eBook, 320 pages
English language
Published June 15, 2022 by TOR.
Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv the orc barbarian cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen.
However, her dreams of a fresh start pulling shots instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve.
A hot cup of fantasy slice-of-life with a dollop of romantic froth.
Tappelemiseen kyllästynyt örkki päättää perustaa kahvilan vanhaan talliin. Kirja etenee hiljakseen kahvilan perustamiseen, markkinointiin, työntekijöihin ja viranomaisiin liittyviä pulmia ratkoen. Ehkä keveytensä puolesta menisi myös nuorten kirjana, vaikka aikuisellekin ihan kivaa iltalukemista.
Legends & Lattes chill fantasia da, edo -cozy- dirudienez. Gertaera gutxikoa baina bizkor irakurri daitekeena. Viv bere abentura aroa amaitu nahian kafetegi bat muntatzen du. Benetan ez du plana oso argi, baina abenturetan egindako dirutza eta esperientzia sozialarekin pixkanaka kafetegi eder bat osatzen du, goitibera txikiak izanda. Premisa horrekin, noski, ez nuen gidoi aldaketa larririk espero, baina bai faltan bota dut dinamismo pixkat. Orokorrean istorioa nahiko prediktiboa da, baina hala ere entretenigarria. Hori bai, amaierako zatian bai azaleratzen da dinamismo hura.
Legends & Lattes chill fantasia da, edo -cozy- dirudienez. Gertaera gutxikoa baina bizkor irakurri daitekeena. Viv bere abentura aroa amaitu nahian kafetegi bat muntatzen du. Benetan ez du plana oso argi, baina abenturetan egindako dirutza eta esperientzia sozialarekin pixkanaka kafetegi eder bat osatzen du, goitibera txikiak izanda. Premisa horrekin, noski, ez nuen gidoi aldaketa larririk espero, baina bai faltan bota dut dinamismo pixkat. Orokorrean istorioa nahiko prediktiboa da, baina hala ere entretenigarria. Hori bai, amaierako zatian bai azaleratzen da dinamismo hura.
Really enjoyable cozy fantasy, maybe a little predictable but that can be part of the fun. As with the thaumic lute. If the author is using a little steampunk to explain how a pre-industrial, magic-using society has espresso machines, why not electric guitars too?
Also kudos to the author for reading his own audio book and doing a good job of it. I noticed he also owns the production rights to it. Good for him.
Content warning Disappointing trope confirmation
I read this for Romance Book Club because I figured a fantasy book was my excuse to see what happens at a romance book club. It's not what I usually read.
It had some nice themes, but the characters felt very shallow and uh... where was the romance? It read like fantasy written for dog people.
And I was thinking "at least the lesbians don't immediately move in together"... it was too much to hope for.
This book is like a nice warm cup of coffee.
But do you really want to read a book like a cup of coffee?
Its cozy, but there is virtually no plot or drama. (Almost) all of the characters are really nice, so there isn't even really any struggle to create anything. There's a sense of inevitability; Viv's cafe just sort of falls into place in line with what a modern cafe in our world looks like. That's actually baffling, as anyone who knows even a little of the history of coffee knows. The fantasy setting is also very shallow. Make all the characters human and change the color of the fire, and this could easily be written in our world.
The premise reminds me of some of the Discworld novels where roundworld things spontaneously develop, but in that case its a satirical commentary on our world …
This book is like a nice warm cup of coffee.
But do you really want to read a book like a cup of coffee?
Its cozy, but there is virtually no plot or drama. (Almost) all of the characters are really nice, so there isn't even really any struggle to create anything. There's a sense of inevitability; Viv's cafe just sort of falls into place in line with what a modern cafe in our world looks like. That's actually baffling, as anyone who knows even a little of the history of coffee knows. The fantasy setting is also very shallow. Make all the characters human and change the color of the fire, and this could easily be written in our world.
The premise reminds me of some of the Discworld novels where roundworld things spontaneously develop, but in that case its a satirical commentary on our world and part of the humor. Without whimsy or humor here, this story just feels out of place.
Read for the cozy vibes, but don't expect much substance.
I read the prequel - Bookshops and Bonedust - before this one and loved it. You can tell that this one is the earlier one because it's not quite as intricate. It was more dramatic than I anticipated given the "cozy" label but it does have a cozy vibe apart from that. I especially loved how Viv built a web of connections and ultimately, community, without really noticing at first. I'm normally not into the romance part of fantasy books but this one was handled well and in a realistic way.
