It has been a long time since I have read something and just felt pure joy, as the story took me out of my own thinking for an escape. This gentle, cosy fantasy did just that - I had enjoyed Legends and Lattes, and having only seen this was a Travis Baldree, I didn't read the blurb so was pleasantly surprised that it was in fact a prequel. I enjoyed the transition of Viv from hardened battle warrior to fully fledged book loving member of a community, alongside yet more great characters. I can't wait to see where her story goes next!

So this one dipped in and out of for a long time I really didn't want it to end bookshops has really been my comfort read for the past few weeks.


This is a prequel to legends and lattes but I really think you could read them in any order.
A cozy charming tale of an Orc, a bookshop and the cutest gryphlet (essentially a pug gryphon hybrid puppy) you could ever hope to meet.
Viv is younger in this book and she is injured out on the road.

This puts an immediate pause in her adventure and forces her into a sleepy beach town with a whole new cast of characters.

Laying down her sword she finds a new love for books thanks to a charming ratkin but when her new friends are in danger viv takes a stand!

This book is full of mystery magic and delicious food, these books never fail to make me absolutely starving!

4/5 stars would have been 4.5 without the over use of the word moist 😂

Legends and Lattes are was one of my favourite reads of the first half of this year - the audiobook helped me get through having Covid, so I was very excited to read the prequel.

I really enjoyed seeing a younger Viv and watching her progress from a thick-skinned mercenary to learning about friendship and kindness while she is recovering from an injury earned on the battlefield.

Although at times the stakes were a bit higher than in Legends and Lattes, for a lot of the book the pace is the same gentle one as before, and the setting of the small seaside town, particularly the run down bookshop was great.

The new characters we met had some great variety, (my favourites being Satchel and Potroast), and I really liked the comedy moments.

Overall a great second book from this universe and although it didn’t quite have the same impact on me as it’s predecessor, it was still a great read.

This book completely took me by surprise. I was struggling with the start of it but then it got really entertaining to read. Viv, the Orc, gets sidelined from her clan while she recovers from an accident and falls in with the local bookseller and baker (no candlestick maker but there was a dodgy hurricane lamp). Along comes Gallia and Satchel and drama trying to avoid, but obviously failing to, the terrifying Necromancer . Really nice surprise.

My only question is this - was the bonedust infinite?

I just reviewed Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree. #BookshopsAndBonedust #NetGalley

I was a huge fan of legends and lattes and will still re read it on a cold afternoon all snuggled up. This book had a lot to live up to, and it did. A lovely cosy fantasy where you get to meet viv before the coffee shop. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

“See you in the story, past the story.”

This book is set twenty years before the events of Legends & Lattes. I loved that book and just as I thought I really enjoyed reading this one too.

The town of Murk seems like the ideal place to unwind and being injured has left Viv on edge. You can feel her frustration upon arrival however when things begin to change and become more interesting the adventure soon begins.

I liked that there is a cast of characters that are memorable and some have quirky traits that will remain in the readers minds long after finishing the story. Much like the previous book there are several heartwarming moments throughout, on many occasions I was laughing out loud and of course being set in a bookshop made it very relatable.

This is a beautifully told story thats packed with more than just delicious snacks that will leave you wanting more.

A fantastic cosy fantasy story. I couldn’t put this down!
A fantasy story set in a bookshop is a definite win for many booklovers. Viv and the rest of the characters are all loveable and the story mostly focuses on the day to day life while viv is recovering from an injury, and the new relationships she develops, with a background focus on a fantasy villain plot.
While this book is a prequel I don’t believe it is important to have read Legends and Lattes first. I think any fantasy reader looking for a nice and quick read would enjoy this book

When I heard this announced I was super excited but also a little worried about this not being as good as Legends & Lattes. Was I expecting it to exceed all my expectations & be BETTER than the first one? NOPE. But was it? 100%!!

I laughed, fell in love with the characters & truly sobbed at the ending. I wasn’t expecting a huge mixture of emotions but Baldree really gets you invested in every single character that Viv meets & makes them feel not just like characters on a page but friends you love & root for.

I appreciated the links to Legends & Lattes & I hope with all my heart Travis continues writing these cosy, emotional pieces of art! I would love to surround myself with this world like a comfort blanket.

The legends and lattes prequel that you can also read as a stand alone.
Again a brilliant tale and brilliant world.
A great fast fun read

I absolutely adored Legends & Lattes and this one was amazing. It was definitely one of my favourite reads this year.
This is a super cosy comfy fantasy read. It’s a prequel to Legends & Lattes but I feel you can read this as a standalone as well.
I adore the characters in this book and they are so well written. I love the romance and how it doesn’t have any angst or drama to it.
This book definitely makes you have all the cute and cosy feels when reading it.
The story was really well written and easy to follow.

I definitely recommend reading this book.

Thank you to Netgalley, Publisher and the author for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Where do I even begin with this adorable book? Baldree took my breath away with Legends & lattes., giving me something I never knew I wanted. Bookshops & Bonedus has done it again. In the prequel, we get to see Viv in a bit more action than before, a young and feisty Viv who loves her job and finds her crew too slow and old a lot of the time. Viv is struck down and sent away to heal.... this is not her idea of fun or living and she struggles with a quiet life, until she stumbles into a bookshop and meets someone in need, even if they don't realise it. Viv gets a whole new cosy adventure and it has no impact on her future one. I loved how you can feel the difference in Viv, she is more unsure of herself and her life, which makes her future make all the sense. Honestly if you loved L&L then you will devour this as well, I think I could read all about Viv and never be bored.

