This was the perfect sequel/prequel to Legends & Lattes. I enjoyed seeing more of Viv's journey. Loved the epilogue.

Thank you, Net Galley and Tor Books for this advanced Readers Copy.

This book had a lot to live up to, given my love for Legends & Lattes. It’s a prequel, following Viv when she was a young idiot, running with her first mercenary band and getting a massive injury. There’s a bit more action in this book, as a result, though the stakes are different because they’re not as deeply personal to Viv (though she does care very much).

It’s mostly a new cast, aside from Viv, though one particular character from Legends & Lattes gets a chance to shine. I didn’t latch onto them in quite the same way, except perhaps for one — about whom I shouldn’t say too much, except that I was deeply relieved they got what they wanted out of life. I wonder if I’d latch on more on reread, knowing what to expect.

Like Legends & Lattes, there are some very profoundly cosy aspects (such as discussion of books they all like! and how to sell more books!), and it’s very enjoyable to see the seeds of where Viv gets to later. I’d definitely recommend having read Legends & Lattes first, so that you can appreciate that, despite the fact that this is a prequel — plus, the epilogue of this book is spoilery for the original novel.

To call either this book or Legends & Lattes “low-stakes” is a bit misleading, I think. Life and limb are on the line in both, and loss of someone’s livelihood — not to mention a place full of memories of their family, for example — is not “low-stakes”, emotionally speaking. Sure, the world isn’t going to end, but there are things on the line here. I didn’t care quite as much as I did for Legends & Lattes, perhaps, but I did very much care about what was happening.

A perfect prequel to Legends & Lattes. I really enjoyed going back to Viv and finding more about her journey pre L&L. As a bookseller myself I really loved Fern and Thisleburr and her struggles as a bookseller. This book had all the heartwarming moments with a bit more dungeons and dragons-esque action. If you love books, baked goods and a necromancer as an enemy you’ll love this book.

A wonderful story and prequel to Legends and Lattes. I enjoyed seeing Viv during her warrior days and I think the friendships that were made during her short time in Murk were all very well written. I will say that this book didn’t feel as cozy or keep my attention as thoroughly as the first book did which is why I’m giving it a 4, but I did enjoy the more action focused plot. The epilogue tied up everything perfectly and honestly almost made me emotional because all the characters in the series are relatable and you can’t help but root for them. I highly recommend this!

This book made me feel SEEN! 📚🥐🦴🖌️🗡️

Bookshops & Bonedust is the perfect follow-up (but actually a prequel) to Legends & Lattes. ☕ I don’t know how he does it but Travis has a way of writing the coziest, most comforting characters.

We follow Viv’s journey to recovery after a battle injury in the small, quiet beach town of Murk long before she lands in Thune. Just like in L&L the found family and the friendships in this book were soooo good. 😭💖 This was all about the different paths we can take in life and the different people we meet along the way.

Books about book lovers >>>
Books about smutty book lovers >>>>> 😎

The stakes felt slightly higher than L&L but Travis still did a great job balancing Viv’s backstory before settling down with the “hug in book form” cozy fantasy story that he knew we all were hoping for.

My jaw was on the FLOOR with that epilogue!! (Side note, I feel like this would do soooo well as an animated series like The Legend of Vox Machina. That art style is what I was picturing in my head the whole time)

Thank you SO MUCH to Tor for an early copy of this incredible book!

I really enjoyed Legends and Lattes so I was excited to see that the author had written a prequel. If you liked Legends and Lattes you'll certainly like this book as well!

This book has a similar cozy feel as Legends and Lattes, but doesn't achieve it quite as well due to the higher stakes at play. In this book, Viv has been injured and is forced to rest and recuperate in a small sleepy town before she can rejoin her party. However, trouble stirs when signs begin to pop up that the very person Viv's party was hunting may be closer than they thought.

I loved all the characters in the book. Viv is a strong main character and I was happy to get to read another book with her as the main character. I also really liked all the supporting characters and the relationships Viv formed with them along the way. I'm hoping some of these characters will pop up again in further books the author writes.

I will note that it felt odd reading this book after Legends and Lattes as it felt like Viv lost character development since this book takes place at an earlier time in Viv's life. Yet, due to the epilogue, it doesn't exactly work to suggest that readers start with this book, as the epilogue gives away some major spoilers for Legends and Lattes. However, it was fun to see Viv at an earlier and more impulsive time in her life and get to see a few fight scenes.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and eagerly look forward to the author's next book!

