With how popular Legends & Lattes was, this prequel was highly anticipated by a lot of people.

Once again we're following Viv in a cosy fantasy setting as she renovates a building and tries to fit into a community. This time it's a bookshop, while she's temporarily off-duty due to injury.

I always like seeing sapphic romance in books, but this one felt a little awkward the whole way through. Maybe that's just because I'm used to reading romance, rather than having a temporary romance as part of a fantasy book.

The plot pacing felt a bit off. Or possibly there just wasn't enough of it. Honestly, my favourite chapter of the whole book was the epilogue. By a long way.

I don't know. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood to read a cosy fantasy. It was fine, but not one I'd be looking to go back to or recommend to others.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free digital review copy. All thoughts are my own.

I'd fallen out of love with fantasy books, but 'Bookshops and Bonedust' has drawn me right back in! When Viv is injured in battle, she is left behind at the Perch Inn to recuperate whilst the Ravens continue to hunt for an evil necromancer. Orcs. elves, dwarves etc abound in the apparently sleepy town of Murk, but she seeks solace and company in the bookshop next door. When strange things begin to happen, Viv can't help but get involved!
Loved the descriptive writing which drew me right into Murk! Enjoyed the story so much, Legends and Lattes has been added to the Christmas list!

This companion entry in the series, following Legends and Lattes, is undeniably cute and cozy. However, I personally wished for a bit more substance in the plot. Nevertheless, as an escapist and easy read, this book succeeds in its intended purpose. I would recommend it to readers seeking a pleasant break from grimdark fantasy or other depressing reads. That being said, I found myself longing for a more elaborate storyline, as I have a preference for fantasy novels with greater depth and complexity.

Let's just start by saying yet again the audio for this was FANTASTIC ! Would highly recommend.

I don't think I will ever get enough of this world and these characters. This book has the perfect feel-good cosy vibes while still having some action and adventure, and the humour has me laughing out loud . Satchel was just my favourite, and I NEED MORE ! This book is straight to the top of my best books for 2023 !

Thank you to Netgalley, PanMacmillan, and Travis Baldree for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You know that feeling when you just feel so warm and cosy after reading a book? This was that book! In a great prequel to Legends & Lattes we follow Val before she opens her coffee shop and I blooming adored it!

There were higher stakes, giggles, as always - fantastic characters to entwine yourself in, it’s just such a lovely fun series to read and I really hope we’ll see more!

As always, I audioed alongside the physical and the narration was so on point! I felt the characters energy and it was a real joy to listen to, really added to the whole feel of my reading experience!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

I was worried as a prequel that this book just wouldn't be as cosy as the first but it was perfect. Cosy fantasy is just exactly what this series is.

We get to learn even more about Viv and her past and learn to love her as a character for even more reasons. We also get to meet some new characters who bring out the best in Viv.

It took me a bit longer to get through this book compared to the first but that was nothing to do with the book and more with my lack of time to read! I couldn't wait to delve back into this world each time I picked up my Kindle!

This was another cosy fantasy read from Travis Baldree and I loved it even more than Legends & Lattes. There's so much more going on in this one. There's action, including great sword fights, a friendly bone homunculus, a cute Gryphet, love interests, friendships, mystery. I was gripped from the first page, thrown into a fantastical world with amazing friends, that I just didn't want to leave.

There is something so uniquely cosy about this series of books. The way Travis Baldree describes food in particular - don't read his work on a empty stomach or you'll regret it. Whenever I picked up this book I immediately wanted to eat a pastry!
Personally, I prefer this prequel over Legends & Lattes; the plot was more intriguing and every member of the supporting cast found their way to my heart. Will definitely need to reread L&L after this! (Perhaps whilst eating a pastry...)

After not being a huge fan of Legends and Lattes, I was very hesitant to start this book. However, having an ARC of it, I felt the responsibility to dive into it. I'm so glad I did!

So far, I've noticed that some people haven't really enjoyed this second installment, but it worked for me way more than LL.

There's nothing new in saying that Travis truly shines in writing cozy fantasy and conveying a feeling of peace and comfort through his prose. However, for me, this book went way further than just that. I found myself finally connecting with its characters and being moved by their stories, thoughts, and actions. (I might have even shed a few tears.)

To be honest, I feel both Legends and Lattes and this book are paired in quality, but who am I to deny the fact that whenever I feel deeply connected to a book, there's no way I don't fall in love with it, and that was the exact case for this book.

"Bookshops and Bonedust" is the cozy fantasy book I was missing in my life. It is adventurous, featuring a first-love trope and absolutely mesmerizing characters. After this, I simply can't wait to read the author's future books.

DNF 90 pages in

Earlier this year I read Baldree's debut Legends and Lattes and while I thought it was ok I felt there were things missing. I was hoping to have my feelings change with the release of this prequel and while I loved the book element and Potroast the Gryphet, I just feel that there is something I am personally missing from Baldree's writing. The side characters are interesting, the setting is fun and I understand why people enjoy it but for me there is just a disconnect with Viv and the writing.

Bookshops and Bonedust is the prequel to Legends & Lattes featuring Viv during her warrior career as she recovers from an injury.

Travis Baldree knows how to write cozy, comfy fantasy, and Bookshops and Bonedust is an excellent comfortable read.

I feel like I'm always saying the same thing but Travis Baldree is a cozy fantasy gem. Love love love this!

