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The Fortune Teller's Daughter
Serafine Moreau grew up on the grimy edges of cities that were never home, raised at the capricious whims of her bohemian mother. She learned young how to move unseen through crowds, acquire things that didn't belong to her, and disappear at the first sign of trouble. Together they made a curious life beneath street market tents, plying tourists with fortunes. It wasn't perfect, but it was theirs - until a stranger appeared one unremarkable autumn morning to steal the fortune teller's life and leave Sera with nothing but questions.
Now alone, Sera wanders lost between days, strangled by the past and unable to pursue her future. Even the cards reveal nothing. So when an invitation addressed to her mother's stage name Corazon arrives from an old carnival outfit looking to recruit the late fortune teller, Sera answers instead.
Beneath the labyrinthine tents she discovers enchantments that defy explanation and wonders that feel like magic. Bewitched by the carnival's handsome illusionist and the dark whimsy of the Carnival Imaginaire, Sera finally feels like she's home until the mystery of her mother's death unravels with the secrets of the carnival's past. At the center of the brewing storm hides Sera's heart that can't hope to survive another loss.
Now alone, Sera wanders lost between days, strangled by the past and unable to pursue her future. Even the cards reveal nothing. So when an invitation addressed to her mother's stage name Corazon arrives from an old carnival outfit looking to recruit the late fortune teller, Sera answers instead.
Beneath the labyrinthine tents she discovers enchantments that defy explanation and wonders that feel like magic. Bewitched by the carnival's handsome illusionist and the dark whimsy of the Carnival Imaginaire, Sera finally feels like she's home until the mystery of her mother's death unravels with the secrets of the carnival's past. At the center of the brewing storm hides Sera's heart that can't hope to survive another loss.
200 pages, ebook
First published March 9, 2013
9 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
About the author
Jordan Bell
26 books127 followersJordan Bell is a romance writer, coffee lover, book reader, and sometimes superhero. She writes primarily in the BBW subgenre of romance, preferring to tell stories about curvy women like herself and millions of other awesome ladies who don’t fit the “average” portrayed by most media.
Jordan has written eleven books with THE CURVY SISTER hitting the Amazon Bestseller. All of her books are steamy new adult reads where the romance never fades to black, characters are always flawed and beautiful in their own unique ways, and villains are not always mustache twirling evil-doers.
In her spare time, Jordan hangs out on Facebook, loves coffee shops, over-sized hoodies, and red lipstick. She loves latte art, street art, and Jean-Léon Gérôme. In her spare time, she plays video games, practices yoga, and is an avid runner.
Jordan has written eleven books with THE CURVY SISTER hitting the Amazon Bestseller. All of her books are steamy new adult reads where the romance never fades to black, characters are always flawed and beautiful in their own unique ways, and villains are not always mustache twirling evil-doers.
In her spare time, Jordan hangs out on Facebook, loves coffee shops, over-sized hoodies, and red lipstick. She loves latte art, street art, and Jean-Léon Gérôme. In her spare time, she plays video games, practices yoga, and is an avid runner.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 20, 2025
Ive probably read this book 10 times. I don't know why I like it so much, but it's just a comfort read for me.
March 14, 2013
This story was exquisitely detailed with characters that were lush and ripe with emotion, magic and mystery. One of those rare finds that enrapture you from the beginning and you find yourself weaving through the twists and turns of a deep dark forest of brilliantly crafted words, until your heart has been captured and you're on the other side far too soon. LOVED THIS.
December 5, 2014
This was my prize for finishing NaNoWriMo, and by finishing you understand making that 50K but leaving my novel in limbo while I wonder off with my new found freedom of time. I spent the entire last day of NaNoWriMo after meeting the 50K goal reading this book. It was so worth it.
After having red The Night Circus, I thought, well that’s done. There will never be a book so enchanting about the Circus as that one. I’m not saying this book outdoes it, or that it replaces it, but I’m saying that this book is also very enchanting and tells its own sexy tail in a circus.
Jordan Bell does things with language that remind of Laini Taylor and Magie Steifvater, in style. She has a way of painting the scenery so it’s no longer just words on a page, but this realistic provocative 3D image in your mind. I’m left with my jaw on the floor wishing I could write like that. It’s in the way he looks at the world and chooses her words not just as weapons but as silks to caress a lovers skin.
I also really loved the post Jordan has up on her webpage describing this book. It is a great testament to her writing skills alone. Serafine is remarkable, and Magician is tragically broken, and I absolutely love that save me impossibility aspect to a romance.
And the sex was still sexy. Less Dom/Sub than Jordan Bell’s South River Doms books. But this is after all a romance.
I loved the ending so much. The solution was just so damned perfect.
Things I might like to improve:
I would have preferred some sub plot to this book. All story lines lead to the same ending and all plots revolve around one set of characters. Everyone else was supporting cast. I would have liked for them to have there own dilemmas. In fact more sub plots could have been what improved the accomplices motives. The line, “I like bad boys” was all we where given as per why she turned on her home, her family, the circus. I’m not one to buy evil for the sake of evil, and wanted her to have more of a reason. I also get not monologing on someone else’s scene and stealing the show, so it’s a tough thing to weave in and get right. I also get the need to want to blind side us with the plot twist about who was the person working from the inside. It’s a tough lot to juggle.
Overall, this was a deeply magical and sexy book with lush writing, sexy bits, and a great ending. Totally worth the price of admission.
After having red The Night Circus, I thought, well that’s done. There will never be a book so enchanting about the Circus as that one. I’m not saying this book outdoes it, or that it replaces it, but I’m saying that this book is also very enchanting and tells its own sexy tail in a circus.
