Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC of this book!

There was a lot to like. I really enjoyed the incorporation of tarot, especially the little blurbs of each card at the start of each chapter. I also liked that the author didn’t just rely on the most popular cards and their stereotypical (and sometimes false) “definitions.” I also really enjoyed learning about the equestrian world.

I overall though didn’t feel quite connected to the characters. The setup was interesting with the setting and all, but my interest waned as I felt like the book walked in place for a while. My interest also dropped once we got to the girls’ time after they graduated.

While this book wasn’t necessarily for me, I’m sure there’s a ton here that will resonate with other readers.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc!


So when I requested this, I didn’t notice that this is the same author who wrote the Ballerinas and now I’m not surprised why I didn’t enjoy this. The premise sounds fantastic but it’s not what you get. You get a Mary Sue type character who cries because there’s someone new in her friend group and the plot moves at a snail like pace to where you end up skimming because there’s just so much filler.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Net Galley and the author for an electronic ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. Rosie tried for years to find a way to fit in with her wealthy friends at Yale. Just when it looks like this has happened, her best friend invites a new student, Annelise, to move into their house. Worse, they are sharing a room. Annelise reads Tarot, and she seems to have insight on the whole house. They don't know much about her background, but Rosie grows to really like her. Then, some money goes missing, and one of the girls, the most wealthy of them, freezes out Annelise, even though it wasn't her that took the money. Soon, tensions, secrets and betrayal are all over the house. This was a very good book, which I highly recommend.

The Fortune Seller follows the lives of an elite group of young women navigating a world of money, power, privilege, and prestige, with a charming Tarot reader in the background, casting cards and exposing treacheries.

Rosie is an average girl who through her wealthy benefactor becomes a part of the Equestrian world at Yale, where she becomes frenemies with a wealthy trio of ruthless girls who will stop at nothing to get what they want...but Anneliese is the exception. A talented tarot reader and rider, her bohemian ways threaten and thwart the ways of the nasty trio, inspiring Rosie to take back her power along the way.

The Fortune Seller is not a story about the Tarot, but uses the archetypal messages of the cards to tell a story about fortune and the fortunate. How much luck and fate play a part in the lives of the rich and famous is explored and critiqued. Female friendships and sexism is on full display in this story and what it means for a woman to be in charge of her own destiny (if that is indeed possible) are the cards drawn in this reading.

Personally for me, I would have liked the Tarot to have been included more in the story, and perhaps some of its mystical power included in the plot which would have brought in more suspense and mystery. Anneliese was such an interesting character, and I think she could have been the main protagonist instead of Rosie.

If Gossip Girl was a Tarot reader, this would be her book.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale is enigmatic and fresh. Bordering on dark academia and women's fiction - this book will resonate with every woman who dreams of being extraordinary.

Rosie, a regular middle class American, is attending Yale with the daughters of billionaires and just trying to stay afloat. She does everything that she can to fit in and feel like a part of the group. When Annelise is brought into the group, Rosie feels as though the rug has been pulled from underneath her. The story from this point takes so many twists and turns that it will leave you feeling every emotion under the sun.

If you need an incentive to read this book - allow me to ask a question of you. Who did you want to be when you were finishing school and how far would you have gone to make your dreams come true?

Competitive horse riding is not for the meek, nor the poor, as we learn all to well in Rachel Kapelke-Dale’s novel, “The Fortune Seller,” based upon a fictional account of a Yale University female student Equestrian team.

Initially composed of just four undergraduate coeds, when the only student loan/scholarship funded member of the group, Rosie, returns from a semester abroad in Argentina, she finds to her surprise a fifth teammate, Annelise, who’s also designated as her new roommate.

Surprisingly, new girl Annelise, is an exceptionally fine horsewoman—now possibly the most skilled on their team—even more so than Cressida, the beautiful, talented and rich daughter of Grayson Tate, legendary equestrian champion, charity fund manager, and financial Hedge Fund darling of Wall Street.

However, mystery surrounds Annelise. She’s secretive about herself, her family pedigree, and her equestrian skills and training. Her wardrobe is smattered with quality designer touches like Stella McCartney Baby dolls, Prada purses, and Hermes scarves; but all have the well-established aesthetic look and appeal of being classics of a ‘certain age’—perhaps vintage resale buys?

Annelise also has another unique bohemian eclecticism that sets her apart from the traditional preppy norm of her Yale Equestrian teammates. Annelise is a Tarot reader extraordinaire! Intuitively interpreting the Major and Minor Arcana Tarot Cards drawn by those individuals seeking advice.

All is copacetic among the Yale housemates/teammates until Cressida realizes that her bank account is being drained repeatedly for thousands of dollars, and someone in the house is check-kiting.

Tensions mount, fingers point, and accusations fly nonstop. The esprit d’corps, sisterhood, friendship, trust, and ‘love’ once felt, cherished and taken for granted among the girls shatter irreparably!

