Review of The Keeper of Magical Things: Cozy, Magical, and *a bit* Predictable
The Booked Up Founders November theme was Cozy Cottagecore. We dove into The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong, and what a delightful change of pace it was! For many of us who typically reach for thrillers, true crime, or darker fantasy, this cozy fantasy felt like a warm hug…even if it came with a few predictable plot points.
About the Author, Julie Leong
Julie Leong is a second-generation US immigrant whose parents came from Malaysia and China. She grew up in New Jersey, spent her teen years in China, studied economics and political science at Yale, and now works in tech in San Francisco.
Her debut novel, The Teller of Small Fortunes, is set in the same universe as this book and reached number 16 on the indie bestseller charts, largely thanks to BookTok. Leong took a year off work to write The Keeper of Magical Things, and we're hoping she returns to writing more stories in this world—particularly if they involve more library-living cat dragons.
Theme Vibe Check: Cozy, Magical and...Garlicky?
Cottagecore is an aesthetic and lifestyle trend that romanticizes rural, pastoral living—think cozy cottages, flower gardens, homemade bread, and a simpler way of life. It celebrates activities like baking from scratch, foraging, tending to plants, and crafting, featuring soft natural colors, floral patterns, and vintage vibes. The trend exploded on social media during COVID as people craved comfort, nature, and a slower pace of life.
Our group of bookish founders had mixed reviews of this cottagecore novel, with an average rating of 3.7 out of 5. The word cloud that emerged from our discussion said it all: magical, cozy, kindness, courage, bravery—but also predictable, slow to start, and yes, even garlicky.
Speaking of garlic, let's address the elephant in the room. As one of our Italian members pointed out, the number of garlic- and carb-heavy meals in this book was at once appetizing and concerning.
Molly Falco-Pretorius, co-founder of the wellness platform Yolk, said “I come from an Italian family. Maybe this is just me, maybe I need to vibe with being cozy more. But I was so disappointed that they were sick of garlic stew and garlic bread.”
It’s not just you, Molly.
The magical pasta machine itself was a subject of debate. Was it actually magical, or just a regular pasta maker? And why didn't it trigger a Strega Nona-style village-drowning disaster? We were ready for it.
What We Loved
Community Healing
Several members noted how cozy fantasy seems to have exploded post-COVID, and for good reason. These books give us a sense of community and belonging that many of us were craving. The way the townspeople immediately welcomed Certainty and Aurelia (instead of the drawn-out small-town ire we expected) was refreshing.
The Unique Magic System
Certainty's ability to communicate with magical objects by touching them was something none of us had encountered before. Though she calls it a useless power at the beginning, we all agreed it sounded incredibly useful…and fun.
We also talked about which magical objects were our favorite to read. Hazel Jones, founder of Hazel Jones Copywriting chose “The wand with the bees or the cat box because I do love the cat dragon.”
The Schrödinger's cat-inspired cat box that summons cats? Brilliant. A cat dragon guarding a library? We need an entire sequel about this.
Our group pretty unanimously loved the cat box, though there were concerns about an overpopulation of cats.
The Non-Binary Dwarf
We appreciated how Leong wrote the dwarf character's non-binary identity into the story naturally, without making it a plot point or announcement. Cindy Kendrix, founder and hospitality writer, said, "I loved that it didn't have to be named, and that it just was."
Much like how Schitt's Creek handled LGBTQ+ relationships. And Schitt’s Creek is objectively one of the best TV shows ever written…objectively.
The Cozy and Cringey Elements
The Name "Certainty"
While audiobook listeners loved hearing the name spoken, those of us who read the physical book struggled. Allie Gibson, website designer and co-founder of Booked Up Founders, admitted to repeatedly reading the back cover as starting with "Certainly..." rather than as the character's name. Like…several times.
The Romance
This was our most interesting discussion point. While the author identifies as bisexual and is married to a man (writing from personal experience), many of us felt the romantic chemistry between Certainty and Aurelia was lacking. The relationship read more as friendship for much of the book, and the eventual romantic scenes felt a bit awkwardly placed.
As one member put it, "They kissed and then literally just went to sleep. These are grown-ups, right?"
Foreshadowing That Went Nowhere
The magical wand left with villagers? Never mentioned again. The heavy foreshadowing that using magical artifacts irresponsibly would cause chaos? It did, but in a much more convoluted way than expected. We wanted giant flowers eating villagers or bee swarms, but this is cozy fantasy and what we realized is perhaps in this genre, things that could go wrong just don't.
Julie Leong’s Booksellers Letter Spoke to Us
In a letter to booksellers on Goodreads, Leong wrote something that captured why we created this book club in the first place:
"Let's be honest, the world is kind of a mess right now... And I wondered, what am I doing writing a cozy fantasy about two women falling for each other while wrangling mischievous magical artifacts in a sleepy village? Shouldn't I be doing more or fighting harder? ...But terrible things happen every day, and somehow we still find joy. Joy matters. Joy is its own form of resistance, and we can find that joy in community with each other."
That's exactly what we're doing here at Booked Up Founders…finding joy together through books. *Swoon*
Final Thoughts about The Keeper of Magical Things
While The Keeper of Magical Things earned a solid 3.7 from our group, the consensus was that it served its purpose: a gentle, cozy read that asked little of us beyond enjoying the ride. Some of us who didn't typically read this genre found ourselves pleasantly surprised. Others who love fantasy wished for more heat in the romance or more danger in the plot.
But here's what we all agreed on: we'd read a sequel about Certainty running a magical library with a cat dragon companion.
Make it happen, Julie Leong.
Next month, we're diving into historical fiction set in the snow! Yes, that’s the whole theme name.
Want to join our fun, stress-free , fiction-only online book club for business owners? Apply here.
From your cozy, sweatpants-clad, bullet-journaling Booked Up Founders co-founders,