Jordan Bell does things with language that remind of Laini Taylor and Magie Steifvater, in style. She has a way of painting the scenery so it’s no longer just words on a page, but this realistic provocative 3D image in your mind. I’m left with my jaw on the floor wishing I could write like that. It’s in the way he looks at the world and chooses her words not just as weapons but as silks to caress a lovers skin.
I also really loved the post Jordan has up on her webpage describing this book. It is a great testament to her writing skills alone. Serafine is remarkable, and Magician is tragically broken, and I absolutely love that save me impossibility aspect to a romance.
And the sex was still sexy. Less Dom/Sub than Jordan Bell’s South River Doms books. But this is after all a romance.
I loved the ending so much. The solution was just so damned perfect.
Things I might like to improve:
I would have preferred some sub plot to this book. All story lines lead to the same ending and all plots revolve around one set of characters. Everyone else was supporting cast. I would have liked for them to have there own dilemmas. In fact more sub plots could have been what improved the accomplices motives. The line, “I like bad boys” was all we where given as per why she turned on her home, her family, the circus. I’m not one to buy evil for the sake of evil, and wanted her to have more of a reason. I also get not monologing on someone else’s scene and stealing the show, so it’s a tough thing to weave in and get right. I also get the need to want to blind side us with the plot twist about who was the person working from the inside. It’s a tough lot to juggle.
Overall, this was a deeply magical and sexy book with lush writing, sexy bits, and a great ending. Totally worth the price of admission.
August 19, 2014
The only reason I am giving it 4 stars is because of the back drop of where the story takes place. It is with a carnival. I am creeped out by carnivals and circuses, they give me the heebee jeebees. But I kept reading because the story was just that good. Sera (the fortune tellers daughter) and Eli (the magician) had some great chemistry. I was intrigued by all of the characters that Ms. Bell created. They were all very strange yet I was oddly entranced by them all. The relationship/romance - the desire between Eli and Sera is smoldering. The combined heartaches that each one brings into the relationship make for a book that will pull at your heartstrings wanting more.
****This book was provided to me for free by the author*****
****This book was provided to me for free by the author*****
September 16, 2014
I was a little afraid going into this book just because all I could think was how much of my real life it might mirror given that I am "a fortune teller's daughter." Sure enough there's a page that seems ripped from my real life. Kinda scary in that respect. I liked the book though, only there are still some questions that I wish had been answered. Like if Sera and Katya called a truce after everything, which I choose to believe they did. Or if Eli's immortality can be shared or if he can trade it. Basically, how do we know he won't end up outliving Sera by decades or possibly centuries? Not sure if I was supposed to still be wondering about those things, but I was.
February 14, 2014
I was incredibly and pleasantly surprised by this story. I loved it. I don't even remember how I stumbled across it but I'm so happy I did. It was beautiful, interesting, and romantic with a bit of mysticism. It was a wonderful, slightly extended, short story. I wanted more. I wanted to fill it out into a larger novel with more magic acts and get to know the rest of the carnival and its characters and their backstories. More mischief and tricks before the final showdown... but really it's just because I liked it so much that I wanted more.
January 1, 2014
I discovered Jordan Bell on Allromance.com and I'm a big fan of her writing. But I must tell The Fortune Teller's Daughter just blew my head. It's full of magic and romance and action... is like a fairytale set today in a Little magic corner that could or couldn't exist: a misterious wandering fair. I do love the main character of Serafine, that doesn't seems to fit anywhere, and, of course, just LOVE the magician.
November 2, 2021
I liked it but...
It pains me to say this seeing as I love this author, I liked this book but it somehow felt somewhat incomplete. I was left with so many unanswered questions, it kind of felt like a lot of things were trimmed out of the story . It was still a really good book though, just left me with so many Why's. So as much as it pains me, I could only give 3 stars :-( I think I'll go back and read 'The Curvy Sister', now that book I absolutely loved!!!!!
It pains me to say this seeing as I love this author, I liked this book but it somehow felt somewhat incomplete. I was left with so many unanswered questions, it kind of felt like a lot of things were trimmed out of the story . It was still a really good book though, just left me with so many Why's. So as much as it pains me, I could only give 3 stars :-( I think I'll go back and read 'The Curvy Sister', now that book I absolutely loved!!!!!
August 1, 2014
Pure Magic.
Did a cold search on Amazon, looking for a tale to sink into. Found The Fortune Teller's Daughter and bought it based on the effusive reviews. Was not disappointed! Beautifully-written, engrossing, magical story, wonderful characters had me up until the wee hours of the morn.
Did a cold search on Amazon, looking for a tale to sink into. Found The Fortune Teller's Daughter and bought it based on the effusive reviews. Was not disappointed! Beautifully-written, engrossing, magical story, wonderful characters had me up until the wee hours of the morn.
August 1, 2013
LOVED it.
April 13, 2014
It ended with a lot of unanswered questions. There was no real closure for this book. There were a few editing mistakes that were big enough to be clearly noticed.
June 6, 2014
Lovely story with magic. I can see this made into a movie.
There are a few unanswered questions but overall really good.
There are a few unanswered questions but overall really good.
August 17, 2014
all i want to say is that this story was magical. I fell in love with the circus and the people in it. Sera and the magician are great characters. beautiful ending.
March 22, 2015
I loved it, however there were a lot of typos which is just a personal pet peeve of mine, but other than that it's a fabulous story
July 8, 2016
"In the end, illusion is only a very romantic form of desire." - The Fortune Teller's Daughter by Jordan Bell
September 16, 2014
What a beautiful story... Review to come soon!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews