Thank you NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC!

This book was one of my warmest reads of 2024, simply adorable and touching! I loved Tao and her found family <3

This was such a sweet, cozy story.

We follow Tao, a travelling fortune teller, on her journey across the land, stopping in small towns to give people small fortunes, whilst running from a slightly mysterious past. On her travels, she comes across a strongman, a semi-reformed thief, a baker and a magical cat and this sparks a bigger journey than Tao anticipated.

It's full of found family, humour, cozy vibes, but also a more emotional punch than I was expecting.

I really enjoyed this! Some parts dragged a tiny bit for me, but overall, a solid 4 stars!

Tao is a fortune teller. She roams the kingdom with her faithful mule and cart and stops in villages to read tea leaves and palms. For a small fee she tells people about insignificant events that may or may not turn out to be important. Tao doesn’t deal in grand schemes and destiny-smattering omens. Those can often do more harm than good and may have been the reason why she fled her home in the first place. Since then, Tao has been happy keeping her own company. Or has she ? When she finds unlikely travelling companions, life becomes that little bit sweeter, and burdens can be shared, even if that means confronting the reason why Tao is on the run.
This cosy fantasy novel is really lovely. It does tackle difficult themes like racism, but in a gentle manner. The cast of characters is very cute and the way the travellers become their own kind of family is very endearing to witness. This is very light fantasy, so you won’t get a ton of world-building and some elements will require you don’t look too closely, but I have absolutely no problem with that when the focus of the story is on feelings, specifically belonging and opening yourself to new possibilities. The narrative moves on at a steady pace, with an underlying tension that is alleviated by much baking and friendly chats. And a cat, of course. One chapter felt a little disjointed from the rest, but it was fun and let the characters demonstrate the full range of their personalities so I’m not mad about it.
I’ll just say the ending (for which the author all narrative arcs were tied with a neat bow) left me a little frustrated on Tao’s part, but that is spoiler territory so I won’t go into more details here.
Rep: MC of Asian-inspired ancestry, who is also aro-ace coded. Hints of queer characters in a world that isn’t queer-friendly for the most part.
CW: racism, xenophobia, death of parent.

Many thanks to PRH International and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest feedback.

I am a lover of cozy books, of found family and travelling companions. I love seeing the world in the books and I love it when the characters are travelling around.
So I was surprised when I reached the end of the book and I realised how much I enjoyed “The teller of small fortunes”. It’s such a warm slice-of-life book, with a lot of characters and creatures and funny moments. It actually has Ghibli Vibes and it would be perfect as a movie!

The book has a classic fantasy vibe, with easy to read writing, lots of adventures, lots of funny and cute moments. The world building is gorgeous, with popular town squares, beautiful villages, roads through mountains, and a magical and huge capital. There are trolls and phoenixes and cats. The setting is everything you’ll need in a cozy fantasy.

The characters form the perfect found family. Tao, the teller, is alone and she’s travelling while telling small fortunes to people. One day, she meets Mash, a warrior who’s a poet and has a warm soul, Silt, a kind former thief, and Kana, a future baker that wants to travel. Together, they find new adventures and people to help. But they have a main goal: to find Mash’s missing daughter.

“Aye, our lives are short and shaped by circumstances, and maybe we can’t control most of what’s to come. But we can control how we feel. We can savor the sweteness of a blackberry scone, and the company of our friends, and the warmth of the summer wind at night and be grateful for it. We can be nothing, and choose to be miserable about it, or we can be nothing, but choose to be happy, and let that be purpose enough.”

I loved, at the same time, how serious the book is. Tao is an immigrant and I loved seeing the experiences she went through just because she is Shinn. The author shows how much people need other people, and even if Tao thinks she’s doing fine being alone, she finds herself in the middle of a family.

“Yet it was a very hard thing to leave the only place one ever known. The streams one played in as a child, the trees one climbed, the faces one knew… Familiarity could look very much like love from a certain angle, if one didn’t look too hard.”

“The teller of small fortunes” is like a hug. I read it while sitting in my comfy chair with a cup of tea next to me and it was perfect. It’s emotional and funny and beautiful and everything I needed from a cozy fantasy. It has some serious depth and the characters are just perfect.

“One could choose to be nothing, or one could choose to be happy.”

Unfortunately I didn't manage to finish this book. It was super slow in plot and after 1/3 in I finally gave up. In the description says is fantasy/scifi but I didn't find a bit of that in the first 100 pages of the book. I won't be sharing a review on this book outside of Netgalley out of respect to the author and their hard work on writing this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm not the most experienced reader in cozy fantasy, but I enjoyed those few I have read. Sadly, I don't think The Teller of Small Fortunes was for me...

We follow Tao and a small group of misfits who get together, bond, and become close friends. Tao was a nice mc. She has a kind heart, and she wants to make people happy by getting a small glimpse into their future and offering them reassurance. She is a person who has been lonely her whole life, never fitting in, always being Other. Her mother, still mourning her husband and Tao's father, she has closed off her heart, and neglects Tao who desperately needed her mother's companionship. So she leaves her house, her life behind, and sets on an adventure where only she has control over her life.

She meets a former thief, a fighter, and a baker, and together, they embark on a grand adventure of finding themselves and Mash's daughter who is lost. At some point, Mash chooses to protect Tao over getting help for finding his daughter, which I didn't disagree, but afterward, instead of doubling back to that place, he and the rest of the group travel farther away. It didn't make much sense to me, to be honest. The ending also felt a little anti-climactic. Tao went from hating the *** to handling the situation on her own terms at the end, which made me think why she didn't do it to begin with...

There is no main romance in the book, and I don't know if it was the lack of romance, if the book is just too cozy for my taste, or if it was something else, but I just didn't vibe with the story.

It's the monthly book box pick for a November adult box and a December adult box, and I will be skipping both (certainly the December one, at least)

If you are looking to pick up a book that feels like a warm cup of hot chocolate on a rainy day, while you sit clary in front of the fire with your cat purring in your lap. That is this book.

The perfect cozy fantasy, found family, baked goods and warm vibes book for the autumn/ winter

Thank you netgalley for the e-arc I think this will be a very popular book this season and have already seen many book boxes confirm they are doing special editions

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong is a beautiful entry into the cozy fantasy genre that feels like being wrapped in a warm hug. The story follows Tao, an immigrant fortune teller who only predicts small fortunes to avoid big consequences. Her life takes a turn when a thief and an ex-mercenary recruit her to help find a lost child. Along the way, they're joined by a baker and a slightly magical cat, creating a charming and unlikely group of companions.
The strength of this book lies in its heartfelt exploration of found family, a theme that resonates deeply with me. The characters are distinct and wonderfully developed, each bringing out the best in one another. As they lower their defenses and form bonds, they create a sense of warmth and camaraderie that feels genuine and touching. There were moments where I found myself crying as the story struck just the right balance between big, emotional scenes and quiet, character-driven moments.

Julie Leong's writing is both tender and evocative, perfectly capturing the essence of these small yet meaningful interactions. The story’s pacing allows for a deep dive into each character’s personal journey while still maintaining a compelling plot. I felt every moment of Tao's struggle as she faced her past and the decision to risk everything for a future she never thought possible.

Both the UK and US cover images are stunning and capture the spirit of the book in different ways, enhancing the reading experience from the moment you pick it up. While I’d love to read more stories set in this enchanting world, I’d still be satisfied if this was the only tale we get to experience.

The Teller of Small Fortunes is a story about finding a family in the most unexpected places and learning to embrace the risk that comes with love and connection. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves cozy fantasy or simply enjoys stories that celebrate the power of human (and slightly magical) connection.

Recommendations: If you enjoyed The Teller of Small Fortunes, I recommend The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, another heartwarming story with strong themes of found family and magic. For a movie recommendation, try The Magic of Ordinary Days, a Hallmark film that captures a similar warmth and focus on meaningful connections.

A fortune teller, a man looking for his daughter, an ex-thief and a baker walk into a bar….. and there’s a magical cat


The plot is there but the book is majority vibes

Pick up this book and go on a cosy, relaxing adventure right now! The Teller of Small Fortunes is a chill fantasy adventure focusing around Tao, a Seer, who chooses to see only small fortunes as to avoid both the troubles and woes that comes with big prophecies and her family who are trying to sign her up to the Magic Guild. On her travels, she comes across Mash, a mercenary searching for his daughter, and Silt, a somewhat reformed thief looking for love. Together with Kina, a baker in need of travel and inspiration, the four embark on a journey to find what they are all looking for.

