i feel like this book lacked so much oomph compared to the other book. it was slightly enjoyable but there was still some parts where it fell through for me. overall a semi let down.

This was the perfect end to the duology, I couldn’t have asked for more (except more books because I’m obsessed with these characters and this world). Kristen has easily become one of my favorite authors. This book had all of my favorite tropes, and she did them all so perfectly. This book has gotten so much hype and it is completely deserving of all of it and more. I will recommend this duology to anyone and everyone. It’s so perfect. I’m sad to say goodbye, but I will definitely be rereading yearly.

Rebel Witch is the sequel to Heartless Hunter and features Rune, powerful witch and Gideon, witch hunter. Rune is safely abroad after the events of the last book, engaged to a Prince. Gideon, still so angry with Rune, is there to hunt and kill her. Probably.

This was amazing. The pacing of this book is incredible and I barely wanted to put it down. I highlighted 22 quotes before the halfway mark and honestly I could have done more. I love the true enemies to lovers of the story and how antagonistic their words are, even when all they want to do is be together.

Overall, a fabulous end to the duology and such a great overall story!

Swoony, schemey, amazing conclusion to this duology. I did not want to put it down. It made me yell, get teary eyed which led to crying. Although yes it can be predictable at times but the way Circcarelli writes it is wonderful and makes you want more. Gideon and Rune are back to their bantering and tension. The introduction of new side characters brings more to the story and the old ones develop a better backstory. The world is built up even more explaining more of the magic and why things are. This may be now, one of my top 5 favorite series and Rebel Witch lives up to Heartless Hunter!

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this book!

⭐️ 4.5 Stars

We dive right into the action from where we ended 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙃𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 (𝘾𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙈𝙤𝙩𝙝) and the twists and turns does not stop from beginning to end.

This was a quick page turning read and one heck of a sequel!

Gideon and Rune have vowed to end each other after the events of the first book. But the two are thrust back together as they must deal with not only each other, but many forces trying to bring both them and their respective worlds down.

I loved the enemies to lovers and the forced proximity, and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next between these two. The chemistry between our two MC’s was off the charts. I loved their banter and the tender moments. It was the perfect mix.

This world of witches and witch hunters is just so intriguing. The way in which the spells are cast is very unique. And I loved the different cast of characters, you were kept on your toes the entire time wondering who you could trust.

This is an amazing fantasy duology that I highly suggest reading. You can read 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙃𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 now.
And you won’t have to wait long to get a copy of 𝙍𝙚𝙗𝙚𝙡 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝. It’s outs everywhere on 𝙁𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝟏𝟖𝙩𝙝.

Thank you @netgally, @stmartinspress, @wednesdaybooks and @kristinciccarelli. I am so thankful I was #gifted an eARC of 𝙍𝙚𝙗𝙚𝙡 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝 for an honest review.

Gosh, I really love a duology. From the start, we were right back in the action where book 1 left off and the enemies and hatred and tension were exactly where you want them to be.

I really liked seeing Rune lean into her magic more in this book and I love an FMC who is always steps ahead of everyone at all times. The magic system is really unique and honestly it’s making me think about a few new tattoo ideas. 👀

And let me just say- I love Gideon. I love that we get a dual POV and we get his thoughts and feelings and the constant internal battle he’s waging in his brain. It adds to much to their story.

So satisfied with the ending to this duology and I can’t wait for everyone to read it! Thank you to SMP and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

I just finished book 1 Heartless Hunter and unfortunately it was not for me. I’m choosing to not continue my Crimson Moth journey.

I've been saving this arc for a bit and I'm so glad this is how I started my 2025 reading - with a 5+ star absolute BANGER of a sequel. This follow-up picks up shortly after Heartless Hearter left off, and jumps straight into the action. My only warning to readers is that you'll need to clear your schedule and stock up on snacks for this one, as the action just DOES. NOT. STOP. The banter, the tension, the twists and turns, the breathless pace of the plot - it'll keep you enthralled through all 400 pages.

The last third of the book, in particular, feels very important for the current timeline we find ourselves in. We must all find it within ourselves to do what's right and stand up for what we believe in - and be our truest selves in the process. And in doing so, we may also just let the right ones in.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the arc - I love Gideon and Rune with all of my heart and I'm sad it's over.

4.5 stars

This was so good! I enjoyed the first book a lot, but wow, this was just fantastic! If you loved the first book, you're going to be delighted by this one.

This conclusion is action-packed, full of angst and deceptions, back-and-forth betrayals, endless longing, steamy interludes, and some new reveals. I did guess the big one, but it absolutely fit the story. Rune and Gideon just have such amazing chemistry, and their push-pull was delightful.

I'm so thrilled with this conclusion, and absolutely recommend this duology.
Many thanks to NetGalley and PRHAudio for the preview. All opinions are my own.

