3.5 stars rounded up. This is a very solid start to a new cozy mystery series. Felicity, or Lissa as she is known to her best friend Kelvin, and her mom own a bakery where the items are made with the secret ingredient - joy. As Lissa finds her magic in baking, she becomes a suspect in a rival’s death. I liked the unique story of magical baking and the story felt original enough to make a full series interesting. I look forward to seeing how Lissa grows in her baking confidence while protecting her loved ones in Pixie.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the arc.

Ill-Fated Fortune is book #1 in the Magical Fortune Cookie series by Jennifer J. Chow.

This is a promising start to a new series. I like the magic infused baking. Felicity finally comes into the magic that flows from her mother’s side of the family. The pacing seemed off in some places. I enjoyed the investigation and look forward to the next book. I rate this 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This was precisely what I needed to counterbalance a very sad book that I was reading; a cozy mystery where I got in on the ground floor. I was drawn in by the words "Magical Fortune Cookie"). It was a solid first book; about a young woman who makes fortune cookies that, when she is "feeling it" actually predict the future. It was a great concept and I liked the main character. I think the series needs a little time to develop and grow. It was a bit slow in parts but I did not guess who did it. I really long for these fortune cookies because they sound delicious. If the author can pick up the pace a little, it will be a great series. I like the relationship between the main character and her mother (I would like to see more of the mother) and between the main character and her male friend who owns a florist shop. I would give this book 3.5 stars and I will stay tuned.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

ILL-FATED FORTUNE by Jennifer J. Chow
The First Magical Fortune Cookie Mystery

At Gold Bakery Mrs. Jin bakes traditional Chinese baked goods and infuses them with joy...literally. Her daughter Felicity, try as she might, has never shown a glimpse of the Jin magick, until the day she made her own fortune cookies. Not only are her delicious treats are a hit with customers, she's finally come into her own power, writing eerily accurate fortunes. When a too accurate fortune is found on the dead body found in the Jin's dumpster Felicity comes under suspicion. Felicity will try to understand her power and promote the family business all while investigating the death of the Fortune Cookie King.

Fitting in is a major theme of the first Magical Fortune Cookie Mystery. As close as she is to her mom, Felicity felt she never fit in with her own family as she didn't appear to have the Jin gift. But she's not the only one facing this struggle. Employees at the Smiley Fortunes factory, her best friend, Kelvin, Detective Sun, and several other characters are all looking to fit in and be accepted.

The friendships, the family, sticking together, and staying true to yourself all give the book more heart. I loved the traditional Chinese aspects to the story, not only the pineapple buns, but Whiskers the bunny bringing Chinese mythology to life. The mystery is intriguing and I enjoyed the various paths Felicity explored, combining her business and her personal power as she searched for the truth.

With a great cast of diverse characters and a sprinkling of magick ILL-FATED FORTUNE is a great new twist on a culinary mystery.

This is the first in a new series by Jennifer Chow. Felicity Jin and her mother work together in the family bakery. The secret ingredient that keeps customers coming back for more - magic. Felicity, who goes by Lissa to her friends, has been waiting for the day that she too has the magic inside her. When she begins to make fortune cookies, she realizes she has the ability to predict the future as she creates customized fortunes for her customers.

However, one of her first fortunes predicts death. A customer is found dead near the bakery, still clutching the paper with the promise of his demise. Lissa becomes the number one suspect when a detective from the larger city near by gets involved.

Lissa realizes she needs to solve this case as the stress of the murder begins to affect her life, and the bakery’s business. With the help of her best friend, Kelvin, she uses her detective skills, and a little magic, to find the real killer.

This is a sweet cozy mystery that keeps the reader guessing until the end.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book.

Jennifer J. Chow has done it again folks!
If you love her Sassy Cat or L.A. Night Market series, you will love the way Chow has combined food, family, and a bit of the fantastic into this latest series!
In Ill Fated Fortune, we're introduced to the Jin family who have had a long history of infusing joy and positive feelings into their baking. After some bad take out cookies, Felicity Jin decides to try her hand at homemade fortune cookies...only to realize that she has a knack for more than just baking. Her fortunes are beginning to come true, including an "ill-fated" prediction of death for a cookie competitor.
This book was such a solid series start, and it really reflected Jennifer J. Chow's skill and experience in writing and mystery crafting. The characters were memorable and fun. The food descriptions made me hungry the whole time. The mystery elements had me guessing up until the end. And, most important for me, there were story elements planted in this book that makes me want to read future books in the series to see how this will play out for our characters and their futures.
I finished this book in a day; it was such a fun, energizing read. I absolutely recommend it and others from this amazing author!

Ill-fated Fortune is the first in a new series called A Magical Fortune Cookie. It is filled with a tight knit family and friends, and a magical rabbit. Felicity Jin works in a bakery with her mother in Pixie, California. She learns she has the family magic but is a late bloomer. She has great friends and a community that supports her.

