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.

Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review!

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4,5 stars - make some tea, get comfortable and experience a magical heartwarming hug of a book.

“And what was a home but somewhere you wouldn’t have to feel quite so alone?”

I had such a lovely time with this book. It’s easy and fun to read, with an incredibly heartwarming story. The stakes rarely felt overly high, so it wasn’t stressful to read, but it also never felt boring or like things stood still - there was always something going on, either a problem to solve or an emotion to get through. I was worried cosy fantasy wouldn’t quite be my thing, as I am a lover of drama and angst, but this book more than allayed those fears.
The characters were all so loveable, and I found myself rooting for them from the moment I first met them.

“She was a cup of tea, overflowing with warmth and wrapped in loving hands.”

The story, and characters, is overall very cosy with heavier emotions and topics in the background - without that lessening the impact or importance of them. I cried, I laughed, I cheered, and was left with such a full heart at the end.

The vibes reminded me of a mix of Howl’s Moving Castle and a low magic roadtrip style D&D campaign. Found family, love and acceptance are all major themes. I would highly recommend it to all fans of fantasy, who need a little break from stress and having to think too hard while reading to remember who’s who and what’s what, or who just needs a hug and a story where everything turns out alright.

“And… There are cinnamon buns?”

This was the most delightfully adorable book I've read in a long, long time.

I loved the slightly mysterious storyline, the charming characters and the found family aspect.

It was whimsical, funny, emotional and just completely and utterly wholesome. The most perfect book to get lost in.

Well this was one of the cutest books I've ever read. It is the book equivalent of a mug of good hot soup, literally pages filled with warm hugs.

It's a low-stakes cosy fantasy about found family, learning who you are and becoming your best self - all with a bit of magic and mini adventures thrown in.

I adored all of the characters and the different personal journeys they go on, with the end being so damn cute it had me crying happy tears. It is the ultimate feeling good book.

While it is low-stakes, enough happens that it keeps a good pace. There's not really any lulls and each new little adventure kept me turning pages. It's also a very easy read, so ideal when you just want something that will keep you entertained without having to deal with lots of fantasy world building.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will happily read it again on rainy days in the future.

The Teller of Small Fortunes is a heartwarming debut fantasy that offers the perfect blend of light-hearted adventure and cosy charm, making it an ideal read for fans of Travis Baldree and Sangu Mandanna.

At the centre of the story is Tao, an immigrant fortune-teller who travels from village to village with only her mule for company. She specializes in "small" fortunes—foreseeing when it will hail, which boy the barmaid will kiss, or when a cow will calve. Tao’s cautious approach to fortune-telling stems from her belief that big fortunes come with big consequences, and her solitary, nomadic life seems a safer alternative to her troubled past.

However, everything changes when Tao is roped into a quest by a (semi) reformed thief and an ex-mercenary to find a missing child. Along the way, they’re joined by a baker with a passion for adventure and a slightly magical cat, forming an unexpected and quirky family. Together, they embark on a journey full of humorous and heartfelt moments, but Tao’s past looms large, and she must decide whether to risk everything to protect the new family she never thought she'd have.

This book is a delightful escape into the cosy fantasy genre, with its irresistible mix of found family, magical creatures, and delicious baked goods. The characters are charmingly eccentric, and the story is filled with quips and light-hearted humour that will leave readers smiling. It's the kind of book that wraps you up in warmth and happiness, making you feel good from start to finish. For readers looking for a whimsical and uplifting adventure, The Teller of Small Fortunes is a perfect choice.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview

With thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book is cosy, comforting, and was such a joy to read. The descriptions of everything was so clear and vivid that it felt like I was watching a beautiful movie. The characters were incredible, and felt so real. The writing is like being wrapped in a big hug and given a good cup of tea and a delicious scone. It’s the perfect autumnal read!

The found family aspect of this was my absolute favourite. All of the characters interacted with each other so naturally, and the ending was exactly what I wanted with this little group!

This was such a beautiful book to read and I can’t wait to get my own copy.

A fortune teller, a merchant, a thief, a baker and an entity of chaos... uh...I mean magical cat.
A quest, a dark past an handful of worst laid plans.
All wrapped in the lovely embrace of found family.

This is basically all this book is, and frankly it's all this book needs.

Bonus: if you ever wanted to know how Fortune Cookies were invented, you're lucky.

Cozy fantasy at its best with real good characters, low stakes - but also serious themes like prejudice and being treated badly for simply being different.

4,5/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @hodderbooks for the eARC!

#TheTellerOfSmallFortunes #Netgalley #Bookstagram

A cosy joy of a story that not only warms your heart with its sweetness and whimsy, but also resonates on a deeply human level, filled with sincerity, love and a longing for home.

I've been loving this trend of cozy fantasy's popping up recently and The Teller of Small Fortunes was a fun, if not stand-out, addition to the genre.

