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The Weary Dragon Inn #1
Drinks and Sinkholes: A Cozy Fantasy Novel
Bev may not know who she was before she showed up in the quaint village of Pigsend five years ago, but that doesn't bother her much. She's made a tidy little life for herself as the proprietor of the Weary Dragon Inn, where the most notable event is when she makes her famous rosemary bread.
But when earthquakes and sinkholes start appearing all over town, including near Bev's front door, she's got to put on her sleuthing hat to figure out what-or who-might be causing them before the entire town disappears.
Drinks and Sinkholes is the first book in the Weary Dragon Inn Series.
But when earthquakes and sinkholes start appearing all over town, including near Bev's front door, she's got to put on her sleuthing hat to figure out what-or who-might be causing them before the entire town disappears.
Drinks and Sinkholes is the first book in the Weary Dragon Inn Series.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2023
628 people are currently reading
2785 people want to read
About the author
S. Usher Evans
77 books516 followersS. Usher Evans is an author, blogger, and witty banter aficionado. Born in Pensacola, Florida, she left the sleepy town behind for the fast-paced world of Washington, D.C.. There, she somehow landed jobs with BBC, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic Television before finally settling into a "real job" as an IT consultant. After a quarter life crisis at age 27, she decided consulting was for the birds and rekindled a childhood passion for writing novels. She sold everything she owned and moved back to Pensacola, where she currently resides with her two dogs, Zoe and Mr. Biscuit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 322 reviews
April 30, 2024
it is WILD to me that people describe this as "lovely & cosy". MA'AM.
baseline: I am a sap, I do not read books like this with a cynical/critical eye. but look…I don’t think this book is light/sweet as much as all of the characters are very dim and therefore the conflicts come across a bit lower stakes than they should be. the villagers are downright CRUEL. our hero just shakes her head with… fond exasperation? at frankly fucked-up behaviour. she gets handed a mess out of nowhere and then feels like she’s dragging her innocent friends into her “schemes”? NO. absolutely not. and I don’t buy the redemption arc at the conclusion of the trial, that character was shady as hell the whole time & pretty clearly was about to throw Bev to the wolves.
this whole thing was peak “give a woman a whole extra job in addition to her current full time responsibilities and then IMMEDIATELY get on her ass about performance whilst expecting her labour uninterrupted.” everyone coming to dinner at the inn and/or asking for bread can fuck right off
baseline: I am a sap, I do not read books like this with a cynical/critical eye. but look…I don’t think this book is light/sweet as much as all of the characters are very dim and therefore the conflicts come across a bit lower stakes than they should be. the villagers are downright CRUEL. our hero just shakes her head with… fond exasperation? at frankly fucked-up behaviour. she gets handed a mess out of nowhere and then feels like she’s dragging her innocent friends into her “schemes”? NO. absolutely not. and I don’t buy the redemption arc at the conclusion of the trial, that character was shady as hell the whole time & pretty clearly was about to throw Bev to the wolves.
this whole thing was peak “give a woman a whole extra job in addition to her current full time responsibilities and then IMMEDIATELY get on her ass about performance whilst expecting her labour uninterrupted.” everyone coming to dinner at the inn and/or asking for bread can fuck right off
March 10, 2024
This is an odd book, and not in a particularly good way. On a technical level, it's fine. The prose is alright. The problem, really, is that there is a strong disconnect between what the story presents as and what it actualy objectively is.
This book sells itself as a cozy fantasy in a charming rural hamlet with a heartwarming, friendly community where no great drama or angst occurs... The reality of it, however, is that Pigsend is a conglomerate of all the negative cliches about small towns, a despicable place populated by selfish, xenophobic, entitled morons. When sinkholes start appearing in town, perhaps sent by merciful gods attempting to rid the world of this pustule, the villagers immediately start looking for someone to fix it, as long as it isn't them of course. The mayor is corrupt, incompetent, and mainly interested in her makeup; the only local cop is so vastly hapless and lazy that even the other townspeople, whose collective IQ barely reaches three digits, know they can't trust him to tie his shoelaces; and so the town's entire population decides to force amnesiac protagonist Bev, who just recently learned how to pour drinks, to... stop earthquakes?... all on her own in her free time (though of course they still expect her to serve them free dinner every day and keep her inn in working order for their enjoyment). She can expect no reward of any kind for this, nor any assistance, nor even, it turns out, the most basic respect, which she is consistently denied.
The dissonance grows even starker when one considers the broader setting. Pigsend, we learn, is part of a dystopian medieval surveillance state just recovering from a brutal civil war followed by a spate of multiple genocides. This is treated as matter-of-factly and casually as the weather. Many of the townspeople are uncritical supporters of the genocidal authoritarian government, and the one person who actually vocally objects to it, a war veteran suffering from undiagnosed PTSD, is viewed by the narrative as something akin to an overly-enthusiastic football fan who should really just shut up about this stuff already and focus on the upcoming vegetable contest.
This gap between what the story wants to be and what it actually is just keeps widening as the plot progresses.
