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themdash's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, Xenophobia, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I thought this was a really sweet, quick book. It was so cozy, and it was a great escape. I will say, there's almost no world-building, and if you're not familiar with a bunch of D&D concepts and characters, you will not have anything to build a mental image off of. D&D enthusiasts might not notice this, but the rest of us are very confused about thaumic somethings. I also have the probably-unpopular opinion that I thought that Viv and Tandri had a beautiful friendship that didn't need to be ruined with love. I actually thought the strength of this book was how much it lifted up friendship as a legitimate relationship of support. Most importantly, I would dye for Thimble. He is perfect. I would read a book about him being silent.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
grets_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Violence, and Stalking
iane_reads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
greycifer's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A charming story about finally finding the family one deserves; a well-rounded cast of characters that can resonate with any Island of Misfit Toys citizen.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Racism, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Violence, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
bmpicc's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
So, is COZY FANTASY an actual genre? If so, I may have found MY fantasy style! Gnome coffee, a cat in the coffeeshop, queer love with the sweet relationship beginnings between an orc and a succubus, friendship with a human, the cutest baker... This had enough hints of fantasy to keep it fun, and no insane worldbuilding to stress me out.
My favorite take away was this reminder: “Things don’t have to stay as what they started out as.”
My favorite take away was this reminder: “Things don’t have to stay as what they started out as.”
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying and Fire/Fire injury
delandjessica's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book was just a pleasant experience from start to finish. It advertises itself as “A novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes,” and it absolutely delivers on that promise. I didn’t realize I was reading a “cozy” novel until about halfway through, but by then I was so invested in the characters that I didn’t even care.
If you have any background in Dungeons and Dragons or the Dragonlance book series, the world in this book will feel very familiar to you, but the great thing about it is that it’s not necessary in order to understand and enjoy the story. Pretty much the entire book boils down to an orc woman decides to give up being a bloodthirsty adventurer for hire and establish her own coffee shop. There’s very little conflict, tension, or stakes involved, and mostly just follows the orc as she figures out how to build and run the shop and how to make it successful, including them going through a whole charade of “discovering” modern coffee shop things like adding ice or pairing it with biscotti. It’s a lighthearted jaunt into the personal world of this one character and presents such a refreshing angle on a story universe that’s usually so focused on killing and plundering and adventuring and the like.
The characters are unique and relatable, and I found myself getting excited with them whenever they had a win. However, I knocked off a star because the ending was really unsatisfying. The author went through all the effort of setting up a villain of sorts, who does a terrible thing near the end of the story, but then there’s no final confrontation of any kind between him and the main characters. They essentially just deal with the problem he causes, and then leave things up to karma to deal with, which does happen in a very contrived epilogue at the end. It just left me feeling discontented, but it wasn’t enough to ruin the rest of the book since I enjoyed it so much.
Also, please note that there is some strong language in this book that just kind of comes out of nowhere starting at around the 2/3 mark. It personally felt really out of place in this traditional fantasy world. The book also features a LGBTQ+ relationship, so if that’s not something you’re interested in, this isn’t the book for you.
If you have any background in Dungeons and Dragons or the Dragonlance book series, the world in this book will feel very familiar to you, but the great thing about it is that it’s not necessary in order to understand and enjoy the story. Pretty much the entire book boils down to an orc woman decides to give up being a bloodthirsty adventurer for hire and establish her own coffee shop. There’s very little conflict, tension, or stakes involved, and mostly just follows the orc as she figures out how to build and run the shop and how to make it successful, including them going through a whole charade of “discovering” modern coffee shop things like adding ice or pairing it with biscotti. It’s a lighthearted jaunt into the personal world of this one character and presents such a refreshing angle on a story universe that’s usually so focused on killing and plundering and adventuring and the like.
The characters are unique and relatable, and I found myself getting excited with them whenever they had a win. However, I knocked off a star because the ending was really unsatisfying. The author went through all the effort of setting up a villain of sorts, who does a terrible thing near the end of the story, but then there’s no final confrontation of any kind between him and the main characters. They essentially just deal with the problem he causes, and then leave things up to karma to deal with, which does happen in a very contrived epilogue at the end. It just left me feeling discontented, but it wasn’t enough to ruin the rest of the book since I enjoyed it so much.
Also, please note that there is some strong language in this book that just kind of comes out of nowhere starting at around the 2/3 mark. It personally felt really out of place in this traditional fantasy world. The book also features a LGBTQ+ relationship, so if that’s not something you’re interested in, this isn’t the book for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Bullying, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Features a focal lesbian relationshipmattiedancer's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Writing: 4.25⭐️/5
I think the writing serves the story extremely well. At moments, Baldree chooses to include extraneous details, which sometimes feel interesting and sometimes feel unnecessary, but these moments are short-lived and do not get in the way of the story. I really liked how he combined the lightness of the story with the starkness of the world, and I found really vibrant moments of beautiful prose.
Characters: 4.5⭐️/5
I really loved the dynamics of the characters. An orc who wants to give up adventuring and open a cafe, but is still bound by her need to keep to herself? A brilliant character. I loved our love interest, and her dynamic with the MC. Where I wanted a bit more from the characters was with Viv’s old crew. I felt a distinct lack of understanding of what drove them, other than their need for adventure. For a group of people who spent a lot of time together, they were relegated to a small role and little screen time.
Plot: 4.75⭐️/5
I really loved the plot. While I wanted a bit more from our adventuring party to fully understand their connection with Viv, I loved the cute way this story progressed. I really enjoyed how the story started with the end of a final adventure, how we slowly uncovered her plans, and how we saw her work hard towards her goals. I thoroughly enjoyed the choice to go against the grain with this work of high fantasy as well. Normally, we see the epic adventure, but I enjoyed the chiller story and plot, the after-the-adventure story. Well done.
World 4.75⭐️/5
The world is well understood and conveyed. It felt big and bright, without being overwhelming with its detail. I really loved how Baldree chose to introduce us to the world, jumping right in while adding a little detail when necessary. I think it’s a cool world that I enjoyed reading about.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Fans of D&D
- Fans of high fantasy novels looking for a change of pace
- Someone looking for a chill, cozy read with a cute romance
Content Warnings?
Fire, fire injury, blood, violence, injury, injury detail, grief, sexual harassment, bullying, stalking, emotional abuse, toxic friendship,
Post-Reading Rating: 4.5⭐️/5
Aw. Cute. Love Viv and Tandri. <3
Final Rating: 4.5⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
mobymaize's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The tagline “High Fantasy, Low Stakes” applies in such incredible fashion for this novel. I’ve read so many stories with combat & bloodshed at their core, so reading a calming story about a gay orc & gay tiefling making a coffee shop is a very nice departure from that stress.
ALSO I LOVE THIMBLE SO MUCH MY SWEET BABY BOY AAA
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Blood, Medical content, Alcohol, and Classism