I really enjoyed Rebel Witch. Heartless Hunter was one of my top reads of 2024, and Rebel Witch was equally as good. It had a solid plot that came together nicely. I did feel that pieces of it felt a tad rushed.

REBEL WITCH picks up shortly after where HEARTLESS HUNTER left us, so it’s important to read that one first.

I did not like this one as much.

The first half is slow and repetitive. Really, it felt like nothing happened, aside from Rune and Gideon going back and forth with the “he loves me, he loves me not” routine. Lots of angst and melodrama, but not much forward momentum.

My biggest problem was that after the way the first book ended, I had a hard time buying into this dying-inside-without-you love story. This is a true enemies-to-lovers romance, which isn’t the best fit for me.

I liked the second half a lot more. This is where all the action is. Most of it is foreseeable, but I enjoyed the way it played out.

I thought the ending was rushed. I would have liked more development there, and a whole lot less of the early repetition.

*Thanks to Wednesday Books for the eARC, provided via NetGalley.*

Rebel Witch was exactly what I expected from the final book in this series. It had tension and suspense as well as romance. There were some really great moments, however I feel like it dragged in some parts.

Heartless Hunter was one of my favorite reads of 2024 and Rebel Witch was the perfect follow up. This duology is perfect for those just getting into the romantasy genre.

The slow burn between Rune and Gideon is exceptional and they really are true enemies to lovers. Each stand for exactly what the opposite despises and are heavily struggling with the juxtaposition of their feelings for each other, and their values.
Rebel Witch especially was full of political intrigue and the want to fight for a better world, making the characters so inspirational.
The back and forth between Rune and Gideon fighting desperately to stay one step ahead of each other in their respective deceptions was gripping, and their romance perfectly spaced throughout made things even more dizzying.
The ending was perfect, touching, and everything I could have asked for. After all the push and pull, it was an exceptional wrap up.

If you loved Heartless Hunter, I think you’ll love Rebel Witch. It was an amazing continuation of a great story and I’m excited for it to be out in the world!

Thank you so much Wednesday Books for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest review!
Publication date 2/18/25

Great sequel! Rebel Witch blends magic, destiny, and rebellion into an emotionally charged finale. The story is filled with high stakes, rich world-building, and complex characters who face impossible choices. Ceccarelli’s immersive storytelling makes this a satisfying read. I appreciated the well-executed ending that ties up loose ends while leaving a lasting impact.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Heartless Hunter was my last book read of 2024 & I LOVED it! I thought the premise was so interesting. I was extremely excited to read Rebel Witch & it did not dissappoint!

This sequel started off at 100 with no time to lose, and I appreciated that. Rebel Witch was the epitome of high stakes, enemie to lovers, great character arcs, and a fun, yet riveting plot line. I do, however, believe a lot of the "twists" were predictable, and the last 10% wrapped up everything in a nice little bow. I did not think everything was going to get resolved in the last few chapters but somehow it did & I would have preferred a little more conflict or for it not to be too easy.

Either way, this was a great duology and I will be recommending it for days to come!

was this book a literary masterpiece? absolutely not. was this a fun reading experience? … it required no real thinking which is exactly what i wanted, but i did not enjoy it. i found the whole book ridiculous. it was a mess. it was way too long. i finished it. it was below average. the end.

Did I finish this book or did this book finish me? ❤️‍🩹

When I read Heartless Hunter last year, it basically became my entire personality. I got obsessed and couldn’t stop thinking about THAT ENDING, and I kept wondering how the author was going to put together the pieces of my heart she ripped apart.

So, when I got the ARC of Rebel Witch, I thanked all the literary gods and read the ebook in one day. I’m not kidding, the moment the ARC hit my Kindle, I started reading and didn’t stop until I finished.

What I can say without spoilers is that Kristen Ciccarelli managed to hook us just as much as the first book. And don’t worry, she doesn’t make us wait too long for them to reunite (I hate it when characters are apart for half the book). But get ready for A LOT of angst! 😭❤️‍🩹

