this author heard the book girlies say “i need more howls moving castle!” and provided it!

the story was captivating, the magic system was fun, and the curse felt familiar.

this book was a fun twist on what would of happened if howl really did keep the girls heart, and it played out SO well. i loved sylvester and all of his broody-ness.

Foss was an interesting FMC. although i understood her self doubt it started to feel too repetitive and.. juvenile? for being a grown up story.

oh and the cat, the cat was the perfect comedic relief. he was snarky and it felt like you could feel him roll his eyes every time he said to say “as i have said, i don’t know.”

Thank you to Netgalley & RBmedia for providing me the advanced listener copy of this audiobook. I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook & would absolutely recommend it. I thought the narrator did a fantastic job with all the characters she voiced & my favorite character hands down is the talking cat Cornelius. Even though the chapters were long, the narrator was able to keep my attention so I was able to move through them quickly.

First, the narrator does a wonderful job with this magical story. Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Ames is a cozy, magical tale that draws you in from the start. The inclusion of a talking cat is an instant charm, adding a delightful touch. When Foss’s heart is stolen by a dreamy sorcerer, the adventure truly begins. While the whimsical magic is enchanting, I found myself wishing for a bit more romance to balance the fantasy elements. Nonetheless, the story is enjoyable, and I’m excited to see what this author has in store for future books.

Harvest of Hearts is a whimsical and enchanting tale that feels like a love letter to Howl’s Moving Castle. With its magical world, charming characters, and a romance that unfolds with both humor and heart, this story sweeps you away in the best way possible. The sense of adventure and wonder is palpable, making it perfect for fans of fairy-tale-like fantasy with a touch of unpredictability.

The narrator does a phenomenal job, breathing life into each character with distinct voices and emotions, making the story even more immersive. Their performance enhances the magic, ensuring listeners are fully drawn into this spellbinding world. If you’re looking for an audiobook that captures the same whimsical charm as Howl’s Moving Castle, Harvest of Hearts is a must-listen.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for a copy to review!

A beautiful tale of love, courage and acceptance. I wouldn't call it whimsy, since it has truly dark themes, and the author doesn't try to hide them, but if you like Howl's Moving Castle - try it! Also, there is a talking cat!!!!

3.5 stars

A Harvest of Hearts was a fun and enjoyable read! While cozy fantasy isn’t my usual genre, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this story. Andrea Eames is a skilled writer who created a wonderful world with an intriguing magic system.

The audiobook was monumental in bringing the story to life as well. Jessie Elland did a fantastic job voicing Foss in a believable manner. The book is told in 1st person POV (with brief moments of 2nd person POV) in a narration style which worked well in an audiobook format.

I have not read Howl’s Moving Castle (only seen the movie), so I can’t speak specifics about the comparison between the two literary works, but I can definitely see this story appealing to a similar, albeit older, audience. Sophie and Foss shared some characteristics (though instead of being “old” Foss is self described as being conventionally unattractive) as did Howl and Sylvester (the latter being less charming yet sweet in his own way). Cornelius (a talking cat who acts as the Calcifer-esque character) was especially lovable.

I enjoyed learning about the origin of the sorcerer/sorceresses which allowed readers to feel empathetic even towards some of the more “villainous” characters. I would have liked to see a bit more of the magic on the page, though I understand that for most of the story we follow a human and a new sorcerer who is conflicted by the manner of magic requiring a heart sacrifice.

Overall, the story has enough familiar elements while telling a unique story which culminates into a wonderful cozy fantasy with darker elements. I loved following Foss and Sylvester (and Cornelius) on their adventure, and I look forward to Andrea Eames’ future works!

I listened to this book on audio and think the narrator did a wonderful job of differentiating the characters and had a pleasant voice overall. I’m giving this book more of a 3.5 rating as the writing was good and I could see how a lot of people would enjoy this. Sadly, this was not really for me. This is definitely a cozy fantasy, but with some dark elements. The premise seemed intriguing That there were sorceresses plus a sorcerer who could harvest hearts in order to do magic. The main character. Foss had her heart accidentally ensnared by the sorcerer. The heart magic is where the dark elements of this book come into play, however, it seemed to be a bit confusing to me as to how exactly just pieces of hearts versus full hearts were taken. My favorite relationships in the book were between boss and her father, as well as between Foss and the cat Cornelius. I never felt that the main romantic relationship between Foss and the sorcerer was ever fully realized. I also didn’t really care for the fact that Foss was continually disparaging herself on a superficial level throughout the book. It was a bit much. But if you are a lover of cozy fantasy, I think you would enjoy this book for the simple setting and the other character relationships.

