Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio UK for the arc for an unbiased review.

The majority of this review mirrors what I wrote for the print version. But, for those who don't know, Travis Baldree is an accomplished audio book narrator in his own right.

So, the audio version is narrated not just by the author, but by someone who is good enough to bring the nuance a good audio narrator brings. Add in that Travis wrote the book, so understands in ways even we probably don't on what he wants to bring to this, it allows the audiobook to be superbly done. This audiobook is fantastic in its delivery.

As for the story itself, I adore Legends & Lattes, & have been eager for this release the moment Travis Baldree began talking about it.

Once again, Viv is the main character, and the story revolves around her as a much younger mercenary orc.
Eight hells, it is oh so good!

As with all the characters from book 1, Legends & Lattes, I thoroughly enjoyed the new (& in Gallina the one previously known) characters, and wished it was longer to get to know more. But, I'm realistic enough to know that the book would've become a tad too much if that were the case. However, it brings me to the point I made right after I 1st read Legends and Lattes - what Travis Baldree has done here is bring us a world that could easily slot into the hole left by Terry Pratchett's passing and lack of new Discworld novels (lost stories aside!).
As a huge Pratchett fan (since book 2 was published, & most didn't even know who he was) I have that same feeling reading the two books by Travis.

They deserve to become a world of their own, with exploration of the main characters but at the many different times of their lives. It would have been easy to feel that a younger Viv wasn't worth exploring. Yet it not only was worth it, but again Travis excelled in pulling me into the story and needing more.

What Travis does so well is make everything and everyone engaging to the reader.

I repeat something I wrote when I read Legends & Lattes: I'd love to know more about the characters and world they inhabit [......] And, ugh so much more.

This sentiment still stands. If anything, I feel even more strongly that I want more.

As I read, Satchel was a character that was unexpected, and they truly delivered in ways that had me laughing out loud on occasion. I was again reminded of Terry Pratchett's ability for some zinging one liners, matched with a deeper more serious sense of human nature.

Travis Baldree though is very much their own writer, so while there can be comparisions made, ultimately I want to see the World that Viv and all those around her inhabit, thrive. To become a named recognised collection. For Travis Baldree as the author to become so well known that people immediately recognise who you are talking about, all because of this world he has so deliciously created.

This is cozy, low stakes fantasy, but with a nice smattering of occasional high drama. Viv is a mercenary orc after all!

As for the epilogue. It left me with so many feelings. It was majestic. I wish I could throw lines out, but .... spoilers!

I've no doubt that this world will build and will bring the success that Travis so deserves.

Run, don't walk to grab this. Grab Legends & Lattes as well if you haven't already. Footnote:- this can be read as a standalone, but truly you are doing yourself a disservice if you don't read Legends & Lattes too.

5/5 stars 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟

3.5 rounded up.
This is a very cute little fantasy novel. Very cosy vibes and full of mystical creatures. I haven’t read Legends and Lattes, but I don't think that matters with regards to reading the prequel first, and I've promptly added L&L to my list!

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

I've recently read Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree. It's a prequel to Legends and Lattes and I can wholeheartedly add it to the list of my favorite cozy fantasy reads!

In this story we follow Viv in the beginning of her mercenary career. Unfortunately, she gets injured in battle and has to stay behind her company to heal. We follow her in that chunk of her life and watch her try to come to terms with being temporarily taken out of exciting tale and forced to stay at a calm place.

Okay, first of all, is there anyone who loves reading and doesn't like the topic of bookshops or libraries in books? I honestly don't think so. 😅 That was a very enjoyable part of the story, but the characters and plot were really strong too. It's overall really cozy and perfect for reading while being wrapped in a blanket in the evening, but it doesn't lack action! The second part of a title is also perfect for autumn! 😅

I don't want to spoil anything that happens in the book, so I'm gonna keep it vague, but be warned that you might crave baked goods again while reading it. It was overall a really cute story and I've also loved that we got a glimpse of current Viv in the very end of the book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you very much to Netgalley and the Publisher for granting me access to the arc.

Thank you very much Macmillan Audio UK and Netgalley for the Advanced Listeners Copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
Bookshops & Bonedust is a prequel to Legends & Lattes, a cozy fantasy I really enjoyed last year. This story takes us back twenty years, when orc Viv is a mercenary with the company Rackham’s Ravens. An injury leaves her stranded in the sleepy beach town of Murk, forced to take it easy, not exactly welcome by some of the citizens. Bored out of her mind, she visits a local Bookshop that is clearly struggling, where she meets its foul-mouthed proprietor. Adventure is out of the question, so Viv decides to help out – and spends a wonderful summer with a meaningful task, finding (reluctant) friends, an improbable number of skeletons, and a sweet fling.
Much like Legends & Lattes this is a very low stakes cozy fantasy. The setting in the small town is nice, and meeting all the different lovable side characters was a lot of fun. I loved the humour and all the little heartfelt moments as well as the found family aspect, even if it was only for a time. I don’t have much to criticize, but I just didn’t get that special five star feeling, maybe because my emotions weren’t as involved, anticipating some sort of “moving on” – as this is a prequel and I know how Viv’s story continues in Legends & Lattes, - that said, I really enjoyed how the bittersweet goodbye was handled.
Author Travis Baldree is an audiobook narrator himself, and he narrated his own work brilliantly. His voice is a very good fit for this kind of story, and he delivered the humour and heart perfectly.

