Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for review!

I went into this book not knowing much and i would definitely recommend that! This book is about self discovery, chasing what you want even when others try to stop you, and doing anything for the ones you love. This book has a wonderful found family dynamic that develops beautifully over the book, along with wonderful character development. I would definitely recommend to anyone seeking a cosy book!!

In a Nutshell: A debut cozy fantasy about an immigrant fortune teller running away from her past. Too much ‘cozy’, not enough ‘fantasy’. Good use of the found family trope and great observations on immigrant experiences. Vague world-building, lacklustre character development despite some interesting characters. A decent one-time read, but not a memorable one.

Plot Preview:
Tao is a Shinn fortune teller who travels from village to village with her wagon and her trusty mule. She tells only small fortunes: predications that won't create big consequences. At her latest stop, she bumps into a reformed thief and his semi-reformed mercenary friend. They are looking for a lost child, and Tao feels compelled to offer the services of her wagon. They are soon joined by a young baker woman with big dream and a cat. The adventures of this motley crew and the result of their quest forms the rest of the plot.
The story comes to us in Tao’s third-person perspective.

On paper, this debut novel had plenty to offer. It promised to be a comforting read, with many magical and cherishable moments, loveable characters, and a soul-satisfying storyline. However, the end result felt mostly surface-level, leaving me with the feeling that the potential of the plot was not fulfilled.

Bookish Yays:
🔮 The portrayal of Tao’s immigrant experience of being a Shinn (Chinese?) woman in an Eshteran (European?) land. The xenophobia of the locals and Tao’s always feeling like an “other” or outsider comes out quite well.
🔮 The found family trope, showing four individuals with distinct personalities and one feline coming together in a slow but sure bond.
🔮 No forced romance despite the age eligibility of the FMC. No potential suitor as well. I truly appreciated this. It is getting tiresome to see romance being forced even into non-romance books.
🔮 The covers of both UK and US editions – perfectly and comfortably cozy.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🥠 The title doesn't match the content exactly, even though the storyline is indeed about Tao, the “teller of small fortunes”. Somehow, the title makes the book sound more whimsical and fortune-dominated. But the actual fortunes are more random and only in the background of the main plot.
🥠 Tao as a character is good but has no spark. There was so much more depth possible in her portrayal but her personality doesn’t come across strongly. Her opinions and emotions seem wavery.
🥠 The side characters: Mash the ex-mercenary who is looking for his lost daughter, Silt his thieving companion who doesn’t know how to handle his lovesickness, and Kina the baker with a bright personality whose creations taste much better than they look. Each of these could have been an outstanding character, but their depiction is mostly one-noted. I still liked the trio, but I wish there were more to them. I liked the two animals better: Laohu the mule and Fidelitus the cat.
🥠 The storyline feels somewhat episodic, with the group going from one place to another and facing one adventure after another. The quest for the lost girl and the secret of Tao’s backstory are the only two topics present almost throughout the plot, but mostly in the background. While a few of the encounters were fun to read, the overall end-result felt somewhat disjointed.
🥠 Kina’s baking (mis)adventures are interesting to read. But it was awkward to see her, a white woman from some West-inspired location, getting credit for the invention of the fortune cookie. It would have been okay if these were shown as being Tao’s idea, considering her background better fit an East Asian profile.

Bookish Nays:
😾 In cozy fantasy, there is “relaxed” and there is “too relaxed.” This book is clearly the latter, with most of the content lacking a punch. Like, when the characters weren’t even consistently bothered about a missing child, how would the reader feel their concern? The emotions are mostly shallow.
😾 Though there are a couple of interesting fantastical creatures and “small fortunes”, the fantasy part of the book is very weak. It doesn’t even feel like a fantasy for the most part.
😾 Why not mention the age of the main character directly? Why refer to a character as a “twentysomething-year-old” twice in the same book without ever making the number precise?
😾 How can four adult humans not know whether a cat is male or female even weeks after owning it? Weird!
😾 While there are place names scattered throughout the plot, the world-building itself is quite hazy, with an eclectic mix of people (from various professions) and fantastical beings and geographical features mentioned in passing but none explored in detail.
😾 The ending is too smooth and quick.

Overall, while this book has some entertaining moments, it stuck too closely to the formula, and that too, a basic Cozy Fantasy 101 formula. I enjoy cozy fantasies, but with this book having a truckload of cozy and only half a wagon of fantasy, the end result was just about okay. It might have worked better as a middle-grade or teen book with a little editing, but as an adult offering, it was bland.

This is a debut work. The author’s next book appears to be set in the same world even though it isn't a sequel. As of now, I'm undecided about it. But it does seem to have a lot more magic than this one, so who knows! I might just succumb to the lure in future!

Recommended but not with gusto. This was a decent read but not memorable for me. However, if you want something easy on the mind, it would serve the purpose.