I would like to thank the oublisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Foss, the butcher's daughter, lives in a world where otherworldly beautiful sorceress take random people from the village, only to return them with bits of their hearts taken from them. Becuase everyone knows that hearts fuel magic. But Foss is plain, and she knows no one would want her. So when the only sorcerer in the kingdom visits her village and snags her, she goes on a journey to the city in search of him, only to offer herself up as a housekeeper. What she gets is a magic house, a talking cat, and of course Sylvester. As the two of them grow closer together, and she learns about a blight sweeping through the kingdom, the two of them will have to work together to save everyone from the evil that is growing before it's too late.

I loved this. The magic with the hearts and how people legit fight over bits of dried hearts in order to trade for just a drop of magic was interesting to see. I loved Foss and Sylvester and I was honestly dreading the end, even though I went in with my fingers crossed. With lyrical prose and gorgeous imagery, A Harvest of Hearts is something other. It was cozy and yet full of action, it was heartbreaking and yet full of hope, and most importantly it really embodies the concept that just because something is beautiful on the outside doesn't mean they aren't corrupt on the inside. Fantastic book.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
Jessie Elland did an excellent job bringing the character of Foss to life. I think she well captured her voice.
Foss and Sylvester's relationship was also well written and well developed through out the story.
I liked the general concept of the magic and the "anti magic" was cool, but at times how magic worked in the world and all the twist and sub plots of how people were trying to control magic became confusing.
The talking cat, Cornelius, actually became my favorite character (this seems to be a trend recently of prefereing the animals in stories over the actual humans). He was well written and provided good comic relief.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read/listen.

Jessie did a phenomenal job with narration.
The story itself was very hard for me to get into. 30% in and I'm about to DNF.

This book started out so good and interesting…..

Now at 26%, it feels like the author is legitimately copying Howl’s Moving Castle. It doesn’t feel like its own story anymore. Plus the FMC is so critical about her own appearance — it comes up at least once a chapter that she’s “not pretty”. So I’m going to not continue. It could just be me but it’s too similar and not grasping me anymore.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good book and no spice it had heart magic and that was interesting I'm not sure how much I will remember about it but it was a great adventure

This one had strong beauty and the beast vibes. The narration was delightful, but marred by an annoyingly repetitive tendency to shift back and forth between calling the MMC by name and “the sorcerer”, which, considering the first person narration, strained the credibility of the emotions of Foss, the FMC.

The spoiled romance was a disappointment because of this, but the magic of the world was intriguing, if a little macabre.

Perhaps the most engaging character was Cornelius, the cat— who very clearly was high in Foss’ affections.

All in all it was a good beauty and the beast retelling. Good story and fine world building.

was first drawn to this book because of it being comped as an adult novel with Howl's Moving Castle vibes. Howl is everything to me and I will read anything that could resemble it. This does have some of those vibes in the beginning but diverges from there. I enjoyed reading about Foss's story and seeing her relationship with Sylvester. There were parts in the middle of the book that lost some of the momentum for me, which had me put the book down a few times. But the overall story had me wanting to know what would happen next.

I loved Cornelius, the talking cat who stole my heart (pun intended) from his introduction. He was the best part of this book. Also, I liked many of the scenes with the sentient house that is just as grumpy and petulant as its master could be. Man, I'd love to have both the house and Cornelius in my life.

This story is quite dark for a cozy fantasy especially dealing with the heart harvesting. Though, I will say there is still a good amount of whimsy and cozy feelings. It feels like a dark fairy tale the entire time and I cannot get enough of those. I had a great time listening to the audiobook and reading the ebook. It was not a perfect story but the charm made up for it.

A Harvest of Hearts is a tale where an average girl, in a simple country town, lives an ordinary, predictable life as the daughter of a butcher. But beneath all the mundane, there is a secret wish—Foss has always wanted to be like everyone else in her town.

Except she isn’t.

In her distant village, far from any kingdom’s reach, no one sees her as average, simple, or ordinary. They see her as the worst of them, judged harshly because of a twist of fate and a set of unfortunate circumstances.

It’s this setup that weighs heavily on our heroine—someone who already feels like she is never enough. Not pretty enough. Not clever enough. Not talented enough. So when she catches the gaze of him, suddenly, being enough doesn’t matter anymore.

Because in this land, the price for safety in their small, predictable lives is a piece of their hearts—given to the magic workers. Sorceresses: beautiful, ethereal, and impossibly bewitching beings who come into villages just like Foss’s and snag, sliver, or take hearts to perform the magic that protects them all.

But Foss has never fallen for their alluring ways.
Not really.

Except with him—the lone sorcerer she’s ever seen.
And with just one look, her whole life is entangled and turned upside down.

A Harvest of Hearts is everything you thought you didn’t want—wrapped up in everything you secretly wish you had. It carries the spirit of cozy fantasy, evoking the charm of The Spellshop, with the nostalgic enchantment of a film like Howl’s Moving Castle.

We’re gifted with unforgettable supporting characters like Cornelius, a talking cat, a very real, sentient house, and our hero-slash-antihero—a very bored sorcerer, no better than a hedge witch, who seems to disappoint the King at every turn.

