I’m not sure what I was expecting but this entire book took me by surprise.

It started off in a much different place than I expected after how the first book ended.

There was a lot of action but no real pay off. I was never worried about what the outcome would be, and never feared for any of the characters.

There were no plot twists that I hadn’t already seen coming.

The pacing was slow up. Even when there was a critical moment, there was no urgency from the characters or the writing.

Last but not least, the ending was too clean. I hate when it gets slapped with a big shiny bow and everything ends up being perfect.

I was hoping this sequel would be epic and satisfying, but it just solidified that this duology is not for me.

This book!!! I loved it so much. Could not put it down. The chase, the banter, the tension. It was all so delicious. It's everything I wanted and more for the sequel. The cat and mouse trope could not be better.
I loved the fact that Rune & Gideon were together for most of the book because that's what we want to see. Even if it was to try and unalive the other. The secrets were a bit predictable but loved it all the same. I was giggling and giddy the whole time during their adventure.
If you're a fan of "my wife" and "who did this to you" then you will eat this one up.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for granting my wish on this one. I could not be more thankful

This book has me as obsessed as the first book. The angst between Rune and Gideon is written in such a captivating way that it made me feel their longing for each other. I love that we get to see their internal struggle of fighting to protect the people they care about and doing what is right for each other. It had me truly internalizing their emotions. This book also has its fair share of deceptions and plans that have you wondering who is going to come out on top. It was exciting to read those parts. I love how their characters develop and how it adds to the growth of the plot. The world-building continues to be expanded upon as we learn more about the history of the island and see the world beyond it. There is so much I want to say about this book but I’m afraid I’m going to spoil it, so the last thing I’ll say is to add this to your TBR because it is a must-read.

Rebel Witch is the second and final book in the Crimson Moth duology. It wastes no time, and jumps right into fast paced action. There are plenty of plot twists that kept me guessing throughout the book. Rune’s character continued to be one of my favorites. She’s such a strong, intelligent, and calculating FMC. I also loved Gideon, and his stubbornness, in this book. The enemies to lovers romance that ensued was full of tension and was just so good. I could literally feel the yearning they had for each other at times! The ending did feel a little bit rushed to me, but overall it was a really enjoyable read!

I am so happy I got an ARC for this book because the minute I finished the Crimson Moth (and that brutal cliffhanger) I was able to jump right into Rebel Witch. I needed to know immediately what was happening. I have such a love/hate affair with cliffhangers because I love them, but I hate waiting for the next book!

Additionally, I have been loving duologies lately. It’s the exact amount of information I want. That first book to set everything up and a second book to pack it in.

The enemy to lovers trope was done so well with the witchand witch hunter forced to work together. Rune and Gideon had chemistry that was through the roof. It was absolutely undeniable. These books are so well done!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

@kristenciccarelli has outdone herself with the ending of her duology featuring Heartless Hunter and now the release of Book 2 Rebel Witch.

Heartless Hunter was one of my favorite reads in 2024 and it will be no surprise that Rebel Witch will be one of my 2025 favorite reads.

This book wrapped up the series so phenomenally. It brought me laughs, sadness, tears, and hope. I loved it! Follow Rune Winters as she finds herself again after being betrayed by the captain Gideon Sharpe, the man she loves. Rebel Witch and Witch Hunter, who fell in love amidst secrets.

If you love YA, fantasy, witches, some war… then this is the book duology for you! I loved both of them so dearly.

5 ⭐️s
.5 🌶️

Rebel Witch is available wherever books are sold tomorrow 2/18.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read and review Rebel Witch.

"The problem with love is the more you try to destroy us, the stronger it becomes"

This was a rollercoaster of emotions. The first bit was so frustrating because I just wanted them to TALK to each other. The tension is everything. I ate it up. The way they walked away and crashed back together time and time again. The slowest of slow burns. Like I said, playing with my emotions.

This was a fantastic end to the duology. I do wish the final showdown had been a bit ... More? Idk. It went so fast and felt a little anticlimactic. I'll probably re read it and change my mind, but first impressions and all that. There is so much here that I love but I don't want to spoil anything! Overall, awesome.

This sequel was a beautiful ending to a great beginning.

Runes inner turmoil with loyalty, trust, love, and lust was an enjoyable guiding force through this book.

Rune went from being under Cressida's thumb to finding her strength and cunningness again as the Crimson Moth, then on to dicovering herself as Rune Winters. Her relationship with Gideon was complicated from the beginning to the end, but I would not have wanted it any other way.

A worthy successor to the first book in this duology! Rebel Witch has the same strengths as the first book: the pacing is fact and snappy, the chapters are short in a way that makes me you want to keep reading, and the dual point of view is surprisingly satisfying; knowing what both love interests think doesn't ruin the story at all! In fact, it enhances it! The only real qualm I have with this book is the amount of miscommunication. Gideon and Rune have SO much trouble believing the other wants to be with them. And while I understand how it may be hard to believe when we're talking about a witch and a witch hunter, it sometimes felt forced for the sake of the narrative. Despite this, I plowed through this one and quite enjoyed the ride. If you enjoyed Crimson Moth/Heartless Hunter you will definitely enjoy this one!!

