I loved this follow up Heartless Hunter! Honestly, it's debatable but I might say I liked this book even more than it's predecessor. Ciccarelli hits the ground running in the first chapter and does not let up, which is exactly what I want from a high-stakes duology like this. I also admire Ciccarelli for what she was able to do in two books, with a well thought plot, fleshed out characters, and a story that kept me reading late into the night. Definitely an author to watch. Excellent.

This was an amazing sequel to The Crimson Moth. It's so very rare for a sequel to be as good if not better than the original and Kristen did it! I had the best time being back in this world with Rune and Gideon. The sexual tension between them was palpable and so well written! This is a fantastic example of a YA duology that is written so well it suits both teens and adults.

3.75 stars. I really, really liked Heartless Hunter. And I was beyond excited to read the conclusion to this duology. The first half of this book was solid. Dropped you right into the story, no time to breathe, I was along for the ride. But past the half way point, this book became very rushed. Very, very rushed. New characters introduced that we are supposed to care for but get to spend no time with. Massive political changes that aren't properly laid out to contribute to the story. One of the reasons I loved Heartless Hunter is because Rune and Gideon were so damn clever. Like, truly, smart and quick and could adapt on a dime. This one it just felt like they got lucky over and over again. I missed the characters they were in the first book.

Overall I did not hate the book. And I think some people may love how quick this book moves. For me, I needed it to be a trilogy. Which is something I RARELY say.

Thank you Wednesday Books and PRHAudio for the advance copies.
I loved the thrilling chase and love/hate tension between Gideon and Rune in Heartless Hunter. Rebel Witch did not disappoint. The tension starts at the beginning of the book and the resulting anticipation continues through all of their adventures. This book is action packed and the writing is paced perfectly to keep the reader hooked without feeling rushed. Although the focus is Rune and Gideon, the side characters in this story were all really great. I did a mix of ebook and audio. I thought the narrator did a wonderful job. I recommend trying out this new adult romantasy duology. Rebel Witch will be available February 18.

Rebel witch by @kristenciccarelli
Pub date: February 18, 2025
Genre: Romantasy
Rating: 5 ⭐️

“𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒎𝒆 .”

Although I enjoyed Heartless Hunter (the first book), I believe the second book was stronger both in terms of plot and relationships. It’s such a fun and binge-worthy duology, and I’m glad I read the second book right away. I loved this series and highly recommend it, if you want to have a fun time!! 😝💃 I know I will see a lot of 5 stars reviews, once this book will be released!

Thank you so much @macmillanusa for e-Arc ⭐️. #rebelwitch #heartlesshunter

Thanks to Wednesday Books for the gifted ARC!

REBEL WITCH is the absolute perfect conclusion to the Crimson Moth duology, making this an all-around five star series for me. What I loved most about this book was the push and pull between Gideon and Rune in their enemies-to-lovers romance. While there was adventure with high stakes and lots of great magic, the romance really took the cake here. Highly recommend!

Loved this book! A wonderful follow up to the first in the series! The author wrapped up the story so well, and still left a margin for curiosity…like if Serphine was wisdom, why couldn’t she have interfered sooner? I definitely loved the sexual tension in this book, it kept me hooked to the story! I read the entire book in 7 hrs, and I thoroughly enjoyed Rune’s devotion throughout this book, and Gideon’s fierce leadership! One of my favorite scenes was when he first saw her in the bathroom, and couldn’t kill her. I enjoyed hearing each inner monologue, which made the pov chapters very rich! Truly, the ending made all my dreams come true. Sometimes the writing seemed a little stiff, but it will still very good!

eARC Review: Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli
Pub Date: February 18, 2025

Wow, WHAT a finish to this duology!! I was invested from page one all the way until the end and didn't want to put it down. I actually read this over two early morning bouts of insomnia. While I recommend getting more sleep than I did, I regret nothing because I absolutely had to know what was going to happen next. The stakes are so high and the tension so delicious.

I just absolutely ate up the dynamic between Rune and Gideon - just full on obsessed with them and how much they wanted to hate each other but never really could. The moment where we get to see Rune's vulnerability and lack of confidence for the first time was really well done and helped to add to the complexity of her character. We also got to see really complex emotions from Gideon too - my heart literally hurt for him when Cressida had him in her grasp and when he realized what her curse does.

There were moments here and there that were somewhat predictable but that really didn't bother me. There were also a few moments that totally shocked me! The plot was super fast paced really the entire time. I often prefer duologies for fantasy books over trilogies because it feels like there's much less filler and it keeps me much more engaged with the story.

There's so much more I could say about this book but in the hopes of being brief-ish let me just say - I really really 100% recommend this duology and encourage you to pick it up ASAP!