This story wasn’t my cup of tea but was well-written and plotted.

I was given an advanced readers copy and these are my own opinions.

Ill-Fated Fortune is the first book in the Magical Fortune Cookie series. I wanted to like this book, but I struggled with it. The characters didn’t really hold my interest, and the mystery didn’t keep me guessing. The magical elements were in the book, but they didn’t hold my interest either.
Having said all of that, though, I would read a second book. Many times, I’ve read a second book in a series that was far stronger than the first.
If this sounds like book you want to read, but are hesitant to buy, borrow it from the library and give it a try.
3/5 stars

I’m always a sucker for a food centered cozy mystery, but Ill-Fated Fortune by Jennifer J. Chow really resonated with me as an Asian American.

Felicity Jin and her mom run a magical bakery selling pineapple buns, egg custard tarts, and fortune cookies (all of my childhood favorites) that are literally infused with the joy the Jins feel when baking. When a customer dies after reading his fortune, Felicity and her best friend, Kelvin, start to investigate.

This was a good start to a new series. I loved the relationship that Felicity had with her mom and Kelvin was a great sidekick. I loved the character development and seeing Felicity grow more confident in herself and her baking. She was also a believable amateur detective, inserting herself conversationally instead of forcing it. The motive for the murder was surprising and the details were quite interesting. There is also a touch of magical realism and the cutest rabbit named Whiskers, who I absolutely adored.

This was a DNF (Did Not Finish) for me. The premise sounded so cute so I'm bummed this one didn't work out for me. I love a cozy food based mystery, especially if its got magical realism. I could read those all day. But alas, something about the writing style, which wasn't bad, mind you, just didn't click for me. Maybe next time!

Ill-Fated Fortune: A Magical Fortune Cookie Novel
By Jennifer J. Chow
Minotaur Books
February 20, 2024

Review by Cynthia Chow

Felicity Jin is both excited and a little nervous to have finally inherited her matrilineal gift of baking joy into the tasty treats that come out of her oven. The 3rd generation Chinese American runs their family’s Gold Bakery in Pixie, California along with her mother, who carefully bakes her own special pineapple buns and egg tarts. What is unexpected is when Felicity unconsciously begins to write out fortunes for her cookies that begin to come true, especially when her benevolent predictions turn dark and one seems to foretell a man’s death. Known as the Fortune Cookie King, Charlie Gong’s death opens up a business opportunity for Felicity that unfortunately also gives her a motive for his murder. Detective Rylan Sun isn’t shy about her suspicion of Felicity, but Felicity is not about to let a chance to keep Gold Bakery prosperous. So that means that she will push herself to the limit to create hand-crafted, very tasty fortune cookies for Fresno’s Foo Fusion restaurant even though it could make her an enemy of Gong’s Smiley Fortune’s struggling business partners. When not writing up a suspect list that includes business owners and a woman poisoned by the Fortune Cookie King’s questionable treats, Felicity deals with the inability to control her gifts and then the sudden loss of them.

This first in a brand-new series by author Jennifer J. Chow is essentially two different mysteries and both are equally compelling. The first is the question of who is responsible for the murder of the Fortune Cookie King, while the second follows Felicity’s quest to explore her inherited gifts and how she can control them. Her very protective mother wants Felicity to keep her head down and not cause trouble, but her best friend Kevin and godmother Alma support her efforts to perfect her talents while solving a murder. Perhaps aiding her the most is an adorable white bunny who seems to embody the Moon Rabbit legend honoring sacrifice, and the found rabbit she names Whiskers magically provides hints on the secrets of Felicity’s gifts. The setting is unique as it takes place in Pixie, a mostly White small town near Fresno and its artist-filled Tower District. Readers will immediately feel drawn into Felicity’s insecurity about her talent and be rooting for her to become confident and in charge of her fate. This is an intriguing debut that blends a strong mystery with a touch of the paranormal, and it leaves readers wanting to see how Felicity and the rest of Pixie succeed in their community. As someone who is a 3rd generation Chinese American on one side and with generations of family from Fresno on the other, I found so much to relate to and adore about this series and it’s definitely going to be one of my favorites. This charming, very well-written novel will appeal to all readers though, as it quickly develops an array of entertaining and very engaging characters. Fortune cookies have never been depicted with so much nuance and love, with Felicity introducing specialty ube and pandon-flavored cookies along with her traditional quality treats. This is another outstanding read from an increasingly popular author.

I haven't read a cozy mystery in awhile so I was due and Ill-Fated Fortune was perfect. I think what I liked the most is that the author wrote a story with such a likeable main character but also had crime and mystery weaved into a sweet mother-daughter story. Anyone who's unsure whether cozy mysteries would appeal to them should try out this cute story. ( well as cute as it can be with a side of murder)
Felicity Jin works along side her mother in the bakery making magical treats. No really, they are actually magical. Felicity decides to make her special fortune cookies to sell to customers and hopefully bring in additional income. The cookies are the best out there but what's special is the messages inside the cookie. They somehow seem to predict the future, and that can be good or bad.
When a customer turns up dead with a message in his pocket that spelled out exactly how he would die all eyes turn to Felicity. She can't explain how these messages come to her but unless she figures out who the murder is, she will remain the main suspect.

