I absolutely loved this book and was captivated from the start. It was fun to disappear into ivy league academia, equestrian competition and the world of the economic elite. The shocking twists were delightful.

When Rosie Macalister returns to Yale and her spot on the equestrian team after a year away, she finds out she is rooming with Annelise Tattinger, who turns out to be a very talented rider who reads tarot cards for the other girls in her spare time. Rosie has fought very hard for her place in the team's inner circle, which is no easy feat since she is from a middle-class background. At first, she is resentful of the idea of having a roommate, but she soon becomes friends with Annelise and realizes there is a lot more going on than meets the eye.

This is a very realistic look at class differences and how the upper elite class treats everyone else. The attitude that the rules don't apply to the rich comes across very strongly. There were some hidden secrets that I didn't see coming, and the characterization of the very rich and entitled Cressida is well done. The old cliche that money doesn't buy happiness rings very true in this book, but would be better defined as "too much money doesn't buy happiness." While some of the characters use their trust funds to sink deeper into despair, others just want enough money to fulfill their dreams.

Each chapter was headed with the description of a tarot card, which was not my cup of tea at all. But the relationships and class differences and the way this affected the characters made this book shine. Honest, sobering, sad, and heartbreaking, this book shines a light on the elite class and on struggling to belong in a world that is only set up for a few to succeed.

I received a free copy of this book from St. Martin's Press. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
"The Fortune Seller" by Rachel Kapelke-Dale was an addictive, interesting, unique & well written story that pulled me in right away.
I really liked how the explanation for the different tarot cards started off each chapter.
I would definitely read another book by this author.

Interesting premise but overall the book wasn't for me. I didn't feel a connection with the main character and I felt the pacing was slow. I did like the dark academia/mystery vibes, but the actual plot just generally fell flat. I don't think the topics of wealth/class were explored in enough depth. Also, if you enjoy horses, you may like the equestrian aspects of this book. But there was just a little too much description in that department for me lol which was part of the pacing issue for me.

"The Fortune Seller" is a captivating piece of literature.The author's storytelling ability shines through, weaving an engaging narrative that keeps readers hooked until the very end. Although some aspects may fall short of perfection, the book's overall impact is undeniable, making it a worthwhile read for those seeking an enjoyable and thought-provoking experience.

I am so lucky to have been able to read and review all of Rachels books so far, and they always tend to be a hit for me.

The Fortune Seller seemed to be right up my alley personally, as I am also someone who love tarot. I adored how the explanation for the different tarot cards started each chapter, and aligned to something that was going on in the plot. I thought it was a really clever use of something that was important but not integral to the plot.

Another thing I really enjoyed about the book was the overall mystery and mystique in it. Who were these people, what kind of life are they truly living, and the age old question of what is the lifestyle of the rich and famous and how do we get there. I think the addition of equestrian sports just helped to drive home the exploration of the rich, as that’s not really a sport most middle or lower class people follow or even know much about.

One critique I do have is there were moments where it felt a little slow, or even kind of like we weren’t in the same story. But, I do think in the end it was all aligned and we kind of saw how the plot points from the start led to something happening later on.

Overall, this was a 4 star read for me! Please note, while there is a romance in this book, there is no spice and it is definitely not something I would classify as romance!

If the word 'tarot' appears anywhere in the synopsis, I'm probably going to read it. I really liked how reading tarot was woven into the storyline and how a different card was featured at the beginning of each new chapter as a sort of foreshadowing of what's to come. While there is a lot of equestrian talk, I was able to follow along just fine (and I know almost nothing of horses). This is a great character driven novel that really picks up speed at the halfway mark.

After a year abroad, Rosie is excited for her senior year at Yale, living with her friends, riding on the equestrian team and figuring out her future; but when she arrives on campus at the house she’s sharing with her friends, there is another girl’s belongings in her room. Rosie has always been a bit of an outsider with her friends, she is not uber wealthy like they are, so when she finds out they have given her a roommate (in her already extra small room) she is upset at first but happy for the savings. Rosie and Annelise hit it off immediately, Annelise teaches her tarot card reading and Rosie is attracted to her style and her amazing equestrian skills – she does have an incredibly secretive side however. No one really understands how she transferred from Standford with no equestrian experience and yet she can ride like a pro, she disappears for whole days at a time to NYC, and she has no identifying papers (so is Annalise her real name?). The alpha in the group, Cress becomes incredibly jealous of Annalise, her skills, and her relationship with Rosie and from there it all takes a very dark turn.

