This was a nice read. There was some world building in the beginning to set up the second half of the book, which did make it feel like it was a very slow paced book. There were times that I had to take a break from the book due to the main characters negative self image, however, she is a strong character. I ended up enjoying the magical house and talking cat more than anything!

2.5 (rounded up) ✨ A whimsical cosy fantasy reminiscent of Howl’s Moving Castle sounded just like my cup of tea.

My key takeaway is that I would very much like my own talking black cat because Cornelius was genuinely the best thing about this book. And I would also love to live in a grumpy, sentient house that can conjure up any food I want.

I liked the underlying plot and finished the book because I genuinely wanted to know how it ended, but the narration unfortunately fell flat. I found that the first POV monologue was meandering with short sentences and lots of commas, which made the flow of words in my head choppy and frustrating. The FMC Foss’s self-deprecating narration also made her unlikeable to me as a reader (she repeatedly calls herself ugly and relentlessly talks down on her efficacy and traits).

While I found it hard to emotionally attach to Foss, I did enjoy reading about the side characters and her interactions with them. Her monologues about the reciprocal love with her “Da” (her father) were moving, and I also loved the MMC Sylvester (because he’s pretty much Howl 2.0) so this bled into Foss by proxy.

She’s clearly not the hateful hag she perceives herself to be because they all love her, especially sweet little Cornelius. So it’s a shame that her narration didn’t reflect any character development around this.

——

Tropes:
- Magic
- Hidden truth
- Ugly duckling
- Forced proximity
- Unattainable love interest
- Dark lord and femme fatale antagonists
- Closed door spice (barely any spice)
- Standalone

I enjoyed the premise of Hearts being needed for "real" magic to occur. I especially liked the House and Cornelius. The sorcerer's sulking and Foss' constant habit of putting herself down got on my nerves. 4 stars.

Witches need hearts to perform magic – and the people in Foss Butcher’s village have long accepted this fact. As long as they themselves are left alone, they simply look the other way. Foss, however, feels invisible, unlovable, and trapped in her life. Until a sorcerer appears in the village and awakens something in her that she can’t ignore. She follows him to the city, becomes his housemaid – and finds herself in a house full of magic, secrets, and a talking cat named Cornelius.

Right from the start, I loved the book’s snarky, witty narrative style. Foss’ thoughts are sarcastic, sharp, and full of self-doubt – a combination that often made me smile. The enchanted house was also a real highlight for me: it seems to have a will of its own, grants wishes, and occasionally forces Foss to discover things she might rather not see. I especially enjoyed the chemistry between Foss and Sylvester. Their dynamic was unique, and his mix of eccentric professor, absent-minded genius, and mysterious coldness made him an intriguing character.

However, the story also had its weaknesses for me. While the beginning drew me in, the middle dragged noticeably. Foss was too hesitant at times, and I wished for bolder decisions and more interaction between her and Sylvester. Although the second half picked up the pace, I still felt a lack of connection to the characters, and the suspense never fully gripped me.

Overall, this story had a lot of potential, a great atmosphere, and fantastic ideas – but in the end, it wasn’t a standout read for me.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

while this was certainly heavily inspired by howl’s moving castle, this was neither cozy or whimsical for the most part — there are quite a lot of trigger warnings that should be emphasized, specifically the removal of bodily and cognitive autonomy through the process of “harvesting hearts”.

i found this harvesting of hearts to fuel magic to be rather original, but also the graphically gruesome descriptions of those divested of their hearts was simultaneously horrifying but interesting.

despite the darkness of this world and the magic, i really enjoyed this book, especially the cat companion cornelius 💗

as for the narrator, she did a fantastic job!

This book is aptly described as akin to Howl's Moving Castle: full of whimsy and dynamic world-building, this story follows Foss, a butcher's daughter in an unremarkable village, who becomes a sorcerer's housekeeper in his magical, ever-evolving house. For as long as anyone can remember, sorcerers and sorceresses have come to various villages and harvested people's hearts for their magic, which they use to protect the kingdom and its people. Foss falls victim to this and of course becomes embroiled in the kingdom's growing issues, and shenanigans ensue.

This book was so fun to read. The world-building was succinct yet detailed, Foss was an easy protagonist to root for, and the side characters were truly a joy. The pacing was great - a lot of times in fantasy romance books the last 25% is so jam-packed that you get lost and the emotional notes don't quite hit, but here the build felt natural and the stakes high. Eames does a wonderful job of maintaining a cozy atmosphere while not making it feel too schmaltzy, and the whole story feels very unique. I loved this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

At the end of the day I am just a girl who became enamored with the wizard Howl and that castle at a formative age. So I really liked this.
Look. This book was imperfect. Slow paced start. A lot of walking around and housework in the beginning. Clunky paragraphs. The pacing was sporadic, all or nothing. I’ll admit I don’t really care though.
Foss was a great main character, she actually reminded me more of Sophie than Sylvester reminded me of Howl. I really loved her attitude and the way she handled herself. And Cornelius the talking cat gets 5 stars.
It’s like this story scratched an itch I’ve had for a while. I want more adult romantasy’s with this specific whimsical lighthearted vibe, or even in this specific world. I’d be glad if Andrea Eames decided to write more. :)

