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Castle In The Waste: A Spicy Howl's Moving Castle Retelling
"There you are, Sorry I'm late I've been looking for you."
I didn’t know my life would change forever that day when I stepped into the familiar streets of Stormyr.
I watch his hands move as the guards immediately turn away.
Is he using sign language?
It felt like gravity. This was inevitable whatever was going on in this moment.
“Acting a little rude to your savior now?” his eyebrow raised.
I scoffed “Savior?” His attitude immediately broke my trance.
“Yes ‘savior’ and no need to get on your knees to pray to me.”
I didn’t know my life would change forever that day when I stepped into the familiar streets of Stormyr.
I watch his hands move as the guards immediately turn away.
Is he using sign language?
It felt like gravity. This was inevitable whatever was going on in this moment.
“Acting a little rude to your savior now?” his eyebrow raised.
I scoffed “Savior?” His attitude immediately broke my trance.
“Yes ‘savior’ and no need to get on your knees to pray to me.”
456 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 5, 2024
87 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 15, 2024
What I liked: this reads like someone who loves Howls Moving Castle worked hard to create something based off the movie. The characters are well developed and the storyline is engaging. Many of the characters in the movie are featured in this book with either a new name, or there same title.
What I didn't like: I felt like this book was very similar to Howls Moving Castle and also wasn't similar at all. The author puts a few massive spins on the storyline that makes it unique, that I don't think I was able to appreciate enough. This book was pitched to me as being spicy Howls Moving Castle, and I expected a storyline that was similar to the movie, and I dont feel that was delivered. The overall plots are not similar in my opinion, and I was really hoping this book would go in a different direction then it did. I think that's definitely a matter of opinion though.
I do encourage readers to give this book a shot, but remember that the author says this is a retelling, and don't ruin the book for yourself before you even read it by creating expectations it will be like the movie.
To the author: thank you for sharing your brain child with us, and for all of your hard work creating this story.
What I didn't like: I felt like this book was very similar to Howls Moving Castle and also wasn't similar at all. The author puts a few massive spins on the storyline that makes it unique, that I don't think I was able to appreciate enough. This book was pitched to me as being spicy Howls Moving Castle, and I expected a storyline that was similar to the movie, and I dont feel that was delivered. The overall plots are not similar in my opinion, and I was really hoping this book would go in a different direction then it did. I think that's definitely a matter of opinion though.
I do encourage readers to give this book a shot, but remember that the author says this is a retelling, and don't ruin the book for yourself before you even read it by creating expectations it will be like the movie.
To the author: thank you for sharing your brain child with us, and for all of your hard work creating this story.
March 23, 2025
I really wanted to love this, and I try really hard to justify giving books 4 stars if I either enjoyed them or they’re well written…. But I don’t think this book fits either one of those.
I feel like the author did the characters so dirty because I came out of it really disliking both of them (can’t say why for spoilers but anyone that loves either version of Howl will be so disappointed in this version).
I also felt like things went really off the rails near the middle of the book. I was having a good time until the mid point when the entire book took a 180 and went an entirely different direction and I honestly just wasn’t feeling it. I feel like most of the last half of the book could have (and probably *should* have) been left out and then we could have actually finished the storyline instead of ending on a really annoying and unnecessary cliffhanger.
Maybe it was just me and it wasn’t meeting the expectations I had built up in my head, so I probably would have said “it’s me and not you” and given 4* if it had at least been well written… but I honestly can’t say that it really was. The dialogue especially was really confusing with poorly worded dialogue tags and sometimes multiple people talking in a single paragraph. I had a lot of trouble knowing who was talking a lot of the time and that’s problematic when the book is pretty dialogue heavy.
Will I read book 2 when it comes out? Maybe. Just out of morbid curiosity. But honestly I probably won’t. It’s just not for me.
I feel like the author did the characters so dirty because I came out of it really disliking both of them (can’t say why for spoilers but anyone that loves either version of Howl will be so disappointed in this version).
I also felt like things went really off the rails near the middle of the book. I was having a good time until the mid point when the entire book took a 180 and went an entirely different direction and I honestly just wasn’t feeling it. I feel like most of the last half of the book could have (and probably *should* have) been left out and then we could have actually finished the storyline instead of ending on a really annoying and unnecessary cliffhanger.
Maybe it was just me and it wasn’t meeting the expectations I had built up in my head, so I probably would have said “it’s me and not you” and given 4* if it had at least been well written… but I honestly can’t say that it really was. The dialogue especially was really confusing with poorly worded dialogue tags and sometimes multiple people talking in a single paragraph. I had a lot of trouble knowing who was talking a lot of the time and that’s problematic when the book is pretty dialogue heavy.
