Title: Bookshops & Bonedust
Series: Legends & Lattes
By: Travis Baldree
ISBN: 9781250886101 (ISBN10: 1250886104)
Website: Travis Baldree
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary:
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.
In Bookshops & Bonedust, a prequel to Legends & Lattes, author Travis Baldree takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and second-hand 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. (Goodreads)
Review:
Bookshops & Bonedust –> What a nice surprise. Definitely outside of my normal reading genre of late, I decided to stretch myself with a bit of a cozy fantasy sub-genre read. In previous years, I read some wonderful fantasy and I frequently read cozies so why not, I asked myself. With the completion of this read – I look forward to returning to this genre with reading gusto! In my opinion, when it comes to creating a world that is engaging and leaves the reader (at least this reader) spellbound and not wishing to put the book down, all I can say is that Travis Baldree is a gifted writer and checks all the writer boxes and accomplished the goal of engaging me totally.
Bookshops & Bonedust is the story of Viv, an orc warrior, who is trying to make a name for herself with the mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens. However, things are not going to well for her. Viv was injured during the pursuit of a necromancer. The company sends her (and Viv was NOT happy about this let me tell you) to recuperate in the town of Murk. To occupy Viv’s time, she frequents a struggling bookshop with an owner who is quite the character. Friendships develop and before Viv knows it, she is invested in the lives of numerous residents of this sleepy little town. Unexpectedly, a romance develops (with the bakery owner) and even a situation arises where Viv can use her warrior skills to save the bookshop.
The bookshop in this tale was a wonderful gathering place (and the location of some pretty intense drama let me tell you). As Viv helped clean up the shop, I could see deep friendships develop with the owner, they both became invested in the store and it’s growing success. The bookshop brought a sense of home to me and reminded me that as a child, I really loved libraries. Books were (and still are) magical. The story provided many twists and turns and kept my interest throughout.
The numerous fantasy characters in this book such as orcs, dwarves, necromancers, elves and gnomes made me grin as I was reading. I loved the diversity that the story brought. I also liked that this book had a queer relationship and all of the characters were welcoming. Something I wish all of society could get on board with – inclusion and acceptance! Each of the characters were unique and complex in their own way.
Many other reviews I have read for this title have indicated they were glad they got to read the first book in the series, Legends & Lattes (Legends & Lattes, #1) before Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes, #0). I did not have such luxury as I only stumbled across this book first. I shall move on to the aforementioned title now and anticipate enjoying the continuation of Viv’s trials and tribulations as much as I have enjoyed this book.
