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Embervein Emporia #1
Coffee, Milk & Spider Silk
What should a battle-worn 11-foot tall drider do when she's retiring from the Ember Guard and looking for a big change? Open a cafe, of course! Unfortunately, Gwen's skills are highly specialized -- she can contain a magical anomaly to protect the innocent without blinking, but taking inventory and tracking profits makes her sweat bullets. It’s not long before she wonders if patrolling the streets of Embervein wasn’t a safer bet.
Help comes in the form of the city’s finest -- a tireless minotaur raising two kids alone, a teenage dryad with trust issues, and Gwen’s old partner in the Guard who can’t tell a coffee machine from a milk steamer. Is this unlikely group of friends really enough to save Gwen from certain failure?
Find out what it means to put it all on the line in Coffee, Milk & Spider Silk, a cozy modern fantasy novella.
Help comes in the form of the city’s finest -- a tireless minotaur raising two kids alone, a teenage dryad with trust issues, and Gwen’s old partner in the Guard who can’t tell a coffee machine from a milk steamer. Is this unlikely group of friends really enough to save Gwen from certain failure?
Find out what it means to put it all on the line in Coffee, Milk & Spider Silk, a cozy modern fantasy novella.
75 pages, ebook
First published November 10, 2021
344 people are currently reading
1853 people want to read
About the author
Coyote J.M. Edwards
6 books54 followersCoyote JM Edwards is a lifelong storyteller and aspiring author. Fascinated by emotion, Coyote seeks to bring a sense of depth and honesty to her work as she explores the stories of non-human people. Her upcoming novella, Boneless, comes out this year; if it makes even one person smile, she’ll consider it a success. She walks with a cane, enjoys copious amounts of sushi, and spends her nights preparing tabletop games for her friends. When she writes, it’s in bed with a tabby cat on one side and a Labrador on the other.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
May 9, 2022
Adorable precursor in the genre that Legends & Lattes introduced me to. I want all of the cozy fantasy now, please. This one's an even quicker read at around 50-60 pages.
February 19, 2023
Kindle Unlimited, short at under an hour. But a charming story.
https://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Milk-Sp...
No romance here, but some WLW characters. We follow an almost 60 year old drider (sort of spider like) monster humanoid in a city of monstrous humanoids of all fairy tale varieties. Who has quit her City Guard job of over 30 years and wants to open a cafe coffee shop. We meet a happy-go-lucky minotaur lady, and a surly teenaged dryad amputee that comes along to help (and hinder) her.
It's fairly normal in terms of story, the struggle of starting a new business - but it's the characters that really make it special, and this unique world of fantasy creatures living in a buzzing metropolis, which sort of reminded me of that Disney film, Zootopia, only with mythical creatures of all varieties!
I really look forward to exploring the world the author has created further, and would recommend others giving this a go if you're into those themes!
https://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Milk-Sp...
No romance here, but some WLW characters. We follow an almost 60 year old drider (sort of spider like) monster humanoid in a city of monstrous humanoids of all fairy tale varieties. Who has quit her City Guard job of over 30 years and wants to open a cafe coffee shop. We meet a happy-go-lucky minotaur lady, and a surly teenaged dryad amputee that comes along to help (and hinder) her.
It's fairly normal in terms of story, the struggle of starting a new business - but it's the characters that really make it special, and this unique world of fantasy creatures living in a buzzing metropolis, which sort of reminded me of that Disney film, Zootopia, only with mythical creatures of all varieties!
I really look forward to exploring the world the author has created further, and would recommend others giving this a go if you're into those themes!
February 6, 2023
In a story meant to focus on a guard retiring her civic duties to open a coffee shop in a cozy high fantasy setting, we get an out-of-touch and slightly incompetent main character whose story is overshadowed by the most obnoxious, surface-level attempt at a believable teenaged side character.
The entire conflict of this story hinges on the fact that this aspiring business owner (with an alleged passion for this shop) not realizing she should…
*checks notes*
…promote her new business…?!!?’jfjf
I’M SO ??????
This had the potential to be incredibly cute and perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes but ultimately comes out to just be ok at best.
It’s fine but equal parts annoying as it is cozy.
CW: references to past physical trauma resulting in loss of limbs and loss of hearing, mentions of PTSD
The entire conflict of this story hinges on the fact that this aspiring business owner (with an alleged passion for this shop) not realizing she should…
*checks notes*
…promote her new business…?!!?’jfjf
I’M SO ??????
