Loved this books. Fabulous. I didn’t know it was part of a series but i still enjoyed it. Going to read the others.

⭐Thank you Pan Macmillan, and Netgalley for generously providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.⭐

My Rating: 5 stars!

If you loved Legends & Lattes, then you're going to absolutely inhale this one! This was everything I could have hoped for in a prequel story. The story once again centres around Viv, a battle hungry orc, who sustains an injury and is forced to rest in a seaside town called Murk. There she meets an array of interesting characters, all of which are quirky and well rounded. I absolutely love Travis' writing style, and how he crafts his characters with care. I found myself invested in every single one, and often caught myself grinning at Fern’s hilariously foul mouth and her lovable pet, Potroast. I’m pretty sure I sat giggling over the name for a solid five minutes – so clever.

The looming threat of the necromancer added a sense of danger to the plot, which really balanced the story.

The epilogue was… just perfect. I literally sighed with happiness when I put down my reader.

I can't fault any part of this book; it was wonderful and an absolute delight to read. A heartwarming story that’s perfect for those looking for a cosy fantasy read. 😊

was a really lovely cosy little fantasy read and I did love all the characters of Murk, especially little Satchel! It was just a little slow for me in places.

THIS WAS AMAZING!! Favourite book of 2023 so far!! If you loved Legends and Lattes then you will love this! Adored the beach setting, loved the characters just as much as the ones in L&L’s! Such a cosy comfort read! Will never ever get bored of reading about Viv and the interesting characters she meets!! Satchel was a personal favourite in this one! ❤️❤️❤️

Loved, loved, loved! I could not put this book down and relished every minute of it! The characters really stand out and the perfect amount of magic and mystery to keep you hooked.

Another wonderfully lovely book from Travis Baldree.

We are back with Viv, but this time we find her as a younger orc just getting her feet into the mercenary world. Travis did a fantastic job of rewinding Viv's character while staying true to the orc we all grew to love in Legends & Lattes. She is very much a youth compared to her later years, headstrong and impulsive. I enjoyed watching her learn and grow through this story, and you can see how she would continue on to be the character we meet again later down the line.
The other characters we have in Bookshops and Bonedust are also just as great as those in L&L. Fern, a delightfully foul-mouthed Rattkin, trying to keep her bookstore afloat was a personal favourite. The other favourite was Satchel. I won't say much about him as he was a fabulous surprise, and I really hope he appears again in another story!

The plot for this one was overall higher in stakes than Legends & Lattes, but I found that I actually preferred it. We have the overhanging threat of a Necromancer (the chasing of which brings Viv to the town of Murk in the first place) and the more gentle, low-stakes renovations of a bookstore. The tension that ran through the background of the book was excellent and provided grounding during the 'fluffier' parts of the story (namely the romance and bakery parts).

Baldree's writing is, as it was in L&L, very easy to read with whimsical descriptions of things like the weather sprinkled through. This makes it a nice, quick read that is not at all taxing. A particular highlight from the story for me was how we see Viv fall in love with reading. Taking a book everywhere, reading pages whenever she can - Viv is all of us bookworms!

If you loved Legends & Lattes, I expect you will enjoy Bookshops & Bonedust. If you're new to Travis Baldree's work and you enjoy cosy, slice-of-life stories, then this is for you too.

Many thanks to the publisher, Pan Macmillan, and Net Galley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for a review.

Bookshops & Bonedust.

I dove into this book without reading Legend & Lattes. But heard many good reviews about it. So i tried my luck for the e-ARC. Thanks @torbooks for granting me this book! I love it!

Viv is an orc who works as a mercenary. When she’s chasing a powerful necromancer, she got wounded and sent to city of Murk by her gang to heal. While she’s waiting for her companies to come back and re-join them, she wander around the city and found new friends, new romance and another mystery to crack!

I’m a big fan of family found trope. While i’m having difficulties to picture Potroast (lol) but i really enjoyed all the characters. One of my fave characters is actually the Homunculus. He’s quirky in his own way. And part of me was hoping that the books that Viv reads is real books lol. Would love to take a peek for sure! And as a reader, who doesn’t feel intrigue by the title? Bookshops!!

This book is heartwarming and perfect for you who’s looking for a cozy read!

