I love everything about this. Cozy fantasy is truly bopping it’s way to the top of my favorite genres. It had all of the cozy feelings the first book brought but an even more likeable story this time around. Big fan.

“Sometimes, it’ll never be the right time.”

“And sometimes, we aren’t the right people yet…”

Have you ever felt the realization that you’re far from your final destination, from settling down? How about the aching beauty of making connections that will stay with you for a lifetime, even when life’s path takes you from those you’ve grown to love? Have you ever had to rebuild from the ground up after a great setback? Has life ever happened while you were busy making other plans? Okay. So take all of that, and make it a cozy fantasy.

Bookshops & Bonedust is a love letter to readers and those of us familiar with the pains of growing. In a salty coastal atmosphere, an orc injured in battle helps give an old bookshop new life, making meaningful connections in an unlikely place along the way. Summer romance, friendships, and unlikely alliances lead our main character Viv, through one of her many great stories that was very much “for the plot” of her life.

If you’re someone familiar with meeting the right people at the wrong time, or have ever felt like a side character in someone else’s story, this story may touch you as much as it did me.

Travis Baldree has done it again. Bookshops & Bonedust was the perfect mixture of beautiful writing, fantasy world building, found family, plot, and making a reader feel seen. I left this story feeling better about life’s ups and downs than when I started, and I didn’t even realize that I needed that.

Bookshops & Bonedust succeeded in interlocking its story with that of Legends & Lattes, in a way that strengthens both stories. Five stars.

P.S. I would now, really love that sequel to Legends & Lattes. Pretty please!

I don't know how I keep picking these up at exactly the right time when I need them, but it's some kind of miracle. I wasn't sure I would enjoy this one as much as the first book, but this was just as much of a delight and a great look into Viv's backstory. Still chock full of endearing characters that you are rooting for the whole time. It's just a wholesome cozy fantasy and I could read Baldree's work forever and ever and never get tired of it.

Well I just ended this book with tears in my eyes. How does this author bring these characters to life so well that I will actually miss them when I close the book?!  I was absolutely captivated and transported by this writing and so immersed into the story.  The writing is cozy perfection and even when there is danger, I felt calm in the knowledge that the author was going to guide us in just the perfect way that was both exhilarating and interesting. Unlikely friendships and bonds, a touch of romance, and the best inclusion of bones and magic!  I adored every page of this book.

A fun and worthy successor to Legends & Lattes. Just as cozy, though the stakes are a little higher in this one. That said, because it's a prequel, readers can rest assured knowing that everything turns out okay in the end. Ultimately, it's a nice way to have some stakes in a cozy read while still feeling "safe." Looking forward to getting more of Viv's adventures!

This book was such a comforting read. I absolutely loved the bookstore aspect and the seaside village town. I found the characters to be just as charming as the ones in Legends & Lattes, and enjoyed seeing a younger version of Viv. You’re definitely going to need a pastry and some bacon when reading this book - it made me so hungry.

I have never read a series quite like this one. I am a serious adrenaline junkie and mostly read the types of books where I need to consciously control my breathing as I read through them, but this series has my heart. I'm going to wait closer to the actual release date to do my reviews on social media to help with marketing hype but needed to get on NetGalley reviews asap to give my thumbs up and to say that I look forward to Travis Baldree giving me endless sequels. :)

I just love that this book makes you feel an instant familiarity with both the characters and the world they live in. There's a type of nostalgia I get that really amplifies the coziness, which is a skill I really don't get from very many authors. He does an amazing job making you feel like you were there during the story and it's just one big memory of the past. What else can I say?! I loved it! Keep them coming!

Somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars - This is a pretty darn successful follow up to the smash hit debut that was Legends and Lattes. Was it AS good? No, I think not because the nature of it being a prequel made the stakes even lower than the first book. In the first book, I was invested in Viv building a life for herself, but in this one, I knew she wasn't going to stay so I didn't care as much about her relationships that she was forming. This could have been solved by bringing the letter in the epilogue up as a prologue IMO
With that being said, this was still super charming and fun. I really enjoyed the bookshop element and seeing Viv being totally clueless with Maylee. Very enjoyable and makes me hopeful that the first book was not just a one hit wonder

as someone who was late to reading legends and lattes and only recently finished it, i knew i had to request this one! shockingly i found both books to be un-put-down-able lol. i am normally a huge romance / angst reader so smthe subtle romance (if thats what we can call it!) and relationship building within these stories is something to be savored. im not quite sure how baldree writes something so intriguing yet comforting at the same time but i do know im already plotting a reread for fall so i can enjoy this story all over again with a comfy blanket and hot cocoa

Bookshops & Bonedust is a mesmerizing love letter to the enchantment of bookshops, the profound impact of stories, and the serendipitous friendships that shape our lives. Travis Baldree has woven a tapestry of characters so vivid and captivating that you can't help but fall in love with each and every one of them. What amazed me most was the care and attention given to even the side characters, their backstories crafted with depth and thoughtfulness. It's a testament to Baldree's skill in creating a world that feels lived-in and brimming with authentic personalities.

In the beginning, I admit to feeling a tinge of apprehension as Viv, the protagonist, seemed different from the Viv I knew in Legends and Lattes. But then it struck me: this is a different Viv, an old chapter of her life. The contrast in her demeanor, the quicker reactions, and the subtle emotional shifts added a layer of intrigue. As the story unfolded, I found myself completely immersed in Viv's journey of self-discovery, witnessing her transformation and eagerly anticipating the path that leads her back to the person we all adored in Legends and Lattes.

What truly touched my heart in Bookshops & Bonedust was the poignant awareness of Viv's impending departure from Murk. It was a delicate dance between joy and sadness, leaving us with a bittersweet ache. Yet, Baldree masterfully guides Viv to embrace the present moment, forging new connections, and finding solace and love within the ephemeral beauty of her current circumstances. It's a testament to the author's skill that we can feel the depths of Viv's emotions and embark on this heartfelt journey alongside her.

Bookshops & Bonedust is an immersive and beautifully crafted tale that reminds us of the profound magic found within the pages of books and the power of human connections. Travis Baldree's ability to make even the fleeting characters feel unforgettable is a testament to his storytelling prowess. This book will linger in your thoughts long after the final page is turned, leaving you with a renewed appreciation for the stories that shape our lives.

Every bit as cute and lovely as Legends and Lattes. I read this is two days, flat, because I can’t get enough of Viv and the crew she assembles. I want to hug and kiss each and every one of them.

Full review to come

I thought it was great. Bring on more of the cozy fantasies. I love quirky side characters. And this one is about a struggling bookstore. Amazing.

If you read an enjoyed Legends and Lattes, you’ll definitely want to read this prequel! I was hoping for a sequel, but this satisfying prequel was just as cozy as the first book, and as much as I love reading about Viv, I hope we get more books set in this world. I would love a book focusing on Fern and Satchel in the bookshop.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy of Travis Baldree's upcoming book "Bookshops and Bonedust".

For those who have not read his first novel "Legends and Lattes" I'd highly recommend starting with that and then moving onto his newest book - even though this is a prequel you will definitely appreciate it more if you get to know the character later in life.

Much like legends and lattes I'd describe this book as a cozy queer hug that fills you with feelings of love and happiness. It is a low stakes story in which you know something is going to happen to threaten the main character but nothing so awful that it will leave you in suspense.

Viv, an Orc who is part of a team of mercenaries tracking a necromancer, is out for adventure and glory but when she is injured in battle she finds herself trapped in a sleepy coastal village which boast little in the way of diversion except a sad looking bookstore and a surprisingly lively bakery. As she recovers from her injuries she befriends Fern, the rattkin who owns the bookstore. In exchange for doing odd jobs around the bookstore to make herself useful, Fern lends Viv books she has hand-selected which she expects Viv to finish and then discuss with her. As she spends more time in the bookstore Viv begins to offer suggestions on how to improve the look of the store and enlivens Fern to take control and make some big changes like painting the walls and changing the carpet which smells terrible. Viv also befriends the owner of the bakery, Maylee, and a buddy romance blossoms between the two despite their both knowing any relationship will be short lived.

When a suspicious clocked man appears in the bookstore one afternoon Viv senses and smells trouble. When the stranger turns up dead bearing the mark of the necromancer Viv is certain trouble is on its way and she is determined to protect her new friends at all costs.

