Let’s kick things off with some basic, well-known info about the book. Bookshops & Bonedust is the prequel to one of the biggest and most delightful surprises of 2022, Legends & Lattes. Our main character, Viv, is left in a small town to recover after getting injured on a quest, and things unfold from there. There’s a bit of love, a bit of action, plenty of books and pastries, and friendships formed along the way.
So, structurally, it’s not that different from the first book. But my feelings are a bit different.
I loved Legends & Lattes, so I eagerly dove into Bookshops and Bonedust. But honestly, while I can’t say it was a total letdown, it didn’t leave me with that warm and fuzzy feeling Legends did. Bookshops is like the younger sibling trying to keep up but not quite nailing it.
Well, actually, scratch that; I did leave with some warm fuzzies, but it’s mostly thanks to the final few chapters. Unfortunately, the journey didn’t captivate me as much as Legends did, right up until the end.
I’ve got a couple of theories on why I felt this way. First up, the town folks are a tad too grumpy. Yeah, their surroundings shaped them that way, and it’s a safe bet for character development, but personally, it’s not what I look for in cozy fantasy. I don’t expect everyone to radiate sunshine, but if they weren’t so salty, I might have liked it more. As a result of that, if there’s a character I’ll remember besides Viv from this story, it’s gonna be Satchel. The rest? Probably not. And that’s a bummer.
The second reason is that it’s a prequel. I do like Viv, but knowing how her story will unfold and where it will lead made it harder for the story in Bookshops to warm my heart. It’s still a light and fun story, but I struggled to find that cozy element. In my opinion, Bookshops could have been more enjoyable if it were not a prequel. In my opinion, instead of Bookshops being a prequel, it might’ve been nicer if it were a bit longer and intertwined with the plot of the third book (as hinted). It might have been nicer if the story told in Bookshops started with a short flashback at the beginning of the book, and the rest of the book continued as a sequel to Legends.
The sad part about it, without giving away spoilers, is that in this setup, we might be missing out on a story in the third book that I would really have wanted to see. But I guess it’s more about expectations. I was hoping for deeper insights into running a bookshop, and I really wished we’d get the same level of focus on the business as we did in Legends and Lattes. Watching the coffee shop evolve was fantastic. Surprisingly, for a “lower stakes” story, the stakes are even higher in Bookshops & Bonedust. There’s real danger, and necromancy is thrown into the mix. It’s not like Viv trying to convince the townsfolk that coffee is actually good, and they should give it a shot.
Just my two cents, you know?
Now, don’t get me wrong; I still enjoyed it and gave it 3,5 stars. There were moments I genuinely enjoyed. Viv is a character I genuinely like; she’s got this charm that’s hard to ignore. I chuckled at some parts, and there were lines that stuck with me, proving that the book does have its moments.
In conclusion, while it had its charms and enjoyable elements, Bookshops & Bonedust fell short of capturing the same magic that made Legends & Lattes a stand out for me. It’s not a bad read, but it lacks that special ingredient that could’ve made it exceptional. I’ll still eagerly await the next chapter, hoping for a return to the warm and fuzzy feeling that made me fall in love with Legends & Lattes. And it looks like we absolutely will return. Can’t wait!
Peek-A-Book 