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Legends & Lattes #2
Brigands & Breadknives
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fantasy (2025)Return to the cozy fantasy world of the #1 New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes series with a new adventure featuring fan-favorite, foul-mouthed bookseller, Fern.
Fern has weathered the stillness and storms of a bookseller’s life for decades, but now, in the face of crippling ennui, transplants herself to the city of Thune to hang out her shingle beside a long-absent friend’s coffee shop. What could be a better pairing? Surely a charming renovation montage will cure what ails her!
If only things were so simple…
It turns out that fixing your life isn’t a one-time prospect, nor as easy as a change of scenery and a lick of paint.
A drunken and desperate night sees the rattkin waking far from home in the company of a legendary warrior surviving on inertia, an imprisoned chaos-goblin with a fondness for silverware, and an absolutely thumping hangover.
As together they fend off a rogue’s gallery of ne’er-do-wells trying to claim the bounty the goblin represents, Fern may finally reconnect with the person she actually is when there isn’t a job to get in the way.
Fern has weathered the stillness and storms of a bookseller’s life for decades, but now, in the face of crippling ennui, transplants herself to the city of Thune to hang out her shingle beside a long-absent friend’s coffee shop. What could be a better pairing? Surely a charming renovation montage will cure what ails her!
If only things were so simple…
It turns out that fixing your life isn’t a one-time prospect, nor as easy as a change of scenery and a lick of paint.
A drunken and desperate night sees the rattkin waking far from home in the company of a legendary warrior surviving on inertia, an imprisoned chaos-goblin with a fondness for silverware, and an absolutely thumping hangover.
As together they fend off a rogue’s gallery of ne’er-do-wells trying to claim the bounty the goblin represents, Fern may finally reconnect with the person she actually is when there isn’t a job to get in the way.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published November 11, 2025
2997 people are currently reading
69086 people want to read
About the author
Travis Baldree
306 books11.7k followers#1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Legends & Lattes, Bookshops & Bonedust, and Brigands & Breadknives. Audie-winning. Audiobook narrator. Erstwhile game developer. Made Fate, Torchlight & Rebel Galaxy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,764 reviews
November 7, 2025
Bless Travis Baldree for bringing us a third book set in the world of Legends & Lattes. And I mean it, wholeheartedly. He never fails to make me feel all warm and cozy in just around 300 pages and this book was no exception, even if I liked it a little less than the previous two.
Brigands & Breadknives is the first book that doesn't follow the orc Viv and instead her well-read rattkin friend Fern takes the lead. We previously met her in Bookshops & Bonedust as the owner of a shabby little bookshop in a cozy seaside town, but now she leaves that life behind and moves to the city of Thune, right next to a certain coffee shop. Plenty of characters from Legends & Lattes return and it was nice to catch up on their lives after their story has ended. The beginning is very similar to the previous books and connects to them in many lovely ways. Fans will surely appreciate it, but it doesn't make for a great introduction to the series as a whole and I wouldn't recommend to pick this new book up without having read the other two. I personally think that Brigands & Breadknives could have benefited from not being too closely connected to Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust, because the story ultimately develops into a totally different direction than these two books that are very similar to each other. Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect Travis Baldree to write books about non-humans setting up cozy businesses in a fantasy world for the end of time, but maybe that's what I want anyway and this book is not delivering it. It's still a very pleasant read, but it's also way more adventurous and action-focused. You see, Fern has a bit of an identity crisis and is unsure if she really wants to be a bookseller anymore and so she drunkenly falls asleep on a horse cart and wakes far away from the city among a merry little band of strays. There's a legendary adventurer elf with her loyal and clever horse, a goblin girl with an impossible coat who might be chaos incarnate, and there's more than one talking weapon. All the characters were nice to read about and they made a group that I loved to follow around. They felt like a D&D party that starts traveling with a vague goal in mind, but that's always stumbling into the most random situations. From fighting chickens to risking the wrath of an evil cosmic deity. At the same time the book focuses on Fern's inner conflict and while I think that it found a good balance there, I must say that she could have reflected more on her life. I don't know a lot about her as a character and she often refers to the events of Bookshops & Bonedust, but these took place 20 years ago and I didn't get a good impression of what happened in the meantime. Her recurring dreams were also kinda unnecessary in my opinion. I don't think that she made a poor protagonist, because I also don't have super strong feelings about Viv as the main character. For me these books are more about the cozy vibes and about kind people finding each other and working together and I got that here too. And did I really ship a middle-aged rat lady with a thousand-year-old adventurer elf? Maybe.
I deeply love Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust, but overall I'm glad that Travis Baldree dared to stray from his successful formula. While I didn't love Brigands & Breadknives as much, I think it's a necessary step in his author journey and it opens the door for many more different stories. This still was a pleasant and very enjoyable read for me and I would like 10 more, please. I think I would especially love a story about a bard, but I will continue to pick up literally everything he decides to write.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan / Tor for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Brigands & Breadknives is the first book that doesn't follow the orc Viv and instead her well-read rattkin friend Fern takes the lead. We previously met her in Bookshops & Bonedust as the owner of a shabby little bookshop in a cozy seaside town, but now she leaves that life behind and moves to the city of Thune, right next to a certain coffee shop. Plenty of characters from Legends & Lattes return and it was nice to catch up on their lives after their story has ended. The beginning is very similar to the previous books and connects to them in many lovely ways. Fans will surely appreciate it, but it doesn't make for a great introduction to the series as a whole and I wouldn't recommend to pick this new book up without having read the other two. I personally think that Brigands & Breadknives could have benefited from not being too closely connected to Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust, because the story ultimately develops into a totally different direction than these two books that are very similar to each other. Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect Travis Baldree to write books about non-humans setting up cozy businesses in a fantasy world for the end of time, but maybe that's what I want anyway and this book is not delivering it. It's still a very pleasant read, but it's also way more adventurous and action-focused. You see, Fern has a bit of an identity crisis and is unsure if she really wants to be a bookseller anymore and so she drunkenly falls asleep on a horse cart and wakes far away from the city among a merry little band of strays. There's a legendary adventurer elf with her loyal and clever horse, a goblin girl with an impossible coat who might be chaos incarnate, and there's more than one talking weapon. All the characters were nice to read about and they made a group that I loved to follow around. They felt like a D&D party that starts traveling with a vague goal in mind, but that's always stumbling into the most random situations. From fighting chickens to risking the wrath of an evil cosmic deity. At the same time the book focuses on Fern's inner conflict and while I think that it found a good balance there, I must say that she could have reflected more on her life. I don't know a lot about her as a character and she often refers to the events of Bookshops & Bonedust, but these took place 20 years ago and I didn't get a good impression of what happened in the meantime. Her recurring dreams were also kinda unnecessary in my opinion. I don't think that she made a poor protagonist, because I also don't have super strong feelings about Viv as the main character. For me these books are more about the cozy vibes and about kind people finding each other and working together and I got that here too. And did I really ship a middle-aged rat lady with a thousand-year-old adventurer elf? Maybe.
I deeply love Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust, but overall I'm glad that Travis Baldree dared to stray from his successful formula. While I didn't love Brigands & Breadknives as much, I think it's a necessary step in his author journey and it opens the door for many more different stories. This still was a pleasant and very enjoyable read for me and I would like 10 more, please. I think I would especially love a story about a bard, but I will continue to pick up literally everything he decides to write.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan / Tor for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 3, 2025
It's so perfect!
It's cozy, cute, so heartfelt and adventurous. There is a quest, humour, fun and colourful characters, and so much feelings.
I loved that it expanded a lot on the world of Legends & Lattes without compromising the excellent character work.
I also love the main character and her struggles to choose her own path, it felt so relatable.
I listened to the audiobook version and it adds even more to it. But I didn't expect any less from Travis Baldree, who has always been as much a great narrator as well as a writer.
Thank you so much Macmillan audio for this ARC!
It's cozy, cute, so heartfelt and adventurous. There is a quest, humour, fun and colourful characters, and so much feelings.
I loved that it expanded a lot on the world of Legends & Lattes without compromising the excellent character work.
I also love the main character and her struggles to choose her own path, it felt so relatable.
I listened to the audiobook version and it adds even more to it. But I didn't expect any less from Travis Baldree, who has always been as much a great narrator as well as a writer.
Thank you so much Macmillan audio for this ARC!
November 23, 2025
“Look, I didn’t murder anybody. I was barely involved except for the stabbing part.”
It’s no secret that I adore this series. Every time Travis Baldree drops a new instalment, I’m like a cat who’s heard a can opener. And this one? Couldn’t put it down. Truly. I sat down “just to start it” and suddenly I’d inhaled the whole thing like it was a fresh pastry straight out of the oven.
This is cosy fantasy at its best, warm, charming, gently chaotic, and packed with the kind of heart that sneaks up on you. The danger is never too sharp, the humour always lands, and the characters feel like old friends who remember your coffee order and don’t judge you for your life choices.
If you want a story that wraps you up like a blanket fresh from the dryer, hands you a snack, and says “let’s have a little adventure,” this series continues to be perfection. And now I’ll be impatiently waiting for the next one… again.
I Highly Recommend.
Many thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for my early readers copy.
Available Now!
It’s no secret that I adore this series. Every time Travis Baldree drops a new instalment, I’m like a cat who’s heard a can opener. And this one? Couldn’t put it down. Truly. I sat down “just to start it” and suddenly I’d inhaled the whole thing like it was a fresh pastry straight out of the oven.
This is cosy fantasy at its best, warm, charming, gently chaotic, and packed with the kind of heart that sneaks up on you. The danger is never too sharp, the humour always lands, and the characters feel like old friends who remember your coffee order and don’t judge you for your life choices.
If you want a story that wraps you up like a blanket fresh from the dryer, hands you a snack, and says “let’s have a little adventure,” this series continues to be perfection. And now I’ll be impatiently waiting for the next one… again.
I Highly Recommend.
Many thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for my early readers copy.
Available Now!
