Celestial | The Teller of Small Fortunes
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The Teller of Small Fortunes
Julie Leong
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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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Posts about this title from Celestial
💭 do you have a favorite book dedication?
💭 do you have a favorite book dedication?
recommending books i enjoyed using their dedications (part two)!
📚 books mentioned: - I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea - Lucha of the Night Forest by Tehlor Kay Mejia - Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar - These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa - The Black Girl Survives in This One, edit by Desiree S. Evans - Conditions of a Heart by Bethany Mangle - Transmogrify!: 14 Fantastical Tales of Trans Magic: An LGBTQ+ Young Adult Fantasy Anthology of Unforgettable Adventures, edited by g. haron davis - A Game in Yellow by Hailey Piper - Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson - We Have Reached the End of Our Show by Ali Gordon - Nimona by N.D. Stevenson - The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
👗💄: - dress is from Mac Duggal, rented from Nuuly - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Get Underlined, HarperCollins, Saga Press, Wildling Press, and Berkley Pub for the gifted copies!
#bookrecsfromdedications #bookdedications #bookrecs #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @fiercereads @getunderlined @knopfyoungreaders @flatiron_books @simonteen @harpercollins @sagapressbooks @riverheadbooks @wildlingpress @acebookspub @berkleypub @macduggal
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book dedications • recommending books based on their dedications • book dedication recs • horror books • fantasy books • science fiction books • literary fiction • unique books • diverse books • Fierce Reads • Make Me A World • Knopf • Flatiron • Simon Teen • Riverhead Books • ACE Books
12 books
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 23 2025
fragrances can 100% immerse me more in stories!!
fragrances can 100% immerse me more in stories!! disney rides have got this down pat lol. and scent is also SUPER connected to memories, so if I read a book and associate a scent with it, that’s bonus cool.
(tbh i could also do this with candles/diffuser oils that i burn while reading, but maybe that’s too niche???)
📚 books mentioned: - Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino (Soft Spot - @phlur) - The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas (Percy - @olfactorynyc) - The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong (Crumb Couture - @snif.co) - Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas (Missing Person - Phlur) - Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger (7 Summers - @dimebeautyco)
👗💄: - fragrances listed above!! - dress is from @anthropologie (@bhldn), rented from @nuuly - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Fierce Reads, ACE, and Berkley for the gifted copies!
#fantasybooks #literaryfiction #bestperfume #perfumereviews #AcePartner #BerkleyPartner #fiercereads #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram #nycbookstagram @fsgbooks @fiercereads @acebookspub @berkleypub @levinequerido
5 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 2 2025
fantasy books without spice (and minimal romance overall)!
fantasy books without spice (and minimal romance overall)!
but i know people will still ask if there’s spice every darn time. 😭
📚 books mentioned: - To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose - The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings - May a Divine Awaken by Michael Tinsley - The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong - The Undetectables by Courtney Smyth - Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko - The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan - Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson - When Among Crows by Veronica Roth - Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi - Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger - The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings
#fantasybooks #fantasybookrecs #favoritefantasybooks #noromancebooks #nospicebooks #isitspicy #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #nycbookstagram
14 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Feb 1 2025
📖✨would you read these books based on their opening lines? continuing the series of recommending books using their first lines!
📚 books mentioned: - But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo - The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong - The Book Censor’s Library by Bothayna Al-Essa - Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar - Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker - Conditions of a Heart by Bethany Mangle - I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones
#bookrecsfromfirstlines #fantasybooks #horrorbooks #scifibooks #bookrecommendations #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram
7 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jan 19 2025
minimal romance sci fi & fantasy book recs
if you love diverse otherworldly stories and romance isn’t your thing … hey hey hey!
new youtube video just dropped.
(this one goes out to our almost-entirely aroace discord.)
i do vibe with soulmates, but i'm just a girl who prefers her reads romance-free!
5 books
2
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 21 2024
second annual StarrySteph Book Awards!
drum roll please … welcome to the second annual StarrySteph Book Awards! they’re not even the most biased book awards out there!
📚 books mentioned: - Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino - I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones - The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong - The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei - Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi - Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart by GennaRose Nethercott - The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark - Death’s Country by R. M. Romero - The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs - Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger - Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White
#bestbooksof2024 #goodreadschoiceawards #starrystephbookawards #bestbooksoftheyear #2024books #horrorbooks #fantasybooks #scifibooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #booktok #IGShareYourPassion @fsgbooks @sagapressbooks @acebookspub @berkleypub @flatiron_books @riverheadbooks @vintageanchorbooks @tordotcompub @peachtreeteen @theshelfstuff @harpercollins @levinequerido
11 books
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 5 2024
book gifts for fantasy readers!
book recs to gift your fantasy loving reader friends!
