dwager's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
This is a very sweet fantasy novel, with an ogre introducing coffee to a town by opening a coffee shop. The characters are wonderful and challenges are met in sometimes surprising ways.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Fire/Fire injury
green_amaryllis's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Bullying and Blood
Minor: Xenophobia
tifftastic87's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.5
Viv is ready to hang up her sword and with the help of a small stone, some new friends and bean water she does just that. But will her old life come for her anyway?
I really enjoyed the found family in this story and the perseverance to change lifestyles. Viv is a really great character, she has flaws and humanity as well as an air of determination that made her very relatable. All the side characters are well rounded and really contributed to the story.
I did feel like the love story background was unnecessary or needed to be done up more. Overall it was really enjoyable though.
I really enjoyed the found family in this story and the perseverance to change lifestyles. Viv is a really great character, she has flaws and humanity as well as an air of determination that made her very relatable. All the side characters are well rounded and really contributed to the story.
I did feel like the love story background was unnecessary or needed to be done up more. Overall it was really enjoyable though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, and Blood
traa's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Violence, Death, Xenophobia, and Bullying
linblythe_pub22's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Classism, Fire/Fire injury, and Bullying
pastelmeganes's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Thimble was best character by far. I personally didnt feel very invested on Viv’s and Tandri’s relationship growth. I loved them working together and making a cozy coffee shop and finding their spot within this community. If youre looking for something lowkey and chill with a touch of fantasy, id recommend this for sure. Not my cup of joe for a book personally but i appreciated what it did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Bullying
rorikae's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-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
4.75
Legends and Lattes is exactly what it promises on the tin, a cozy fantasy novel about an orc creating a coffee shop.
Viv is tired of adventuring. Once upon a time she tried coffee and now she’s interested in setting up a small coffee shop with help from an item she picked up while adventuring. As she goes through the trials and tribulations of starting a business, she runs into new friends as well as new and old enemies.
The characters are what make this book so special. The main characters, including Viv and Tandri, are wonderful but it’s really the full cast all together that make such an impact. A giant cat that appears to protect the shop, a rattakin baker who creates delectable pastries, a chess playing gnome that appears to know more than what he lets on. Baldree’s gift is in the characters that he populates the world with.
There was a little bit more plot than I was expecting when people called this a lowstakes, cozy fantasy. I think it’s just enough to make sure there is constant momentum in the story, while keeping that relaxed feeling that makes this book the perfect read for when you are feeling stressed out or need something light.
I am excited for the prequel and what Baldree writes next. He clearly has a gift for cozy fantasy and creating characters it’s easy to care for.
Viv is tired of adventuring. Once upon a time she tried coffee and now she’s interested in setting up a small coffee shop with help from an item she picked up while adventuring. As she goes through the trials and tribulations of starting a business, she runs into new friends as well as new and old enemies.
The characters are what make this book so special. The main characters, including Viv and Tandri, are wonderful but it’s really the full cast all together that make such an impact. A giant cat that appears to protect the shop, a rattakin baker who creates delectable pastries, a chess playing gnome that appears to know more than what he lets on. Baldree’s gift is in the characters that he populates the world with.
There was a little bit more plot than I was expecting when people called this a lowstakes, cozy fantasy. I think it’s just enough to make sure there is constant momentum in the story, while keeping that relaxed feeling that makes this book the perfect read for when you are feeling stressed out or need something light.
I am excited for the prequel and what Baldree writes next. He clearly has a gift for cozy fantasy and creating characters it’s easy to care for.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Bullying and Violence
lauracollins096's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Violence, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racism, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship
keya_caivalur's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-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? Yes
5.0
A lovely story and a great delivery in the audiobook!
And I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the food. It inspired me to do some baking myself.
And I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the food. It inspired me to do some baking myself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Bullying and Cursing
singalana's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Cozy fantasy, mostly vibes. If you're looking for a not-too-intense story with coffee shop vibes and mostly kind characters, and you're not expecting a ton of worldbuilding and intense character work, then this book might be for you.
This story follows an orc named Viv, who is abandoning her life of adventurer to start a coffee shop. It's a story about reinventing yourself and starting a small business. There are struggles of course, but she meets a lot of friendly people along the way. It's also a story about a found family. (Obviously my favourite character was Thimble.)
That being said: read this book for the vibes. I wasn't too impressed with the prose. Some of the sentences were hard to follow, the dialogue was clunky at times, and the author had a tiny case of thesaurus-madness, where he chose to use fancy words over more common ones, that would have fitted the sentence better. The romance felt just a tad unnecessary, it could have been either hinted and left at that, or developed further. Now it felt a bit forced. And frankly, I could have done without the bonus prequel story, because somehow it undermined Viv's character for me, I'm not entirely sure why. I would rather have had the ending expanded just a little bit, focusing on the people Viv gathered around her.
Despite its shortcomings, I did enjoy this book and the vibes. And the cover artist (Carson Lowmiller) did an amazing job with the cover, I'm absolutely in love with it!
This story follows an orc named Viv, who is abandoning her life of adventurer to start a coffee shop. It's a story about reinventing yourself and starting a small business. There are struggles of course, but she meets a lot of friendly people along the way. It's also a story about a found family. (Obviously my favourite character was Thimble.)
That being said: read this book for the vibes. I wasn't too impressed with the prose. Some of the sentences were hard to follow, the dialogue was clunky at times, and the author had a tiny case of thesaurus-madness, where he chose to use fancy words over more common ones, that would have fitted the sentence better. The romance felt just a tad unnecessary, it could have been either hinted and left at that, or developed further. Now it felt a bit forced. And frankly, I could have done without the bonus prequel story, because somehow it undermined Viv's character for me, I'm not entirely sure why. I would rather have had the ending expanded just a little bit, focusing on the people Viv gathered around her.
Despite its shortcomings, I did enjoy this book and the vibes. And the cover artist (Carson Lowmiller) did an amazing job with the cover, I'm absolutely in love with it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual harassment, Blood, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail