November 25, 2024
The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
Tao is a traveling fortune teller, roaming the countryside in her wagon with her mule Laohu. She tells what she refers to as small fortunes: what day will the cow have her calf, what day is the best to go fishing, who will the barmaid go to the dance with. Once she told a "large" fortune that had dire consequences, and someone she loved ended up dying. Since then, Tao has vowed to tell only small harmless fortunes. But when two mercenaries and later a baker end up joining her on her travels for their own reasons, Tao learns that family and home can be whatever you choose them to be.
A sweet and heartwarming cozy fantasy in the same vein as Legends and Lattes, or The Spellshop, although I thought both of those novels had more developed characters and stronger plotlines. Leong's novel is like a palette cleanser when you need a break from heavier fantasy fiction or genres. Recommended for readers of fantasy, cozy mysteries, or romantasy.
Tea leaf fortune telling, Tao's favorite method of fortune telling
