A review by embersbookventures
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • 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

5.0

I absolutely adored this book.  And I can say with absolute certainty that this and Legends & Lattes will both be oft reread and very cherished books in my life, always. 
It felt a bit like House in the Cerulean Sea, these two books.  The same warm, found family, struggles, and ultimately finding out who you are and where you belong.  

I shed a few tears at the end of this one, though not in a bad way - it reminded me of the bittersweetness of life, exactly  Travis Baldree said ‘one goes up and the other goes down, and the crossing will not be repeated’ - there are so many moments like that in life as you find your way, and I was unexpectedly very moved by it. 
 

I absolutely adored all the characters - Maylee, Fern, Gallina, Satchel, Zelia Greatstrider, Pitts the poet, and even Iridia.  And Potroast of course!😄  He reminded me of my own little dog.  
Travis has a way of building a story that feels like home, and one I have no doubt I shall return to again soon.  

Also, the lovely writing pace that Travis started in Legends & Lattes is honed and perfected in Bookshops & Bonedust.  
The pace is literally perfect - we have things going on, character development, humor, cozy moments, touching moments, just being moments - and somehow he sews them all together so masterfully that you never want to put it down at all.  It…feels like life.  The ebbs and flows, and I couldn’t love it more.  
I would literally recommend this book to anyone.  Beautiful story. 
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