I love the whimsy and cozy Julie Leong puts into her writing, without feeling too fluffy and boring as some cozy fantasy can tend to feel. Loved the queer representation!

"An almost-mage discovers friendship - and maybe something more - in the unlikeliest of places in this delightfully charming novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Teller of Small Fortunes.

Certainty Bulrush wants to be useful - to the Guild of Mages that took her in as a novice, to the little brother who depends on her, and to anyone else she can help. Unfortunately, her tepid magic hasn't proven much use to anyone. When Certainty has the chance to earn her magehood via a seemingly straightforward assignment, she takes it. Nevermind that she'll have to work with Mage Aurelia, the brilliant, unfairly attractive overachiever who's managed to alienate everyone around her.

The two must transport minorly magical artifacts somewhere safe: Shpelling, the dullest, least magical village around. There, they must fix up an old warehouse, separate the gossipy teapots from the kind-of-flaming swords, corral an unruly little catdragon who has tagged along, and above all, avoid complications. The Guild's uneasy relationship with citizens is at a tipping point, and the last thing needed is a magical incident.

Still, as mage and novice come to know Shpelling's residents - and each other - they realize the Guild's hoarded magic might do more good being shared. Friendships blossom while Certainty and Aurelia work to make Shpelling the haven it could be. But magic is fickle - add attraction and it might spell trouble."

Catdragon!?!

This is a really fun and cozy read! The characters are likeable, there are some good laughs, and the drama is all low-stakes. If you enjoy magical books and an enjoyable easy read, this is definitely one to pick up. It's a warm hug of a book and a nice escape from the real world. The pace is just right- it never dragged and each chapter made me want to keep reading to see what came next.

I haven't read the author's other book yet but now I'm adding it to my TBR list!

i dont usually enjoy such character driven stories but this one was so cozy that i loved every second of it. The character development is so well done, and the setting is written so it almost becomes a character and develops its own arc. The plot does get moving towards the end and it is well done and satisfying to read. The love story is very subtle at first, and then sweet and endearing. I loved the people of Schpelling and how their stories come together with Certainty and Aurelia’s.
there was one scene that I felt was unnecessary but that was just personal preference and didn’t affect the cozy feelings I had for the rest of the story.

Julie Leong absolutely won with the Teller of Small Fortunes, and continues to win with the Keeper of Magical Things! I love how whimsical and imaginative Julie’s writing is, and she creates a world I want to live in and explore every day. This is one of my top reads this year!

The absolute best book that I have read all year.
This book is a joy to read. It was the book I did not know I needed.
Very well written. Character development and world building at its finest.
I had not read this authors first book, A teller of small fortunes, but after seeing what a masterpiece this book is, I am definatly going to read it soon.
We will be stocking this book in the store for Certain... you know... the main character's name is Certainty.
I thought it was funny. Dad humor.

Certainty Bulrush of Potshire is a six-year novice magician who has the physical magic ability to communicate with objects via touch. While it is a useful skill, it's being used in the most mundane of ways--taking stains out of quilts for example. Until the overwhelming collection of magical items stored at the Guild Tower sets loose some wild magic that causes serious problems. When Certainty uncovers the source of the problem, the powers that be decide to have her shepherd a wagonload of magical items to Shpelling, the least magical place in the country that they can find, to lessen the excess magic from the Tower. Except Certainty doesn't have enough magic to make sure that the items would be carefully warded and prevented from causing further problems. And so she is teamed up with the Mage Aurelia Mirellen, known to the novices as the ice witch for her silver-blond hair and her frosty disposition. Both women, and Shpelling, are more than first meets the eye. And that's the joy of this story--the slow unfolding of the various layers and personalities of both protagonists, as well as the residents of the village, as they fight for recognition of their true worth. I loved seeing every one of them blossom as they discover the value of the others as well as themselves. It makes for a truly satisfying story and is a wonderful sophomore effort from Julie Leong, who also wrote The Teller of Small Fortunes--another lovely story. Highly recommended.

