While I did not enjoy the first book in this series, Rebel Witch redeemed this series for me. I finished it in about three days and am so happy that I continued on with the series. While there were a few tropes that I did not personally enjoy (ex. the miscommunication trope), for the most part the book was gripping. The ending was fantastic and I look forward to future work done by Ciccarelli.

♾️ stars!!! The story was fast paced, kept me on the edge of my seat and the tension, the yearning, the pining; perfection! I felt the plot twists were very predictable but I found comfort in that! Absolute perfection!

Wow. What a fantastic conclusion to the duology! I really enjoyed Hearless Hunter when I read it last year, and I knew I was going to enjoy this one too, but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. It was soooo good, and it got me out of a major reading slump.

Gideon and Rune are EVERYTHING, and I'm pretty much obsessed with them. lol There's such a fantastic push and pull between them, and their love story was done perfectly. This is what enemies-to-lovers is all about and why it's one of my favorite tropes. The tension. The chemistry. The fantastic banter!! The yearning!!! My word. There's a unique ebb and flow to their relationship, which is made more difficult since they both love and hate each other. I like how their relationship grows and changes, especially as they face their true feelings and the forces working against them.

The plot is fast-paced with a lot of action and a few surprising twists, and the new characters were balanced well with some of the originals. Cressida is deplorable and as easy to hate as many of the others are to love. Oof, she really put Rune and Gideon through it, and I was eager to see her defeated.

I found this book hard to put down, which surprised me because before I started Rebel Witch, I was in a total reading slump, and I DNFed three books in a row. But from the minute I picked this up, I was hooked. It was exciting and suspenseful, and the push and pull between Rune and Gideon was brilliant. And the ending - I have so many thoughts!!! Jaw-dropping, heart-pounding, satisfying. This duology is definitely going on my favorites shelf!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

This was a good sequel to Heartless Hunter, albeit predictable. Some world building moments felt rushed and I wish more would have been developed in the first book rather the last quarter of this one. (More specifically the parts about Wisdom and the temples. That would have been fun to flesh out.) I felt like the story wrapped up really well and I felt overall satisfied by this duology!

🤍Thank you @wednesdaybooks and @prhaudio for the arc of Rebel Witch🤍

Spoiler Free Review

This book was a must-read last year and I had big expectations for the sequel — it DELIVERED!

Full of the high stakes, glittering and gritty world, banter, chemistry, and the action of book one that had me addicted.

So, if you haven’t picked up this duology yet, I cannot recommend it enough. This one also has a great audiobook and fantastic narrator.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5
Steam: fade to black

“I’d rather fight with you than do most other things.”

If you love enemies to lovers and haven’t picked up this book, then this is your sign to do so immediately! This is a case of true enemies to lovers. Gideon is a witch hunter and Rune is a witch. He is relentlessly hunting a rogue witch known as the Crimson Moth who is freeing captured witches and wrecking general havoc. And Rune of course is the Crimson Moth. Rune decides she needs to get closer to Gideon so she can rescue more witches and a delicious game of cat and mouse ensues.

The whole book I couldn’t decide who I wanted to get the upper hand. And all the while they slowly start falling in lust and love with each other despite what they suspect the other truly is.

“You are a knife in my heart.”

After a truly gut-wrenching cliffhanger, I was so lucky to have an eARC of REBEL WITCH* so I could start immediately. The sequel starts shortly after the first book ends with Rune and Gideon hurt and desperately trying to hate each other. Their cat and mouse game begins again but this time it feels like so much more is at stake.

I won’t say much more about the plot but I absolutely loved this duology! It has all the things I love:
-Witchy FMC
- Secret softy MMC
- Cat and mouse game
- Enemies to lovers
- “Who did this to you?” moment (we love to see it!)
- Really interesting magic system
- Found family
- The perfect ending

REBEL WITCH is out February 18!

*Thank you @WednesdayBooks for the #gifted eARC of REBEL WITCH!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7202143937
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DGBhReOym3z/

REBEL WITCH

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I know this was a big hit for a lot of people so maybe it will be for you too! I enjoyed reading but it didn’t turn out to be something I loved.

Things I liked:
•the magic system in this series is really unique and I like how the FMC became more comfortable using it
•the villain was truly unlikeable and I love when an author makes you feel so strongly about a character
•the angsty enemies to lovers back to enemies to lovers again

Things I disliked:
•writing felt youthful but the content didn’t match in order for me to be able to recommend to a YA audience
•had a hard time placing the time period, I thought it was kind of a colonial type world but then there were trains and steamships which felt a bit jarring to the story
•some plot things happened a little TOO conveniently
•felt like the FMC only used like three spells and I wished her use of magic could have been built up more

romantic content: brief open door, moderate detail
strong language

*Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC!

Rebel Witch was an entertaining sequel that was even better than the first book! Many twists and turns - making it a fast read; the development of the MCs relationship was engaging from the very beginning. The bigger themes regarding the tyranny of governments is also an aspect that stood out.

4.5 stars
The long awaited sequel. DUN DUN DUN. I love this world. I love all the characters. I wish there were more.