Now, in itself this could be fine. A story of Bev escaping this hillbilly hellhole with the two or three decent people in it and building a life worth living elsewhere would be pleasant enough; a story of Bev being endlessly abused and exploited and finding no escape in the end could at least serve as depressing social commentary. But no; all these myriad issues are treated by the narrative as just harmless quirks to be joked about and tolerated with good humour. Bev unironically believes in her heart of hearts that the monstrous people of Pigsend are in their right to demand that she stop the earth from shaking within three days, and that if they kill her for failing, well, it couldn't be helped; indeed, she believes she owes them apologies for putting them through this inconvenience, and they all seem to agree. The story reads almost like the inner monologue of a victim of domestic abuse, who spends every waking moment trying to convince herself that her partner really does love her and only hurts her for her own good. It's actually rather jarring. If the author intended for it to come off that way, then I tip my hat to her, but I fear she did too well.
There are a number of other issues with this book: the setting is incredibly barebones (you may have noticed I never specified the name of the authoritarian genocidal dystopia the story takes place in: this is because as far as I remember we are never told), very little focus is put on the actual inn that Bev is putting herself through this torture for, the economy is so out of whack that a sack of flour costs five gold coins AKA more than a medieval peasant should make in a year. But all of this could be overlooked if the reader cared to. Halfway through the book I was hoping that Bev would fail and Pigsend would in fact collapse into the underground.
This book sells itself as a cozy fantasy in a charming rural hamlet with a heartwarming, friendly community where no great drama or angst occurs... The reality of it, however, is that Pigsend is a conglomerate of all the negative cliches about small towns, a despicable place populated by selfish, xenophobic, entitled morons. When sinkholes start appearing in town, perhaps sent by merciful gods attempting to rid the world of this pustule, the villagers immediately start looking for someone to fix it, as long as it isn't them of course. The mayor is corrupt, incompetent, and mainly interested in her makeup; the only local cop is so vastly hapless and lazy that even the other townspeople, whose collective IQ barely reaches three digits, know they can't trust him to tie his shoelaces; and so the town's entire population decides to force amnesiac protagonist Bev, who just recently learned how to pour drinks, to... stop earthquakes?... all on her own in her free time (though of course they still expect her to serve them free dinner every day and keep her inn in working order for their enjoyment). She can expect no reward of any kind for this, nor any assistance, nor even, it turns out, the most basic respect, which she is consistently denied.
The dissonance grows even starker when one considers the broader setting. Pigsend, we learn, is part of a dystopian medieval surveillance state just recovering from a brutal civil war followed by a spate of multiple genocides. This is treated as matter-of-factly and casually as the weather. Many of the townspeople are uncritical supporters of the genocidal authoritarian government, and the one person who actually vocally objects to it, a war veteran suffering from undiagnosed PTSD, is viewed by the narrative as something akin to an overly-enthusiastic football fan who should really just shut up about this stuff already and focus on the upcoming vegetable contest.
This gap between what the story wants to be and what it actually is just keeps widening as the plot progresses.
Now, in itself this could be fine. A story of Bev escaping this hillbilly hellhole with the two or three decent people in it and building a life worth living elsewhere would be pleasant enough; a story of Bev being endlessly abused and exploited and finding no escape in the end could at least serve as depressing social commentary. But no; all these myriad issues are treated by the narrative as just harmless quirks to be joked about and tolerated with good humour. Bev unironically believes in her heart of hearts that the monstrous people of Pigsend are in their right to demand that she stop the earth from shaking within three days, and that if they kill her for failing, well, it couldn't be helped; indeed, she believes she owes them apologies for putting them through this inconvenience, and they all seem to agree. The story reads almost like the inner monologue of a victim of domestic abuse, who spends every waking moment trying to convince herself that her partner really does love her and only hurts her for her own good. It's actually rather jarring. If the author intended for it to come off that way, then I tip my hat to her, but I fear she did too well.
There are a number of other issues with this book: the setting is incredibly barebones (you may have noticed I never specified the name of the authoritarian genocidal dystopia the story takes place in: this is because as far as I remember we are never told), very little focus is put on the actual inn that Bev is putting herself through this torture for, the economy is so out of whack that a sack of flour costs five gold coins AKA more than a medieval peasant should make in a year. But all of this could be overlooked if the reader cared to. Halfway through the book I was hoping that Bev would fail and Pigsend would in fact collapse into the underground.
February 3, 2024
The villagers are awful people. They saddled a lone woman with dangerous investigation, and then were mad at her when she’s slow to find answers. They are not paying the MC, nor are they helping her with her inn while she’s busy investigating. The villagers are just doing their own thing, and some villagers even demanded the exhausted MC to cook or bake for them, while they also expect her to solve the mystery as soon as possible. Meanwhile, those who have real responsibility of keeping the town safe are allowed to slack off. The MC is probably so used to abuse that she’s not even mad at the unfairness of everything. Needless to say, The MC being bullied by everybody is not my idea of a cozy read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2025
A fun first installment 👍🏼:)
It takes a bit to get going and I was cautiously optimistic at first but I loved the charm of the town and it's people so I wa happy to meander along 😊.
Then 'tug' happened and I was sucked into the story 🙃.
Wanted to drop kick certain people and was very happy when someone certain things happened later in the book hehe.
Curious about what Bev's past is.. Hopefully it isn't dragged out unnecessarily.
This is another place I wish I could go visit and stay for awhile.. it has a very calming peaceful vibe to it, despite the recent troubles.
One character was so adorable 😍 I hope he's around alot more!
Not sure yet if I'll continue on after book 2 (already downloaded it 👍🏼) so we shall see, but I very much enjoyed my visit with this one.