✨"You are far worse than a thorn in my side," he said, his dark eyes gleaming at her. "You are a knife in my heart."✨

All the heart eyes for these characters! Heartless Hunter was one of my favorite reads of the year, so I was thrilled to be able to jump into the second book, Rebel Witch. It did not disappoint! The second installment of the Crimson Moth duology picks up right where the first book left off and hits the ground running! Many familiar names are there to continue the strategic political battle between the witches and the human regime, including Rune and Gideon. I thought the second book gave a lot of (Y2K era) Mr. & Mrs. Smith movie vibes with the dual pov and strategic banter between characters. It was so gratifying and emotional (albeit, frustrating at times) to see how the plot played out while simultaneously getting the characters’ inner monologue. I’m sad the story is over, I miss them already!!

Highly recommend this book series for those who enjoy:
♥️pride and prejudice undertones
♥️societal status difference
♥️witchy, magical romantasy
♥️forbidden love
♥️”who did this to you”
♥️mutual pining, slow burn
♥️enemies to lovers
(Note: there is also reference to emotional/mental/sexual abuse but not between the main characters)

I am extremely appreciative of the opportunity to read an eARC of Rebel Witch in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to Wednesday Books and the author, Kristen Ciccarelli, for the wish request grant via NetGalley. I can’t wait to add the physical copy to my collection!

Another slam dunk for Kristen Ciccarelli. I loved Heartless Hunter and I loved Rebel Witch. What a satisfying end to Rune and Gideon's story (although I'm sooooo sad to say goodbye to them). The pace was just as fast as book 1, which I loved - I could not put the book DOWN!! The anger/betrayal/angst made all of the sweet moments that much sweeter and I loved every minute of it. Highly Recommend!

I was so looking forward to this sequel and final book in the Heartless Hunter duology by Kristen Ciccarelli. And it didn't disappoint! I won't go into the full plot so as not to spoil the first book, but this sequel was just as much fun to read as the first one!

I enjoyed the complicated relationship between Rune and Gideon. They walk a fine line between wanting to (actually) kill each other and falling madly in love, and it was fun to watch their relationship grow throughout this novel.

One small complaint that I had was with one plot point that was used and reused multiple times throughout this story. At multiple points in the story, a character was captured, and then they escaped (usually by a narrow margin and with the help of someone else). And then there was another capture/escape that was very similar. And another. And so on. Perhaps that is just the nature of a story like this, but I felt like it got a little monotonous. Or maybe I am just being nitpicky.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable story and a satisfactory ending to the two book series by Ciccarelli.

An absolutely stunning finale to this story! It's so difficult to end a story like this well and Kristen Cuccarelli nailed it! I loved all the tension with Gideon and Rune. And of course, the twists and turns that made me love Heartless Hunter so much made me love this one even more. Every character's story was beautifully explored. I highly recommend this to any fans of YA Fantasy.

I had so many feelings after finishing one of, if not my most, anticipated read of 2025. Getting a chance to read it early was one of the best gifts of this year. And let me tell you friends, if you loved Heartless Hunter, Rebel Witch is EXACTLY what we were all hoping for. This is how the end of duology should be written. No notes. No complaints. I could read this series every year for the foreseeable future and never get sick of it.

I highly recommend a reread of Heartless Hunter right before you jump in, because Rebel Witch picks up right where we left off. My heart. These characters. My sweet, broken Gideon. And Rune. What a wild, wild ride she goes on. She’s such a strong character and I loved getting a side of her where she starts to question this journey she is on and the choices she has made. It made me love her even more because it rounded her out as a character so well. Our grumpy Gideon and button pushing Rune are still here, but man do they go through it in these pages!

I think the most important thing I can say in this review is that I was not disappointed. It hit in the best way!! I will be recommending this series for a long time!

Get ready and buckle up because this book starts with a bang and does not slow down. Make sure you preorder it. Get the reread of Heartless Hunter on your schedule and get ready to travel back to the New Republic to watch our favorite witch and witch hunter change the course of history in this world.

[3.5 Stars😊]

✨||“‘𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬,’ 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬. ‘𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠.’”||✨

After a love/hate relationship with my reading experience of Heartless Hunter, I was hesitant to pick up Rebel Witch. However, I was intrigued enough by the ending of Heartless Hunter to want to know how Gideon and Rune’s story ended, and, truth be told, it was a very imbalanced ending to this duology.

While I enjoyed where the story picked up and the opening chapters of Rebel Witch, I thought the book overall was fraught with plot holes, unnecessary complications, miscommunication, repetitiveness, and little to no character growth. The plot and promise of Rebel Witch was intriguing enough to endure, but Gideon’s change of heart was jarring and so sudden that it didn’t feel believable or genuine. Not to mention that the ultimate showdown with Cressida lasted all of 5 pages, which was disappointing after the confrontation had been built up since the ending of Heartless Hunter.

