers that healing comes in unexpected forms, and the bonds she forms in Murk might just change her life.

Travis Baldree creates a vivid and engaging fantasy world that is both immersive and unique. The blending of magical elements with the cozy atmosphere of the bookshop adds a touch of whimsy to the story. The characters are well-developed and endearing, each with their own quirks and motivations. Viv's journey from a battle-ready warrior to someone open to new experiences and friendships is beautifully portrayed and relatable.

The pacing of the novel is well-balanced, allowing for moments of introspection and character development while maintaining a sense of excitement and adventure. The dialogue is witty and enjoyable, contributing to the overall charm of the book.

"Bookshops & Bonedust" is a departure from typical high-stakes fantasy novels, focusing instead on the quieter moments of life and the connections that make it meaningful. It's a story about personal growth, finding solace in unexpected places, and learning that what we think we want may not always align with what we truly need.

Travis Baldree's writing is engaging, evoking a sense of warmth and comfort throughout the narrative. Readers looking for a heartwarming fantasy tale with a dash of adventure and a lot of heart will thoroughly enjoy "Bookshops & Bonedust." It's a delightful read that offers a fresh perspective on the fantasy genre and reminds us of the magic that can be found in the simplest of moments.

In this prequel, Bookshops & Bonedust returns to the world of Legends & Lattes. Viv is injured in battle and forced to recuperate in a small town called Murk. After a rocky first start, Viv befriends the local bookstore owner and gives her advice on how to repair the shop. Adventure, romance, friendship, mysterious creatures and more await Viv…

Bookshops & Bonedust is such a magical and cozy book! I was so happy to return to the adventures of Viv and her friends, especially in prequel form. This series is similar to the feeling of sipping warm hot chocolate while icy snow falls outside. I loved how Viv helped Fern improve the bookstore. Baldree describes the goals and dreams of the characters in such a satisfying way. I really enjoyed meeting the new characters, especially Fern and Satchel.

Travis Baldree narrates the audiobook and it was an excellent listening experience. He brings his witty banter to life and creates distinctive character voices. I hope Baldree writes more cozy fantasy or returns to other stories in this world. I can’t wait to add the physical book to my shelves! This is one of my favorite books of the year so far and I would highly recommend it to anyone. Readers who enjoy found family, cozy high fantasy, and fantastic world-building will love this book!

Thank you so much to Travis Baldree, Tor Books, and Netgalley for a free ALC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

A charming, fun, cozy read! I was honestly expecting to be let down a bit just because I loved Legends & Lattes so much, but this was a great prequel. A younger Viv is left behind by her troupe of mercenaries to heal in a small village after obtaining an injury in battle. While she is there, she befriends the owner of a bookshop and sparks a surge of business, has a summer fling, and goes up against a necromancer.

This tale was sweet, hopeful, and low stakes. I loved every second. Similar themes to Legends & Lattes of friends, found family, cherishing the good times, and finding contentment where you least expect. I was slightly less invested just because I knew Viv's time would end in this setting, but loved reading about her experience and how it shaped her. I listened to this as an audiobook and Travis Baldree did a phenomenal job narrating, obviously. I would definitely read more installments in the future!

Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for the ALC!

What an absolute delight! It’s a sophomore effort that wonderfully builds on the world he created in Legends and Lattes, but giving us a prequel added richness to an already beloved story. We see bits of the progression elements he used to build the cafe in L&L, here applied to the bookshop, but it’s not centered. Instead, this device mirrors Viv’s healing of her battle wound, and is the cozy backdrop to a fantasy story with slightly higher stakes. His humor made me smile several times, the characters were enchanting, and I dearly hope we get the story alluded to at the end. I also had an advanced copy of the audiobook, and Baldree’s narration is incredible. Listening to him read the book gave me the childhood joy of watching 80s fantasy cartoons, like Secret if Nihm or The Rescuers. It was layered and felt cinematic. Wonderful experience all around!

One again, Travis Baldree hits a home run with Bookshops & Bonedust. This is the prequel to Legends & Lattes which was a smash hit in 2022. This time we are following Viv’s semi-origin story. We see her in all her mercenary glory before getting injured and forced to convalesce in a sleepy little town of Murk. There she runs into a host of new faces and while all she can think about is leaving, she soon finds there is a life she never knew she could have.

Personally, I enjoyed Viv’s origin story more than in Mr. Baldree’s first novel. This story shows so many sides of Viv on a deeper level and gives the reader insight to her actions and thoughts in the first (but subsequent timeline) novel.

“You help me remember why I bother.”

