I knew before I even started reading this book I was going to love it. I read Legends & Lattes by the same author at the start of the year, and instantly fell in love with the world and characters and Baldree has done it yet again as we follow Viv once again and a new band of characters in a prequel adventure.
I was unsure initially how the first book could be bested, but somehow this one is up there with it. These books are described as cosy-fantasy, with all the elements of a good fantasy story without all the blood and gore and adrenaline that usually follows it.
In the book Viv makes friends with the owner of a bookstore and they end up wrapped up in a little adventure to try figure out how to keep the business running while Viv also keeps an eye out for the evil necromancer she is hiding from while she heals from an injured leg.
Throw in some new friends in the form of some locals, and Viv is able to help keep her new friend's bookstore running while saving the day.
The ending really surprised me as the author manages to wrap up the whole story (without giving any spoilers) ties it nicely into L&L, which proceeded to have me gushing like an idiot at the mere mention of the characters from that book.
If you're looking for a lovely heartwarming fantasy story to read, I definitely recommend reading Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust — Travis Baldree is a genius and I can't wait to read whatever he writes next!

If you enjoyed book 1, you'll like this too. I personally enjoyed book 1 more, but I think this is of similar quality. This book felt less 'cozy' because it had more action, but it was still good.

The protagonist must make friends with people in a small town, while she tries to recover from a wound. She befriends a local bookshop owner, and helps revitalize the bookshop, even as she she aids the local town guard investigate a cult of necromancers.

Like book 1, this has a warm and fuzzy feeling reading it, but with more of a focus on action and mystery. I'm glad I read it. It was a good afternoon's read. The author has a talent for characterization and dialogue. I thought the book had a fairly slow start. The plot was entertaining, even though it only gets into gear about 100 pages into the 350 page book.

I loved the first book in the series and I loved this one too! In this book we learn about some of Viv's backstory and what led her to the events of Legends and Lattes. It's full of cosiness and friendship and all of the heart that made the first one so enjoyable as well.

Sadly this book couldnt hold up to the first book in the series since I adored it very much. It was still a decent read and I love the way its written.

This book again epitomised cosy fantasy vibes, however compared to the first this one had more of a main plot to centre around which I found fun! I enjoyed the writing style the author uses for these books and the new slash past introduction of characters was nice and refreshing. I really hope we get another story in Viv's tales, I'd love to read more about her adventures.

Charming, cosy and gentle just like Legends & Lattes (although I do still prefer L&L). I just love how pure this series is, with characters you fall in love with and a world you can settle into and relax. This is definitely one of my favourite series to just feel comforted by, just so heartwarming and fun, and I loved how in this story, the author highlights the magic of finding that special book for the right person. I think the only thing I found to be less enjoyable was, given this is a prequel, knowing how it had to end, and so the ending didn't feel particularly satisfying in the way that that of Legends & Lattes did? However this was still so sweet and lovely and I can't wait to see more from this author.

What a brilliant read this is. So many people talking about it and it is worth all the talk. Excellent ideas, brilliantly executed and one you won’t want to put down

Started off strong & I found myself more intrigued with the story compared to the first book! (Maybe it was the bookshop element).
But it lost my interest towards the end. I found myself confused & struggled to focus. A fairly cosy read & I’d be interested to read more about viv in the future

If you loved Legends & Lattes than you are definitely going to enjoy this one. This was like a warm hug in a book! I loved meeting young Viv, as well as the new set of characters and the beachy setting.

Another cosy read following up from legends & lattes, great to be back with Viv however for me this fell a little flat. I wish legends & lattes had been a standalone but I can't wait to see what the author does next!

LOVED LOVED LOVED this one!!

Travis Baldree just had a way of writing cosy fantasy books that just pull you in and make you feel like you’re in a warm hug! I really enjoyed the first one of this series and couldn’t wait to pick this one up!

The cosiest read so far this year, I loved Legends and Lattes and Bookshops and Bonedust carried on that love!

A wholesome story with low angst and great characters, only wish there was more for me to read right now.

The book was just as good as the first book. Did I want it to end? No! Do I need more from this series. Yes!
Great storyline and a fun read that kept me turning the pages..

I absolutely adore this book. It was just what I needed at the perfect time and I will say it is even better than Legends And lattes.
I love the fact that it had an increased stakes, while still remaining cosy at its heart. Viv as a younger character Is a dream to follow, but what really sold me was the bookshop. And potroast. Loved potroast and satchel. The plot of this book really gripped me but it was the characters that really sold this and the world. I wish I could live here.

5/5
I love Vi. I would die for Vi.
This book made me cry, I just love a good cosy fantasy and I feel like Travis Baldree is killing the game rn

This was a lovely, somewhat cosy prequel to Legends and Lattes that I did really enjoy. Whilst it didn't quite live up to the cosiness and wholesomeness of L&L, it was still a great read.

Viv is very different in this book, but I still really enjoyed her character. She is still very much a mercenary at this point, and her mindset does reflect that, so it was interesting to see how she would change and learn to see life a little differently during her recovery.

I loved the setting of the seaside town and the focus on bringing a failing bookshop back to life, I honestly wish that was the entire plot and that the non-cosy stuff didn't happen. It felt very against the cosy fantasy genre to have so much high stakes drama and life-threatening scenarios!

The characters were fun, and I especially liked the small romance happening even if we knew it wouldn't work out because of L&L. However, the characters are not as wholesome and cosy as L&L and sometimes were unlikeable.

Bookshops and Bonedust, much like Legends and Lattes, took me a few tries to get properly hooked. I must have picked it up and put it down at least five times before I got properly invested. However, when I did get round it to reading it, it was well and truly worth it. Travis Baldree is truly excellent at writing cozy fantasy, and I loved all of the new characters we got to meet in this book. Especially Satchel.

Viv the orc in her prime age, got a serious battle injury on her leg. Her superior left her in a small coastal town to recuperate. She’s so bored that enter a sad-looking secondhand bookstore in that area, even though she’s never interested in reading before.

I… didn’t enjoy it as much as L&L but that’s probably a me problem. The big portion of this book is about reviving the secondhand bookstore and the process of finding joy in reading which I think is a little silly for a topic because everyone who read this book is obviously a reader already??

There’s also a lot of friendships made along the way, while of course there’s a side “threat” that ensues Viv but since this is a prequel that was released later and we know that Viv is completely fine in L&L, the stakes & tension felt lower than it should. Also about the epilogue that’s clearly set after L&L, so even though this is a prequel it contains spoilers to the supposedly 2nd book. In short, whichever book you read first, you’re gonna get spoiled.

A fantastic cosy fantasy that will have you craving more.
I love the world that Travis has created for these books and this storyline did not let me down. Brilliant story arc, loveable characters and the cosiest of locations.
Well worth curling up with a cuppa and getting lost in the pages!
Thank you for an arc in return for an honest review.

“Scones and sexy books? Yes, please!”

This book hits you with all the warmth of walking into your favourite bookshop cafe. Except, you know, if there were orcs and necromancers there. I didn’t know I needed this cosy, slice-of-life fantasy until I met Viv, the orc recuperating in the seaside town of Murk after a battle injury, and the zany characters she finds on her journey to recovery. Blending the low-stakes storylines of friendships, relationships, and the perils of bookselling with the over-arching plot of the hunt for a powerful necromancer, the pacing was steady but never unbearably slow. This was a heart-warming story that served as a great introduction to this universe for me.