Wow, what a conclusion!
I loved everything about this. The fast-pacing of this book kept me on my toes and Gideon and Rune finally coming to see eye to eye is so good and so heartbreaking at the same time.

I'm really really sad that this is over and I really wish we could get a novella of the world after the war has ended.

I'm excited to see what this author writes next. Usually, I bypass books with witches. Most of the time, I find they don't hold my interest. Heartless Hunter and Rebel Witch are very much exceptions to the rule.

Can't wait for it's official release!

I waited so (im)patiently for Rebel Witch since reading and absolutely loving Heartless Hunter. This book did not disappoint and was definitely worth the wait. The adventures of Rune and Gideon are such a wild ride and I love immersing myself in their story. It's the best kind of emotional rollercoaster, causing feelings of anxiety, joy, devastation, excitement, love and hate... It is so easy to sit down with this book and consume it in one sitting. Every chapter left me being unable to hold off on starting the next one, I had to know what came next. The world-building is immersive, the character arcs are complex, the plot is clever and addictive and I absolutely recommend Rebel Witch to any and all book lovers - be sure to read Heartless Hunter first!

Ahhhhhhhh!!!! I love this duet!!! This one was sooooo good!! I am HERE for the “will they - won’t they” and the forbidden aspect of the relationship which was very prevalent for most of this book as well!! The story moves along great! I just love this duet. :)

#1 New York Times Bestselling YA!!

This is a YA title I recommend for fantasy loving adults as well.

Congratulations @kristenciccarelli on your incredible bestselling duology The Crimson Moth!

𝒮𝓎𝓃𝑜𝓅𝓈𝒾𝓈

Rune Winters is in exile with the surviving witches under the cruel control of the witch queen Cressida Roseblood. Rune is to create an alliance through marriage so troops can be mustered to take back the Republic, but Gideon Sharpe is determined to end the cruel witch’s rule once and for all to protect everyone he loves. The only problem is that Gideon loves Rune. Will they sacrifice each other to get what they want?

𝑀𝓎 𝒯𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈

Rune Winters is one of my favorite main characters. Fierce and fearless, I have enjoyed every heist and escapade. Rebel Witch had me on the edge of my seat, but I was very satisfied with the heart stopping and strong conclusion to this duology.
I will purchase this duology for my high school collection, and I recommend this as an entertaining fantasy world to escape into.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

QOTD: Do you consult best seller lists to inform your reading choices? What is your favorite place to get reading recommendations?

#newyorktimesbestseller #fantasybooks #thecrimsonmoth #heartlesshunter #rebelwitch #witchbooks #duologybooks #duology #bestsellingbooks #currentlyreading #bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendations

In my opinion, The Crimson Moth is one of the best duologies. 🙌 This is also the rare instance where the second book is even better than the first! Again, I loved the dynamic of what it is like to love an officer. While I guessed one of the twists about halfway through the novel, I did not see the ending coming. Just 🔥🔥🔥 all around. I'm sad to see this series go and I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next.

"But it didn't matter, because so long as Gideon was on her side, so long as they were a team, there was nothing she couldn't do."

While it wasn’t AS good as the first book, and there was quite a bit of predictability, it was still excellent end to this duology! Another fast paced page turner. I just adore Rune and Gideon’s chemistry!

Rating: 4.5/5
I received the eARC for my honest opinion.

If you’re looking for a book that is a romantasy, YA, that has witches and witch hunters, great chemistry and enemies to lovers, you need to pick up this duology because wow this book went past my expectations. I loved the wrap up of the book, but I was ready for a wild and emotional road. This book picks up right where book one left off, and it really doesn’t slow down. I loved all the action/adventures that the characters had to do, I loved the romance in this book because it really was like enemies to lovers (I mean one of them hunts and kills the other kind). I found that I was able to connect better with the characters in this book.

I loved that in book 1, I was drawn in and I loved it but, in this book, I was fully immersed in everything that the characters were doing and all the secrets and betrayals that come to light in this book. I didn’t want this book to end, I loved all the twists and turns that the author took to really let the readers be able to connect with the characters and to feel all their emotions. I really felt for Rune and Gideon, all they wanted was to be with each other but everything and everyone was trying to keep them away from each other. I enjoyed the journey that they both had to go through in order to make it their happiness. I loved getting to see the healing that the characters had to go through, even the side characters and can we talk about that shocking revelation!!! OMG, I loved how that came out of the book. I was OMG, for real! I loved seeing the characters show their feelings and how much they mean to each other in this book.

I will cherish this book, and I can’t wait to see what this author will give us next.

I want to thank NetGalley and SMP for the opportunity to review this book.