It takes a bit to get going and I was cautiously optimistic at first but I loved the charm of the town and it's people so I wa happy to meander along 😊.
Then 'tug' happened and I was sucked into the story 🙃.
Wanted to drop kick certain people and was very happy when someone certain things happened later in the book hehe.
Curious about what Bev's past is.. Hopefully it isn't dragged out unnecessarily.
This is another place I wish I could go visit and stay for awhile.. it has a very calming peaceful vibe to it, despite the recent troubles.
One character was so adorable 😍 I hope he's around alot more!
Not sure yet if I'll continue on after book 2 (already downloaded it 👍🏼) so we shall see, but I very much enjoyed my visit with this one.
November 24, 2023
What a lovely cozy fantasy series!!
June 10, 2023
This cozy fantasy novel features a low-stakes magical mystery, mouthwatering food descriptions that will make you want to spend an afternoon baking, and a setting populated with memorable characters who make the story come alive. I really enjoyed listening to this one on audiobook with such excellent narration.
August 10, 2024
I liked how this book sounded, but the characters in the book just didn't make ANY sense.
Everyone is hiding something, everyone is blaming the MC for everything, despite her being the ONLY one TRYING to figure it out...then they blame HER for it...and on and on and on. Everyone is shady and everyone is doing something they shouldn't be doing. Half the population is hiding and yet somehow several of them are completely ignorant of magic they possess.
Also, who has amnesia and is just okay with never knowing/caring about what happened to you, and why??? The main character essentially lived for each day as it comes. Never really looking backwards or forwards. Never trying to figure out what kind of magic she might have or have had in the past.
Reading this book was just so unbelievably frustrating. Nobody acted rationally, or intelligently (especially the sheriff). Why are they having Bev do literally everything - while running her inn - and why in the heck is she agreeing??
And WHY is everything either 1 gold coin, or 1 silver??? HOW did peasants get so much gold?!?!
A room for 1 night? 1 gold. A sack of flour? 1 gold. A few extra loaves of bread? 1 gold. Oh, but Delivery...that's a silver...FFS. Lazy writing.
And the ending. Sigh. The Queen's soldiers were mere cartoony villains, and so, so predictable and sad.
Ugh. I finished it because I became a bit invested, but I'm mad about it. The story could have been so much better with better characters and a little effort.
Everyone is hiding something, everyone is blaming the MC for everything, despite her being the ONLY one TRYING to figure it out...then they blame HER for it...and on and on and on. Everyone is shady and everyone is doing something they shouldn't be doing. Half the population is hiding and yet somehow several of them are completely ignorant of magic they possess.
Also, who has amnesia and is just okay with never knowing/caring about what happened to you, and why??? The main character essentially lived for each day as it comes. Never really looking backwards or forwards. Never trying to figure out what kind of magic she might have or have had in the past.
Reading this book was just so unbelievably frustrating. Nobody acted rationally, or intelligently (especially the sheriff). Why are they having Bev do literally everything - while running her inn - and why in the heck is she agreeing??
And WHY is everything either 1 gold coin, or 1 silver??? HOW did peasants get so much gold?!?!
A room for 1 night? 1 gold. A sack of flour? 1 gold. A few extra loaves of bread? 1 gold. Oh, but Delivery...that's a silver...FFS. Lazy writing.
And the ending. Sigh. The Queen's soldiers were mere cartoony villains, and so, so predictable and sad.
Ugh. I finished it because I became a bit invested, but I'm mad about it. The story could have been so much better with better characters and a little effort.
did-not-finish
March 4, 2024DNF @ 3%
August 7, 2025
DNF’ed after 20 %
The writing leaves much to be desired, in my opinion. The tone and humour is so juvenile I actually had to stop reading a few pages in and look up if I had accidentally downloaded a children’s book. The recommended age is apparently 22+ but I didn’t stick around to find out why.
Within the first 20 pages, 21 characters were introduced. How in the world is anyone supposed to remember all of those names when only a handful of them are described in a slightly memorable way?
Here are some examples of the writing and humour:
Bev is the innkeeper and main character. Rustin is the sheriff of Pigsend. Hendry is the mayor. A sinkhole has appeared in town, causing a statue to crumble, and everyone has gathered around to look at the mess.
The queen’s soldiers mistaking the town name Pigsend for “Pig’s Butt?”, calling the townspeople uncivilised and tactlessly asking: “Why are you all so… filthy? Is this normal for the folk here?” (p. 20)
The mayor wants to ignore the issue of the sinkholes appearing everywhere until the queen’s soldiers aren’t in town anymore because she is afraid her leadership skills would be put into question if she… handles the situation instead of ignoring it… for… reasons…
Oh, useless leader, you’re not creating these sinkholes, are you?
._.
The writing leaves much to be desired, in my opinion. The tone and humour is so juvenile I actually had to stop reading a few pages in and look up if I had accidentally downloaded a children’s book. The recommended age is apparently 22+ but I didn’t stick around to find out why.
Within the first 20 pages, 21 characters were introduced. How in the world is anyone supposed to remember all of those names when only a handful of them are described in a slightly memorable way?
