I read The Teller of Small Fortunes and loved it, so I knew I was in for a treat—and boy, was I right!!! The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong is a charming cozy fantasy set in the same world as the first book, but it stands perfectly well on its own.

Certainty Bulrush is a novice physical mage in the Guild of Mages with a minor magic: the ability to talk to objects. She comes from a small village, and a lot ride on her shoulders—helping her family financially, supporting her brother’s dream of becoming a pharmacist’s apprentice, and finally earning the rank of full mage with all its benefits.

She and the “Ice Queen,” Mage Aurelia, are sent on a mission to transport and catalog minor magical artifacts to Shpelling, the most desolate, least magical village around. If the mission succeeds, Certainty will finally become a mage. Once there, they must contend with an uninhabitable warehouse, unwelcoming villagers, unpredictable artifacts, and their own self-doubt. At first, all goes well—until it doesn’t.

I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s first book, and this one won me over even more. I was worried about Second Book Syndrome—sequels often struggle to live up to the original—but that wasn’t the case here. It’s just as strong, if not stronger. This is a feel-good story that leaves you warm and fuzzy inside. The magic is original, and I especially loved the voices of the objects and their interactions with Certainty. The chatty teapot was just what the doctor ordered!

The setting and characters are engaging, and the pace is steady. The characters feel fully fleshed out. I really enjoyed the contrast between grumpy Aurelia and sunshine Certainty (her name has an interesting meaning). Certainty’s kindness and empathy, her willingness to help others, and her effect on those around her were especially heartwarming. I also appreciated Aurelia’s growth and the way she overcomes her circumstances. Both girls are shaped by their families—for better and for worse—and their relationships with their parents clearly influence their personalities and choices. Oh, and there’s a catdragon named Hope!!!

Themes of friendship and found family, the Guild’s relationship with regular citizens, happiness, self-worth, and fulfillment are all beautifully woven into this story. There’s a slow-burn sapphic romance, but it’s gently integrated and never overshadows the plot. This book delivers everything I look for in cozy fantasy, with all the right vibes, and I’d love to spend more time in this world. While the ending is very satisfying, not all questions are answered—such as what happened with Certainty’s brother’s dreams. Julie Leong is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

Perfect for anyone who loves uplifting, cozy fantasy with quirky magic, gentle sapphic romance, and humor.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐

I really enjoyed The Teller of Small Fortunes and was so excited to get the ARC for The Keeper of Magical Things. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC!

This is set in the same world as the author's first book, but I don't think you need to have read it before going into this book.

The Keeper of Magical Things is definitely a cozy fantasy, with both the pros and cons of the genre. Unfortunately, for me the low stakes made it a bit boring and frustrating at times. There are almost no negative repercussions for anything in the book until around the 3/4 mark, and even then you get multiple warnings that something is coming. The plot is pretty simple, not a lot going on, again at times a little boring. But on the other hand, the characters are likeable (side characters too), the magic is interesting and also fairly simple and straightforward, and there are cats and one of them has dragon wings. The romance didn't do too much for me, but it also didn't overwhelm the rest of the story too much. Also, absolutely beautiful cover!

Thank you so much NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book.

Everyone knows that I love romantasy. It's a genre full of magic and love (which might be argued to be the same thing). When I saw this book on NetGalley, I thought "Oh my god I'd be a perfect match". Turns out, at 10 stars out of 5 possible, I was definitely a good match.

This author does so many things well. I love a book with queer representation. It was a revelation that was done without dramatics or angst- which is the example I want to see become the standard in this industry. I also adored the cozy vibes this book had. It was so comfortable and kept me reading. The tropes? Oh, I love a well written grumpy-sunshine and uptight-laidback couple. I just have to point out that the romance feels like slow burn paced perfectly. There were lots of long stares, blushes, and the slight spice included was such a treat. They're a really well-matched couple who work good together with lots of chemistry. It was a treat to read.

I had such a good time reading this book that I thought I had a lot more pages to go before I realized I was at the acknowledgements. I couldn't put it down until I was done. Trust me when I say that the cover is a great representation of the gold contained in these pages!

