A perfectly executed prequel . . . the stakes are higher and the scones are hotter still!' - Nicholas Eames We have our loud moments when the boats are in. But if you’re looking to rest and recover, most days you’re not going to be bothered by the noise.” My biggest draw to Bookshops & Bonedust was the opportunity to settle in with the delightfully mundane aspects of running a business that was so prominent in the first book. And the business was a bookshop!! What could be more ideal?

The relationship between Viv and Maylee was probably the most poignant when it came to working the theme. Maylee has already traveled Viv's road and is on her way down the hill as Viv is making her way up. They've met in the middle, and even though they both know it is doomed to fail, they still decide to enjoy whatever time they have together before life pulls them in different directions. It's sad, but it's also beautiful, and it plants the seed for who Viv would eventually become. Bookshop was an exceptional read. We got to see another part of Viv's life, how she got started on her road to the character we know and love. How the friends she made made her.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. I was so happy to see it pop up in my Kindle yesterday, like a surprise birthday present, but your birthday isn't for six months. 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. Bookshops & Bonedust is the perfect follow up to Legends & Lattes; it's a pleasure to meet a Younger Viv and watch her grow slowly, stubbornly, into the orc we love so much. Some bittersweetness is inevitable, but Baldree reminds us that the past—even our mistakes—is the fertile soil where we plant the seeds of a beautiful future."—C.L. Clark, author of The Unbroken

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). 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, USA Today bestselling author Bookshops & Bonedust" is set an indeterminate amount of time before "Legends & Lattes" taking place in a beach town called Murk, where Viv has found herself stranded for several weeks while recuperating from battle wounds. Having nothing but free time on her hands, Viv befriends a local book merchant named Fern, and helps her around the shop in exchange for free books. Fern, a giant mouse who wears a charming cape and has a gryphon puppy named Potroast, is struggling to keep her shop open due to a decline in business and passion for her trade.

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. I thought of Legends & Lattes and the review I’d been meant to write for it every week since—not just out of the haunting of guilt that I’d still not gotten to it, but also out of how applicable it was. I found myself recommending it to anyone who mentioned that they’d been having a tough time—and, in the “post-COVID” years where it doesn’t ever truly feel like the pandemic is over and during which many other troubles have surfaced… well, that was pretty often. A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing! Where I think this book struggles is with the pacing. There is quite a lull in the middle. Which is okay for some readers since this is a cozy, slice of life story but for me, I felt like this book was a little too long. We know where Viv ends up at the end since this is a prequel to L & L so the pacing of this book let me down a little. Her leg was cleanly wrapped at least, splinted so the knee wouldn’t bend. Her trouser leg had been cut away. The bandages showed some discoloration where she’d oozed through, but it was a big step up from moss and a dirty wool shirt.