Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes)

Legends and Lattes is one of my favorite books of all time. Cozy fantasy is the genre for me, and I feel like this series is the perfect example of what the name of the genre means. It's about personal stories focused on characters, with slices of life in a fantasy setting. Sure, the stakes are low, but stories don't always have to be about the end of the world and life-or-death stakes to have meaning and depth. I loved every minute of reading this book, and even purposefully slowed myself down because I didn't want it to end. I also unexpectedly found myself crying when it did. This book is a prequel that can be read as a standalone, but it does have mild spoilers for Legends and Lattes in the epilogue.

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

Travis Baldree stopped looking in books and looked at who held those books: Readers and Booksellers. He saw the love of someone picking up a book for the first time and falling in love with reading. He saw readers form book clubs to discuss their latest read, brought together from a common love for an author, series or genre. He saw how much joy it brought booksellers to put the right book in the right hands.

Travis Baldree saw us.

And he wrote the most beautiful story about it.

While I do regret holding out so long on reading LEGENDS & LATTES, the silver lining is I was still riding that 5 Star High from finishing it so recently and getting to start the next one - the one I thought was a sequel, but when I got it in my hands, I realized that it's a prequel.

I will admit, seeing "prequel" gave me trepidation because I wanted to move forward from the events that transpired in Baldree's first book. What if I didn't like Viv before she was ready to retire and open a coffee shop? Then there's the elephant in the room - my favorite character is Thimble - so I knew straight away that I wouldn't be seeing him.

There was also some excitement - what food/drink would Travis Baldree describe in such ways as to make me visit the kitchen more often than usual? LEGENDS & LATTES had me consuming extra cups of coffee and cinnamon rolls - turns out BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST took a more savory approach - lots of breakfast foods and bread. As a Southern girl, I tell you that I treat bread as a dessert. ALL bread - I love it and the more butter the better!

I would love to know how many hours Travis Baldree may have spent in kitchens, cafes, bakeries and restaurants absorbing smells in order to describe them in the most perfect way. The man used some type of sorcery, because I tell you I could smell all of this food as I read about it.

While my beloved Thimble was not present in this story - or Cal and Tandri - Baldree introduced me to a whole new set of characters to cherish and love. I don't know how this author writes such endearing characters - but I wanted to move to this little sleepy beach town of Murk - and never leave. Well, I lie, I would want to go visit Thune. Often.

I started the book worried about it not having my favorite characters and ended up falling in love with a whole other town! I cried at the end - a lot. There's no telling how long with book hangover will last.

The character interactions were my second favorite part of this book, but what took first place is probably no surprise - it was Viv stumbling into Thistleburr Booksellers.

Watching Viv read her first book - getting caught up in and lost in another world - going back for more - gave me such joy. This is my world - talking excitedly with other readers about books, the excitement when someone loves a favorite book as much as me, book clubs and the best part - the smell of a brand new book - Travis Baldree captured ALL of this brilliantly.

This is a book that is going on my list of books to read every year. I'm already looking forward to the next time.

The magic isn't in the story, it IS the story.

"See you in the story past the story."

You can find this review along with other reviews spanning multiple genres at The Nerdy Narrative or if you prefer video format, I do have a BookTube Channel

A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!

Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Sharon, Andrew, Star, Amanda L., Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Lourdes, Tara, John, Sharon A-B, Ann, Chad K., Ashley E. & Sarah C.

This was so cute and full of so many fun bookshop and reader quotes and references! "Never trust a writer who doesn't have too many books to read. Or a reader, for that matter." I love that it still had decent conflict for such a short book.

Oh my gosh, this was such a cute and cozy summer read. I really identify with Viv and her desires and struggles. It was so hard to read that ending, even when I knew it was coming from pretty much the get go. Such is life, I guess. Fern is an incredible friend and coworker, and I fell for Potroast almost right away. And even though the book is rich with lovable characters - by far my favorite was Satchel. He is the perfect subversion of the throw away tropey fantasy monster from DND. He is hilarious, and his ending made my heart melt with happiness.

Published after Legends and Lattes, but a prequel story. Fighting, and a LGBTQIA+ love interest with hidden implied spice.