The sad part is that I’m not ready to say goodbye to Rune and Gideon. 💖

One of my most anticipated books this year, Rebel Witch absolutely delivered exactly what I was hoping it would. I’m so sad that it’s just a duology though. I could read ten more books set in the world Kristin Ciccarelli has created here. I don’t think I’ve been this attached to one since the Shadowhunter Chronicles. The action starts IMMEDIATELY and rarely slows down, but when it does, there’s still so much simmering tension. Rune and Gideon, OH MY GOD. Together AND as separate characters, they were just incredible. The inner conflicts, the longing, the ANGST. I loved every second of it. There was one twist I absolutely saw coming (and that’s okay, it was a good one!) and another that genuinely surprised me! I DO wish we had gotten more Cressida scenes because I just find her completely fascinating, but what we did get was pretty awesome! Again, I’m so sad this was only a duology, but it’s become one of my favorite series and I’m so happy that it exists.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced digital readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Kristen Ciccarelli for allowing me the opportunity to read this book before it was published. I was so excited to see that approval and couldn’t wait to get started. I could not put this book down and had it read within 24 hours. This had my attention from the beginning, along with the banter, enemies to lovers back to enemies, the plot line, and the characters. The MFC is a tough character fighting through what is right while keeping the ones she loves safe. The last few chapters of the book tugged on my heart strings, ripped hem out, then Kristen Ciccarelli was able to put it back by the end. This book was well written and was a perfect ending to this fantastic duo series.

I'm so sad this duology is complete. Overall, I loved the story. I did have a few complaints with this second book. This book, to me, felt a lot slower for a longer period of time than book 1. We didn't really get into the action until over half way through and then the rest of the book flew by. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn't put it down. However, the last bit of the book just felt like it left so much on the table. There were quite a few aspects that I felt could have been fleshed out more and could have made the plot more intense, but they were just kind of revealed and then not much else happened (e.g. Gideon finding out the truth about Rune's background). I also felt the ending was wrapped up way too quickly and was a bit disappointed that we didn't get a more detailed epilogue.

While I loved the duology as a whole and did enjoy reading this, after anticipating it for so long, it just didn't live up to my hopes.

my rating: 3.5 stars (rounding up to 4 here)

4.5 - The way I devoured this! I only set out to read a couple of chapters today and then accidentally finished the whole thing.

It’s your classic ya fantasy romance — nothing groundbreaking, but well done and a lot of fun.

Bonus points for it being a duology.

Thanks to Wednesday Books for providing an advanced digital copy through NetGalley for me to review!

Ooooo the wait and anticipation did NOT disappoint. The tension, the enemies to lovers to enemies from Heartless Hunter carried over into Rebel Witch and left you waiting to see what was going to happen next. There were quite a few twists and turns, surprises if you will… I certainly didn’t see coming, dare I say I enjoyed this book more than the first? I don’t find that sequels live up to their expectations but this one surpassed it! Kristen Ciccarelli has outdone herself!

I was very fortunate to receive an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4.75!!!

This was EVERYTHING I needed it to be. I’m so grateful I got an ARC for one of my most highly anticipated books of 2025 and it absolutely DELIVERED.

One of my favorite fantasy tropes is enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers again and this duology is does it so perfectly. I loved Rune’s journey to re-discovering herself after falling so far. I’m obsessed with Gideon. Literally anything this man said, I immediately folded.

The only reason it didn’t get a complete 5-star rating from me was because I predicted every plot twist/reveal so early on and I didn’t love that. I want to be shocked!

However this was truly the best way this series could’ve wrapped up. I HIGHLYYYYYY recommend to anyone and everyone. Can’t wait for the world to get their hands on this!

It is no secret that I loved Heartless Hunter and this was a highly anticipated read for me. I even delayed my reading of this one so that I could reread HH. The anticipation did not ruin it for me! I loved this book - despite having been able to predict the outcome of most of the major plot points. The story was just so well crafted, as well as having such good world building. I love each and every one of the characters - even the ones that I hated. Just like with HH, I will remember everything about this book (even though I remembered everything during my reread, it did not take away from my enjoyment at all). The banter, the pining, the love-hate, the magic system, the tension, the angst, the friendships, the betrayals, the triumphs… all of it was so good. I am going to miss it all. I could not have wished (or imagined) a more satisfying conclusion.
I highly recommend this book (and the duology) to anyone that will listen to me.
Many thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for an early digital copy of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

If there are two positive things I can say about Ciccarelli’s writing, it’s that her worldbuilding doesn’t disappoint and her plots are always intriguing when you read the blurb.

My problem with Ciccarelli’s writing is everything else about it.

I love the idea behind the Crimson Moth duology, and I love the world. It’s all well thought-out, creative, accessible, and fun. The plot is great, in theory. However, there were a great many issues that started in Heartless Hunter that not only carried over into Rebel Witch but also burrowed further into the characters and relationships and made the book almost unreadable.