Then, when a ‘so called’ prank and it’s deadly consequences quickly follows, the repercussions send tectonic plate-shifting vibrations of destructive change into the emotional and personal lives of all. Nothing can ever be the same again. Humpty Humpty Dumpty can’t be put together again, nor can the happy and carefree Yale Female Equestrian Teammates..

TheBookMaven graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Rachel Kapelke-Dale, Publisher St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press Publishing Group, for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.

"The Fortune Seller" was quite the journey! The story unfolds against a backdrop of class divisions, with the equestrian world playing a significant role. The intriguing tarot explanations at the start of each chapter added a unique touch. Annelise's mystery kept me hooked, always curious to learn more about her.

While I was drawn into the plot, there were times when the equestrian details felt a bit overwhelming. Nonetheless, the second half of the book offered a fresh perspective that I enjoyed. Overall, "The Fortune Seller" is an interesting mix of mystery and charm that kept me engaged!

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

Rosie Macalister does her best to fit in with the elite at Yale. She is part of the equestrian team and lives with her best, incredibly wealthy friends. When she returns from a year abroad however, a newcomer has joined the group and she is unsure what to think. Annelise Tattinger, is mysterious, athletic and a tarot card reader. She quickly moves up in the equestrian team but disappears frequently to travel to New York City.

What are her secrets? What is her plan? As Rosie becomes close to her, she realizes all is not what it seems. Mostly a story about the elite playing students at Yale and workers in New York, this novel is more coming of age than thriller. Rosie is a character you are not soon to forget, especially if you too, have tired sometimes to pass.

If you love stories about wealthy friends, family secrets and coming of age you will love The Fortune Seller!
#StMartinsPress #StMartins #TheFortuneSeller #RachelKapelkeDale

I felt like it wasn't too hard to figure out who Annaliese was, so if you're thinking this is more of a mystery you'll be disappointed. The first half of the book felt a little slow but did eventually pick up some speed. I liked the tarot card explanations that opened each chapter and I thought that was a nice touch.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It was such a great story with themes of inherited privilege, the “American dream”,ect without any of it feeling preachy or predictable at all.

I am a super picky reader. Much like Chefs are often judgmental about the food they eat, I am judgmental about the books I read. I'm mostly impossible to please. But, it doesn't feel right for me to leave below a four star (unless it's really bad) because these authors are out there TRYING.
So I stop and start many books.
But, then once in a while, one book comes along, and the world stops.
I stop scrolling. The dishes pile up. I'm groggy in the morning from staying up too late. And mopey when I finish the book.
The Fortune Seller...is beautifully crafted. A bit of a mystery at times. I thought, "Oh, I know where this is going...wrong!"
Though there was some foreshadowing that was easy to figure out, it all melded together like an autumn stew on a brisk cloudy evening.
I will hand-sell this over and over and over again.
I can't wait to dive into Ms. Kapelke-Dale's other writing (and how the heck did I ever miss it!)
A huge KUDOs for keeping politics out of this fiction book.
Lately, so many (fiction) books have allowed politics to creep in, and it immediately alienates not only me, but I hesitate to sell /suggest titles even if I loved the book.
This book could have easily lent itself to punching down one political party or making political observations, but there wasn't even a hint; the characters could have gone either way. THANK YOU.
I'm also going to go through some old boxes because I know there is a long forgotten tarot deck in there somewhere.
Maybe you might want to market the book with a tarot card deck?
Believable characters, even the worst of the lot garnered some sympathy.
A story as old as time but done beautifully.
5/5!!!!!

This book is very, very horse-y. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I was absolutely not expecting all the horse talk. If you dislike horses, well … you've been forewarned.

Horses aside, The Fortune Seller was an interesting read that focuses on the class divide in the United States. It's an old trope – a poor(ish) girl goes to a fancy school with the spoiled children of the one percent and struggles to fit in – but Rachel Kapelke-Dale manages to write about it in a fresh and original manner.

The story starts out as an extremely slow burn, but picks up speed around the 50% mark. The relationships between the characters were well-written and believable, and I particularly enjoyed “watching” as Rosie and Annelise's friendship blossomed.

There are really two mysteries in this book: who is Annelise and what happened to Annelise? The answer to the first question surprised me – I never saw it coming at all. The second question doesn't really come into play until over halfway through the novel, and I felt as if the answer was pretty obvious from the beginning. Still, the suspense kept me reading well into the night (it's currently 3:30 a.m. as I write this) and I really enjoyed the twists along the way.

The ending is both refreshing (I've read so many novels that end with depressing cliff-hangers lately) and my biggest complaint about this book. It's almost like things were wrapped up a little too well? Everyone got a big dose of karma, there's a cute dog, the end.

