Kristen Ciccarelli has always been a favourite of mine, so I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to read her latest fantasy. Ciccarelli has the wonderful ability to weave a story that is just compulsive to read, and HEARTLESS HUNTER is no different. The characters are layered, imperfect and you can't help but cheer for Rune. I'm usually one to pass up stories involving witches because they are not my thing, but Ciccarelli really had me staying up well beyond my bed time to "just one more chapter." Really hope 2024 is the year that readers discover how amazing Kristen Ciccarelli and her books are!

I really enjoyed this one. I thought the world building was interesting- witches are real and they need blood to do their spells. Witches used to be the ruling class, but they let their thirst for power corrupt them and their magic, but their monarchy has been over thrown. Now magic is outlawed and punishable by death. Rune is a witch hiding in plain sight, secretly working to save other witches.
Can't wait till the next book in this series, such a cliff hanger!

To be stupidly honest, I picked up Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli not expecting much. I thought oh, what a pretty cover. Oh, I love witch stories. Let’s try this! BEYOND GLAD that I did! This was SUCH a great Fantasy Romance (I would say Romantasy, but it had actual good plot that wasn’t just in furtherance of the romance.) I got strong flashbacks to another fantasy romance that became one of my favorite trilogies, The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco, and classic lit The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, which wasn’t a romance?? But I definitely read it as a romance when I was a child.

The world building is interesting, but light. What I mean by that is, there is definitely world building but we don’t go deep enough to answer basic questions. The island Rune lives on was full of magic and witches. Things happened and now witches are illegal and killed. Yet, we know from Rune’s POV chapters and what Alex (ugh my HEART) tells her, that the mainland is still very much pro magic or at the very least a safe haven for witches. Something that is never explained, however, is what the connection this island has to the mainland. Are they separate countries? Why didn’t the witches simply leave the island as refugees of war? Like, yes I get not wanting to leave your home and you shouldn’t have to, but I still wonder why didn’t they go to the mainland to regroup, and plan their next move. Even more confusing would be if they are one single country. If so, who is in charge? Why did they let the witches in charge do what they did and why did not they care to send a response when the coup happened? That one question is one of the biggest issues with the world building, but even that wasn’t too bad because the STORY ITSELF was so captivating.

Speaking of plots, it was pretty solid for a YA/NA fantasy. It accentuated the romance and progressed beautifully. Rune is desperate to help witches from being put to death, absolutely willing to throw her own life away if it means keeping others safe. The pacing is pretty quick as events unfold rapidly once pieces start falling into place. There’s a slight twist toward the end, but it is fairly predictable.

Now, where the story truly shines is its characters. I fell in LOVE with Alex. Yes, he’s simply a side character – Rune’s best childhood friend. But he is also the love of my life. He is absolutely devoted to Rune, however she will have him. Alex only wants what is best for her and works to keep her safe. Knowing he can’t deter her from her mission, he takes it up as his own. All that said, I am heartbroken he isn’t the main love interest. His brother, Gideon, is. And this is where I feel some Bone Witch similarities. Bone Witch had Kalen and Kance, cousins that loved one another, were devoted to one another, but love came up between them. Here, we have Alex and Gideon. Both love one another fiercely, willing to do practically anything for the other, and then love interferes. Gideon is devoted to his brother and to eradicating witches. He suspects Rune and has to play pretend suitor to get to the truth.

While I’ve gone on about Alex and my love for him, I love Gideon as well. He carries so much trauma and guilt that it is heartbreaking to be in his POV at times. He has what are very valid reasons to him for doing what he does and when he has to confront that against his love for Alex and possible feelings for Rune, it just does things to my poor heart. And then, of course, we have Rune. She is just as bound up in guilt and trauma and self-loathing as Gideon. She holds herself responsible for almost everything that has happened and will continue happening. Rune loves Alex, but how does she love him? Rune is having trouble playing pretend with Gideon. Rune is conflicted between what she knows about witches and what she gets told. It’s just all so deliciously angsty.

I absolutely fell in love with Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli. Plot and pacing were good, world building was interesting, but characters are where this fantasy romance truly shined. I absolutely cannot wait to see how this duet ends.

