#Bookshops & Bonedust

[torpublishinggroup]

This advertisement is for Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree, a high fantasy adventure of first love and secondhand books set prior to the events of New York Times bestseller Legends & Lattes.

The art featured in this image is by Samantha Petrie. 

WHAT’S IT ABOUT

Viv's career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam's Ravens isn't going super great. When she suffers a dread injury during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, the Ravens pack her off for some obligatory and undesired R&R. 

The sleepy beach town of Murk is relaxing, but so far from anything resembling excitement or action that she worries she’ll never get back in the game. But then this down-on-her-luck soldier of fortune starts whiling away her many free hours at a beleaguered bookshop and in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor. 

We don’t always know what we need, or which small choices change the paths of our lives. 

And adventure isn’t so far from Murk as Viv thinks! A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons would like a word.

[bdazzlebooklover]

I love this series by Travis Baldree. Cozy fantasy at it's best.

[bigdreamsandwildthings]

Gorgeous late fall vibes to start off December 🍂

[writingpun-art]

my gf got me bookshopes and bonedust for valentine's day so here's a little illustration i sketched when i read the first book

[lynnamckeown]

✨Satchel and Potroast ✨

[lastseenleaving]

US vs UK covers

[skygemspeaks]

Tandri and Viv got MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!

[queenpopcorn]

Was stuck waiting for a bit after putting some food away, couldn't help myself after listening to the most recent audio book.

[charliejaneanders]

What happens when an elite warrior becomes the boon companion to a group of peaceful oddballs and begins to develop skills that have nothing to do with combat? Along the way to finding an answer, the hardened warriors in these stories find purpose, connection, and even love.

My latest SFF book review column for the Washington Post looks at System Collapse by Martha Wells, Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree, and A River of Golden Bones by AK Mulford (paywall-free link)

[a-ramblinrose]

JOMP Book Photo Challenge || December 18 || Warm and Cozy:  Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree & Blankets

[torpublishinggroup]

This advertisement is for Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree, a high fantasy adventure of first love and secondhand books set prior to the events of New York Times bestseller Legends & Lattes.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT

Viv’s career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going super well. When she suffers a dread injury during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, the Ravens pack her off for some obligatory and undesired R&R. 

The sleepy beach town of Murk is relaxing, but so far from anything resembling excitement or action that she worries she’ll never get back in the game. Instead, this down-on-her-luck soldier of fortune starts whiling away her many free hours at a beleaguered bookshop and in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor. 

Could it be exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn’t possibly imagine?

And adventure isn’t so far from Murk as Viv thinks! A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons would like a word. 

[lakecountylibrary]

HAPPY PRIDE and may I say, I am so happy you're here reading this 💖

Welcome to my yearly 5 Fav LGBTQ+ Reads post, where I tell you about the top 5 books with queer characters that I've read in the past 12 months. These aren't necessarily recently published, they're just what I personally liked and happened to read - and maybe you'll like them too.

It's been such a delight to see the number of books I have to choose from grow and grow since I first started writing these posts in 2017. It's now difficult to pick just 5! But I did it. For you. Here we go:

Legends & Lattes/Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree (lesbian rep)

Cozy fantasy that lives up to the hype. Curl up under a blanket with a comforting beverage and read about the retired orc adventurer who finds her people through the power of coffee and baked goods.

Swordheart by @tkingfisher (nonbinary rep)

One woman (in her 30s!!! Not A Teen!) fights for her inheritance and her life with the help of a possessed sword and a nonbinary lawyer. Takes place in the same world as Kingfisher's Clocktaur War, but you don't have to read that first. Swordheart leans more toward the cozy side of fantasy. (There's, you know, some murders. But the stakes are lower than the fate-of-nations plot of Clocktaur.)

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White (gay, trans rep)

Hard left out of cozy fantasy and straight (lol jk) into horror! Hell Followed With Us pulls no punches. It takes place in the aftermath of a viral apocalypse caused by a fanatical religious group. It follows trans boy Benji, the cult's escaped chosen one who has found shelter with a group of queer teens. Content warnings for body horror, religious trauma, transphobia, gore, and misogyny.

Camp Damascus by @drchucktingle (gay, lesbian rep)

Another horror entry, this one about a conversion camp survivor in Montana. Rose grew up in the shadow of Camp Damascus and knows that their success rate is considered near-miraculous. However, when Rose starts asking questions about a few things in her life that don't add up, she discovers "miraculous" isn't quite the right word. Content warnings for gaslighting, indoctrination, emotional manipulation, child abuse, brainwashing, and body horror.

A Memory Called Empire/A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine (bi, lesbian rep)

Sci-fi with excellent worldbuilding. Mahit Dzmare is an ambassador from a tiny mining station, tasked with keeping her station independent from the massive Teixcalaanli Empire. She must fully immerse herself in Teixcalaanli culture while still keeping her own culture's secrets - the discovery of which could mean immediate annihilation. Read this one if you prefer character-driven narratives over plot-driven.

-

And that's this year's list! Check out my posts from previous years if you're looking for even more: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Happy Pride, and happy reading!

See more of Robin's recs

[checkoutmybookshelf]

Chapter 11 of Bookshops and Bonedust, and all I have to say is, HE SLAPPED POTROAST!?!?!?! DEATH! INSTANTANEOUS DEATH!!!

[bigdreamsandwildthings]

I mean, I haven’t exactly made *progress* with this TBR, and I’ve definitely bought more books than I’ve read recently…but how amazing does it look 😍

[bibliophilecats]

Read recently: Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

What I was looking for: Because I enjoyed Legends & Lattes, I had not really planned on reading this book. I was sure it could not compare. But then I saw it at my library and could not resist.

What I liked: I enjoyed the friendships in this book a lot. Especially between Viv and Fern.

What I did not like: The love story felt underdeveloped to me. I would not have noticed or minded if it had been left out. Or explored more.

Conclusion: I think if I had read this one first, I would not have liked Legends & Lattes as much as I did. While not high stakes, there is some more plot and excitement in this novel. If you are looking for a more calm fantasy novel but still with a villain to defeat but also with a focus on reading good books and eating good food, then this is the book for you.

[caribeandthebooks]

Caribe's Fantasy TBR - Part 2

The 2023 favourites that are on my backlog..in this very specific category :D

Really looking forward to reading these! My partner is a high fantasy reader so I'll probably end up knowing the stories for these second hand if my partner gets to them before me. That's not a problem though, I'll forget the story 72 hrs anyway and I won't feel guilty about not reading them immediately lol.