Thank you Pan Macmillan, Tor, Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Legends & Lattes was one of my favourite books of 2022 and the minute I heard we were getting a prequel I knew that I would love it just as much and guess what? I did. I loved every second of Bookshops and Bonedust.

Viv is such an amazing character and I'm so glad we got to see a bit of her life before Legends & Lattes. She's a fiercely loyal character who you cannot help but love. She also makes the most amazing friends and this book had some of the greatest.

The setting for this book was just perfect and I honestly loved that it revolved mostly around a bookshop. Fern is one of my all time favourite characters, she's a rattkin bookseller who loves to swear and has the most adorable gryphet beside her. I think a lot of us readers can relate to Fern on many levels!

Being back with Viv and this world that Travis has created honestly feels like a warm hug. I love how these books make me feel and I just love how cozy and perfect they are. I will never stop recommending this series and I know for a fact that Bookshops & Bonedust is one of my favourites for 2023.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After recently reading Legends & Lattes, I was thrilled to get hold of an ARC for Bookshops & Bonedust.

Bookshops & Bonedust did not disappoint!
Travis Baldree's writing, the characters, the world building - all incredible.

This book has the perfect balance of cosy fantasy and excitement.
The pacing, the intrigue, the story, each a credit to Baldree's writing and each making Bookshops & Bonedust a must-read.

Bookshops and bonedust is my most anticipated book of the year, i was lucky enough to get this book early and have already devoured this book twice. And upon reread realised that this is in my top 5 books of all time.
This prequel is even better than Legends and lattes, Baldrees writing has gotten better since his first debut, with delightful characters, and such a cosy world. I want to work in Fern’s bookshop so badly.
Our favourite Orc Viv gets injured and is made to stay in Murk, a small town, where she finds herself working at the local bookshop, taking her time to recover from a serious injury. I loved seeing this side of viv, the one that longs for adventure, over Legends and Lattes viv who is ready to settle down into a quiet life.
This story adds so much to the original story, with Fern and potroast the Gryphet quickly becoming lifelong favourite characters.
This book has the perfect balance of cosy and excitement, the mystery in this novel contains high stakes that kept the book fast paced and interesting. Every character adds to the overall stakes, and with this added conflict it makes the story even more astounding and fun to read, while being the cosiest book ive ever read.

"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."

This book is a love letter to the reader, for every bibliophile that read this book feels like they are getting a hug from the author. Its all about finding your home, about the right people at the wrong time, and about growth. That some people will impact your life forever in the best way, even if you have to leave them behind.

Endings are not always the ending.

Please please please never stop writing Travis Baldree, you have truly written a masterpiece.


See you in the story past the story.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

2.5 stars.

Viv is injured in battle and deposited in the town of Murk to recover. There she fills her time helping Fern the local bookshop owner and making friends with Maylee, the town’s baker.

I do not see the point of this prequel. I’m gutted to say it because I quite liked the first one but I just didn’t see why we needed this story. In the acknowledgements the author tells us his original idea for what this book would be and I thought that one sounded really interested!

In my opinion this book moved too slowly with too much description. I wasn’t invested in the relationships building between Viv and the townsfolk because I know what happens in legends and lattes. The extracts from books didn’t work because we weren’t given details of those stories. It took me an embarrassingly long time to finish for such a short book.

If L&L was your number 1 book of last year then maybe you’ll love this but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

An absolute pleasure to read! It was lovely to hear more of Viv's adventure in Bookshops & Bonedust, a prequel novel. You by no means have to have read Legends and Lattes, though I strongly recommend you should.

This cozy fantasy had a lovely array of unique characters, a low-stakes mission to save an ailing bookshop and a dash of romance! A truly joyous read.

I really enjoyed this book. I had not read Legends and Lattes but this did not prevent me enjoying finding out about a younger Viv and her adventures in Murk. Having been wounded as part of Rackam’s Ravens she is left in Murk to convalesce. Here she meets Fern, the owner of a second hand bookshop and becomes a reader. Still an adventure beckons with a suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling and a satchel of bones!

A cosy fantasy - a little bit of romance and action!

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this very quirky book

now this was a strange read but one that hooked me early on and i cant think how.... there were goblins and other things and a bookshop oh and lets not forget a necromancer....

but this is also a book about hope... for all of them and their dreams though they dont know it yet...

ohh and i loved satchel he was amazing...

Bookshops & Bonedust takes us back to Viv's adventuring days, except she is forced to take a break in a quirky seaside resort.

Whilst the premise for this did feel a little bit contrived, and therefore this does have the vibe of a prequel that was written just for the sake of writing a prequel, if you overlook that and just go along with it, this is a fun and charming story.

It was great to spend more time with Viv and meet the new cast of characters - my particular favourites were bookshop owner, Fern, and Potroast, her pet owl-dog.

I also really liked the little post Legends and Lattes epilogue with Viv and Tandri.

Overall, I think that anyone who enjoyed Legends and Lattes and the surge of cosy fantasy it inspired will also enjoy this!

I was absolutely loving this book!! But it’s just going on for too long and I can’t finish it. I struggled to get to 200 pages despite enjoying it and can’t even force myself to pick it up to read the last 100 pages. It’s great but too long, so I’m officially DNFing now. I normally give all my DNFs a 1 star but as I was enjoying it a lot, just can’t make myself finish it, I’m giving it 2 stars instead.