This was heartwarming and cute- but I did find the pacing dragged a fair bit in places. I loved the interplay between characters. The moments of action were good. The world was cosy and it was a great fall read, but I wanted more from the plot.

After reading and really enjoying the first book I was looking forward to this prequel and learning more about Viv’ backstory. We are introduced to a new cast of characters, but I couldn’t help but see many similarities between them and the side characters from the first book.
I think the choice to add a romance to this prequel was an interesting one as because the first book had quite a significant romance you knew this wasn’t going to last. U fortunately this meant i really struggled to stay invested with it.
The overarching story in this book was much more significant than the first boo, but this felt like a real strength, and it didn’t take away from the slow cosiness of the book.
Overall it was a good read, but think the characterisations need to be improved slightly!

Such a great prequel! I loved legends and lattes and was delighted to get the chance to read Bookshops and Bonedust! I found it a little slower than L&L but the effortless world building continued in this book and it was great to get to know Viv even more and see her personality growing as she made connections with the other characters she met. I love Travis Baldree’s writing style, it’s so cosy and captivating! I can’t wait to read more of his books!

A brilliant cozy fantasy, I enjoyed lots the first one and this was no exception. I am part of the luck bunch who could access this ARC and I am
So happy about the whole author work and the way the book was created. I liked it had a little bit of everything that you need in a cozy book. I love viv as character and can’t wait for know about more adventures and how the rest of the characters evolve. Brilliant storytell and brilliant world construction.

ARC provided by the publishers—Tor Books & Tor UK—in exchange for an honest review.

Legends and Lattes and Bookshops and Bonedust, Travis Baldree truly knows the secret recipes for crafting wholesome cozy fantasy novels.

“Never trust a writer who doesn’t have too many books to read. Or a reader, for that matter.”


When Legends and Lattes appeared and took over the fantasy landscape early last year, it popularized the cozy fantasy subgenre. Before the surge of romantasy, plenty of fantasy authors rushed to write and publish their respective cozy fantasy novels as soon as possible. The purpose might be to write a wholesome story that resonates with readers. Or maybe they hoped to gain the fame and success Baldree attained from his debut novel. Traditional publishing tends to follow trends, and cozy fantasy was (and is) one of the trends in the market. Whatever the reasons, since the release of Legends and Lattes, I still haven’t found many cozy fantasy books or series that attract my interest as much as Legends and Lattes did. Sure, most of the books I read are serious, grim, or dark in their tone. But occasionally, I would like to have the option to take a break by reading a wonderfully cozy or slice-of-life story when I am in the proper reading mood. This is where Bookshops and Bonedust came in. Written after Legends and Lattes but chronologically taking place two decades before it, this is a prequel novel I didn’t know would be written but grateful to have. The author did not plan to write this prequel, too! And similar to Legends and Lattes, Viv's younger days manage to charm me again.

“So here we are, with a prequel I never intended to write. And I’m happy with it. It says things I want to say, and if I’m lucky, it interlocks with Legends & Lattes in a way that makes both stories better, while still allowing them to stand on their own. I hope it gave you a nice afternoon or three, and that it left you warmer than when you started.”—Travis Baldree


Viv's career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam's Ravens isn't going as planned. Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she's packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she'll never be able to return to it.

What's a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn't possibly imagine.

This is the premise of Bookshops and Bonedust. And I guarantee you whether you have read Legends and Lattes or not will influence your experience of Bookshops and Bonedust, even though this is designed to be a standalone novel in the series as well. Except maybe for the epilogue that would make more sense and impact if you have read Legends and Lattes. But if you have read Legends and Lattes first, there is the possibility the stakes of the plotline will feel even lower than it should be. That is the nature of this book as a prequel. You will know Viv’s fate in Legends and Lattes already, and the dangers she faces in this novel will feel more minimal. Every reader will have a different reaction, but personally, this is a cozy fantasy. Stakes and dangers were never in my mind when I started reading Bookshops and Bonedust. If Legends and Lattes is a story about starting something new, no matter how late it is in your life, then well, Bookshops and Bonedust is about planting the seeds of hope that the change in life is possible.

“We were just discussing a book for someone in particular. A gift. That’s the bookseller’s art, choosing just the right one for the person in question.”


Through meeting the right people at the right time, or maybe the right people at the wrong time, Viv will eventually realize there is more to life than just fighting and killing. And it is through the delight and escapism bestowed by reading great books that she feels this further. Yes, as the title says, many scenes in Bookshops and Bonedust will take place in a second-hand bookshop. And I loved the relationship Viv built with Fern, Potroast, Maylee, and Gallina. Gallina is a supporting character in Legends and Lattes, and I have no doubt we will see Fern, Potroast, and Maylee again in one or two future-to-be-written books in this world. Some readers can argue that writing a fantasy story about finding and savoring the joy of reading is cheating. It goes without saying that readers reading this book and Legends and Lattes will most likely be readers who love reading books. However, reading our unspoken emotions and words written by other authors eloquently, or feelings spoken by characters who feel the same passion about reading, can feel good. I actually think Bookshops and Bonedust had too many battles for a cozy fantasy novel. I wish we had more slice-of-life portions here like Legends and Lattes did. Reading Viv finding pleasure in reading for the first time put a smile on my face, and I wouldn't mind having more of her reading and eating delicious foods.