In the end, I wanted so much more out of Rebel Witch than what was delivered, but I did enjoy Kristen Ciccarelli’s writing style and the overall direction of the book. I just think that it needed a little more finesse to bring out the best this book had to offer.

+Thank you to Netgalley, Wednesday Books, and Kristen Ciccarellli for the ARC of Rebel Witch! All thoughts in this review are my own.
____________________________________
Details:
🦄💘Fantasy romance
👶🏼Young adult
👀Dual, third-person POV
🪄Magic

Characters and tropes:
🌪️Broody MMC
🩶Morally Gray
⚔️Enemies-to-lovers
🥸Fake dating
⛔️Forbidden love
📍Forced proximity
>>>🔑Under one roof
🛏️Only one bed
🤐Secrets

Spice:
🧨Slow burn
💥Non-explicit intimate content (medium)
____________________________________
Emoji Ranking System:
🤩Excellent to Fantastic (4.75-5.00)
😍Very Good to Great (4.25-4.50)
😊Good to Really Good (3.50-4.00)
😒Just OK to Decent (2.75-3.25)
😑It's A No (1.00-2.50)
🚫DNF

Debating between 4 & 4.5 stars

"Live in the darkness too long, and eventually you won't recognize the light...You'll become like the monsters you hate."

"Love can't be controlled. Love can't obey unjust laws. Love will always oppose tyrants."

I absolutely LOVED The Crimson Moth, so I was beyond overjoyed to be approved for an eARC (thank you Netgalley & Harper Collins!)

I had no idea what to expect after the incredibly intense ending of The Crimson Moth but I loved where it picked up. I enjoyed witnessing Rune & Gideon's continued wrestling with their feelings and allegiance to their respective sides.

I did not expect a few of my favorite tropes to appear because, with the truth of who they are out in the open, I could not fathom them working. But, Ciccarelli did a phenomenal job setting the stage perfectly and making me smirk.

I still think the magic system is badass - I would love to see some fan art of the intricate casting scars and where witches have bloody spell markings along their arms. Another book making me wish I could cast spells ✨

The only things keeping this from a 5-star review like book one is a few things got repetitive, both in re-stating information and general situations. There was also something so magical about the initial "will he find out who she is" and "cat-and-mouse" the first book had. There was a fine line walked that started to feel like miscommunication by omission a handful of times. The end resolution also seemed a smidge easier than I would have liked 3 months later.

That being said, I still really enjoyed this and will recommend this duology for any romantasy lover! Honestly, reading this makes me want to read The Crimson Moth again ❤️

I love all the tropes that made an appearance:
✨ Forbidden love
✨ Fake marriage
✨ Forced proximity
✨ One bed
✨ Enemies to lovers

it was amazing built up on the first one and was so much better, I had high expectation going in and they definitely met.

3.75 stars, because of my attachment to this world and its characters.

If you know me, you know Crimson Moth is one of my favourite books. I’ve recommended it to everyone I know, and I held onto this ARC for months because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to this universe and its characters.

Unfortunately, The Rebel Witch didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The plot felt repetitive, and Gideon’s character felt out of character, he was???? which made him feel like a lacklustre male protagonist. Rune, who deserved so much better, also felt uncharacteristic from the midpoint of the book until nearly the end.

The pacing was slow and uneventful, and the climax fell flat. I couldn’t help but feel that the plot had so much more potential, and the major moments could have been more impactful. By the end, I found myself thinking, Is this really it?

That said, I wish the author nothing but success and appreciate the world they’ve created. At least I’ll always have the first book to revisit and treasure. For now, I’m off to wallow in my feelings.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the digital arc.

I really wanted to love this one after really enjoying the first one in this series, but it wasn’t for me. I found myself wanting to put the book down several times and it became extremely repetitive. I also feel like not much at all happened for well over half the book which brought the momentum down so much for me. I am seeing others love this and I’m so glad, but it just didn’t keep my attention like the first one.

I need time to digest just how amazing this duology was and how I’ve been chemically altered by this book.

Perfection. I wish every duology gave me the same level of completeness that Crimson Moth provides.

All of my questions are answered. Storylines are wrapped up and we know who did what and why. My only selfish request is for a super long epilogue because I wasn't ready to say goodbye to this world of magic, politics, and this thrilling game of cat and mouse. This is one of those books I want to climb inside.

The writing is both suspenseful and beautiful The story pushes along, but the romantic language still caused me to write "awww" five times. I also had a little cry while reading this book. I truly had no idea how this story would end and even at 90% complete, I was still guessing.

Rebel Witch was amazing and I can't wait for everyone to read this conclusion to such a gripping story. Books like this are so special. I highly recommend adding this book to your list and checking out Crimson Moth if you haven't already!