Another addition to this wonderful cozy fantasy universe. I enjoy Julie Leong's writing and exploring new kinds of magic and characters, and really like the world she has created. Will happily recommend it as a cozy fantasy to anyone interested and look forward to more in the series.

"In her experience, cats were perfectly capable of managing on their own, and really only kept humans around for the sake of their egos."


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.

"Knew I didn't like him the moment I met him."
"Gertha, you never like anyone the moment you meet them."
"True. Seems safest, as a rule. Most people are terrible."


A charming, cozy read for those just wanting something light, easy, and uplifting.

Certainty is now one of my favorite MCs for her thoughtfulness. Raised in a small town, she's not miffed at her placement like Aurelia is...and she has the empathy and gumption to use artifacts to help townsfolk circumstances. And let me tell you, some of these artifacts are bizarre...so I loved that she was able to find a practical application for them!

Her object-speaking is also super unique and I loved the object-voices...especially the battering ram. And honestly...I would totally keep that teapot because its idle chatter is actually relevant. I could totally see it being a companion for an elderly woman with cats.

Speaking of cats...Hope the catdragon is freaking adorable. And how the cat became a catdragon is equally amusing. Clearly this author likes her kitties and I'm right here with her.

I think the romance detracted slightly from the story and is probably why this wasn't a four-star read for me but I know many others will really like its addition.

That said...the ending was SUPER SATISFYING. I want to gush about it but I don't want to ruin it. Just know that I absolutely love that it became a thing and I'm semi-hoping we get another look at it in a future book!

If you're in the mood for a refurbished barn, objects that have unique personalities, small-town life with a sunshine MC, and a snooty mage turned considerate scholar...this is the book for you!

I enjoyed The Teller of Small Fortunes and have been looking forward to this new book. I ended up enjoying this one even more than the first. I really like that the story focuses on new characters in the same world.

For me, these two books are exactly what cozy fantasy should be. All the story elements work well. The pacing is nice and moves along well. This is a world you want to climb into and have a cup of tea in. Characters you want to be friends with. I’ve read cozy fantasy that feels like it’s going through a checklist of things in order to be cozy fantasy. These books have a wonderful authenticity to them. I can’t wait to see what other stories unfold in this world.

magical sapphics, my beloveds!! i loved this story so much, even more so than the last one! gasp! but in all realness, this was amazing and i will sing this series' praises for the rest of my being

A quick and cute read. Not fantastic but good enough to finish. Enjoyable enough to share with friends and fellow book loves but not something I would typically pic up or shout out..

Delightful! I loved Certainty and Aurelia and the villagers of Shpelling, and I hope Julie Leong continues to write books set in this world.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publishers for this ARC!

This story was an absolute delight. I loved the concept as well as the execution. It was perfectly cozy for a patio read, and the characters drew you in. Cozy fantasy is such a lovely genre and the author executed it so well. 100% recommend, I really loved this!

This was such a cozy and delightful read! This would be a great read for fans of Terry Pratchett or Rebecca Thorne. I loved the whimsical and, at times, irreverent narration that kept a great pace through the book, making it difficult to put down.

The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong

Release date October 14th
Cozy sapphic fantasy

Certainty a novice mage and Aurelia a full mage must travel to Shpelling (a non magical town) with 2 carts of minor magical artifacts. There they are to determine what enchantments the items hold and safely store them away.

The world building is phenomenal. The characters are well thought out and extremely well written. I loved the budding friendship/relationship between Certainty & Aurelia. Enjoyed the people from Shpelling. Loved the fact that Hope turned into a dragoncat that was cute.

I love this book so much. It’s perfect. No notes.

I also have never dropped everything to read a NetGalley book before this and I read it so fast.

3.5 stars. I don't remember The Teller of Small Fortunes having a romantic sub-plot, which is prominent in this book. It's not bad, just made me feel like they don't match so much. This is sweet and cozy, slower-paced with a focus on the setting and the characters. Readers should definitely start with the first book for the best understanding of the universe, but the major characters don't overlap so a gap between readings is a-ok.

eARC from NetGalley.

