A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames

Title: A Harvest of Hearts

Series: n/a
Author: Andrea Eames
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Fantasy; Romance
Publisher/Publication Date: Erewhon Books; March 4, 2025

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

In the beloved tradition of Howl’s Moving Castle, a whimsical and unforgettable story of fantastic adventure, common sense, and the power of love to overcome the greatest of obstacles . . .

Before Foss Butcher was Snagged, she thought no more of the magic-users than did anyone else in her tiny village. Sometimes gorgeous women in impossible carriages rolled into town and took bits of people’s hearts. Everyone knew hearts fueled their magic. But Foss, plain, clumsy, and practical as a boot, never expected anyone would want hers. True enough, when the only sorcerer in the kingdom stepped from his glossy carriage, he didn’t intend to hook Foss. Sylvester’s riot of black curls and perfectly etched cheekbones caught her eye a moment too long, that was all. Suddenly, Foss is cursed and finds herself stomping toward the grand City to keep his enchanted House, where her only friend is a talking cat and the walls themselves have moods. But as Foss learns the ways of magic, she realizes she’s far from its only unwilling captive. Even Sylvester is hemmed in by spells and threats. It’s said this sorcery protects king, country, and order for thousands. If Foss wants to free herself—and, perhaps, Sylvester—she’ll have to confront it all . . . and uncover the blight nestled in the heart of the kingdom itself.

Andrea Eames’s, A Harvest of Hearts, is compared to Howl’s Moving Castle, which was enough of a hook to sell the story to me. After all, not only did I read Diana Wynn Jones’s novel but I also saw the movie version of Howl’s Moving Castle too. Even so, I wasn’t expecting a retelling or something that held on to its influences too much. And, while you could see where the inspiration was, A Harvest of Hearts is its own story with its own merits. I was thoroughly entertained.

It starts off with Foss, who, like Sophie, had a very low esteem/opinion of herself/worth. And, at first, she viewed the activity of the sorceresses with some distance, figuring she was beneath their notice, until she was snagged, and her personal stakes rose exponentially. It was a good place to start, as it set up a mystery—will she be able to free herself or won’t she—and which gave the story an early push.

Sometimes with romantasy, the plot can get lost behind the romance, which, you know, I get it. Romance first and foremost, which I have nothing against—I’ll pick up a romantasy when I need something lighter or purely distracting to read. However, after reading this book, I’d be cautious about having that expectation when approaching this book. A Harvest of Hearts was whimsical and fairy tale-esque with a talking cat, a strangely living house, and a mercurial sorcerer—which I’ll admit was very Howl’s Moving Castle of the story. However, the romance is very slow burn, and it remained relatively balanced with the plot. And the latter went in directions I wasn’t expecting, as the strange eeriness was further explored, peeling away the veneer and delving into the terrible, gruesome nature of hearts as a form of currency and magic.

I actually liked that about A Harvest of Hearts. The price for magic was an interesting one anyway, and I appreciated how much detail and time was devoted to exploring the context of the setting alongside the relationship between the characters—particularly Foss, the cat, and the sorcerer, Sylvester.

Overall, there was plenty to like about A Harvest of Hearts.

About the author....

Andrea Eames was born in 1985. She was brought up in Zimbabwe, where she attended a Jewish school for six years, a Hindu school for one, a Catholic convent school for two and a half, and then the American International School in Harare for two years. Andrea's family moved to New Zealand in 2002. Andrea has worked as a bookseller and editor and now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Erewhon Books [Kensington]) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

Short Stories I Read In January

It’s the twenty-eighth of February, so welcome back to Short Stories! Today I’m going to go over the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in January.

The Angel’s Share by Martin Cahill (Reactor Magazine; July 24, 2024)

When I think of guardian angels in fiction, they typically end up as benevolent guides who are only doing what’s best to help their charges (or at least attempt to). But, Cahill’s The Angel’s Share, turns that concept on its head with the situation the character, Mrs. Mead, is embroiled with .It was rather peculiar: an “infestation of 32 angels.” And the irony is: they do seem to help by catering to Mrs. Mead. However, the story drives home the point how much Mrs. Mead’s past has become a trap and a spiral; loss of control under the guise of comfort. How this kind of help was ultimately detrimental, revealing the cloying but entirely conditional nature, which was menacing rather than benevolent. And the angels, I found them an eerie, spectral presence throughout the story. They weren’t ghosts, but there was something vampire-esque about the way they engaged with Mrs. Mead. That being said, The Angel’s Share was, despite the intrinsic horror of what was becoming of the main character’s life, a story which ended on a hopeful note.

I’m Not Disappointed Just Mad AKA The Heaviest Couch in the Known Universe by Daryl Gregory (Reactor Magazine; November 20, 2024)

I haven’t read anything by Daryl Gregory since his novella, The Album of Dr. Moreau. So I was excited to finally mark this one off my list. I’m Not Disappointed Just Mad AKA The Heaviest Couch in the Known Universe was absurd. I mean, they were moving a couch at the same time as an apparent alien invasion! It was lot of fun to read and surprisingly complicated with its character depth as well as the scope of the story. The sci-fi, first contact, space faring adventure aspect of it was done quite well with sufficient stakes to make what happened personal for Tindal. And, honestly, I just found this story—its unusual structure and fourth wall breaks—incredibly readable.

Parthenogenesis by Stephen Graham Jones (Reactor Magazine; October 2, 2024)

Two friends are moving across the country. So, a road trip right? Well, Stephen Graham Jone’s Parthenogenesis takes on an eerie twist. The horror of this story is how effectively it builds up the characters of Matty and Jac. It shows how their friendship works as they take turns inventing a strange story to pass the time, while the narrative also makes you feel for their situation—the interruption of their move, the faultiness of the truck. And, because the story made me want to be attached to the characters, it was why their fate is all that more horrifying to think about.

From around the web…

• A Specter Is Haunting Catesby Wran: “Smoke Ghost” by Fritz Leiber [Sam Reader; Reactor Magazine; January 14, 2025]: For the past year or so, I’ve enjoyed Sam Reader’s column, Dissecting The Dark Descent. One of the latest entries takes a look at Fritz Leiber’s story, Smoke Ghost.

• Trying and Failing to Figure Out “Escapism” in Books [Molly Templeton’ Reactor Magazine; January 9, 2025]: the title is pretty accurate when it comes to describing what this particular column is about.

• Psychopomp Is Relaunching Fantasy Magazine [Vanessa Armstrong; Reactor Magazine; January 16, 2025]: I saw this announcement and thought it should mention it here too. Fantasy Magazine is being relaunched, which speaks for itself.

Music Monday (310): The Pocket Queen, Duckwrth, Lady Gaga

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: Lady Gaga's Abracadabra is one of my favorite songs lately, and she recently released the rehearsal video for it. I like it, because it offers a look at the choreography without the styling of the music video. Check it out below!

Adri: This week, my pick is Good Vibes by The Pocket Queen featuring Duckwrth. It's one that was in my recommendations and another one that's too short.

What are you listening to this week?

The Witless Protection Program by Maria DiRico

Title: The Witless Protection Program
Series: Catering Hall Mystery #5
Author: Maria DiRico
Source/Format: Purchased; Mass Market Paperback
More Details: Cozy Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Kensington; March 26, 2024

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Mia Carina has steered her Italian-American family’s Astoria, Queens, catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor, into becoming the borough’s premiere party site, and nothing could make her happier—except her boyfriend proposing. There’s just one presumed-dead obstacle in the way . . .

A strong, independent woman and respected entrepreneur, Mia never imagined she’d pine for a marriage proposal. Yet lately, with her beloved Shane, she’s on tenterhooks. It’s especially surprising, considering Mia’s first husband, Adam, was a philandering grifter, assumed lost-at-sea after a boating disaster. But everyone knows what happens when you assume . . . While working a huge wedding expo in Manhattan, Mia is shocked to spot the man who nearly destroyed her life. The one who’s supposed to be sleeping with the fishes. But she loses him in the crowd. And when it happens again the next day, it’s time for an emergency meeting with the family—and the Family . Because if Adam is alive, Mia is still married . . .Everyone wants Adam dead. Everyone except Mia. She’s dealt with enough police for a lifetime. Mia needs to be a divorcée, not a widow. But someone out there disagrees, and if Mia doesn’t discover who, she may never be free to marry Shane—or anyone else . . .

While compiling a list of 2025 books I wanted to read, I decided to check a couple of the series I was reading and discovered the next book of Maria DiRico’s Catering Hall Mystery series had come out in March of 2024. Titled The Witless Protection Program, it turned out to be the first book I read in the New Year.

The Witless Protection Program felt like a definitive conclusion. It began with a full circle kind of moment, essentially where (or with whom) the series started: with Mia spotting who she believed to be the husband who had vanished (and was presumed dead) after wrecking her life, which, if she was right, presented a variety of challenges for her future plans. As far as cozy mysteries go, it was a page-tuner. There was a lot of “why” and “how,” which needed to be answered, and DiRico did a good job of establishing the circumstances which brought these characters to this point—where tempers threatened to boil over with each new and terrible revelation of just who Mia had been entangled with. She had her family and a solid support system of people willing to go to bat for her as well as a partner who was always in her corner. And they were there every step of the way, as she navigated one of the more personal mysteries of the series. All the while, the story managed to bring together the other threads of the overarching plot and relationship arcs into a somewhat chaotic but also satisfying end.

As an aside, if you’re like me and interested in all of the delicious food the character ate, then you’ll find four recipes in the back of the book, including one for Ricotta Sugar Cookies.

 

The Friday 56 (252) & Book Beginnings: The Witless Protection Program by Maria DiRico

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. **Note: Freda @ Freda's Voice is taking a break from The Friday 56; Anne @Head is Full of Books is hosting for now.**

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Mia Carina has steered her Italian-American family’s Astoria, Queens, catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor, into becoming the borough’s premiere party site, and nothing could make her happier—except her boyfriend proposing. There’s just one presumed-dead obstacle in the way . . .

A strong, independent woman and respected entrepreneur, Mia never imagined she’d pine for a marriage proposal. Yet lately, with her beloved Shane, she’s on tenterhooks. It’s especially surprising, considering Mia’s first husband, Adam, was a philandering grifter, assumed lost-at-sea after a boating disaster. But everyone knows what happens when you assume . . . While working a huge wedding expo in Manhattan, Mia is shocked to spot the man who nearly destroyed her life. The one who’s supposed to be sleeping with the fishes. But she loses him in the crowd. And when it happens again the next day, it’s time for an emergency meeting with the family—and the Family . Because if Adam is alive, Mia is still married . . .Everyone wants Adam dead. Everyone except Mia. She’s dealt with enough police for a lifetime. Mia needs to be a divorcée, not a widow. But someone out there disagrees, and if Mia doesn’t discover who, she may never be free to marry Shane—or anyone else . . .

Beginning: “Tavern on the Green was as lush and elegant as Mia always dreamed it would be.”

56: “Mia emitted a furious growl. She then ran down the back stairs, brandishing the bat.”

Comments: My first read of 2024 was Maria DiRico's The Witless Protection Program. This is still one of my favorite cozy mystery series. What are you reading this week?