Out now is the newly published novel, A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames. Foss is the butcher's daughter. In her mind she is oversized and unattractive. Nothing compared to the beautiful sorceresses from the city whose infrequent visits fill the town with envy, lust, and fear. The sorceresses are said to gain power by stealing bits of people's hearts. When one day a male sorcerer turns up, Foss believes he has stolen part of her heart. In trying to get it back she journey's far away to an moody black castle made of magic where a talking cat and the sorcerer who fills her dreams live. In order to restore her heart she takes up working there as a housekeeper and must unravel the mystery of the magic makers, who she learns are as much victims as the people's whose hearts they steal.

This story very much had the feel of a modern take on a classic fairy tale. It had the magic of the stories I read as a child, but Foss is able to save herself and her love. I also liked the closeness between her and her father since so often is classic stories the fathers become distant when the mother of the heroine has passed away.

Thanks to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for an ARC of Harvest of Hearts, by Andrea Eames.

Well, this did not continue that promising as it has started. I was thrilled about whimsy fantasy and I did not get it at all. The story was just okay for me, nothing less nothing more.
The characters... I did not like, except the talking cat, and the plot was just boring. I did like the worldbuilding though and the initial intention, but then it went downhill for me.
I suppose I was not the right reader for this book.
2,5 stars from me.

A Harvest of Hearts was an interesting story that was enjoyable to read. Foss has a dry sense of humor that is witty, which reminded me of Emily from the Emily Wilde series but not delivered as well as it is in the Emily Wilde series. The story unfolds through an enchanting story of Foss confronting a newbie sorcerer who has no idea how to give Foss back the piece of her heart that he had taken. The relationship between Foss and Sylvester was cute to read; however, the pacing of the story was quite slow to start and then became rushed, which affected the quality of the development of their relationship--a relationship that is already a super slow burn romance. This also isn't a book to read if you're looking for any spice, which I didn't mind. Honestly, it seemed like they should have just ended up as maybe good friends based on the amount of chemistry. I think the characters could have been developed a bit more, especially Foss who seems to have the worst self-esteem imaginable. The self-esteem issues alone prevents me from labeling her as a strong female lead character. The star of the book was Cornelius. There was a lot of repetitiveness with description throughout the story in different instances, which added to the pacing feeling slow. The world building was well-done, so I was able to envision it.

Foss, the butcher's daughter, falls under a spell that makes her leave her home and travel to the city to work as a housekeeper for the hot sorcerer Sylvester, who bespelled her, in his magical house. After lots of cleaning of the house, and lots of incidents in which Foss doesn't deserve nice things because she considers herself ugly, and after lots of languishing about on Sylvester's part, the two have to fight the evil villain, fall in love and live happily ever after.


Here's what I liked about the book: Cornelius.

There was potential here. Unfortunately, I found the world-building lacking, and would have liked to see more of the magic system. Instead I got a female MC that was so busy with telling me that she saw herself as ugly on every other page that I started to skim the pages very early on. She isn't ugly, of course, but she needs the hot sorcerer to tell her that she is beautiful to believe it herself.

Foss lives in a village on the outskirts of her kingdom. A kingdom protected from war, famine and disease by a powerful magic. The kingdom sorceresses travel to the outlying villages to acquire the ingredient needed to power this magic- human hearts. When Foss finds part of her heart snagged by the only male sorcerer she's ever seen, she's determined to retrieve it and go back to life as she knows it. Traveling to the heart of the kingdom on her quest, she discovers it might not be as easy as she had hoped, and things within the kingdom may not be as they appear. Faced with handling a sassy sorcerer, a sentient house, and a talking cat, will Foss be able to make her heart whole again?

I really enjoyed this book and definitely think it is worth the read. The unique magic system was interesting to see. I liked Foss's character- she was independent and strong willed, which I always enjoy in a female main character. She does frequently fall into negative self-talk, so that can be a little difficult to read through at times. I was hoping for more banter and build-up from Foss and Sylvester and it kind of felt like their romance just went from 0 to 60 out of nowhere. Cornelius, the resident chatty cat, is the star of the show and, without a doubt, stole my heart!

It does make me think a bit that it’s an adult (new adult probably) version of Howl’s Moving Castle. Foss is not a terribly happy person but she seemed content enough working in her father’s shop but a dark magic ruled the kingdom and she’s snagged in its web. She’s stronger than she thinks though. And there’s a talking cat. Bonus points for a good cat character. Cats improve everything. Just ask them.

