What a charming book! "The Teller of Small Fortunes" by Julie Leong is a delightful cozy fantasy that follows the adventures of a wandering fortune teller. This is exactly the kind of book I love, and it exceeded my expectations!
Tao is a lonely immigrant fortune teller who travels between villages with only her mule, Laohu, for company, telling only "small" fortunes to avoid the notice of the Mage Guild and stay under the radar. While on the road, she meets Mash, an ex-mercenary who writes bad poetry, and his friend Silt, an ex-thief. Before she knows it, she joins their quest to find Mash's missing four-year-old daughter. Along the way, they are joined by a baker (Kina) and a slightly magical cat (Fidelitus). Thus begins a grand adventure as they try to dodge the magefinder sent by the Mage Guild after her.
I loved the book! It reminded me of two series I love: Legends & Lattes and the Monk and Robot books (especially the tea ceremony in the latter). I enjoyed the growing friendship between the crew, the character development, and the setting. The characters were finely drawn and came to life as their interactions revealed bits of their past. I could almost smell the baked goods, taste the tea fragrances, and see myself sitting by their campfire, listening to Mash quote his poetry.
The reader is quickly wrapped up in the lives of the characters - great characters you can deeply connect with and care about. The book explores themes of friendship, loyalty, mutual support, racism, political conflict, grief, parental neglect, free will vs. fate, family, identity, and belonging. The experience of an immigrant caught between cultures was well-etched and resonated with me.
The pacing of the book is well-balanced - not too fast or too slow - allowing the reader to fully immerse themselves in the characters' journey. This steady pace complements the cozy, nature of the story, making it easy to savor each moment. The ending was satisfying and left me yearning for more.
In sum, this is a feel-good and heartwarming book that leaves you feeling all warm inside. Very engrossing and sweeping, I loved every minute of it and highly recommend it! If you enjoy curling up with a good book and being whisked away to another place, this is the book for you!
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* For more info about the book: "The Teller of Small Fortunes" by Julie Leong
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