What a great conclusion to this duet! One thing that I found lacking in the first book was the romance, it didn't make me feel giddy and I wasn't as invested as I hoped. Rebel Witch is a whole other story. The romance in this book is absolutely fabulous!!! The tension, the angst, the banter delivered amazingly. Not only that, but the plot was so fun. This book was so action packed, it got me hooked from the first chapter. There was not one moment of boredom. I really liked the balance between the political intrigue and the romance. I do wish the author developped more on some of Rune's abilities that are briefly talked about. The ending felt rushed as well.

This duet is definitly one of my new favorites ya fantasies!

Rebel Witch was an action-packed, fast paced follow up for Heartless Hunter. As much as I don't like when authors drag out novels for no reason, I do feel like the only negative about RW was that the pacing was almost too quick. I would have liked to spend a little more time with the characters; however, if you enjoyed the first novel, the sequel does a great job of wrapping up the story all the while giving lots of angst and tension between Rune and Gideon as the story unfolds. I'm excited to see what this author has planned next.

Prepare for the second instalment of the Crimson Moth series to take the world by storm… an epic conclusion to the story that captured all of our hearts!

This was such a fantastic adventure and definitely the most exciting game of cat and mouse to ever exist! I absolutely loved how this story evolved - the stakes felt higher, the characters and relationships were so well developed and the tension between our favourite witch and witch hunter was deliciously PALPABLE! I was here for every minute of it…

I can’t wait for all of you to get your hands on this one! 😍

Thanks to @stmartinspress @wednesdaybooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of one of my most anticipated reads of the year! SO FREAKING COOL!!

I was so so so excited to receive an ARC for this book.

This duology was so capitivating and I loved following Rune and Gideon's journey. Kristen Ciccarelli did so much justice to Heartless Hunter and where we left off with that story. I had a good bit of a gap between book 1 and reading this and it was such so well written it was like no time had passed.

Cannot recommend this enough - love love loved this story!!!

I really enjoyed Rebel Witch. Heartless Hunter was one of my top reads of 2024, and Rebel Witch was equally as good. It had a solid plot that came together nicely. I did feel that pieces of it felt a tad rushed.

REBEL WITCH picks up shortly after where HEARTLESS HUNTER left us, so it’s important to read that one first.

I did not like this one as much.

The first half is slow and repetitive. Really, it felt like nothing happened, aside from Rune and Gideon going back and forth with the “he loves me, he loves me not” routine. Lots of angst and melodrama, but not much forward momentum.

My biggest problem was that after the way the first book ended, I had a hard time buying into this dying-inside-without-you love story. This is a true enemies-to-lovers romance, which isn’t the best fit for me.

I liked the second half a lot more. This is where all the action is. Most of it is foreseeable, but I enjoyed the way it played out.

I thought the ending was rushed. I would have liked more development there, and a whole lot less of the early repetition.

*Thanks to Wednesday Books for the eARC, provided via NetGalley.*

Rebel Witch was exactly what I expected from the final book in this series. It had tension and suspense as well as romance. There were some really great moments, however I feel like it dragged in some parts.

Heartless Hunter was one of my favorite reads of 2024 and Rebel Witch was the perfect follow up. This duology is perfect for those just getting into the romantasy genre.

The slow burn between Rune and Gideon is exceptional and they really are true enemies to lovers. Each stand for exactly what the opposite despises and are heavily struggling with the juxtaposition of their feelings for each other, and their values.
Rebel Witch especially was full of political intrigue and the want to fight for a better world, making the characters so inspirational.
The back and forth between Rune and Gideon fighting desperately to stay one step ahead of each other in their respective deceptions was gripping, and their romance perfectly spaced throughout made things even more dizzying.
The ending was perfect, touching, and everything I could have asked for. After all the push and pull, it was an exceptional wrap up.

If you loved Heartless Hunter, I think you’ll love Rebel Witch. It was an amazing continuation of a great story and I’m excited for it to be out in the world!

Thank you so much Wednesday Books for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest review!
Publication date 2/18/25

Great sequel! Rebel Witch blends magic, destiny, and rebellion into an emotionally charged finale. The story is filled with high stakes, rich world-building, and complex characters who face impossible choices. Ceccarelli’s immersive storytelling makes this a satisfying read. I appreciated the well-executed ending that ties up loose ends while leaving a lasting impact.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Heartless Hunter was my last book read of 2024 & I LOVED it! I thought the premise was so interesting. I was extremely excited to read Rebel Witch & it did not dissappoint!

This sequel started off at 100 with no time to lose, and I appreciated that. Rebel Witch was the epitome of high stakes, enemie to lovers, great character arcs, and a fun, yet riveting plot line. I do, however, believe a lot of the "twists" were predictable, and the last 10% wrapped up everything in a nice little bow. I did not think everything was going to get resolved in the last few chapters but somehow it did & I would have preferred a little more conflict or for it not to be too easy.

Either way, this was a great duology and I will be recommending it for days to come!

was this book a literary masterpiece? absolutely not. was this a fun reading experience? … it required no real thinking which is exactly what i wanted, but i did not enjoy it. i found the whole book ridiculous. it was a mess. it was way too long. i finished it. it was below average. the end.