📚 books mentioned: - To Shape A Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose - We Are the Origin by C. M. Lockhart - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter - The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan - King of Dead Things by Nevin Holness - Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger - Death’s Country by R. M. Romero - The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
#fantasybooks #fantasybookrecs #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram
9 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 23 2024
this was a beautiful read, and I want you ALL to add it to your TBRs immediately if not sooner!
1 book
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 16 2024
happy birthday to me; read these books because i said so (or face my wrath).
17 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 8 2024
it’s a super speedy october reading wrap up!!
6 books
Posts about this book from across Bindery
Chanterelle Solace\ \ Sabie\ \ • Jun 5
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12 Cozy Fantasy books about Belonging & Finding your place in the world 🤎
What are some of your favourite books that centre found family and finding your place in a community?
While this is a theme that you can find in so many different type of genres/sub-genres, I feel that Cozy Fantasy is the perfect place to explore themes of being othered, not fitting in and finding a place where you do!
A quote that I love from one of the books in here (The Moonsingers by Robyn J Pritzker) that focuses on this theme says: “In fact, what she most wanted, and could never before articulate, was to find the place where she made sense and help others do the same.” and I think every single book in here helps you see how the MCs find their place in their own community and feel accepted🥺🤎
Here’s to the people who accept us just the way we are and become a part of our community just as much as we are a part of theirs 🤎🤎
12 books
1
💭 do you have a favorite book dedication?
💭 do you have a favorite book dedication?
recommending books i enjoyed using their dedications (part two)!
thank you to Get Underlined, HarperCollins, Saga Press, Wildling Press, and Berkley Pub for the gifted copies!
.
12 books
1
The Bibliothecary\ \ Samantha\ \ • Dec 23 2025
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In which I discuss my favorite books of 2025...
♡ Join THE BIBLIOTHECARY: patreon.com/thoughtsontomes or https://bibliothecarybooks.binderybooks.com/ ►► Bibliothecary members get perks such as early access to videos, written posts, podcast-like ramblings, witchcraft book reviews and sharing about my personal craft, a year long interactive reading challenge, seasonal readalongs, and more!
★ Reading spreadsheet I use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twhrdlRfnRs&t=626s ► End screen song: Magic Forest - Kevin MacLeod
★ FREELANCE EDITING SERVICES: https://tinyurl.com/editing-services -- I'm currently accepting clients for developmental editing and manuscript evaluation (I'm full for 2025 - booking now for 2026). I'm interested in working with adult fantasy and scifi, especially Hades and Persephone retellings, stories involving polyamory, and mental health rep. I offer free editing samples of your first 1,000 words to make sure we are a good fit.
➝ DISCLAIMER: This video is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.
WHERE TO FIND ME ► BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thoughtsontomes.bsky.social ► Storygraph (alternative to goodreads): https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/thoughtsontomes ► Instagram: @thoughtsontomes ► Tiktok: @thoughtsontomes_
MORE THAN BOOKS? ★ Check out The Bibliothecary! I used to discuss witchcraft and other topics on my other channel but that content has all moved to The Bibliothecary: https://bibliothecarybooks.binderybooks.com/
REVIEW/BUSINESS INQUIRES ➝ Email: thoughtsontomes@gmail.com ➝ Review Policy: https://thoughtsontomes.tumblr.com/reviewpolicy -- due to the volume of email requests I get, I do not accept review requests from indie or self-published authors at this time
13 books
2
Chanterelle Solace\ \ Sabie\ \ • Dec 19 2025
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Get a Rec from me & What my Taste in books look like
What are some books that represent your taste overall and do we have any in common? 👀
Before we dive into this, Bindery now has an option to request recs and you can go to the 🔗 in my bio and click “Get a Rec” and ask for details of what you’d like from the books I’ve read! I’m also making lists of 2026 releases in fantasy, romance and horror so far so happy to share some of these early on with you guys (these will be recs of what I’m looking forward to rather than what I’ve read) so GO GO GO 🤎
As for my taste in books, I’m never going to be the type that picks only 5 top books for the year guys and I’ve learned to accept it because honestly, what do you mean my top 5 books in one year? I would have to host a meeting with myself for a whole month to decide that 😭 So instead, you guys get my taste in books throughout various sub-genres that I yap about all the time!