After reading legends and lattes last year I absolutely jumped at the chance to read the prequel bookshops and bonedust. Then I got a little worried that this wouldn’t live up to my expectations. However I needn’t have worried, Travis Baldree has done it again. Switching from coffee shops to bookshops, this book follows our lead character Viv as she recovers from an injury in a sleepy seaside town. Just like legends and lattes, this story is filled with loveable characters and all the feelings. A warm and cosy fantasy story about first loves and friendships- this is a delightful read.

After reading the ebook I requested the audiobook and so was lucky enough to listen to the story for a second time. I highly recommend this audio, Travis Baldree is an amazing narrator and his love for the characters really shines through.

Thank you to MacMillan UK Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of one of my most anticipated books of 2023.

What an excellent prequel this was! I accidentally got the audio and ebook versions, so switched up listening some and reading some - it meant I could enjoy the story while doing chores. The narrator worked really well for this story and I think I enjoyed listening more than reading. When I first began reading I felt a little nervous that it wouldn’t feel as cosy or fun as the first book, but I needn’t have worried!! The characters, setting and storyline are all wonderful and made for a truly enjoyable few hours reading and listening! Thank you so much for this arc

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is another amazingly cosy read from Travis Baldree and definitely one I will be thoroughly recommending! Now I didn’t like this one quite as much as Legends & Lattes (I missed the romance that was in L&L) but it definitely still has those wonderful characters, medium stakes and cosy vibes. The bookshop setting was adorable and I loved seeing the characters make their own little found family throughout the book. I’m very excited to see where the series goes next because I absolutely love Viv and the gang!

AD PR PRODUCT

I think this was a really cute prequel to Legends and Lattes.

I liked the mix of characters and the cosy bookshop vibes.

I preferred the characters in the first book, that's why I enjoyed the chapter at the end where we revisit Viv in present time.

My rating is 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me an audio copy of Bookshops and Bonedust for review, very very nicely read by Travis Baldree himself!

Just as with Legends and Lattes, this is a cosy fantasy that is easy to read (or listen to!) and full of vibrant characters that pull at your heartstrings.

We're going back this time, to a much younger Viv, having just received an injury that has put her out of her adventuring for a time—very reluctantly! We had the Viv that just wanted to leave that life behind in L&L and this one who was so desperate to get back to it, which was nice to see this new side of her!

The whole book was full of lovely characters and really heartwarming moments, some of which you can see shaped the Viv we will come to know in L&L.

Overall a very sweet story full of books, baked goods, new friends and even a fair bit of action! Looking forward to seeing if there will be more to come in Baldree's world!

First, I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and to the author for offering me an audio version of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I haven't read the previous book, but I thought it would be fun "reading" or in my case listening to a fantasy book, something I don't normally read or listen to.

Overall, I thought it was a good book and quite the story was interesting, but it's not really my cup of tea as I now understand why I don't normally read fantasy books.

Of course, I do recommend the book to people who enjoy a good fantasy book.

📚 Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree

To say I loved this book is an absolute understatement. I laughed, I cried, I devoured it in 3 days - it would have been sooner, if I didn't have to work 😅

📖 The characters we get introduced to have my whole heart, and the story pacing was perfection. Baldrees writing transported me back to the world we grew to love in Legends and Lattes, and he crafted characters I'm itching for more of. While the tone of this is so different to Legends and Lattes, it fits in so perfectly with the world, and I am desperate for another sequel!

🎧 As an audiobook narrator, Baldree was FANTASTIC. I felt like I was listening to a graphic audio with the amount of different voices he was able to portray. The only bit of feedback I would provide, is in the audiobook there's nothing distinct to say when a chapter starts with an extract of the novel Viv is reading at the time. If I didn't have the physical ARC too, this might have confused me a little!

🎁 Thank you for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review. As a dyslexic reader, having both physical and audio was a dream as it meant I was able to fully focus on the work and experience this fantasy world in a whole new way.

Injured in a battle, whilst in the employ of mercenaries - Rackam’s Ravens, Warrior Orc Viv finds herself dumped in the small port town of Murk to recuperate. Holed up in the local tavern, Viv soon becomes impatient and discovers a dusty bookshop run by a Ratkin named Fern, and a local bakery owned by the lovely Mailey. They become firm friends, as they try to spruce up the Bookshop whilst getting into all sorts of trouble.

A wonderfully written entertaining and cosy fantasy with some excellent world building. Bookshops & Bonedust is perfect for some wholesome, uncomplicated escapism, just what many of us need right now! This is a prequel to Legends and Lattes, which I have never read but certainly will now and am excited there are already more editions for me to explore. I really loved it.