November 16, 2025
A tale of self-discovery and second chances, Brigands and Breadknives by Travis Baldree is another comfy-cozy dose of the warm fuzzies! Lessons are taught, coffee is still served, and friendships and futures will flourish. Fern will realize all she really needs to carve out her place in the world is her found family, a little pluck, and maybe a trusty breadknife too.
Fern is a rattkin that has grown dreadfully weary of a monotonous existence shelved in the safety and predictability of her bookstore. We follow her along a journey toward a very different future indeed, one rich with new friends, exciting adventure, and of course, profanities perfect for any occasion. After corresponding for some time with an old friend in Thune—one with an inexplicably lucrative coffee shop you might have heard of called Legends & Lattes—Fern puts all her books in one satchel and picks up her life to move to a new city. She is unknown and feeling adrift but hoping for a new start and a brand-new version of Fern. On arrival she receives a warm welcome, but not even time with her old friend nor a bookstore reno is enough to shake Fern from her funk. She’s restless and something is missing…it’s all too much yet not enough at the same time. Overwhelmed, Fern makes the same mistake many a young’un has: she gets toasted and passes out in an unfamiliar place. This fortuitous error sends her packing far away from Thune with a monster hangover (for she is no longer a young’un) and in the company of a strange band of brigands consisting of a feral but hilariously useful goblin imprisoned for a catastrophic penchant for mischief and a legendary warrior elf on the move with cold, mechanical efficiency to deliver her bounty and claim her sum. Together, they end up fighting off a trail of dishonorable vagabonds also trying to claim the bounty for themselves. This cozy fantasy has real peril and cutthroat adventure along the road to exploring life’s unexpected opportunities and finding intrinsic restfulness.
What an extraordinary story! I laughed out loud often between Fern’s colorful swearing and the goblin’s hilarious antics. Oh, and did I mention there is a giant chicken with teeth and a taste for flesh? Yup, there sure is! This book was such a fun and entertaining tale highlighting the magic of friendship and the difficulty that comes with life’s changing seasons and getting older. Fern’s personal growth towards finding self-value and who she is outside of life’s demands and responsibilities is so easily relatable. This is absolutely a must read this fall. It’s a breath of crisp autumnal air! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own.
Fern is a rattkin that has grown dreadfully weary of a monotonous existence shelved in the safety and predictability of her bookstore. We follow her along a journey toward a very different future indeed, one rich with new friends, exciting adventure, and of course, profanities perfect for any occasion. After corresponding for some time with an old friend in Thune—one with an inexplicably lucrative coffee shop you might have heard of called Legends & Lattes—Fern puts all her books in one satchel and picks up her life to move to a new city. She is unknown and feeling adrift but hoping for a new start and a brand-new version of Fern. On arrival she receives a warm welcome, but not even time with her old friend nor a bookstore reno is enough to shake Fern from her funk. She’s restless and something is missing…it’s all too much yet not enough at the same time. Overwhelmed, Fern makes the same mistake many a young’un has: she gets toasted and passes out in an unfamiliar place. This fortuitous error sends her packing far away from Thune with a monster hangover (for she is no longer a young’un) and in the company of a strange band of brigands consisting of a feral but hilariously useful goblin imprisoned for a catastrophic penchant for mischief and a legendary warrior elf on the move with cold, mechanical efficiency to deliver her bounty and claim her sum. Together, they end up fighting off a trail of dishonorable vagabonds also trying to claim the bounty for themselves. This cozy fantasy has real peril and cutthroat adventure along the road to exploring life’s unexpected opportunities and finding intrinsic restfulness.
What an extraordinary story! I laughed out loud often between Fern’s colorful swearing and the goblin’s hilarious antics. Oh, and did I mention there is a giant chicken with teeth and a taste for flesh? Yup, there sure is! This book was such a fun and entertaining tale highlighting the magic of friendship and the difficulty that comes with life’s changing seasons and getting older. Fern’s personal growth towards finding self-value and who she is outside of life’s demands and responsibilities is so easily relatable. This is absolutely a must read this fall. It’s a breath of crisp autumnal air! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own.
July 1, 2025
I WOULD LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR BUCKET AND HER CREW OF STUPID EMOTIONALLY REPRESSED MORONS
Want to read
February 19, 20251.) Legends & Lattes ★★★★★
2.) Bookshops & Bonedust ★★★★★
*.) 2.) Goblins & Greatcoats ★★★★
^^ actually screaming at this cover... is that ROUND BOY?!?! ahhhh counting the days to get this in my hands <3
2.) Bookshops & Bonedust ★★★★★
*.) 2.) Goblins & Greatcoats ★★★★
^^ actually screaming at this cover... is that ROUND BOY?!?! ahhhh counting the days to get this in my hands <3
November 7, 2025
Decidedly less cozy than previous books, Brigands and Breadknives is still fun and charming. It follows Fern going through a mid-life crisis of sorts when she gets drunk and runs away from her bookshop. She joins up with an unexpected crew - a legendary warrior without much drive left and a captive goblin who is extremely chaotic. Along the way she unpacks what made her leave, what frightens her about change, and discovers what she wants now. This one is fairly action-heavy but as someone right around mid-life it felt kind of relatable with a comforting message- it's okay if a thing you used to love isn't your passion anymore. The audio narration is fantastic as always. I received an audio review copy via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
November 8, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!
this was another fun, lowstakes but action packed cozy fantasy novel in this universe!
i love that fern stayed true to herself and did what she felt was best for her, but acknowledged that her actions may have hurt those she cares about — i feel that’s true growth in a character.
as for the audio, i loved that travis baldree narrated his own books! i think it’s such a special touch when authors narrator their audios because they know the work and characters better than anyone else.