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Amazing sequel to book 1! The yearning and forbidden love had me giggling and kicking my feet. Plot was fast paced, and I devoured the book! I loved the first book, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

Rebel Witch gave me everything I needed after Heartless Hunter. More enemies to lovers and answers to all the cliff hangers from the first book.

I loved Gideon and Rune and thought their story developed really well. I do wish Gideon expressed his feelings out loud more often, it felt like Rune did all of the confessing. This in no way took away from the story, it was still really well written, I just personally needed more from Gideon. Words is my love language lol

I freaking LOVED this book. I can honestly say that I loved it MORE than the first book. ALL. THE. FEELS!

Kristen Ciccarelli delivers an absolutely perfect conclusion to The Crimson Moth duology with Rebel Witch! This sequel is everything I hoped for and more!

The story picks up right where The Crimson Moth left off—raw emotion with betrayal and fraught with desperation. From the very beginning, I loved how Rune and Gideon's constant interaction kept the narrative charged with tension and emotion.

The plot itself is a whirlwind of danger and intrigue. The pacing is relentless, but not overwhelming, and I loved how the characters were constantly forced to make tough decisions. The moral complexity of figuring out who the true enemy was added an extra layer of depth that kept me hooked.

But the heart of this book, for me, is the romance. It’s nothing short of swoon-worthy. I LOVED Gideon more in this book as Ciccarelli has a talent for writing male leads who are complex, lovable, and utterly compelling. The way Rune and Gideon navigated their emotions and complex relationship had me glued to the pages! ALL. THE. FEELS!

In short, Rebel Witch is an exhilarating, emotional, and deeply satisfying conclusion to a truly exceptional duology. I can’t recommend this book—or the series as a whole—enough! So many elements come together to make this book a standout: the gripping plot, the richly developed characters, the diverse and ever-expanding locations, and the seamless, organic progression of conflicts. Nothing felt forced, and the decision to keep this story within two books instead of stretching it into a trilogy was a masterstroke. The duology format allowed for a tighter, more focused narrative that packed an emotional punch without overstaying its welcome.

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

Heartless Hunter was one of my favorite books of 2024 so as soon as I saw it on Netgalley I snatched it up!! The story picks up right after book 2. Rune is with Cressida and Gideon is doing his witch hunter most to kill Rune. This one is a great enemies to lovers, I mean you can't get any more enemy than a witch and witch hunter! Thank you Wednesday Books for the book to read and review!

Well....

This author just has me at the romance. Do I need to say anything else?
This was a fantastic conclusion to this duology. I really have very minimal thoughts. The enemies to lovers tension was absolute magic. A witch hunter and a witch- what a fiery combination. The constant fighting of feelings is so understandable as they are on the opposite sides of the war. Fighting and saving each other back and forth-they really can't help it!

The scene on the ship....stawp it.
The train scene....I'm melting.
The little gestures are probably my favorite. And the most beautiful part about that, they don't even realize they are doing it. SO romantic. Talk about destined to be together.
The end-all heart eyes and deep sighs from me.

Overall loved. Had a few questions about plot mainly about Ancients and a Cressida piece. But really, read this for the romance. You won't regret it.

4,5 stars

I would label this as NA rather than YA. Thank you to Wednesday books for my #eARC

The Rebel Witch is a book I’ve been eagerly waiting to read since last year. Yesterday, I finally picked it up and finished it in one sitting! It’s that fast-paced. At least for me, because I needed to know the ending.

The story picks up right after the cliffhanger from The Crimson Moth. I’ll avoid spoilers, but Rune Winters is determined to save as many witches as she can while on the run. On the other hand, Gideon is focused on protecting the New Republic and eliminating all witches. In their high-stakes game of cat and mouse, the lines between ally and enemy blur and darker dangers begin to surface.

This sequel did not disappoint! It’s packed with emotion, intrigue, angst, secrets, and love. Rune Winters might just be one of my favorite characters right up there with Jaenelle from Anne Bishop’s The Black Jewels series. She’s brave, courageous, and absolutely unforgettable.

That said, I did find some of the miscommunication repetitive, and I wish the ending had slowed down a bit. But overall, this duology will always stand out as a favorite.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and St. Martin’s Press for the copy!

TW: Blood, violence, self-harm, torture

4.5⭐️
Oh my, this was just such a fun time.
This is the long awaited sequel to Heartless Hunter, and it did not disappoint.
It picks up with Rune on the run to establish Cressida as queen so the witches will be safe from the witch hunters.
Gideon is again searching for Rune, to kill her, and stop Cressida from becoming Queen again. Of coarse that’s not all there is between these two. 🤭
I do think the writing just needs a bit more to it, it seems a little bland in some places. But other than that, I loved it so much!