“Every book is a little mirror, and sometimes you look into it and see someone else looking back.”


It may not be the type of book I read frequently, but Bookshops and Bonedust operates like a charming and comfortable inn, and the employees are full of heart and personality. Pretty much just like Legends and Lattes. Viv took a break from her injury in Murk, and I took a brief break from my intense reading adventures inside Bookshops and Bonedust. Enlightened by Viv’s newfound happiness for reading, I feel recharged to read the next dark fantasy and sci-fi novels I love to read. Baldree has mentioned three more standalone fantasy novels in this series will be written and published, and the first one is slated to be released in 2025. I have no idea how many cozy fantasy novels, in total, there would be in this world, but I will read them all. And if you are reading this review up to here, I recommend you to read this book and Legends and Lattes when you feel like you want to relax and take a break from everything. It always gives me satisfaction when I hear from readers they took my reviews and recommendations into account when they chose which books to read. Even more when they love the book I recommend, and I hope the same notion can be implemented into Bookshops and Bonedust.

“Having you here is connecting me to why I do this. To why I used to love it. I don’t know if I can explain it, but watching you read what I give you, putting a book in your hands and seeing what happens to you once you put it back down . . . I can’t make you understand how that gives me something I didn’t know I had to have.”


You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel

A perfect prequel to Legends and Lattes, an incredible cozy fantasy! Such an enjoyable read. I loved the relationships between the characters and Viv really grows throughout the book

This is such a fantastic book! I adored legends & Lattes, and I was so happy that this book lived up to it.
Getting back into Viv's life was so easy and I loved seeing what adventures she got up to this time. Then add in the Bookshops and all the amazing things she gets up to. It was just perfect.

It is written beautifully and the story flows so well. Then the epilogue at the end was fantastic. I hope it's not the last we see if Viv!

I was fortunate enough to receive the e-ARC along with the audio ARC of Bookshops & Bonedust and let me tell you I was HYPED!!

Legends & Lattes was one of my absolute favourites of 2022, it being the perfect heart warming, low stakes, cosy fantasy of my dreams. B&B being a prequel to this tale does try to follow the same path, athough I feel maybe not AS successfully as L&L!  That being said, I VERY much enjoyed being back in this world with Viv and all the new friends we get to know whilst following her along on this journey.

The story itself again follows Viv, an orc mercenary who is injured whilst carrying out a job. As a result, she ends up stranded in a small town whilst she recovers - it is here that she finds the towns bookshop and it's owner Fern who she befriends.

The story itself was very enjoyable, a bit less cosy fantasy as it actually had some level of stakes to it! The characters were fun (and adorable!) the best part of it all was how well done the audiobook is, it’s narrated by the author himself and he does an outstanding job!

Overall - I will forever read anything Baldree writes and although L&L to me was the better book, this was a great prequel! 3.75stars
L
Thanks so much netgalley and the publisher for the ARCs.

This book is really worthwhile if you loved the coziness of Legends and Lattes. I must say, it was rehashing a similar format - outsider comes in, makes friends and revitalises a new business, with a dash of side adventure, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. As long as you come in informed that you aren’t going to be blown away by the story and you want something that is just going to immerse you in the minutae of someone else’s life.

4 stars - I enjoyed it, though I think it would make an even more excellent audio book.

This is the definition of cosy fantasy.

The recipe of this book? Diverse creatures, an adventure, some love, banter, food and friendship. Stir a necromancer and last but not least, add a bookstore and you're set.

I enjoyed getting to know our favourite orc mercenary, Viv, before the coffee shop and this story is a perfect addition and companion book to Legends and Lattes.
Also, costal towns are my soft spot, and I clearly want to live in Murk. Travis knows how to craft an immersive story and my book lover and dnd player's heart is satisfied.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, Pan Macmillan, and Tor UK for the e-ARC of Bookshops & Bonedust.

This is the first cosy fantasy book I read and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this genre. Bookshops & Bonedust can be read as a standalone which is what I did. This wholesome and bingeable book is great for all of us bookshop lovers, as it has all the great things you can find in a real bookshop: friends talking about books, discovering new genres, and recommending books to one another. As this book was relatively low stakes, I found myself wanting to pick it back up just to be transported back to the warm and welcoming athmosphere of Thistleburr Booksellers and Sea-Song Bakery. And just when I was comfy and cosy, this book started to get more adventurous, although still quite lighthearted and sweet. Definitely worth a read if you like cosy fantasy, and even if you want to get into it, for something easy to read this Autumn!

I will definitely pick up Legends & Lattes now :)

Loved this. It was so heart warming and cosy. Loved seeing a younger Viv and you can really see different sides of her personality. I love the new characters we met. Fern owns the bookshop and loves to recommend great books that the reader would have never of picked up. There’s a beautiful relationship between Fern and Viv. A baker, a carpenter and a doctor add to the fun cast of characters. The descriptions of Murk make you feel like you’re really there. I also listened to the fabulous audio that really bought the book to life. If you loved Legends & Lattes then you’ll love this. I need more books in this world please.

