Legends & Lattes Reading Order: The Cozy Fantasy That Started a Trend
June 1, 2026
If you have heard the phrase cozy fantasy in the last few years, you have Travis Baldree to thank. Legends & Lattes — an orc barbarian who hangs up her sword to open a coffee shop — turned a quiet sub-genre into one of 2026’s biggest trends.
The reading order
- Legends & Lattes (2022) — Viv opens her coffee shop in the city of Thune
- Bookshops & Bonedust (2023) — a prequel following a younger Viv and a seaside bookshop
Which to read first
Either works. Legends & Lattes is the original and the purest expression of the cozy formula; Bookshops & Bonedust is a prequel, so chronological readers can start there. Most people read in publication order and love revisiting Viv’s earlier days second.
Why cozy fantasy works
Low stakes, warm characters, found family, and the comforting rhythm of building something — it is the reading equivalent of a hot drink on a rainy day. After the doom-and-gloom of epic fantasy, readers wanted comfort, and Baldree delivered.
What to read next
Hungry for more gentle magic? See our cozy fantasy reading guide and our roundup of the best cozy fantasy books of 2026.