What initially made me want to read A Harvest of Hearts was the comparison to Howl's Moving Castle, on of my personal favorites. And this does indeed remind me of Howl's Moving Castle. This story revolves around a butcher's daughter, a sorcerer, and an accident that sends Foss on a adventure.

Watching how the relationship between Foss and Sylvester develop over the course of the book was slow, but made sense with the pacing, as they both were figuring out themselves and each other. Cornelius, the cat, was an unexpected character where they dynamic between him and Foss was very reminiscent of Howl and Calcifer, both with the banter and Cornelius's attitude. The magic system is different from others, as small magic seems to not necessarily have a cost while larger magic is more on par with alchemy and requiring the use of hearts.

Overall I really enjoyed the book, the pacing and character development was consistent throughout the book except at the end. The ending for how much build up happened felt like everything came to a close very quickly and that if drawn out just a little more could have explained what occurred in better detail.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Howl's Moving Castle, as it has a similar feel when it comes to some of the characters, the magic, and the whimsicality.

A Harvest of Hearts truly had swept me away for almost the entire book! I loved how unique the world felt, how whimsical and humorous the writing was. It lost me a little towards the end with wrapping everything up. I finished the booking wishing there was less time spent on learning the magic house and more time on the plot, as well as a deeper exploration of the 'perception of ugly' theme.
I'd love to read the novella version that this story was originally!

A Harvest of Hearts was a fun read full of adventure and fantasy. The main character was a bit stereotypical, but once I got passed the constant "omg I'm so ugly" trope the book was enjoyable. I liked how tame and not in your face the romance was kept things going just enough that I didn't feel like I was a reading 'Spicy" story.

This is a unique and unusual romantasy that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys the genre. It features a reluctant sorcerer, a talking cat, a sentient house, a butcher’s daughter, and a grotesque magic system. It was a bit of a slow start, but it was worth it in the end. I would read more stories set in this universe.

Harvest of Hearts is a whimsical fantasy focusing on Foss who fears a sorcerer has taken a piece of her heart. She finds the sorcerer named Sylvester and begins working as his housemaid since she is in pain when she is away from him. She quickly becomes friends with Cornelius, the talking cat of the house. While working, she discovers more about Sylvester and what he does as a sorcerer.

I found it hard to get into this book. I didn't care much about either character but I did love the talking cat and sentient house. I think this book could have been shorter and I wished it had more action.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A cozy fantasy adventure story centered around Foss who finds herself drawn into a world of magic.

I loved the description here, but something in the writing style was not really for me. I think it just was really dense early on that I was not able to really connect with the characters like I wanted.

I enjoyed this book for what it was. I enjoyed the creativity but felt the main character really did not like herself a whole lot and stated she was ugly and curse a lot. I get why it was mentioned so much but felt it was a bit over done. Overall was good read.

A very cozy fantasy romance with a magic system at the same time familiar and fresh.

I might not remember the actual plot forever, but I'll remember the whole Heart-Magic or at least the way people in this world describe it. The characters are nice enough, not memorable enough, though. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves cozy fantasy in general, but more specifically to those who love sentient houses, ominous talking animals and whimsy.

Pretty much for a Coraline fan who wants something a bit more cheerful but still creepy when you write down the facts.

I enjoy reading about FMC who make decisions that move the plot along, and not just have things happening to them. It only took a few chapters for our main character to take matters into her own hands, which I appreciate (both the action itself but also the fact that we did not waste time thinking and pondering about what to do). Plus, the cat. Always something to enjoy there.
I would've liked to get to know the MMC a bit better, to get me to care about the romance in general. Even with that being said, I feel like the story went on for a bit too long for me to absolutely love it.

This is a 7/10 for me, a 3.5 star if you will

***3.0 Stars***

Overall,
There were quite a few good things about this book that I enjoyed and there were quite a few things that left me wanting. The book was fine. The main character, a cynical young woman who has gone through life shunned and being told how ugly and unwanted she is by everyone except her father finds herself snagged by a Sorcerer who is not the most talkative young man. For much of this book I was honestly confused about the magic system, I think the author was going for we only know what the main character knows since everything is being told from her perspective, which I understand, but I am not a big fan of being just as confused as the main character for 75% of the book. When we do get more understanding there is a lack of actual detail about how things are done, which again I felt lacking. The story is refreshing and new, the overall plot is does not feel like a carbon copy of anything else. I would recommend this book to those who are interested in a more gothic fantasy genre (though not really a gothic setting it gives off the same vibes). The Audiobook was done well the voices and narration was good, I was reading it tandem and found that the audio did not always match the ebook, as these are arcs it could be due to some editing.

I received an eARC and an Audio Arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my free and honest review.

This is a review of the audiobook.

