In just two days, I devoured "Heartless Hunters" – a captivating cat and mouse game that unfolds the enthralling journey of Rune, a witch hidden in plain sight, and Gideon, a relentless member of the Red Guard hunting witches. The true enemies-to-lovers dynamic kept me hooked, as they danced on a fine line, unraveling secrets about each other.

The impeccable pacing and skillful shifts in point of view made it a standout fantasy read for me in 2024. The unique magic system for witches added an extra layer of intrigue, and the author's vivid descriptors effortlessly painted the setting in my mind. I found myself fully immersed in the story, and the ending left me craving the next installment.

Kudos to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing an ARC, and I must say, adding "Heartless Hunters" to your TBR is a must!

Whether you read the Heartless Hunter or The Crimson Moth (it's the same book), this book will wreck and complete you. There are secrets, enemies to lovers, and steamy worth it scenes! This takes me back to a very well written Serpent & Dove and this one is just as *Chef's Kiss* Rune and Gideon have amazing banter and I'm so ready for this to continue! this also oddly enough gives me regency vibes like Bridgerton and I'm here for the acoustic playlist playing! Thank you so much to Kirsten Ciccarelli, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for this opportunity! I am so excited to get the edition from Fairyloot!

First, Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an E-ARC of this novel.

"The hunted fell for the hunter." WOW. Rune Winters lives in a New Republic where witches have been overthrown. However, Rune herself is also a witch lying low. Rune is also the Crimson Moth, #1 enemy to the New Republic on saving witches from being purged. Gideon Sharpe is Captain of the Blood Guard who now leads the New Republic. Gideon's sole focus is to catch the Crimson Moth. In this enemy to lovers trope, we see Rune and Gideon falling for one another while also trying to complete their own missions at hand. I absolutely loved this book. I was shocked, cried, heartbroken at times. And I can't wait to read the 2nd Crimson Moth novel.

This was such a fun and twisty read that I absolutely devoured. As others have said, this is a cat and mouse plot, witch and witch-hunter style.

Rune Winters is a witch living amongst those who want her dead…that is, they would if they <I>knew</i> she was a witch, anyway.

Gideon Sharpe is a witch-hunter among the Blood Guard, with a cloudy past that fuels his hatred for all of witch-kind.

The witch-hunter has a hunch that Rune may be the elusive Crimson Moth that has been a thorn in his side for the last two years, but he needs more proof.

Rune needs intel on where the Blood Guard are harboring the witches on death row so she can rescue as many as she can; all while maintaining her outwardly appearance as a ditzy socialite.

But when the witch and witch-hunter decide to use the other to get what they want, things become even more complicated as the lines between friend and foe become muddled, and stronger feelings take root. 🧙🏼‍♀️

This kept me on my toes and swooning all the while..who doesn’t love a good forbidden romance? Huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC!

Holy cow now this is what I've been begging for when I say I want enemies to lovers. Literally two people on complete other sides who hate and despise the other but end up falling in love anyway. This book gives me hope for the future of this trope because I've read some really mediocre stuff. This was really well fleshed out and I felt like I could really be in this world. And that twist in the end was bonkers. Can't wait for the 2nd book. I need to know what happens next.

4.5/5 Stars!
A dangerous game of cat and mouse between a witch and a witch hunter.
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Rune Winters is a witch who has been extremely careful to keep that part of herself hidden. Being a witch will get you killed and so will the fact that she is helping captured witches escape.
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Gideon Sharpe is a Captain of The Blood Guard. A skilled witch hunter and a man who despises witches. He has spent years trying to discover who the person is that has been helping witches escape capture.
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I really enjoyed this book! The plot was fantastic. The plot twists toward the end were shocking and sad. I can't wait to see what comes next for this series!
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My only criticism would be that when it came to the scene where Gideon and Rune are intimate for the first time, it wasn't exactly clear what happened. I am still confused as to if they actually had sex. I am assuming this is a YA because this scene was not descriptive which is fine but I really don't know what actually happened during that scene. Even without being overly descriptive I shouldn't have been left confused as to what happened.

Book Name: Heartless Hunter
Author: Kristen Ciccarelli

ARC
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for an ARC Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

Stars: 4.5
Spice: 3

Start to The Crimson Moth duology
Cliffhanger
Fast Paced
Dual POV
High Fantasy

- Thoughts.
- Witch and witch hunter
- Enemies to …
- Fake Dating
- Assumptions and Miscommunication
- Brothers 😉
- Is it real
- Banter

Serpent and Dove? In a different font … but I 100% prefer this font!!