(Bev, Sinister the mule/donkey, Grant Klose, Queen Meandra, Bathilda Wormwood, Wim KcKee, Bernard Rickshaw, Rosie Kelooke, Allen Mackey, Ida, Vellora, Rustin, Jo Hendry, Bardoff Boyd, Ramone Comely, Earl Dollman, Shasta Brewer, Stella, Etheldra Daws, Jane Medlam and Karolina Hunter)
Here are some examples of the writing and humour:
Bev is the innkeeper and main character. Rustin is the sheriff of Pigsend. Hendry is the mayor. A sinkhole has appeared in town, causing a statue to crumble, and everyone has gathered around to look at the mess.
“Things happen sometimes,” Hendry said. “Either way, we shouldn’t concert ourselves with it. It’s not as if they’re going to show up all over town and swallow our houses.”
But the image seemed to unnerve the crowd, who murmured amongst themselves, some rubbing their hands together. Hendry, noticing her error, held up her hands once more and the murmuring stopped.
“Dear friends,” she said with a soft smile. “I promise you, there’s nothing to worry about. But if it would help you sleep easier at night, I’ll put my best people on investigating the cause of these sinkholes.”
There was only one person she had at her disposal, and he was staring off into space.
“Rustin,” she prompted. “You’ll look into it, won’t you?”
“Who, me?” He jumped. “Right, yeah. What am I looking into?”
Hendry smoothed the wrinkles on her shirt. “The sinkhole, dear. The one right in front of us and the one outside town. You’re going to look into them.”
“Right.” He turned to peer into the hole.
Bev coughed to hide a chuckle as Hendry took Rustin by the shirt and pulled him close to her to whisper angrily in his face.
Finally, he nodded slowly. “Right. I will investigate the cause of the sinkholes in the town and stop them from happening again!”
“There you go, big boy,” Bev said with an affirmative nod.
(p. 16-17)
The queen’s soldiers mistaking the town name Pigsend for “Pig’s Butt?”, calling the townspeople uncivilised and tactlessly asking: “Why are you all so… filthy? Is this normal for the folk here?” (p. 20)
The mayor wants to ignore the issue of the sinkholes appearing everywhere until the queen’s soldiers aren’t in town anymore because she is afraid her leadership skills would be put into question if she… handles the situation instead of ignoring it… for… reasons…
“Jo”, Bev said, wishing there was a seat so she could get eye level with the mayor. “You can’t just sweep this under the rug. Literally, because the sinkholes will swallow the rug.”
“It’s just not a good time for this,” Hendry said with a thin smile. “We have the queen’s people in town. I’d hate for her to lose confidence in the way this town is run and send someone else.”
“I can certainly appreciate that,” Bev said. “But surely she wouldn’t fault you for something outside of your control.” Bev paused. “This is…outside of your control, right?”
(p. 39)
Oh, useless leader, you’re not creating these sinkholes, are you?
._.
July 26, 2024
This might be one of the most boring books I've ever read.
Additionally, the village where this takes place might have the worst bunch of townsfolk ever.
The town of Pig's End suddenly has massive sinkholes. For some odd reason, Bev, the owner of the inn who showed up in town five years ago with no memory, has to be the one to figure out what's going on, and to stop the sinkholes.
I can't even tell you how many times I would have gone off on these ungrateful town people. First they make Bev investigate. Then when she does, they either don't believe her reports, or, they won't help her. But yet, they still complain about it not being fixed.
Even with her having to do everything, she's still running the inn, for the rude as hell guests, AND making dinner, for the aforementioned ungrateful towns people.
I would have told these people to fuck off a long time ago, but Bev just lets herself be stepped on.
The only parts of the story I liked were Merv and the end when FINALLY some people help her.
This might want to be a cozy book, but nothing about this book is cozy. Do yourself a favor, and read something else.
Additionally, the village where this takes place might have the worst bunch of townsfolk ever.
The town of Pig's End suddenly has massive sinkholes. For some odd reason, Bev, the owner of the inn who showed up in town five years ago with no memory, has to be the one to figure out what's going on, and to stop the sinkholes.
I can't even tell you how many times I would have gone off on these ungrateful town people. First they make Bev investigate. Then when she does, they either don't believe her reports, or, they won't help her. But yet, they still complain about it not being fixed.
Even with her having to do everything, she's still running the inn, for the rude as hell guests, AND making dinner, for the aforementioned ungrateful towns people.
I would have told these people to fuck off a long time ago, but Bev just lets herself be stepped on.
The only parts of the story I liked were Merv and the end when FINALLY some people help her.
This might want to be a cozy book, but nothing about this book is cozy. Do yourself a favor, and read something else.
April 23, 2025
I really like this series. The entire town of Pigsend is wonderful and the main character is lovely. Bev has a mysterious past and some nuggets of information are sprinkled within. This is a fun cozy fantasy with creatures you dont normally see. Merv, the moleman, was of particular interest too me. I loved how comfy cozy he was. The gnomes were also very unique. You dont normally see them in books and you never see them with the role they had. I love the backstory of the Kingside and Queenside war and I am really excited to see how Bev's backstory plays into it. I also love the other townsfolk, particularly Velora and Ida. The only thing that was really frustrating with this was the townspeople unreasonably relying on Bev to solve the mystery of the sinkholes and taking some frustration out on her. Still, I found the mystery fun and the world building simple but very interesting. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.
June 30, 2024
Not for me. I have been wanting to get more into cozy genre novels after liking Legend and Lattes by Travis Baldree and its sequel so much, but this one was just really lacking in charm. If you’re gonna write a book with such low stakes and low conflict, you have to make up for it with characters and a setting that really make the reading experience pleasant. Unfortunately, I was pretty bored reading this and it took me ten days to read what I could normally finish in one or two. It was also kinda weird how obviously sinister parts of the setting here were and how backstabbing and cruel some of the villagers were when the story refused to acknowledge it and kept clearly viewing itself as quirky and cozy.