Yet another dose of cosy fantasy from Travis Baldree. Thank you to the Publisher for letting me read this. It was very atmospheric and was a great autumnal read.

It was lovely to see Viv in a different setting, and meet a new host of characters. However. I have to say that since this was a prequel, as with any popular first instalment of a series, we already knew that Viv wouldn't stay with the cohort, so I found it a bit harder to connect with these characters, knowing where Viv ends up in 'Legends and Lattes'.

For that reason, it didn't quite deliver what the first book did, but I enjoyed it all the same.

4.75/5

This was amazing! I cannot properly express how much I adored, adored, adored this book!
I enjoyed Bookshops & Bonedust even more than Legends & Lattes (which I also loved so, so much)! The characters, the town of Murk, the bookshop, the pure comfort this story exudes. Everything was phenomenal and so delightfully atmospheric!

Our beloved orc, Viv, gets injured whilst her and the other mercenaries are pursuing a powerful necromancer. Unable to fight on her injured leg, she resides for a while in the seaside town of Murk so that she can have a (supposedly) peaceful recovery. Here we meet a loving and lively cast of characters, all with their own interesting lives and stories.

Viv is younger in this book (as it is a prequel to Legends & Lattes) and I liked seeing a more reckless and youthful side of her, but she is still very much the Viv we know and love. This story adds so much to Legends & Lattes and to what we know lies in Viv's future. It attaches a fascinating history to her as each person she comes across in Murk changes her, some only in little ways, others in big ones.
(Fern and Potroast, the gryphet, quickly became favourites of mine!)

This book perfectly balances the cosiness and the adventure. It definitely has higher stakes and more conflict than in L&L yet it never loses that great sense of comfort that both books nurture. That is the one thing I could say over and over and over again about this book; it is astoundingly comforting. I loved all the community of Murk, every single character brought such life to it. And, for me, a bookshop is the ultimate place of comfort. There could have been no better setting for this story. Travis Baldree is the master of making his books feel like a warm hug.

I adored how storytelling was used in this book, I loved how many bibliophiles there were in it. It's very simply a story for those who love books. It's a story about connections and growth and the hopeful yet sorrowful echoes of what is yet to come. It's about finding a home and knowing that you'll have to leave it. It's about having the knowledge that leaving, that closing the book, doesn't mean that the story is over. Endings are not always the end. Your story goes on.

This was such a wholesome and sweet book. I was hooked all throughout, I never wanted to put it down. It's the type of story you simultaneously want to devour and want to make last forever. If I could be enveloped in this story for all my days, I would be! It's as simple as that.
Please let my praises stir you so that you go and pick up a copy in November when it's out! It's worth it a million times over.
Please never stop writing, Travis Baldree!

Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Yet another wonderful slice of cosy fantasy from Baldree, since it’s predecessor ’Legends and Lattes’! An amazing autumnal read that wraps ups in a blanket with every turn of the page. It was a pleasure to be reunited with Viv, and meet the new cohort she surrounds herself with in this venture.

I throughly enjoyed my time reading Bookshops & Bonedust!

I really enjoyed finding more about Viv's life and how she navigated through her quite empathetic side whilst continuing her journey bounty hunting. I found the side characters in this book just as loveable as the first, especially Fern and Satchel. I found this book to be slower than the first one in the middle, and it took me overall much longer to read. I also didn't find myself binging it like I did the first book, but this did not detract from how much I enjoyed the story.

I would give this book a 4/5 🌟 and I cannot wait to see what other adventures are in store for Viv.

Great cosy autumn read for this time of the year. This series is like a big warm hug and a comforting read.

We got the same wonderful charm of Legends & Lattes, but with a little less emotional attachment. I still loved my time with these new characters but due to it being a prequel I knew Viv wasn't staying and therefore was less invested in the people she was meeting.
I saw another review suggest that moving the epilogue to a prologue would have helped with this, and I have to agree.

The daily activities of the bookstore were just wonderful to read about but I did appreciate a more substantial plot to this story while still keeping the cozy vibe.

And to the climax of the story, it was hilariously perfect! To have the the big bad defeated in that way was a genius idea in a book about books and readers.

bittersweeeet. i was so happy to be reunited with viv - and to see her pre 'retirement' but i have to say, this didn't rope me in as much as legends & lattes did.

again, incredibly cozy and fairly low-stakes but perhaps a bit more mysterious than it's predecessor, this story felt like it went on just a bit too long. all the charatcers were marvelous but we could have seen more of them, and their personalities without it coming across as though they each had their one thing and that was the extent of their character.

it did't grip me, and i wasn't in any rush to finish this one compared to legends and lattes but i still enjoyed reading this. it offers a nice break from life for a few hours.

COZY! i really enjoyed legends and lattes and this is the perfectly autumnal cozy prequel <3

urban fantasies with so little worldbuilding but also rich characters and a small world kinda setting are my fave to get stuck into!