This is a very unique book with a colorful group of characters. My favorite character is the talking cat. It dragged a bit for me, but the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading.

*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

2.5 stars

I'm really happy I finished this book—it took me a while, not because it was bad or anything, but because I just couldn't quite connect with the way the author wrote it.
I get that the writing style was a choice to match the vibe of the story, but for me, it just didn’t click.
I also think reading an early copy didn’t help. The formatting wasn’t great, and the chapters were super long, which made it feel kinda exhausting. Like I said, it’s not a bad book—it just wasn’t the best reading experience for me.
I actually liked the idea of the story, the characters, and the mythology—it all had a lot of potential. But I felt like some things were held back, or not explored as much as I hoped. I wanted a bit more romance.
We spend a lot of time in the main character’s head, and that made things feel a bit repetitive, and scenes took a long time to actually happen.
That said, if the synopsis grabs your attention,give a try it might be a good read for you!

If I was forced to fall in love with someone, I would be livid—and that was what Foss Butcher felt, when her heart was snagged (literally) by a sorcerer who passed her village ❤️‍🩹🩸

Growing up being labelled as ugly and cursed, Foss never thought any sorceress would ever look her way, gracing her with their beauty and charm directly. But then a sorcerer dropped by her village for the first time, and before she knew it, her heart was stolen and she had no choice but to run after him back to the main city to demand back what was hers.

This book screams Howl’s Moving Castle for the first half of it, but then it bloomed into a bloodier and uglier storyline, which I absolutely love with all my (still beating) heart. There was the House, which was super sassy with Foss but funnily adorable and kind nonetheless. And then there was Cornelius, a talking cat (he’s the best 🖤)! Together, these three made such lovely companions, and I think it got sweeter when Sylvester the sorcerer finally opened up to Foss (the slow-burn!) 💞

I loved every single element in this book, both the beauty and ugliness of it all. Magic was magnificent but also vile when used in the cruel selfish way, and this book did not shy from the horrors of it. I love Foss for her brave character, and despite her insecurities about her looks, I’d say that only because of this part of her that everything started changing for the better. I wish we had more insights on Sylvester’s thoughts, but at the same time, I think I also like that this story focused more on Foss and the bond between her with him.

This is the very type of cosy fantasy with a dash of romance that I will find myself rereading again and again. So much to love and to adore! If you enjoy cosy fantasy with a headstrong, no-nonsense FMC, please please please pick up this book. In fact, I don’t care what’s your preference: READ THIS BOOK OR I’LL EAT YOUR HEART–

Just kidding ✨🧚🏻‍♀️ …or am I?

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC!

The concept for this sounded super interesting, but then the magic system isn't really explained at all in the story. Said there would be some Howl's Moving Castle vibes, eh not really. The cat was my favorite character, gave me like Coraline cat vibes in a way. Foss as an MFC was fine? Sylvester had no depth to him, which seemed like a waste. Then, of course, there is the romance. I could have done without that. Foss' side made sense by like the almost 80% mark, but it just felt unfinished in its development. The ending happened suddenly and almost too easily. I wish it had either been longer or shortened some of the middle of the book.

I wasn't able to get into this book. I read about 50% in and just couldn't finish. I think if I read it more in the fall then I would of devoured this book. I was so excited for it :(

As someone who long ago fell in love with Howl and Sophie in the strange home Calcifer created for them, any book claiming connection to Diana Wynne Jones' and Hayao Miyazaki's masterpieces demands my attention. To capture the whimsy and magic of one of my favorite worlds is no small feat, and to present similarly obnoxiously lovable characters are a hard balance to achieve.

In Foss' world, magic is harvested in hearts, and magic-workers come in all their otherworldly beauty to do that harvesting. As the practical daughter of a butcher, Foss never expects to draw the attention of one of these magic workers, until a chance connection with a sorcerer leaves her missing a piece of herself she would do anything to get back - including leaving everything she knows to chase after him. Led by an ache in her chest she can't shake, Foss finds Sylvester to demand he fix her heart, and stumbles into a house and conspiracy she could never image.

A Harvest of Hearts managed to deliver on the promised whimsy and unique characters. For as much that was delightfully familiar, the world Andrea Eames manages to build in her work carried delicious darkness, bright magic, and the right touches of romance and drama that provided a unique reading experience. The vibes are cozy, and Foss and Sylvester hit all the right beats for unlikely romantic protagonists. While not a perfect book, it was an incredibly fun world to pass a few hours in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for the advanced copy.

This book is gorgeous! I found it very unique in the story. And enjoyed reading from the FMC point of view and thought process. Very much reminded me of the whimsical feeling that howls moving house gives you!

Foss is a girl who is segregate and ridiculed by her cruel village people. It’s sad to see how kind she is to be so cruelly spoke to. Her father’s love is beautiful to watch. He is unwavering in the way he loves her.

