Shahnaz Radjy

Book Review: "Legends & Lattes"

The novel “Legends & Lattes” by Travis Baldree will be coming out soon, on February 22. I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.

It’s a story about redefining yourself, daring to build your dream, unlikely friendships (the best kind), and defying expectations. 

I loved it, and read it in almost a single setting (as the mother of a one year old, I’ve gotten much better at calling it a night even when a majority of my brain cells are cheering for me to keep going).

The title, cover (below), and subtitle “A novel of high fantasy… and low stakes” was intriguing and suggested light reading that didn’t take itself too seriously. 

The story is simple, yet full of nuanced twists and turns that echo classic tropes in a refreshing setting. 

The cover of “Legends & Lattes” by Travis Baldree

“Legends & Lattes” gives the reader a taste of the character development most Dungeons & Dragons players never get around to, but should aim for, because it’s a fresh challenge that can be oh so satisfying.

Without wanting to reveal too much, I will say that despite not being a coffee drinker or a big fan of cinnamon rolls (the latter may be because my only experience of them was in college and enabled by the Pillsbury dough boy), I came away craving both. 

Baldree is a talented writer who found a perfect balance between description, character development, and pace. In his debut novel, no less! I look forward to reading whatever other books he writes. 

My take-aways are that

  • NaNoWriMo really is magic
  • Stories don’t have to be insanely complex or long to be wonderful and enjoyable
  • World building doesn’t need to be heavy-handed to work and add the right atmosphere to the story
  • Every good book has a lesson in it, but it works best if it’s woven into the narrative

Featured image courtesy of Pixabay.

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