2.75 stars.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Hodderscape for providing the DRC of “The Teller of Small Fortunes” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

A veces hace falta desengrasar un poco el motor lector y dedicar algo de tiempo a un libro agradable que no te haga pensar mucho. Ese era mi objetivo con The Teller of Small Fortunes y de decir que en ese aspecto ha conseguido su objetivo, porque es tan cozy y almibarado que a veces se pasa, pero ciertamente no exige ningún esfuerzo al lector que simplemente puede disfrutar con las pocas vicisitudes que se encuentra en su vida la protagonista, Tao.


Tao vive errante en su carromato, ofreciendo pequeñas visiones del futuro de los aldeanos que se va encontrando, a cambio de un paga también pequeña. Su condición de inmigrante la señala en varios de los pueblos que conforman su ruta, mientras que en otros es acogida entre sonrisas por sus visitas pasadas. En esta vida aparentemente simple y relajada, el conflicto viene de su pasado algo tumultuoso (un poco de marejadilla) y de los compañeros que se va encontrando por el camino, con los que formará un equipo variopinto y entretenido.

The Teller of Small Fortunes tiene un carácter marcadamente episódico, si bien hay dos historias que son las que dan cohesión a todo el relato, el pasado de Tao y la búsqueda de una persona determinada, el resto de los capítulos son perfectamente autoconclusivos. El libro está escrito de forma pausada, como si quisiera pasar por el mundo sin dejar mucha huella. Es difícil sumergirse en la historia porque siempre hay otras cosas en la vida que requieren más nuestra atención. Creo que Julie Leong trata con tanto respeto a sus personajes y al mundo que ha creado que ha conseguido hacerlo prácticamente invisible hacia el lector, algo que no es un acierto. Leong habla del Estudio Ghibli como gran inspiración de su obra, pero, qué queréis que os diga, ese referente es demasiado ambicioso para lo que nos acabamos encontrando. Es verdad que se nota ese aire optimista y colorido, pero solo es atrezo, sin visos de profundidad. Hay temas como el racismo y la xenofobia, pero está todo tan licuado que la verdad, el mensaje queda totalmente difuminado.

Con esto no quiero decir que sea un libro malo, como he dicho anteriormente cumple su función de elevar el ánimo del lector, solo que deja poco poso.

Such a beautiful book. I've already recommended to colleagues and they've enjoyed.

Absolutely loved it. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoyed A Psalm for the Wild-Built or a cosy fantasy story with found families.

Usually I'm not a fan of travelling books and this one is full of travelling, but it's very character driven and kept me interested.

Follow Tao, a teller of small fortunes - not big! Only small. She is alone in the world, a minority. She gets by by reading tea leaves/palms/fortune stones. She ends up befriending two men on the highway on their own mission and a baker.

This story filled my heart - I hope there's another.

And yes, the ending did make me cry!

Thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

This cosy fantasy had everything I've ever wanted; a found family, romance, a mystery, reflection on past lives lived, fellowship and love (platonic or otherwise). Each character had their own voice, background and troubles. This was the perfect bit of escapism for anyone that wants to have some quiet, calm and comforting moments with characters that will stay with you for a long time.

This beautifully written debut explores family legacies, fate, and the quiet weight of expectation. Leong’s prose is lyrical, and the world she builds feels rich with folklore and emotion. The central character’s journey toward self-discovery is poignant, as she confronts the idea of destiny while trying to forge her own path.

I find 'cosy fantasy' difficult sometimes, as it can descend a little too much into 'twee', or with the fantasy aspect as a token from someone who clearly doesn't understand the genre. I guess I'm saying that I approached this a bit apprehensively! But I needn't have worried.

Julie Leong has crafted a beautiful story that reads like a fairytale, akin to Tolkien's style of 'something that could have happened'. These are real people in challenging situations, doing their best to get along. I especially appreciated the 'found family' aspects too.

This will be a book that comforts its readers and transports them away for a short while, then staying with them after with its gentle but heartfelt atmosphere. A lovely read.

Im not new to the cosy fantasy genre but i feel like this was on the side of too cosy?
I felt quite bored whilst reading and didnt feel connected to the characters.
I struggled to want to pick the book up

Despite that i would pick another book by Julie Leong up- though maybe not a cosy fantasy

Perfect cosy vibes that I think fans of Legends & Lattes and Emily Wilde will love.

I could have stayed in this fantastical world forever. I loved it!

The book was cute, cozy and sometimes the sense of humor was getting me- it reminded me a bit of T. Kingfisher. I liked the characters and really appreciate how the author mixed important topics with light hearted conversations so we could get a bit of both worlds. I'll definitely follow the next releases from Julie Leong!

I absolutely loved the writing style of this one, and it was truly a comfort to read! Julie's worldbuilding is really fun as well. The characters are charming and the found family vibes are perfect. I can't wait to read more from Julie!

