JULIE LEONG at Books Inc. in the Marina

Join local San Francisco author Julie Leong’s for a celebration of her debut cozy fantasy THE TELLER OF SMALL FORTUNES at Books Inc. in the Marina!

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 sets down a new path with companions as bighearted 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.

"If you're running a little low on serotonin, trust me: brew yourself a hot drink, curl up with this treasure of a tale, and thank me later! It's the warmest, loveliest book I've read in ages."— Sangu Mandanna, national bestelling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
"It's such a delight when a book is every bit as wonderful as you hope it will be. The Teller of Small Fortunes is perfection! A lovely and comforting cozy fantasy about finding your own family and choosing your own path, this is a beautiful treasure of a book that will warm your heart and heal your soul. I absolutely loved every second of it!"—Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop
"Warm, welcoming, and endlessly inventive, The Teller of Small Fortunes feels like being invited in for tea with a dear friend (and expert storyteller!). An utter and complete delight to read."—Grace D. Li, New York Times bestselling author of Portrait of a Thief
“Joyful, heartwarming, and utterly charming, Leong’s cozy fantasy debut is a cup of hot (fortune-telling) tea straight to the soul. Readers will delight in road-tripping with Tao, her found family, and their adorable animal companions in this whimsical, healing tale.”—Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times and international bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night
“This whimsical and heartfelt tale is sure to win admirers.”—Publishers Weekly
"The Teller of Small Fortunes is a warm and lovely book that will soothe your heart. Its gentleness and coziness are such a delightful gift."—India Holton, international bestselling author of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels
“The Teller of Small Fortunes is an absolute delight from start to finish. Settle in for a cozy, heartwarming journey full of twists and turns, found family, and appreciating the little things alongside the big ones. This book is a true joy.”—Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart
"Lovely and sweet and comforting. But the most beautiful part was how it was not only about found family, but about finding your way back to your family...an adventure, yet cozy and funny and sweet and poignant."—Quenby Olson, author of the Miss Percy series
“A lovely cozy fantasy about tiny fortunes, baked goods, ugly cats, and all of the small things that matter.”—Olivia Atwater, author of Half a Soul
"A warmhearted, often cozy story about telling fortunes--and sometimes, stealing them. A delight."—John Wiswell, Nebula-winning author of Someone You Can Build A Nest In
"A wonderfully warm, cozy, and immersive fantasy adventure that left me brimming with happiness."—Stephanie Burgis, author of Wooing the Witch Queen
“Leong is unafraid to head into deeply emotional territory in this sweet, earnest story of found family and finding one's truth. She strikes a lovely balance between high stakes, humor, and touching moments. Each character's growth feels logical and earned. Readers of Travis Baldree or T.J. Klune will enjoy following wherever Leong leads, and they can be sure she will only take them down dark paths to show them the light waiting at the end of the trail.”—Shelf Awareness
“A palate cleanser for crappy days...Leong creates a world resplendent with charm, gentleness, reconciliation and love. So much love! There were many joyous cathartic tears shed. I adored every minute of it and now must read everything Leong writes!”—A.Y. Chao, author of Shanghai Immortal
"A warm hug of a book. The Teller of Small Fortunes is a curative journey of found friendship and diaspora feels, steeped in so much kindness that even the most cynical of readers will not be able to resist its charms."—Eliza Chan, author of Fathomfolk
"Very funny and incredibly charming. I found it impossible not to fall in love with this crew. If you loved Legends & Lattes but wanted more plot and feels, this book is perfect for you. I adored it!"—Frances White, author of Voyage of the Damned
"The Teller of Small Fortunes is a charming delight. It's the book version of a warm cup of tea, with the perfect mix of adventure, found family, and heart. Also make sure you have some sweets on hand, because this story will give you some serious pastry cravings."—Amy Avery, author of The Longest Autumn
“Tao and her band of charismatic companions (four-legged friends included!) won my heart completely on this deeply endearing and entertaining fantasy road trip. Charming, relatable, and tender, The Teller of Small Fortunes will delight readers looking for their next cozy adventure.”—Maiga Doocy, author of Sorcery and Small Magics
"Sweet without ever turning saccharine, and it tackles serious topics without ever losing its sense of humour. An utterly delightful debut."—Genoveva Dimova, author of Foul Days
"Filled with philosophizing trolls, little magics, and delicious (if lumpy) baked goods, The Teller of Small Fortunes is like one of those lift-you-off-the-ground, ribcage-cracking hugs—dizzyingly delightful, a little painful, and so incredibly therapeutic. Do yourself the great kindness of reading this wrenching, warming, funny, thoughtful, cozy, life-affirming book. I finished it and felt more whole, and I hope you do, too."—Jules Arbeaux, author of Lord of the Empty Isles
“As comforting as the scent of freshly baked bread, this is a hug in book form and the perfect comfort read. Set in an endlessly charming world with characters you can't help but love, this novel is whimsical, cozy perfection and I loved every second of it.”—Nadia El-Fassi, author of Best Hex Ever

Julie Leong is a twenty-nine-year-old Chinese-Malaysian-American fantasy author. She grew up in Old Bridge, New Jersey, and lived in Beijing, China, for several years as a teenager. Her experiences of feeling too Asian for suburban America, and too American for China color her stories of identity and belonging. She studied economics and political science at Yale and now works at a startup, but she has always nurtured a deep love for sci-fi/fantasy beneath her corporate exterior. Julie lives in San Francisco, California, with her husband and their spoiled rescue pup, Kaya. When she’s not writing, she enjoys making unnecessary spreadsheets and flambéing things.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Books Inc., 2251 Chestnut Street, San Francisco, United States