——
beyond excited to return to this world, and honored to have received an arc and alc!!
this was another fun, lowstakes but action packed cozy fantasy novel in this universe!
i love that fern stayed true to herself and did what she felt was best for her, but acknowledged that her actions may have hurt those she cares about — i feel that’s true growth in a character.
as for the audio, i loved that travis baldree narrated his own books! i think it’s such a special touch when authors narrator their audios because they know the work and characters better than anyone else.
——
beyond excited to return to this world, and honored to have received an arc and alc!!
July 13, 2025
I loved learning things about all the new characters we met but I couldn't care about anything else and I'm sad about it ):
November 20, 2025
Not enough Thimble for my tastes, but still a very fun and moving exploration of depression and letting go over things that no longer give you joy
September 24, 2025
Slightly less cosy, still a middle-life crisis, where Viv takes the backseat to Fern - our bookseller from the prequel.
Fern arrives at Legends and Lattes only to run away, I mean get drunk and stow away, on the cart of legendary Astryx One-Ear, Blademistress and Oathmaiden who is delivering a strange goblin to collect the bounty.
Thus, Fern finds herself on a cart with a murder bird and a goblin with a mouth like a shark. Oh, and a talking sword called Nigel.
First things first, do you need to read Bookshops and Bonedust and/or Legends and Lattes to read this?
I would say, so far, each book kind of stands on its own. It would make a lot more sense to read the prequel to understand Fern’s background and the allusions she makes to her past. But Viv and the caffe are mostly just names and don’t play a part, so arguably you don’t need to have read Legends and Lattes.
This is travelling and a few battles, a few stays at inns and temples.
“I think for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t looking backward . . . or forward, either. So maybe I was looking at whatever is between those things.”
Fern is dissatisfied, but can’t understand by what or how to solve it. It took her a very roundabout way to find it out and I don’t really think it ties into the story arc of the series (if there is one), but we had a funny goblin and a horse called Bucket, so I was in for the ride.
Astryx was stoic and mostly silent and these seemed her only personality traits. Fern has a foul mouth, so her melancholy is covered by sass.
I like that this still remains low-stakes. Whilst there is more fighting, you always know the characters are safe. The goals are never world-altering and the characters' ambitions are normally personal or unknown even to them.
A cosy book to curl up with, narrated by the author himself.
My ranking:
1. Legends and Lattes
2. Bookshops and Bonedust
3. Brigands and Breadknives
Physical arc gifted by Tor.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
Fern arrives at Legends and Lattes only to run away, I mean get drunk and stow away, on the cart of legendary Astryx One-Ear, Blademistress and Oathmaiden who is delivering a strange goblin to collect the bounty.
Thus, Fern finds herself on a cart with a murder bird and a goblin with a mouth like a shark. Oh, and a talking sword called Nigel.
First things first, do you need to read Bookshops and Bonedust and/or Legends and Lattes to read this?
I would say, so far, each book kind of stands on its own. It would make a lot more sense to read the prequel to understand Fern’s background and the allusions she makes to her past. But Viv and the caffe are mostly just names and don’t play a part, so arguably you don’t need to have read Legends and Lattes.
This is travelling and a few battles, a few stays at inns and temples.
“I think for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t looking backward . . . or forward, either. So maybe I was looking at whatever is between those things.”
Fern is dissatisfied, but can’t understand by what or how to solve it. It took her a very roundabout way to find it out and I don’t really think it ties into the story arc of the series (if there is one), but we had a funny goblin and a horse called Bucket, so I was in for the ride.
Astryx was stoic and mostly silent and these seemed her only personality traits. Fern has a foul mouth, so her melancholy is covered by sass.
I like that this still remains low-stakes. Whilst there is more fighting, you always know the characters are safe. The goals are never world-altering and the characters' ambitions are normally personal or unknown even to them.
A cosy book to curl up with, narrated by the author himself.
My ranking:
1. Legends and Lattes
2. Bookshops and Bonedust
3. Brigands and Breadknives
Physical arc gifted by Tor.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
October 12, 2025
I found this book to be enjoyable, but lacking some of the charm of the previous two books in the series that I had read. I think partly where it was lost for me was that there were so many fight scenes. Those tend to be my least favorite parts. I don't find them tense or engaging; I just want to skim over them and in this case I found my mind wandering at those times. The fight scenes were important to the story because you learned a lot about the characters and saw how their relationships grew and changed, but I just didn't find them very interesting.
