Bookshops & Bonedust: A Heart-warming Cosy Fantasy

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There was a wee romance arc with the baker Maylee . Maylee was an ex warrior and instantly was intrigued by Viv. I liked their relationship and how they bonded over a shared past despite being in different phases in their lives. What I love about Travis Baldree is that set against an epic world of adventure, he writes about the small victories that make life worthwhile. Bookshops & Bonedust does this and it is glorious."—Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of London When the tavernkeep brought out a skillet and set it on the counter along with a fork and a napkin, she almost seized the hot handle with her bare hand in her hurry to drag it closer. The hash of potatoes, crispy, fatty pork, and two runny eggs was still sizzling and popping. She almost burst into joyful tears. The stairs opened into a long, rough-timbered dining area in an inn or tavern or whatever they called it around here. A big, stone hearth crouched cold along one wall, yawning like a disappointed mouth. An iron chandelier hung askew, entombed in candlewax. Glass floats and storm lanterns were strung or nailed up in the rafters, alongside netting and weathered oars with names carved into them. The handful of scarred tables were unoccupied.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complementary audiobook in exchange for my honest thoughts.Spending her hours at a struggling bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted. Even though it may be exactly what she needs. Still, adventure isn't far away. A suspicious traveller in grey, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected. Beth: I’m most looking forward to seeing Baldree’s version of a fantasy bookshop! I absolutely love working in a bookshop myself, so I can’t wait to see one brought to life in a high-fantasy world! Her leg was cleanly wrapped at least, splinted so the knee wouldn’t bend. Her trouser leg had been cut away. The bandages showed some discoloration where she’d oozed through, but it was a big step up from moss and a dirty wool shirt.

Beth:That’s so true Nils! We can definitely appreciate the difficulty in articulating why you like a book! I was so happy to see it pop up in my Kindle yesterday, like a surprise birthday present, but your birthday isn't for six months. Set in the world of New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree's Bookshops & Bonedust takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and secondhand books.This is the premise of Bookshops and Bonedust. And I guarantee you whether you have read Legends and Lattes or not will influence your experience of Bookshops and Bonedust, even though this is designed to be a standalone novel in the series as well. Except maybe for the epilogue that would make more sense and impact if you have read Legends and Lattes. But if you have read Legends and Lattes first, there is the possibility the stakes of the plotline will feel even lower than it should be. That is the nature of this book as a prequel. You will know Viv’s fate in Legends and Lattes already, and the dangers she faces in this novel will feel more minimal. Every reader will have a different reaction, but personally, this is a cozy fantasy. Stakes and dangers were never in my mind when I started reading Bookshops and Bonedust. If Legends and Lattes is a story about starting something new, no matter how late it is in your life, then well, Bookshops and Bonedust is about planting the seeds of hope that the change in life is possible.

Bookshops and Bonedust follows Viv at a very different point in her life. She’s young and inexperienced and yearning for adventure. She also has a soft spot and a heart that she isn’t ready to embrace yet. Still, for readers of the original, she’s recognizably herself, even if she’s a bit brasher.A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing! We didn’t get that same level of commitment to focus on the business as we did with L&L. It tried to bring in too many other elements and sort of forgot what made this type of story special in the first place. I can read about necromancers and magic swords anywhere. What I can’t get is book organizing, quirky customer service, and sales reports (I need it). I wanted to see them get their hands dirty turning the store around, of which it provided only glimpses. Set in the world of BookTok sensation Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree's Bookshops & Bonedust is a cosy fantasy about the power of good bookshops, great friends and the unexpected choices along the way. Legends & Lattes is a uniquely beautiful book. It’s wonderfully wholesome, and I hope heralds the rise of a 'slice-of-life' sub-genre in modern fantasy.”—Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

Through meeting the right people at the right time, or maybe the right people at the wrong time, Viv will eventually realize there is more to life than just fighting and killing. And it is through the delight and escapism bestowed by reading great books that she feels this further. Yes, as the title says, many scenes in Bookshops and Bonedust will take place in a second-hand bookshop. And I loved the relationship Viv built with Fern, Potroast, Maylee, and Gallina. Gallina is a supporting character in Legends and Lattes, and I have no doubt we will see Fern, Potroast, and Maylee again in one or two future-to-be-written books in this world. Some readers can argue that writing a fantasy story about finding and savoring the joy of reading is cheating. It goes without saying that readers reading this book and Legends and Lattes will most likely be readers who love reading books. However, reading our unspoken emotions and words written by other authors eloquently, or feelings spoken by characters who feel the same passion about reading, can feel good. I actually think Bookshops and Bonedust had too many battles for a cozy fantasy novel. I wish we had more slice-of-life portions here like Legends and Lattes did. Reading Viv finding pleasure in reading for the first time put a smile on my face, and I wouldn't mind having more of her reading and eating delicious foods. When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn't always what we seek. Bookshops & Bonedust will resonate with anyone who has ever conflated their worth with their productivity, who has ever worried about being left behind if they take a moment to breathe, who has ever allowed a book to save them from a bad day. Beautifully humane, it is a loving reminder that the best parts of life are what happens between the big moments." - Cassandra Khaw Bookshops & Bonedust takes the world of Legends & Lattes and weaves it into a universe. It does the impossible: showing us a character twenty years before her story, and making us hold our breath to see what happens next. It's the rare prequel that beautifully adds depth, power, and love to the lore. This is a book for those who were once young and pulled between fighting the world with all they had . . . or curling up in a dusty bookshop with a good story." - J R Dawson

Gallina was initially a little bit annoying but, like the rest of the secondary characters, I grew to love her. She dreamed of joining Viv’s gang and while she annoyed her, they grew to be friends and equals. Because I'm headed down the hill, and you're headed up it. I'm just glad we chanced to meet on the way." Read by the author, a talented and animated fantasy narrator who also voiced Legends, the book presents a colorful cast of new and familiar characters that is sure to ensorcell and delight listeners." — Booklist Viv's journey is not unlike traditional tales of a traveling hero trapped in unforeseen circumstances. It hits a lot of the tropes and isn't really shy about it either. Viv becomes engrained in the small community she has temporarily made her home, making acquaintances with several people that help her and Fern bring new life to the struggling bookstore. Viv even finds time for romance, charming the dwarf who owns the local bakery, Maylee. It's like a Hallmark Christmas movie but with a Dungeons & Dragons motif.