Julie Leong's debut is a warm and wonderful cozy fantasy adventure!
This cozy fantasy debut is a gem. And I LOVED it! Beautifully written, it conveys an aura of magic and myth with gentleness and heart, and I was drawn in from the start. Then, I fell in love with the characters and did not want the book to end! Heartwarming and sweet, the story has depth as it touches on themes like found family, personal growth, healing and forgiveness, and immigrant experiences.
The character development is very well done, with nuanced characters that come to life on the page. Tao, a wandering immigrant fortune teller, is about to embark on an unexpected adventure. A seemingly ordinary small fortune will lead her to travel with a former mercenary searching for his missing child, a semi-reformed thief, an apprentice baker hungry for new experiences, and some fabulous animals. As they travel and open up to one another, they show tremendous growth across the story, and you can't help but root for them. I loved this and cannot wait to read what Leong writes next! Fans of cozy fantasy don't miss this one!
The special PR box with the envelopes to open along the way was a delightful surprise! It added a unique and interactive with interesting insights from the author. Such a fun and engaging way to read!
Phyllis Ho's narration of the audiobook is delightful. She brings a sense of wonder to the world-building and expertly embodies the various personalities and emotions of the characters. Her narration kept me fully immersed in the story, even when I couldn't read the physical book. I alternated between the physical and audio, and the story is entertaining in either format.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing, Ace Books Publishing, and Penguin Random House Audio for the wonderful, gifted PR Box, and audiobook!
My steep was Mint & Green Chai #33 by Portal Tea. This one is unique and so good!A green tea with chai spices and a hint of peppermint!
PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:
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 starts 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 close in—and she’ll have to decide whether to risk everything to preserve the family she never thought she could have.
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