We have new characters in this one and the return of Fern, who is going through a midlife crisis of sorts. The new characters were mostly wonderful, even if some had to grow on you. However, I missed Viv and wished we saw more of her in this one, in addition to a couple of other past characters.
Overall, this was a good read, just not quite as great as the previous books in the series for me. I did enjoy the character growth and the heartwarming story at the core of this one. However, it felt a bit repetitive in some parts. If you enjoy the series, I would definitely recommend it. If you are just started out, I would not recommend starting with this one. Definitely at least read the prequel first. This one can technically stand alone, but the prequel will give you some background on Fern.
I listened to the audio version narrated by the author, Travis Baldree. He does a wonderful job narrating. If you enjoy audiobooks, it is worth a listen.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series. 3★
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
We have new characters in this one and the return of Fern, who is going through a midlife crisis of sorts. The new characters were mostly wonderful, even if some had to grow on you. However, I missed Viv and wished we saw more of her in this one, in addition to a couple of other past characters.
Overall, this was a good read, just not quite as great as the previous books in the series for me. I did enjoy the character growth and the heartwarming story at the core of this one. However, it felt a bit repetitive in some parts. If you enjoy the series, I would definitely recommend it. If you are just started out, I would not recommend starting with this one. Definitely at least read the prequel first. This one can technically stand alone, but the prequel will give you some background on Fern.
I listened to the audio version narrated by the author, Travis Baldree. He does a wonderful job narrating. If you enjoy audiobooks, it is worth a listen.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series. 3★
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 19, 2025
Brigands & Breadknives
by Travis Baldree
This author had been one of my top narrators and is now one of my favorite authors! When I want something to read but am not really sure what to read, his books are the definite answer! Heartwarming, funny, soul-searching, adventure, witty, intelligent, great dialogue, unique characters, entertaining plot, and wonderful world-building. I really can't praise this book enough. A must-read! Read the first one too, just because it is awesome!
by Travis Baldree
This author had been one of my top narrators and is now one of my favorite authors! When I want something to read but am not really sure what to read, his books are the definite answer! Heartwarming, funny, soul-searching, adventure, witty, intelligent, great dialogue, unique characters, entertaining plot, and wonderful world-building. I really can't praise this book enough. A must-read! Read the first one too, just because it is awesome!
November 14, 2025
Fern, the likeable, no-nonsense bookseller from Bookshops & Bonedust is back. She's been talked into setting up a new store right beside her pal Viv's coffee shop, but she soon realizes that she's tired of just selling stories about adventures. Perhaps . . . she'd rather have an exploit of her own.
And that she does, a doozy of an exploit, filled with excitement, and chills, and talking weaponry. AND, she gets to utter a phrase that I hope to work into a conversation as soon as possible - "feculent sack of shitweasels"
Fern is my hero and quite possibly my spirit animal as well.
This was another fine and funny entry in the series that must NEVER end.
Many, many thanks to the Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for sharing this.
And that she does, a doozy of an exploit, filled with excitement, and chills, and talking weaponry. AND, she gets to utter a phrase that I hope to work into a conversation as soon as possible - "feculent sack of shitweasels"
Fern is my hero and quite possibly my spirit animal as well.
This was another fine and funny entry in the series that must NEVER end.
Many, many thanks to the Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for sharing this.
Want to read
February 4, 2025didn’t care for the first but this looks promising.. sigh will i ever learn cozy fantasy just isn’t for me? 😞 probably not
November 26, 2025
Good fun story. I found it the least enjoyable of the 3 books but still an entertaining read. Every hero needs a Nigel or Breadly as a companion! Recommended
November 17, 2025
Some hard truths: I expected/wanted some extremely low-stakes feel-good relax-time learning to get along with people and build relationships, all in a fantasy setting that seems suspiciously like our world. You know, like the first Legends and Lattes. That was its selling point and its emotional-satisfaction point.
This one, while continuing with at least one character from the original, the bookseller Fern, winds up being a series of misadventures and outright travel-adventure that is almost entirely a "standard" fantasy adventure. One, I might mention, could have been taken out of any cookie-cutter fantasy novel with a small group of adventurers from the last four decades of fantasy novels. D&D or otherwise.
Its selling point isn't the same as the original, alas. You have to be invested in the original character and have to want to see what running away from your emotions will get you. That's pretty much it.
Of course, that's not to say that the novel was bad. It isn't. But taken on its own merits, I have to say it's just average. Standard. And frankly, because I was wanting the cozy friendship-building mechanics of the first, I found myself sometimes getting downright annoyed by how much action and adventure was in THIS novel.
Isn't that odd? Downright strange?
Well, it is what it is. By losing the cozy edge, it moved into standard light fantasy fare, losing a bit of my trust in the series. I can only hope it comes back to the cozy-core later.
Wandering Inn, this is not.
This one, while continuing with at least one character from the original, the bookseller Fern, winds up being a series of misadventures and outright travel-adventure that is almost entirely a "standard" fantasy adventure. One, I might mention, could have been taken out of any cookie-cutter fantasy novel with a small group of adventurers from the last four decades of fantasy novels. D&D or otherwise.