I read the prequel - Bookshops and Bonedust - before this one and loved it. You can tell that this one is the earlier one because it's not quite as intricate. It was more dramatic than I anticipated given the "cozy" label but it does have a cozy vibe apart from that. I especially loved how Viv built a web of connections and ultimately, community, without really noticing at first. I'm normally not into the romance part of fantasy books but this one was handled well and in a realistic way.
Das ist mein zweiter cozy Fantasy Roman und ich merke, dass mir das Genre gefällt. Hier wird aber nicht nur eine schöne Geschichte von einem Café erzählt sondern auch eine spannende Geschichte im Hintergrund. Und das Ende war auch wirklich, wirklich toll.
Das ist mein zweiter cozy Fantasy Roman und ich merke, dass mir das Genre gefällt. Hier wird aber nicht nur eine schöne Geschichte von einem Café erzählt sondern auch eine spannende Geschichte im Hintergrund. Und das Ende war auch wirklich, wirklich toll.
Wonderful vacation from stress. A charming, low-stakes read.
Cosy, in the very truest sense of the word. Not a taxing novel, but cute - an easily loveable cast.
Absolute comfort read in the best possible way. I want to spend more time here in the coffee shop.
Not as good as the prequel, but still pretty fun to read.
It’s nice to be reminded that fantasy stories don’t have to have world-ending stakes to be just as engaging. Despite being exactly what it says on its cover - a low stakes novel about a former adventurer opening a coffee shop - I could not anticipate how appealing it would be. I blew through this novel in two days despite its simplicity thanks to continuing to say to myself ‘one more chapter couldn’t hurt.’ I loved the slowly building romance in the subplot, and the dual themes in the story of the power of change and finding people who see you for who you really are tugged on my heartstrings.
I do have a few complaints - some of the early problems set up in the story just kind of vanish thanks to the power of baked goods, and I was a bit sad that the stone ended up …
It’s nice to be reminded that fantasy stories don’t have to have world-ending stakes to be just as engaging. Despite being exactly what it says on its cover - a low stakes novel about a former adventurer opening a coffee shop - I could not anticipate how appealing it would be. I blew through this novel in two days despite its simplicity thanks to continuing to say to myself ‘one more chapter couldn’t hurt.’ I loved the slowly building romance in the subplot, and the dual themes in the story of the power of change and finding people who see you for who you really are tugged on my heartstrings.
I do have a few complaints - some of the early problems set up in the story just kind of vanish thanks to the power of baked goods, and I was a bit sad that the stone ended up being some kind of magic after all. I think it would’ve made the points the story was trying to get across hit harder if the store’s initial success really had been a combination of luck and friendship the whole time.
But even with that said, I can’t recommend this book enough. I think the word “cozy” has gotten a bit diluted thanks to marketing forces being what they are, but this book is exactly that. It reads like a warm blanket on a cold day, the perfect way to unwind.
I don't think I've cried this much at a book in a long time, which is surprising when this book mostly concerns the development of a coffee shop. This book is an easy read, with concise chapters and endearing characters. You really get invested in the characters, whether it's Cal the hob (goblin?) sighing contentedly over his mug of coffee or Thimble the rattkin developing chocolate croissants and dreaming of a bigger kitchen.
The crying came in the last 1/4 of the book, as the protagonist Viv recovers from a tragedy with the help and support of her friends and community. The simple depictions of a community coming together in the wake of tragedy was beautifully handled and finished with a satisfying conclusion.
Go on, give it a read! The time flies by when you're reading. Just be sure to have some coffee on hand to enjoy as …
I don't think I've cried this much at a book in a long time, which is surprising when this book mostly concerns the development of a coffee shop. This book is an easy read, with concise chapters and endearing characters. You really get invested in the characters, whether it's Cal the hob (goblin?) sighing contentedly over his mug of coffee or Thimble the rattkin developing chocolate croissants and dreaming of a bigger kitchen.
The crying came in the last 1/4 of the book, as the protagonist Viv recovers from a tragedy with the help and support of her friends and community. The simple depictions of a community coming together in the wake of tragedy was beautifully handled and finished with a satisfying conclusion.
Go on, give it a read! The time flies by when you're reading. Just be sure to have some coffee on hand to enjoy as you flip through.
A lovely little story about an ex-adventurer who turns her orcish hand to opening a coffee shop. Everyone is nice except for the odd dickhead who provides narrative tension. Imagine the Discworld with hygge instead of satire.
The book about a coffee shop in a fantasy world had the feeling of a coffee shop. Most of the characters were very likable, and just felt like somewhere I would like to visit.
