On the day the Teller of Small Fortunes came to Necker, the village was in an uproar because the candlemaker’s would-be apprentice had lost all the goats.’

The first line from The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

Today, I have been thinking back on all the wonderful books I read in 2025. This one was a gift from Christmas 2024. It sat on my bookshelf for a little while until the time was right. It was wonderful. Easily one of my top books of 2025 (published in 2024 and now available in paperback). Quite simply, it made me smile. It also reminded me that the right book can often find us just when we need it, even if we don’t seek it out. Books really do make the greatest of gifts. My copy of The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong is published in the UK by HodderScape.

Synopsis

Fleeing a troubled past, immigrant fortune Teller Tao roams the dusty countryside with only her mule for company, telling small fortunes, for small prices. Big fortunes come with big consequences…which she knows from bitter experience.

It’s a lonely life, until she encounters an ex-mercenary and a (semi) reformed thief, who 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 her friends break down her walls, the shadows of her past close in. Now, Tao must decide whether to risk everything to save the family she never thought she could have…

A cosy fantasy about trying to find yourself – and finding a family instead.

If you’d like to discover more about Julie Leong then please do take a look at her website: https://www.julieleong.com/

Thank you for visiting today.

Happy reading!

*I never use AI to write my blogs. All opinions (and any errors) are my own and make both it and me wonderfully human.