Its selling point isn't the same as the original, alas. You have to be invested in the original character and have to want to see what running away from your emotions will get you. That's pretty much it.
Of course, that's not to say that the novel was bad. It isn't. But taken on its own merits, I have to say it's just average. Standard. And frankly, because I was wanting the cozy friendship-building mechanics of the first, I found myself sometimes getting downright annoyed by how much action and adventure was in THIS novel.
Isn't that odd? Downright strange?
Well, it is what it is. By losing the cozy edge, it moved into standard light fantasy fare, losing a bit of my trust in the series. I can only hope it comes back to the cozy-core later.
Wandering Inn, this is not.
November 11, 2025
I am not exactly sure if I'm just over the whole cozy fantasy genre or if this book just wasn't my thing. I have read and loved the other two books in this series but this one was my least favorite of the three. Some will complain about the use of foul language and I will say I was surprised at first with the use of the "F" word. Foul language doesn't bother me but I was surprised to see it in cozy fantasy. I also felt the story didn't align with the other books in this series. This one is more high stakes than the others and I didn't really love Fern in this book. All this to say that this isn't a bad book, but this one sadly misses the 5 star mark for me.
The audio narration by the author is done well as always and I appreciate the work put into all of the voices.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 11/11/25
The audio narration by the author is done well as always and I appreciate the work put into all of the voices.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 11/11/25
August 8, 2025
Fern has decided to relocate her bookstore near to where her friend Viv has established Tomes and Tea. Viv and her partner and the townspeople help Fern get set up, transforming an old building into a welcoming business, but despite a successful first day, Fern gets drunk and hides in the wagon of a legendary elf warrior, Astryx (I kept thinking of the French comic Asterix). Fern is a hard protagonist to like at the beginning: she not only leaves the kind townspeople and her friend in the lurch, but also abandons her gryphet, Potroast. Her main claim to fame seems to be what sentient bread knife Breadlee calls “a tart mouth;” a vocabulary replete with little else but curse words. Fern is on a journey to find herself, and it’s a long strange trip. Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC.
October 25, 2025
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
We met Fern in the prequel book to the series Bookshops & Bonedust. She is a ratkin that has been in a rut for awhile and when Viv invites her to the town where she has set up a coffee shop Fern is up for the adventure of a new place with an old friend. Brigands & Breadknives the third story in the Legends and Lattes world give the reader more action than the prior books and takes us on a bit of an adventure as Fern searches for what is missing in her life.
Fern was a fun character. Going through a bit of a midlife crisis, she comes to visit her old friend. Viv looking to help out Fern has set up a bookshop next the to coffee shop for Fern to run. One problem, Fern really doesn't want to be a bookseller anymore. Something is missing from her life and she isn't sure what. But instead of owning it and telling Viv, she gets a bit drunk and accidentally falls asleep in the Wagon of a notorious Fae bounty hunter and is about to have a grand adventure.
Asteryx is millennia old and set in her ways on the road. She didn't expect to find a hungover ratkin in her wagon but it is too late to turn back as she is on her way to deliver her bounty, a Goblin named Zyll for a rather large reward. Fern has been a fangirl of Asteryx and all of her adventures for awhile and can't believe her luck in stumbling into the makings of one of the stories she has read about. With no money on her and no way to get home, Fern is in this journey until they get the tricky goblin to the bounty destination. She just needs to figure out how to tell Viv as well.
I liked this story much more than the prequel with Fern. The quest the troop is on had danger, betrayals and a fantastic twist at the end that was well worth the read. Zyll it seems has been a tricky goblin indeed and has quite a few characters after her on the road looking to either get the bounty or make Zyll pay for the trouble she has caused them. I had so much fun with this story and the characters in it. I liked how Fern was able to revitalize Asteryx's view of the world and how in return Asteryx is able to help Fern realize a different path for her journey.
Bonus for me at least there is a sentient sword andbreadknife diminished sword (don't judge) to add to some of the frivolity of the story.
Another cozy fantasy where you know it is all going to go okay in the end but for me at least this one had more substance to the entire story and was a nice change of pace from Bookshops & Bonedust. If the prequel was a win for you this will probably also be a fun read, but if you were like me and it was just okay, I think Brigands & Breadknives will be a nice surprise and a better overall read.
Narration:
Performance: ★★★★★
Character Separation: ★★★★★
Diction: ★★★★
Pacing/Flow: ★★★★★
Sound Effects: none
Travis Baldree is an accomplishes narrator and again does a great job narrating his story. All of the voices are well defined and you can tell he had a great time bringing the story to life. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
We met Fern in the prequel book to the series Bookshops & Bonedust. She is a ratkin that has been in a rut for awhile and when Viv invites her to the town where she has set up a coffee shop Fern is up for the adventure of a new place with an old friend. Brigands & Breadknives the third story in the Legends and Lattes world give the reader more action than the prior books and takes us on a bit of an adventure as Fern searches for what is missing in her life.
