Travis Baldree: Legends & Lattes

Travis Baldree takes readers to the city of Thune, where one Orc is looking to change her fortune:

Viv is the first one to admit that she has blood on her hands. She has served decades as a mercenary, but she knows that it is time for a change, she does not want her next mission to be her last one. Her next venture is one that no expects, to open the very first coffee shop in a city called Thune. Here she will remake her life, and one that will hopefully have a lot less bloodshed to it. But who knew that opening a coffee shop in a city would bring it's own form of troubles and a person from her past she would rather forget.

I was looking for something a bit different and an easy read when I picked this book up and I would say that my expectations were met. This is a cute quick read about an Orc trying to make something more of herself than a killing machine and you have to respect Viv for wanting more in life. I think that in a short period of time in this book (it's just under 300 pages) Baldree was able to set up a fantasy/medieval based world and a set of character that many readers will find enjoying. This is pretty remarkable as it can take some authors several books in a series to achieve this. Baldree also does not take the easy route with his characters either (making them all the same, but I will concede they are all looking for the same thing, a place to belong), they are unique in the own rights and different kinds of creatures come in and out of Viv's cafe.

This really plays up how addictive coffee can be or more so the routine that comes along with getting a coffee at a cafe, either with friends or by oneself. I know many people who would baulk at not being able to get their coffee at a specific cafe (I'm a tea drinker, so can get tea anywhere but there are also levels of good to bad tea places).

At it's core this is a heartwarming story about becoming more than people think you should be and I think that there are more interesting tales that Baldree could create with this world and characters, either before of after Viv opens her coffee shop. I know that I would pick them up. If you’re looking for a fun, easy, fantasy read then pick this one up.

Enjoy!!!

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