Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of ARC.

If you are looking for something cozy to read, I would recommend this book.

It was a really enjoyable read. I did take me a while to read, but not for lack of interest. I feel like this is one of those books that are best read as a book. (Like physical vs ebook.) I of course read it on my phone, as it was an ARC from NetGalley.

I will probably read more of the author's work if she writes more books.

I DNF'd this book. It wasn't written in a style that I enjoy, but I can see it becoming very popular with others.

Tao is a teller of small fortunes, traveling through the rural areas of Eshtera, the country she was brought to as a child, alone except for Laohu, the mule who draws her wagon. When her route is blocked by a fallen tree Mash, a massive bear of a man and Silt, a former thief, chop it away and as a reward she tells Mash, that he will give his daughter a kitten in the future. Instead of being a small fortune it is major as the two rough looking men are hunting for Mash's 4 year old daughter who has been missing for months. As they travel looking for her, they add Kina, a baker to their party and face multiple difficulties and dangers. This cozy fantasy featuring stalwart companions, found family, little magics, politics, and bits of major adversity feels like the books that turn readers into lifelong fantasy fans. I hope the folks on the Alex Award committee will consider it. It is a great fantasy novel for adults and their teen and middle grade kids.

TL;DR:
This was such a sweet, low-stakes, lovely fantasy story! I thoroughly enjoyed the found family and the themes and the ending had me tearing up several times (happy tears).

Characters:
I really liked that our MC here, Tao, was a quiet, fade-into-the-background type. Not only quiet out loud but kind of quiet in her own head too. She is just perfectly content to sit back and let others do most of the talking in a situation. She's so down-to-earth and chill and I really enjoyed following her.

And the found family was ADORABLE and lovely -- Silt and Mash are such a fun unlikely pair, and Kina was just the sweetest most innocent darling. And the animal companions were also adorable and fun.

For a low-stakes, cozy fantasy I thought this had just the right amount of depth and character development, too. We still are able to see them grow and learn more about themselves, simply through spending time together and opening up their minds and hearts.

Plot:
Even though our characters are mostly just traveling from one village to another, with a pretty loose goal in mind, I never found the plot to be dull or dragging at all. Because the point of the story wasn't the plot, it was the characters. I'm not a particularly character-driven reader -- I tend to be much more plot-driven -- and I still carried along just fine with this more relaxed plot.

Themes:
Obviously the found family theme is strong with this one, and I thought it was done so well. Our little family of friends just fit together so well and learned so much from each other.

And then there is a conversation happening around cultural identity -- our main character Tao was born in another country so she is racially different from most everyone where she moved to as a kid and now still lives. She deals with racism and xenophobia from some people, and also deals with her own internal struggles over not being connected to her culture and feeling that loss.

This is cozy fantasy for your fall reading, with an earnest tone and eclectic characters. A low stakes story with a happy ending, a glimmer of romance, and cats: think Travis Baldree.

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Ace Books, and Berkley Publishing Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up The Teller of Small Fortunes on November 5, 2024.

I absolutely adored this cozy fantasy! Tao was a brilliant protagonist with fascinating magic, and I loved the relationships she formed throughout her journey with Mash, Silt, and Kina. While there's no main romance, the bonds of friendship and family (old and new) propel the story along perfectly. We see Tao confront her past guilt, overcome her loneliness and distrust of others, and welcome this band of misfits into her heart. The ending did make me cry, and it just left a warm feeling in my heart after turning the final page.

I can't wait to see what else Julie Leong might put out, and I hope everyone picks this one up come November!

I liked this one though I think it was a little slow for me, I did enjoy the characters and the setting but I think the party is not entirely for me.

I'm so happy that I'm seeing more diverse cozy whimsy mystery/fantasy books coming out that feel like they are being given more popularity. This book is so good and cute and It felt like such a hug.

This book is absolutely the most wonderfully cozy, heartwarming read I've had in quite awhile. There are oodles of relatable scenes and characters that make it so surely anyone would be able to find something to identify with. It's also quite interesting that even though our fortune teller 'gives away' plenty of events or happenings throughout the book, you never feel like knowing the end results takes away at all from the story of getting there. A very sweet story, and interesting from the beginning to the end.

The Teller of Small Fortunes felt as delightful as sipping a nice cup of tea while under a cozy blanket. It had just the right amount of adventure, found family, cats, heartfelt moments, and baked goods. All the characters felt unique and interesting, and I was rooting for them all to have a happy ending. Overall it was just really charming and an enjoyable read.

Tao lives a solitary life, traveling to small villages to tell her small fortunes, with only her mule Laohu as a companion. She’s an outsider, and doesn’t want to attract too much attention. But that quickly changes when she encounters Mash, Silt, and Kina along her travels, stumbling into quite an adventure. I loved spending time with these characters and witnessing how their friendships shifted and grew over time. (And of course, I loved Fidelitus the sweet and cranky cat). I was drawn to the book because of its gorgeous cover, and was delighted to find it more than lived up to it. I will be recommending it widely at the library, especially to fans of T Kingfisher and Becky Chambers, and I look forward to reading more from the author.

