The Teller of Small Fortunes

This book was so cute. Cosy and whimsical fantasy vibes. Very beautifully written.
I loved this one a lot!

I am so in love with this sweet, whimsical book! Found it impossible to put this one down, and I honestly cannot wait to read it again. Everything about this was so elegantly crafted, from the characters to the story, and the emotional moments really hit me like a truck. Tao! I want to hug her - I want to hug everyone in this lovely found family, actually. Please don't miss this one! My eternal gratitude to the publisher & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in advance!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
5 stars
A very satisfying and wholesome book. The protagonist is a
Touches on the struggle all of us feel when part of us belongs oneplace but also elsewhere, as a British born Indian descendant I wholeheartedly get it and feel that the author portrayed the feelings of loss of our past, unsure where we belong, but also the joy of double the cultures to play and dabble with. I loved the book, it could've very easily read young however the lack of a romantic interest for the protagonist, I think, saves it. The storyline was fab, full of adventure and again just so heartwarming and wholesome. A great warm read to set you up for joy.

I loved this book! It was quirky, interesting and heart-warming, and a total antidote to all the dark things I've been reading recently. Highly recommended if you are looking for something a little different.

Cosy and utterly charming. I loved the premise and this delivered beautifully. Highly recommend if you enjoy cosy fantasy. I will be look out for more from this author.

I’m a critical reader (with a heart of stone) who’s not got on with popular ‘cozy fantasy’ in the past. I was floored at how much I enjoyed this - there’s something so genuine, so special about this story!

🥠 We have a cast of likeable and interesting characters. These folks feel human and I loved the group dynamic. I think Kina was my favourite but there’s something to root for in everyone.
🥠 There are a few threads in this story that illustrate healing. I particularly liked watching Tao expand her horizons and change her perspective on things as she grew, learned, and experienced new things.
🥠 The book had a plot and light conflict. While a positive and comforting read, our characters still had to go through things, learn, fail, and manage conflict. The addition of (manageable) struggles and conflict kept the story pacing on track and prevented it from being saccharine.
🥠 The food writing - Kina’s bakery theme - was awesome. I’ve never craved baked goods more than when I was enjoying this book.
🥠 As an ex-pat, I deeply appreciated the commentary about racism and immigration threaded throughout this book. Parts of Tao’s experience were heartbreakingly relatable and handled in an honest, but conscious, way.
🥠 Without giving spoilers, I loved the lecture that Kina gives Silt!
🥠 A slightly magical cat is always a win!
🥠 Both the UK and the North American covers are stunning. They’re very different but both suit the story and are a joy to look it.

In case it helps: I was almost put off requesting this book because it was catalogued as romance on NetGalley. But, when I looked on the Goodreads and Storygraph tags, it wasn’t, so I took a leap of faith… which really paid off. This story is a lot of things but it’s not a romance (in fact, it’s got ace/aro rep!).

This book is a weighted blanket and a cup of hot cocoa when you need it most. I confidently recommend this to readers who might need some respite from the world and invite you all to escape into the comforting and cozy world that Leong has gifted us in The Teller of Small Fortunes.

I was privileged to have my request to read this book accepted through NetGalley. Thank you so much, Hodderscape!

Reading this book is like being hugged and handed warm cocoa. It's a brilliantly crafted story with appealing characters you'll fall for. I enjoy everything about this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. I do enjoy a good cozy fantasy and have read several already this year, but this is one of them that really stood out to me. For one thing, the focus of the story was not on romance, but rather weaving a tale of found family. I loved how each member of the band had their own issues and felt like very realistic people, and I loved how they all came together to help each other overcome them. The book has some D+D likes vibes as well, and I would absolutely love to read more about these characters and their adventures!

This was truly so, so lovely. It reminds me a lot of Becky Chambers’ Monk and Robot series if it were a little more plot heavy, which for me is definitely appreciated.

The characters were a pleasure to be with for their stories, and the themes of friendship, family and forgiveness were enough to make me tear up at times.

this is a truly special addition to the cosy fantasy genre, if not one of the best I’ve read so far. I would love to see where else we could go with this story and am waiting with anticipation for a potential sequel!

This book was honestly such a treat to read! Full of cosy side quests and low stakes journeys it’s the perfect book to curl up with a cup of tea. Going into it I wasn’t expecting to be so emotional but this got me in the feels!

This book was completely unexpected. I didn't know what to anticipate when I started reading and I certainly didn't know where the book was going to end up.
Much like the main character Tao's meandering route, in her wagon, through Eshtera it took the reader along for an unexpected journey that picked up some odd acquaintances along the way who became fast friends by the end.
The book slowly unveiled Tao's motivation and reasons for travelling solo through a foreign land as a young vulnerable female, viewed with suspicion by the people she was trying to help and sell fortunes to.
It dealt with complex themes such as loneliness, estrangement, prejudice, racial discrimination and the importance of the bonds of friendship and family.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and felt like I was on an emotional journey with the main character that made me evaluate how some of those themes affect my life.
I felt it was extremely apt given the current racial dissonance occurring in the UK and globally and it provided a unique insight into the emotional exploration that this young woman experiences.

Thanks so much for an early copy of this book!!

This was such a wonderful and cosy read! It was such a lovely escape with light conflict and characters that you become so invested in.

The UK cover is stunning and I think this book should be read by all to escape from reality and fall in love with magic. And maybe a slightly magical cat .....

You know how there are certain books that you just know that you are going to love? That was me when I started reading The Teller of Small Fortunes . This book is so delightfully charming and so full of heart, which made it so easy to fall in love with. To me, this book had the vibes of a Studio Ghibli film mixed with a cozy fantasy-esque DND campaign. There’s just this comforting quality about Teller, which makes you feel like you are being wrapped up in a warm embrace.

At the centre of this story is a cast of truly amazing characters. There’s Tao, the teller of small fortunes, Mash the former mercenary, Silt the (maybe) reformed thief and Kina the baker. There is also a magic animal companion; a wonderful, clever cat. They are a found family in every sense of the world; all of them so very different, having very different goals but coming together as one in the end. And no spoilers, but this is one found family that you want to read about.

I found this to be such an incredible cozy fantasy tale, with some hefty stakes (including the search for a missing daughter) and I know I will be thinking about this for the foreseeable future. Julie Leong’s writing is so impressive and so wonderful, and also very immersive, taking you straight into the adventures of Tao and her newfound family.

A cozy fantasy full of heart, hope and the determination to not give up on your goals and letting yourself change, The Teller of Small Fortunes is an incredible debut. I, for one, cannot wait to read more of what Julie Leong has in store for us.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good cozy low stakes fantasy and this one upped the game and hit the spot. If you’re craving all the feel goods, The Teller of Small Fortunes is your gal. This book was like a warm fire and a cup of hot chocolate for the soul. Tao and her charming “small fortunes” (that a lot of the time inadvertently revealed much bigger answers) are so thoughtfully constructed and well written it made the book hard to put down. Also, I realize the enormity of what I’m getting ready to say, but I’m gonna say it any way… This might be my very favorite found family story ever. I know, but it’s true. There’s just something about this book that hit home and never has a similar journey felt more deserved and genuine. I’ll 100% be buying a copy of this when it comes out, 5 stars