Thank you to Tor Books for providing me with an ARC.

Bottom line, if you liked Legends & Lattes, you’ll like Bookshops & Bonedust. I loved getting a Viv prequel and can absolutely see a sequel on the way…. This book had me feeling warm, fuzzy, cozy and loved. I can’t wait to see what else Travis comes up with!

I'll admit I was a little skeptical when I heard that Travis Baldree was writing another book following Viv. After all, our orc barbarian settled down and earned her happy ending in L&L, and I'm not a fan of sequels that undo the ending of the previous installments. (Looking at you, Star Wars sequel trilogy).

So while I was relieved when I found out Bookshops & Bonedust was a prequel, I still had concerns. After all, the difficulty with prequels is that the need to end with the protagonist in the same emotional and developmental place they're at in the beginning of the original story. But Travis Baldree takes that challenge and makes it the core strength of Bookshops & Bonedust.

When we first meet Viv in Legends & Lattes she's a world-weary veteran adventurer ready to hang up her sword, settle down, and open a coffee shop. But Bookshops & Bonedust takes us back to Viv's days as a brash young novice adventurer, charging headlong towards as many undead as she can swing a sword at.

Her recklessness results in a leg injury, forcing her to recuperate in the sleepy seaside town of Murk. While there she befriends Fern, the adorably foul-mouthed proprietor of the town's dilapidated bookshop, and discovers the joy of reading for the first time.

Like its predecessor, the strength of Bookshops & Bonedust lies in its protagonist's emotional journey. Viv's injury forces her to slow down and approach her life more thoughtfully, to form interests and relationships she would never have considered in her dangerous life as a sword for hire. And while many years of adventuring still await Viv by the time she's healed and the story of Bookshops & Bonedust is over, the reader can clearly see how she's become the person who will one day settle down to open a pleasant little coffee shop.

When orc and a mercenary Viv finds herself injured, the result of her own impetuosity in battle, she is left behind in Murk, a small beach town. Despite doctor’s order to rest, she is soon out exploring the town, not that there is much to see. Well, there’s a rundown bookstore run by Fern, a young rather foul-mouthed ratkin with a pet griffon named Pot Roast and an uncanny ability to match the right book to the right person if only more people wanted books. And there’s a bakery with great baked goods and a dwarf proprietor who offers the possibility of romance if only for a little while.

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree is one charmer of a fantasy tale. It is the prequel to Legends & Lattes, a story I have not read but this did not interfere with my enjoyment.. In many ways, this is an homage to books and their ability to bring people together and, as such, it is a perfect read for those of us who love books. i listened to the audiobook narrated by Baldree and he does a wonderful job of breathing life into the characters and making it an absolute joy to listen to.

I received an audiobook of this book from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for n honest review

Book title: Bookshops and Bonedust
Author: Travis Baldree
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

As a big fan of Legends and Lattes I had high hopes for this book, and oh boy it did NOT disappoint!! This story is a prequel to the first book where Viv gets injured and has to take a rest in a small town. While there she meets a host of characters who she help out and connects with while she's there for her short stay. I don't know who I love more...Fern the foul mouthed funny bookshop owner, Pot roast her adorable pet, Galena (not quite sure of the spelling, I had the audio) the witty gnome, and Satchel, oh sweet and scary Satchel! The way the Baldree can write these warm and cozy worlds makes you just want to jump in and join this found family. The ending to the book made me look so forward to the next one!
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Legends and Lattes was one of my favorite books I read last year, I loved it so much I’ve peer pressured all of my friends who read to read it. So I was insanely excited to hear that Travis Baldree was writing another book with Viv, even if it was a prequel and we weren’t going to see my other favorites like Thimble and Tandri. After getting approved to read this early you would not believe the sounds that I made I was so amazingly happy.

In Bookshops & Bonedust we get to see a younger less battle hardened Viv as she recovers from a near fatal leg wound and is stuck in the costal town or Murk. While being unable to adventure and generally do the things that young Viv enjoys she stumbles across a struggling bookstore run by Fern, a fabulously foul mouthed ratkin, and her Griffit Potroast. Viv soon discovers her own love of reading, meets Gallina for the first time, and starts a romance with a local baker.

I loved this book for all the reasons I fell in love with Legends & Lattes, it’s a cozy and warm story set in a fantasy world with a colorful and lovable cast of side characters, if you loved Legends and Lattes you’ll likely love this one, also stick around for that epilogue that takes places after the events of Legends and Lattes. It’s wonderful to see Viv before she got tired of adventure and seeing how a short period of time has had such a profound impact on her life.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Just as charming at Legends & Lattes. I really enjoyed this audiobook and can't wait to read more from this author.