Will I read book 2 when it comes out? Maybe. Just out of morbid curiosity. But honestly I probably won’t. It’s just not for me.
April 26, 2025
I didn’t realize there were going to be more in this fanfic series. Otherwise I probably would’ve waited to read it. I was thinking to myself as I was around 85% … “how the heck is this going to be ending in 15%.” Now I know it WAS NOT.
But I liked this, as it’s based on the Howls Moving Castle movie, defs not the book. Apart from some grammatical errors & punctuation, I liked the story & plot & the fun ideas she has for this book.
Spice: 2.5/5
But I liked this, as it’s based on the Howls Moving Castle movie, defs not the book. Apart from some grammatical errors & punctuation, I liked the story & plot & the fun ideas she has for this book.
Spice: 2.5/5
April 4, 2025
Slow start strong finish
I need book 2 immediately!!!!
I loved the world building in this and all the fun and unique side characters Suri met at the school reminded me of Shiz university in wicked a bit . I liked suri way better than Sophie who was a naive somewhat flakey fmc
My only complaint not enough smut .
I need book 2 immediately!!!!
I loved the world building in this and all the fun and unique side characters Suri met at the school reminded me of Shiz university in wicked a bit . I liked suri way better than Sophie who was a naive somewhat flakey fmc
My only complaint not enough smut .
April 12, 2025
I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Once i started i could not put this book down. It has the key elements of the inspiration pice woth new magical twists. The plot and world this is building is already amazing and i can not wait to see where it goes. This clif hanger is gana be in the back of my mind impatiently waiting for the next book. I can not wait to see how the relationships evolve and grow as more information comes to light.
Once i started i could not put this book down. It has the key elements of the inspiration pice woth new magical twists. The plot and world this is building is already amazing and i can not wait to see where it goes. This clif hanger is gana be in the back of my mind impatiently waiting for the next book. I can not wait to see how the relationships evolve and grow as more information comes to light.
July 30, 2025
DNF at 40%
I was mostly bored with this, I’m not gonna lie. I was really excited since I love Howl’s Moving Castle, but I was about 40% into the book and it felt like there was too much fluff like the author was trying to hit a word count. Not to mention I saw a lot of editing mistakes. I understand a slow burn, but this was killing me. there is maybe a little bit of spice but it always ended abruptly.
I was mostly bored with this, I’m not gonna lie. I was really excited since I love Howl’s Moving Castle, but I was about 40% into the book and it felt like there was too much fluff like the author was trying to hit a word count. Not to mention I saw a lot of editing mistakes. I understand a slow burn, but this was killing me. there is maybe a little bit of spice but it always ended abruptly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2025
I really enjoyed this. Such an engaging read with characters you really come to love. I like how Zoey took the main parts of Howl's Moving Castle and made this story their own. There were so many small details that just made the book. The grammer could have used some work, but other than that I really enjoyed this and NEED the next book!
June 11, 2025
This isn’t quite what I expected but found it hard to put down anyway. I see similarities to the movie and a little of the original book. There’s plenty of stuff that’s different but it works well with the more mature spin on the original. I didn’t realise that it wasn’t a standalone! Now I’ve got a cliffhanger and no book 2!!
March 31, 2025
Obsessed!
Not what i was expecting but WOW ! im obsessed with this book. besides a couple similar phrases and actions in the book to match howl’s moving castle,i feel like this book was unique . the story and plot has soooo much potential, i need moreeee !
Not what i was expecting but WOW ! im obsessed with this book. besides a couple similar phrases and actions in the book to match howl’s moving castle,i feel like this book was unique . the story and plot has soooo much potential, i need moreeee !
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March 1, 2025indie authors i love you so much but for the love of god please have someone proofread before you publish
Read
June 27, 2025DNF
January 31, 2025
I wanted to love this. I really did, but it didn't feel like a Howl retelling so much as an original story with so many influences taken from Howl that they had to claim it was a retelling to avoid some kind of problems.
If you can convince yourself it just has a lot in common with Howl and forget that it's been branded as a retelling, it's a okay story. But it doesn't stand out on its own and I feel it's rising on the coat tails of how popular Howl is and how many folk have been asking from a spicy Howl retelling, not quite filling the large boots it's setting out for itself.
If you can convince yourself it just has a lot in common with Howl and forget that it's been branded as a retelling, it's a okay story. But it doesn't stand out on its own and I feel it's rising on the coat tails of how popular Howl is and how many folk have been asking from a spicy Howl retelling, not quite filling the large boots it's setting out for itself.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews