Book Review: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

So I originally wasn’t going to write a review for Legends & Lattes. I do try to read and talk about a few Hugo nominees every year though and the book fits into that comfort read category for Wyrd & Wonder 2024. So here we are.

Legends was also nominated for a Nebula (best novel 2022 – lost to Babel). It lost the 2023 Hugo Best Novel to Nettle & Bone, a book I loved. (It did win the Astounding in 2023 for best new writer, which technically isn’t a Hugo but many people mentally lump them together).

90% of the time I don’t get along with super hyped books. Especially cosy fantasy because if I want to read cosy, I’ll just go to a sweet romance or general fiction. Which is what Legends is, except in fantasy form.

How many Hallmark movies have I seen with this plot…

1. Woman gets sick of life doing X
2. She moves to Y location and opens Z business
3. She meets someone cute who solidifies her decisions
4. Something terrible happens that tests her resolve in her life decisions
5. peaceful resolution

…Many. Very many.

But this book swept the fantasy world so again, here I am. That all said, it’s a perfectly fine book but I don’t think it’s that hype worthy. Cosy is good if you need cosy in your life but to get best novel nominations? 🤷‍♀️

Legends & Lattes has some good aspects like:

• Coffee & cinnamon rolls
• Giant cat that might be a demon
• Building something from nothing
• Friendships
• Appreciating people for who they are and what skills they have

It was also absolutely hilarious that no one knew what coffee was. This is where I reiterate that it wasn’t a bad read and did have many good parts

Some of my qualms are:

• The fantasy characters are pretty much humans with human sentiments (so why are we featuring Baldree for writing non-human characters?)
• One of the antagonists resolved into a friend pretty quickly
• I like stakes in my fantasy
• Generally didn’t hold my attention

My biggest issue is probably all the praise for non human characters I saw, when for all intents and purposes other than size and large teeth, the orc was a human.

Overall it’s not a bad book and I think if I had read it knowing nothing about it, I might have enjoyed it more. I stay away from ultra hyped books for a reason 🤷‍♀️

I think it would be a good one for younger readers. Personally I’d recommend this one for like 12-18 year olds.

Do I think it deserved the award acclaim? Just no, it wasn’t new or innovative or in any way memorable for me.

Have you read it? What did you think?

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Bookish Quick Facts:

• Title: Legends & Lattes (#1)
• Author: Travis Baldree
• Published: 2022 by Cryptid then Tor Books
• Length: 304 pages
• Recommend: ⭐⭐⭐✨ for fans of .. I guess exactly what the tagline says, “fantasy with low stakes“

Here’s the Synopsis:

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.

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Thanks for checking out my book review of Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. I purchased my own paperback copy. As always, all opinions are my own ❤️