Book Description
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.
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST (Legends & Lattes Book #0) by Travis Baldree is an enchanting and delightful cozy fantasy prequel to Legends & Lattes. This story is a wonderful blend of Viv’s journey of personal self-discovery, humor, and fantasy action/adventure plot. This is not my usual type of read, but I found I could not put it down.
Viv is a mercenary orc on her first big hunt with Rackham’s Ravens to take down a powerful necromancer. When she is wounded in battle, she is left behind to recuperate in the small seaside town of Murk. Having always focused on her battle skills, Viv is at a loss on how to fill her recovery time.
She discovers a run-down bookshop with a foul-mouthed book-loving owner who introduces her to a love of reading and a journey of discovery between the covers of each new book. Even as she makes new friends, a darkness threatens that could endanger everyone she is coming to care for.
I love this group of strong female characters. While they are orcs, gnomes, and other fantasy characters, at times while I was engrossed in the story, I would forget they were not human. This is primarily Viv’s story. She is a mercenary orc on her first big hunt, but when she is injured, she is left to recuperate in a small seaside town. She discovers the joy of reading, her first romantic relationship, and her first real friendships all while a threat of evil threatens. Mr. Baldree’s writing brings Viv and the entire cast of characters to life beautifully. The suspense elements of the story are perfectly paced and kept me turning the pages. This book is a perfect mix of self-discovery, friendship, humor, suspense and action/adventure. FYI: This story does have a female orc and female gnome romantic relationship which is why it is classified as an LGBTQ read.
I highly recommend this wonderful cozy fantasy and I am looking forward to reading more stories by this author.
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About the Author
Travis is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author, a Locus, Nebula, and Hugo finalist, and a full-time audiobook narrator who has lent his voice to hundreds of stories. Before that, he spent decades designing and building video games like Torchlight, Rebel Galaxy, and Fate. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his very patient family and their small, nervous dog.
Social Media Links
Website: https://www.travisbaldree.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/travis.baldree
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TravisBaldree
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/bookshops-and-bonedust-by-travis-baldree
