From the characters, to the world building, to the enemies to lovers --- I enjoyed this book very much. The story kept me turning page after page! I did predict a few things early, but honestly I'm good at that haha. It's a curse sometimes! Thank you for this arc read.

Thank you to Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Rune is a witch hiding in plain sight as a socialite who seemingly hates witches. Secretly, she is also the Crimson Moth - a vigilante who rescues other witches from being purged. Rune finds herself entangled with Gideon Sharpe while trying to rescue a witch. Gideon is a witch hunter loyal to those wanting to eradicate all witches.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it has been awhile since a YA fantasy story has captured my attention and not let me down with the plot. I will admit that I guessed one of the twists fairly early on, but that did not decrease my enjoyment at all. I liked the dual POVs and the slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance. I am already eager to read the sequel. Overall, 4/5 stars and I would recommend picking this one up.

Wow. That’s all I can say for this book. A whole new take on witch/human world with a craftful enemies to lovers. You can tell how much time the author put into this novel to make it seamless. I loved all the small details and plot twists that just dug into your heart. The romance is also top tier and I hope we see a lot more of it in the next book. I felt like a little girl reading this I was so excited and couldn’t put it down. Definitely recommend to anyone who loves romantasy, action packed fantasy, enemies to lovers, found family, and lovers who help heal each other from trauma. Thank you netgalley and Kristen Ciccarelli for this ARC, I think you may be one of my new favorite authors!

Wow. Rune and Gideon sucked me right into their story and I could not stop reading. The characters, the world, and the enemies-to-lovers storyline were all well developed and I appreciated the depth of the characters and their relationships to each other. I saw the twist coming but thought it was well executed, and can’t believe I’m now going to have to wait until the next sequel. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC of this fantastic new series! The story was completely engrossing! I loved the characters and the plot was super intense throughout. It was a hard book to put down! The only negative of this book is it ends on a huge cliffhanger and the next book isn't even out yet! Definitely would recommend to lovers of fantasy or a good story! I'm not huge into fantasy and I still was addicted. One of my top books this year for sure.

What a book! Brilliant and twisty romantic fantasy with a killer ending ... Can't wait for the sequel, and will be recommending it to everybody!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy

Words can't describe how much I enjoyed this book. It has fantastic world building and a magic system that makes sense, is fair, and doesn't produce an "all of a sudden" super powerful witch out of nowhere. The romance is slow, until it's not. That's maybe the one part I didn't enjoy as much, is that the romance between the leads was a little quick. They both start pretending to like each other to infiltrate and get information, but it seems like the first kiss and they're besotted. I would say this book is spicy-ish, two chilies out of five.

I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel!

I could not put this captivating story down! 'Heartless Hunter' is a thrilling adventure following a daring protagonist, Rune, as she conceals her clever mind and witch identity behind her ditzy socialite persona. She's the highly sought after Crimson Moth, a vigilante freeing witches by night, and witch hunter Gideon can't wait to end her - if he can discover who the Crimson Moth really is.

An intriguing game of cat and mouse between the witch and witch hunter ensues, and the line between enemies and lovers begins to blur in this dangerous, high-stakes world where all magic has a cost.

Ciccarelli's dark, tense world and story-telling will keep you enthralled from start to finish! The intense, excruciating ending left me desperate and begging for more of this addictive tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Wednesday Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review! A review of this title will also be posted to my Instagram closer to the date of release.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Prepare for a fast-paced adventure that will take your breath away. This is a page-turner that blends excitement, forbidden romance, and intriguing world-building seamlessly. The author's ability to weave these elements together creates a narrative that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.

The forbidden romance between the two main characters is electric, giving me goosebumps with each stolen glance. Their love story is a compelling force in the midst of danger, making it impossible to put the book down.

The world-building was awesome. The author has crafted a unique and immersive world that is both vivid and thought-provoking.

With unexpected twists and turns, the plot keeps you guessing and hungry for more. The story's unpredictability adds an element of excitement and ensures that you're never quite sure what will happen next.

The ending, while satisfying in its own right, leaves you with the knowledge that the characters have many trials to overcome. It's a brilliant setup for what promises to be an engaging series or sequel, and I can't wait to see where the author takes these characters next.

In this book, you'll find a delightful mix of adventure and romance that will leave you eagerly awaiting the next installment. Highly recommended for those who love a fast-paced, thrilling read with a touch of forbidden romance.

In a society where witches are hunted, socialite Rune must hide her magic. She portrays the Crimson Moth and rescues fellow witches from horrible fates. To save them, she courts the ruthless witch hunter Gideon Sharpe for information, but soon romance blossoms and changes both of their lives. A gripping read filled with magic and romance, _Heartless Hunter_ is a fantasy novel that I could not put down.

Woah! "Heartless Hunter" took me by surprise. I was not at all prepared to read this cover to cover in one sitting, but I did just that because I had to know what happened! I was immediately drawn in by the two main characters as they are clearly on different sides, but for similar reasons. This builds a delightful tension that Ciccarelli employs throughout the book. My only regret is not having access to the second book right now!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was SO GOOD I couldn't put it down (not that I'm at all surprised, Kristen Ciccarelli is one of my absolute favorite authors). It was one of my fastest reads this year. When I read the first chapter I knew the voice was pulling me in, in a way that few voices do. I love the spin on the fake dating trope that it includes, plus enemies to lovers, swoony romance, and the super fun cat-and-mouse dynamic. I can't wait for book 2!!!

This one was just fine to me. It was super predictable, had confusing character development, and just didn’t really hold my attention super well. That being said, it was just mildly enjoyable. I think the concept has a lot of potential, and some of the characters really flew off the page. I don’t think I’ll be reaching for the next one when it comes out, but wouldn’t be avoiding it either.

