This was disappointing to me. I had hyped it up and seen tons of great reviews but it just fell flat. Nothing in the plot was new or intriguing. The plot twist was predictable. But all that to say it was enjoyable. I didn’t struggle to finish it. But I didn’t feel that urge to want to know what was going to happen next.

A predictable but very fun read! If you like witch x witch hunter books then this will be right down your alley. It is marketed as YA but there is a brief, mildly descriptive scene of intimacy so it kind of toes the line with new adult. Overall, I enjoyed this far more than I anticipated and do get the hype for once. Super excited for the next book!

Full review and links to social will be posted as soon as possible.

I'd like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Maybe this was a case of the right book at the right time or it was simply just a good book, but I loved this book! I don't think I have read a romantasy I loved this much in a very long time. I literally binged this book in one day and lately finishing books has been a struggle, so that felt momentous to me. Rune is a witch who hides who she is from her oppressors by masquerading as a socialite during the day and by night works as The Crimson Moth to save witches. Gideon loathes witches and is the captain of the group of guards assigned to hunt witches. Right from the beginning on this book, I was hooked, it was fast paced and the pacing stayed that way throughout. I liked how the world building was done and I felt like I was fully immersed in this story because of it.

I loved Rune, she really toes the line between wanting to save witches like herself and not exposing her own powers so that she can continue to help others. I felt her grief and devastation over losing her grandmother. I loved all her layers and how she chose how to present herself depending on who was around her in order to keep herself and others safe. Gideon is the angsty, brooding MMC and his backstory is just as tragic. He wants to ensure that his remaining family does not come to harm. I loved Gideon and Rune together, and I thought it was so interesting how both their characters were developed as they learn more about each other.

This book ends in a major cliffhanger, so naturally I am anxious to get to read the sequel! There were a couple twists in this book that even I didn't see coming (and I like to think I'm good at calling out twists in books). I'm interested in seeing where Rune and Gideon's journey goes next and to get to read the conclusion to this duology. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick and atmospheric romantic fantasy read.

Wow I loved this so much! The tension, the twists! I will immediately be getting a physical copy of this and preordering book 2!

OMG! I can’t honestly say that this is one of the best fantasy books I have read this year and is so far my best read of 2024. The concept, storyline, character building etc was *chefs kiss*. I couldn’t ask for a better written book. I CAN NOT WAIT til Feb. 2025 for book to I’m living for this book right and have been recommending it to everyone I know. I’m in my witch era now cause of this book!

This was incredible. A witch and a witch hunter, each secretly using the other to find out vital information for their respective causes...it doesn't get any better than that! I love a good enemies to lovers. The world building is fantastic and the characters are my favorite type--morally gray. I wish there were more scenes of Rune being a badass and hopefully she will get to shine more in book 2. Gideon, honey, you're perfect and I love you.

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli is a total ride! It’s one of those books that pulls you in from the first page and doesn’t let go. With fierce, layered characters and a world brimming with intrigue, every chapter just made me want more. The chemistry between the leads is electric, and their banter is perfectly matched by intense, high-stakes action that kept my heart racing.

Kristen Ciccarelli crafts a story that’s as ruthless as it is romantic, where no one can be trusted and every alliance feels fragile. And that ending! It left me desperate for the sequel—I need to know what happens next! If you love dark fantasy with epic romance and impossible choices, this book is a must-read.

This was a phenomenal start to this series. I literally could not get enough of this book. I am salivating waiting for the second one!! That ending omg

This book has been everywhere and for good reason. In this book we follow witches and witch hunters who fall in love with each other. I know we have all heard this premise many times but this one is different. The main character is B.A. and I was rooting for her the entire time. This book is one that you can go in blind with knowing that basic information and fall in love with it. Of course the story leaves off on a cliff hanger and I am anxiously awaiting the second book, but I will gladly reread this book in preparation for book two.

5 stars.

A new romantasy favorite!
Wow! I loved this one so much! I loved the new twist on fantasy!
We really get to know all of the characters well & the story overall really kept my attention. The love triangle was stressful but in a good way!