This book is so gosh darned cute. It's full of found family, animal companions, friendships, and adventures. It's the only book that's filled that same spot in my heart as Psalm of the Wild-Built.
I adored every second it, and had tears in my eyes from the wholesomeness.
Best book

This felt like a very low-stakes, cosy adventure - which is sometimes exactly what you need when you need to turn your brain off.

I really enjoyed the Tea-reading aspect of this book, and like that the fortunes that Tao told were only 'small' and could potentially be changed depending on the persons choices .

It is a very quiet book, in which the important thing is the journey, not the final destination. In this book nothing really happens, the main characters tell us about their problems and it seems that there is going to be a culmination in which something bad is going to happen, and then everything is really resolved without much conflict or violence. I liked this particular type of story, but because it came at a time in my life when I needed exactly that, characters who seem to have life and death problems that are then resolved in a much easier way than I expected. Characters where their main goal in life is to be happy, neither the best at something, nor the heroes of the country, even though they could be. They simply want to live their lives as they want, with the difficulties and joys that this brings them. I felt highly represented in all the characters. Another thing I loved was the friendship they develop between them, how they find each other and change each other well, supporting each other and giving each other a much needed support to face all their fears.
The author's writing is descriptive and evocative, even if sometimes I found it lacking a bit of action and plot to develop.
I recommend this book if you are at a time in your life when you need to be reminded that it's the journey that matters, not the destination, and that you have to enjoy life even if you don't have a clear goal.

The Teller of Small Fortunes is a charming cozy fantasy following Tao, an immigrant fortune teller, who travels alone between villages earning her living telling the small fortunes of the villagers. It’s a lonely life, just Tao and her mule, but it’s the safest life, until Mash and Silt enter her life, former warrior and a former thief, who have been travelling looking for Mash’s missing daughter. Deciding safety in numbers may be bet, Tao travels with them to the next village, where this time they meet Kina the promising baker who too wishes to travel, and before you know it a family emerges on the page, cat included. However the reason Tao always sought less in life, the reason she craved safety, soon reappears when she is followed for her Seer abilities and summoned to report.

There are many reasons to read a book – this book falls into the escapism category and it’s a world I entered when I especially needed it. The stakes feel a little higher than some other cozy fantasy (such as Legends and Lattes where the top threat was where are the next batch of buns coming from) however it’s still incredibly comforting and by the end of the book I even had a happy cry. The heart of this book is in the characters, characters you experience lower their guards for each other and in turn, you learn and love them more. Mash is a big man, a fighter, but he’s actually a protective father who comes to even care for Ta like a daughter, Silt is a former thief who hides insecurity behind swagger but deep down longs to be taken seriously. There’s Kina, my favourite, who longed for adventure and to bake in her small fortune, and across the story she embraces her freedom and finds her talent. Tao herself is a guarded character, she’s travelled alone out of safety, you learn of her family and her reasons for her guardedness and fear, however through her you feel the power of love (sorry to be cheesy) and the strength in having someone by your side.

This is the perfect book to curl up with when you need a hug because it will leave you feeling like you’ve been wrapped up tight. Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved everything about this book. I loved the cadence, the storyline, and the characters. The characters were very relatable, maybe not in exact circumstances, but in emotions.
This is going right up there into my favorite comfort novels.

Tao reads only small fortunes and travels around the country in her wagon doing so by herself. When that changes our adventure begins. This is low stakes cosy fantasy at its finest, the characters are loveable. We get to see quite a lot of this world and see the various aspects of it, not all is pretty. There are moments that are a little too spelled out, on the nose you could say. But I enjoyed reading this, I loved the found family aspect. Each character felt unique and had their own mini arc throughout the story. Just a beautiful cosy fantasy that was a joy to read.

This book was so good. Throughtout reading, I kept thinking that it whould not work for me, but it did. I think it' suitable for alll ages, starting from very young children to adults who enjoy cozy fantasy. I think the writing has a great writing style and I would love to explore more stories from her.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC!

The epitome of a cosy fantasy! I absolutely loved all the characters and their relationships, as well as their personal developments throughout the plot. The plot is cosy but with enough tension to keep you intrigued and the world-building is fully fleshed out adding to the atmosphere.
Also the cover art is absolutely beautiful.

Official rating ~ 3.5 ⭐️

It’s an absolutely adorable tale with the sweetest characters but it was all too perfect & too cosy. And even when there was danger or conflict, it was resolved quickly.
I also wish there had been an extra chapter before Tao awoke. That will (hopefully) mean more if you read it.

The characters are somewhat endearing just a little 1 dimensional. The only real character development is with Tao and her inner turmoil about her culture and identity.

It also has long chapters (I’m not a fan).

Overall It is a beautiful story of found family, low stakes adventure that is perfect for those days when you want a feel good read.

Thank you, Hodder & Stoughton & NetGalley for the eARC.