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.

A Harvest of Hearts is an atmospheric novel brimming with gothic vibes. Its unique magic system revolves around magic users who sustain themselves by taking pieces—or even entire—hearts, much like vampires with blood. The story also carries a whimsical feel as we follow Foss and Sylvester, whose differing worldviews shape their journey. As they grow closer, they begin to sense that something mysterious is unfolding—along with the possibility of deeper feelings between them.

Team Cornelius!

In a kingdom where magic wielders take bits of villagers' hearts to power their spells, Foss Butcher lives a life of near invisibility. She feels guilt over her mother's death in childbirth, and sees herself as sturdy and dependable, unlike the dainty and pretty village girls. After a cruel incident in which a boy she liked mocks her, she decides she will not set her sights on any man.

Until Sylvester, a sorcerer, sets his sights on her and snags a piece of her heart.

Foss is angry and a little intrigued, because now that the sorcerer is gone, she has pain in her chest, and also, this is the only male sorcerer she's ever seen. Determined to get the piece of her heart back, she goes after him, and when he doesn't recognize her, she blurts out that she's there to be his housekeeper.

The sorcerer's house is filled with magic, and Foss settles in, determined to find the missing piece of her heart, but she finds Sylvester to be much different than she imagined. He is moody and his magic is not the best, so he is usually the last resort for people seeking charms and spells. Foss also meets Cornelius, a black cat that can speak and is probably the best character in this book.

I enjoyed this audiobook a lot, Jessie Elland captures Foss's witty personality so well, and the book was a whimsical delight.

Harvest Of Hearts had such a fascinating premise that I couldn't help but dive in with high expectations. The story concept itself was incredibly intriguing and held so much potential—one of those plots that sparks the imagination and keeps you curious about how it will unfold.

However, I have to admit that the execution left me a little underwhelmed. While the plot had me hooked, I struggled to connect with the characters on a deeper level. They felt somewhat underwhelming, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in their experiences and emotions. The main character stood out to me as being overly critical and negative about herself. I understand that self-doubt can add layers of relatability, but in this case, it felt a bit overemphasised, which made it hard to root for her wholeheartedly.

On a brighter note, the narrator for the audiobook was a wonderful choice. Their clear articulation brought the story to life in a way that the text alone didn’t quite achieve. The accent they had was an especially nice touch—it really complemented the atmosphere the book was aiming for and added an extra layer of authenticity to the storytelling.

While Harvest Of Hearts might not have fully lived up to my hopes, it still offered some moments of intrigue.

Loved the narrator, didn’t care for the story. I couldn’t connect with the FMC and didn’t necessarily care about what was going to happen with her. Interesting premise thougb

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Heartbreakingly beautiful.

Eames thoughtfully melds cozy fantasy with something darker.

The book see’s Foss, a butchers daughter, tangled with Sylvester, a sorcerer who trusts his house a little bit too much, and a talking cat, who stole the book.

Writing:

Simply put, Eames writes beautifully.

She skilfully weaves whimsy with deeper meanings, capturing the readers attention and keeping it, as you try to anticipate what happens next.

The pacing suits the whimsy of the story, which sees the characters just existing for a part of the story. The pace picks up well as the story develops and certain elements of whimsy are lost as the story gets darker.

Character:

Reminiscent of Howl and Sophie, Sylvester and Foss are both flawed individuals and Eames took care to explore their flaws.

The relationship between Sylvester and Foss builds slowly, with hints seen throughout. In the context of the story, I think the pace of the relationship made sense, although in any other book I would be questioning the build.

Like many before me, I was drawn in by the phrase “talking cat” and let me say, it does not disappoint. Cornelius was absolutely perfect.

Issues discussed:

This book discusses issues including parental loss (off page), self esteem, bullying (past), and manipulation. It has never been more obvious that an author has put in the effort of using a sensitivity reader to make sure that these topics are given the care they need.

I have read many books where the main characters are almost unrealistically beautiful and it is a breath of fresh air when the main character isn’t. I’m sure that there are a lot of people, myself included, who can relate to Foss, who is for all intents and purposes, an average person who despite her doubts remains strong throughout.

Narration:

Jessie Elland nailed the narration. The voices were nice and distinct, with none of the awkwardness that you sometimes get when a female narrator uses a male voice, and visa versa

A Harvest of Hearts includes a FMC with a macabre connection to a sorcerer, a magical house, and a talking cat. I enjoyed the beginning of this book, but I lost interest before the halfway point and never seemed to reconnect with the characters or the pacing. I did enjoy the narrator Jessie Elland and would absolutely listen to future narrations by her.

I received an ARC and ALC from Kensington Publishing | Erewhon Books and RBmedia | Recorded Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really thought I was going to love this one. It was off to a rough start but once we got the the main characters together, not to mention the talking cat, I started to enjoy myself. Sadly, the MMC failed to present a personality. Romance fell flat. Plot meandered and by the end I lost interest.
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the narrator either. The accent she used annoyed me from the beginning. I got use to it somewhat, but the annoyance would come back, so it wasn't a good reading experience.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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. I like the narration. 4 stars.

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 was another book that i wouldn't have picked up by myself! i loved this book a lot more than i thought i was going too. i am so thankful that i was able to listen to it