Valerie S. (VolunteerVal) - reviewed on 9/23/2020 + 601 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 3

I was completely captivated while reading Vanessa Yu's Magical Tea Shop by Roselle Lim while on vacation. I was swept away to Paris on a delightful cloud of magical realism.

Vanessa Yu is part of a large close-knit Chinese American family and has a special gift that she considers a curse - she can see the fortunes (and misfortunes) of others. After years of rejecting this ability, she takes a leave from her job with the family business and travels to Paris to take lessons from her aunt Evelyn who has expert fortune telling abilities. Of course, things don't go as planned ... in the most delightful ways.

I loved the relationships between Vanessa's aunties and her connections to her parents, aunts, and Uncle Michael. The plot about fortune telling and matchmaking was unique and interesting. My only quibble is that the title doesn't really match the story.

I haven't read the author's debut Natalie Tan's Book of Love and Fortune, but it's definitely in my wish list now!

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