Here is a list of the books (if you prefer to read through it or for accessibility needs)🤎: Cottagecore: 🍄 Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries 🍄 After the Forest by Kell Woods 🍄 A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison by Aamna Qureshi 🍄 The Geographer’s Map to Romance by India Holton 🍄 The River has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar 🍄 An Arrow to the Heart by K.R. Bacher
Cozy Fantasy: 🍄 The Baby Dragon Cafe by Aamna Qureshi 🍄 Legend & Lattes by Travis 🍄 The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong 🍄 The Nameless Restaurant by Tao Wong 🍄 Watermoon by Samantha Sotto Yambao 🍄 The Spellshop by Sangu Mandanna
Witchycore: 🍄 The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Anna Bright 🍄 House of Frank by Kay Synclaire 🍄 The Lone Wolf Cafe by Sydney Wilder 🍄 The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore 🍄 A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna 🍄 Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi
Retellings, Fairy Tale & Historical Fantasy: 🍄A Sorceress comes to Call by T.Kingfisher 🍄 What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez 🍄 Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross 🍄 We Shall be Monsters by Tara Sim 🍄 The Briar Book of the Dead by A.G Slatter
The rest is in my pinned comment!
#fantasybooks #topbooksof2025 #favoritebooks
74 books
1
The Brothers Gwynne\ \ Ed & Will\ \ • Nov 7 2025
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The Videos We Are Most Proud Of...
Welcome to The Brothers Gwynne. Today, some awesome authors are pitching their own releases! Truth & Courage!
📖 Have you read any of these? Will you read any of these? Let us know in the comments below!
Books: Toothsucker - https://www.waterstones.com/book/toothsucker/kaden-love/9798989691272 Ethos - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335663516/ethos-a-dark-fantasy-anthology The Bone Raiders - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-bone-raiders-jackson-ford/e00077c10aa74bac?ean=9780316577694&next=t117902 The Book of Spores - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fanfiaddict/the-book-of-spores-a-fungal-sff-anthology By Blood, By Salt - https://bookshop.org/p/books/by-blood-by-salt-j-l-odom/c6d7b3ec113c8612?ean=9798990024403&next=t117902 Academy of Outcasts - https://amzn.to/481Aofh The Price of Power - https://amzn.to/3Lrmb2I The Backfire Blade - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-blackfire-blade-the-last-legacy-book-2-james-logan/e41903edceb58a63?ean=9781250350657&next=t117902 Bittershore - https://amzn.to/47tPpqf Ironbound - https://www.simonandschuster.com/series/Ironbound The Outcast Mage - https://store.orbit-books.co.uk/products/the-outcast-mage Once There Were Heroes - https://amzn.to/47tLPML The Teller of Fortunes - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-teller-of-small-fortunes-julie-leong/29002e699244b3c6?ean=9780593815915&next=t117902
BINDERY - https://the-brothers-gwynne.binderybooks.com LinkTree - https://linktr.ee/thebrothersgwynne?utm\_source=linktree\_profile\_share<sid=2a047be0-3ae3-4641-b1db-7b99a33fd6c3
0:00 - Intro 1:43 - Kaden Love 2:41 - Arcanist Guild 5:51 - Jackson Ford 7:05 - Adrian Gibson / MJ Kuhn / Greta Kelly 9:07 - J. L. Odom 11:09 - Larry Correia 13:01 - Michael Michel 15:03 - James Logan 16:55 - VV James 18:53 - Andrew Givler 21:43 - Annabel Campbell 24:10 - PHILIP C. QUAINTRELL 27:01 - Julie Leong
11 books
10
Mareas\ \ Marines\ \ • Oct 27 2025
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12 books off and 8 books on 😅
8 books
12
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 23 2025
fragrances can 100% immerse me more in stories!!
(tbh i could also do this with candles/diffuser oils that i burn while reading, but maybe that’s too niche???)
thank you to Fierce Reads, ACE, and Berkley for the gifted copies!
5 books
The Bibliothecary\ \ Samantha\ \ • Aug 5 2025
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In which I discuss how my reading has gone so far this year...
