BOOK REVIEW - Legends and Lattes - Travis Baldree - Audiobook - 4*

BOOK REVIEW

Legends and Lattes - Travis Baldree

Following on from Fantasy Friday where I committed to leaping into the Fantasy genre with open arms, I started with a book many people suggest is a good introduction. It's classed as a 'Cosy Fantasy' and all I knew about it was that there was a Coffee shop. I chose not to read the blurb and instead to dive right in. Great decision! 

Now, I love coffee and what I really enjoyed about this story was that nobody in the town knew what it was apart from Viv (the main character). This meant that the descriptions were incredibly intense and vivid, really articulating the tastes, flavours, and smells, as though coffee wasn't a known commodity to the reader. Cinnamon Swirls, Chocolate Croissants, Lattes, Iced Lates, and Coffee to-go are brilliantly depicted as new beautiful inventions, mainly through the brilliant baker, Thimble, a fun character, and one of my favourites. I was salivating for half of the story!

My dabbles into the genre so far have been limited, so I was expecting bloodthirsty battles for the first half of the book and was reading too much into it at times. This didn't happen (though given Viv's history, there were inferences to battles of the past) and instead, I was treated to a beautiful story of hope, friendship, and love. 

Viv is an orc (I believe an orc is a big, green, fighting ogre) who has recently retired from the mercenary life and wants to start fresh. We follow her as she sets up her dream coffee shop, makes friends, builds her business, and falls in love. She discovers the true meaning of friendship and faces her biggest enemy - her perception of herself. Initially, she feels that her success is due to a magical folk story but soon discovers that she's successful because of who she is. A lovely lesson and message to convey. 

She is a very well-written character with lots of depth and I felt that I knew her well by the end of the book. Tandri, the succubus who doesn't do succubus things (I had to google this one, generally a demon who is notorious for seducing men) is a great addition who also added some great nuance to the story. I was yelling at Viv to KISS HER for the entire second half of the book, as I was invested completely in their journey together. Their picnic was just beautiful, I was grinning from ear to ear at how natural (and awkward) everything was. 

The audiobook that I listened to was narrated by the author, Travis Baldree, and it's clear that he knows his characters inside out, adding personality to each of them in a unique way. 

I was captivated from beginning to end, pulled in, enthralled, and left wanting to explore the stories further. The second book (a prequel to this one), Bookshops and Bonedust, will do just that, exploring Viv's life before the coffee shop. I can't wait to read it! 

If you're looking for a story with Fantasy elements, a cosy story of friendship, and a read that will leave you smiling, READ THIS BOOK! 

Check out my video review:

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