#julie teller

[earlykatgetsthesparrow]

byron and julie!!

i tried to give Julie cloudkit's eyelashes hehe

@ourtalechara @itspetrovichworld

[ourtalechara]

The sun was coming up on a new day over the hole in the ground where London had used to be. Far below, in the caverns filled with bats, magic, and bioluminescent oddities, a little girl sprinted through the streets of Veilgarden.

Although the Singing Mandrake had, technically, already come to a close, a handful of people (and things that were presumably people) still sat drinking within it's walls. The barmaid, of course, placing used mugs in the sink and eyeing spills of wine that she knew she would have to soon clean up. Then there were a few customers that she hadn't the heart to kick out - poor unconscious patrons who had blacked out from the alcohol. She couldn't find it in herself to wake them and make them leave, not in the state they were in.

Finally, at a far table, sat a newsboy - a regular to the Singing Mandrake, but not for the reasons most would expect. He'd only arrived a few minutes before closing, so Cassie let him stay a few minutes after, too. Though, in reality, she mostly had him stick around because she enjoyed his company. The two gossip trains had never had a boring conversation, but she knew she could trust him to be sensible about what he said, as well as the volume in which he said it. Not only was it useful for secret keeping, but for times like tomorning, when the Mandrake wanted to remain peaceful and quiet - although the banter between the two of them still remained lively.

As the laughter between them died down, Harry raised his mug to his lips, before pausing. He placed it down and reached into his inner pocket. It was warm.

He pulled out a gem encased in a metal frame - a piece of jewelry, a pendant that didn't hang. The red gemstone was glowing, brighter than it was supposed to.

"...Julie?"

Suddenly, there was a frantic tapping at the door.

Cassie scoffed. "Damn critters. They always -"

But Harry cut them off.

"Open it."

They turned to look at him, a quizzical expression on her face. A panicked one on his. He was standing up now.

"Open it."

With some internal reluctance, but no physical hesitation, Cassie hurried over, unlocking and opening the door. They looked around, unsure whether she was supposed to see bats, or people, or masters, a constable, a demon, or what have you. But at her feet stood a child - a girl, shaking, only a few feet tall, eyes filled with teardrops and clutching a bright red jewel between her hands.

Her eyes locked onto the newsboy across the room and before Cassie had time to process that she was there, the little girl's little legs were carrying her across the Mandrake's floors.

She flew into Harry Teller's arms and tried to wrap her own around him. She cried into his shirt as he smoothed her hair back, shushing her gently.

"Shhhhhh... It's alright. It's alright, Julie. Daddy's here now. Shhh... You're okay. Tell me what happened."

Cassie cautiously closed the door, completely confused, as Harry picked the girl up and sat her next to him on the seat he had been at. She blubbered words into his coat that they couldn't quite make out... Tall... Scary... Dark... Everything else sounded muffled to Cassie, but he managed to make out everything.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, giving her a light kiss on her head. "I'm so sorry. But it's okay. I'm here now. See?" He took out his own gemstone and touched it to hers. "They're glowing. It's okay, kiddo. I'm here."

The girl's breathing slowed, and she calmed as she saw the bright red glow of the gemstones. She closed her eyes and relaxed into the seat. "I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I just- I was so scared and I went to you. It just- the gem, and I- I-"

He shushed her some more and smoothed back her hair to try and get her breathing under control.

"When was the last time you slept?"

She didn't answer, but wiped her wet face in silence.

"Let's get you to bed, okay Julie? You're gonna feel a whole lot better after some shut eye."

He began to stand, but her fingers dug into his coat.

"Don't you want to go home?"

If she answered, it was imperceptible.

"Don't want to go outside?"

She shook her head.

"Julie... It's alright, I'm here now."

He sighed. "Cassie?"

"Yes?" Answered the barmaid, who had been awkwardly alternating between eavesdropping, pretending to ignore the situation, and hoping that the blacked out costumers would stay that way, lest she have to explain the circumstances beyond her own understanding.

"Might you happen to have an open bed upstairs?"

Cassie grimaced. They grappled with the thought of trying to excuse to their boss why they'd let a newspaper boy stay after closing and why they'd let a child as young as this one into the Singing Mandrake. With as little knowledge as she had, she dreaded having them stay longer than was strictly necessary at this point.

But, seeing the exhausted child huddled in her friend's arms...

She decided to ask questions later.

"Of course."

[justhavinfunnn]

Ooof!!

[agardenandlibrary]

Just finished:

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

Very sweet, low-stakes fantasy. If you're looking for more books like Legends and Lattes, definitely pick this one up.

[iselenris]

the characterisation of Niklaus Mikaelson in Truth Teller.. oh HedgeRider you will always be beloved by me

Klaus realising how boring, predictable and idiotic he had been moving in his years since breaking the curse

Klaus realising ignoring his wolf side and delaying in knowing what it means to be a wolf stifled him in proportion

Klaus realising how beyond he actually is in trying to have dominion over New Orleans as if he’s not the Hybrid like THEE HYBRID

like beyond Klonnie, his growth as a character in within himself is something so special to me

Thats some real shit, thats the kind of shit Julie Plec could never come up with

[basicallyanotherwitchesthing]

Fate, Clark Pub. Co., July 1969

[bookcoversonly]

Title: The Teller of Small Fortunes | Author: Julie Leong | Publisher: Ace (2024)

[rhetoricandlogic]

November 05, 2024

The Teller of Small Fortunes By Julie Leong

Review byChris Pickens

Comforting, kindhearted and soulful, Julie Leong’s The Teller of Small Fortunes offers a welcome reprieve from the dreary and violent stab-a-thons that often dominate the fantasy genre. Pull up a chair, grab your favorite mug and sink into this lovely debut’s warm embrace.