I wasn't sure where I was going to land on this book initially while I really enjoyed the premise and the characters, there was one aspect that was a little grim for my taste. The treatment and manner of execution of the witches seemed overly heinous in comparison to everything else. I think if there had been more description of the terrible acts they committed to justify such violent ends it would have helped. But the descriptions of Gideon's experiences and what happened with his parents and sisters are minimal and, while everyone else spouts hatred for them there are no other clear examples of what exactly caused so much hatred to the point of a revolution and the purge of witches.

With all that being said the story was completely addictive. Rune is a complex character playing a shallow socialite by day and a vigilante by night. Donning the two masks so well she has kind of lost herself between the two. The story is well-paced and has a few twists I did not see coming or could only guess parts of. The romance was a bit lukewarm and could have used a much bigger dose of chemistry, it is the larger story unfolding around them that is the draw for me. With an ending that clearly sets us up for book two I will eagerly be anticipating it.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

I enjoyed reading this book. The magic system was easy to follow and helped the reader understand the world we are brought into. This story is full of magic, witches, witch hunters, a love triangle and enemies to lovers.

I knew the plot twist was coming but it didn’t go how I expected so that was a pleasant surprise! It’s hard to find a book where you can’t guess the plot twist or surprises that are supposed to happen. I am looking forward to reading the next book and seeing what happens next.

This might just be the fantasy book of 2024.
This story is for you if you enjoy slow burn, foes to lovers, witches, and witch hunters. This book does a fantastic job of executing many of my favourite tropes. It's got fantastic characterization. Every character has a distinct voice, personality, and moral ambiguity. Yes, this book does not contain any characters that are flawless.
There is a hard magic system in this book, which is one intriguing feature. There are safeguards against abuse. Nobody with unrestricted power appears at convenient and suspenseful moments throughout the novel. Hard magic systems are not usually found in YA fantasy, so I really enjoy this concept.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Heartless Hunter" by Kristen Ciccarelli is a fantasy romance that offers a captivating blend of slow-burn tension, enemies-to-lovers dynamics, and a richly developed world of witches and witch hunters. One of the strongest aspects of the book is the development of the complex magic system in the world that Ciccarelli created. Before getting into this book, I do highly recommend looking through content/trigger warnings for this book as the book does involve SA victims; I would probably say this book is more of a NA than a YA, so I would recommend younger readers should avoid this book. If you’re a fan of NA fantasy, then you will absolutely love this book.

As mentioned earlier, the world-building in this book is excellent. I absolutely loved the fascinating magic system Ciccarelli created where witches must use blood for spells, with consequences for wielding powerful magic. The inclusion of a hard magic system with checks and balances added a layer of realism I’ve rarely seen in YA/NA fantasy. Creating this magic system in the Victorian-era setting made the experience even more immersive and engaging. I also thought the characters were well-developed, and I enjoyed the troupes used throughout the book, though sometimes these troupes and the romance became a bit cliché at time. Ciccarelli is able to create realistic and flawed characters with the presence of gray morality adding depth to the story.

However, I think the book fell a bit short in terms of character dynamics, though that come be remedied in the sequel. I think this character building was put on a back burner a bit, which is often a problem when there are clear ideas for a sequel where this development will be taking place. Specifically, I wanted more development of Gideon because even though he is portrayed with understandable trauma and hatred towards witches, I struggled to sympathize with his actions, particularly his role in mass genocide. On the other hand, I absolutely loved the female protagonist, Rune, due to her complexity and depth. I thought she served as a compelling counterbalance to Gideon.

Overall, "Heartless Hunter" offers an engaging storyline with fantastic worldbuilding. I can’t wait to experience more of the world Ciccarelli created in the sequel and engage more with this development as well as the development of the other characters.

This was everything I needed and more in a forbidden romance novel. I am a huge fan of the witch x witch hunter trope and it reminded me a lot of “Snow White and the Huntsman”. I was captivated by this story the whole time and cannot wait for the sequel!

Wow I have not read anything like this before. I can’t wait to share my thoughts with my friends! Was such a fun book

Both characters are sort of morally gray. Each thinking what they’re doing is for the right cause. Story had some action to keep it going. Enough angst. The twists though! And that ending! Such a cliffhanger.

I was expecting to enjoy this book after seeing all of the rave reviews, but I was not prepared for how much I LOVED it! Witches and witch hunters, enemies-to-lovers, AND cat-and-mouse games?! This story completely satisfied all of my requirements and guilty pleasures in a romantic fantasy. I fell deeply in love with Rune and Gideon even though they were pitted against each other from the start. The author created such a perfect depth of development and emotions that I had no choice but to empathize with both of them. It was an intense and exciting read that will surely be a fan favorite of 2024. I'm just bummed that I will probably have to wait months to read the second book in this duology. The good news is that everyone can read this book in two weeks! Pub date is 2/20/24. I highly recommend it to readers of all genres! You will not be disappointed.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

3.75 (rounded up)
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Heartless Hunter was a solid book. But spice is not what I expected from this YA novel, but it’s what I got?