I enjoy reading books by this author and this one was almost as good as the rest. I expected it to be a bit more lively, but it was a little slow in parts. Also, it was a bit of a challenge to connect to the main character. Other than that, it was a nicely written whodunnit. Interesting secondary characters, especially Kelvin and the grandma.

A nice start to a new paranormal cozy series! Felicity and her mom have a bakery where the treats are more than just delicious but the death of a man who has one of her fortunes in his pocket brings trouble and sours the sweet for a bit. Luckily, Felicity has a terrific BFF in Kelvin who runs the flower shop next door as well as a rabbit which - well- is special. Detective Sun has a soft spot for Felicity, even though she's the main suspect in the murder. All of this is fairly familiar cozy stuff but it's nicely diverse and the paranormal aspect doesn't get too woo woo. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one. Oh- and recipes!

I have been provided with a review copy of Ill-Fated Fortune from NetGalley for an impartial review. I just loved getting to enter this world. I just loved getting to meet these characters and see what they are currently getting themselves into. This book was just a really fun read. I just lost myself in this great story and I didn’t want to put it down. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I like to dabble in cozy mysteries and ones that have magical elements are my favorite. Ill-Fated Fortune checked all the boxes I come to expect with a cozy mystery, and while it was a fun read, it feel a bit short of my expectations.

I didn't really like Felicity as a main character - her actions sometimes leaned too immature. The plot was sometimes too convenient and didn't always make sense progression wise. I did like the side characters.

If you like mystical cozy mysteries, I suggest to give this one a go. I may pick this series up again when the second book is released, just to see if this one was suffering as the first of a series.

Rated 3 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

The Jin family has been blessed with magic baking abilities. For years, Felicity’s mother has baked delicious treats in her bakery. While Felicity has hoped that her own magical abilities would show, she just can’t bake like the Jin women before her.

Until one day, Felicity find success in making fortune cookies. Along with this success, comes the magical ability for Felicity to provide individualized fortunes. Soon, Felicity and her cookies are in demand. But one dark fortune that leads to finding the customer dead in the back alley of the bakery turn Felicity into the primary suspect of the man’s murder. Will her new found magical ability help her bestie clear her name, and solve the case? After all, her fortune is riding on it.

This is such a great start to a promising new cozy series. I’ll be in line for the next entry in the series as soon as it comes out.

Ill-Fated Fortune, the inaugural installment in Jennifer J. Chow's Magical Fortune Cookie series, is a promising start to this new series. Set in Pixie, California, the story introduces Felicity Jin, a fledgling baker with a unique connection to her mother’s bakery. The vivid background establishes the series' foundation, immersing readers in a world filled with delightful treats and intriguing touches of magic. While the pacing may be a touch slow, it serves the purpose of laying the essential groundwork for the series. Chow's narrative skillfully weaves relevant information into the story, creating an interesting plot that unfolds with a mix of charm and suspense. (I received an advance reader copy of this book, and all opinions are my own.) Ill-Fated Fortune is a delightful introduction to a magical culinary world that has left me eager for more.

Ill-fated Fortune follows Felicity and her mom as they run a magic bakery. Felicity never seemed to have her family's baking skills until she discovers she can make fortune cookies and they seem to be a hit around town. When a competitor fortune cookie maker is found killed in Felicity's dumpster the police focus on her. While she navigates her fortune cookie baking and helping keep the bakery going, she also tries to solve a murder with her best friend.

I enjoyed this book! I liked the magical cooking elements and I love any cozy mystery that has to do with food. There was a cast of fun characters and even a pet rabbit. I think the mystery was fun to follow and it took some interesting turns. I loved the small town cozy vibes throughout. I liked the relationship between Felicity and her mom as well as with her best friend. I read this book quickly and it was a fun read. I will be continuing on in this series when more books come out!

I do feel like the investigation went in circles a little bit in the beginning. I also feel like the sleuthing was very convenient and didn't seem very accurate at times. It seemed like people said stuff to them too easily and they were able to get into places easily. For example, they seem to always be going into this factory and I feel like getting into a factory is probably harder then just walking in. This didn't take away from my reading experience too much though.

All in all, this was a fun cozy read about magical food and relationships. Thanks so much to netgalley and St. Martin's Press and Minotaur books for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was a decent start to a cozy mystery series. There are a lot of characters that no doubt will be recurring in the later books. I also felt like Felicity was an example of a beginner sleuth as she isn't entirely good at it but does improve over the course of the chapters. I would like to see what Whisper the Rabbit looks like on one of the next covers (nice that the animal companion isn't a dog this time haha)

3.5 stars rounded up (when do we get to have half stars please?)

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review, all opinions are my own.