An excellent cozy adventure fantasy. Tao's journey across the countryside also becomes her journey out of loneliness and isolation as she encounters other misfits along her path and they band together to support each other.
A funny, heartfelt, wonderfully entertaining read. Highly recommended.

A cozy, enchanting read! Has a folklore feel to it and is just a perfect little heartwarming story. I think this one is best enjoyed in the evening with a warm drink!

Julie Leong writes Teller of Small Fortune as a sort of cozy adventure story. Tao, a fortune teller, limits her gift to smaller fortunes, the ones that bring delight to her customers in each town that she stops at. Not all small fortunes are insignificant, though, and Tao discovers this when the simple fortune of a father gifting his daughter a cat becomes a promise that said father will succeed in his quest to find his daughter. What is Tao to do when he and his companion decide to accompany her in her travels but welcome them along?

Teller of Small Fortunes is written well and is fun to read, but the plot wasn’t woven together well. The most glaring example of this is when Jacopo stops the traveling companions in the road for a random quest. Why was he there? How does he know of a treasure when he doesn’t know what it is? Why does he get them all to sign contracts if he was just going to drop it? This two chapter phoenix interlude was not woven into the tale at all and didn’t further the plot or help the characters develop.

Another example is Tao’s reluctance to join the Mage Guild and her running away from home. These things were both put in and explained in the second half of the book, but they weren’t woven into her story from the beginning—and there was ample opportunity to.

While the writing was fun, the plot wasn’t well-woven, so Teller of Small Fortunes left something to be desired.

Well, consider my heart warmed.

This book is so very, very wholesome. If you are looking for a cozy fantasy novel with a cast of…just delightful characters, look no further. Even the baddies aren’t so bad.

This book follows our FMC Tao, a traveling teller of (you guessed it) small fortunes. She is adamant to all of those who seek her services that she does not tell large, life-changing fortunes. As we travel with her and her ever-growing caravan, we find out why she is so determined to tell these small fortunes only.

While there is tragedy in this book, it is handled gently and I did love the ending. It is one that brought me to tears.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who needs a break from high-stakes plots or perhaps someone who just prefers lovely stories with little violence.

It should perhaps be noted that if you are looking for a love story, this is not a romantasy. It’s just a delightful little cozy fantasy book.

I requested to read this title based on the beautiful cover art and the synopsis.

This book is funny, adventurous, and heartwarming. I loved the characters. None of the adventures or dangers seemed life-threatening and there were happy endings for everyone. I even read the discussion questions included at the end, which is something I almost never do. I loved this book so much that I will be buying my own copy once it is published!

"The mule looked back at her mulishly."

"All cats are slightly magical, don't you know? It's why they're so smug all the time."

Am I allowed to say this is the feel-good novel of the year? This is an absolutely charming tale of found family. While there are serious themes, it is never truly dark - while some readers might enjoy darker, edgier fantasy, this is perfect for readers just getting into the fantasy genre, or readers who aren't looking for a heavy read. The characters are lovely, the world-building is great, and the story is unique. I absolutely loved reading this.

Tao, travels between villages telling "small fortunes." She has powers much beyond these but for fear of the powerful Mages society finding her and dragging her back to Margrave, a city which holds bad memories for her, she sticks to simple small fortunes. When her wagon is blocked by a fallen tree, she meets two other adventurers, Mash and Silt who are hunting for Mash's missing young daughter. The group later meets up with Kina, a baker of dubious quality goods, but who seems to have a magic all her own and a perhaps magical cat as well. As the group travels about searching for Mash's daughter, they each find that the bond of friendship and family is something that they all needed.

I'm not sure if this was intended as an Adult, Young Adult or Children's book. Except for a few words which parents might find objectionable, this could easily be a good fantasy novel for those who loved Harry Potter (with a dash of Mulan). An enjoyable read which ends with readers wanting to find out more about the travels of this group and what other magic they night encounter.

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong is a throughly enchanting story. Her characters and the world she has created draw one in and when the story ends one wishes for more. I, for one, hope there is more!