Quick And Dirty
Bookshops and Bonedust is a comfy addition to the Legends and Lattes series. Readers get a glimpse into Viv’s past as they meet characters and witness events that helped shape the orc we came to love in Legends and Lattes. Whether you’re just starting the series, or wanting to dive back into this heartwarming world, I’m confident that Bookshops and Bonedust is your next favorite cozy fantasy read!
Book Description and Specs
An Instant #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Indie Bestseller
A Barnes & Noble Best Fantasy Book of 2023
An Amazon Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Book of 2023
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.
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.
Viv’s career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned.
Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she’s packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk―so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it.
What’s a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?
Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn’t possibly imagine.
Still, adventure isn’t all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, 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.
“Take a break from epic battles and saving the world. This is a low-stakes fantasy that delivers exactly what’s advertised: a wholesome, cozy novel that feels like a warm hug. This is my new comfort read.”―Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart, on Legends & Lattes
- Publisher : Tor Books (Macmillan)
- Publication date : November 7, 2023
- Language : English
- Ebook file size : 6367 KB
- Paperback length : 352 pages
- ISBN-13 (paperback) : 978-1250886101
- Item Weight : 11.2 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.45 x 0.9 x 8.2 inches
My Thoughts
If you:
♥ like cozy fantasy books
♥ enjoy a dash of wholesome romance
♥ want to read something with a bit of adventure and intrigue in it
♥ could use a dose of some small-village vibes
♥ adore seeing pets featured in books
♥ know what it’s like to want to shift gears in life and have troubling doing so
Bookshops and Bonedust is right up your alley! The warm and fuzzy feelings that come from getting to know characters on a deeper level and moving with them through trials and tribulations both mundane and fantastical can all-too-easily lead to getting a little sand in your eye as things wind down at the end of the book (just keep the tissues close, you’ll be fine!).
Satchel and Tenesha: BFFs
In just about every book, I find that I’m particularly fond of at least one character. It’s not necessarily a hierarchy, but something in me gets tugged at by something in them, and it’s often not the main character for whatever reason (as much as I love Viv!).
In this particular book, it was Satchel. There was something about his mix of reverence, wisdom, wit, and bravery that just hit me in all the right heart holes, I guess. But, I won’t spoil things for you too much. Just know that he’s going to be introduced to you in this book and I think you’re going to like him quite a bit!
The Coziness
If I’m remembering correctly, Legends and Lattes was my first foray into reading cozy fantasy (maybe even any kind of cozy book at all, but I won’t go that far without documentation! ^_^). As most of you know, I write some pretty psychotic stuff. My fascination with human psychology lead to my former career as a psychotherapist, after all! Even though there wasn’t a focus on murder, mayhem, or general lunacy in this book, Travis caught me by the heart with Legends and Lattes, and I just had to snuggle back up into that world.
If you are also new to the cozier side of things, just know that being labeled as cozy doesn’t mean you’re going to be bored or that anything is staid. Cozy is more about vibes, characters, and relationships than it is about extreme or fast-paced plots points.
For example, there is a necromancer wreaking no small level of havoc in Murk, where the book takes place. But while the animated dead do get defeated as they are raised, and we do get to meet this particular necromancer toward the end of the book, the gorier parts of this situation are noted without being emphasized. Even though these more harrowing elements are present, they aren’t the true focal point of the book. Whereas, with many other genres (thriller, horror, etc.) the opposite is true. There happen to be relationships building, there are some scenes that provide a certain cozy or comfortable feeling, and some characters do stand out to the reader for various reasons. But the crux of the writing focuses on the overarching high-stakes tension of the book.
If you are the kind of reader who regularly reads trigger warnings before committing to buying / reading a book, consider cozies if you haven’t already. It can be a solid way to get access to a wonderful read and still feel safe while doing so.
Emotional Investment
Even though this series is my first foray into reading cozy books (granted my brain is remembering correctly!), I’ve found that I enjoy how emotionally invested I get in the more commonplace ordeals in these entities’ lives. I want Viv’s cafe to do well. I’m excited when Satchel does a bit of problem solving. I’m fascinated with Tandi’s past and interpersonal struggles. I’m rooting for Fern to find her “why” in the world and be successful in whatever that looks like. Travis has created a world in which the reader is invited to become part of a community that has a life of its own. A beating heart of a realm you can cuddle up to and watch with awe and curiosity knowing that nothing too frightening or intense is going to happen.
Go Get It!
If all of this sounds good to you, it’s time to go get a copy for yourself at your favorite bookstores. Bookshops and Bonedust is available as an ebook, paperback, and audiobook as of this writing.
Happy reading! ♥
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