Tao, a fortune teller from the Empire of Shinara, loves her life of solitude. Crisscrossing the neighboring kingdom of Eshtera with her covered wagon and faithful mule, she makes a living telling small fortunes wherever she goes. You may be wondering, “What is a small fortune?” Well, Tao can tell when the spring rains will come, how many calves will be born this year or when the inn’s common room will be full again. However, when one of her fortunes reveals a missing girl is still alive, Tao finds herself enlisted to help Mash, the girl’s ex-mercenary father, and his similarly reformed companion, former thief Silt, track her down. But what about Tao’s coveted peace and quiet? Being alone is the only way she can keep her secret safe, because Tao can tell big fortunes: ones that can hurt people. As their journey continues, Tao must decide how much to tell her companions about her true powers, even as time runs short to help an innocent in need.

In The Teller of Small Fortunes, Leong paints with primary colors, leaving very few shadows in her portrait of friendship and family. Each member of Tao’s party has distinct regrets and murky pasts, but these backgrounds simply reveal how the characters will heal one another. Leong homes in on small moments, carefully calibrating each step toward trust and companionship. But that is not to say that The Teller of Small Fortunes does not have tension. The party’s mission to find the lost girl is not without real pain. But always there is a sense of peace, that whatever happens, the group will endure and grow.

If you’re looking for an epic told at the end of a bloody sword, this one may not be for you. But in between all the hacking and slashing, sometimes you find yourself in need of a pleasant diversion. Sweet-natured and therapeutic, The Teller of Small Fortunes is the perfect pick for such times. It feels like coming home.

[wearethekat]

November Book Reviews: The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

One of my anticipated new releases for this year. Disinherited by her family, Tao wanders the country in a caravan working as a minor fortuneteller. But when she reluctantly allows a reformed thief, a mercenary, and a young baker to travel with her, she's plunged into a tangle that might force her to reckon with her past.

As an angst enjoyer, my experience with fantasy books marketed as "cozy" has been more miss than hit. But I persevere, since I have found some really great gems. For me, The Teller of Small Fortunes was leaning towards the miss column. I did love how Tao's "small fortunes" worked, the way she was terrified of being identified as a seer and instead just made little predictions that made for interesting glimpses into the lives of background characters, like predicting where the village's goats had gone, or the best crop for next year's harvest.

However, I wasn't thrilled by the background politics plot, which I found a little bit flattened and facile. The "found family" element also felt a touch forced, like the platonic equivalent of instalove. And while I strongly suspect it was accurate to the author's childhood in New Jersey, I found it a touch grating that the first thing every character said to Tao, whether they were supposed to be the good guys or not, was some kind of nasty comment about her race. (She's loosely fantasy East Asian in a loosely fantasy Europe setting). I know cozy fantasy tends to blunt the edges a bit, but let Tao be really mean to someone for once.

This book didn't work for me, but I bet if you like Legends and Lattes or The Spellshop, this is also something you'll really enjoy.

[bradshawsbaby]

This man is just like me—always a little bit red 🦞

[bibliophilecats]

Read recently: The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

What I was looking for: A picked this up on a whim, and because I loved the cover (cover art by Devin Elle Kurtz)

What I liked: I liked the world, the way the fortunes telling was described. The biggest fun and laugh-out-lout moment was whenever the nunnery came up. So much found family! I liked how Taos family is portrayed, that sometimes there are misunderstandings and well-meaning deeds that don’t work out but that there are also some relationships, that do not improve. And I was so happy that there was no romance for Tao forced into the story.

What I did not like: The ending sadly did not work for me (details under the cut)

Conclusion: A cozy tale of found family and being true to yourself, showing that you do not have to devote your life to Big Things but making a small home for yourself and your (found) family. The story has a great balance of cozy and stakes, which in the end often turn out not to have been as high as initially anticipated.

That all her friends also got waggons, even those who have a farm (oh, the neighbours will just look after it, no big) was too unrealistic for me. I have no problem with friends not spending all day every day together but living their lives and visiting (I liked the ending of The Hobbit).

[earlykatgetsthesparrow]

harry and julie wc designs sketch yay!

(nightly Neath!)

[ourtalechara]

I had this Neath! OC

Meet Julie Teller, Harry's daughter. I don't have too much information on her, but she's very young, and very shy. She was either born slightly before, or slightly after the Fall, so she's likely lived her whole life in the Neath. She's particularly quiet around people she doesn't know very well, and she knows almost no one.

I'd be happy to talk more about her if you have any ideas or questions

[justhavinfunnn]

Everyone say thankyou Keleigh!

[agardenandlibrary]

Tao's response to most problems being "have you heard of the nunnery full of lesbians? I hear it's nice there" is so funny

[disarmluna]