Fierce characters, forbidden love, and plenty of tension. I ate this book up! Perfect for readers who love enemies to lovers, high stakes fantasy and a gritty intense storyline.

4.75 stars.

What an adventure! I enjoyed this book a lot. The characters were so well developed; I feel I know them. The mystery was there and the tension kept going up; I just needed to get to the end! Great job!
*
I took out a .25 because I couldn't grasp the clothing in this world; it's me being nit-picky but I could imagine the world perfectly until the dress code made me confused, and I had to stop and wonder. :) Except for that, I'd recommend this book for anyone loving witches, secret identities, enemies to lovers, and even a nicely done love triangle.

****Thank you, Kristen Ciccarelli, NetGalley, and Wednesday Books for the e-ARC. **

3.75 stars

While I didn’t think this book was perfect, there were still a lot of elements about it that I enjoyed. For me, the world of this book was the strongest part. While there wasn’t a ton of worldbuilding and we’re still left with a lot of questions, the setup of the magic system and the stakes were compelling and was the main thing that kept me interested to see what happened next.

I also really liked Rune herself as well as the bonds she had with Verity and Alex. Rune especially I thought was a really well-rounded character, and while there were some inconsistencies with how we’re meant to perceive her, I still was rooting for her and was invested in her success.

For me, the main area this book struggled was in developing the romance. This was a romance that felt like it was almost entirely founded on lust, and even though the book tried to tell me that they were attached to one another for other reasons, I just never bought into it. While Gideon's Tragic Backstory™ gave him enough to be distinct from Every Other YA Love Interest, I just never understood why Rune was attracted to him outside of him just being large and muscular. While he would occasionally do sweet things, they’re done with Rune’s commentary that they’re most likely just actions taken to endear him to her so he can continue sussing out whether she’s a witch, so it didn’t make sense to me why she would take it as a reason to care for him. On Gideon’s end, most of the time Rune is around him she’s having to pretend to be a shallow, spoiled rich girl, which he says himself early on doesn’t appeal to him. Even though we know that it’s just an act on Rune’s part, I never saw enough evidence that Gideon was given reason to see through the facade enough to fall in love with the actual girl underneath. All of this is on top of the fact that to each other they're both either a definitive or potential representation of everything they stand against, so the power of sexual attraction really must be incredibly compelling for all of those things to be pushed to the side so they can fall in love.

I’d probably be interested in reading the next book in the series to see how things unfold for the characters, but I think this book is going to have a hard time ever winning me over to the romance aspect of it.

Update: I have this book another shot in physical form and it was a way better experience! So I amended my rating. While o still have the same criticism as before, I was able to look past it and enjoy the actual story and find value it various parts of the book. Some more new thoughts to come.

Hmm. I don’t quite know where to begin as I hate giving a negative review when I was given an ARC of the title. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read the book in exchanged for my honest review.

The premise by itself is great. It makes you want to read the book and it isn’t indeed a good description of the book. It does display every type of trope there is it seems so from that stand point it should be a quick and predictable read.
However, you are left feeling really uncomfortable. Trigger warning for SA victims….

It’s one thing to explore bad things in a different way but when those bad things aren’t denounced in any meaningful way the reader is left feeling just bad. So much so that I wanted to DNF the book but I pushed through due to wanting to write an honest full review.

I’m also confused as to how this is classified as a Young Adult novel. The amount of trigger warnings this title needs marketing to a YA audience just seems irresponsible. I certainly won’t continue with the series if more are written. While fantasy is a place where you can truly escape reality , situations should also make sense and the reactions don’t seem plausible. IE: Gideons reaction to his past.

I really wish I could have lived this book as it has everything on the surface that I love. It’s just the execution that was lacking coupled with some troubling messages….

How beautifully written was this? An incredible weaving of romance and tension and hunter meets hunted. And who doesn’t love when a love triangle is ACTUALLY resolved (even if it’s not how you’d want)? I cannot wait to see where this series goes, and will be on the edge of my seat to read the next.

Such a fresh magical fantasy! All the romance aspects I need and such great tension between to the two lead characters. And that ending??? What a cliff. I need book book immediately!

