Viv helps Fern with her bookshop while she recovers from a leg injury. She fixes the bookshop up by fixing a wooden floor, painting and replacing rugs. The character of the “dog” is named Pot Roast and seems super adorable. The character Satchel is described as a bag of bones? I was confused on that part. I liked Fern’s personality. Overall, it was a wholesome story but not something I would read again.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced reading copy of Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree.

The audiobook is narrated by the author, Travis Baldree, which I love!

The first cozy fantasy novel Legends and Latte’s takes place in Viv’s new coffee shop. This one is a prequel to Legends and Latte’s where Viv is helping her new found friend with her bookshop.

While I don’t feel like this book was needed for Legends and Lattee’s I am so happy it was written! I love Viv’s character but always grow to love and appreciate all the characters in both this book and Legends and Latte’s.

These books were made for fantasy and non fantasy readers alike. I highly recommend these to everyone!

“If Dungeons & Dragons had a baby with Animal Crossing you would get the absolute delight that is (Bookshops and Bonedust)” - Riley Marie

I wasn't sure if this could possibly live up to the perfection of Legends and Lattes, but I needn't have worried. Just as sweet. Just as cozy. Like a warm chocolate chip cookie, Travis Baldree serves up the very best cozy fantasy. And, not unexpectedly, he narrates the story just as brilliantly. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series (please tell me there will be one).

Bookshops and Bonedust returns us to the world of Legends and Lattes, but takes us back in time. Before Viv retires from her mercenary ways and opens a coffee shop, she finds herself wounded and alone in the town of Murk. But while she's healing from a not insignificant injury, she slowly begins to build friendships with the various inhabitants of Murk, finding a spot for herself at the local bookstore and gradually falling for the town baker. Her mercenary training comes in handy when a talking skeleton shows up and a necromancer threatens the town.

While I still love Legends and Lattes more, I loved this glimpse into Viv's life before Tandri and her coffeeshop. As a lover of books and bookshops, watching Viv fall in love with reading made my heart so happy. Because I don't read blurbs before I start reading, it took me a hot minute to realize this was a prequel, but once I figured that out, I fell headfirst into the story. The side characters, like the side characters in Legends and Lattes, MADE the story. Fern and Gallina and Satchel and Maylee and Pitts and Potroast are all so colorful and unforgettable. And it's easy to see how Viv's experiences in Murk prepared her for the life she would ultimately have with Tandri down the road.

Like with the Legends and Lattes audiobook, the author Travis Baldree narrates this story. He does a phenomenal job bringing his characters to life. If you have a choice, I'd highly recommend the audiobook; it was a delightful listening experience. In fact, the audiobook bumped it up to five stars. Just reading it, I would give it 4.

Travis Baldree has cornered the market on cozy fantasy. Bookshops and Bonedust is a low stakes fantasy novella, which fleshes out Viv and her history. My favorite part was probably at the very end where Baldree ties it back in to Viv's present day, when Fern reaches out to Viv and plans to come visit. (Oops, spoiler.) We get to see a glimpse of Viv and Tandri happily married and thriving in Thune.

Thank you so much to Tor and Netgalley for my advance review copy.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a cozy prequel to legends and lattes. I personally preferred LL but only slightly. This is a look into what made Liv the lovable ork that we have come to adore. Full of snarky humor and an adorable Gryphon named Potroast, this is the most cozy of reads for a cool fall evening by the fire, with a mug of hot coffee.
Oh, and that epilogue…!

I loved this audio book so much and can not wait to own the physical book when it releases. This stand alone prequel to the beloved cozy fantasy legends and lattes was everything I hoped it would be and more .

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A prequel to Legends and Lattes, this story follows Viv as she starts out her career as a Mercenary. Things don’t go quite as planned and Viv ends up stuck in a little nearby town where she gets to know the local shop owners. However, the little town is not as quiet as it seems.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series and the second one, in my opinion, was better than the first. The way everything was connected, from the big themes to the small delightful details, made this feel like such a large world in such a tiny space.