Transport yourself back into the fantasically cosy world of the sensational Legends and Lattes, travelling back in time 20 years to see another chapter in Viv's story, long before she turned her hand to brewing coffee.
It was truly a delight to be able to read this latest book from Travis Baldree, I loved the first book and was interested to see how this follow up would fare.
Bookshops & Bonedusts is a prequel which is often a very difficult thing to pull off in the fantasy genre, however, something about the distinct nature of both stories ensures that it doesn't fall into the typical traps. There is a sense of the growth that Viv has yet to do after the end of B&B before L&L but she definitely has a lot of character growth across this story. I thought it was lovely to see some of the earlier parts of Viv's life particularly her connection to mercenary work, I'll be interested to reread L&L and see if it feels different as a result.
I also appreciated the fact that this book contains a romantic plotline for Viv. I think too often books focus on the idea of a single someone being the perfect person for another and there shall be no other romance (except maybe a tragic backstory one) until they meet. In this instance it felt much more realistic, the idea that there are people and circumstances that can fundamentally change us but aren't the end of our story. It was a lovely touch and the balancing act of pulling that off was truly wonderful.
I am an absolute sucker for a fixer-upper narrative and so I was delighted to read about Viv and her new friend Fern trying to turn around the fate of a failing bookshop. I don't doubt that a lot of bookish individuals share the same fantasy of owning a local bookshop and picking the perfect reads for people so this felt like a good way of living that dream vicariously through these characters.
Alongside that plotline of course we have the less cosy option of the looming threat of a necromancer and the mystery of the man who seems to be following Viv. I thought this worked much better than the B plot of Legends and Lattes which was always a bit *too* low stakes for me. The addition of a bit of spookiness is always welcome and I felt it brought some tension into the story that provided a good contrast to the more sweet bookshops & cake parts of the tale.
Character wise this is a fabulous cast. Viv we know and love but Fern the Ratkin and her pet Gryphet stole my entire heart. There is also a delightful dwarfen baker an elfen author and a host of other side characters all of whom combine to create a brilliant lively setting that proves that small towns often have the most eccentric individuals living there.
If you liked the first book I don't doubt you will have a good time with Bookshops & Bonedust. I had a great time reading this and I'm excited for whatever comes next...
I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

After recently reading the first instalment in this series, I was beyond excited to be accepted for the ARC of the prequel. This book was everything I could have asked for in a prequel. The same coziness of the original whilst building a new city for us to get lost in. Travis Baldree has smashed this one out of the park! I hope beyond all hope that more books in this series are coming because I will get every single one of them !!

The storyline of 'Bookshops & Bonedust' not only expands upon the lore from 'Legends & Lattes' but allows the reader to better understand Viv and the decisions she makes later on. The first book has become one of my favourites of all time and this one has definitely joined the ranks close behind!

I would definitely recommend this book not only to people who love fantasy books but also anyone who likes a found family story and all the coziness that ensues from that!

Bookshops & Bonedust is the prequel to Legends & Lattes. Mercenary Orc, Viv is out hunting a necromancer with the gang when she receives a deep wound and is forced to recuperate in a small seaside town. Whilst out exploring, Viv finds an old bookshop owned by a Rattkin called Fern.... and the adventure begins.
As a bookseller, I really bonded with Fern, and when Fern says, "You know, for a bookseller, it's very satisfying when you finally set the hook." Absolutely yes.
This is another 'cosy' fantasy but with a bit more sword and sorcery.
I loved this.
Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for the ARC

Absolutely amazing!

This had all the cozyness if not more that the previous book had! Honestly I expected it to be good but I didn't expect it to be THAT good,as much as I loved the first book this one I adored even more!

Travis Baldree is one of the best authors at creating both the atmosphere/world build needed for his books AND simultaneously paying close attention to writing characters that are just so realistic and absolutely lovable. Honestly this book feels like a warm hug and it's the perfect read for autumn/winter when you can just curl up in a blanket and read about characters you know and love in new cozy adventures!

I was so excited because i loved legends and lattes. I was not disappointed. In fact i think this was better than the first. Both were amazing, but liked the little bit more adventure in this book. It has amazing d&d vibes but is a nice cosy read.

Another wholesome adventure with Viv, a new cast of foul mouthed, sarcastic characters with first loves and an adoration of books. Did Fern just become my new favourite character?