April 29, 2023
If you love Legends and Lattes, you're going to love this. This felt like I was reading a D&D book and I couldn't get enough of it. The audiobook was phenomenal. A really quick little cozy mystery read.
November 27, 2023
This is a warm and sweet fantasy, but almost nothing happens in it. I love a cozy fantasy same as the next person, but this one was almost too cozy haha
June 10, 2023
I love me some Shush Evans. This was such a fun cozy read! I'm excited for more books in this universe.
March 26, 2023
I am so glad that I backed this book on Kickstarter! This was my first experience with S. Usher Evans and she did not disappoint. “Cozy fantasy” has become one of my favorite genres because there is certainly enough in our world that is far from cozy and while we must confront those things head on it’s nice to have a reprieve when I read. Drinks and Sinkholes is a perfect addition to the genre.
Pigsend immediately drew me in with its steady heroine, idyllic locale, and charming populace. Bev, our protagonist and the proprietor of The Weary Dragon Inn, is someone I quickly grew to admire and aspire to emulate. Throughout the book we see that she does right by those in her life no matter the hard work involved, even when she gets the door slammed in her face as thanks. Fantasy is rife with sympathetic villains, hilarious thieves, and those who blur the lines between good and evil. These all make for wonderful stories but it’s nice to have someone that I can genuinely admire in all regards.
As for the locals, they provide a wide range of personalities and friendships/conflicts that make the village feel fully realized. S. Usher Evans manages to write classic roles (the cranky neighbor, the muscular butcher, the hapless sheriff, etc.) without falling into tropes. For example, the butchers are strong and also intelligent as opposed to being meatheads (pun intended). A big factor in making these characters real instead of stereotypical is the representation in the book. Readers will encounter multiple members of the LGBTQ+ community in what I like to call the “Schitt’s Creek” vibe. Nothing is remarked upon as being different or unacceptable to some, people just are who they are and everyone accepts it. What a world to live in!
The plot is well-paced with chapters that deliver enough to move the story along without a Tolkien-level obsession with the leaves on a tree. No shade, I personally love Tolkien but that’s not what I’m looking for in this genre. The stakes are serious enough to lend urgency to Bev’s mission but the heart of Pigsend and its citizens remains true despite some hiccups. S. Usher Evans has done a fantastic job filling out the plot of this book while dropping just enough hints of a broader world to be explored in the future. I can’t wait for the next volume!
Pros:
*a town that I’m dying to live in
*not the heroine we deserve, but the heroine we need
*small populace with a big heart
*enough plot to keep you hooked yet perfect for reading with a cup of tea and a blanket
*if you listen to the audio version, the narrator absolutely knocks it out of the park
*part of a series, you will want more of this world when you finish
Cons:
*I have to wait for the next book
*No recipe for the amazing rosemary bread that Bev bakes for her guests
Pigsend immediately drew me in with its steady heroine, idyllic locale, and charming populace. Bev, our protagonist and the proprietor of The Weary Dragon Inn, is someone I quickly grew to admire and aspire to emulate. Throughout the book we see that she does right by those in her life no matter the hard work involved, even when she gets the door slammed in her face as thanks. Fantasy is rife with sympathetic villains, hilarious thieves, and those who blur the lines between good and evil. These all make for wonderful stories but it’s nice to have someone that I can genuinely admire in all regards.
As for the locals, they provide a wide range of personalities and friendships/conflicts that make the village feel fully realized. S. Usher Evans manages to write classic roles (the cranky neighbor, the muscular butcher, the hapless sheriff, etc.) without falling into tropes. For example, the butchers are strong and also intelligent as opposed to being meatheads (pun intended). A big factor in making these characters real instead of stereotypical is the representation in the book. Readers will encounter multiple members of the LGBTQ+ community in what I like to call the “Schitt’s Creek” vibe. Nothing is remarked upon as being different or unacceptable to some, people just are who they are and everyone accepts it. What a world to live in!
The plot is well-paced with chapters that deliver enough to move the story along without a Tolkien-level obsession with the leaves on a tree. No shade, I personally love Tolkien but that’s not what I’m looking for in this genre. The stakes are serious enough to lend urgency to Bev’s mission but the heart of Pigsend and its citizens remains true despite some hiccups. S. Usher Evans has done a fantastic job filling out the plot of this book while dropping just enough hints of a broader world to be explored in the future. I can’t wait for the next volume!
Pros:
*a town that I’m dying to live in
*not the heroine we deserve, but the heroine we need
*small populace with a big heart
*enough plot to keep you hooked yet perfect for reading with a cup of tea and a blanket
*if you listen to the audio version, the narrator absolutely knocks it out of the park
*part of a series, you will want more of this world when you finish
Cons:
*I have to wait for the next book
*No recipe for the amazing rosemary bread that Bev bakes for her guests
February 14, 2025
This was a perfectly cozy read set in a fantasy world where magic is controlled by the Queen and those found to have it are taken away for questioning. Following on from the novella prequel, we find Bev has inherited the Weary Dragon Inn and spends her days taking care of her customers and baking delicious rosemary bread. However, when the town of Pigsend is plagued by earthquakes and sinkholes, Bev must investigate to save her town and her beloved inn.
