Bookshops & Bonedust

Before she tried her first latte, before she wielded Blackblood, Viv was a young, headstrong, and overly confident battle-orc. While pursuing Varine the Pale, Viv foolhardily ran headlong into a nest of the necromancer’s minions. A rusty pike thrust into her leg stopped her charge. Viv was sent to Murk to recover. Keeping herself from going mad, Viv wandered into Thistleburr, the town’s only bookshop. There, she met the foul-mouthed shop owner, Fern, and her pet, Potroast. While recovering, she finds her own adventures on the street and in the pages.

Bookshops & Bonedust is the prequel to Travis Baldree’s wildly successful first novel. This cozy fantasy goes from smartly witty to laugh-out-loud funny at the turn of the page. Baldree makes it easy to smell the salt air of his fictional town or the pleasant aromas of his town’s bakery. Baldree’s world-building takes a backseat to his character arcs. Baldree shatters the stereotype of orcs, proving that these giant war machines are more sophisticated than what other authors write. This is a book for anyone with a favorite bookstore. Pour a mug of your favorite bean water, sit in your most padded chair, and enjoy Bookshops & Bonedust.