This book has fantastic world building. The author creates this world in the background of the plot, using events and characters to establish this witch-resistant place. As we go alone, details unravel in a pleasing way that sets the reader up to know what the need to know without info-dumping. It really plays into how the plot is presented. The plot of this one is familiar and expected, but the world is unique and added a new edge.

The plot is your basic cat and mouse chase I anticipated. The concept of witch vs. witch hunter as enemies to lovers isn’t unique or new, but it really worked here. I found myself needing to know what would happen next. I loved the dynamic of these roles played and how they play against each other to the end. You honestly can’t really go wrong with an enemies to lovers romantasy with blood magic and witches. Fast paced, action paced and it held my attention.

I enjoyed the characters of this one. I’m not overly connected to them, but they are well written. Rune is so well flesh out. You can feel her grief, her anger, her sadness. Played against hard, no nonsense Gideon and his soft underbelly, her character really shines. The side characters are engaging and not two dimensional like side characters can be sometimes. They were perfect for moving the plot along and establishing the motivations of the group. But Gideon was my favorite of all. Hard edges, soft underbelly, he was really well written and you want to like him, despite his job and who he is in this world. I loved his respect for his brother and his motivations make sense given his past.

While I definitely enjoyed it, this book felt like YA written for adults? I’m seeing a lot of reviews saying “good spice” but that’s just not what I expect from YA novels? That could just be me. I also didn’t love how the sexual assault in this book was handled, but could also be a me thing.

This was a solid start to a series. It leaves you on enough of a cliffhanger to be satisfied but also interested in what happens next. I’ll definitely see this series though.

First I would like to thank St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own,

For the most part, I really enjoyed this novel. It's fast-paced, has compelling main characters AND side characters, and the world building is top-notch.

The romance aspect is what drops this down to four instead of five stars.

I think the romance could have been better had there been some growth shown for both MCs, but honestly I needed it more for Gideon, the MMC. And because the witch hunter didn't have any kind of emotional arc throughout the book, it really dragged my opinion of Rune, the FMC. I couldn't believe that this close-minded, toxic guy is who she preferred. Yes, there is a slight love triangle, but it's clear who the love interest is, no matter how much the author dangled THE PERFECT MAN in front of the FMC.

Alas, let's move on to better and brighter things. Oh, yes the magic. This story features blood magic, so keep in mind, that the details can get ... bloody. I do think it was well done, although I honestly could have done without one of those details, because I got a tad squeamish. Other than that, I found it very interesting and wished that our witchy MC had shown a little more progression because while there was a lot of magic and lore, I wanted more!

In that same line of thinking, the world building was great. While still being a fantasy novel, I understood the history of this world and how these characters live in a complex social and political climate, without being overrun with the dreaded ~info-dumping~. Chef's kiss!

While I didn't care much for the romance between the two MCs, their actual characterization I liked. I understood their motivations, what made these characters think and act the way they do (independently from one another, of course.) Gideon, I especially felt heartache for. He has a very tragic backstory, Please, give Gideon therapy or something! The secondary characters were also great, and I felt like they were fleshed out really well.

While I did figure out the twist about halfway through, maybe earlier?, I was still shocked at how it all turned out. This does end on a cliff hanger, so beware! There are some high-stakes shenanigans that are about to go down and I am eagerly awaiting the next installment!

This was so romantic! Rune, a witch who secretly helps other witches in need, is being hunted by Gideon. Gideon's only job is to find her and capture her.... but let's just say she captures his heart instead!!! (Hello, that was such a cheesy line, and I'm not sorry!!).

Definitely check this one out!

Out February 20, 2024!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

A fun and witchy twist on “The Scarlet Pimpernel” with cunning plots, lots of angst (but not so much that I was rolling my eyes– people seem to forget that young adults feel things deeply *and* revolutions leave scars), and a love triangle worthy of Gale & Peeta (except the Gale in this story, Gideon, is 1000x more compelling– I loved how Rune’s perception of him changed as her feelings evolved), “Heartless Hunter” was an enjoyable read. This is a duology so brace yourself for the finale! One note I would make is that this book is marketed as YA but has some content I would deem inappropriate for the 13-18 crowd: a skinny dipping scene and semi-vague on the page sex scene, along with some profanity.

I loved this book! The world building is great! And you fall in love with the characters. Also good spice