I really enjoyed spending time within the town and with its cast of characters. This definitely gives you slice of life vibes with lots of cooking scenes and sweet friendships. This is the perfect palette cleansing series between more fractious fantasy reads. I can’t wait until I can visit Pigsend again.
I really enjoyed spending time within the town and with its cast of characters. This definitely gives you slice of life vibes with lots of cooking scenes and sweet friendships. This is the perfect palette cleansing series between more fractious fantasy reads. I can’t wait until I can visit Pigsend again.
February 29, 2024
Nothing, and I mean nothing, pulls you back to reality out of a cozy fantasy book more than a character being described as being "salty." Maybe you should rethink putting that word in a Medieval type setting.
I didn't love this book, I didn't hate it, it was pretty mid. I am curious to find out more about Bev's past, Merv and his underground city, and all the magical creatures surely hiding under the radar, but I don't think my curiosity will lead me to buy the next book. However, if I have nothing better to read and happen to find the next book at the library, I'd check it out.
I didn't love this book, I didn't hate it, it was pretty mid. I am curious to find out more about Bev's past, Merv and his underground city, and all the magical creatures surely hiding under the radar, but I don't think my curiosity will lead me to buy the next book. However, if I have nothing better to read and happen to find the next book at the library, I'd check it out.
August 11, 2024
3.5 — I love the setting and the characters! The mystery didn’t feel very satisfying but I would read a dozen books about the characters just going about their daily lives.
December 27, 2024
Cozy adult fantasy, reminded me of Kingfisher's style. Loved it!
August 29, 2023
Drinks and Sinkholes by S. Usher Evans is a perfect example of cozy fantasy. Many think “cozy” means low to no stakes, which is not true. Drinks and Sinkholes has an abundance of stakes: external stakes in the form of sinkholes and Queen’s Soldiers threatening homes and livelihoods, relational stakes of risking the loss of friends, loss of neighborly relations, battling with where to make compromises, and internal stakes in being pushed outside of your comfort zone, determining what you want most, and overcoming fear. What makes all these stakes “cozy” is the balancing act of pacing between the imminent importance of these stakes while maintaining a relaxing atmosphere. Achieving and maintaining this balance is challenging, but Usher Evans does it beautifully. The main character, Bev, is relatable and brave despite her misgivings towards the role of investigator that she is thrust into. She lost her memory before arriving in Pigsend, but since then, it has become her home. The book states that she “gets along with everyone,” a proven phrase in how Bev interacts with the townsfolk and how they respond to her. It also becomes a tension point as situations become more dire, and trust is shaken by the desperation of the town's circumstances. Bev is easy-going, optimistic to a fault, and brimming with sticktoitiveness. Every setback she faces is an inconvenience but not something she’d lose her cool over, even when the matter is severe. It sets her up to be the best person to bridge the gap between fighting neighbors and makes her a perfect protagonist for a cozy fantasy. If possible, there are times when she seems too positive to be genuine, but she is genuine, and you can know it because she is the point of view character. Twp words to describe this book would be “refreshingly light.” It is easy to read in one or a couple of sittings and rejuvenates you to take on the more dark-leaning stories. Drinks and Sinkholes is the palette cleanser we’ve all needed in the age of dark and gritty fantasy. Those who want an easy entry to the fantasy world are very welcome in this book. The fantasy elements of the story are not overcomplicated. They are dished out in bite-sized pieces to make the story engaging for an avid fantasy reader and accessible to someone more new to the genre. Drinks and Sinkholes is well worth the time spent wrapped in a blanket, sipping on a favorite tea, and devouring this cozy fantasy.
August 23, 2025
a nice, gentle mystery for young and/or gentle readers about "Bev" (I love the origin of her name) who explores around town trying to discover the reason for the sudden earthquakes and sinkhole. along the way, she runs into mildly interesting characters. The author treats Bev's daily inn keeper chores with the same - if not more - importance as solving the mystery. the result is the reader will be treated to her preparing meals and having a cup of tea in great detail. the author obviously enjoys both. i happen to like both as well and since her baked chicken was more interesting than the mystery she was solving, I added a star for taking her time to describe it. the townspeople had the collective intelligence and reasoning capacity as those from Wallace & Grommit, which is to say even the youngest readers would be able to follow along and know when to roll their eyes at them. the audio book was well done and added a layer of fun.
this is the first in a series and while I'll be stopping here, I wish Bev my best a she continues to make amazing meals for her growing number of friends and maybe solve a mystery or two between courses.
this is the first in a series and while I'll be stopping here, I wish Bev my best a she continues to make amazing meals for her growing number of friends and maybe solve a mystery or two between courses.
April 23, 2023
The perfect mixture of cozy fantasy and cozy mystery!!
This was amazing! I was drawn in and hooked from the first page and couldn’t put it down! “Drinks and Sinkholes” is the first book in the “Weary Dragon Inn Series” and follows Bev, an Innkeeper with amnesia who is best known for her famous rosemary bread. Bev’s life is thrown off kilter when sinkholes start popping up all over her town of Pigsend - putting her friends, business and townspeople (above and below ground) in imminent danger! Frustrated and determined she sets off on a fantastical sleuthing adventure to find out what is causing the sinkholes, bring the perpetrator to justice and of course - bake more of her delicious bread. Full of mystery, lovable characters, whimsical creatures, cozy vibes, beautiful scenery, friendship and magic this series is a must read!!