I had issues with the chemistry between Gideon and Rune in the first book and those concerns deepened more and more as this book progressed, until I felt like they had less combustion than wet cardboard. The way this book needed to come together to reach its conclusion ended up relying on twigs and strings and a good bit of “because the author said so” and I couldn’t help but feel as if it was all very forced.

I hope someday Ciccarelli learns to writes characters and story as well as she builds worlds and plots.

I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley and the SMP Early Readers Program. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. All reviews rated three stars or lower will not appear

Kristen Ciccarelli delivers a breathtaking and emotionally charged finale in Rebel Witch, the highly anticipated conclusion to The Crimson Moth duology. This book is everything a finale should be—high stakes, heart-wrenching choices, and a romance tangled in betrayal and impossible decisions.

Rune Winters’ journey is fraught with danger, deception, and the weight of a destiny she never wanted. As she aligns with the ruthless Cressida Roseblood, she is forced to play a deadly game of power. On the other side, Gideon Sharpe, the witch hunter who once loved her, is determined to see witches eradicated—even if it means destroying Rune. Their reluctant partnership crackles with tension, every moment charged with unresolved feelings and deep-seated mistrust.

Ciccarelli’s writing is both cinematic and deeply emotional, drawing readers into a world where love and war collide. The pacing is relentless, the action sequences are exhilarating, and the romance? Absolutely gut-wrenching in the best way possible. Watching Rune and Gideon navigate their tangled loyalties while confronting their feelings made for a gripping, can’t-turn-the-pages-fast-enough experience.

This finale does not hold back on the intensity or the heartbreak, making it a perfect conclusion to an already phenomenal duology. Rebel Witch cements Ciccarelli’s place as a master of romantic fantasy, delivering a story that is as devastating as it is beautiful. If you love enemies-to-lovers tension, magic-fueled battles, and heroines who refuse to back down, this book is a must-read!

After loving Heartless Hunter, I was so excited to get this as a granted wish on NetGalley! What a dream come true! This series is extra special to me because I was reading Heartless Hunter during my best friend's wedding weekend.

Enemies to lovers is my absolute favorite trope! Nothing will get me more feral. I am OBSESSED with the back and forth between Rune and Gideon. Chemistry between those two is delicious, chefs kiss.

Rune is so clever. While reading, I found myself thinking, "Walk him like a dog, sis!" She has Gideon wrapped.

A major plot twist was casually dropped on us in the middle of the book!! It was so well done.

The method of spell casting in this series feels unique. Very well done.

Fave quote: "Men with guns are chasing us, Gideon. Well fitting clothes are the least of your concerns".

I am torn between hoping for a third book (because I will ALWAYS want more of Rune and Gideon) and feeling like the ending tied things in a nice bow for this to be a duology only.

Review will be posted on my bookstagram, @toomanyfivestarreads, tomorrow.

✩4.5

“The problem with love is the more you try to destroy it, the stronger it becomes.”

✦What to Expect✦
•Witches
•Witch hunters
•YA Romantasy
•Enemies to lovers
•Forbidden magic

✦Characters✦
•Rune Winters
•Gideon Sharpe

✦Fav Quotes✦
“I may not know Rune Winters”
“But I know the Crimson Moth. And she is no caged thing.”
“I pity the man who clips her wings . . .”

I want to be the man who deserves Rune Winters.

Kissing Gideon was like coming home. A steadying force, reminding her of who she was, and where she belonged.

“It’s been an honor, Captain,”

“It’s time to make a new world, Rune. Are you ready?”

✦Thoughts✦
ABSOLUTELY DEVOURED!

Ugh I am so sad this story is over, I loved it so much.

I had chills at the end of this one. Loved this duet so much!

I really loved Heartless Hunter, but Rebel Witch found a way to blow that out of the water. The tension between Rune and Gideon is palpable throughout the story even as they start to work together.

“If this was weakness, he wanted to be weak.
If this was sin, let him be damned to hell.”

With the way things ended in Heartless Hunter, I could not imagine Rune and Gideon moving beyond their differences in any capacity. Yet, Ciccarelli has created a master blueprint for how alliances and new bonds should be forged in a story like this. The pacing was excellent and while the twists were somewhat predictable, they were well-executed in the writing and build up.

There is so much emotion and heart in this story and as we continue this journey with Rune and Gideon, I am sad that this was only a duology. I cannot wait to read whatever comes next for Ciccarelli. This is a duology that I will be recommending for anyone wanting YA Romantasy and certainly has a place next to Divine Rivals in my favorites.