This had the potential to be incredibly cute and perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes but ultimately comes out to just be ok at best.
It’s fine but equal parts annoying as it is cozy.
CW: references to past physical trauma resulting in loss of limbs and loss of hearing, mentions of PTSD
December 21, 2025
would've been really cute if not for the "okay boomer"
July 7, 2023
2.5 stars. Really enjoyed the world this was set in, with so many fantasy characters and creatures. Also loved the casual queerness that seeps throughout the book.
I was expecting a bit more ~cozy coffee vibes~ and this was a bit different than expected. Stress of starting a new business, not having customers, learning how to make coffee, investors breathing down neck, and also a lot of stress surrounding trying to make friends with a 20ish (?) year old that's the cousin of your friend. A bit clunky, would have liked more emphasis on the cafe itself.
I was expecting a bit more ~cozy coffee vibes~ and this was a bit different than expected. Stress of starting a new business, not having customers, learning how to make coffee, investors breathing down neck, and also a lot of stress surrounding trying to make friends with a 20ish (?) year old that's the cousin of your friend. A bit clunky, would have liked more emphasis on the cafe itself.
July 4, 2022
A cute short cozy fantasy story. I don't know why fantasy characters setting up coffee shops is such a vibe, but it is and I love it!
April 5, 2023
Cute entertaining listening 🎶🔰
Another will written fantasy world 🌎 family and friends relationships adventure thriller short story by Coyote JM Edwards. A cute entertaining relationships between family and friends for a person retiring from the guards and opening a coffee ☕ shop. It doesn't start off very good but ends with a strong 💪 finish. I would recommend this novella and author to readers looking for a quick fun read or listening. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 👒😀☺🏡
Another will written fantasy world 🌎 family and friends relationships adventure thriller short story by Coyote JM Edwards. A cute entertaining relationships between family and friends for a person retiring from the guards and opening a coffee ☕ shop. It doesn't start off very good but ends with a strong 💪 finish. I would recommend this novella and author to readers looking for a quick fun read or listening. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 👒😀☺🏡
November 16, 2021
So wholesome. If there's anything I'm a sucker for, it's monsters just living their every day life
April 25, 2023
I decided to just have a short one to two hour read today and I am really glad I did. This was a wholesome and cozy short story. I loved the characters, the plot, the vibes, and the ending. It was simplistic in the way it showcases just average life struggles while also gleaning them in a happier light. I really wish this was a full length novel!
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves cozy fantasies, needs a pick-me-up or just wants a short read :)
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves cozy fantasies, needs a pick-me-up or just wants a short read :)
August 8, 2023
cute!
November 3, 2024
This is super cute and definitely has me excited to read more from the author. It’s cozy, it has a great setting, and the cast was fantastic.
June 20, 2025
How many books can I read about retired guards starting small businesses, you ask?
The limit does not exist.
This was cute and cosy but a little too silly with how it handled things.
The limit does not exist.
This was cute and cosy but a little too silly with how it handled things.
March 12, 2023
A part of me knew it was a mistake to go into this so soon after reading "Legends & Lattes" but I couldn't help myself 🙄
It was impossible not to compare the two because they are ultimately the same story... this felt like an amateur version and not cosy at all.
Edwards did it first but Baldree did it better.
It was impossible not to compare the two because they are ultimately the same story... this felt like an amateur version and not cosy at all.
Edwards did it first but Baldree did it better.
January 4, 2025
I really like the cozy fantasy genre and when I saw this series with one book being free and the other cheap I didn't hesitate to grab both books. Then when I was in the mood for a cozy fantasy read I started reading this one. Coffee, Milk & Spider Silk was a fun cozy read. I liked the cozy atmosphere and the found family vibes. It follows main character Gwen who starts her own cafe, but things don't always go smoothly.
This was a shorter read, but despite the length the story never felt rushed. It was paced very well. There were time skips between scenes sometimes, which worked well. I liked reading about Gwen, the side characters from her previous job as well as the employees she hires for her café. I felt it was easy to get a feel for all the characters their personalities. I also was interesting to see their struggles and how things got resolved by the end of the book.
I also liked how Gwen was a Drider, which is a spider-like monster. In fact the whole book is filled with monster characters which was fun to read about. I liked the little details about Gwen being faster at making coffee due to her extra arms or wanting an extra large door so all monsters could enter the cafe. I would've liked to see even more of those details as I really liked those.