Representation: sapphic main relationship, non-binary minor character

Summary:
Certainty Bulrush is a mage-in-training, and has been for six years now, due to the fact that her magic is limited to one skill: communicating with objects. While Certainty loves this skill, the Mage Guild is less enthusiastic, and so Certainty has been stuck as Novice for years. When the opportunity comes up to fulfill a survey of magical objects for the Guild, and in doing so, earn her Mage status, Certainty jumps at it. The only issues? She must work with notorious ice queen, Mage Aurelia, and do so in Sphelling - a village with absolutely no magic that isn't even on the maps. When Aurelia and Certainty arrive, they find a village that has suffered due to lack of magic. As they complete the inventory for the Guild, along the way, the two women find themselves in a moral quandry - what is the line between duty, and care for others, and also, was Aurelia always that cute?

Review:
Wow I loved this book. Julie Leong did a fantastic job in my opinion of achieving the ultimate in cozy fantasy: enough stakes that you care about and are invested in the story, without losing the cozy at bit. The writing in this book is also so vibrant - I feel as though the colors and images are leaping off the page. I also loved both main characters, and found the cast of side characters to be diverse in personality while all still being lovable and fun. Aurelia's emotional journey, in particular, was very fun to read, and I loved the ending to the book in a way where everyone gets what they deserve - both good and bad!

I think Julie Leong may be a master of cozy, romantic fantasy that has just enough to keep someone like me, who usually has a hard time with cozy fantasies, interested and invested in the story. The world building is perfect and I wish I could live there!! Seriously! The obvious care and extensive planning the author took to plan out and execute this world is easily my favorite element of her writing. The Keeper of Magical Things was adorable! I loved following Cert's POV and watching Aurelia slowly thaw and their relationship develop over the course of their assignment. Hope was the perfect addition - I would read a whole book of her shenanigans alone. The conflict and resolution were *chef's kiss*, meaning I couldn't have wanted for anything additional or different. I have enjoyed both books from this author and I cannot wait to read more from her!

Thank you to Ace, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

It's always hard when you pick up a second novel by someone whose first novel you adored. (I am sure it is even harder to write that second novel.) My expectations were high, my fingers were crossed, and I was rewarded with an adorable, brilliant and very fun to read second novel about different characters in the same world as The Teller of Small Fortunes. This was sweet and meaningful and I adored it, and it boasts that most wonderful of things, AN ADORABLE CATDRAGON. One day this fall when you need just a good and gentle story, get this book and go hang out in Aurelia and Certainty's world and take a deep breath and drink many cups of tea.

This was a solid follow up to The Teller of Small Fortunes, set in the same world and dealing with magic on a less exciting yet more personal level.

This time around we meet Certainty, a cheerful country lass who is quite possibly the longest-standing novice with the Guild. Her talent is the ability to communicate with magical objects to find out their purpose and occasionally persuade them to take certain actions.

She is tasked with transporting a collection of minor magical artifacts to a remote village, and cataloging them, with the promise of her magehood when she returns. To aid her in this task, she is paired with Mage Aurelia (aka The Ice Queen) - reserved, haughty, and unhappy at being asked to leave the Guild tower on this seemingly unimportant assignment.

What proceeds is a heartwarming tale of personal growth, opposites attracting, a small town receiving a magical makeover, and a feel-good ending where the bad guy gets what was coming to him. Highly recommended for all those who enjoy positive vibes/warm fuzzies/balance restored to the universe feelings.

This read was both cozy and whimsical. A kind of fantasy book that made me smile all the way through. The magical objects were so much fun, Toast (a catdragon) was endearing and the perfect companion. The romance was soft and sweet, woven in without ever taking away from the cozy vibe. When readers talk about cozy fantasy, this is exactly what they are looking for.

This was a delight! Was it life-changing or unpredictable? No, but sometimes you need the breathing space of something comforting and sweet.

Certainty is a mage - well, kind of. Accepted as a novice to the Guild of Mages, she has been languishing there, still as a novice, with her magic of talking to objects proving itself to not be entirely useful at becoming a full-fledged guildmember. But an assignment of cataloguing magical objects in a country bumpkin town comes with the lure of finally getting graduating, so to speak. So what if she's partnered with the beautiful and glacial type-a Aurelia? Whomever will guess what kind of bond will grow between them??

(We can all guess.)

You get low stakes, you get magical objects, you get finding a family in curmudgeonly townpeople, and you get a bit of sapphic romance. So you see where the delightful part comes from.

That's pretty much all you get - oh, plus a winged cat, which adds another half a star.