Heartless Hunter is an addictive whirlwind of romance, danger, and emotional intensity! Kristen Ciccarelli weaves a richly detailed world filled with unforgettable characters and high-stakes tension. At its core is an electric enemies-to-lovers romance between a fierce bounty hunter and the elusive target she never expected to care for. Their chemistry crackles with every encounter, making each moment feel equal parts exhilarating and heart-wrenching. This book is a perfect read for anyone who loves swoony romance wrapped in danger and daring!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review!!

what's it about? ⬇️

It's difficult to live your life as the darling of your city's leaders knowing the only reason they admire you is because you reported your only family as a witch to be killed. It's even more difficult when you discover that you're a witch yourself and have to go into hiding. And despite the witch hunters loyal to the revolution getting closer to catching her every day, Rune Winters continues to strike back against the revolution in every way that she can. So in public, she is the vapid, silly socialite the world expects her to be, throwing parties and flirting with lords. But in the darkness of the night, Rune takes on the mantle of the Crimson Moth: a vigilante who tracks down witches who have been captured before they are killed and releases them, sending them on their way to freedom in a new city. And now, her most difficult task to date is set out before her, and her greatest enemy may just be the only person who can get her what she needs.

Gideon Sharpe is, for all the world to see, the most loyal of the revolution's soldiers, and more than that, his aim is to catch and put down the Crimson Moth no matter what it takes. And when clues point toward the Moth using Rune Winters' resources to set free witches, he realizes he may just have to go under cover to see what the silly socialite who has always frustrated him might be hiding.

What neither of them expects in their matching quests to fool and use one another is to fall in love with their greatest enemy. With pressure from the city's new leaders weighing ever harder on the necks of the witches in hiding and the desire they both feel to reach their goals, will either of them succeed? And if they do, what will it do to the feelings blossoming between them, and what will they risk and lose along the way, especially as a greater evil seems to loom in the background?

my thoughts? ⬇️

It has been such a long time since I've felt as sucked into a YA romantasy as I was with Heartless Hunter. Ciccarelli's writing was witty and beautiful and easy to read, her characters and their motivations were all beautifully fleshed out and their decisions just made sense in a way I don't feel happens often in the fantasy genre. Not to mention, the twists and turns near the climax and end of the story were heart wrenching and so fun to read. I don't have a single complaint and I don't think it could be possible for me to love Heartless Hunter, the world, or these characters more,

I laughed, I raged, I giggled and kicked my feet, and I sobbed uncontrollably...and really, what more could you ask for? Highly, highly recommend.

trigger warnings ⬇️

These all may appear in varying degrees, but I feel that it's always important to be aware of what you may be walking into.

genocide, war, murder, blood, use/mention of menstrual blood, death, violence, gun violence, torture, body horror, injury/injury detail, fire/fire injury, police brutality, gore, self harm (for magic use), death of a parent, death of a loved one, death of a child, child abuse, grief, emotional abuse, toxic relationship, domestic abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse (in the past, but a large part of the story), sexual assault, suicidal ideation, suicide, classism, xenophobia, slavery, drug abuse, addiction, hate crimes, alcohol use, alcoholism, confinement, gaslighting, bullying, sexism, misogyny, body shaming.

First of all, let’s talk about this book cover!🔥 It’s stunning!! I need this on my bookshelf. Next, the story, this witchy read gives all the fall vibes. There’s danger, angst, love, hate, mystery, sorrow, & all the emotions that make up a great book. Rune is a badass! She forges into the fire, fearlessly willing to right the wrongs in her life. Witches are being persecuted left and right and she will stop at nothing to rescue them from the purge. Gideon is determined to see every last witch purged to their death. He has firsthand experience of how dangerous a witch can be. He’s determined to protect the citizens of the New Republic. And he will catch the Crimson Moth, the vigilante responsible for thwarting his attempts at capturing every last witch. Both Rune & Gideon on opposite sides, each believing their cause is noble. But what happens when they collide? Can they get close enough to gather important intel from each other, without getting their hearts involved? This is a 5 star read and the 2nd in the series cannot come close enough! Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, & Kristen Ciccarelli for this eARC.