Thank you to to S. Usher Evans for the gifted arc! 📚
This was amazing! I was drawn in and hooked from the first page and couldn’t put it down! “Drinks and Sinkholes” is the first book in the “Weary Dragon Inn Series” and follows Bev, an Innkeeper with amnesia who is best known for her famous rosemary bread. Bev’s life is thrown off kilter when sinkholes start popping up all over her town of Pigsend - putting her friends, business and townspeople (above and below ground) in imminent danger! Frustrated and determined she sets off on a fantastical sleuthing adventure to find out what is causing the sinkholes, bring the perpetrator to justice and of course - bake more of her delicious bread. Full of mystery, lovable characters, whimsical creatures, cozy vibes, beautiful scenery, friendship and magic this series is a must read!!
Thank you to to S. Usher Evans for the gifted arc! 📚
January 7, 2025
Not cozy, fun, or worth reading
The towns residents are a nonsensical mix of every negative small town stereotype. The MC is constantly mistreated without any acknowledgement of it. The story isn't well written. A disappointing letdown.
The towns residents are a nonsensical mix of every negative small town stereotype. The MC is constantly mistreated without any acknowledgement of it. The story isn't well written. A disappointing letdown.
July 14, 2024
Cute and cozy fantasy read, with very wholesome vibes
February 20, 2024
Weak, 2 dimension characters and kinda irritating.
September 15, 2024
What’s a cozy fantasy without romance? Whats a pizza without sauce? What’s a life without cats?
Disappointing 😔
Disappointing 😔
September 24, 2024
It's not that it's bad, it's that I just don't care...
February 1, 2025
At first, I was enjoying the book. Small town, everyone knows Bev's name, she knows their names, they call out greetings, and seem to be helping each other. But as the story progresses, we see that pretty much everyone is an absolute jerk to Bev.
They love her food, and will eat it (without payment?) but complain about no rosemary bread for days and days. She somehow becomes the one responsible to learn about what's going on in the town, and no one helps. The entire town is in danger, and they put everything on her shoulders, while also expecting her to keep up with her job and with feeding them and are especially cranky at no rosemary bread.
She helps a family, and they're jerks to her. She goes about trying to learn information, but then she and everyone else is positive that despite being told otherwise, it must be this one or that one.
It seemed odd to me that Bev does everything at the inn, and then is expected to do all this extra stuff. She gets nasty comments and no gratitude and it becomes tiresome. She just takes it and keeps doing what she can to people please. These things gradually made it more difficult to continue reading, and I wanted it all to be over so I could move on to something else.
The story and plot is decent and interesting, but the fact that this small town doesn't come together, and that there isn't really anyone helping her out, made this much less cozy. I've read plenty of "this person is doing too much" books, but they always have help and support and it really helps the story along. Bev is alone. And she's fine with it. People treat her badly and she barely reacts.
Even her friends are mean and mad at her. No one wants to help her, then she goes around asking questions. Then get mad at her for not getting things done. They get mad at her for not solving the problem without help. They get mad at her for trying to solve the problem and tell her to give up. Then tell her to hurry up and fix it.
She gets blamed for things she can't possibly control. It makes no sense and it's so frustrating. No one will to do anything or help, so she tries to get something done and her punishment is, you do it, then everyone being mad at her and saying she was the one who insisted on figuring it out when she wasn't. She was insistent on someone doing something about it.
What I think makes a good cozy story are the relationships (not even romantic, but friendships) the main character has and how they show their support and help the main character, and an overall general goodness of townsfolk. There's usually one or two infuriating characters, and other characters who are suspicious and don't want to help, but it's not enough to completely get in their way. It shows a rounded town with people who are happy to live where they are living.
In this town, everyone is a moocher. Everyone is angry and miserable. They don't seem to enjoy their lives at all. They like to find a person to blame and lay on that blame, while also expecting that person to fix everything and feed them for free. And if that person doesn't give them what they want, they become cruel. Who would want to live there?! It's such a miserable place with miserable people.
I got a three book box set so I will be moving on to the next but if the next two continue like this one, I can't see picking up the rest. I really hope the next two books redeem themselves and that we see characters that are likeable.
They love her food, and will eat it (without payment?) but complain about no rosemary bread for days and days. She somehow becomes the one responsible to learn about what's going on in the town, and no one helps. The entire town is in danger, and they put everything on her shoulders, while also expecting her to keep up with her job and with feeding them and are especially cranky at no rosemary bread.
She helps a family, and they're jerks to her. She goes about trying to learn information, but then she and everyone else is positive that despite being told otherwise, it must be this one or that one.
It seemed odd to me that Bev does everything at the inn, and then is expected to do all this extra stuff. She gets nasty comments and no gratitude and it becomes tiresome. She just takes it and keeps doing what she can to people please. These things gradually made it more difficult to continue reading, and I wanted it all to be over so I could move on to something else.
The story and plot is decent and interesting, but the fact that this small town doesn't come together, and that there isn't really anyone helping her out, made this much less cozy. I've read plenty of "this person is doing too much" books, but they always have help and support and it really helps the story along. Bev is alone. And she's fine with it. People treat her badly and she barely reacts.