Legends and Lattes was my favourite book that I read in 2022 and when I heard there was a prequel coming out I couldn’t have been more excited!

Following Viv the orc, a bounty hunter (obviously the same protagonist from Legends & Lattes) who had recently been injured whilst on the hunt for Varine, a deadly necromancer along with her mercenary gang the Rakam Ravens. Viv is left to convalesce in the small town of Murk until she is ready to go back to fighting bounties.

Along the way, we meet a rattkin named Fern and the lovable Potroast, who own a family bookshop in need of some TLC. There is also the ex-mercenary come baker, Maylee, where a touching and poignant love story blossoms.

I can honestly say this book was such a breath of fresh air! I honestly didn’t think this would be able to come close to legends and lattes, but gosh I was wrong! I absolutely devoured this book! I think it’s safe to say that gosh fantasy is my all time favourite genre and I will pre-order everything and anything that Travis Baldree writes! I would recommend this book wholeheartedly to everyone! I don’t think there’s anyone who couldn’t find at least one thing to absolutely love about this book!

Thank you so much NetGalley for the ARC! I hope I have the pleasure of reading more from Travis Baldree soon!

Cosy fantasy at its greatest. I was dubious how a prequel would work but now i just want to reread it all!

*Ad-pr product: I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Before I requested this I knew it would be five stars. Revisiting my favourite world but this time in a bookshop? Yes, please!

This was just as cosy as the last instalment, with all the found-family vibes, quirky characters and slice-of-life fun. Viv could wander around doing anything and I’d probably love it, but this had an enjoyable plot with some higher stakes/more threatening moments to keep the narrative moving, but without taking away from the overall cosiness. Despite missing some of my favourites from the first one, I loved all the new characters just as much and hope they reappear in Viv’s world going forward.

Because this is a prequel, I think it could be read without reading Legends and Lattes, but obviously everyone should read both because they’re such wonderful books! Absolutely loved this and can’t wait for the next Baldree book (fingers crossed it’s about Thimble).

Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan for the chance to read this early!

Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree

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

Pub date: 9th November 2023

Viv is back! I read Legends and Lattes earlier in the year and couldn’t wait until November to read this one so thank you very much to #netgalley for this early copy of #BookshopsAndBonedust . I must admit that I went into this without reading the blurb and yes, I know that she’s on the alternate cover, but I didn’t realise we were going back to follow Viv and after a little trepidation I was happy that we were.

Instead of the medieval woodland setting of the last book, this time we are in a seaside town and I loved the setting. Like before Baldree does such a good job and placing you in these “Skyrimish” settings. You just don’t want to leave.

I found that B&B had a good but more plot when compared to L&L. There was more action, adventure and tension this time around which I was all for.

I can’t really say that I prefer one over the other. These are still the only two cosy fantasy novels I’ve read and I love them both. You don’t have to have read one to enjoy the other but I do think they’re better read in release order. You absolutely don’t have to though.

Overall, I enjoyed it. Can’t wait to see what others think and where Baldree will take us next.

bookshops and bonedust follows viv, stuck in a small town recovering from an injury as she makes new friends, helps to restore an old bookshop and goes on little adventures. the authors love of reading shines through, and it brings the same cosiness as legends and lattes but with new characters (like satchel my favourite). if you liked legends and lattes you'll love this <3

A really great and fun read. I loved the characters and the story. Will look out for more from this author.

I adored this book and feel incredibly privileged to have got this early.

It was a perfectly balanced book and I think the description of “high fantasy with low stakes” really hits the nail on the head with this book.

It is a magical world and the story feels like a warm mug of hot chocolate on a winters day. It makes you feel good just reading it.

I loved the relationships between characters. It was so refreshing to see a normal romantic relationship between two characters with no red flags or toxicity. Just pure wholesome and mature vibes.

I will definitely be reading Legends and Lattes!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. Really enjoyed this, having also enjoyed Legends and Lattes. It is more of the same great characters and writing that we know and love from the author. Some elements of this were very similar to Legends and Lattes and while those repetitive elements didn't hinder my enjoyment, but it did lose a little bit of the magic that I felt after reading L&L. I did like the setting of Murk more than the setting of the previous book. Recommended for anyone who enjoys cosy fantasies.

I haven’t read Legends and Lattes but I didn’t think that would matter as this is a prequel. I’m not sure whether I would have enjoyed it more if I already knew the main character or not.

As it was, I found it really hard to connect with this book. I picked it up and put it down so many times, and it took me months to get through it. It felt pretty slow going and I didn’t feel particularly engaged with any of the characters.

I did like the bookshop and encouraging a love of reading aspect, There is a strong theme of friendship and found family that was nice as well.

Overall, I didn’t dislike it, but just found it a bit of a slog to get through. I suspect cost fantasy is just not me, but if you are fond of that genre, then definitely check this one out.