Fern was a fun character. Going through a bit of a midlife crisis, she comes to visit her old friend. Viv looking to help out Fern has set up a bookshop next the to coffee shop for Fern to run. One problem, Fern really doesn't want to be a bookseller anymore. Something is missing from her life and she isn't sure what. But instead of owning it and telling Viv, she gets a bit drunk and accidentally falls asleep in the Wagon of a notorious Fae bounty hunter and is about to have a grand adventure.
Asteryx is millennia old and set in her ways on the road. She didn't expect to find a hungover ratkin in her wagon but it is too late to turn back as she is on her way to deliver her bounty, a Goblin named Zyll for a rather large reward. Fern has been a fangirl of Asteryx and all of her adventures for awhile and can't believe her luck in stumbling into the makings of one of the stories she has read about. With no money on her and no way to get home, Fern is in this journey until they get the tricky goblin to the bounty destination. She just needs to figure out how to tell Viv as well.
I liked this story much more than the prequel with Fern. The quest the troop is on had danger, betrayals and a fantastic twist at the end that was well worth the read. Zyll it seems has been a tricky goblin indeed and has quite a few characters after her on the road looking to either get the bounty or make Zyll pay for the trouble she has caused them. I had so much fun with this story and the characters in it. I liked how Fern was able to revitalize Asteryx's view of the world and how in return Asteryx is able to help Fern realize a different path for her journey.
Bonus for me at least there is a sentient sword and
Another cozy fantasy where you know it is all going to go okay in the end but for me at least this one had more substance to the entire story and was a nice change of pace from Bookshops & Bonedust. If the prequel was a win for you this will probably also be a fun read, but if you were like me and it was just okay, I think Brigands & Breadknives will be a nice surprise and a better overall read.
Narration:
Performance: ★★★★★
Character Separation: ★★★★★
Diction: ★★★★
Pacing/Flow: ★★★★★
Sound Effects: none
Travis Baldree is an accomplishes narrator and again does a great job narrating his story. All of the voices are well defined and you can tell he had a great time bringing the story to life. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
November 12, 2025
Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree
Legends and Lattes series #3. Fantasy. Cozy fantasy.
Fern needs a break from her bookshop. From her life. She travels to Thune, where her friend has a coffee shop. But a few drinks lead her down an unexpected path, leaving her to question her choices and her life. What does she really want?
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version narrated by the author, Travis Baldree. I love when an author narrates their own books. They know exactly who the characters are and how they should sound. The performance is marvelous with specific voices for the different characters and clear emotions throughout. Fern may be “foul-mouthed” but she’s also very invested in her own life!
I listened at 1.5 which is a smidge slower than usual to hear all the nuances and unusual character names and some of the language used.
Entertaining and amusing. A great addition to the series.
I received a copy of the audiobook from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.
Legends and Lattes series #3. Fantasy. Cozy fantasy.
Fern needs a break from her bookshop. From her life. She travels to Thune, where her friend has a coffee shop. But a few drinks lead her down an unexpected path, leaving her to question her choices and her life. What does she really want?
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version narrated by the author, Travis Baldree. I love when an author narrates their own books. They know exactly who the characters are and how they should sound. The performance is marvelous with specific voices for the different characters and clear emotions throughout. Fern may be “foul-mouthed” but she’s also very invested in her own life!
I listened at 1.5 which is a smidge slower than usual to hear all the nuances and unusual character names and some of the language used.
Entertaining and amusing. A great addition to the series.
I received a copy of the audiobook from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.
November 23, 2025
I went into this expecting something easy and light during a rough week and instead I got insta-coma. No joke, I picked this up four times in one afternoon and three of the four instances sent me off to dreamland. Worse, when I tried to get back into it two days later I had no idea what was going on and had to backtrack.. which just extended the pain further. But fueled by morning light and coffee, I finished it before it could finish me off again.
Whoops, let's sheathe those claws, sorry.
I've very much enjoyed this series up until this point but something, be it wrong time or the story itself or maybe both, just didn't align with this one. I was just so so bored and completely disconnected; but for those worried the boredom came from an overdose of cozy.. actually, no. This has more action and adventure than the rest. So, who can even say what the issue was but ultimately I just couldn't get invested.
If there's more to come, I will probably read on; but maybe with a little less enthusiasm and some lowered expectations.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Whoops, let's sheathe those claws, sorry.
I've very much enjoyed this series up until this point but something, be it wrong time or the story itself or maybe both, just didn't align with this one. I was just so so bored and completely disconnected; but for those worried the boredom came from an overdose of cozy.. actually, no. This has more action and adventure than the rest. So, who can even say what the issue was but ultimately I just couldn't get invested.
If there's more to come, I will probably read on; but maybe with a little less enthusiasm and some lowered expectations.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
November 17, 2025
Audible audio
----
So glad to spend time with Fern again, missed her :)
Was proud of how she grew and found herself and got more brave :).
The ending parts were very moving in different ways.
Can't wait for the next one, love this world and characters so much (BookFamily!) Can't wait to see what he'll write next!
Narration was top notch as always 👌 👏.
----
So glad to spend time with Fern again, missed her :)
Was proud of how she grew and found herself and got more brave :).
