Bookshops & Bonedust: A Heart-warming Cosy Fantasy

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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 When Legends and Lattes appeared and took over the fantasy landscape early last year, it popularized the cozy fantasy subgenre. Before the surge of romantasy, plenty of fantasy authors rushed to write and publish their respective cozy fantasy novels as soon as possible. The purpose might be to write a wholesome story that resonates with readers. Or maybe they hoped to gain the fame and success Baldree attained from his debut novel. Traditional publishing tends to follow trends, and cozy fantasy was (and is) one of the trends in the market. Whatever the reasons, since the release of Legends and Lattes, I still haven’t found many cozy fantasy books or series that attract my interest as much as Legends and Lattes did. Sure, most of the books I read are serious, grim, or dark in their tone. But occasionally, I would like to have the option to take a break by reading a wonderfully cozy or slice-of-life story when I am in the proper reading mood. This is where Bookshops and Bonedust came in. Written after Legends and Lattes but chronologically taking place two decades before it, this is a prequel novel I didn’t know would be written but grateful to have. The author did not plan to write this prequel, too! And similar to Legends and Lattes, Viv’s younger days manage to charm me again.

But things don’t stay quiet for long, even in a sleepy town like Murk. Viv’s life takes an unexpected turn as she encounters mysterious travelers, a summer romance and a surprising number of skeletons. It turns out that running a bookshop is more of an adventure than Viv ever expected. 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.

The building was absolutely quiet. The only sounds came from outside—the hissing of grass, the remote grumble of waves, and the occasional call of a seabird. Viv might’ve been bedbound for two days, in and out of consciousness, a muddle of circular dreams and throbbing agony. The surgeon had come and gone multiple times. Or maybe he hadn’t, and she’d just been hallucinating it over and over. She half remembered the man’s face, tangled up in a shame she couldn’t identify. His gaze sketched over her, brows rising as he spied the saber, then returned to the mug he was polishing. What distinguishes this book from its predecessor is its slightly more adventurous tone. While it retains its cozy fantasy charm, "Bookshops and Bonedust" explores a younger, less seasoned Viv at the outset of her mercenary career. It marks the genesis of her legendary journey, adding an exciting layer to the narrative.

Viv caught him watching her devour the food from the other end of the bar and tried to slow down, but the potatoes were salty and rich with the egg, and it was hard not to shovel it in without pausing. The noises she made as she ate were not polite, but they were definitely sincere.Sometimes, right things happen at the wrong time. Sometimes, what we need isn’t what we seek. And sometimes, we find ourselves in the stories we experience together . . . Shall we talk about some of the other characters we’ve met at the start Nils? The three that made an impression on me were Iridia the Gatewarden, Pitts the Orc, and – surprise! – Gallina the Gnome! Firstly, I wasn’t keen on Iridia. This is the only negative I’ve experienced so far in this book; you always have to have a thorn in the protagonist’s side, but she was so obviously a thorn and for no apparent reason (or at least, I don’t accept the reasons she gives).

stars] I’m glad for more time with this author’s works, even if I enjoyed Legends & Lattes a bit more.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. 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. Moving on from the very start and our first impressions, let’s actually get to the bookshop, shall we? I love the way Baldree describes Viv’s losing herself in her book, he manages to encapsulate the sense of comfort she gets from being absorbed. At a difficult time when she’s feeling lost, this book transports her, and I think we can all relate to and understand that and he’s captured that moment of falling in love with a book perfectly 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.

Travis Baldree's narration is excellent as always. He gives each character a distinct and easily recognized voice and personality. His narration really brought this story and its characters to life. 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." — BooklistBeth:Thimble was my absolute favourite, he was so precious! I loved that Viv trusted in him and gave him the space to flourish, despite not really being able to speak up for himself! Sometimes, right things happen at the wrong time. Sometimes, what we need isn’t what we seek. And sometimes, we find ourselves in the stories we experience together. In Bookshops & Bonedust, a prequel to Legends & Lattes, New York Times bestselling author Travis Baldree takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and second-hand books. 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!