Although this follows the same recipe as Legends & Lattes in terms of tropes and arcs, the plot was more suspenseful; always keeping the reader if/when the climax was coming. There is anticipation throughout this novel not only in plot development but within the side characters relationships as well. While it was hard to distinguish and form solid distinctions of each side character, their interactions with Viv were completely original.

I enjoyed the conclusion to this novel and understand the reason the author chose to end the book in this manner.

Overall, I really enjoyed listening to this novel and would recommend to anyone who enjoyed the first novel; but also to those who enjoy Fantasy with a side of romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillian Audio, and Tor Books for allowing me an advanced copy to listen to and share my humble thoughts and opinions.

While I typically don't find myself immersed in fantasy novels, the mere mention of "bookshops" in the title was enough to pique my interest. The fusion of fantastical characters with the charm of a secondhand bookstore, where book recommendations flow freely, promises a delightful choice for a summer read.

Another wonderful story from Baldree! I loved the characters, camaraderie amongst the group as it grows, LOVE Porkchop! The author's narration was also great...I often prefer author's to narrate their own books because who else knows the characters better? I look forward to the next installment in the series!

This cozy fantasy prequel to Legends & Lattes is a delight! The story gives insight on Viv’s life before she landed in Thune and opened her coffee shop. Baldree, who narrates the audiobook, does a terrific job creating the town the Murk and bringing life to the characters who live there. This series holds a wide appeal beyond fantasy fans. If you like cozies, give this one a try!

When things go wrong on one of her first jobs as a mercenary, Viv finds herself laid up in a quiet seaside town with little to do. An accidental step through the boardwalk outside of a bookshop leads her to becoming unlikely friends with the bookshops curator, a small mouse woman who swears like a sailor. Over the course of her stay Viv manages to make more trouble, for herself and everyone else, and possibly even save the world.

Bookshops & Bonedust is a dungeons and dragons-esque cozy fantasy and a perfect follow up to the first book, Legends & Lattes. It’s a perfect mix of adventure with cozy vibes and a wonderful glimpse into Viv’s past that will leave fans wanting more.

This felt like a wholesome fantasy novel. Enough fantasy and fun to keep you enchanted. I would recommend for those that do not like fantasy and those who do! Definitely a good one for any reader, but especially a "cozy" read. I listened to the audiobook and do wish that it was narrated by a more feminine voice, but it was nice that it was read by the author so everything was delivered the way it was intended. I laughed, I smiled. I would listen again.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed Legends & Lattes. It was such a low stake light fantasy book that gave each character a voice. This book, however, is a disappointment. It is a great book in terms of plot and dialogue, but it being a prequel was a little weird and didn't give us anything to really hold onto in the end. Viv doesn't really change in this book - she is a pretty flat character - I mean she learned that she liked to read. I guess that is all.

Long before opening her coffee shop, Viv sustains a stab wound while hunting a necromancer, leading her to be stranded in the remote town of Murk. As she recovers, she is drawn to a decrepit bookshop owned by a foul-mouthed Ratkin, which may sow the seeds of unexpected change. Viv becomes entangled in unexpected adventures involving a mysterious traveler, an overzealous gnome, a fleeting summer romance, and an abundance of skeletons, making Viv's stay in Murk far more eventful than she could have imagined.

I'll admit, that before starting Bookshops and Bonedust, I was worried magic wouldn't strike twice. It did, it 100% did. While Legends & Lattes centered around finding stability and moving forward, Bookshops & Bonedust beautifully discusses passing friendships/people in your life who may not be there forever, yet leave an indelible, positive impact on you. We face a series of goodbyes at the end of this book that makes for the most bittersweet ending. Brace yourselves for the deeply moving nature of this story—it's bound to resonate deeply.

A standout element for me was the portrayal of Viv's blossoming love affair with reading, a journey that's likely to strike a chord with any reader. Viv's habit of carrying a book everywhere and seizing every opportunity to read is endlessly relatable.

Baldree's signature writing style continues to shine as one of the highlights of his novels. It's whimsical and delicate while never sacrificing intricate detail. This approach paves the way for a swift and engaging read, never feeling overwhelming. The epilogue's emotional impact left me in tears, and I cannot wait for whatever Travis has in store for us next.

Bookshops & Bonedust ~ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I enjoyed reading of Viv’s experience getting into reading and finding her voice in explaining why she liked the books that were being recommended to her.

I was interested in the beginning even if that wasn’t the main story I think I’d enjoy a book of her actually battling and stuff but I know that’s not the point of these cozy fantasies. But I did enjoy it! Maybe not as much as Legends & Lattes, I enjoyed the talk about books, the wanting to save an independent book shop and theirs methods for that.