The ending parts were very moving in different ways.
Can't wait for the next one, love this world and characters so much (BookFamily!) Can't wait to see what he'll write next!
Narration was top notch as always 👌 👏.
May 28, 2025
This one is for the folks who wish more fantasy books had sentient cutlery (aka me)
November 14, 2025
**𝔄ℜℭ ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴** 𝔅𝔯𝔦𝔤𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔰 & 𝔅𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔨𝔫𝔦𝔳𝔢𝔰 𝔟𝔶 𝔗𝔯𝔞𝔳𝔦𝔰 𝔅𝔞𝔩𝔡𝔯𝔢𝔢 (𝔏𝔢𝔤𝔢𝔫𝔡𝔰 & 𝔏𝔞𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔰 #2)
Release Date: November 11, 2025
4⭐️1🌶
This book is just as cozy but more hilarious as it's previous installments. This book focuses on Fern the rattkin many years after the Bookshops and Bonedust prequel story. Fern decides to travel to visit her very old friend in her new city where she's set up a flourishing coffee shop, and maybe start a new business of her own.
In the prequel, Fern had revamped her dad's bookshop (with Viv's help) and revitalized it, so that she could scrape a living for a few more decades. But since those decades have pasted, she is tired of scraping and wants to try something new in a new city. Upon arriving in Viv's city, and finding a modest storefront next to Legends and Lattes set aside for her to turn into a bookshop, first she is overwhelmed with gratitude that her friends would do this for her, and then she's overwhelmed with second thoughts that she may not want to be a book seller in this new life.
Fern's potty mouth and need to speak her mind kept me laughing through this whole book. When Fern drinks a little too much and wanders into an adventuring Elf's carriage, she wakes miles and miles away from her new bookstore without having told any of her friends where she's gone and why. However, since she already seem to be on a dashing adventure with a roguish Elf, she might as well make the most of it.
Themes/Tropes:
🍁Cozy Fantasy
🍁Small Bookshop
🍁Former Hired Mercenary Friend
🍁Found Family
🍁Monster Romance
🍁Unexpected adventure
TW:
✨Monsters/animals as characters
✨Swearing
Release Date: November 11, 2025
4⭐️1🌶
This book is just as cozy but more hilarious as it's previous installments. This book focuses on Fern the rattkin many years after the Bookshops and Bonedust prequel story. Fern decides to travel to visit her very old friend in her new city where she's set up a flourishing coffee shop, and maybe start a new business of her own.
In the prequel, Fern had revamped her dad's bookshop (with Viv's help) and revitalized it, so that she could scrape a living for a few more decades. But since those decades have pasted, she is tired of scraping and wants to try something new in a new city. Upon arriving in Viv's city, and finding a modest storefront next to Legends and Lattes set aside for her to turn into a bookshop, first she is overwhelmed with gratitude that her friends would do this for her, and then she's overwhelmed with second thoughts that she may not want to be a book seller in this new life.
Fern's potty mouth and need to speak her mind kept me laughing through this whole book. When Fern drinks a little too much and wanders into an adventuring Elf's carriage, she wakes miles and miles away from her new bookstore without having told any of her friends where she's gone and why. However, since she already seem to be on a dashing adventure with a roguish Elf, she might as well make the most of it.
Themes/Tropes:
🍁Cozy Fantasy
🍁Small Bookshop
🍁Former Hired Mercenary Friend
🍁Found Family
🍁Monster Romance
🍁Unexpected adventure
TW:
✨Monsters/animals as characters
✨Swearing
November 1, 2025
This was just okay for me. I love that the author narrates the audiobooks and they are a fun, easy listen, but this book just felt like not a whole lot happened and I needed something more to be entertained by.
This is a cozy fantasy series, the prequel Bookshops & Bonedust has been my favorite while everything else has just been fine. I don’t go into these expecting a ton of adventure or plot, but I at least need interesting characters or situations to get into it and keep me reading and this one was just okay overall. The majority of the plot centers around a store being moved locations.
I had an ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
This is a cozy fantasy series, the prequel Bookshops & Bonedust has been my favorite while everything else has just been fine. I don’t go into these expecting a ton of adventure or plot, but I at least need interesting characters or situations to get into it and keep me reading and this one was just okay overall. The majority of the plot centers around a store being moved locations.
I had an ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
November 23, 2025
Legends & Lattes ★★★★ 1/4
Bookshops & Bonedust ★★★★
Brigands & Breadknives ★★ 1/2
No one is as surprised as I am!!
Bookshops & Bonedust ★★★★
Brigands & Breadknives ★★ 1/2
No one is as surprised as I am!!
Want to read
January 29, 2025NEW TRAVIS BALDREE!!!!!
Read
November 15, 2025Dnf
I hate to say it but I’m just not enjoying this series anymore. I LOVED the debut but I wasn’t that interested in the prequel and I’m not in to the sequel either 😩.
I hate to say it but I’m just not enjoying this series anymore. I LOVED the debut but I wasn’t that interested in the prequel and I’m not in to the sequel either 😩.
Want to read
January 8, 2025oh i need this yesterday
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