To summarize: This was such a fun and cozy read. It was an easy read and while it was short it didn't feel rushed. I enjoyed reading about Gwen the café she was starting. There are some struggles she has along the way and I liked seeing how everything got resolved. I liked how there were so many monster characters and some fun details about them like how Gwen uses her 3 pairs of arms to make coffee quicker. All in all I had a great time with this one and plan to read more by this author.
This was a shorter read, but despite the length the story never felt rushed. It was paced very well. There were time skips between scenes sometimes, which worked well. I liked reading about Gwen, the side characters from her previous job as well as the employees she hires for her café. I felt it was easy to get a feel for all the characters their personalities. I also was interesting to see their struggles and how things got resolved by the end of the book.
I also liked how Gwen was a Drider, which is a spider-like monster. In fact the whole book is filled with monster characters which was fun to read about. I liked the little details about Gwen being faster at making coffee due to her extra arms or wanting an extra large door so all monsters could enter the cafe. I would've liked to see even more of those details as I really liked those.
To summarize: This was such a fun and cozy read. It was an easy read and while it was short it didn't feel rushed. I enjoyed reading about Gwen the café she was starting. There are some struggles she has along the way and I liked seeing how everything got resolved. I liked how there were so many monster characters and some fun details about them like how Gwen uses her 3 pairs of arms to make coffee quicker. All in all I had a great time with this one and plan to read more by this author.
June 21, 2022
So the obvious comparison here is to Legends & Lattes (which CMSS predates, I think it's worth noting!), in that we have a slightly older woman who's done with her life of adventuring/guarding and decides to open a coffee shop.
I think this is a different read, although you may well find it scratches the same sort of itch: it's very short, only something like 60 pages, so it really only has time to establish who our protagonist is, a little bit of her history, and what she's setting out to do before throwing her straight into trying to run a business. I think it really works for what it's going for - you don't get to see many of the ins and outs of running the place like sorting inventory, building the place and so on, but you do get a quick but effective look at the most important part, which is trying to actually turn a profit. With a bit of help from some characters who manage to feel really well realised despite their short time together, Gwen has to attract customers to make her business work.
I read this over a lunch break on a stressful day and then the afternoon went way better, so I think that's a recommendation that speaks for itself!
I think this is a different read, although you may well find it scratches the same sort of itch: it's very short, only something like 60 pages, so it really only has time to establish who our protagonist is, a little bit of her history, and what she's setting out to do before throwing her straight into trying to run a business. I think it really works for what it's going for - you don't get to see many of the ins and outs of running the place like sorting inventory, building the place and so on, but you do get a quick but effective look at the most important part, which is trying to actually turn a profit. With a bit of help from some characters who manage to feel really well realised despite their short time together, Gwen has to attract customers to make her business work.
I read this over a lunch break on a stressful day and then the afternoon went way better, so I think that's a recommendation that speaks for itself!
January 7, 2023
So, apparently there is a new (to me, at least) genre - cosy fantasy. In the same vein of cosy mysteries, but with magic, mythical creatures, and unexplained events. I am not sure how I feel about an entire genre based on one short story, so I’ll reserve judgement until I read more. The story itself was too short to make an impact. In some sort of parallel town, magic creatures live their lives, work, go to school, struggle with family issues, and run coffee shops. Everything is wholesome and, ahem, cosy. Things are resolved in a pleasant way, people help each other and get along. My only lingering question is what made this story different besides the magic creatures? Would have anything been different if regular boring humans were the used for the same characters and story? If you’re setting up a fantasy, there should be a story payoff for introducing us to this imaginary world, additional and different than the regular home sapiens ones. Genre to be further explored.
April 4, 2022
I picked this little story up when it was on offer to help give a fellow indie author a boost. I was absolutely DELIGHTED to find I'd stumbled upon a wonderfully crafted slice of life story, with fantastic characters and a warm and cosy plot.
It was also, weirdly, exactly what I needed to read. At the time of reading I was in the middle of a commission way outside my comfort zone, so it was lovely to read Gwen's battle to succeed despite all her self-doubt 💙
If you want a quick, well-executed fun read. Pick this up!
It was also, weirdly, exactly what I needed to read. At the time of reading I was in the middle of a commission way outside my comfort zone, so it was lovely to read Gwen's battle to succeed despite all her self-doubt 💙
If you want a quick, well-executed fun read. Pick this up!
