This book was a little so-so for me. I didn't really have any connection to the characters and in the end didn't really care for what happened to them. I was however, surprised by some of the reveals so that was a bit redeeming. I am not sure if it was the lack of connection or how long the book was and at times seemed to drag on that was the problem for me. This author has been successful for me in the past so I hope this was just a fluke that I didn't love this one.

The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale
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It’s giving Mean Girls but more serious, with horses. Also someone dies. So it’s deadly serious.
Rosie comes back to school after taking a year off to find there is a new girl in her horse-riding clique. Annelise is a brilliant rider, but she’s seems more quiet and keeping parts of herself close to the chest.
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What I liked:
-This book really kept me guessing! Lots of things didn’t go how I thought they would.
-There was a steady ominous tone to the books. These girls were all “friends” and yet I was so worried.
-I really liked Rosie, she had some great underdog vibes and I was rooting for her and hoping she would make good choices.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I liked The Fortune seller, and if you are in the market for a dark Mean Girls then you should give this a read.

I'm always a sucker for a mean girls type of read. I was excited when I was able to receive an ARC of The Fortune Seller. I wanted to love this one more, but overall it was just OK.

I haven't read a book that reads like a drama/mystery, that has background and side information overtaking the actual story. It got to the point I was just skimming every introduction at the start of the chapters because all the blurbs about the tarot cards were boring after a while. You also read about tarot cards within the story itself. It felt oversaturated to me.

I also felt at times there was too much explaining and focusing on all things horse-related. If you pulled all that out, the story itself would be very short. The story itself was ok, but I didn't like some of the ending and outcome.

Even though I wasn't a huge fan overall, those that enjoy tarot cards, readings and all things to do with horses may enjoy this. Just my perspective so if you have this on your list to read, pick it up and see how you land with it.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Solid thriller/drama with some interesting elements because of the tarot of it all. Won't think about long term but did not hate by any stretch.

I don't know why I requested this, tbh. The writing was good but I feel like I've seen this story many times in different formats and it's not my thing.

The Fortune Seller follows Rosie, a fish out of water among her wealthy Yale classmates, as she navigates friendships and tries to find her place in the world. Her precarious existence among her rich friends on the equestrian team is disturbed by the arrival of the mysterious Annelise. Put simply, I loved this book. I don't know if I would classify it as dark academia, but it is definitely somewhere in the neighborhood---coming of age, college, messy female friendships, reckoning with privilege are all themes. I loved Rosie as a heroine and rooted for her even as she made some cringeworthy mistakes.

I am excited to see what Kapelke-Dale writes next. Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

The entire book felt a little chaotic at times but not in a hard to follow way...it was just that I didn't know if I could trust Rosie's judgement and narration. There was something off about her that didn't sit right with me; maybe it was her obsession with money, maybe it was her infatuation with people who weren't really her friends, or maybe it was the way she became enamored with Annelise so quickly.

There were some twists along the way, one of which I saw coming from a mile away but the two others were so shocking I actually gasped. I thought they added a lot to the story, and made the stakes for Rosie even higher.

The Fortune Seller was a great insight on class and hierarchy in society, especially in New York and the Ivy League system, which I always appreciate in a book. That also felt like the secondary messaging woven throughout the story, which Rachel Dale always does really well.

THE FORTUNE SELLER by Rachel Kalpke-Dale has an interesting premise and had parts I liked and found interesting, but overall, it missed its mark for me. The tarot and Annelise were interesting, Rosie, the main character, left a little to be desired. I have enjoyed Kalpke-Dale’s other novels and will pick up future novels. Maybe it was the ages of the characters that I couldn’t relate to, as I think readers half my age would enjoy it more.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

I really enjoyed this book. When Rosie Macalister returns to Yale and her spot on the equestrian team after taking a year off, she finds out she’s rooming with Annelise Tattinger, a talented rider who also reads tarot cards for the other girls in her spare time. Rosie has worked hard to earn her place in the team’s inner circle, especially coming from a middle-class background. At first, she’s annoyed at the idea of having a roommate, but they soon become close friends and discover there’s more going on beneath the surface.

This book gives a realistic look at class differences and how the upper class treats everyone else. The idea that the rules don’t apply to the wealthy comes across strongly. There were some surprising secrets I didn’t see coming, and the way Cressida, the entitled rich character, is portrayed is spot on. The old saying “money doesn’t buy happiness” feels more like “too much money doesn’t buy happiness.” While some characters use their trust funds to sink deeper into despair, others just want enough to pursue their dreams.

Each chapter is headed with a tarot card description, which wasn’t really my thing, but the relationships, class struggles, and how they affect the characters made this book stand out. Honest, emotional, and sometimes heartbreaking, this story sheds light on the elite world and the difficulty of fitting into a space that only a select few are meant to succeed in.

I just finished reading The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale, and I couldn't wait to share my thoughts with you!