The second part of the book takes place after graduation in NYC, Rosie is working for Cress’s dad but as his second string assistant (not what she was hoping her econ major at Yale would have gotten her, nor from her close friendship with Cress), and as such is treated like the help and at the same time becomes privy to more dark secrets of the family than Rosie wanted to ever know.

I wanted to like this one more than I did in the end. I kept waiting for the great mystery of Annalise to be revealed and I didn’t feel that it was quite delivered (for me, some may have felt it was worth it). I’m also not sure I understood Rosie as a character, her obsession with going into finance so she would not be middle class like her parents but no follow through on internships or interviews – it didn’t seem consistent. I thought the second half of the book was much more compelling as it showed more of Rosie as a person and maturing and understanding who she was and who she wanted to be rather than reading so much about the pettiness of Cress and the other girls. I think all told, I would have preferred more mystery about Annalise or at least a less predictable one (sorry). I both listened and read this one and found the audio really enjoyable, the narrator was great and made the book move at a good pace, even when the story was a bit slow.

3.75 Stars

I really liked the idea of the book but it just didn't click for me. I found characters were unrelatable and unlikable.
I also found the ending to be a bit unbelievable - no real investigations regarding the deaths.

THE FORTUNE SELLER draws you in with its promise of mystical tarot readings intertwined with the lifestyles of the elite. And it does that, for the most part. Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and the author for an advance digital copy of THE FORTUNE SELLER in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, Kapelke-Dale's prose is beautiful. She perfectly captures the lush, expansive, dark academia setting juxtaposed with the stifling, suffocating heat of Manhattan. THE FORTUNE SELLER is a winding tale that really picks up about halfway through and leaves you needing more, more, more.

A major theme of the book is being one of "them" and its a trope we see too often (and rarely with any satisfactory ending - Grayson's death was a bit of a cop out but I understand the role it had to play in Rosie getting out unscathed and Cass' unraveling). Rosie is so caught up in her upbringing, which is not as awful as she makes it out to be, and it seems a bit unrealistic that she could keep it away from her supposed "best friends" for almost four years. Realistically, what did being friends with these girls bring her? And why the sudden shift in senior year? Surely their true colors would have shown before then.

THE FORTUNE SELLER weaves together a story of what happens when hunger, ambition, secrets, and friendship, become a lethal cocktail, and just how far you go to protect one of your kind.

Unfortunately I had a really hard time with this one and thought maybe it was just the wrong time to be reading this book. I put it down and picked it back up today and continued to really struggle. I am going to DNF for now and will try again possibly some other time.

I had a really hard time connecting with the main character and that is always a deal breaker for me.

I would suggest you read other reviews here and on goodreads however as there are many people that really enjoyed this one

I really loved this one! It had a really different path from your normal everyday gothic novels about friends in college. I actually found myself caring about the characters and their secret struggles. Something I thought would be skewed in a paranormal direction actually turned into a story about hiding who you truly are and what the consequences are if you do that, all centered around a deck of tarot cards. It's up to you if you believe the cards or not, which means every reader will get a slightly different story.

This one really suprirsed me. It ended up being much more of a mystsery than a coming of age story, and for that I really enjoyed it. For attending one of the country's best schools, the main character could be very dumb sometimes; too dumb to just pass for naivete. Other than that one quip, I really enjoyed this book!

Rosie Macalister has worked hard to fit in with her Yale equestrian team but after spending a year aboard she’s worried about being replaced by newcomer Annelise Tattinger. A brilliant rider and a tarot card reader, Annelise is nothing what Rosie expected and is unexplainably draw to her. As tensions in the house start mounting, and everyone’s place in the circle start to come into question decisions are made that lead to devastating consequences. After graduation, Rosie beings to fully understand who Annelise was and knows that Annelise came to Yale for a reason.

This gave me all the vibes Katy Hay’s The Cloisters which I read last year especially with the Tarot aspect. Both books rely heavily on creating an allusion of magical realism but neither actually takes the plunge into the realm of magic. Which for me is a disappointment. Both are more character driven, coming of age stories that infiltrate the lives of the wealthy. I would say that The Fortune Seller has a bit more ‘action’ in the sense that there is a mystery element, but it’s a slow burn. I don’t think I would have made it through this story without the audiobook, but even then, I was only ever partially invested. Stephanie Cannon’s voice though is incredibly soothing which is why I think I kept listening.

I will say that this book is heavvvy on the horses and equestrian lifestyle. It’s not necessarily a detractor but I did have to look up a few things since I’m not familiar with that world much. I read Girls and Their Horses last year, and while it’s also big on horses I felt more intune with the story and less like I was learning a new sport.