I absolutely love this story - the found family aspects, the healing, the overarching themes were all beautiful and a true pleasure to read. Leong's detailed descriptions throw you straight into the setting and don't let you out. Thoroughly recommend!

4.5/5 stars

The Teller of Small Fortunes is an Asian-inspired cozy fantasy following a traveling fortune teller. Tao lives a lonely life with only her wagon and mule as she travels along the rural countryside telling small fortunes for a small price. But when she is joined by an ex-mercenary, a not-so reformed thief, and a baker’s apprentice, her careful existence becomes more complicated as they search for a missing little girl while Tao’s past comes chasing after her.

This was just such a joy to read, and it had me from the very first chapter. It was incredibly heartwarming, endlessly charming, and entirely cozy. Despite being set in a kingdom on the brink of war and with increasing ethno-hostility, the book never feels too dark and tells a small story with a big impact. And while the story may be simple, the delight it elicits and the emotionality it evokes aren’t. In the midst of all the tea drinking, baking, journeying through unfamiliar places, and forming new friendships, a found family is formed, and I can never not love a found family.

Tao carries much of the burden and bulk of the story as it is told nearly entire from her perspective. She is an immigrant in a foreign land whose mystical occupation can easily be perceived as hostile. She is easy to root for, complex, and relatable (especially as a few generations down immigrant myself and as someone of Chinese descent). Alongside her are a cast of entirely lovable characters: Mash who is valued for his strength if not his poetic prowess desperately searching for his missing daughter; Silt whose carefree and cavalier persona hides a man who doesn’t know who he can be aside from a thief; and Kina, a woman who has lived a sheltered life seeking both adventure and the betterment of her baking. I’d read more of their journey should there be sequels.

The Teller of Small Fortunes is a heartwarming and delightful Asian cozy fantasy.

The Teller of Small Fortunes is the story of Tao the fortune teller and her travels across the Kingdom of Eshtera. It's a cosy tale of found family, delicious, if misshapen baked goods and healing.

This was a cosy and emotive read with wonderfully fleshed put characters that you couldn't help but love! You rooted for them, laughed with them and wept with them. They were incredibly relatable!

The plot was fun, mostly low stakes but with plenty of adventure. Delightfully whimsical and I'm hoping that the author has left an opening for a potential sequel (I certainly think it's possible)

Overall this is a warm hug from a friend, a cosy blanket and a warm drink on a cold day....an utter delight from start to finish 🥰

I abandoned this book at 20 per cent because it unfortunately failed to capture my interest in the slightest, due to a lack of characterisation of the main character Tao and a lack of grit in the narrative. The narration seemed so boring to me that it took away any interest I might have had in the story.

For fans of Legends and Lattes.
A fortune teller, warrior, a thief, a troll-conquering baker, and a mangy cat comes together in this cozy fantasy.

Tao, the Teller of Small Fortunes is a Shinn woman used to travelling alone with just her wagon and mule, never staying in one place long.
Sooner or later, Tao knew, as the small fortunes she told began proving unerringly true and the novelty of a Shinn in the town square wore away, there would come the uneasy looks and the muttering. Better to leave while she was still welcome and before the mage Guild can catch her.

Her solitude is disturbed by unexpected companions - self-professed non-highwaymen searching for a missing daughter; and an uninspired baker who wants to see the world.

Familiarity could look very much like love from a certain angle, if one didn't look too hard.

This is the epitome of found family. Finding friendship and community out of those you connect with along the way. The loyalty and understanding you grant each other.

There were random side quests which felt tangent to the story, but allowed the author to explore different ways of Othering and the use of the power against the weaker.

"I think you have changed," said Tao. "In enough small ways that you just don't quite notice it while it's happening, but then you look in the mirror one day, and you're altogether different. That's how it was for me, anyway."

This would be perfect to read in one day when you want to feel lighter and more hopeful about the world and the people around you.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for a review.

This was such a perfect cozy fantasy book perfect for this weather.

