A spellbinding, thought-provoking tale with a fresh and captivating take on magic, tradition, and personal growth.

In a kingdom where magic-workers harvest human hearts for their spells, Foss Butcher, a practical and unremarkable woman, never thought anyone would want hers. But when a sorcerer named Sylvester accidentally Snags a piece of her heart, she’s left in a desperate race against time to find a cure. Determined to get her heart back, Foss travels to the grand City, only to find Sylvester is more petulant and clueless than capable. As Foss seeks answers with the help of a talking cat and a temperamental enchanted House, she uncovers dark secrets about the true nature of heart-taking magic—and her own unexpected role in it.

One of the most unique aspects of the novel is its central premise: the harvesting of human hearts to fuel sorceress magic. It’s a chilling concept, one that initially shocks, but also serves as a poignant metaphor for the corrupting nature of long-standing traditions, no matter how sinister they may be. The horrifying aftermath of a heart harvest and the toll it takes on the victim is not only gripping but also underscores the theme of how deeply ingrained societal norms can often be blind to their own cruelty. The novel expertly explores the concept that these dark customs can become so normalized that even those living within them might struggle to break free.

The magic system in is equally fascinating. Sorcery is depicted as a complex force, with each sorcerer tied to a magicked home that represents their core identity, and original being. This intricate system adds depth to the characters and highlights the idea that, at our essence, we are all human—even when our powers set us apart. The book brilliantly explores the connections between magic, identity, and humanity, making it not just a fantasy novel but also a meditation on the things that define us as individuals.

Breaking free from stereotypical portrayals of female protagonists, Foss is unapologetically herself. She is fully aware of her appearance, accepts her fate, and refuses to change for anyone—especially Sylvester. Her strength is in her authenticity, and this stands in stark contrast to closed-off Sylvester, whose journey of growth and self-discovery is driven by Foss’s unwavering confidence and independence. As Foss challenges him, Sylvester learns to confront his own emotions, take responsibility for his actions, and, ultimately, gain compassion for others. This subtle yet powerful transformation is one of the most rewarding aspects of the novel.

Of course, no story would be complete without a memorable sidekick. Cornelius is the type of companion readers will quickly fall in love with—wise and hilariously unhelpful. Whether offering guidance, providing comfort, or simply delivering some much-needed banter, Cornelius brings a lightness to the darker elements of the story, making him a perfect foil to the novel's more serious moments.

Overall, this is a magical and emotionally rich tale making this a cozier fantasy than most. With a mix of magic, mystery, and heart, this novel will stay with readers long after they turn the last page.

A Harvest of Hearts is like Howl's Moving Castle but darker.

Instead of just one sorcerer being rumored to steal hearts, twelve sorceresses and one sorcerer steal bits of hearts and even sometimes whole hearts at the command of the king. The hearts are what power all the magic in the kingdom keeping them safe from disease, famine and war, or so the king claims.

I really loved this book! I have seen some reviews where people say that Foss' self-esteem issues bothered them, but to me that made her seem real. As someone who has struggled with her self-esteem since she was a teen, seeing a strong main character with those issues was nice and grounding. There are too many books where the heroine is a gorgeous slim girl whom the boys fawn over. Give me more sturdy realistic girls like Foss.

Sylvester was 100% Howl coded. Slightly childish and prone to temper tantrums but with a "heart" of gold underneath. I loved watching the relationship between him and Foss grow. He starts out as a bit conceited and rude but really grows the longer he and Foss interact.

And of course, I can't leave a review without mentioning my favorite character, Cornelius the talking cat. He acted exactly like I imagined a talking cat would act and he was so sweet and fun. I just wanted to scoop him up and give him a kiss on his little furry forehead.

this book is a cozy fantasy! the world is absolutely whimsical and has gothic fairytale aspects. i do not typically reach for cozy fantasy though, so this book had less action than what i am used to. for that reason, i am giving it three stars. however, the writing was very mature and enticing! the characters were unique and fun to meet. the romance, however, was lacking for me but other aspects made up for it!

thank you netgalley and kensington publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a cozy fantasy with high stakes. There's a cat and a sentient house. Our FMC is actually smart and I really enjoyed a character with enough emotional intelligence to actually think and try her best to define her feelings, and her course of actions with her heart AND her brains. Imagine that.
I really enjoyed the writing style, the story progression went fast, and I didn't feel like we were dawdling on useless storylines. My only gripe is the romance subplot. That progressed way too fast, and kinda came out of the blue, even though it was absolutely expected to happen.