This book is an absolute page-turner! It's a clever and gripping story that dives into the world of fortune tellers, secrets, and unexpected twists. Kapelke-Dale has crafted a tale that's as intriguing as it is entertaining.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when the protagonist, Violette, uses her fortune-telling skills to uncover hidden truths about her mysterious client, Simone. There's a scene where Violette reads Simone's tarot cards and is shocked to see the Death card paired with the Lovers card. The tension in that moment is palpable, and it sets off a chain of events that keeps you guessing until the very end.

Kapelke-Dale's writing is both sharp and atmospheric, making you feel like you're right there with Violette in her cozy yet enigmatic shop. The characters are richly developed, and the plot is full of unexpected twists that will keep you on your toes.

If you're looking for a book that combines mystery, intrigue, and a touch of the supernatural, The Fortune Seller is a must-read. Trust me, you won't be able to put it down!

"The Fortune Seller" by Rachel Kapelke-Dale is my first read by this author, and I was introduced to her work through NetGalley. The novel offers an intriguing mix of mystery and social commentary, set against the backdrop of Yale's elite equestrian team. I enjoyed the character development, particularly the dynamic between Rosie Macalister and the enigmatic Annelise Tattinger. The story delves into themes of class, ambition, and deception, which kept me engaged. However, I found the pacing a bit uneven at times. Despite this, the unique plot and well-crafted characters made it a worthwhile read. I look forward to exploring more of Rachel Kapelke-Dale's work in the future. #netgalley #thefortuneseller

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for providing me this Digital Advanced Readers Copy of the book!

The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale. Pub Date: February 13, 2024. Rating: 3 stars. This novel could be described as a lighter version of dark academia. The novel focuses on a group of girls involved in the Yale equestrian team. Honestly, the girls are cringy and not really likable and some of them are spoiled/stuck up. What I did enjoy about this novel were the elements of astrology and how it was woven into the storyline. I think it was well executed, but not overly done. This novel was an okay read, but nothing with a wow factor for me personally. Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Rosie comes from a middle-class upbringing and worked hard to fit in with her uber-wealthy friends on the Yale equestrian team. When Annelise Tattinger joins their team, her talent on horseback and at reading tarot quickly has her joining Rosie's inner circle. But when money disappears from bank accounts, tensions rise among the friend group.

After graduation, Rosie realizes there is more to Annelise's history than she thought and she needs to set things right and figure out what happened all those years ago. Rachel Kapelke-Dale's previous stories focus on the #metoo movement and women's rights, while this one looks at class differences and the wealthy's disregard for those around them. It's a medium-paced, character-driven story that's perfect for dark academia lovers. #gifted by St. Martins Press.

I have read a couple of this author’s previous books and immensely enjoyed them. I was hoping that I would have a repeat experience with this book but, I’m sad to report that I did not. I just couldn’t get behind these rich characters doing despicable things and getting away with them. I’m also not a huge fan of books set around college roommates or horse riding. The main mystery/drama was unrealistic and didn’t end in a way that satisfied me. Overall, I found it to be just okay. I know other readers may enjoy it much more than me.

All that being said, I did enjoy the writing. It what has pulled me into all of her books so far. I’m hoping that this book is just a fluke and her next book will work much better for me.

I gave up on this about a third of the way through. the writing is great, but the plot and characters just weren’t gripping me (maybe if I knew more about tarot cards or horses!)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was the first book by this author that I have read and while it was enjoyable I thought that it did drag on too long in some parts. The storyline was a good one if you enjoy although very horse related, more so than I thought it would be. I did find the main character Rosie to not be very likeable in my opinion and the author seems to make her stories highly character driven so I would have liked to be more engaged with her. The chapter openings about the tarot card meanings were beautifully written..I did enjoy them. Overall an okay read for me but not a favorite.

An interesting story about the class divide in the US had high potential but fell flat for me. The pacing was off and I felt like it was supposed to be Secret History adjacent.

Ivy League Equestrian and Tarot Reader

Set in the early 2000s, The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale follows the life of Rosie Macalister, a middle-class girl attending Yale on a scholarship. Desperate to fit in with her affluent peers, Rosie forges a friendship with the enigmatic Annelise, a talented tarot reader and equestrian. After graduation, Rosie takes a job at a Manhattan hedge fund and uncovers shocking truths about Annelise's identity and the dynamics within their friend group, leading to a series of dramatic revelations.

The Fortune Seller is a compelling read that offers a haunting examination of class and ambition. Kapelke-Dale's masterful storytelling and complex characters make it a standout novel. However, the pacing may deter some readers who prefer a faster-moving plot. Overall, this book is a thought-provoking exploration of the desires that drive us and the consequences of our actions.

I don’t want to spoil too much, but honestly, this was just okay. I felt that some parts were really draggy, while others were really rushed. I feel like the discussion around the gap between the middle class and wealthy was really shallow, I expected it to be a lot deeper based on the synopsis. From this book, I was expecting a layer of depth that I didn’t get. I feel like a lot of this was very surface level, and that was largely due to the narrow world view Rosie had. I was excited for the premise, but the delivery wasn’t as good as it could have been.