Cover me in sunshine

You can, apparently, judge a book by its cover.

 

I bought 'Legends and Lattes' by Trevor Baldree because, well, the title. And because it had a lovely cover. The tagline said "High fantasy, low stakes, and good company". It turned out to be great company. I had bought the book a ways back, and had put off reading it since I was on a crime fiction spree. 

 

But courtesy the method within my madness, I had decided to first read all of my newly bought first-hand books before starting on the humongous pile of my newly bought second-hand books. 'Legends and Lattes' was the last one on the former list. So after I finished 'Last Time I Lied' (more, much more, on this one later), I kind of had to take 'Legends and Lattes' up. And I was hooked from the first sentence.

 

Viv, an orc, gives up violence to set up a coffee shop. The premise alone was enough to draw me in. But the author surpasses expectations with the narrative. I'm not much into descriptive prose, more of an action person. But the way the book narrates how a decrepit livery is transformed into what I hold very dear to my heart, a cafe, made me glad about my impulse buy. There are descriptions of woodwork, getting to know people, the ambience and the other many intricacies of everyday life that I didn't expect would be so engrossing.

 

It also has the ever familiar, much loved trope of fiction that has held my heart for years — the found family. And Viv's found family is the most heart-warming, and cute, I've ever read about. There's a rat-like being that bakes! I want to adopt him!

 

The novel has everything — action, friendship, romance, coffee and snacks. It's basically a cup of steaming (lukewarm for me, please) coffee. What's not to love?

 

'Legends and Lattes' was the last of my 'new books bought before local fair extravaganza', and I promptly started on my second-hand haul.

 

'Murder on Mustique' by Anne Glenconner (who was Princess Margaret's lady-in-waiting) gave off an Agatha Christie vibe with the cover and blurb — a storm-locked island, a disappearance, class divide, and more. 

 

Within the covers is a feisty 70-year-old woman who turns detective. There's also a dashing cop and his budding romance with an almost-21-year-old. Very Christie. Very, very Christie. 

 

There's also sex, drugs and action. It was a good read. And I'm hoping she'll write more.

 

I'm currently reading the second book from the mela stash — 'The Crow Trap' by Ann Cleaves.

 

Cleaves is the author of Jimmy Perez (I must remember to pirate the remaining seasons of 'Shetland'. Screw you Prime for removing the entire series!). Although I haven't read any of Cleaves's Vera Stanhope stories, the setting seems similar to Perez's adventures.

 

In conclusion, I would like to say that some book covers make excellent windows into the novel you're about to read. But don't quote me on it. Some covers are truly deceptive.

 

Also, note to self, I must look for Perez stories. I seem to recall that I have one or two of the books, but for the life of me I don't remember what or where they are in the house. Why my mother has to rearrange stuff I will never understand! 

 

I'll return with another update...maybe after a couple more reads? I don't know. I'm random like that.