This was a cozy, quirky, fantastical story. I really enjoyed the magical aspect of this and mostly enjoyed the characters, with Cornelius the cat being my favorite. There is something so good about a snarky talking cat. The romance felt more like a subplot, but it was still very well done and sweet, and I actually really enjoyed Foss and Sylvester together. My one true complaint about this book was Foss's self-pity and self-hatred of her appearance. It was borderline uncomfortable to read her bashing herself so much and really took away from the book for me. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

This had all the ingredients for a perfect book recipe for me but the baked final product didn't come out so well.

The first part of the book (almost 50%) is well, slow. And very similar to Howl's moving castle, or at least the vibes of it. While the second part goes much more faster, I was fighting with myself if I should drop this around the middle. Luckily I didn't, because I did like the ending, but the pacing definitely felt off.

And then we come to the second reason why this is three stars for me. I generally dislike main female characters like Foss. I can't deal with the constant negative self-talk, the way she puts herself down and it definitely wasn't what I expected by the blurb. And it's hard to invest emotions in a character that is a MC but keeps putting you off reading the story.

Cornelius has all my love. Forever.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
I am so glad I requested the ARC for A Harvest of Hearts. I really enjoyed this story. I can see why it's compared to Howl's Moving Castle but for me it's more comparable to T. Kingfisher's books. It is both dark and funny moments. This story also has a sentient house and a talking cat and I loved that. I think Foss was a good character and considering how and where she grew up it makes sense to me that she is insecure. I would have liked that there were a bit more of interactions between her and the sorcerer and generally more of Sylvester's character development but I still really enjoyed reading this story. The overall world was interesting as well as the magic. I will definitely be buying myself a copy when the book is out.

In a kingdom where prosperity depends upon the magic powers of the King and his children to harvest pieces of his subjects' hearts, the daughter of a village butcher will discover the truth behind the "harvest." Foss, the self-proclaimed "ugliest girl in the village" is mistakenly caught up in a spell gone wrong cast by the King's only son, Sylvester. Compelled to love Sylvester, Foss cannot be apart from him or she suffers terrible pain and nightmares. With the help of a talking cat and a house that can think for itself, Foss is determined to break the spell binding her to Sylvester and free her kingdom from the King's spells all the while trying to find the human part of Sylvester which she knows still exists somewhere deep inside of him.
With a character as solid and determined as Foss, readers will rally behind the "ugliest girl in the village" as she works her way from ensnared heart to a sorcerer's equal.
This reviewer would love to see a sequel in which we discover the fate of young Millie and how the magic has changed the kingdom.

Wasn’t really feeling this one unfortunately so I’m gonna go ahead and tap out 90% of the way through. Just not a huge fan of the characters which is usually the main thing I care about which sucks because I was excited for this one!

What a wonderful, cozy, magical adventure this was. Sold to me as great for fans of House of the Cerulean Sea and Howl's Moving Castle (which I am), this was such an accurate and perfect way to market it. I loved it so much, I will definitley be re-reading a hard copy once I have the opportunit to get one. What a joy. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was not what I expected and honestly, as I got started, I wasn't sure if I would like it or finish it. But it crept up on me and dragged me in, until I just had to keep reading. I was completely invested in what would happen and how it would be solved. In the end I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Exhibit A of how to make the most charming and relatable protagonist with a strong character voice that is just delightful to read.

That openning chapter had finely polished hooks that most readers will be got by.

You can tell it draws heavily from the beloved "Howl's Moving Castle" but does so in a manner that keeps this story feeling fresh yet connected to it's ideas origins.

