Legends and Lattes Book Review

“Legends and Lattes” is a fantasy novel by Travis Baltree. It details the story of Viv, an orc who retires from being a bounty hunter. She settles in the humble city of Thune where she plans to open a coffee shop, which was unheard of at the time. After opening the shop, she starts to see more and more menacing characters enter the store as the story builds up to a blazing climax.

 After reading, I was impressed by how smoothly the level of suspense was built up by the author. It was slow and deliberate, but obstacles encountered by the protagonist kept the read highly engaging. There was also an unlikely romance and a sweet ending. I was  amazed at the author’s ability to raise tension so subtly but steadily. The high-stakes circumstances juxtaposed with the unexpected snugness of the coffee shop's ambience results in a cozy read that both teenagers and adults can enjoy at a casual pace. 

The novel shows how discriminated races, such as orcs and succubi, can come together to develop a beautiful product: the coffee shop. This reflects our own acts of stereotyping and racism that are found across the globe. This book’s message is that if we were to have more kindness and acceptance, the world would be a better place. It also shows that we can all change paths, no matter our past or current circumstances. This is reflected in Viv’s character, from a cold and calculating bounty hunter to a humble coffee shop owner. The sudden change in the pace of Viv’s life can be considered in relation to each reader's current state in life. Some readers may even be inspired to turn their entire lives around and strive to become better people after reading this engaging book.

In conclusion, “Legends and Lattes” is a unique fantasy novel that I highly recommend. With steadily increasing plot tension and a great underlying message, this read is suggested especially for people who enjoy relaxing reads and for others who want breaks from more complex or in-depth books.