This was a fast-paced story with all the elements to capture my interest, but instead of creating any emotional attachments to the story or characters, it felt like I was being led to believe it. Overall it fell flat for me. Enemies-to-lovers is a trope I love, yet I couldn't get behind this as believable. It lacked the romance aspect, authentically anyway.
The reader is made to believe Rune is cunning and badass, posing as a dimwitted socialite who doesn't think much past her next party or suitor. She's secretly a witch, who must hide her power because the new regime in place ousted the former reigning witch queens and now seeks to exterminate all witches. Rune organizes jailbreaks of other witches captured by their Blood Guard, Her ruse is effective in throwing off suspicion of her true identity, yet she continually makes dumb choices throughout the book and I didn't particularly like how she used seduction to get information out of men. She gets a taste of her own medicine when the captain of the guard, Gideon, uses the same antics to pursue a relationship and get close to her to see if he can find out any information about the Crimson Moth, or if she may be the moth herself when evidence is uncovered possibly linking her to escaped witches. What they don't expect to meet each other at every turn, cat and mouse outwitting the other when they are both smart. But then they both make mistakes too. He kills witches and she is one who wants information to free more prisoners. He wants to catch the Crimson Moth. They both clearly aren't tricked into believing any of their pursuit of one another to date is real. But then she stupidly takes easily given information and falls into a trap even I saw a mile away. Granted, it led to a fun chase scene, but it also made me wonder how she fell for it so easily. These two ultimately develop sexual tension, but overall I am not convinced there were any real feelings of love. The words say there was, that it becomes real and they now care for each other, but it didn't feel that way. Also, why was Harrow so hell-bent on Gideon sleeping with Rune? It was kind of awkward honestly. To make it worse, Rune's best friend is Gideon's brother, someone who knows her secret identity and abetted her in them because he has loved her since they were 11. So there's also the love triangle between the brothers to make it more awkward. That just kept getting worse too. Gideon and Rune, two good-looking young people of course have sexual tension, and spend a lot of their time together basically naked, but not much is there to make the feelings believable. They were both playing a game but that seems like all it was so the author didn't make the enemies-to-lovers believable. Rune keeps making bad choice after bad choice which ultimately leads to the ending of this book in which everything is falling apart, as predicted. While this is all happening, there's another mystery to solve and I wasn't super surprised by that plot twist. Unfortunately, I didn't feel invested in any of the characters.
There was a really unique magic system with costs of magic I really appreciated. I also loved the concept of this, it just didn't work for me. I feel like the content is mature but the characters weren't so it toes the line of YA/NA. The pacing kept me invested overall and the tension of culmination of secrets being revealed.

The Scarlet Pimpernel + Serpent & Dove = Heartless Hunter. 😍

I FREAKING LOVE THIS BOOK.

I’ve loved every single one of Kristen Ciccarelli’s books but I think this one is my favorite. Because THE VIBES. The Scarlet Pimpernel is one of my favorite classics, and this tale hit all the right notes while still standing on its own as a completely unique take on the classic tropes.

I am 100% going to die waiting for the sequel. 10/10 recommend just so everyone can die with me. 😂

Heartless Hunter releases February 20th, 2024, so mark your calendars!

I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own, and a review was not required.

I don't even know where to start with this book except to say that I loved it.

In a land where witches are hunted and the hunters are ruthless, Rune, a witch who keeps her powers hidden under a mask of privilege and high society, is doing everything she can to save her kind. Vapid socialite by day and vigilante by night.

In stalks Gideon who hates everything he presumes she is and is out to destroy all she truly is; he is a Hunter and he is out to get her.

Read this if you love:
*a historical, almost medieval setting
*slow burn romance
*enemies to lovers...or is it lovers to enemies
*a strong female lead character - I really liked Rune and how many layers their were to her character
*some surprising twists and big reveals
*the thrill of the chase
*magic - the world building and magic system in this one were, dare I say, magically done.

I cannot wait for the second book. I need to know how this end!

