4 -star and 3.5 -star respectively.
A DOUBLE BOOK REVIEW
I have been officially inducted into the ‘Romantasy’ genre. A genre I did not know existed, until I stumbled across the quirky book cover and titles to suit. It was Legends & Lattes that first captured my attention, and then upon research, I learnt of a prequel – Bookshops & Bonedust. I did what my, perhaps illogical brain, told me to do. I read the second released book before the first. That’s normal, right?
I had no idea what to expect upon opening this book. I hadn’t read any reviews, and I certainly didn’t know anyone who had read it. I read the first three chapters as my bath book. You know that book that you only read on occasion. How foolish was I; to think I could just come and go from this book. I finished my mealtime read and without further thought I reached for Bookshops & Bonedust and rapidly made my way through it. It became my book that went with me to soccer trainings, work pick-up runs and from couch to bath to bed.
The biggest draw cards for me were the careful balance of events from the everyday world with just the right dose of fantasy world, teemed with the easy-to-read language and the attention holding storylines drew me in for the duration of the book. I am aware though that this sub-genre may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you were like me, an absolute virgin to the romantasy world, and keen to try something different, I would definitely recommend this as a great starting point.
My favourite character would have to be Fern – for the simple fact she owns a bookshop. Something that has always been a dream for me, and hopefully, one day, a reality. However, should character substance be taken into account, I would perhaps lean toward protagonist Viv. She unexpectedly meets a handful of people who challenge her thoughts and feelings and ensures she doesn’t leave their town without a deeper understanding of self.
Although my Googling produced the following 18+ rating, I personally feel it could be read by a mature 15-year-old. If the storylines of the book were compared to a movie rating, there is absolutely nothing occur that would nudge it to an 18+ category. Especially in the written format, if it was an animated or live action, then potentially some of the fight scenes may push the rating up. But that is my personal opinion.
I am now setting myself a challenge, whilst I am currently on holiday and it is miserably raining outside, I am going to curl up with a hot chocolate and attempt to finish Legends & Lattes in one sitting. Wish me luck.
Two weeks later...My plan failed miserably. Not only did I not finish reading it in one sitting, but I also didn’t finish reading it on holidays, by no means a reflection of my enjoyment of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed Legends & Lattes, just not as much as Bookshops & Bonedust. I found the action in the prequel to be enticing, where although I enjoyed Legends & Lattes, for me it didn’t have a solid hook. A cozy feeling, absolutely. Solid descriptive language, spot on. Could I smell the aroma of coffee whilst reading? You betcha. But for me personally, it wasn’t a page turner. Perhaps because I didn’t have a break between the two novels, avoiding a palate cleanser meant I didn’t get to enjoy Legends & Lattes fully. In saying that, I would absolutely read another novel by Travis Baldree as I feel he has nailed this sub-genre beautifully.
My favourite character in this novel would be Tandri. Her sweet nature and shy protectiveness of Viv stood out, as did the close-knit community feel when they (Tandri and many more Thune residents) pulled together to help Viv out of a tough situation. This added to the cozy feel, even more so than the coffee.
As an introductory to the sub-genre of romantasy, I am incredibly happy with my choice of books. I’m not entirely sold on the genre but shall explore more titles before ruling it out completely.
Open to suggestions if anyone has any they would like to share.
Happy Reading.
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