I give this book a SOLID 4.5 stars. This was a rare stand-alone prequel that adds so much to the first book, Bookshops and Bonedust has all the cozy vibes and action I had come to expect from Legends and Lattes. There’s a loveable animal companion, a frazzled bookshop owner, a baker of fine treats, and a necromancer lurking somewhere in the background. If you were wondering why a mercenary orc would want to open a coffee shop, read this, maybe with a nice cup of coffee of your own. This book is the perfect example of there’s a right book for every time and a right time for every book. Super cozy, super well written (and narrated), Travis has definitely made himself an instant buy author for me after these last two slam dunks.
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree, (List Price: $17.99, Tor Books, 9781250886101, November 2023)
Reviewed by Charlotte Beck, Main Street Reads in Summerville, South Carolina