Overall, The Fortune Seller was an intriguing, well-written, and horse-filled read. Final rating: 3.75 stars, rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale is an unusual story, very well-written, with interesting characters, and as in her past books, her storytelling never disappoints. The main character, Rosie, who comes from a modest home and life, is returning for her fourth year at Yale after a year of school abroad and little does she know, her last year at Yale will be one she will never forget.
Arriving at her home where she has lived with her friends in the past, Rosie finds out she will have to share a room with a new girl, Annelise, whom she does not know. She finds out Annelise has an exceptional talent which is reading Tarot cards and that becomes an instant fixation. The roommates have unique personalities, money, and are all excellent riders on the Yale equestrian team. Events will unfold that will change all of them forever.
I really enjoyed this book and as the story develops individual personalities, devastating events and secrets will keep you from being able to put this book down believe you will enjoy it as well. I give a big thank you to St. Martin’s Press, the author and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was sold to me as dark academia but with a twist (equestrian girls i.e. rich girls, which just further complicates the already precarious juvenile bonds we find in dark academia) - so I was excited for this read. The girls in question are predictably wealthy, clique-ish, and competitive, which makes for wonderful tension. The tarot card aspect and the equestrian world setting add interesting dimensions to the typical "outsider among rich kids at an Ivy League" trope. The author delivers an interesting look at complicated female relationships and a more substantial exploration of ambition, privilege, wealth, elitism, class, etc. than I expected.

It doesn’t take long I to this novel to recognize the author’s style, mostly when compared to The Ballerinas, in exploring female bonds, complete with their flaws and tragic consequences.

The Fortune Seller finds Rosie, a middle-class Yale student, coming back for her last year of studies, after a year abroad. Upon her return, she finds that the mysterious Annelise has joined her circle of friends, changing the dynamics of the group. Each chapter starts with an exploration of Annelise’s tarot readings, setting the stage for the twists and turns that follow. Who is Annelise? What secrets is she hiding? And will her arrival in the group test the friends apart?

It is a great summer read, although its explorations of class divides and toxic friendships don’t always make it a light read..

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Rosie is going into senior year at Yale. She has spent her junior year abroad. Rosie has four roommates and they could not be more different.

Rosie has had to work for everything she has gotten. While her riding lessons were paid by a foundation, her hard work with the horses is evident and she lands a place on the team.

Trouble starts when she returns to the house and finds another bed in her room. It seems she has a roommate. Annelise, is the roommate and she is a mystery. Rather Boho and always with her Tarot cards handy, she is a threat to one and a friend to another.

The author is really brilliant at the complicated relationships between women. She doesn’t shy away from the ugly parts either. But it comes across as honest and real.

Complications and tensions arise when one of them suspects the other of stealing money. Rosie is dying to find out more about Annelise, but it’s after graduation when that happens and oh boy was it a shocker!

A good look at friends, class, and what they each want.

NetGalley/ St. Martin's Press, February 13, 2024

The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale-pretty good book, interesting group of young women who attend Yale, most of whom are quite wealthy and clique-ish. I found the writing and plot to be overly "horsey" after a while and lost interest. The book is a different kind of approach to a fairly familiar trope though, young wealthy people and how they gang up on each other. Decent read.

WOW!!! I seriously loved this book and adored how real the characters were! I could almost see Rosie and Annalise being friends of mine. She perfected the story of excess culture, richness, and how the 1% live in impermeable ivory towers above the rest of us. I absolutely adored the twists that made karma look like a lightweight! Can’t wait to read more from her, her writing grips you and doesn’t let go!

I knew going into The Fortune Seller how well Rachel Kapelke Dale writes complicated female relationships and that’s on full display here. I loved her previous novels The Ballerinas and The Ingenue so my expectations were high.

This novel starts in 2005 with Rosie and her friends who are on the Yale Equestrian team. After being abroad for her junior year, Rosie is excited to reunite with her friends only to learn a new girl named Annelise has joined their clique and will be her roommate. Annelise is an excellent equestrian rider who appears to have many talents and one of them is her tarot card reading. Although Rosie finds herself charmed by Annelise, something seems off. All of the girls are keeping secrets and after a series of events, they start to turn on one another and there are tragic consequences. We then follow Rosie after graduation when she starts working for a hedge fund company. Events from the past continue to haunt her as she searches for answers.

I loved the dark academia feel to the story and the writing is as beautiful as I expected it would be. The tarot card interpretation and foreshadowing at the start of each chapter was a brilliant touch. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and the author for an advance digital copy of The Fortune Seller. It exceeded my high expectations!

Rosie Macalister made it to Yale. Unlike her three wealthy and closest friends,Cressida,Lila,and Andra, she hast to watch every dollar she spends. She returns for her senior year, distressed to find that Cressida has added a fourth person to their group.
The tarot card reading Annelise. What Rosie doesn’t expect is how well she will get along with Annelise and how her entire perspective about Yale and life will change. A tragedy mars their final year, and Rosie soon realizes her Yale degree will not open the doors she imagined. Her first job after graduation, exposes her to more truths about how the super wealthy are truly different and soon she has to decide if this is the life she really wants.
I didn’t expect how much this book would make me think about how hard it is to pull yourself up from a life of poverty, no matter how smart you are. Secrets and lies combined, and made me yell at my Kindle more than once, oh no, that didn’t just happen.
No spoilers, but there were certain people that I was glad to see got what they deserved.