Nominee for Best Fantasy (2022), Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree is a book I see pop up on my Instagram feed all the time. There need to be more cozy fantasy stories and I am excited to have found one! Ariel and I bring you our discussion today. 🙂
Legends & Lattes
By Travis Baldree | Goodreads | Legends & Lattes #1
After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.
The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.
If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won’t be able to go it alone.
But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.
Legends & Lattes
It is refreshing to read a Fantasy that promises to dive into a personal quest of starting a new chapter in life. Viv is an orc who has spent all her life fighting but somewhere along her professional road, she decided to start saving for a different life. It was coffee that converted her. Her experience with the beverage at one of the towns that she passed left an imprint in her mind and so she set out to save and one day run a coffee shop.
Legends and Lattes begins with Viv putting down her sword and buying herself a space in the city of Thune. Legends and Lattes read like a love letter to coffee and the amazing goodies that go with it. While no one in town first knew about coffee, I loved the scenes where everyone who tried it was converted and willing to come back.
She slowly develops a circle of friends around her: Cal, the carpenter who is gritty and succinct in his speech, Tandri, the help she hires, Amity, the mire-cat that also calls her cafe home, Thimble, the baker, and Pendry, the bard. Each character is distinct and well done! In the audiobook, Travis Baldree brings his characters to life in a way my mind never could have. What did you think of the characters in this book?
The world of Legends and Lattes is full of creatures of folklore that I have not come across before. Though elves, dwarves, fae and gnomes populate the rich worlds of Fantasy, this was my first time meeting a succubus, ratkin and dire-cat. Orcs, in general, are portrayed as blood-thirty mindless creatures and it was great to have Viv show another side of them. Ariel, have you come across these creatures before?
I believe a ratkin is original to this world, but he kind of reminded me of other little fantasy creatures you’d find in Dungeons & Dragons like the mousefolk. I’ve never come across a dire-cat but I really loved the one in this book! I often see in D&D monsters like dire-wolves, where adventurers often fight them. Succubi are found in various lore, I know the Witcher world has them, but again, they’re often looked at as not entirely good. I appreciated how this cozy fantasy takes on a new look at non-human species like orcs and succubi and how they combated other fantasy stereotypes.
Starting a business is not easy. Legends and Lattes beautifully portrays the struggles of a new entrepreneur. Viv has thought of a lot of things but Tandri’s knowledge and creativity are indispensable in creating a successful business. I loved the chemistry and growing relationship of these two. I also enjoyed the many ways in which they connected with their customers, taking feedback about the drinks and food.
Agreed! Every time I enjoy a cinnamon roll I think of this book.
There weren’t fun conversations all the time though which makes this a very real book. There were situations of setting boundaries around using the cafe as a sitting area without making a purchase as well as functioning as a business in a place where thugs bully the owners. These are delicate scenarios that Viv and Tandri handled well.
A Scalvert’s Stone that Viv buried in her shop is said to bring good fortune but there are people who wound like it for themselves. Legends and Lattes shows Viv’s tug of war around whether her achievements have been because of the stone or due to her own hard work. Losing it, she feels like she might lose everything she has built. This is her lesson in learning to trust others and herself. Ariel, what did you think of the role the Scalvert’s Stone played in the plot of Legends and Lattes?
I appreciated how it kept the plot moving and provided an overall cohesive feel to the storyline, and I liked what the stone’s true message meant towards the end. This books was the ultimate cozy, slice of life, enjoyable read and I am so excited to read the prequel when it’s out!
In conclusion, Legends and Lattes is a fun read! It will make you long for Thimble’s baked goods and a nice cup of beverage to go with them.
Will you pick up this book? Add Legends & Lattes to your shelves on Goodreads for now or get it from your favorite retail store. The audiobook is fantastic too!
Thanks for joining us today! Ariel and I are meeting up next week so stay tuned on Instagram to see a very special Legends & Lattes post.
I have been seeing this everywhere! I really need to read it!
Yes, it has been everywhere! I hope you enjoy it when you get to it! 🙂