Viv is a young orc mercenary. Injured in the search for a necromancer she is recuperating, impatiently, in the small seaside town of Murk. Looking for a way to fill her time she ends up befriending a local bookshop owner, helping her rediscover her passion for selling books while also discovering her own love of reading. But trouble is on its way to Murk as a magician fleeing the necromancer arrives in town and the necromancer and her army follow. Viv can only hope she can mange to kill the necromancer before the people she has come to care about or injured or worse.
This was a pleasant book, sort of a cozy fantasy. We have many different types of characters, orcs, dwarves, and elves among them. It is as much a slow character study as it is a standard fantasy. It is a prequel to Mr Baldree’s first book, Legends & Lattes, an origin story for Viv that will have me both acquiring that book and hoping for more stories of Viv and her friends. Recommended

Bookshops and Bonedust really provides the reader with the Viv that we wanted to know and love. We wanted more of her and who she was deep inside and we got it.

Murk is where you want to be, a seaside village with a bakery and bookshop. My perfect day would now include sitting in the bookshop eating a lassie cake, reading a book, petting pot roast, and joking around with satchel. The only thing missing is the bean water…or is it?

Follow Viv as she is wounded in battle and forced to convalesce in the town of Murk where she meets Fern the bookshop owner, her pet pot roast and Maylee the baker who become her friends and loved ones that she finds herself needing to protect from the very evil she was in pursuit of…Varine. Drop a homunculus named Satchel out of the bag, along with a mysterious book, and you get an action packed, humorous, comfy fantasy that will leave you smiling and wanting, yet again, even more.

A big kudos and standing ovation to the epilogue which really brings both books to its perfect completion.

An adorable and cozy prequel to Legends and Lattes!

This book was so good! It was exactly what I needed from start to finish! I read this book by the fireplace while it was raining and it was giving me just the perfect atmosphere to read Bookshops & Bonedust.

If you’re looking for a cozy fantasy book, I highly recommend this one!

Bookshops & Bonedust is a Prequel to Legends & Lattes. This story invites readers to follow the young Viv as she embarks on a thrilling adventure, immersing herself in the world of adventuring gangs. However, Viv becomes injured and in need of rest and relaxation in a seaside town. It is here that she discovers the transformative power of unexpected friendships, particularly with a charismatic bookstore owner.

While the concept of cozy fantasy is not entirely new, "Legends & Lattes" elevated the genre,, earning the adoration of readers and myself with its outstanding storytelling. This began a subgenre of cozy fantasy, featuring queer-found families and individuals finding solace outside the perils of the adventuring life. As a result, "Prequel to Legends & Lattes" faces a challenge in living up to the success of Legends And Lattes.

Although this prequel didn't quite achieve the perfection that garnered "Legends & Lattes", it did possess several noteworthy qualities that I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters, in particular, captured my heart with their compelling depth and relatable journeys. However, I found the inclusion of a romance subplot to be unnecessary, especially considering the pivotal turning point in Viv's life and the knowledge that her path diverges from that of her romantic interest. Rather than adding depth to the story, it became a distracting element, diverting attention from the core theme of found family that resonates so powerfully throughout this book.

Nevertheless, the bookshop setting exudes a cozy charm that effortlessly draws readers into its embrace, serving as the perfect backdrop for the unfolding relationships and personal growth.

Bookshops and Bonedust remain a story that showcases the author's talent for crafting engaging narratives. It is a bittersweet reminder of the power of friendship, even in temporary alliances, and an exploration of the impact individuals can have on one another's lives. With its setting and captivating characters, this book is a worthy addition to any cozy fantasy lover's collection.

Thank you, Net Galley and Tor Books for this advanced Readers Copy. This book will be available on November 7th.

Rarely do I find sequels or prequels that I enjoy more than the original books but OHHH BOY is this one of those rare occasions.

Legends & Lattes was already a 5 star read for me but Bookshops & Bonedust was definitely a solid 6/5. I absolutely adored this book and tore through it as fast as I possibly could.