If you like a good YA enemies-to-lovers romantasy that is a quick read, the Crimson Moth duology may be for you. Imagine The Scarlet Pimpernel if the Scarlet Pimpernel were a witch and Chauvelin is a witch hunter, but they fall in love instead of truly being enemies.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Rebel Witch is the perfect conclusion to an unforgettable duology that blends heart-pounding romance, witty banter, and a rich, unique magic system into an unforgettable reading experience. From the very beginning, the world-building is done effortlessly, making it easy for readers to immerse themselves in the story without feeling overwhelmed. The magic system stands out as one of the most inventive I've encountered, adding layers of depth and intrigue to the already captivating narrative.

After reading Heartless Hunter, I had so many lingering questions about Seraphine, and Rebel Witch delivered the answers I was hoping for and so much more. Seraphine is nothing short of badass.

The romance is perfectly executed, with just the right amount of spice to keep things exciting, yet always tasteful and never overwhelming. The chemistry between Gideon and Rune is undeniable and their banter provides the perfect balance of love and hate. By the end, it becomes clear that what they truly needed all along was to trust one another.

Overall, Rebel Witch is a perfect finale that ties up every thread beautifully while leaving you completely satisfied.

I am so excited to report that Heartless Hunter & its sequel, Rebel Witch, were both five-star reads for me!! What a knockout duology. I truly had SO MUCH FUN reading both! 💥 I love how easy these books read. And the best part? It’s a duology, so you can fully immerse yourself with this magic and these characters in just TWO books (instead of 5+ like most fantasy series lol). 🙌

In Rebel Witch, you can find a lot of what you loved from book one: enemies-to-lovers, witch + witch hunter, morally gray MMC, dual POV, & a fast-paced, action-packed plot. But in this one, we also got fake marriage (“MY WIFE”) and one bed trope… 😩😏 The tension and banter between Rune and Gideon is just soooo good. ❤️‍🔥 I really loved how this book wrapped everything up with the fantasy plot too. No complaints!!! Def recommend 😌

#gifted @wednesdaybooks — tysm!

(4.75 stars)
I absolutely loved Heartless Hunter and was so excited to read the second book in this duology, Rebel Witch! This is marketed as Young Adult, but I’m far from that age and I loved it. It’s got witches with an interesting magic system (there’s blood involved, but not in a gory way for the most part)), romance between enemies, action scenes, and more. In fact, the tag line is “Love has never been so deadly.”

Rune and Gideon are wonderful characters with interesting (and heartbreaking) backstories. They have real chemistry but their life purposes are diametrically opposed: she’s a witch and he’s a witch hunter! It’s the ultimate enemies-to-lovers scenario.

I would not recommend reading this book without having read Heartless Hunter first; you would be confused and miss a LOT of backstory. That being said, the author does provide bits and pieces of their history along the way to help readers remember the important things from the first book.

I felt it got bogged down just a tad in the middle, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to keep turning the pages to see how everything would resolve. There are tons of action scenes throughout, with either Rune or Gideon or both of them trying to outrun or outsmart their pursuers.

A huge thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Fast paced and entertaining I loved finding out more of the mcs romance and growth together. This book did not disappoint but the storyline was predictable

Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Words fail me right now trying to start this review like … 🙃. Holy cow. HOLY COW! This was so freaking good!!! Kristen, girl, you put some crack into this one because 🥵. Kicking my feet, screaming, foaming at the mouth, just wow. I enjoyed Heartless Hunter. It was good, but Rebel Witch was just … a whole other level! Like top-tier romantasy, going on my all-time greats list, going to recommend to every single person I know type of good. I do not have enough words of praise to say about Rebel Witch and Kristen Ciccarelli, but I will do my best.

Rebel Witch is the second book in a fantasy duology by Kristen Ciccarelli. It follows Rune Winters, witch, and Gideon Sharpe, witch hunter 😏. I won’t give away any spoilers for Heartless Hunter, but let’s just say they find themselves in a bit of a predicament at the start of Rebel Witch, on opposite sides of a rather large conflict (aka trying to kill each other) but still very much obsessed with each other. WHAT. A. VIBE. They eventually strike a tentative truce and what follows is a cat and mouse game in which both Rune and Gideon think that they are the cat.

This book has literally all my favorite things: banter, pining, enemies to lovers, slow burn, tension, only one bed, fake marriage, “who did this to you?”, witches, cat and mouse game, and so, so, so much more. If there were a blueprint on how to write the perfect fantasy novel, this book followed it to a tee and executed it perfectly.

Let’s start with characters. Rune Winters, our Crimson Moth, what a gal. Rune’s character growth in this book was just fascinating. She’s already a strong, brave, fearless badass, but I loved watching her soften for Gideon, finally letting him in, letting herself love him. It was beautiful. Same for Gideon. They work so well because they’re essentially the same character. They both care for other people to a fault, they’ll do anything for those they love, they’re fiercely loyal, they love so hard, they won’t back down from a challenge, and they only want what’s best for their country. Seeing them realize that they actually want the same thing and are on the same side was just brilliant. How it all came together in the end was brilliant. Watching them let their guards down and stop fighting their love for each other was brilliant. I would happily read it again and again and again. ICYMI, brilliant ✨.