Thank you NetGalley for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest review! I felt so lucky.

Rebel Witch begins shortly after the events that concluded book 1 with Rune and Gideon once again in a game of cat and mouse, trying to outwit the other.

To start with what. I liked. I really enjoyed how Rune was always 3 steps ahead. I felt the fire that was the Crimson Moth in the first installment of this duology. Though, I felt that this was lost about a third of the way of the story. I also enjoyed expanding on the world of witches and learning more of their lore. I also enjoyed watching Rune and Gideon's relationship evolve, but the constant "I want him/her, I can't have him/her" and the "we can't be together, they don't want me" wore on me.

What I didn't like. The first half of this book felt like a completely different book than the second. There were a lot of plot points and it caused pacing issues in the middle of the story. I don't know how so much could happen but it still feel like nothing was happening. The ending also felt incredibly rushed and anticlimactic for all the build up that this book brings. With the amount of back and forth, I expected an epic battle, but was left going oh okay. I also felt like there were too many new characters introduced who were nothing more than a way to conveniently move the plot along.

Ultimately, I thought the series was fine and it ended in a way that made sense. However, I was left wanting more. Those who like romantasy books will more than likely eat this up, but that I'm coming to realize just isn't me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rebel Witch

A fun, witchy read. Rebel Witch has everything you'd look for in your typical romantasy.

Classic enemies to lovers with plenty of cat and mouse, because of this, there is plenty of miscommunication to go around. All understandable, of course.

We spend time in two different places and travel between but because the focus is the romance the setting doesn't much matter.

The side characters are where its at and I loved the addition of the new ones. They brought some new intrigue to the story and it paid off.

Heartless Hunter was my first read of the year and it was AMAZING.
I was so excited that I had the second book as an arc waiting for me as soon as I finished.
This is a tough one. Was it good? Yes. Was it better than the first one? Definitely not.
Heartless Hunter, to me, was such a unique concept, and the cat vs mouse game was executed so well. However, with the sequel you lose that aspect, so I was really hoping for something new and unique.
Same as the first book, I saw the twist coming. One time: maybe I'm just smart 🤓😂 Twice: Okay maybe its a little too obvious.
This definitely was a continuation and conclusion of Rune and Gideon's story, with lots of adventure and action, but for me it didn't hit the same way as Heartless Hunter.
It was also a much slower start, and wish that more of the book was spent on the conclusion as it felt a bit rushed.

I enjoyed the characters and overall enjoyed the series and story.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an early copy.

I loved crimson moth and was so excited to receive rebel witch. The betrayal at the end of book 1 had me PUMPED to read this. And read it I did. The tension, the romance!? Ugh this was even better than book 1.

Post

Kristen Ciccarelli’s “The Rebel Witch” is nothing short of a literary masterpiece. This breathtaking tale is a triumph of storytelling, weaving together magic, rebellion, and raw emotion in a way that grips your heart and refuses to let go. From the very first page, I was swept into a world so vividly realized that it felt like stepping through a portal into another reality.

The main female character, Rune Winters, is a force to be reckoned with—fierce, flawed, and unapologetically human. Ciccarelli writes with such depth and nuance that you can’t help but root for her, cheer for her victories, and ache for her losses. Her journey of self-discovery and defiance against impossible odds is nothing short of inspiring, making her one of the most memorable heroines I’ve encountered in recent fiction.

What truly sets “The Rebel Witch” apart is its intricate world-building and its themes of courage, identity, and the power of choice. Ciccarelli’s prose is lyrical and evocative, painting vivid scenes that leap off the page. Every twist and turn feels earned, every revelation hits with emotional weight, and every moment is infused with a sense of wonder and urgency.

The magic system in this book is dazzlingly original, adding layers of intrigue and danger to the narrative. And the supporting cast is just as compelling as the heroine herself, with relationships that feel authentic and brimming with tension, love, and heartbreak.

Then of course there’s the relationship between Rune & Gideon. Enemies to lovers to enemies to…? No spoilers here but the tension that started in book one continues to build in book two & the couples continued to entertain and irritate me with their back and forth throughout the entire book.

Kristen Ciccarelli has truly outdone herself with “The Rebel Witch”. It’s a book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading in the first place. A spellbinding journey of rebellion, resilience, and hope, this story will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

A stunning completion to this duology, “The Rebel Witch” is an absolute must read.. It’s a story that will captivate your soul and leave you yearning for more. Honestly it was so well done that it almost makes me sad this was a duology and therefore the last book in the series!