From the cozy setting, to the character relationships, to the stakes, to the adorable gryphet, I loved everything about this book. It amazes me how Travis Baldree can keep you invested in a mystery/plot while still keeping it cozy and relatively low stakes.

This book made me smile, laugh, cry and everything inbetween and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good cozy fantasy.

To finish up this review, I’d just like to share my favorite quotes from this book.


“Then why does this have to be the end of it?”

“Because I’m headed down the hill, and you’re headed up it. I’m just glad we chanced to meet on the way.”

I’m honestly not sure if I like this more than Legends & Lattes but I really loved this! Viv was amazing (as usual) and even the first half of the book (before the necromancy plot took off) was so fun and cozy! I read this in an afternoon and anytime I had to do something else, all I could think about was jumping back into this wonderful book. I really hope we can get more soon!

An adorable prequel featuring the Viv we know and love as an impatient youth, a newly sparked love of reading, and the blossoming of a first sweet romance? I was delighted to get a deeper peek into Viv's evolution, and while I hope Travis does someday write his fantasy world Murder She Wrote story, I really enjoyed this book.

There is something about the way that Travis writes and understands characters that is so profound, that makes me feel seen as a person in a way that no other author has ever encapsulated for me. Sometimes the human experience is an orc with chronic back pain, and sometimes the human experience is a rat person with executive dysfunction discovering body doubling for the first time. And that's a beautiful thing.

Anyway I'm off to marry a rat woman and her pet pug-bird hybrid now, read Bookshops & Bonedust, thank you

I love this world a lot, it's so familiar and exciting at the same time. I liked the book as much as Legends & Lattes and would highly recommend it to fans of that story and fantasy in general.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

I really wasn’t sure if I was ready to enjoy a prequel story, since so much of what I enjoyed about Legends and Lattes was the found family aspect, but Baldree reached the same tone again for this one. I found it a more focused book, instead of being more vibes than plot it’s more plot than vibes. Which isn’t saying the cozy vibes aren’t there; Viv spends most of her days hanging around a bookstore and a cafe, she’s just a younger orc here, and one that’s looking for adventure. There’s a bittersweet feeling to all of it though, because she’s finding a potential family that we already know she isn’t going to stay with. Hopefully some of the characters can show up again in future books!

This was a super cute fun time and loved the bookish moments! I just preferred Legends & Lattes because it was heavier on vibes rather than fantasy plot. Thank you so much to Tor for sending me an ARC for one of my most highly anticipated 2023 releases!

A wonderful return to the cozy fantasy world introduced in Legends & Lattes. I loved learning more about Viv's life before L&L, and meeting the new characters introduced here. Hopefully Travis Baldree continues to write about Viv and her friends!

Wounded in her very first battle as a new recruit for Rackam's Ravens, Viv (our orc friend from Legends & Lattes) is left behind in the seaside village of Murk to recover. Once her leg begins to heal and restlessness kicks in, Viv wanders through the village, stumbling into the local bookshop and creating a bit of chaos. To make amends with the rattkin owner Fern, Viv buys a book and gets caught up in an adventure story. And as Viv continues to mend physically, the friendship she develops with Fern (and a romance with local baker Maylee) begins to heal her emotionally as well, and her relationships with the people of Murk inspire Viv to help them out, especially when danger comes to the town gates.

This cozy prequel to Legends & Lattes gives the reader more background for everyone's favorite orc: how Viv began her adventuring, how she met one of her later companions, and what seeds were planted to lead her eventually to her coffee shop in L&L. Viv's friend Fern struggles to keep her bookshop running but hesitates to make changes, swearing up a storm all the while, and yet she thrives on putting the right book in the right hands. (Fern's gryphet, Potroast, provides plenty of comic relief, too.) There's also Pitts, an orc with an appreciation for poetry, and Satchel, a mysterious homunculus who lives to serve.

The plot has a gentle, meandering feel for portions of the book, which may feel slow to some but relaxing to others -- but it picks up with the introduction of a bit of suspense surrounding the necromancer Varine. It also includes an epilogue connecting it directly back to Legends & Lattes and giving the reader hope for maybe more books in this world (we can hope!).

While the reader, like Viv, might regret having to leave Murk, the time spent there will surely be a comfort to many cozy fantasy readers. 4 stars.

Thank you, Tor and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.