The ending was so sad and hopeful. There were some parts that were trope-y but it fits the sotry soI'm not complaining. The only thing that I would really like to change is the pacing. It is seperated by 3 parts. I fell like part 3 should be first. It has a lot of world-building and hints of old tales that would be a perfect setup for the plot twist. Because we got to know the characters first (and the character hints were not subtle), and then we get the lore-drop, the twist wasn't surprising. All of the components to make it a memorable and tear-jerker book are there, but where it is placed is a little off.

Romantasy usually sets up a few chapter and an epilogue at the end for when the war is over and the main couple is lovey-dovey. Does it get tedious sometimes? Yes. Do I still eat that stuff up? Double yes. For the first time ever, I want the lovey-dovey scenes because Rune and Gideon deserve it after all they went through. I guess I deducted half a stars just I'm unsatisfied there is no happily ever after scene for them. I miss them. I want more of them being happy. I don't care about the war no more.

I loved Heartless Hunter so when I got the chance to read an eARC of Rebel Witch, I jumped on it. And it DID NOT disappoint.

Rebel Witch picks up right where we left Gideon and Rune. The two are at each other's throats, determined to do what's right for their own people rather than follow their hearts. That dynamic is what makes this duology so good. I am such a sucker for idiots in love, mutual pining, a slow burn fraught with tension.

And the TENSION. Some spicier books could learn a thing of two from this duology. Sometimes the hottest thing a writer can do to us as the reader is deny the payoff and really lean into developing the chemistry between the main characters. By midway through this book I was ready to scream in the best way.

As for the plot, it is fast paced, but Ciccarelli ensures that everything stays coherent so it doesn't feel overwhelming. The author also does a really good job emphasizing the complexities of "good" vs. "evil" in this book. Is it the witches who are trying to win back their home, but have a bloody history of subjugating their human counterparts? Or is it the humans who, over the course of Heartless Hunter, have become a authoritarian regime, determined to root out and destroy any opposition?

And at the heart of our conflict is Rune and Gideon. These two are now at the top of my ship list. They're perfect for each other and I absolutely adore both of them. It is Ciccarelli's care in writing these two characters that makes Rebel Witch and Heartless Hunter shine. Their romance and chemistry is unparalleled and made me unable to put this book down.

4.25 stars for me. Heartless Hunter and Rebel Witch is now probably my favorite duology. Amazing job Kristen Ciccarelli! I can't wait to see what you decide to write next.

I’ve waited so long for this book. The first one was one of my favorite books from 2024. I was so happy when I got approved for this book. It made me smile, cry and so stressed. I hope she never stops writing more. I love these characters and the ending of this book was chefs kiss.

First off, I loved the first book and this is a great sequel. Lots of action right from the start - and massive reveals in the ending that wouldn't let you put it down. Rune was great, following some good development through the story arc as she finds her true voice. Gideon lacked a little of edge from the first book - where he's clever and insightful in trying to thwart various rescue missions. In this book kind of felt like he was just along for the ride, or it was pretty obvious what his insight was going to be. I would have loved to hear more about some of the other characters, they ended up with lead roles late in the book, but I wasn't really invested in their fate quite like the first book where you were rooting for the entire cast.
Overall - a good read and nice to close the loop on the characters and the world.

Such a great ending to this duology! I was so happy to find myself back in this world with Rune and Gideon. This one didn’t wow me as much as the first one but it was still an excellent read and I will definitely recommend it. I felt like it was missing some of the grittiness that the first one had. But overall, really enjoyed it!

I very rarely think that a sequel is better than the first book in a series, and while I loved Heartless Hunter, Rebel Witch completely took it up a notch 👏🏻🤩

While Heartless Hunter is enemies to lovers, Rebel Witch takes us through a whole slew of complicated relationships: enemies, lovers, adversaries and reluctant allies just to name a few 😅 But I’m not saying what order they happen in! You’ll have to read to find out 😉

I love how Ciccarelli structured the dual pov. Getting to see how Rune and Gideon both have to overcome deceit and betrayal in order to find some semblance of trust between one another added so much depth to their characters. They’re conflicted and it shows. It takes time to heal those wounds, especially as new ones are being made in the process.

While the tension between them was ever-present, their romance did take a bit more of a backseat to the “saving the world” problem at hand. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how everything played out, where they found allies and how magic played a role.

If you loved the first book in The Crimson Moth series, you won’t be disappointed in this conclusion 🌟 Will have to get a physical copy for my home library! 4.5 stars!

Thank you SO SO much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the digital arc copy of Rebel Witch to review.

Rebel witch starts with a bank, right where Heartless Hunter/The Crimson Moth leaves off. I was so happy that this book hit the ground running and when I tell you it was hard for me to put this book down...I was daydreaming through my work days waiting to pick her up again.

This book was FULL of pining. We thought we had back and forth in banter in the first book, this one takes it to another level because they have HISTORY now. So good. Rebel Witch is also one of the first books that uses a miscommunication trope in a way that I didn't find utterly obnoxious. They consistently worked to find common ground around the assumptions they were making about each other and I was loving it.