The perfect blend of cozy fantasy and traveling adventure, with a dash of found family and a sprinkling of true friendship. Great world-building and excellent character development. Highly recommended.

Tao makes her living by traveling across the land telling small fortunes. A fear of the past keeps Tao from using more of her prodigious magical power, but when she’s swept up in a search for a child (alongside an ex-mercenary, a bombastic thief, an adventurous baker, and a magic cat) she discovers the strength to confront her fears and abilities. While many cozy fantasies promise found family, this read really delivers. Every friendship and new connection glows in Julie Leong’s fantasy novel debut.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this lovely novel. Tao's journey and her found family are warm and cozy without too sweet and cloying. Rather like her tea. Reminiscent of Becky Chambers' Psalm for the Wild-built, there is adventure mixed with tenderness, and an ending that gives hope for all our futures.

Oh hello cozy fantasy book. I love this book that moves at a perfectly cozy and content pace, even when there is danger or drama. It truly is a story of finding you family, finding where you belong and feel safe and happy. It is full of characters who are just trying to do their best, and this is why I love cozy books. There is never anything heart-pounding, but there are a lot of emotions (I absolutely teared up at the end) and lots of growth for all the characters. The splashes of magic are lovely and well thought out. The comradery between the MCs is something that we all search for in life and I especially am drawn to in stories. Tao's struggle between her past and figuring out her present and future are so relatable in so many different aspects (no spoilers). I smiled almost the entire time and enjoyed reading this so much.

Thanks to the publisher for a free ARC; my thoughts and review are my own.

Tao uses the accoutrements of a carnival fortune teller to conceal the fact that she is actually a powerful psychic. She only tells small fortunes, terrified of her own abilities. Her perambulatory lifestyle does not encourage companionship, until suddenly it does. Tao finds herself traveling with Mash, an ex-soldier looking for his missing daughter, Silt the reformed thief, and Kina, an apprentice baker with wanderlust. These strange companions soon become a found family, their adventures together helping each face their greatest challenges in life. This heartwarming cozy fantasy hits all the right notes. There's even a cat.

Tao travels a land she was brought to as a small child telling small fortunes. Nothing too big because the one time she did, something awful happened. This is a gentle story of found family and making peace with the past.

At the onset A Teller of Small Fortunes was everything I could want in a story. Tao, a fortune teller, is a traveler by necessity, as her magic makes her a target. It's safer, she thinks, to be alone--that is, until she makes some friends. She meets Mash and Silt, erstwhile thieves, who are searching for Mash's missing daughter. Then she meets Kina, a baker, and is adopted by a cat called Fidelitus. Together they make a charming chosen family, and I grew to love them.

The premise is wonderful, but the resolution of the plot really let me down and knocked my rating by at least a star. You can't tell me that the bad guys are actually just well-meaning bureaucrats in the end! Come onnnnnnnnnnn. I think this would be better marketed as Middle Grade.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

Cozy fantasy is having a real renaissance in 2024 and we are truly blessed!

The Teller of Small Fortunes is a story about a young woman named Tao who makes her way as a traveling fortune teller. She keeps her predictions small and inconsequential (despite having the ability to do more) in order to avoid the notice of the government which conscripts all magic users. In her travels, Tao comes to meet Mash and Silt (a mercenary and a thief) and who are looking for Mash’s kidnapped daughter, and Kina, a baker that Tao foretells will leave her home and take up baking on the road! The little band sets off to find Mash’s daughter and to make some money telling fortunes and baking questionable scones.

Adventure and hijinks ensue!

I loved all of the characters, the found family element was strong with this one and totally gave me all the feels! The plot is on the slower side, as with many cozy fantasy books, but there were some surprisingly tense moments and the second half of the book really picked up. Some plot points were resolved rather easily, but again, this feels common in cozy fantasy. You read it for the feels and we definitely get lots of feels in this one! I was totally teary by the end.

I also loved that there was no big romance plot in this one. No idea if Tao is aroace but I like the possibility!

I loved that I felt like I was in the middle of a DnD campaign while reading this.

Rating: 4 ⭐️

"Theres no such things as greater good-there's just good, and the more of it we can do, the better."

The Teller of Small Fortunes begins with our main character, Tao, as she goes from town to town telling life-changing fortunes such as, you will receive a new green tunic, or your neighbor will dent your pan. The important things. And of course, as with any cozy fantasy, she meets friends along the way!

This book had a little bit of everything for the cozy fantasy reader: found family, animal sidekicks, magical creatures, and baked goods! Sometimes I need a book that makes me feel happy. It was light-hearted and funny, filled with quips and a cast of slightly ridiculous characters. And that's what cozy fantasy is all about.

I would like to thank Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for providing me The Teller of Small Fortunes in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.