The coziest most wonderful slice of life book 😍😍

I'm also obsessed with Pot Roast.

I adored Legends and lattes and so I was a little bit apprehensive about how this prequel was going to match up but it was exceptional. I also really appreciated the perspective it gave because one thing that I struggled with with Legends and lattes was that I genuinely believed it would have been better as a QPR. I really read Viv as arospec and while that is important I think that this prequel clears more things up and leaves me more satisfied with the ending of Legends and lattes. It becomes more clear that Viv has just been through some shit and wasn't quite ready to embrace or acknowledge her romantic attraction and I needed to see that.

So if you have already read Legends and lattes I highly recommend that you will also pick this one up. The narration is wonderful it's read by the author just as the first is and enjoy this coziest of cozy books. Also there's a dog / Griffin/pug pet character named Pot Roast and I would die for Pot Roast.

Travis Baldree does it again! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I had enjoyed the first book, Legends & Lattes, and ecstatic to find I loved this prequel just as much! Travis has a great voice in both storytelling an narration. As an avid fantasy fan and Dungeons and Dragons player myself this felt like a cozy cup of Gnomish coffee on a rainy day. The story is low paced while still being compelling and the characters feel realistic, especially for Table Top Role Play Gamers. I would take Viv in my part any day! What a pleasure to have read this ARC!

A charming, comforting read!

A fantasy fit for book enthusiasts, Bookshops and Bonedust highlights the joy of recommending the perfect book and getting to watch someone kindle a love of reading. I love the insight it provides into what inspired Viv to open Legends and Lattes, and I simply adore Fern, a bookselling ratkin with a sailor's mouth!

Another cozy winner from Travis Baldree!

This Legends & Lattes prequel takes readers to main character Viv's early days as an adventurer before she dreamed of opening a coffee shop. Stranded in a small town and nursing an injury, Viv has to find ways of occupying her tedious down time. What follows is an unexpected hobby, a satisfying project, new friends, and a star-crossed romance.

A good deal of this book is a love letter to readers. Viv discovers the joy of stories, the difficulty in putting thoughts about a book into words, the frustration of another person interrupting reading time by making conversation. (That last one in particular had me laughing and incensed simultaneously!) To top it off, Viv helps to renovate and revitalize a bookstore - a project to entice the daydreams of the most avid readers.

Be forewarned: there is a bit of heartache here too, in the form of romance that comes at the wrong time. The concept is nearly nonexistent in media deluged with perfect romance books and happily ever afters, and I love that Baldree chose to highlight such a realistic experience. For those who hate sad, know that the situation is tempered by the knowledge of this story being a prequel to a book where the characters are happy.

My only complaint is one I also experienced with Legends & Lattes. I love the story, the slice of life coziness, the goals and projects and progress. Yet I found my attention drifting at times, and I would have to skip backwards in the audiobook and force myself to focus on the story.

As to the audiobook version - Travis Baldree is a pleasant narrator, and I love the extra specialness and perspective of an author reading their own writing well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Bookshops & Bonedust
Written & Narrated by Travis Baldree

I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this audiobook through Netgalley.

I liked the sound of this audiobook so much that I listened to Legends & Lattes first.

Now, I’m 20 minutes into Bookshops & Bonedust, and I’m lost and confused. Why are we hearing about Viv’s younger self? Is her background important? Why are we going back in time?

Now that I’ve finished this audiobook - I can easily say that I consider this to be a good cozy book.

I think the word-building and the backstory need to be done better.

Why this part of Viv’s life? Are all the future books going to be about her past? I like to know these things.

That aside - this book is great. It has friendships, a bookstore, a summer fling, and enough action to make it a good book.

I do recommend this book. And, I look forward to listening to more in this series!

Dnf 23%
I just could not get into this book. I couldn’t follow along at all so I had no idea what was happening or even anyone’s name. This is a me issue because I didn’t like the previous book. If people loved the first book they’ll probably enjoy this installment

Travis Baldree is a master of cozy vibes! This prequel to Legends and Lattes follows Viv earlier on in her career as a mercenary when she get injured and has to spend some time recovering in a sleepy, seaside town. Instead of the coffee shop plot like in L&L, there is a focus on the renovation and revitalization of a local bookshop. The cast of characters is just as lovely and the bookshop felt even cozier. Viv's mercenary storyline did drag out a bit at times and was slow to start developing, but it did have a satisfying wrap-up by the end. The cherry on top of this book was absolutely the epilogue that jumps forward to post L&L time. It was so touching and wrapped up both the storylines of this book as well as L&L. Ultimately, I really enjoyed this book and while it didn't draw me in quite as much as L&L, it was still a joy to read/listen to. The narration by Baldree is fantastic!