I didn’t particularly love Rosie either, her lack of self-motivation (I guess you could call it) irked me. You’re a senior and haven’t done a single internship or applied for the jobs you think you deserve. The Enneagram 3 in me just can’t deal with that type of limp fish. none of the other characters besides Annelise is particularly likable either but I just wish it would have been more of a page turner story, instead of so drawn out. If you love horses or really enjoy more atmospheric read vs plot-based reads than this book is for you, otherwise you might want to skip.


The Fortune Seller comes out February 13, 2024. Huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for my copy in exchange for an honest review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.

After a year abroad in Argentina, Rosie returns to her senior year at Yale in 2005, expecting life with her close friends, Cress, Lila and Andra, to pick up where they all left off. But in their absence, Cress has found a new BFF: the mysterious Annelise. There's a lot about Annelise the girls don't know .... but also a lot they learn about each other over the course of the year.
Ms. Kapelke-Dale picks such interesting subjects for her novels. Her first book focused on the world of ballet, the second a piano prodigy, and now, she focuses on tarot cards and the world of equestrians (and the wealthy people who populate the sport). She's also continued her unique format by, in this case, starting each chapter with tidbits about individual tarot cards.
The Fortune Seller tells an interesting story that was perhaps a bit too heavy on equestrians and tarot card themes for me, but I did learn a lot about both!
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read The Fortune Seller!

The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale is mysterious with a small dose of mystical, and overall, it plays as a foil for contemporary society that reflects and hones in a toxic level of entitlement focused around the equestrian world.

I loved the mystery and the mystic elements. They put me on edge, looking for answers and explanations. I figured out the conclusion early on, but witnessing Rosie figure it out was still enjoyable.

The story dragged on quite a bit, but that is Kielke’s style. I get frustrated with this choice because I love a swift, focused story best. But that is very much an opinion as I know plenty of readers who enjoy it.

I loved watching Rosie find herself and settle on what her heart wants versus what her head thinks is the more practical choice. The one thing money can’t buy is happiness, and Rosie has to go through a lot of turmoil and road bumps to figure that out. I enjoyed her journey as it felt authentic despite being set in an exaggerated world.

This was an alright book, though I found it a bit long and there were a lot of conversations between characters that went on for a long time. Rosie has just returned to Yale after a year abroad in Argentina, she has come back to the house she's sharing with several other females who are also attending Yale. All of her roommates are wealthy, their parents in most cases are exceptionally wealthy, especially Cress, her father is the founder of a hedge fund that is worth billions, Rosie is not from a wealthy background, her parents are veterinarians and she had to save in order to afford Yale . Cress and Rosie are close so it was a bit of a surprise for Rosie to find another girl rooming with her, Annelise, though Cress, who collects rent from all, lowers Rosie's as a result. All the girls take part in the equestrian program with aspirations of riding professionally. Most of the girls have to ride the horses provided by the stable, Cress, however, has her own horse (she has a couple), a stallion named Thumper. Rosie and Annelise become friendly, Annelise is a tarot card reader and reads for Rosie many times. Each chapter starts with a description of what certain tarot cards mean, and the chapter touched on some of those themes. An incident occurs about half way through the story that has for reaching implications for the group. I would recommend, especially if you have an interest in horses, Yale, New York and working with exceptionally rich people. Thanks to #Netgalley and #St Martin's Press for the ARC.

Extremely well written and the ending is something I will think about for a long time. A study of female friendships and their downfall with gothic elements on a low simmer. I can't wait to see the response to this!

This was a good read - I really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

“Nobody ever asks the one right question. Not the fortune tellers, not the querents…the question before the question, ‘Do you really want to know?’”

It’s 2005 and middle class midwesterner Rosie Macalister returns to Yale and the equestrian team for her senior year to find the dynamics have changed. A new rider Annelise Tattinger has entered their orbit which sends the competition both in and out of the ring, into a tailspin. Rosie is navigating guilt and frustration, as she is surrounded by her ultra wealthy teammates, when tragedy strikes. The following year Rosie is in New York City, trying to make it in the hedge fund world as she continues to attempt to unravel the mystery.

Having read and enjoyed Ms. Kapelke-Dale’s previous two novels, I had high hopes for this one. I was confident that the chapter structure and artistic elements of those books could translate to the equine world and the tarot reading themes of this new work. It’s disappointing to admit that this did not work for me. The shallow, privileged characters were laced with cliches and while realistic, were unappealing to this reader. I was rooting for Rosie and read on as I grasped for retribution for her but the continued reverting back to themes of entitlement became tedious.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.