The worldbuilding was slightly clunky but for it's imaginative nature in a time where fantasy romance feels one note it deserves a lot of praise.

I LOVED IT!!!

I started this book without many expectations, but it has something that caught me. The setting and the realness of the main character were everything. Foss was a queen. Sylvester was mysterious and cute. And, the beat character of them all… Cornelius the cat!!! I held my breath every time he was in any type of danger.

Talking about the plot more in depth, the book is set in a world where magic workers (people with magic) are known to harvest hearts to be able to do magic, leaving the victims dazed and in an inhuman state. One day, Sylvester, the first male magic worker Foss has ever seen steps foot into her small town, catching her. Going out of her mind, she doesn’t have much choice but to go to the city and find him. When he does, she manages to live with him and slowly discover the truth about the magic and the kingdom.

All in all, i loved it so much. When it comes out, I will buy a physical copy a 100%. For me this one is a 5/5 stars. I totally recommend it.

Romantasy, is the biggest genre right now and this will not disappoint! Filled with sorcresses and binding magic. This fabled read will give you all the fairytale feels with a twist of horror. This was such a refreshing read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In theory this book had everything to be a complete showstopper in terms of my taste: a cynic and grumpy main character that is forced to deal with an eccentric sorcerer, a talking cat and a magical sickness that is a mystery.

Unfortunately the execution just left it being a middle of the road tale.

The pacing was all over the place, the first half of the book was so incredibly slow which I wasn't that annoyed by in the beginning but dear god nothing was happening. On the other hand the ending was super rushed and predictable and I can't believe what was supposed to be this immense challenge for our main characters was that easy to deal. And obviously to top of my list of pet peeves the author goes back on something they wrote (trying to be super vague) which is something that completely irks me.

Besides Foss every character felt like cardboard, specifically the King he is just a villain for the sake of being a villain and sorry I truly can't stand that. Sylvester had so much potential but the author just tried to make him to eccentric and nothing else. He has absolutely no charm and their romance had no chemistry and a lot of the time they had interactions that where supposed to be wholesome off page. Not to mention that Foss' love for him was kind of forced which just made me feel even more meh about the situation.

The beginning of the story started off strong but it just felt apart. A good concept but the actual execution wasn't on that great off a level.

thank you to NetGally for sending me this , I genuinely thought that this was a cozy fantasy until things started to pick up at like 70ish% it started to get a little exiting but still not THAT exiting you know I really like the primes of the story but it could've been way better than this but it doesn't mean it was bad I mean it was Ok i was interested enough to finish the book , there are A LOT of things I like about the book like the magic in it and the hearts and how the harvesting works and how they use it it was so much fun , I wasn't attached to any of the characters my FAVOURITE thing about the whole book is the talking cat I LOVE it also I wasn't invested in the love story and you know how in YA books they don't go past kissing and it isn't even describe a lot like barley there but this book it felt so long that I had to skip after I felt like it was being dragged so i don't know if it developed after i skipped it , honestly it was a fine book i think other people may enjoy it to be honest it just wasn't completely for me

This was a really fun, whimsical story. Very reminiscent of Howls Moving Castle but with so many other magical elements it's entirely unique. Finding a way out of the heart taking is Foss' goal, but Sylvester isn't making it easy. Their friendship becomes something they never would have expected, and, new magical discoveries are made.

I loved the concept of this, but the pacing was quite slow and the narration very distant--several chapters in and I hardly even knew who the main character was.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

def has some very howly vibes, kinda himboish (at first) sorcerer ML and a very fun FL, though both grow and change pretty rapidly in the story. Would recommend for a cute romantasy with a TINGE of darkness. 4 stars. would recommend.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one--I felt that the main character was well-developed and understandable. I appreciated her character growth throughout the novel and, as a result of that, the ending was satisfying. The writing style/narrative voice suited the character well.

One critique of the story is that I would have liked a little more interaction between Foss and Sylvester while she is in his enchanted house. The narrative is so heavily dominated by her inner thoughts (usually about herself) that I didn't feel as if there was enough time for the reader to see Sylvester apart from her own personal views of him.