For the first time, Foss longs for her simple, ordinary, mundane little life—because sometimes catching someone’s eye can cost you more than your heart…
It can cost you your life.

I highly recommend this book. While the beginning may feel slow to some, readers should remember: Foss is flawed in her insecurities. And though we get glimpses of backbone and boldness, beneath it all, she’s still just the girl from the village—the one who never felt like she was enough.

4.5 Stars

The audiobook truly brings this tale to life, with wonderful accents, evocative performances, and a narration that makes the entire experience genuinely delightful.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the audiobook narrators for such an enjoyable and immersive journey.

A Fairytale-esque Tale with a Magical Twist

When I heard there was a retelling of Howl’s Moving Castle, I knew I had to read it! I was thrilled to be approved for the audiobook ARC, and I have to start by saying—I absolutely loved the narrator. I’m a sucker for an accent, and the way certain words were inflected really brought the story to life.

A quick note: I originally saw this categorized as a cozy fantasy, but I wouldn’t personally describe it that way. Instead, it has a whimsical, fairytale-like quality that makes it feel both enchanting and timeless.

The story follows Foss Butcher, a young woman who grew up without a maternal figure after her mother died in childbirth. Raised by her father, the town’s butcher, Foss is strong and independent but struggles with feeling truly at home in her own skin. (For reference, she gave me serious Marla-from-A League of Their Own vibes!)

In this world, powerful sorceresses visit the outer villages, magically harvesting pieces of people’s hearts. When Foss first sees a sorcerer, he unknowingly captures her heart, leaving her love-struck and desperate to be near him. She follows him to the city and takes on the role of his housekeeper, unable to shake the pull she feels toward him.

This book was magical, unique, and beautifully written. I loved the whimsical world, the heart-stealing concept, and the journey of self-discovery Foss embarks on. If you enjoy fairytale-inspired fantasy with a touch of romance, this is definitely worth picking up!
Thank you to NetGalley and the RBmedia for the early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Foss Butcher lives in a town where the sorcerer's must take a part of your heart to do magic and shes been chosen. Sylvester has accidentally tied Foss to him with heart magic which he isn't very good at it and they have to work together to stop the king and his sisters from stealing the hearts of all of the people in town. This book is weird and whimsical and if that's not your thing it won't work for you but it worked for me. I enjoyed the talking cat and the ever changing house. I loved that Foss was your typical heroine in a fantasy novel but she was tough and gritty. My greatest wish is that we would have gotten Sylvester's pov it was so hard to figure him out and buy into the romance until about 90 percent. Overall i enjoyed it very much.

A Harvest of Hearts is a charming and atmospheric story about Foss Butcher, an unremarkable village girl whose heart is taken by a handsome sorcerer. Journeying to the city to retrieve it, she stumbles upon the sorcerer's magical house and befriends a talking cat. Along her quest to reclaim her heart, Foss uncovers the dark secrets.

The narrator of this story is a masterful storyteller, perfectly capturing the whimsical and atmospheric tone of the genre. With each word, they effortlessly bring to life the enchanting world of A Harvest of Hearts, adding a layer of charm and wonder to every moment. Their voice dances between lightheartedness and intrigue, much like the narrative itself, smoothly transitioning from moments of humour to those steeped in mystery and suspense.

I had a hard time with this one. This was not “Whimsical and cozy”. I feel like the wrong blurb was accidentally posted but alas that’s not the case.

So I’m going to stick to the audiobook part of the review as that’s what I was tasked with as I’m sure other reviewers addressed the issues in the book.

Jessie Elland did a fabulous job with the recitation. She gave a lot of emotion to the narration and spoke at a decent pace for 1x. She has a beautiful voice affected by a British accent which made it a joy to listen to. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to overcome the issues- especially the repetition of certain topics and words.

On a side note I loved Cornelius. That was cute just not cute enough to overcome the harsher themes in the book that are not “whimsical and cozy”


I am thankful to have gotten the audio ALC for free from RB Media through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

I know the description likens this to Howl's Moving Castle, but, while I see some vague similarities, this is it's own story.

Foss Butcher is a plain girl from a small village. Her mother died during her birth, but her father has loved her dearly. The other townspeople however are sure something is wrong with Foss and that she caused her mother's death. They are less than kind.

On a periodic basis the ethereally beautiful magic-users come to town. Everyone knows they're taking little bits and pieces of hearts with their presence, and using those bits to protect the kingdom. No one questions or begrudges this.

One day a male magic-user visits them. He's every bit as beautiful as the others, and when his gaze lands on Foss a hook is sunk deep into her.

She's compelled to follow him to ease the ache in her heart, and from there the story spools out. Secrets, betrayals, and love.

Overall I found this to be a sweet romantasy.