Thank you Net Galley for the arc~ This book was an absolute joy to read. Similar to Julie Leong's previous book "The Teller of Small Fortunes", I found this book to be cosy, descriptive, and immersive. We mainly follow the story through Certainty (Cer), a novice mage whose only real talent is communicating with objects. She is paired with powerful mage Aurelia to deliver magical artifacts to a small village. The low stakes mission paired with the slice of life setting of fitting into a small town really set the stage for a relaxing time. This is a perfect book if readers want to immerse themselves in a world where magic exists yet isn't overwhelming. Highly recommend.

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

Calamity wants to be a mage, but she has a very particular kind of magic that doesn't really have any useful applications to the magedom. She can speak with items But after a overflow of magic from useless magical items, only she can help! She gets assigned to work with "Ice Queen" Mage Aurelia to transport these tems to the least magical town possible, inventory them, and in return, she'll get to become a Mage.

I am in my cozy fantasy era and I love it so much! This book was so sweet and adorable, I especially loved the town of Shpelling. They are so angry at mages for leaving their town to die, but watching them interact with Calamity and Aurelia was the cutest. Watching Calamity and Aurelia's friendship develop brought me joy and seeing it turn into something more melted me.

This book is perfect for fantasy lovers, especially those who have been burned out by the high stakes, cliff hanger, 6+ book long series, like I have. I will defintely be reading Julie's other book, and I look forward to any others she publishes!

The Magic of Certainty is a cozy, charming fantasy about novice mage Certainty Bulrush, who longs to prove her worth to the Guild—and maybe herself. When she’s assigned to relocate magical odds and ends to the sleepy village of Shpelling, she’s paired with Aurelia, the brilliant, aloof mage everyone loves to hate.

What follows is a heartwarming tale of small-town magic, awkward friendships, and a catdragon that refuses to stay put. As Certainty and Aurelia work to bring order to Shpelling’s chaos, they discover that hoarded magic might be better shared—and that even the humblest spell can change lives.

A gentle, character-driven read that’s equal parts sweet, funny, and quietly rebellious. Perfect for fans of cozy fantasy with a dash of romance.

I absolutely loved this book. This is the authors second book and it is possibly better than her first. They are both amazing reads! I have just read both of her books back to back and I am sorry to have to leave her magical world! I hope another book from this world follows close on the heels of this one!

This book is so ridiculously cute that my blood is now all sugar (in a good way). It’s cozy, and heartwarming, and unapologetically queer, and I loved every minute of it. I think the worldbuilding/political stuff could have been fleshed out a bit better, or just explained a tiny bit more, which is my only complaint. But other than that, this was a perfect, sapphic, cozy fantasy read. The plot is fun, the characters are wonderful, the romance is so sweet, and there’s a cat dragon. I would recommend this to anyone who loves light reads, especially with fantasy settings.

This book is exactly the kind of gentle, whimsical magic I crave when I need something soft but clever, something kind but still full of spark. It was lovely in every way. Cozy without being cutesy. Emotional without being overwrought. It made me want to believe in the quiet kind of magic again, the kind that lives in connection, community, and a shared cup of tea.

Another delightful story from Julie Leong! I thoroughly enjoyed this second venture into the world of Eshtera. It is so easy to relate to Certainty's feelings that her magical ability to connect with inanimate objects was so insignificant when in reality it was extremely useful. And Aurelia's struggle to become her own person. And of course the delightful residents of the village of Shpelling added to the cozy ambience of the book. Leong's worldbuilding is excellent. I've always wanted a dragon but now I just want a Hope. And a few days to visit a certain new library...

At the end of the book are some discussion questions. One was "Would you want to read another book set in this world? If so, who or what would you want it to focus on?" And I would say Asp. I'd like to hear more about what happens with Certainty's brother and his apprenticeship. And something more about Hope, please? Of course, she could also write a book of short stories that features different minorly magical items and how they are used. But yes - I would be happy to revisit this world in other stories.