The characters were each unique and cute and I liked them all. The relationships that were built were sweet even if you knew Viv would leave.

I love the writing though, it’s quite charming. Although I got the audiobook from NetGalley for this, I enjoyed that as well, the author does great voices and obviously gets what he pictures as the characters and expressions across perfectly. It was really fun and sweet, and had a great cast of characters.

Plus the epilogue tie in was cute and I wonder if we’ll see more of Viv in the future.

Did I drop everything I had going on to start this audiobook yesterday? Hells yes, I did:)

This is the story of Viv, before she builds her dream coffee shop, ‘Legends & Lattes’, the prequel we all dreamed of. It’s a new crew of charming fantasy beings, to steal your heart. It’s cozy and sweet and is a perfect weekend audiobook (read by the author *swoon*).

All fans of the first book will Adore this Bookshops & Bonedust.

I picked up the first book in this series when I wanted something light, easy, and happy when my brain was fried after work, and L&L delivered. With #0 in the series, I thought Travis took his initial premise of cozy fantasy and expanded into cozy fantasy plus more mystery and action — I loved it. I also love the juxtaposition of going BACK in Viv’s story versus forward (and the epilogue was everything too). I think the characters in B&B were so well done with great voices, and of course a great overarching message of being yourself, pursuing your dreams, letting go of grief, and giving everyone a chance.

I loved this!!! Also highly recommend the audio - the author’s narration is 10/10

In short: If you liked Legends and Lattes, you'll like this too. It definitely won't let fans down.

I actually liked this more than its viral predecessor, since the stakes are a little bit higher, which was my main gripe with Legends and Lattes; that the plot was so cozy it was almost boring sometimes. This one is equally cozy, in my opinion, but with a more compelling plot. Usually I find "a book about a protagonist who reads" books to be unbearably navel-gazing, but Travis Baldree makes it work. I still love Viv, but now I also love Fern and adore Satchel, and if there's more books in this universe, I hope we get to see at least one of those two again.

I was able to listen to an early audiobook copy (via NetGalley) and it's a treat to hear the book narrated exactly as the author wanted. Either he's just that good, or Travis Baldree being both the writer and narrator really does make a difference. It's a great listening experience, and highlights his skilled wordcraft, which isn't something I noticed in the author's first book.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 and it did not disappoint. Can't wait to pick up a hard copy when it comes out.

Another super cozy fantasy, this time for book lovers! I love Fern's ability to find everyone their perfect book. Her bookshop is every book lover's dream with cozy vibes, baked goods, blind date with a book sales and more! We learn a little about about Viv's past with this book being a prequel to Legends and Lattes and the epilogue ties them together beautifully. I know this is a book I will continue to come back to.

When I found out that there was a prequel to Baldree’s cozy fantasy debut and sneaky hit, Legends and Lattes, I have to admit that I was skeptical. How could they match its warm vibes and inclusive sweetness? And what of the baked goods?!? But yet, I think I ended up liking this follow-up even more than the first! In both, there is a feeling of something being built, and the reader is a part of it – kind of like those mobile games where the “quests” involve fixing up a mansion with a sideline of why-is-grandma-acting-shifty. In this book, however, as opposed to Legends and Lattes, Viv is young and fully enjoying her mercenary’s life of adventure. When she is sidelined by an injury, her crew leaves her in a sleepy seaside town while they continue to hunt down the necromancer who wounded her. There she finds a new friend in a foul-mouthed ratkin who owns a failing bookstore, and falls for a older dwarf who runs the local bakery (and here I was worried there’d be less mouth-watering descriptions of baked goods…). Plus, it seems like the necromancer might not be as far away as her mercenary crew thought she was, and I was just as engaged in the tension raised through that plot as I was in seeing the bookshop get fixed up. (Possibly even more so than I was in the problems and pitfalls Viv & co. went up against in Legends and Lattes…) Readers get to see the origins of Viv’s friendship with Galena, her sword, and possibly even the planting of the seed that would become a small coffee shop in the far-away town of Thule.

This lovely little audiobook is read by the author, and his narration is enthusiastic and utterly charming. He brings life to his own characters in a way that is effortless, and makes their struggles seem surprisingly authentic. My thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan audio, and the author for providing an e-arc for review.

I'm really sorry to say that I found this book so boring. I love the narrator I love this author I love the warm hug that this book portrays but Viv in this one was really boring so were all the side characters the actual mission was so boring I would give this a two stars. I didn't hate it I just lost interest and I don't think I can even recommend it. Especially compared to the first one Legends and lattes is amazing and this one just didn't hit the mark for me.