Even her friends are mean and mad at her. No one wants to help her, then she goes around asking questions. Then get mad at her for not getting things done. They get mad at her for not solving the problem without help. They get mad at her for trying to solve the problem and tell her to give up. Then tell her to hurry up and fix it.
She gets blamed for things she can't possibly control. It makes no sense and it's so frustrating. No one will to do anything or help, so she tries to get something done and her punishment is, you do it, then everyone being mad at her and saying she was the one who insisted on figuring it out when she wasn't. She was insistent on someone doing something about it.
What I think makes a good cozy story are the relationships (not even romantic, but friendships) the main character has and how they show their support and help the main character, and an overall general goodness of townsfolk. There's usually one or two infuriating characters, and other characters who are suspicious and don't want to help, but it's not enough to completely get in their way. It shows a rounded town with people who are happy to live where they are living.
In this town, everyone is a moocher. Everyone is angry and miserable. They don't seem to enjoy their lives at all. They like to find a person to blame and lay on that blame, while also expecting that person to fix everything and feed them for free. And if that person doesn't give them what they want, they become cruel. Who would want to live there?! It's such a miserable place with miserable people.
I got a three book box set so I will be moving on to the next but if the next two continue like this one, I can't see picking up the rest. I really hope the next two books redeem themselves and that we see characters that are likeable.
January 31, 2024
4 stars
What a fun and charming cozy fantasy!
I discovered Drinks and Sinkholes while searching through e-book deals in Kobo site. When I see "sinkholes", my eyebrows rise up and "hmm, what a catchy title, maybe I'll try to add this title to cart and let's see what the story about". I'm glad that my decisions (and money) are well paid off. For me, D&S feels more like a cozy mystery but with medieval fantasy settings. It's located in small town, and although no one dies, the sinkholes problems deserve its investigation by our heroine, Bev. Beverage Wench or Bev is an innkeeper of the Weary Dragon Inn and her inn also become casualties from the sinkholes that appeared from nowhere as a result of sudden earthquake. Before you ask, "why the name of Beverage Wench?", Bev herself was amnesia and she doesn't know her own name. The citizen of Pigsend city or more precisely the latest owner of the inn was responsible for her name, so the name Beverage Wench or Bev is kinda stuck, lel.
I really enjoy reading D&S and appreciate the way of Evans can evoke my emotions with her writing and storytelling. It's hard to not warmed up toward Bev, since her kindness and her willingness to save her inn, the place that become her home for 5 years is the bread and butter (ha!) of the book. I liked that the town citizens are varied in their role and personalities. You can't help to become angry with them when they accusing Bev was slow in her investigation. You also feel annoyed by the Major that (at first) seems like only want to save her own position. To said I feel angry for Bev when some of the town people starting to act rude to her while Bev try her damnedest to solve the sinkholes problems is an understatement. But, I like that Evans able to make me change my perception with the way she solve the problems in the end. It's sure left me dumbfounded in the first but also smiling a little! Bev might find some of townspeople are irritating, but she also meet new friends (a mole man named Merv!), save her neighbor and also strengthen her friendship with the local butcher, Ida and her wife, Vellora.
With the way the story end, I feel like there's more adventure (and maybe investigation!) for Bev. Beside, we don't know who Bev is and I kinda guess, she is a magical in nature or possessing magic of her own. If you like your fantasy low of stakes and just want to enjoy the cozy feelings of small town interactions, you might want to check this one!
What a fun and charming cozy fantasy!
I discovered Drinks and Sinkholes while searching through e-book deals in Kobo site. When I see "sinkholes", my eyebrows rise up and "hmm, what a catchy title, maybe I'll try to add this title to cart and let's see what the story about". I'm glad that my decisions (and money) are well paid off. For me, D&S feels more like a cozy mystery but with medieval fantasy settings. It's located in small town, and although no one dies, the sinkholes problems deserve its investigation by our heroine, Bev. Beverage Wench or Bev is an innkeeper of the Weary Dragon Inn and her inn also become casualties from the sinkholes that appeared from nowhere as a result of sudden earthquake. Before you ask, "why the name of Beverage Wench?", Bev herself was amnesia and she doesn't know her own name. The citizen of Pigsend city or more precisely the latest owner of the inn was responsible for her name, so the name Beverage Wench or Bev is kinda stuck, lel.
I really enjoy reading D&S and appreciate the way of Evans can evoke my emotions with her writing and storytelling. It's hard to not warmed up toward Bev, since her kindness and her willingness to save her inn, the place that become her home for 5 years is the bread and butter (ha!) of the book. I liked that the town citizens are varied in their role and personalities. You can't help to become angry with them when they accusing Bev was slow in her investigation. You also feel annoyed by the Major that (at first) seems like only want to save her own position. To said I feel angry for Bev when some of the town people starting to act rude to her while Bev try her damnedest to solve the sinkholes problems is an understatement. But, I like that Evans able to make me change my perception with the way she solve the problems in the end. It's sure left me dumbfounded in the first but also smiling a little! Bev might find some of townspeople are irritating, but she also meet new friends (a mole man named Merv!), save her neighbor and also strengthen her friendship with the local butcher, Ida and her wife, Vellora.
With the way the story end, I feel like there's more adventure (and maybe investigation!) for Bev. Beside, we don't know who Bev is and I kinda guess, she is a magical in nature or possessing magic of her own. If you like your fantasy low of stakes and just want to enjoy the cozy feelings of small town interactions, you might want to check this one!
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