The audio book was fantastic! I find Baldree’s voice to be very soothing and the way he narrates for each character is so consistent. It’s so nice to be able to close my eyes and fully immerse myself in this little part of what must be the Forgotten Realms.

I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who likes action and adventures, plays D&D, or likes romance.

This was such a sweet, cozy, funny and a little bit romantic fantasy. It was fun to learn more about Viv and who she was before we meet her in Legends and Lattes. I really enjoyed seeing her interact with everyone in the small town. And seeing her connect and become part of the community. Definitely recommend picking this one up.

Thx Macmillan audio via Netgalley.

Ok this book is so damn cozy! It’s a warm hug of a story. I’m packing my bags and moving to Murk!
This prequel was charmin, giving us a bit more insight to Viv, and how she came to want to own a coffeehouse. She’s younger, more tightly wound, and isn’t happy to be stuck convalescing in this tiny coastal village. But danger can blossom anywhere, and Viv is ever the fighter. Once again, Viv teams up with a gaggle of locals, each with their own unique quirks. I especially love how Baldree writes bakers. I can smell the bread and treats. He’s an absolute master of atmosphere.
Overall super charming, and an enjoyable low-stakes fantasy.

I listened to the audiobook, and was quite pleased with the pacing and voice work. It was really easy to sink into Murk for hours on end.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this audio ARC, in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Did I love this even more than Legends and Lattes? It is quite possible! I was not expecting to get emotional while reading this but it was just so sweet I couldn't help but tear up.

I love that this prequel is still slice of life and that it helps you to understand why Viv would want to start her own business in the first place. I love the friendships she formed in this story and I think that this was a little more plot driven than Legends and Lattes while still having amazing characters and cozy vibes. I think the nature of a prequel makes it feel like the stakes are lower because you know where the character ends up, but I didn't find that distracting at all. Can't wait to read whatever Travis Baldree puts out next!

I genuinely cannot believe that this book was somehow better than Legends and Lattes, but here we are! Bookshops and Bonedust manages to recapture that same feeling of coziness and comfort while expanding Viv's world. The new characters and this new adventure are so much fun, and while the vibe of this book feels similar it's distinct from the first book. The stakes are slightly higher (there is a necromancer involved this time!) but that piece of the story acts as a guiding thread to help progress the rest of the story along instead of being the central focus. I absolutely adore Fern and Potroast! I'll update this review after the book comes out so people can avoid spoilers, but suffice it to say this is easily one of my favorite books of the year and I HIGHLY recommend it!!

Travis you are intense. How did you elevate this? How did you bloody do it? So much fun and I am very surprised to say that this was better than the first!

I really enjoyed this book.
It is about Live who get wounded and has to stay in this small town while recovering. She is not happy about this because her war band leaves her to go catch the bad guy. Liv really wants to be the one to catch the necromancer that is running around and ruining lives. She ends up walking into a book shop one day and meeting the owner Fern. From there, Liv finds friendship, a little romance, some life lessons and may be closer to finding that necromancer than she thinks. This is a cozy adventure server with a warm hug.
I love books about books and this one did not disappoint..
One thing that i thought was different is that we get little excerpts of the books that Liv is reading. I had the audiobook and am picky about the ones I listen to. The author narrate his own book. I like his narration and the voices for each character were just different enough that I could tell who was speaking without being told,
5 STARS

I loved this book!! Talk about a super cozy, high fantasy read!! Perfect for the fall season!! This book makes me so excited for the colder weather and sitting by a cozy fire!! First the coffee shop then the bookstore!!! Omg!!! This story was so so cozy and inviting and I loved reading about Viv before Legends and Lattes. I hope there is another book because I cannot get enough. I highly recommend if you are looking for a cozy fall read that is peaceful and sweet!

Books about book lovers always do it for me.

