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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: Violence and Fire/Fire injury
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: Gore, Violence, and Sexual harassment
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: Gore, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
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: Gore, Violence, and Blood
the short story in the back has slightly different content warnings.sariereads'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
3.75
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Gore
lacrimaeignis'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
The story was cute and I enjoyed my time at Legends and Lattes with the cast but the story was way too low stakes for me. As such, it took me quite a while to read because it wasn't an attention grabber but I couldn't stop smiling every time I picked up the book (and I carved coffee/pastries every time I picked this up so yes, I did actually end up reading portions of this at a cafe definitely recommend trying that to add to the ambience of the novel).
I wish we had been given more about Viv's life when she was working as a mercenary and what led her up to deciding to open the shop. I was thankful for the extra story about her adventures before but I felt like it would have been better as a lead up to the events in the novel rather than as a bonus. But still, the novel was well written and it is such a rarity to find a book where the characters actually talk things out and strive to understand where others are coming from instead of drawing their own (often wrong and/or biased) conclusions. It was quite refreshing and I can't wait to read the next installment!
Moderate: Death, Gore, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
katie_a_13'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
Moderate: Violence and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death, Gore, and Blood
My new favourite book! And I don’t say that lightly! Content warnings of blood, death, and gore are fantasy setting and for first chapter/preface only.alibrarymouse'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
4.5
After a slightly surprising beginning, Baldree tackles hard subjects like racism, reinvention, and restarting after loss, but in the most lighthearted, cozy, soft way that the whole book feels like spending time in a liminal space. That magical moment when life isn’t entirely real stepping into a coffee shop on the weekend, but anything is possible because there aren’t any expectations.
The characters are gorgeous in their own ways, and come together beautifully as a ragtag team that works. I am biased: Thimble is absolutely my favorite and I want to hug him so badly. He’s a literal cinnamon roll, and the description of his makes me want to try them and bake from scratch myself.
Motivations were realistic, the book was so sweet and so easy to submerge yourself in.
Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Racism
erebus53'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? Yes
4.0
This is a cosy novel. It's fairly short and is aimed at modern nerds. The main character is an orc fighter who is used to being the brawn of her adventuring party. During her travels she recently encountered, and was won over by, a strange gnomish beverage.. a stimulating bean water called "coffee".
Having saved up her plunder, and a magical stone rumoured to have fortune enhancing properties, she heads to the city to set up a shop.. but who will she sell to, considering nobody has even heard of her product?
Much of this story is the building of the shop, finding employees, making friends, designing a menu, and getting rid of people who want to intimidate, extort or stalk them.
As a result the aim of the game seems to be, leaning into friendships, and using your words, when your sword could be doing the talking.. if you wanted it to.. nothing says "not interested" like a couple of feet of steel.. I mean...
This story leans hard into the sort of personal loves and anachronism that roleplayers typically bring to a game. Mashing things into a high fantasy setting, like coffee machines, cinnamon pinwheels, electric- er.. "thaumic" lute, ceiling fans, and a pet interdimensional hell cat, make it a lighthearted adventure in.. interior decorating and urban marketing(?).
Not.. ultra-engaging, but exactly what I was in the mood for at the time.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Alcohol
dogoodwithbooks'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? Yes
4.5
After in arriving Thune to live out her dream of running a successful coffee shop, Legends & Lattes chronicles Viv’s journey of bringing her dreams to life with the help of some new friends.
From the first page, readers are able to get right into the heart of the story. While I wish there was a bit more world-building on Baldree’s part to help readers understand the background behind Legends & Lattes, Baldree makes up for this by creating a found family made up of delightful characters that get their own moments to shine. I felt that Baldree does a great job of making this book feel like settling in a blanket after a long day and keep readers engaged throughout the book.
If you’re looking for a fantasy novel that’s good for fall, appeals to a cottage core aesthetic, and/or that’s similar to T.J. Klune, you might enjoy reading Legends & Lattes.
Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Stalking and Sexual harassment