I'll start by saying this: I hated "Legends & Lattes." I'm so happy to say that "Bookshops & Bonedust" has fixed everything I hated about the first book.

Baldree seems to have finally found the perfect balance between character study and plot. Its no longer a boring "no stakes" jumble of mess, but a cozy slice of a moment in a character's life with a summer fling, a found love for reading, with a dash of saving the day from a necromancer. Loveable characters, with subplots and developments you actually care about. A queer romance that ACTUALLY develops properly. Great prose and writing. Really feels like Baldree took his time and let this one cook the correct amount of time. 

Sometimes I really liked is that in the story, whatever book Viv was reading at the time, it seemed to reflect what was going on in her life. If she is reading a mystery novel, a murder mystery was unfolding around her. It was really what made this one click into place for me.

While "Legends & Lattes" was a self published disaster, "Bookshops & Bonedust" felt clean and refreshing. I'm glad I didn't let Baldree's debut novel scare me away. I recommend this one for everyone, even if you haven't read Legends & Lattes.