A cozy and welcome addition to Legends and Lattes, Bookshops and Bonedust is the perfect read for a lazy weekend.

This is a wonderful addition to the world created by the author as we originally seen in “Legends and Lattes”. The prequel introduces us to a much younger Viv, having been injured in a fight, recouping in a small Oceanside town. Here Viv finds unexpected friendship, adventure, and romance in her newly found family in the setting of rundown bookshop. The story was beautifully written and had me laughing and crying because I am a sap. A wonderful cozy fantasy read!

I was so excited to find out that Travis Baldree was writing another book featuring Viv. I absolutely love Legends and Lattes and recommend it to literally everyone. Bookshops & Bonedust is set before Legends and Lattes and features young Viv at the start of her mercenary career. An injury during a battle with necromantic enemies forces her to spend time in the coastal town of Murk to recover. While there she discovers a struggling bookstore, owned by Fern. Over the course of her recovery, Viv helps the struggling Fern with her store and ends up involved in a much bigger adventure than she ever thought she would find in a sleepy coastal town.

Bookshops and Bonedust perfectly fills that cozy fantasy niche. To be fair, I may be entirely biased because this story features a bookstore, and I almost always love any story that features a bookstore. While it does feature its fair share of battles, the primary focus of the story is on the relationships that Viv forms and her own inner struggles. I really enjoyed reading about a younger Viv, and while this may be a prequel, I do think that readers should read Legends and Lattes first. I think that this was an excellent follow-up to Legends and Lattes and definitely leaves me wanting more. Especially after that Epilogue! This is the perfect cozy read for any time of year. Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for providing me with an E-ARC.

Thank you netgalley and Tor for providing a eARC
This book did not have quite the same magic as legends and lattes. We follow Viv as she finds herself stranded and injured in a small village, where she must step back from the battle life and take things slow to heal herself. She finds herself in a struggling bookshop and helps get business flowing there, among other misadventures. I found myself having a hard time staying engaged as I was reading, and I think that may have been because Viv was also kind of lost there didn’t seem to be any central thing bringing the story together. It may have been great as a shorter novella, but for me as a novel it just did not deliver and I was a bit bored. The characters were engaging and Travis Baldree does a great job with creating a cozy atmosphere, it was just the plot and lack of central themes that made it feel a bit lacking to me. I may try it again as an audiobook when it is released!

I absolutely loved this book! A fantastic "prequel" to the original. I loved Viv, the new characters and the bookshop setting. Such a cozy feel with comfortable excitement. This will continue to be a favorite and a frequent reread.

The perfect blend of a dnd campaign and curling up by the fire with a good book.

I thought I couldn’t love Travis’s work more… BUT THEN HE DROPPS BONESHOPS AND BOOKDUST!?? I think I loved this even more than legends and lattes. We get to see Vic in her prime when she is more bullheaded.

She is deposited by her gang in a seaside town after becoming injured during a battle with a necromancer. Headstrong and and not knowing how to relax Viv must let her leg heal while the rest of her gang goes on tracking the diabolical necromancer. She meets Fern ,the owner of a run down bookshop and her adorable gryphet pot roast.

Stuck in a town with little to do Viv ends up making her own adventure with new friends and old enemies.

I loved diving back into this world and learning how viv got her start. This book is a little more high stakes than l&l because of how young Viv is, but it absolutely fits the story so well. This is gunning for one of the top spots as my top reads this year. I loved all the side characters and getting to know Viv more. I was crying by the end of the book. TRAVIS YOU HAVE OUT DONE YOURSELF!

If you loved the coziness of Legends and Lattes then you will love this one too.

This prequel follows Viv as she ventures into a small coastal town while she recovers from an injury. While I know this series is suppose to be low stakes, there were numerous times where the story was very slow and would struggle to keep my interest. But I loved the idea of a bookstore and it was such an unlikely fit for Viv. The new characters were sweet, but I didn't get as attached to them as I did with the characters from Legends and Lattes.

The romance was unnecessary but I loved jumping back into this world and enjoyed learning more about Viv's life and how some aspects tied in to the first book.