Narrator and author Travis Baldree does an excellent job with the character voicing, really bringing the personalities to life and his accents are great.

this was suuuuuch a cozy book and I absolutely loved it! The first one was set in a coffee shop but this one was in a bookstore? ugh, of course I loved it. the cozy and comfy vibes were there, the stakes were sooooo low but that's always nice sometimes, in-between big fantasy books with absurdly high stakes. I had an incredible time following Viv in her past adventure and it's the perfect fall read for rainy days, to binge under a blanket with a hot drink. 5 stars

I recently listened to the audiobook of Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree and it reminded me of how much I love cozy fantasy books. Especially now in the fall they’re the perfect cozy fall reads!!

The atmosphere in this book is just great. Obviously I already loved the main character in Legends and Lattes, but it was great seeing her in a new context with new people around her and a different setting - this time in a bookstore instead of in a café.

The plot of the book isn’t anything special, but the bookstore vibes definitely make up for it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan UK Audio for the advance audiobook.

I think the first thing is that although this is a prequel there seemed to be call backs (forward?) to the previous book.

I went into it assuming I could listen to this and then move onto the next if I wanted to, but I don’t think that’s the case.

I found it nice that the author was the reader.

I don’t think cost fantasy is for me, I was just waiting for things to happen and that’s not the point of the genre.
I think if you like the genre this would be a good book for you.

I was provided with an advanced reader and audio copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The audio copy is narrated by the author who does a fantastic job making each characters voice distinctive and unique. Listening to it while reading really brought the story to life for me.

Viv is a fantastic character and it's good that we get to see her grow as a person as she falls in love with the written word. It was fantastic that excerpts from whatever story Viv was currently reading we the reader got a glimpse of it too. Loved that


To be honest all the characters are absolutely brilliant and well thought through. I loved each and every moment spent with Viv and the rest of them in Murk.

And of course along with wonderful and memorable characters we also had a well crafted story that kept me wanting to see what happened next. What more could a reader possibly ask for. Pure fun and heartfelt down to the very last word.

I loved the first one from start to finish and was super excited to read this one. I can’t exactly pinpoint what was so different but it took me ages to get into this. Honestly until Satchel appeared I was having a hard time sticking to it. But after he got there everything picked up and he was just adorable and hilarious. And whereas the love story in L&L felt well developed and the pacing was on point, this one felt thrown together abruptly and I just could not bring myself to care or believe that they cared for each other. Whereas I could absolutely see and believe in the friendship connection between Viv and Fern.

Everything else was great and I hope Fern opens up a bookshop next to legends and lattes.

This book holds just as much charm as Legends and Lattes, a fantastic second novel by Baldree!

When I heard that Legends and Lattes was getting a prequel I was a little apprehensive, as sometimes they don't feel true to the characters you have grown to love - However, I need not have worried; Travis Baldree seems to know Viv with the familiarity of a close friend.

Viv's characterisation rang true to what I'd imagined for her youth - Rough around the edges with a soft centre that she wants to embrace but doesn't yet have the confidence and security to do so.

The new characters we meet are also beautifully written, with loveable and unique personalities - and I promise you will fall in love with them just as quickly as Viv does.

I have enjoyed both books as Audiobooks read by Baldree, and his voice is perfect for the story. He has a quality that feels just as endearing as his characters.
I'm terms of clarity, he speaks clearly and at a good, even pace, the story is easy to follow, and character voices remain consistent throughout (as expected of an experienced narrator like Baldree).

The final pages perfectly set-up a third novel, and to say I am excited to see what's next for Viv would be an understatement!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange of an honest review.

As someone who loved Legends & Lattes when it first came out, I was so excited to hear there would be a prequel. It perfectly fits the cozy narrative (although the stakes are higher in this book and there is a bit more fighting), and the epilogue made my heart swell. (Review is spoiler free).

This book follows the story of Viv before she left her life as mercenary. During one of her quests she ends up too wounded to continue and has to recover in a small sleepy beach town called Murk, where there is little other going on than a tavern and a dusty bookshop run by a charming ratkin with 'moist' book recommendations so good it even got the battle-worn Orc on board. This story has everything I would want in a cozy fantasy book: queer romance, great friendships, quirky characters, freshly baked goods, books and a mysterious traveler in grey?

This was a highly anticipated read and it met my expectations! 5/5 stars

A Wonderful Cosy Fantasy

Bookshops & Bonedust is an uncomplicated cosy fantasy novel which follows the exploits of the lead female character Viv, an Orc who is injured during a mercenary mission.

This story follows Viv during her recovery and recuperation, where she encounters an eclectic mix of weird and wonderful characters including a foul mouthed bookshop owner.

The author Travis Baldree is a wonderful writer and has also created rich and colourful characters through his brilliant narration.

I loved listening to this and will definitely be reading/listening to Legends & Lattes.

Highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my access to this Audiobook.