Bookshops & Bonedust was such a cozy fantasy book, which acts as a prequel to Legends & Lattes. Here, we get to see a much younger Vic as a mercenary. She is being forced to rest in a quit little town after a serious injury to her leg. She ends up befriending and helping the Bookshop owner, Fern (who I loved).

I listened to the audiobook, which was read by the author, and Travis did such an incredible job! All the voices really brought each of the characters to life, while managing to make them unique and personalized.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for The ALC in exchange for an honest review.

A charming addition to the series, Bookshops & Bonedust follows a younger Viv when she's forced to rest in a small town after a leg injury sustained in battle. While there she befriends the owner of the local book shop, helps the struggling store improve, has a summer romance with a dwarf who runs a bakery, and gets into a bit of trouble. It's fun and cozy and offers a look at who Viv used to be, before she was an orc who could settle down and run a coffee shop. While perhaps nothing will quite match the magic of Legends & Lattes, I really enjoyed this and hope we get more stories in this world! I love the idea of these quieter tales found in-between the adventures. The author also narrates the audio book and does a fantastic job. If you liked Legends & Lattes you should pick this one up as well! I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

This prequel is an excellent follow-up to Legends and Lattes. Viv is laid up in a small seaside town, and in her boredom she decides to help some local businesses. There's a bookshop, there's a bakery, there's even a mysterious author living outside of town. I especially love how bonedust came into play. I love this world and all of its denizens. Because it's a prequel, you know Viv won't stay in the town, but I love how she helped out while she was there.

Travis, of course, does a superb reading. Since Viv and most of the main characters are female, I would prefer a female narrator, but I can understand why he reads his own book.

5 stars. Recommend!

I was provided an ARC audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is such an amazing book to listen to. The author is the narrator and does an incredible job. I also love knowing the inflections and tones are exactly how the author intended.

This is the prequel to Legends and Lattes, and it is just as comforting. I loved watching Viv get into reading and helping around the bookstore. We really got to see Viv become who we see in Legends and Lattes.

There was a bit more fantasy adventure plot in this one. I absolutely loved it! It was a great balance to not stress out the reader but throw some intrigue into the mix.

I'm always a little weird about prequel romances when we already met a love interest we know our MC will be with. They were cute, but it was hard for me to buy in knowing they weren't going to last.

I loved Legends and Lattes! I love this one even more for having some adventure in it! Must read if you are a fan of the former.

Also that Epilogue... Sequel needed ASAP!

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. This is a near perfect slice of life fantasy. My only real complaints are the book is on the shorter side and the side characters had potential to be something more and stayed side characters. The question is why 4 stars instead of five? The book lacks that something special to make it a must recommend or reread.

I received a review copy of the audiobook from Tor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review: I honestly loved it.

Bookshops & Bonedust is a prequel that takes place 20 years before Legends & Lattes. In this book, we meet a much younger Viv who has just started her career as an adventurer. Her career gets waylaid (and potentially derailed) by a serious injury, and she's left behind in a small seaside village to recover. As Viv regains her strength and starts to move around town, we get to know the town and its inhabitants along with her. I fell in love with the place.

Like Legends & Lattes, this cozy, low-stakes fantasy pulled me in right from the very beginning. I love the great circle of friends Viv gathered around her in this book. That "found family," and a bit of mystery and romance kept me engaged: I literally could not put this book down once I started. It's a fun, feel-good story that not only put a smile on my face, but also brought a tear or two to my eyes. It's another fantastic story by a fantastic author and narrator. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

Travis Baldree's narration is excellent as always. He gives each character a distinct and easily recognized voice and personality. His narration really brought this story and its characters to life.

Highly recommended for fans of Travis Baldree and Legends & Lattes: 5 stars.

I enjoyed listening to Bookshops & Bonedust so much! In this second book by Travis Baldree, there is just all of the elements of cozy fantasy you could want. Even though this is the second book, you can read/listen to it as a stand-alone if you really want to. There is nothing in this delightful story that you could not understand and enjoy if you didn't read or listen to Legends & Lattes first. You should still definitely read or listen to both. Or read AND listen to them both.

Travis Baldree is not just the author, he is also the narrator for these books. He is a great narrator who brings his stories to life and is just the perfect touch for his books. It doesn't matter what speed you listen to audio books, his narration is really just perfect at any speed. You can hear the nuance that he gives the story as the author, which I think other narrators would have great trouble matching.

I really enjoyed listening to the trials and tribulations of Viv the orc as she recuperates from an injury and figures out where she wants to steer her life. The worldbuilding is on point, the characters have great arcs, and there is a mildly sapphic theme with zero spice.

If you are new to the idea of cozy fantasy, think of it like a gentle hug of a story. You really shouldn't miss out on this series.