Our story follows Tau, a Teller of Small Fotunes. Someone who can read palms, tea-leaves etc and gives out 'small' fortunes such as whether you'll get a new cloak, or if your neighbour will be selling their land. Tau is also Shin, a race of people who come from across the sea, and who have a tenuous relationship with the Eshteran's. Both of these facts mean Tau has lead a relatively lonely life, never staying in one town too long for fear people will notice her fortunes come true and ask for something bigger. But that all changes when fate puts a felled tree in her path and she get's helped by a retired soldier, Mash and retired thief, Silt. When Tau reads Mash's fortune she doesn't realise the effect it will have on him, nor just how much one small fortune could change her life and, after being joined by a baker, Kina, the group go on an unlikely journey through Eshtera looking for purpose, money and most of all, for Mash's lost daughter.

If you enjoy stories that heavily feature found families, the quirkier the better, then this might just be the book for you. Our motley crew are certainly on the stranger side, a teller of small fortunes. ex-soldier, semi-retired thief and baker, but fate has plans in store for them all. I really enjoyed the connections between them all. The hesitance at first, to open up, to trust strangers, and then the almost domesticity that they attain after travelling together for a while. They are each carrying their own baggage, their own trauma and as the story progresses we see them open up to one another, helping each other to defeat their pasts, or to own them. Their interactions are hilarious and heartwarming in equal measure, and Leong manages to makes them quirky, whilst also fitting them into some well used stereotypes.

The plot itself is heavily character driven. It's almost a quest style journey, them travelling to try and find Mash's daughter, filled with side quests and obstacles our characters have to achieve to reach their goals. But these obstacles aren't always physical, in fact expect for a few, the obstacles are largely internal. Some of the 'side quests' seemed a little pointless to me, and didn't actually add anything to the story except for a bit of mild peril, but it was the internal ones, the parts where our characters had to look into themselves, do things out of their comfort zones, things they swore never to do, that were the most interesting. The main character we see this in is Tau, we learn fairly early on that her gift for 'small fortunes' is more of a decision than a skill issue, and as the story progresses we learn, in the most heartbreaking way, why she decided to stay on the small side of fortune giving.

Leong really lent into the immigrant experience with this book, and through the story we see Tau deal with all the different ways people deal with people they see as 'different.' The people who can see past it, the one's that don't judge someone because of how they look or where they're from. The people who can't see past Tau's race, who don't want to. And finally the ones who see her as a rarity, the ones who stare and wonder at her heritage not knowing how hurtful that can be. And we also see Tau herself dealing with her heritage, feeling she is neither Shin nor Eshteran, and not knowing where she fits in the current world. It adds a real emotional aspect to the story, seeing Tau trying to traverse this place that will always see her as an outsider, even though she was raised there.

The Teller of Small Fortunes was fun, if not a little too hard on the tropes and stereotypes, but the one thing I did enjoy was the lack of romance. Leong went hard into the found family style story-telling and it worked so well with this bunch of characters. If you're a lover of cozy fantasy, I think you will enjoy this one.

This was definitely another one of those "judging the book by its cover" book, because it is a beautiful cover and really invites you in.

On Amazon, it said it is for fans of Legends and Lattes, but I didn't like that book and actually didn't finish it, so it was interesting to see how this one faired. Turns out it had it's upsides and its flaws.

I believe it is Julie's debut novel, and I can definitely see links to the Legends and Lattes type books.

I know we're not meant to quote lines from an ARC in reviews in case it doesn't end up in the final copy, and so I won't, but I will say that the opening sentence is one of the best I've read. It's witty, funny, unusual and really drags you in wanting to know more. But I would say the opening is probably the strongest part.

Julie has created such a magical fantasy world that you get fully enveloped in, which was lovely.

It is very sickly sweet. I enjoyed it and it was nice to read, nothing overly strenuous, but it was a nice sort of palette cleanser between hard-hitting stories. It's cosy and relaxing but I did miss having something a bit more meaty to get my teeth into.

I can see the majority of reviews have already given it 5 stars, and I can see why, even though I am slightly less than enamoured with it. It was good, it was sweet and funny and easy-going, but lacking something a bit...more, for me.

It does have some interesting themes running through it - family, immigration, a sense of belonging etc. which was good, but at times I felt it was slightly shoved in, like we couldn't just have a nice carefree run read, there had to be a moral behind it, and it didn't feel overly natural at times.

I did like the band of unruly characters, of a family made out of circumstance rather than blood. It's a group of misfits that don't really fit anywhere, but somehow they fit together.

I found the pacing a little strange. It took a while to get going, in some chapters there wasn't much going on, but then other bits sped through so fast I couldn't really get to grips with it.

Overall, there wasn't a huge amount of depth for me in the plot or characters. It's a perfectly pleasant book to enjoy over a cold autumnal evening. It's you're really into this genre, if you enjoyed Legends and Lattes, then this will definitely be for you. But if you want something a bit more substantial, then you might find it a bit flat.