This was undoubtedly my most anticipated release of 2023, but I have to say, I did it and myself a disservice by reading it in print instead of audio. I think that Travis Baldree's narration is a huge part of why Legends and Lattes was so enjoyable to me last year. Bookshops and Bonedust has a lot of the same enjoyable elements as its predecessor (it's pretty much the same book but set in a bookstore and with a rattkin who says fuck a lot), but I found it hard to muster the motivation to pick it back up every time I set it down. The leisurely pace would have made this wonderfully suited to keeping me calm on my heinous commute or keeping me company while cross-stitching, though.

I didn't hate this, and there were certainly several moments that made me feel all teary about the power of books or the truth of timing being wrong. The hopeful ending was one that I probably really needed to read at the end of this year. I just didn't adore it the way I expected to.

Edited to add: Satchel was perfect. More talking skeletons in books, please!!