November 29, 2021
A perfect fantasy slice of life.
This was a nice break from the horror I usually read and write. I adored the atmosphere, I enjoyed the characters and their lives, and I was left feeling nice after my read.
Short and sweet, this book is a great afternoon read. Wonderful LGBT representation, fun banter, and warm found family resolution.
This was a nice break from the horror I usually read and write. I adored the atmosphere, I enjoyed the characters and their lives, and I was left feeling nice after my read.
Short and sweet, this book is a great afternoon read. Wonderful LGBT representation, fun banter, and warm found family resolution.
November 15, 2021
This was such a cute story! It's not something I normally read, but I ended up loving all the monster characters and was rooting for Gwen's success throughout. :) My favourite character is Mellie - I love her character development by the end of the novella. Great read!
January 22, 2024
I think I've accidentally stumbled into a new genre of fantasy. First, it was with an S.L. Roland book, and now this one...which has a sequel involving a lollipop shop. I'm not sure where all these magical creatures wanting to start stores come from, but I'm here for it. Seriously, there is something cozy and addicting about this new brand of fantasy.
Coffee, Milk & Spider Silk is sort of a familiar story in this new genre. A soldier retires and decides to settle down by fulfilling a life long dream of owning their own business. What was unique about this book, however, was the characters used in it. The creatures Edwards took and twisted into the main characters were underrated. Some of them I hadn't even heard of...I had to look up what the main character was. And I just wanted to hug the baby minotaurs. I bet they'd be so fluffy!!! Like a baby cow.
Coffee, Milk & Spider Silk is sort of a familiar story in this new genre. A soldier retires and decides to settle down by fulfilling a life long dream of owning their own business. What was unique about this book, however, was the characters used in it. The creatures Edwards took and twisted into the main characters were underrated. Some of them I hadn't even heard of...I had to look up what the main character was. And I just wanted to hug the baby minotaurs. I bet they'd be so fluffy!!! Like a baby cow.
January 19, 2023
This was so fun and cosy! Enjoyed it a lot, wouldn't mind more of this~
In this one we have a drider named Gwen (I had to look up what a drider was) who wants something else than fighting and being a guard. She wants to start a café! She has zero experience and we can see that when things open up. At times I was scratching my head, I would have researched things, but she didn't. But she doesn't give up even though she does want to at times. It helps that she has people around her (though I wasn't a fan of that grumpy girl at first) who help her out and cheer her up. I loved seeing the café grow and grow and get more and more popular. Next to Gwen, my favourite would be the minotaur lady, I wouldn't mind reading a story with her as MC!
All in all, this was a supercosy and fun read. I would recommend it!
In this one we have a drider named Gwen (I had to look up what a drider was) who wants something else than fighting and being a guard. She wants to start a café! She has zero experience and we can see that when things open up. At times I was scratching my head, I would have researched things, but she didn't. But she doesn't give up even though she does want to at times. It helps that she has people around her (though I wasn't a fan of that grumpy girl at first) who help her out and cheer her up. I loved seeing the café grow and grow and get more and more popular. Next to Gwen, my favourite would be the minotaur lady, I wouldn't mind reading a story with her as MC!
All in all, this was a supercosy and fun read. I would recommend it!
February 15, 2023
Adorable! Queer disabled cosy cafe fantasy with a drider MC and no romance. Interesting setting that incorporates the cosy small town feel of high fantasy with modern plumbing and internet.
It feels slightly rushed given it fits the entire arc of a full length book like Legends and Lattes into 75 pages, but sweet and fun still. (It was written before L&L, but legends has become so genre-defining it's hard to describe other books without using it as a comp.)
CW:
It feels slightly rushed given it fits the entire arc of a full length book like Legends and Lattes into 75 pages, but sweet and fun still. (It was written before L&L, but legends has become so genre-defining it's hard to describe other books without using it as a comp.)
CW:
December 29, 2023
This one was a little wacky (and endearing) with a middle-aged/later in life lead.
I was not expecting the world to be contemporary. Basically, our world but fantasy species can roam around in this one special town. I was also not expecting the characters to not quite understand how to run a cafe. Despite these two surprises, the story was very sweet and heartwarming.
I do wish this was a bit longer, though. I would have loved more history of the town and the other baristas. It's certainly worth trying out if you are into cozy fantasy or would like to try the genre without committing to a full-length novel.
