Back of Book: 

A wandering fortune teller finds an unexpected family in this warm and wonderful debut fantasy, perfect for readers of Travis Baldree and Sangu Mandanna.

Tao is an immigrant fortune teller, traveling between villages with just her trusty mule for company. She only tells "small" fortunes: whether it will hail next week; which boy the barmaid will kiss; when the cow will calve. She knows from bitter experience that big fortunes come with big consequences…

Even if it’s a lonely life, it’s better than the one she left behind. But a small fortune unexpectedly becomes something more when a (semi) reformed thief and an ex-mercenary recruit her into their desperate search for a lost child. Soon, they’re joined by a baker with a knead for adventure, and—of course—a slightly magical cat.

Tao sets down a new path with companions as big-hearted as her fortunes are small. But as she lowers her walls, the shadows of her past are closing in—and she’ll have to decide whether to risk everything to preserve the family she never thought she could have.

Book Number: One

Genre: Adult | Fantasy 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 

A cozy fantasy adventure featuring eccentric characters, small fortunes needing to be told, and the joys of taking control of your own fate. 

For several years, Tao, the Teller of Small Fortunes, has been traveling from town to town with only her trusted mule for company. It may be lonely at times, but it is much better than the life that she has left behind. Unexpectedly, one of Tao's small fortunes leads to an adventure of a lifetime as her empty life is suddenly filled by a former mercenary on a quest to find his daughter, a semi-reformed thief, a dubious baker, and a cat that may be slightly magical. As the group wanders the world, Tao's past begins slowly creeping into her life and the trust she has in newfound friends will be put to the test. 

When I first came across the concept of this book many months ago, I immediately added it to my mental TBR. It sounded so sweet and I thought it was so cool that Tao had the gift of foresight, but was unwilling to reveal too much about any one person's future. When seeing "The Teller of Small Fortunes" on my library's new shelf, I knew I couldn't leave it behind. 

Upon first starting this book, I was honestly a tad skeptical. The intro was quite slow and I feared it would turn into another "Legends & Lattes" situation in which the concept was super cute but nothing else really engaged me. Luckily, once the cast was fully assembled, I started to get into the vibe of this book way more. This book's plot also had me interested in how it ended, which had me flipping through the pages. 

The humor was definitely the highlight of the book for me. Siltarian Silvertongue is such an eccentric character and I instantly enjoyed his charisma, his struggle with being a kleptomaniac, and his skirt chasing ways. Some of the stuff that comes of out of this man's mouth had me giggling aloud and he most certainly added the hook to this book that kept me reading it. 

The found family of this book is also another major win. From the start, I could tell that Tao was super lonely and despite reluctantly allowing her new travel companions to join her, I could tell that she didn't want them to leave her. And it doesn't hurt that the characters she encounters are kind people who are willing to put her needs before their own. From Mash, the ex-mercenary with a heart of gold, Silt, the charming thief, Kina, the struggling baker, and Fidelitus, the smug cat who clearly thinks he's the center of the universe, Tao is in good hands. I quite enjoyed meeting her traveling party and spending a cozy evening with the group as they tried to achieve their various goals. 

I also loved that Leong decided to paint her own experiences living on the border into Tao's journey. As an immigrant from Shinara, the people of Eshtera often act on their prejudices and assume the worst of her. Tao also has to work through her complex feelings she holds for her homeland and her home of choice. I think this added a level of depth to this book that the story really needed. 

There were elements of this story, such as the wild goose chase quest that some rando sends them on that weren't the most engaging things in the world, but for the most part, I was thoroughly entertained by this narrative and the lessons that it was meant to instill on me. 

Overall, I am glad that I prioritized reading "The Teller of Small Fortunes" and this book didn't get lost in the void of my endless TBR. The prose is beautiful, the characters are a fun group of people, and the cozy vibes were definitely there while also having a nice balance of a conflict that kept the story rolling. This has been one of my favorite adult cozy fantasy/sci-fi book that I've read thus far, so if you are a fan of some of the most popular of these books, "The Teller of Small Fortunes" could be a good fit for you. And if you are new to the genre? This book would be a great one to test out and see if super cozy books are your style! 

Back of Book: 

An almost-mage discovers friendship—and maybe something more—in the unlikeliest of places in this delightfully charming novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Teller of Small Fortunes.

Certainty Bulrush wants to be useful—to the Guild of Mages that took her in as a novice, to the little brother who depends on her, and to anyone else she can help. Unfortunately, her tepid magic hasn’t proven much use to anyone. When Certainty has the chance to earn her magehood via a seemingly straightforward assignment, she takes it. Nevermind that she’ll have to work with Mage Aurelia, the brilliant, unfairly attractive overachiever who’s managed to alienate everyone around her.

The two must transport minorly magical artifacts somewhere safe: Shpelling, the dullest, least magical village around. There, they must fix up an old warehouse, separate the gossipy teapots from the kind-of-flaming swords, corral an unruly little catdragon who has tagged along, and above all: avoid complications. The Guild’s uneasy relationship with citizens is at a tipping point, and the last thing needed is a magical incident.

Still, as mage and novice come to know Shpelling’s residents—and each other—they realize the Guild’s hoarded magic might do more good being shared. Friendships blossom while Certainty and Aurelia work to make Shpelling the haven it could be. But magic is fickle—add attraction and it might spell trouble. 

Book Number: Two

Genre: Adult | Romance 

Review: ?