This felt to me how L&L felt to most people; a warm hug. Dirty bookshops and the threat of a necromancer aren't what a warm hug feels like to you? More for me.
Reading this gave me a deeper appreciation for Viv and her story, and I think if I re-read L&L, I'd have a more enjoyable experience. This prequel leaned more into the adventure and fantasy elements than the cozy ones, and that is a major reason it worked for me. The stakes are slightly higher in the story itself, but there's a cozy comfort in knowing that this takes place in Viv's past, and we know she goes on to find her happiness.
I would definitely pick up a high-stakes fantasy if Travis ever decides he wants to go there. There are always fun and interesting fantasy elements that are only ever glimpsed through the low-stakes lens, and I'd love a deeper exploration.

Ahhh!!! This book is an absolutely fantastic prequel to Legend and Lattes! I loved seeing some of Viv’s backstory, and there are some excellent side characters in here that were very funny and sweet. We still got some good action as well, with a nice helping of cozy bookstore renovations!

I recommend reading L&L first because there’s an epilogue at the end of this one that will be more impactful if you’ve already read L&L :)

I listened to the audiobook, which the author narrated, and it was extremely well done!!

Thanks so much to Netgalley for the audiobook ARC!

LOVED this audio! I am not usually a fantasy reader but have absolutely fallen in love with this series! Travis Baldree not only writes these fun books but is also the perfect narrator!

Cozy fantasy and Travis Baldree are my favorite. This prequel was everything I never knew I needed. The epilogue had me crying. I loved all of the characters, but especially Fern and Satchel and Pitts (our little poetry reading orc, be still my heart). I adored the whole concept of Fern picking out books for Viv. Honestly, this felt like a love letter to readers everywhere.

Additionally, the narrator made this book feel absolutely magical. I want to go back and get sucked into this world again and again.

A prequel to the lovely Legends & Lattes, this novel follows a younger Viv who is waylaid in a small, coastal town with a stab wound that needs healing. Loathe to stay put, she eventually sinks into a rhythm in the new place. She makes friends, one of whom is a bookstore owner who starts sending her back to her inn with tailored book recommendations. As one would expect, there is conflict and adventure, but that pales in comparison to the relationships in the story and of course, the vibe. The cozy fantasy vibe is strong and well-executed. This is an absolute delight.
The audiobook is narrated by the author himself, and it's great. Baldree is clearly experienced as a narrator, and just knowing that he was reading his own work made it special and that much more believable. A+ all around, a really lovely experience.

5/5 A book-shaped hug for cozy fantasy lovers.

This prequel to Legends and Lattes is set when our main character, Viv, is still finding her footing as an adventurer and warrior. She's scar-free and loving her time with her new crew until a severe leg wound from a fight leaves her convalescing in a small town. She's confident her crew will come back for few weeks, well she's pretty sure, okay she's just really hoping they return as promised.

Forced to take a step away from the warrior/adventurer life and slow down (figuratively and literally, she is hobbling on her injured leg), she meets a harried bookseller in a musty bookshop, a retired warrior-turned baker, and a host of other warm, loving and insightful characters.

In her first conversation with the bookseller, Viv is recommended a book, which she takes hesitantly, and once she starts reading, can't put it down. Between a blossoming love of reading and a growing friendship with the bookseller, Viv helps fix-up the old, crumbing, overstuffed bookshop. Readers of Legends and Lattes will appreciate the similar beats found in this storyline. As Viv starts building a community around herself, her confidence in the adventurer life begins to shake. However, before she can make any decisions a necromancer threatens the peace she's found, and the adventure comes to her!

Did you know that the audiobook is narrated by the author, Travis Baldree?! To my surprise, I learned he's an accomplished narrator, and he does not disappoint! There is quite a sprawling cast of characters that make up the townsfolk and villains, and Travis gives each one their own cadence, timbre and accent. What a treat to have the author so talentedly read the book. I wonder if those are the voices he heard in his head as he wrote the story?

The story can be read without having read Legends and Latte's first, but the epilogue does have some spoilers. Also, the epilogue!! Travis, you stopped my heart, then made it explode.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced listener copy.

This book is best read while you're recovering from an injury/illness, sitting in a well-loved chair, while eating fresh baked goods. Oh, and if the book suddenly opens up a portal into another dimension, definitely reach your hand through and see what you can find.