The plot was fast paced and twisty, we got to meet some new people and got to see old characters in a new light in a similar way that we had reveals in the first book which I loved! I really like when an author can work in circles this way, tying in characters and plot lines together to create tidy and intricate bows of story lines. I was so happy with how the plot and the characters evolved, the ending was so stressful but SO worth the cold sweat.

This was in my top 5 highly anticipated reads of this year and I am SO happy with how it unraveled. It will go down as a favourite duology of mine and I cant wait to pick it up one day and read it again.

ladies and gentle-giants, if you thought Crimson Moth was intense, buckle up—this right here takes everything to another level. betrayal, heartbreak, impossible choices ALL OF IT DAMN IT

in this sequel Rune is in survival mode. after being sold out by the guy she loved, she’s forced to team up with the ruthless Cressida Roseblood, who’s determined to bring witches back into power. Rune doesn’t trust her, but she also doesn’t have a choice. meeeeeeaaaaanwhile, Gideon Sharpe is still reeling from Rune’s betrayal—only to find out she’s now working with the very witch who made his life hell. he’s sworn to wipe out witches to protect the Republic, but when Rune makes him an offer he can’t ignore, the two are forced to work together, but that’s where things get complicated.....*SCREAMS IN AGONY*

their CHEMISTRY is electric, the kind that makes your heart ache. every interaction is dripping with tension, love, hate, longing, regret. their relationship is messy in the best way, full of emotional weight and lingering wounds. but beyond the romance, the book delivers high-stakes action, moral dilemmas, and a dark, immersive world where every decision has consequences. the writing is cinematic and gripping, making it impossible to put down. it’s the kind of story that keeps you on edge, wondering how it could possibly end in anything but disaste yet hoping for a miracle anyway.

if you love star-crossed lovers, intense political intrigue, and books that rip your heart out (in the best way), this finale is it. A MUST READ!!!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 FREAKING STARS!!!!!
thank you so much St. Martin's Press for granting me this wish. i can go to sleep happy now!

Thank you so much to Net Galley for an ARC copy of this book! It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, so I was so thrilled to get the ARC and dive in before release day. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but for me, Heartless Hunter is definitely my favorite of the duology. I'm starting to realize that there is a specific plot point that when combined with the miscommunication/lack of good communication trope just isn't my favorite, so because of that there was a small portion of the book that was a little slow for me, BUT, I know that so many people are going to absolutely love that! Once I hit the halfway point of the book I absolutely flew through second half! Yes, there were some things that were a little predictable, but that is something I typically expect with a YA book anyway, so I wasn't bothered by that. I had a good time with this book and will definitely continue to recommend this duology to our customers.

All you need to know is a witch and a witch hunter are in love. This series is so good. I think this one was even better than Heartless Hunter. If you like forbidden romance and good fantasy, this series is for you.

4.5 stars rounded up

The Heartless Hunter was one of my surprise favorites of last year, and when the Rebel Witch came available, I leapt for joy, excited to immerse myself in the world of Rune and Gideon again. The second installment in this duology did not let me down, as it is even more action packed than the first and was a very satisfying finale to the duology.

The tension between Gideon and Rune continues throughout this novel, with each of them alternating loving and hating the other during most of the book and the relationship coming to a heartstopping finale in the final chapters. The action was nearly non-stop as the two were relentlessly escaping one after another situation, culminating in a final scene that was terrifying and heartbreaking. My only criticism revolves around the finale, which I could not believe Gideon and Rune did not see coming--it was that obvious what was happening. Nonetheless, the ending was terrific, and I will continue to recommend both books to all my romantasy-loving friends.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli. The opinions in this review are my own.

This was a great finale, but the middle was admittedly a bit of a slog to get through. The beginning and ending were full of the banter, tension, intrigue, and fire that we all loved from the first book, but then towards the middle there was too much miscommunication and too many internal monologues, which put a damper on my fun. I got verrrrry sick of Rune and Gideon’s self-deprecating thoughts.

I mean… Gideon would basically get a boner from smelling Rune’s armpits, and then Rune would be like, “Omg, he is so disgusted by me because I’m a witch!” Meanwhile, Gideon would be like, “Man, if only she wasn’t in love with my brother and didn’t see me as poor trash.” It just kept going on and on for a while, and every time either of them said otherwise, they thought the other was lying. 🙄 It was frustrating and not fun (to me). I know these internal thoughts made sense based on the ending of the first book, but good grief—they were both salivating over each other every time they were anywhere near each other and just didn’t pay attention for way too long.

Then, from the middle toward the end, it got sooo much better. It was very predictable, but oh-so enjoyable. This became fun again, and I easily overlooked how I guessed every “twist.” At the end of the day, this duology is a hell of a lot of fun, and if you love enemies-to-lovers, witches, and exciting fantasy worlds with high stakes and lovable characters, then this will work for you!

Thank you, NetGalley & Wednesday Books, for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. 🫶🏻 Also, thank you, Penguin Random House Audio! The audiobook was AMAZING for both this one and the first book. I highly recommend audio for this series (though maybe the internal monologues were even more insufferable to listen to on audio than they would have been in print—who knows).