I did find a lot of it predictably contrived, especially the climactic conflict resolution. This dampened my enjoyment a bit, as I just didn't feel invested - I don't feel like this book was invested in its own plot, it was just there for the cozy and cute vibes more than anything. But it did deliver on those vibes.

And again: delivered on a winged cat, so really, not a bad way to spend a day reading.

Thank you to the publisher, Ace, and to NetGalley for the ARC.

I read the first book in this series at the beginning of this year and absolutely fell in love with all of the characters and the cozy magical world they inhabited so I was very excited to dive back into it with this one.
This book once again delivered the same heartwarming and cozy vibes as the first, leaning heavily on the well-rounded characters, the friendships they built, and the found family aspect. We also get to see a slow burn sapphic love story in this one that manages to be an integral part of the story without overshadowing the main focus of self-discovery, self-love, and finding and accepting joy in your life.
It was a much needed spot of light and joy in these times and is definitely up there as one of my favorite cozy fantasies. I can't wait to see what else Julie Leong writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC

It’s hard to get a second book right, but Leong does it well with this companion to The Teller of Small Fortunes. A great cozy fantasy read. Catdragon, need I say more?

The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong is a whimsical and heartfelt tale that beautifully blends fantasy with themes of family, courage, and self-discovery. Leong’s writing is lyrical yet approachable, and the world she builds feels both enchanting and grounded in emotion.

It’s also an easy, engaging read that makes for a delightful escape: light without being shallow, magical without being overwhelming. I especially appreciated the inclusive, LGBTQ+ friendly storytelling woven naturally into the narrative, which adds depth without overshadowing the fantasy elements. While I occasionally wished for more development in some of the side characters, overall this was a charming and imaginative story, perfect for readers who enjoy cozy, character driven fantasy with heart.

Thank you to the publisher and author for providing this ARC freely in exchange for my honest review!

The Keeper of Magical Things

The Teller of Small Fortunes was one of my surprise five-star reads of 2025, and Keeper of Magical Things has only confirmed that Leong is setting the curve for cozy fantasy.

“Life was a series of waits, of moments in between. You couldn’t cram all your happiness and meaning into only the big moments, or you’d miss everything else that mattered along the way.”

Everything about this story exudes warmth. It feels like sitting in a sunlit café in the middle of fall, pastry on your plate, warm drink in hand, and a book you never want to put down. There’s something so special about a story that celebrates the beauty in the mundane, yet brings so much joy with every word.

What really makes the prose sparkle are Leong’s analogies—they bring color and life to the world, like describing the main village road as winding “like a ribbon through the hooks of a bodice.” Details like that are what make this book sing.

It’s also genuinely funny—I found myself laughing out loud more than once, especially during a scene that pokes fun at one of my favorite tropes.

And then there’s the love—it practically oozes from the pages.

Certainty and Aurelia are everything you want in a slow-burn, sapphic romance. The pining, the personal growth that unfolds as they fall for each other… and did I mention the pining? It’s the toe-curling, butterflies-in-your-stomach kind of romance that reminds you of your first love and leaves your heart floating. Chef’s kiss.

This is hands down my favorite cozy fantasy of 2025 and has Julie Leong added to my auto-buy list. If you’re looking to bring some joy into your life, pre-order now.

Pub Date: October 13, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Such a cute story. I really loved the last book but I think I like this one even more. Hopefully there will be more in this world.

I was so excited to read The Keeper of Magical Things after loving The Teller of Small Fortunes, and it did not disappoint! It builds on the strong world already developed in the first book, and is a strong follow-up novel. This is possibly one of my favorite cozy fantasy novels. There's some tension, but for the most part you just get to enjoy the characters and the setting. After reading The Teller of Small Fortunes I had wanted more exploration into the world's magic and the Guild of Mages, and this satisfies everything I wanted more of.
While this is set in the same world as The Teller of Small Fortunes, you do not need to have read it in order to read this book. I think it would be just as enjoyable if you started with this book. Either way, the characters and setting that Julie Leong has created are truly lovely, and I look forward to reading more from Leong in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Certainty and Aurelia's "it takes a village ... and a bunch of 'repurposed' minor magical items" slow burn romance is a clever and warming balm to cozy fantasy readers, and highly recommended to fans of Sarah Beth Durst and Travis Baldreee. I look forward to the next title from Leong!