Sylvester is also someone that doesn’t seem to fit into his world. He is ridiculed by his sisters due to his unpredictable power. The combination of the two misfits are a life altering connection. It’s gorgeous to read how it unfolds.

This story evoked gorgeous feelings in me! I adored how it made me feel and it had a wonderful unconditional kind of love.

A solid 3 ⭐ from me.

This book was okay, but I found it was lacking a lot of originality in the first third of the book or so, as it seemingly follows many of the plot beats from the movie “Howl’s Moving Castle”. The personalities and ‘roles’ of certain characters felt a little too closely mirrored to those of that movie, in my opinion.

I enjoyed the first portion, regardless—it was very whimsical, things were lighthearted, and it was much closer to the “cozy fantasy” promised in the synopsis. The rest of the novel feels quite original in comparison to this first section, but it only got darker in content as the plot went on.

The heart harvesting magic was an interesting concept; I just wished it was a little different. With some plot spoilers—Initially, the heart magic is considered to be based on emotion, as sorceresses harvest feelings of love (like awe, or inspiration) from regular citizens as their source of magic, used to keep the kingdom healthy—which I did think was really cool! But later on, this same heart magic is revealed to be a lot more… literal. And violent. This made the “magic” in this book much less interesting to me, unfortunately.

The world building was interesting, if a little under-developed. I wanted to know more about the kingdom, the sorceresses, and the situation between the king and those outside the mist.

The writing itself for this novel was lovely and easy to get into though, and I REALLY loved Cornelius the talking cat. Best character. ♥️

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC!

The perfect book I needed at the time. It got me out of a slump and had me immersed from get go! Throughly enjoyed the plot of this story and enjoyed the characters. The perfect cosy fantasy!

I did not particularly enjoy this book, but I think a lot of other people will. I personally just did not vibe with Howl's Moving Castle at all - and while that was a comp for this book, it was also comped to The House on the Cerulean Sea, which I adored. This was very similar in plot and vibes to Howl's Moving Castle, and not remotely similar to the latter.

The plot was interesting, but I just get icked by any sort of 'I love him without my free will and consent' kind of scenario.

I saw the title of this book and I instantly wanted to read it and then I read the blurb and it said Howl's Moving Castle and I was sold. Howl's Moving Castle is my favourite Studio Ghibli movie of all times and I absolutely couldn't pass on the opportunity to read something with similar vibes. The I started reading and a few chapters in, we have a talking cat! A TALKING CAT! Can you imagine how thrilled I was?
"They said that magic, real magic, not the shite that the hedge witches peddled with all their bags of powder and herbs, could only be performed in exchange for a human heart. "
The story starts with our heroine, Foss, narrating about the magic system in her kingdom which requires heart magic. The sorceresses came to the villages to buy herbs and other goods and sometimes took bits of human heart with them, sometimes they left their victims enchanted and the victim would follow their enchantress to their own doom and return after a while with most of their heart gone. These were the Snagged. But Foss had no worries about being taken because why would anyone want to take the square daughter of a butcher? She rather took pride in her accounting skills, which she did for their business.
Other girls in the village pittied her or jeered at her, and boys didn't pay attention to her. And the one who did, ended up being a total dunderhead who very cruelly insulted her after making her feel like he was trying to court her. But one day the only Sorcerer of their kingdom came to their village, with his charming aura and unearthly good looks and suddenly Foss found herself bound to him. And from there her jouney of finding the sorcerer starts. She eloped from her father's house, hitchhiked to the city and followed the pull towards the sorcerer's house only to find that the sorcerer probably didn't know that she was snagged! And so the plot thickens.
I absolutely loved the no nonsense attitude and dry humor of Foss. She was totally relatable. She didn't need anyone to rescue her. She felt weak at times and cried to her heart's content but then she picked herself up and carried on with life. Our Sorcerer, Sylvester though seemed super non chalant at first was a true pookie. He admired Foss from the very first day, he loved how sure she was of herself and the rightness she had in her heart and he saw her for who she was.
There was a part in the book after Foss reaches to the mansion, where things didn't really move for the longest time. There was no significant development of the plot. But then it suddenly escalated and took up the pace which might seem a bit rushed but after that bit I was so hooked to the story that I basically couldn't put it down.
Cornelius, the cat was the bravest boy. I'm not even kidding. I absolutely need to pet him and he was this clever black cat who had his kitty ways with magic and almost gave me a heart attack towards the end. And well even Sylvester had me bawling towards the end of the book. Another thing which I absolutely love in fantasies is a house with its own personality and whims and this book clearly served.
I absolutely loved the wholesome ending of the book. And I'm going to recommend this to like everyone.