Kristen Ciccarelli's "Heartless Hunter" was a sneaky read; for as (figuratively) slim a book as this is, it takes it time reeling you in, luxuriating in the slow unraveling of world-building details. Yet, despite this, the plot still manages to move at a fairly brisk pace, keeping you locked in. The setting has a slight Russian revolution lean, but as seen through a fantastically magic looking glass, with overthrown Witch Queens instead of a Tsar. I was surprised by how eagerly I await the sequel now, having finished the first. Would recommend.

The concept introduced in the summary sounded so interesting and for the most part, this book delivered on it. Although I had trouble with the pacing of the book, especially in the first third, I found that the tension between the two main characters kept driving the plot forward. I especially liked how both characters knew each other were the enemy, and had moments of doubt that they could outwit the other. The romance did feel a little forced, as did the love triangle which was obvious from the start, but the story overall wrapped up well enough that it makes me want to continue the series.

The magic and world-building was done well and I didn't feel too lost by what was going on, and the use of scars was an interesting concept. I only wish that one of the side characters didn't push the male main character into trying to sleep with the female main character so often; it got really uncomfortable and I can't tell if this was the author's intention.

Overall, 4 stars and would love to continue this in the next book.

IT'S A SCARLET PIMPERNEL RETELLING. What more do you need?!

I devoured this pacey, clever romantasy in one sitting--ending way too late at night haha. It was so similar to The Scarlet Pimpernel, which is one of my all-time favorite stories, but with tense cat-and-mouse game bound up with a delightfully layered romance. Rune's character was fabulous--so unique and full of personality--and Ciccarelli gave such glorious depth (and pain agh) to Gideon. The magic system was incredibly well-developed, and I loved the lore woven into the story.

If anything, I really could've done without the way that the witches get their blood--heh. And I'd categorize it more as NA than YA, for sure, but would definitely recommend to older readers/lovers of romantasy.

So grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc--I'll be ordering a copy!

Thrilling, intense, heartbreaking… this is sure to be a fantasy romance hit in 2024. This is upper YA that some may want to consider NA; it isn’t spicy, but the subject matter is mature (references to sexual assault, torture, drugs, etc.).

It is easy to have empathy for Rune and Gideon, but these are true enemies-to-lovers, and to see their tale unravel is both gripping and gut-wrenching. Usually with these types of books, I find myself siding with one character over another, but this time, I feel for both side and their perspectives. I’ll be here awaiting the sequel with bated breath.

The writing is great; I previously loved Edgewood by the author, if you’re looking to bide your time with another book.

Story: 📖📖📖📖📖
Spice: N/A

On the surface Rune Winters pretends to be a ditzy, gossipy socialite who condemned her own grandmother to death by the hands of the witch hunting Blood Guard. Behind closed doors she’s the savior/hero to a community of witches. She is the Crimson Moth. Despite what the elitist socialites believe Rune to be she’s a sly and cunning woman with a sharp mind and penchant for wreaking a little havoc that will do any and everything to protect witches. Gideon Sharpe on the other hand, is the captain of the Blood Guard whose claim to fame is catching and putting to death hundreds of witches across the land. He finds himself entangled in a cat and mouse game while trying to prove Rune Winters is the infamous Crimson Moth.

This tension filled story is quite charming and takes you for a cheeky little ride.

Character development is super huge here! Kristen did a great job in creating well rounded characters who have some flaws… and quite a few of them at that. Dynamic and thoughtfully drawn up characters help create beautiful(or messy depending on what you’re into) stories and worlds.

I can’t wait for the next one.

"Isn't that the point of art - to tame the monster in us?"

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

TW: addiction, blood, child death, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, genocide, gore, grief, injury/injury detail, medical content, physical abuse, rape, self harm, sexual assault, sexual content, sexual violence, torture, violence.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and I am devastated to be rating it this low.

Reviewing ARCs, especially negatively reviewing ARCs, is always a bit of a challenge because I'm unsure how much to say without accidentally giving too much away. Which means I am reduced to being vague and my thoughts may not come out clearly, but I'll try my best.

First, I want to say that this should not have been a YA novel. It felt like NA, it felt like it had been written for a NA audience, and the timeline simply doesn't make sense if all of the characters are in the YA age range. I will be shelving it as NA, despite the fact I know that's not what it's being listed as.

Beyond that, still trying to stay as vague as possible, I was bothered by the entire plot. So much of the premise revolves around an SA victim being pressured into sleeping with someone to properly inspect their body; while this is met with discomfort, it's still a sizable portion of the book and never truly condemned.

I felt the relationship between the two MCs was forced and toxic in a way that was completely unnecessary. As well as the way things were... propelled forward by the end of the book, felt cheap and predictable. I was able to guess the plot from the very beginning off of a very minor detail and was really let-down to find out that I had been correct.

There are many other things I could say, but as this is an ARC, I don't want to go any further. I will say, this is not a terrible book. It is tropey and very flawed, but I believe people will enjoy it so long as it finds the right audience. I just... I still can't help but wishing the entire plot had been different.

All in all, this is like a witchy Bridgerton (the comparison makes sense in my head) and if you've read this review and it still sounds like something that would interest you, please go for it.

I'm extremely grateful for the ARC and wholeheartedly wish I could have loved this even half as much as I wanted to.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for an eARC of Heartless Hunter!

Enemies to lovers, a witch and a witch Hunter, secrets, lies, and betrayals. I couldn’t put this down once I started reading! I’m already itching for the next book. Highly recommend!