Reading Journal 2024: Bookshops & Bonedust
Author: Travis Baldree
Legends and Lattes became the literary poster child for cozy fantasy through sheer word of mouth over a very short period of time. Tha author even touches on this fact in the authors note at the end of the book, speaking about the challenge of now writing to (or for, or against) expectations.
In truth, this is more of the same. If you liked or appreciated the first for what it was (cozy fantasy without a lot of substance), you’ll probably have a decent time with this follow up prequel. If you loved the first, I imagine you might find this a bit underwhelming. Part of that, I imagine, will be some slight inconsistencies in tone from the first half to the second.. I think some of that might come from the decision to pen a prequel this soon into the book’s world building. At best it compliments the first as a somewhat stand alone story. At worst it fails to prove why it needed to exist, as I’m not convinced it adds a ton to the characters and the story that we find in Legends and Lattes. If it existed in light of, say, 4 or 5 books and an built out world full of characters and stories, I imagine this would make more sense as a quaint addition.
it is not bad, and I definitely didn’t hate it. For me it just didn’t do enough to captivate my attention or even fully warrant an excape.. I left it feeling like I would have much preferred an actual sequel.
The Stories of my Life 