6 books
2
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 2 2025
fantasy books without spice (and minimal romance overall)!
fantasy books without spice (and minimal romance overall)!
but i know people will still ask if there’s spice every darn time. 😭
#fantasybooks #fantasybookrecs #favoritefantasybooks #noromancebooks #nospicebooks #isitspicy #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #nycbookstagram
14 books
Bri's Book Nook\ \ Bri Le Fae\ \ • Jul 25 2025
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Fantasy Friday: The Teller of Small Fortunes
Fay the Fairy Faun thanks you for stopping by for a book request. I do so hope the book is to your liking! Do let me know how you both get along!
📖 : The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
1 book
1
The Bibliothecary\ \ Samantha\ \ • Jun 24 2025
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Recent Reads (books 29 - 37) | 2025
In which I discuss books I've read recently...
♡ Join THE BIBLIOTHECARY: https://bibliothecarybooks.binderybooks.com/ ►► Seekers of The Bibliothecary get perks that allow more interaction with my channel and get at least 4 monthly exclusives such as videos about books, witchcraft, and other hobbies, a year long interactive reading challenge, readalongs, and more
★ Reading spreadsheet I use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twhrdlRfnRs&t=626s ► End screen song: Magic Forest - Kevin MacLeod
★ FREELANCE EDITING SERVICES: https://tinyurl.com/editing-services -- I'm currently accepting clients for developmental editing and manuscript evaluation. I'm interested in working with adult fantasy and scifi, especially Hades and Persephone retellings, stories involving polyamory, and mental health rep. I offer free editing samples of your first 1,000 words to make sure we are a good fit.
➝ DISCLAIMER: This video is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.
6 books
3
chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Jun 20 2025
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Does Emily Wilde even count as cozy fantasy bc I’m leaning no #booktok #cozyfantasy #cozyfantasybooks #fantasybooks #emilywildesencyclopaediaoffaeries #legendsandlattes #theverysecretsocietyofirregularwitches #thetellerofsmallfortunes
4 books
Chanterelle Solace\ \ Sabie\ \ • May 23 2025
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Asian Inspired Cozy Fantasy Book for us Readers? Yes please!
Asian Inspired Cozy Fantasy Book for us Readers? Yes please! What was the last cozy book you read or hobby you did?
How beautiful is this edition of The Teller of Small Fortunes from Fairyloot?
I’m enjoying reading cozy fantasy so much and when this was the pick of November Adult Box, I knew I had to get it.
What are your opinions on cozy fantasy as a sub-genre? A lot of the time it is quite subjective on what is and isn’t cozy! This is an Asian inspired cozy fantasy and unique in terms of how the plot is meant to run. I can’t wait to read it and I think its going to be one of my books in this month’s TBR!
🍂Cozy Partners • @cozywithlyss • @larsplaysgames • @fran.bee.gaming • @sarahcosycorner
🏷️• #fairyloot #thetellerofsmallfortunes #cozyfantasy
1 book
Skies Press\ \ Emma\ \ • Apr 22 2025
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I’M A QUITTER (complimentary)!
1 book
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Feb 1 2025
📖✨would you read these books based on their opening lines? continuing the series of recommending books using their first lines!
#bookrecsfromfirstlines #fantasybooks #horrorbooks #scifibooks #bookrecommendations #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram
7 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jan 19 2025
minimal romance sci fi & fantasy book recs
if you love diverse otherworldly stories and romance isn’t your thing … hey hey hey!
new youtube video just dropped.
(this one goes out to our almost-entirely aroace discord.)
i do vibe with soulmates, but i'm just a girl who prefers her reads romance-free!
5 books
2
Bri's Book Nook\ \ Bri Le Fae\ \ • Dec 28 2024
Join for free
9 books
2
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 21 2024
second annual StarrySteph Book Awards!
drum roll please … welcome to the second annual StarrySteph Book Awards! they’re not even the most biased book awards out there!
11 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 5 2024
book gifts for fantasy readers!
book recs to gift your fantasy loving reader friends!
#fantasybooks #fantasybookrecs #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram
9 books
Not So Well Read\ \ Courtney\ \ • Dec 3 2024
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November was definitely a slower month. I didn't read nearly as much as I usually do, but I'm totally okay with that, because almost all of the books I did read were complete banger.
10 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 23 2024
this was a beautiful read, and I want you ALL to add it to your TBRs immediately if not sooner!
1 book
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 16 2024
happy birthday to me; read these books because i said so (or face my wrath).
17 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 8 2024
it’s a super speedy october reading wrap up!!
6 books