This book is about friendship, about the future and how we make our own future and nothing is written on stones.

It’s about how a story teller, a magical baker, and ex soldier and a reformed thief change things

❤️❤️❤️

If you loved legends and latte this is the book for you

4.5⭐️

I’m a big fan of low stakes cosy fantasies because they give me that warm fuzzy feeling and this one was no exception. This is a whimsical, adventure story that will have you thinking of all your childhood favourites

The story follows immigrant fortune teller Tao finding her way in the world travelling with her trusty mule Laohu. Along her way she forms a motley crew of the most wonderful interesting characters. Tao makes friendships she never dreamed she’d make and finds herself caught up in an adventure that she must make decisions to help save that newfound family.

The way Leong portrays her feelings and experience with being an immigrant is weaved so cleverly into the story. I found Tao’s feelings to be so well written that they were emotional and heartbreaking.

The strength in this book lays with the characters, I adored all of them. A fortune teller, a baker, a cat, a mercenary and a thief! There is such great banter between the characters and depth to their personalities. This is an example of found family done to perfection.

I was so delighted by this story, and it stands as a firm favourite in the low-stakes cosy fantasy category.

Favourite quotes 🌸🥠
“All cats are slightly magical, don’t you know? It’s why they’re so smug all the time”

“We’re not always cheerful and funny. We’ve sadness, and anxiety, and all these other bitter things wrapped up inside, too, and that’s what makes the sweetness all the sweeter”

“Strangers who had flitted in and out of her life only briefly, but in doing so had shaped the course of her journey. As she had theirs”

Thank you Netgalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Julie Leong for providing me with a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Teller of Small Fortunes is a wholesome cosy fantasy that's exactly what I need to read right now. This book has everything I'd love like found family, animal companions, low stake quests, and delicious food. I adore every single character. It is an amazing debut novel and I can't wait to read the author's future works. Also, both book covers are amazing and perfectly capture the wholesomeness of the story. I highly recommend this book to every reader. Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Title: The Teller of Small Fortunes
Author: Julie Leong
Pages: 336
Rating: 5/5

Arc Copy (gifted) - review left voluntarily
Publish date - 5th November 2924

Oh my gosh what a cosy beautiful comforting read. This was just a big fluffy blanket of loveliness. The relationships between the characters. Comradeship and loyalty is so lovely. You can smell the tea when fortunes are told and the delicious baked goods.

I felt I was invested in the storyline and what happened to the characters. It ended nicely but still with an opportunity for sequels should the author wish to carry on their journey. (I'd love to know what the conflict was about in a reading!)

I enjoyed these misfit adventurers and I was sad when I came to the end of the book. I absolutely inhaled this read from start to finish.

Beautiful!!

You'll love this book if you like
- heart warming friendships
- little to no romance
- cats
- cosy fantasy
- low stakes high reward
- comrade and kinship
- no cliff hangers/stand alone reads

Thank you @netgalley, @hodderbooks and @hodderscape for allowing me to review.

Will you be putting this on your tbr? Have you read it already, what were your thoughts??

Sometimes I really want to read a book that will make me happy. I want to forget my problems and the real cruel world and just be happy and bubbly. This is that book.

The Teller of Small Fortunes feels like a warm blanket and warm sweet drink in your comfiest chair/sofa. It’s the epitope of of cozy fantasy and it has everything to go right: adventurous quests, shattering fortunes, an unexpected group of misfits who become each other’s home and help each other find their place in the world, tasty baked goods, magic, magical creatures and very sassy cats.

Were the characters a bit ridiculous at times? Yes. Were some points resolved way to fast and in a very simplistic way? Also yes. Did any of that bother me? Nope, I’m here for it! I loved the quirky and funny characters, I loved the humour and knowing that things would work out. I loved seeing characters doing the right thing and everything working out for them.

The wonderful thing about this book is that it never failed to put a smile on my face after a long day so I can’t recommend it enough.

Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton and NetGallery for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely delightful storytelling, with all the warmth, charm and heart that cosy fantasy deserves.
Tao is a teller of small fortunes that finds family and friendship whilst travelling around the countryside.
I loved the characters, the world building was fabulous and the plot was perfect. It was especially satisfying to have every lose thread caught
From small fortunes come great things.