St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books - Thank you so much for this ARC. I only learned about this book a few weeks back, but as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to read it right away.

"Blown away" is an understatement. This is a must-read.

Completely captivating. Heartless Hunter, the first book in the Crimson Moth series by Kristen Ciccarelli, is enchanting. This book left me breathless. The story unfolds in a way that will leave you spellbound.

I devoured this book. This story will capture your heart. It is an action-packed, thrilling, suspenseful fantasy with the perfect splash of romance and banter. I loved everything - the world, the magic, the characters, and the plot.

The breadcrumbs the author left were perfect. I had correctly speculated on the twist early on, but even so, there was zero disappointment. There was so much good buildup and tension. Certain events may leave you heartbroken, but I absolutely cannot wait for the release of the second book. I'm very eager to see what happens next.

If you do not have this on your TBR yet, this is a must-read if you love fantasy as much as I do. You will be hooked from the first sentence to the last.

The publication date is February 20, 2024. This is a five-star book for me!

I think this book is going to be wildly popular when it comes out. Obviously witch x witch hunter isn’t a new concept but the story line here feels very original. I could not figure out how this book was going to play out. It reads very YA and while I do like YA, I am surprised I liked this book as much as I did. The ending is pretty emotional and had a very “duology” feel for me.. as in little resolution but setting up for an big finish. Obviously being an uncorrexted ARC there is some editing needed, but I’m sure that’s will be ironed out and will only make this book that much better. I would like to see a little more world building, the magic system building was amazing and I really liked it. I just felt a little lost as to what kind of time period we were in.. needed a little more context maybe.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kristen Ciccarelli and St Martin’s Press for allowing me to read and review! Thoroughly enjoyed and not so patiently awaiting the next book

I'm actually shocked how much I enjoyed this.

Because I've been reading more bad ARCs than good lately, I anticipated this to be just as lackluster. But then I really started to get into the worldbuilding, the hard magic system, and the dynamic between the leads. This absolutely consumed me.

One thing especially that got to me was how morally gray the world was. The witches previously were the ruling class in this world until the common people usurped them via bloody revolution. In Rune's perspective, this revolution was a tragedy because it was the eradication of her people and her culture, but in Gideon's POV, we start to learn how oppressive they were to the common people, the cruelty inflicted upon him and some others (Only one other character is confirmed to have had a abusive relationship with a witch, but it's implied this was how it was generally between witches and non-witches before the story) being what drove the revolution in the first place. This was a interesting twist on their dynamic, because both have valid reasons for upholding/dismantling the New Republic. I only wish it was explored a little bit more, going further in depth of what the world was like before the revolution. I'm hoping it'll be explored more in the sequel, but what we got by itself got me hooked.

It is because of this worldbuilding that made Rune and Gideon's romance so good. Between the cat-and-mouse game they're playing and the genuine feelings they grow due to coming to understand why one hated the other, I actually found myself enjoying an enemies-to-lovers pairing, which is huge, considering my vocal distain for them in the past.

All in all, this is such a good read that'll sink its teeth in you. There is a lot of gore, self-harm (For magic purposes), and discussions of past sexual abuse, so if you are okay reading that, then I fully recommend you pick this up, as it could be a contender for being amongst the best romantasy books this year.

📖 Book Review 📖
Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli
ARC - to be released 2/20/24 by Wednesday Books
Genre: Fantasy/YA/Witches/Romance/Magic

5 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸 out of 5

First off, thank you to @netgalley for allowing me to read this earlier than its published release date, in exchange for an honest review. I promise, it did not disappoint.

I’m proposing, right now, ON. BENDED. KNEE. This book just MIGHT be the new fantasy book of 2024….ummmm….hold up…I forgot SJM CC#3 book comes out the end of this month….sooooooo….ahem….ok. Quite possibly THE fantasy book #2 of 2024, behind CC#3. 😂 Sorry.

Anywayyyy….I binged this sucker so hard! 🍭 😂 Each chapter. Each PAGE had me turning for more and more. It’s got WITCHES. 🧙🏻‍♀️ Blood. 🩸 Murder. The likes of deceivery of levels I couldn’t even fathom. Thus, scheming and plotting. SO MUCH PLOTTING. Just a tad, eeny teeny bit of romance and a little bit of a love triangle.

First, you have Rune Winters, the main character. Our fearless (is she though?) and brave heroine. Then you have Gideon. The tall, dark broody Blood Captain (you’ll have to read the book to know what that’s all about). Alex, Gideon’s brother, and pining for so long for Rune’s attention and hand. 💍
Gideon is tasked with hunting down the Crimson Moth, who is a witch but also, one who is trying to save the witches from purging. (Read the book to know what that’s about, too!). Rune and Alex and the help of their friend, Verity, are so-called socialites but do they have something else up their sleeves?

I loved this book so much, as evidenced by my 5 star rating 😂🩸 and I cannot wait for book #2 to come out ASAP so I can binge read that one, too.

#netgalley #kindle #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #lovetoread #lovebooks #goodreads #fantasy #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #fantasy #heartlesshunter #crimsonmoth #kristenciccarelli

Ok but wait I love a good witchy romance with a side of spice and mystery. It’s also the start of a series which I love as well series books are always so rich in world building and fun. I love the idea of a witch vigilant that’s so cool and also very original.

I loved this story! It was fast paced and kept me turning the pages. I loved the suspense and character development. The slow burn was 🤌<chef’s kiss!>. I’m only bummed I’ll have to wait so long for the second book!

I absolutely adored this book! Enemies to lovers is always my favorite trope, and the relationship of convenience between the witch and the witch hunter in Heartless Hunter was done very well. I loved the chemistry between Rune and Gideon, and the inner conflict they both endured as they realized they weren’t faking their feelings for each other anymore. While I HATE that this ended on a cliffhanger, I am 100% invested and can’t wait for the next book to find out what’s next for them. Thank you to NetGalley and Kristen Ciccarelli for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

One of my first 5-star reads of 2024! I'm so thankful to have received an ARC for this through NetGalley! I went through all the emotions with this one and I just could not put it down!!
The magic system was very unique! I haven't read a book that has limits on a witches power like in Heartless Hunter. There were moments that I was on the edge of my seat with nerves and then I was giddy and kicking my feet for the romance! I loved being in both Rune's and Gideon's heads throughout their story and knowing what they were thinking/plotting. I still haven't gotten over the last few chapters and I cannot wait until I can my hands on book two!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved this book. IF you like slow burn, witches and witch hunters this is a must read. I can’t wait for book 2.

The Heartless Hunter is an exciting, romantic, and suspenseful story, with enthralling enemies-to-lovers tension.

Two years ago, the witch queens were overthrown, and witches were purged in a bloody spectacle. The witches that remained either went into hiding or fled. Rune is a young witch, masquerading as the Crimson Moth, a vigilante who rescues witches captured by the Blood Guard, saving them from a bloody fate. When an important witch is captured, Rune must decide how far she will go to rescue her. Gideon is the captain of the Blood Guard, and responsible for the assassination of two witch queens himself. He is deadly and dangerous, and has been hunting the Crimson Moth for months, hoping to catch her the moment she slips up. Gideon begins to suspect Rune is somehow involved with the Crimson Moth, or is a witch herself. Meanwhile, Rune, an eligible heiress, knows that the only way to free the witch is to get information on her whereabouts from the captain himself. The two pretend to court each other, both trying to uncover each others’ secrets, and hide their own motivations, while also desperately trying to not fall for each other.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a unique world with a clever magic system using spells and blood magic. I liked the checks and balances on the magic, and that the cost of doing powerful magic is steep. The book is told from Gideon and Rune’s perspectives, which was great. I really enjoyed seeing how they both rationalize their actions, focus on the duty at hand, while trying to ignore the fact that they are beginning to care for each other. Rune has secrets to hide, ones that will cost her life, and Gideon is the one she has to keep them from most of all. Both characters are morally grey, which lends a unique element to the story. The side characters were also really intriguing. Alex, Gideon’s brother, cares deeply for Rune and is the exact opposite of Gideon in many ways. Verity is a loyal friend who encourages Rune to practice her magic, but her past is traumatic and she has secrets to hide. Gideon’s accomplice, Harrow, kept me guessing the entire book, and I am still not 100% clear on her motivations or the role she will play in the rest of the story. The pacing and tension is very well done – I was constantly on the edge of my seat while reading. The ending is intense, and does leave you on quite the cliff. I am desperate for the next book already!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books for the electronic advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Whew. Five stars, five stars, five stars.