Rating: 4.5⭐️/5

This very much had a Studio Ghibli vibe but in book form! I thought Foss was such a unique FMC, more brawn than beauty, which I definitely related to being more of a muscular woman. Sylvester had such a great character arc, and Cornelius just made it all the better. Think Howl’s Moving Castle with a mad king, the stealing of hearts and Foss who doesn’t yet know her self worth. This was a really good one and a perfect cozy, fantasy read! Also, the romance scenes were some of the best I have ever read. Gorgeous, tasteful and beautiful.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story promises to be a cozy fantasy with Gibli studio vibes, the premise is very similar to Howl's Moving Castle with the harvesting of hearts.

I must say the book has been a bit slow for me, although I loved Cornelius, a great touch this character, I loved him more than the main characters.

Foss and Sylvester's relationship happened in a way I didn't expect, I was thankful that the romance wasn't the main driving force of the story, although their moments together were cute, I kept reading mostly for the intrigue of how the harvesting and the whole magic system of this cozy fantasy works.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my review.

4.5/5.0 ⭐️

What if magic was fueled by human hearts? A Harvest of Hearts is a whimsical yet dark standalone that took me completely by surprise! I haven’t read anything like it but it does seem to have been inspired by Howl’s Moving Castle which I have, unfortunately, not read yet. So I imagine if you are a fan, then you might like this book also!

The story follows Foss, the so-called “ugly” butcher’s daughter, who is accidentally enthralled by the first male sorcerer her village has ever seen. Without his knowledge, his magic compels her to seek him out, pulling her into a journey filled with eerie sorcery, self-discovery, and unexpected humor. On the surface, the kingdom may seem like a fairy-tale and the beautiful sorcerers carved out by the gods themselves but what lies beneath this perfect facade?

Foss is an absolute sweetheart and does not deserve the way she is treated by society. It is heartbreaking to read about her own self-deprecating outlook on herself at the beginning of the book but I loved watching her gradually recognize her own worth throughout the novel. Her inner dialogue is hilarious, and I found myself laughing out loud more than once. Here is just a little taste:

“I let it pass through me like the runs and, like the runs, it left me weak afterwards”

“Dav, who had about as much life now as one of his own dead fish”

Sylvester, the heartbreakingly stunning but broody sorcerer, also struggles with his own self-worth and purpose in life. It is fascinating to see how his struggles mirror Foss’ in unexpected ways. It is time for both of them to start questioning the status quo. Their romance is slow and closed-door but it is still so sweet! The angst, the longing …

“Yes, thank you—but despite all of that, to look the way I do and to love someone who looks the way you do, that is a humiliation that is worse than any pain. I would gladly take the suffering and leave the love, if I could. I would be in pain every day rather than love you.”

Overall, this was such a cozy and heartfelt read. My heart (no pun intended) goes out to both the main characters and their struggles to adjust to the standards of their society. If all of that did not convince you, I think Cornelius, the talking cat, would also tell you that you should go and read this book!

Happy Reading!

Thank you to Erewhon Books for providing this book for review via NetGalley!

This was darker than I was expecting, and the romance missed the mark for me. But, overall, this was a pretty good read. I liked the author's writing style (though a single 1st person point of view isn't my favorite) and loved the premise. The worldbuilding was interesting, and the characters engaging.

I really wanted to like this book. It had a unique magic system that should've been explored more, especially if you want me (along with Foss) to just accept the magic house and suddenly talking cat. The romantic aspect of it felt flat.

Overall, I really liked the story (rounded up 3.5 star review).

Pros:
The premise was really cool. There was a lot to love about the book, including a sentient house, a talking cat, and an interesting world. The setting was really clear and it was really easy to picture each location in vivid detail. It achieved a variety of tonal elements simultaneously- dark, gruesome and tragic world, paired with lightness and humor.

Cons:
The first ~15% was hard to get into and a bit slow, but once the story picked up, I loved where it went. The characters could have been further developed. I felt like I didn’t really get a lot of depth of personality from either MC, which caused the romantic elements to fall flat. It felt kind of random and forced. I also wish there was more about how the magic system worked.

Thank you NetGalley, Kensington Publishing and Erewhon Books for an advance copy of #AHarvestofHearts. You can find it out today, March 4th- opinions are my own.

In the end I DNF'd this book at 25 %.

In some ways I could see the comparison that was made with Howle's Moving Castle. With Foss being considered a "unattractive", the magical castle and a talking companion. I adored Cornelius and found the magical castle really cool and interesting, but I didn't care for either of the main characters, which made even that 25% a huge struggle.

Foss is just all around annoying. She acts like she has no interest or care for the sorceresses, but then oggles them everyone else. It seems she's supposed to be a bit of a wallflower, but it's so inconsistent. She can't seem to ask simple questions, but then yet has the guts to ask the sorcerer the harder questions and nose into his business. Her constant reminder of how she doesn't deserve fine things because she's so "solid" and "ugly" is extremely annoying.

Sylvester as the other character is just so flat. He's supposed to be the Howle character and instead of being quirky and eccentric, but caring; he's petulant, rude and pretty dull. There's supposed to be a romance budding between these two characters and I just don't see it. Maybe a friendship at best. Maybe.