Ciccarelli’s writing shines in this book. She wove together a stunning world, with a well-built magic system, intriguing politics, and well-rounded characters. This is how you write a fantasy novel, people. The writing was never clunky or boring. The story never lags. I was thoroughly invested in the entire thing. While somewhat predictable, the plotting was so clever that it didn’t matter. The predictability didn’t make it any less enjoyable because I still didn’t know exactly how it was going to play out. It was such a good ending that I didn’t even care I had called it. I even shed some tears. That is the mark of a fantastic storyteller.

Rune and Gideon’s romance was electric! I literally cannot remember the last time I was so invested in two characters finally getting together. The powder room scene? Hit. Fake marriage on the boat? Hit. Shooting lessons? Hit. On the train? HIT! My girl, Kristen, kept us fed with little crumbs throughout. I loved seeing them both jealous. I was giggling like a child. When Gideon hit her with the “who did this to you?”, I audibly squealed! I know it sounds kind of trope-y, but it was done so well that it doesn’t feel like it AT ALL. It is 100% authentic to the story and isn’t just crammed in to tick off some arbitrary list of tropes that people want to read. Again, well done, Ms. Kristen 👏🏼.

I simply do not have enough fantastic things to say about this book. This will be one of my all-time favorites for sure, and I will be re-reading it many times. I cannot recommend this enough to my romantasy girlies. Come get it, while it’s hot! 😉🔥

Thank you to NetGalley, Kristen Ciccarellli, and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review and for gifting me my favorite read of the year so far (will be hard to top)! All opinions stated are my own.

So thankful for an early edition! I couldn’t put this one down. It picked up right where Heartless Hunter left off… with a witch and a witch hunter trying to figure out their alliances. This was action packed and led to twists I didn’t see coming. And I loved the resolve at the ending! What a great duology! I am a huge fan!

I enjoyed the Heartless Hunter so much and was eagerly awaiting the sequel, Rebel Witch, which did not disappoint! The story picks up shortly after the events in book one and the action hits immediately. The tension and desire between Rune and Gideon is evident throughout, but of course there's plenty of obstacles in the way of their love. The book is unputdownable and if you found yourself addicted to Heartless Hunter, you'll find yourself in the same place again!

Read this book if you enjoy:
✨ Enemies to lovers romance
✨ Slowburn romance
✨ Fake marriage trope
✨ Love triangles/Competing love interests
✨ Interesting magic system

What a breathtaking conclusion to such a phenomenal series. The imagery, the character complexity, and development, everything about this second installment was as good if not even better than the first. Ciccarelli has a way of writing that leaves you on the edge of your seat, as she dangles every word in front of you. I feel like both characters were so real and understandable, that I never questioned why they did the things that they did, even when they conflicted with one another. What a beautiful duology, I will be in a book slump for a bit of time after this - as this is one of my most favorite series of all time.

Rebel Witch picks up a few months later after Heartless Hunter. It is about Rune, a witch on the run, who is forced to team up with a cruel witch to survive. Gideon, a witch hunter, is targeting Rune and determined to protect the Republic. But when Rune makes Gideon an offer he can't refuse, they're thrown together once more, rekindling old flames and forcing him to choose: the girl he loves, or the world he fought for.

Rebel Witch delivered on the emotional punch I was craving after The Heartless Hunter. I was initially hesitant, given the changed dynamic between Rune and Gideon, but Ciccarelli immediately recaptured the agonizing (in the best way!) push and pull that made their relationship so compelling in the first book.

Rune's journey of self-discovery was well done. Watching her rise from the previous book, battling her inner demons and reclaiming her strength amidst the chaos was inspiring. And Gideon? Swoon. I NEEDED MORE GIDEON. While the emotional core of the book shone brightly, the plot occasionally felt bogged down by repetitive cycles of running, hiding, and planning. There were moments where my attention wavered. However, I felt the ending made up for lulls.

Rebel Witch delivers a satisfying and emotional end to Rune and Gideon's story. Ciccarelli's captivating writing and well-developed characters elevate this duology.

Thank you, NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic duology! I loved The Heartless Hunter and book two seamlessly picked up where book one left off. Both are quick reads so I recommend reading book one before Rebel Witch.

*I received an arc of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Albiet a bit repetitive, this was an incredible completion to The Crimson Moth duology! Rune and Gideon have become two of my favorite book characters, I love the cat and mouse intensity from book one, while in Rebel Witch I loved the will they wont they pull within this story. A true slow born executed well, with enemies to lovers and forced proximity. Kristen knows how to perfectly blend the romance into the plot, without the romance taking over completely.