If you loved Legends & Lattes then this will live up to all your expectations. I have loved being back in Travis Baldree’s World and it feels like such a cozy, healing book to read after a long day.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read this in advance in exchange for an honest review.

I read Legends & Lattes last year because it was one of those books that seemed to pop up everywhere I looked. I bought it grudgingly, convinced that it couldn't possibly be as charming as everyone seemed to find it yet secretly hoping it might be. And oh, but it was. It charmed me utterly.

So obviously, I was looking forward to Viv's next adventure. I didn't expect the second book to be a prequel rather than a sequel, but it seems from reading the acknowledgements that the author didn't expect that either, so no hard feelings on that score.

You know how sometimes you have a tough day at work, and you come home and all you want is a hug? Well, Bookshops & Bonedust is that much-needed hug, but in book form (I am possibly worse than an orc when it comes to literary analogies).

This is another gripping yarn that shades in some more of Viv's backstory while introducing some new characters who are as engaging and welcome as the familiar faces from the first book.

If you liked Legends & Lattes, and you like coffee but also books (and pastries!) then you'll like this.

If you didn't read Legends & Lattes and have no idea why an orc might be into reading then (a) why wouldn't they be? (b) you <i>need</i> to meet Pitts and (c) this book is also about friendship, and romance, and wights and necromancers - what more could you want?

I loved this book, and I'll read any more tales Travis Baldree cares to tell about Viv and her friends.
Thank you to Netgalley and PanMacmillan/TOR for the chance to read this one early.

If you loved legends and lattes you are going to want to pick bookshops and bonedust up. Filled with the magic and warmth that we have come to expect from Travis Baldree. I am sad now to have finished it and leave all the characters behind.

3.5 ⭐

After loving Legends & Lattes, I was so excited to dive into Bookshops & Bonedust, the prequel set twenty years before the events of L&L.

Sadly, I chose the worst moment ever to read B&B. I was going through a serious book hangover and it’s more than likely that it did affect my judgment. I really struggled with the slow pacing - it made it hard to get and stay invested in the story, even though I genuinely enjoyed the cosy vibes all wrapped up in a fantasy tale.
Anyway, I would recommend this heartwarming standalone about the power of good bookshops, great friends and unexpected choices along the way.

What I loved the most:
1) This book is a love letter to books and reading, an ode to the mesmerizing experience of finding yourself between the pages and losing the sense of time while exploring fictional worlds (in Viv’s case, for the very first time). It’s so relatable for all of us book lovers that it feels like home;
2) The cast of characters is fantastic: besides Viv, a special mention goes to Fern (the foul-mouthed bookseller), Gallina (even though I kept imagining her as a badass hen, since “hen” is exactly the meaning of her name in Italian) and Satchel (I never thought a bag of magical bones would become one of my favourite characters).

Absolutely loooooooved this one. Bookshops & bonedust, just as Legends and Lattes was, is the most perfect cosy comforting fantasy read. It was just what I needed too!

I lapped this up ... the characters were perfect, getting to see Viv before L&L was amazing and I loved being on the journey with her as she discovered a love for reading and spread that love and joy to others.

If you loved Legends & Lattes you will love this one.
Reading books by Travis Balder is like receiving a nice warm hug.

I LOVED this book! Apparently I will love all books that Travis Baldree will write! It’s all the things you want in a fantasy book! All I can say is read it!!! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for early access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

The prequel I didn't know I needed!
It was great to spend some more time with Viv and the friends she'd made years before the events of "Legends and Lattes." I would love more books set in this world with these incredible characters, infact I'd pretty much like to just live there.

Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mr Baldree achieves something that very few authors can do. He creates heart warming and soul enlightening stories that are a magical blend of fantasy, romance and adventure.
I loved the setting of Murk, the side characters stole the show for me and the found family theme was perfection.

Things I never knew I needed in a book
🐭 a foul mouthed Rattkin
📚 a cosy bookstore run by said foul mouthed Rattkin
🥐 a beautiful bakery by the sea run by a sassy dwarf
🐶🦉🪽 a pug crossed with an owl that snores and hoots!

Can more stories be like this? Cost, comforting and a coastal setting. The perfect summer read. 🌊

Legends and Lattes is by far the better story in my opinion however Bookshops and Bonedust is a very worthy prequel/sequel.

A tale that proves that small acts of kindness can completely reshape a life. Even if that life needs a sprinkle of Bonedust to help 😉