I was not expecting the world to be contemporary. Basically, our world but fantasy species can roam around in this one special town. I was also not expecting the characters to not quite understand how to run a cafe. Despite these two surprises, the story was very sweet and heartwarming.
I do wish this was a bit longer, though. I would have loved more history of the town and the other baristas. It's certainly worth trying out if you are into cozy fantasy or would like to try the genre without committing to a full-length novel.
May 31, 2023
3.5 Stars
I love cozy, slice of life stories so I went into this story expecting to enjoy it. And I did, for the most part. But I also felt like the length of the story was both a benefit—a delightful, found family between unapologetically magical creatures is always fun to read, no matter the length—and a hindrance— I wish the world and character building had been more spread out. I really enjoyed reading about Gwen, though, how she navigated the world and also appreciated that she was older.
I love cozy, slice of life stories so I went into this story expecting to enjoy it. And I did, for the most part. But I also felt like the length of the story was both a benefit—a delightful, found family between unapologetically magical creatures is always fun to read, no matter the length—and a hindrance— I wish the world and character building had been more spread out. I really enjoyed reading about Gwen, though, how she navigated the world and also appreciated that she was older.
October 10, 2024
wholesome with some fun rep (would have loved more queerness though!) and characters (loved all the monsters!!!) but too short/not enough world building/character or plot development to rate higher or get emotionally invested in the characters unfortunately :( would love to see a more fleshed out story/more set in this world! excited to read Lollipop Monster Shop
February 13, 2023
a sweet slice of life
This is a lovely and sweet short story about a spider who is retired from her long time position as a guard and now decides to open a café. There are all kinds of various creatures that we meet briefly or for a while. Her best friend, Jax, is a satyr, and the two new baristas are a Minotaur and a dryad. We see a few other interesting beings throughout the story. There is also an acceptance of the LGBTQ community.
Also the cover art is lovely!
This is a lovely and sweet short story about a spider who is retired from her long time position as a guard and now decides to open a café. There are all kinds of various creatures that we meet briefly or for a while. Her best friend, Jax, is a satyr, and the two new baristas are a Minotaur and a dryad. We see a few other interesting beings throughout the story. There is also an acceptance of the LGBTQ community.
Also the cover art is lovely!
November 29, 2023
3.5 Stars~
"Embervein didn’t have many humans in it. It’d been shielded from the outside by old, powerful magic. Elsewhere in the world, monsterfolk had to disguise themselves, try to mingle among humans or hide in the shadows — but Embervein was a gleaming bubble of safety, a place where they could comfortably express their culture. Even at night, the city bustled with life and love."
"Embervein didn’t have many humans in it. It’d been shielded from the outside by old, powerful magic. Elsewhere in the world, monsterfolk had to disguise themselves, try to mingle among humans or hide in the shadows — but Embervein was a gleaming bubble of safety, a place where they could comfortably express their culture. Even at night, the city bustled with life and love."
April 7, 2023
I wasn't expecting something this short with such a straightforward premise to be so good, but it turned out to be one of the sweetest things I think I'll ever read! The teen character's dialogue was a little clunky at times, but that's far from a unique issue, and other than that it was just an all around lovely story.
May 20, 2023
All of us have dreams. Even monsters. Sometimes monsters dream of owning a cute cafe in the middle of their main street and serve decorated lattes, pastries and other drinks. And they work hard to make their dreams come true. This reminded me of some scenes in Rapunzel and The Princess And The Frog. It's -that- adorable. This was a quick read, perfect for a quiet afternoon.
July 23, 2023
This was an adorable read!
It was a cozy precursor to the type of fantasy that Legends and Lattes brought into the mainstream. It's nothing new, but it's exactly what I needed in the moment - low stakes, a cozy drama about opening a new coffee shop in a world populated by monsters like centaurs, minotaurs, and driders.
This was cozy, comfortable, and easy to read. It could have been longer, but as it stands, 3/5 stars for me!
It was a cozy precursor to the type of fantasy that Legends and Lattes brought into the mainstream. It's nothing new, but it's exactly what I needed in the moment - low stakes, a cozy drama about opening a new coffee shop in a world populated by monsters like centaurs, minotaurs, and driders.
This was cozy, comfortable, and easy to read. It could have been longer, but as it stands, 3/5 stars for me!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews