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zydecovivo'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? It's complicated
4.5
Don’t get me wrong, it is probably (most definitely) D&D fan fiction. However, the story itself is probably the best Coffee Shop AU I’ve read so far. I was quickly charmed by Viv’s no-nonsense but fair treatment of total strangers, nose-to-the-grindstone attitude, and willingness to seek a life change on her own terms. She has had a rough life, probably the result of someone’s D&D campaigns. But after one final quest, with the help of a so-called “lucky charm,” she goes in search of her heart’s desire: opening a coffee shop in a town that had never heard of coffee. She gets more than she bargained for, mostly in the form of a new group of friends who truly support her, as well as a love interest (who I hope is asexual, but right now, unconfirmed). Viv’s old campaigning party even comes back to help, showing that she is still loved for more than her strength and sword skills. If it’s not obvious, I love Viv, her new friends, and the way they carve out their new community and niches in the coffee shop. There is some drama (gotta have a plot after all), but it only serves to teach Viv that she is (and always was) enough for her friends. It is a beautiful story about found family, friendship, and finding a new place in the world, things we all seek in our own lives.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Blood
Minor: Alcohol
dymonlikestoread'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? It's complicated
4.5
Legends and Lattes
Author: Travis Baldree
Rating: 4.5/5
Synopsis: After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv, an Orc, is hanging up her sword for the last time. Viv hopes for a fresh start by creating Thune's first-ever coffee shop. To make her dreams a reality, she will have to make new friends along the way.
This book is such a breath of fresh air. It is incredibly cozy, and the characters are each so loveable. Viv has a simple dream of starting a coffee shop and, for the first time, settling down to start a permanent home. We get to read the progress of Viv's journey step by step. While the beginning was slow, it picked up after the shop was in full swing. The book was funny and heartwarming. Thimble and Pendry were my favorite characters. If you enjoy Slice of Life Anime or looking for a comforting book. I would highly recommend this book.
Minor: Alcohol and Fire/Fire injury
shottel'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
4.75
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Violence
scifi_rat's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Minor: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Stalking, Violence, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
tinkeringcheck's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
... But (and I hate that there's a but). The plot. What took me out of the story was how most of the plot beats are just recreating the elements of a Hip Modern Coffee Shop. Which was cute at first in a wink-wink nudge-nudge way, but when it became the entire plot it just felt... boring. These characters are deeply amazed by modern things like *checks notes*
Honestly, I think the plotting might have fallen victim to the low stakes promise - or at least one interpretation of it. Here, that meant the characters were facing molehill instead of mountain challenges with the same weight and payoff. And I think that can work, if woven into a bigger story. But here it's like the bigger story wasn't allowed any airtime because that would be too many stakes. And yet a mountain of consequences fall on the characters from that bigger story anyway, but now it feels like the characters had no agency to deal with it beforehand.
So I'd argue the story doesn't even stick to its low stakes claim in the first place. It's more like 90% 'low stakes' and 10% 'consequences from the interesting, higher stakes plot happening invisibly in the background that we decided not to use but still have its consequences air-dropped out of nowhere.'
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcohol and Violence
refrejarator'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
3.5
Minor: Stalking, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Blood, Racism, and Xenophobia
Racism/xenophobia is for fantasy characters and races, and not focused on heavily.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 • W O R D S
Comforting • Delightful • Simple
📖 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 — 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.
💭 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.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• lovers of high fantasy and cozy mysteries
• readers looking for a coffee shop read
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Things don’t 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
q_bert13'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? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcohol and Injury/Injury detail
memoirsofabooklover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Murder, Death, Racism, Blood, and Alcohol
melodyseestrees'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
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Grief, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, Stalking, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail