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strawb3rrysugar's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My only nitpick is that I wish the setting had been a little more developed. It might be a bit difficult to follow if you're not familiar with fantasy races/tropes, but if you have even a little bit of knowledge of them, then this book won't be hard to follow. It's a quick, fun, enjoyable read, and I enjoyed having a break from the multiple 500+ page books on my TBR.
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
The prologue depicts a scene of Viv killing a creature in a slightly gory way.kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Author: Travis Baldree
Series: Legends & Lattes #1
Genre: Cozy Fantasy
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: February 22, 2022
T H R E E β’ W O R D S
Comforting β’ Delightful β’ Simple
π S Y N O P S I S
After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.
The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success β not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.
If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.
But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.
π T H O U G H T S
When it came time to choose my 12 recs from 12 friends selection for the month of February, I was looking for something shorter and fluffier given so many other books I planned to read this month were on the longer side and/or tackled heavy topics. Enter Legends & Lattes, which ticked the right boxes.
Legends & Lattes is a high fantasy, low stakes, slice-of-life story. For me, it was really the cast of wholesome characters and their relationships that made this story shine. I came to care about each one of them and really didn't want anything bad to happen to them. In particular, Viv was such a strong and capable lead, with the ability to stand on her own two feet. I admired her bravery in forging her own path. While the dynamic between Viv and Tandri was genuine, I was anticipating a little more romance than what I got.
The concept of opening a coffee shop in a world where no one knows what coffee is was intriguing and comical at the same time. Seeing the struggles and triumphs of opening a new business mirrored reality. I particularly loved seeing how the menu changed from start to finish. And I must say this book definitely left me with so many cravings.
I read a physical copy while listening to the audio, which enhanced my enjoyment. I didn't realize the author, Travis Baldree, is full-time audio narrator and his narration is perfection. His characterization is one of the best I've heard and I'd definitely be interested in checking out more of his narrations. Additionally, the edition I read had a bonus story 'Pages to Fill', a nice little addition.
Legends & Lattes certainly made me step outside of my reading comfort zone, and that is exactly why I love doing the 12 recs challenge each year. Would I have picked this up outside of the challenge? Probably not. Did I enjoy my time with these characters? Absolutely! It is the ideal blend of fantasy and cozy mysteries, with a touch of romance dusted in. When readers talk about hugs in book form, this is what they mean. I am not sure when, but I will be definitely picking up the prequel Bookshops & Bonedust at some point in the future.
π R E C O M M E N D β’ T O
β’ lovers of high fantasy and cozy mysteries
β’ readers looking for a coffee shop read
π F A V O U R I T E β’ Q U O T E S
"Things donβt have to stay as what they started out as."
"She thought about what Tandri had said just a day ago about reciprocity. Pain that was ignored, magnified on its return."
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, and Stalking
Minor: Violence, Gore, Alcoholism, Xenophobia, Cursing, Racism, Murder, Blood, Death, Grief, and Alcohol
riverofhorton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
It's a slow burn queer romance between a demon and a book-lover, with coffee playing an important role in the story. There are other things I could add that made me think of Good Omens, but I think they would spoil it.
All the main characters are loveable, which is something I don't normally experience. I especially enjoyed reading about the anthropomorphic rat, and the cat, and can see myself naming future pets after after them.
This would be a 5 star read, if not for the repetitiveness of the way some of the chapters end.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book, and works well for a brief break from other books that tackle more challenging subjects.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Gore, Racism, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
abnormal_shadow's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Violence and Gore
Minor: Racism and Misogyny
kurumipanda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Gore, Violence, Racism, Stalking, and Death
itsheyfay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Blood, Violence, and Gore
arinheck's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Violence
Minor: Gore and Murder
btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Gore, and Violence
Minor: Death
creationwing's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Minor: Misogyny and Murder
choicepotatoes_20231023's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Blood, Gore, and Violence
the short story in the back has slightly different content warnings.