This book feels like it has it all. Magic and witches, secrets and deception vs truth, and emotions and tenderness. Following Rune, were emerged in a world of magic, witches and witches hunters and cat and mouse, creating an irresistible story for romantasy lovers.

I literally love Rune. I love her name, as well as her intelligence and independence. Her methods to weave, outsmart, and deceive are top notch. She uses everything at her disposal, from magic to strength to words. She’s not afraid to do what’s necessary, putting witches first and the laws (and her safety) second. Her relationships with her friends feel healthy and realistic, and each has their own unique voice. I never found Rune annoying or over the top, and I can’t wait to see more of her.

Ciccarelli really excels at both enemies to lovers and morally gray characters. Gideon is not a good person. He’s a witch hunter, and he isn’t guilty about it. Despite this, however, I can’t feel bad for him because he’s not a bad person. Him, alongside Rune, Verity, and other prominent characters have layers. Their emotions and pasts serve to explain their actions. Gideon and Rune, despite being opposites, explore empathy with each other. They are receptive to each other’s emotions, and despite doubts, secrets, and schemes, are unable to refuse each other. Their romantic scenes always seem to reveal tenderness, a true desire to understand and hear each other. The push and pull within the relationship is supremely well done—at the onset of the novel, they really were enemies. I loved watching the hatred slowly transition into something otherwise, but not at the cost of each character’s goals. Rune and Gideon still remained true to their desires (and therefore their deceptions), not succumbing to insta-love.

I loved loved loved the setting. It felt regency-esque with beautiful, high fashion and balls and socialite parties. Those aspects paired with the rich descriptions of urban settings creates a world that feels realistic.

Plot-wise, the book was fast moving, and there was truly never a dull moment. It flows smoothly, and the duo perspective between Rune and Gideon is really well done. Typically, duo perspective is iffy to me, but each character feels to have a different voice, perspective, and goal AND Gideon’s perspective is seen significantly less than Rune’s is. There’s one substantial plot twist that’s heavily implied, and I kind of wish it was more of a blindside. I also hope that in the future book, we see more about magic in terms of backstory/history of witches and magic, more magic from Rune, and an explanation about the witches’ ultimate goal. Despite this, however, I couldn’t stop reading.

Book 1 isn’t even officially released yet and I already need book 2. Highly recommend!

* I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love and read this as it sounded up my alley and gave off Serpent & Dove vibes, but ended up DNFing due to SA

This was one of the most unique witchy books I've read. The magic and how they weird it was wild but in a good way. I do wish there had been a little more of an explanation on the magic system.
Rune was such a badass, the many faces she had to wear to be the Moth and nor get caught, was amazing. Gideon, I didn't like him very much in the beginning, the always finding something negative in what she said was really childish. But in the second half, I grew tk love him

The absolute chokehold this book had me for all those hours until I finished...and when I'd have to break to work the amount of time I'd be thinking about it...thanks for my new obsession.

Rune Winters. I loved all of her. Her as a secret witch. The Crimson Moth hiding in plain sight as a shallow aristocrat. The quick wit and intelligence. Her practically one track mind to save all the witches from the purge. Her absolute love for her friends.

Gideon. The blood guard witch hunter, one of the best. With a past that haunts him and continues to keep him focused on ridding his island of witches and of finding the Crimson moth.

I love how they both suspected one another the whole time of the lies the other held in. While a slow burn builds.

I'll admit I had some theories as to the witch behind the blood guard murders. And pleasantly surprised my number one suspect turned out to be...half right.

I'll just be over here counting the days until I can delve into this world again. Obsessing more like.