Well, that was fun! The final installment in The Crimson Moth Duology did not disappoint. Rune and Gideon were back at it again and I had a blast following along in the -are they going to kiss each other or kill each other- saga. This was a perfect bingeable Valentine’s Day read and I am so thankful for the digital ARC wish granted by @netgalley and @stmartinspress!

Rebel Witch will be released on February 18 and I know readers will delight in the conclusion of this tale!

Thank you, Wednesday Books, St. Martins Press, and Netgalley, for the advanced copy.
I’m just a girl standing here screaming how much I loved this book!
Please note that this review is spoiler-free for both books in the duology, but the books absolutely need to be read in order.

With the world-building (and my emotional investment) well established in the first book, we return to an even higher-stakes conflict told in the alternating POV of Rune and Gideon.

Immediately, everything I loved about 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 has returned, and then some. The tension, the banter, fast- paced action filled plot, their cat-and-mouse dynamics as they try to outmaneuver each other while denying their ever-growing emotional connection—the complicated nature of their relationship is intoxicating—I couldn't help but binge this book!

I found myself smiling at Ciccarelli's clever plotting. She left us tiny breadcrumbs, and I ate them up! However, the twists had me stressing over how things would turn out.

The romance here felt even more anguished, with the multiplying, innumerable forces pulling them apart. This is true enemies to lovers, and it is delightful. This is YA/NA with some suggestive but nondetailed moments, which really allowed their emotional connection to shine.

Their relationship only added to the political strife centering the fantasy plot. I enjoyed learning more about the witches and their magic, and the ruling dynamics were easy to comprehend. The added layers in the second book made sense and helped drive the plot.

Overall, this delivered everything I could want in a conclusion and then some! I loved both books so much!

I just completely vibed with this book and cannot wait for you all to experience it!

A great follow-up to Book 1 - a lot of will they/won't they which got a teeny bit repetitive, but overall a fantastic romantasy novel. Would highly recommend to fans who don't want any open-door scenes. Would definitely read more of this author.

A deadly game of secrets, betrayals, and feelings unfolds in the stunning conclusion in the duology featuring a witch and a witchhunter caught between their lies, secrets, and the undeniable love between them... if only they weren't trying to kill each other and betray each other at every turn. Picking up where the first book left off, Rune is forced to join forces with Cressida, the very witch who tortured and abused Gideon, in order for Rune to try and regroup and find a way to save the other witches despite how much she dislikes Cressida. Gideon is recovering from Rune's betrayal and the fact that his brother died... and had been engaged to Rune, the witch he turned in and nearly killed... but also the very woman who stole his heart and crushed it. Gideon's new mission is to find and kill Rune or be labeled a witch sympathized and killed. When Gideon spots Rune again and they come to face one another... things get out of hand and Rune is forced to decide whether to save Gideon from Cressida's grip and face punishment or go along with it... and it's an easy chose for her because despite how much she hates to admit it, she still loves Gideon despite the fact that he tried to kill her. After rescuing Gideon, he tells her Cressida's true plans...that Cressida is determined to resurrect her two evil witch sisters but that means Cressida has to find the last remaining blood relative and kill her to go forth with the resurrection. Neither Rune or Gideon want that to happen so they must find a way to work together to stop Cressida.... but that means trying to trust each other and evade capture from both sides... and the fact that they both are hurting from their betrayals of each other yet yearning to be together. I loved this book and this series altogether. The romance, the tension, the angst, it was such a beautifully written fast paced story. The ending was perfect. I loved how much romance was in this one but also how much healing both Gideon and Rune had to do, they were perfect for each other. This was such an enchanting series that grabbed me from the very first page until the last. It was such a thrilling read and the way Kristen writes is so good. I truly couldn't get enough of this series and can't wait to see what Kristen writes next!!!

Release Date: February 18, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[arc review]
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Rebel Witch releases February 18, 2025

This story takes place two months after the events in <i>Heartless Hunter</I>, with Cressida teaming up with the Umbrian prince to secure an army, and Rune attempting to locate the fourth Roseblood heir in order to stop the resurrection of Cressida’s sisters.

If you’re looking for an enemies-to-lovers duology with forced proximity, one bed, and faking a marriage, then this fits the bill. Personally though, I found that Rune and Gideon were too wishy-washy as characters and read like they were in a constant state of having an identity crisis.
Was she the shallow aristocrat? Or the rebellious witch who could challenge Gideon?
Did they want to commit to betraying one another while using seduction as a way to gain the upper hand? Or were they stuck second guessing their feelings, succumbing to their insecurities?
I honestly expected the main characters to have had a more established and definitive sense of self at such a late stage in the story.
The alternation of Rune and Gideon’s chapters became repetitive, and I wish there would’ve been a third pov from the opposing side (i.e. Cressida) to provide more dimension.

Furthermore, Gideon’s quick switch up from loyally participating in a genocide against witches, to then suddenly admitting that the New Republic has been ruling as a tyranny and him now wanting to live in a world as equals, was both laughable and disingenuous.
He’s not okay with the Republic’s authoritarian control and is hungry for something else? Where was this energy from him 50-100 pages ago?

So much of this installment consisted of me searching for a solid footing to land on, and it took way too long to get there.

Man I’m so conflicted on what to rate this book but it’s definitely way over a 4 ⭐️ read..

4.7-5 ⭐️

But Kristen really tied this whole series together and displayed it with a pretty bow by the end of it. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time and by the end- the plot twists were twisting and I did not see them coming at all.

I’m so excited for everybody to read this book and see everybodies opinions on it!

So sad to see this duology come to an end! 🦋🗡️

⚔️ Forbidden love
🩷 Book 2 in duology
⚔️ One bed
🩷 Civil war
⚔️ Angsty

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️/5
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5

I screamed out loud when I got my NetGalley email. I got Crimson Moth in a Fairyloot YA box and immediately loved the writing and the angst and the emotional torture. I have been excited for this conclusion for months.

And Kristen did not let me down. We start off after the explosive ending of Book 1 and my heart could barely stand the push and pull between these two. The torture Gideon felt? The betrayal Rune carried? I couldn’t put it down.

You ever ridden a roller coaster where you’re like.. WOAH! Loop! Alright almost over probably… ANOTHER LOOP! And then you think almost there and then all of a sudden you’re dropping from the highest highs and screaming your face off? That is this book. In the best way. It will take you on a ride. You will scream. You will gasp. And then you won’t believe you’re actually at the end.

I loved Rune and Gideon. I love imperfect main characters. The chemistry and angst and annoying amount of almost’s had me on the edge of my seat. You won’t regret finishing this duology.

But there are two characters I needed more info on?! Hello!!! Still, I absolutely recommend.

Thank you Kristen Ciccarelli, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced reader copy. This is my honest and unbiased review!

Fantastic sequel to Heartless Hunter. I was unsure how the author would keep the tensions between Gideon and Rune high for another entire book. I was pleasantly impressed with how she managed to do so without introducing conflict that seemed superficial or unnecessary. This book is full of unexpected twists, captivating suspense, and intense romance.

What an action packed conclusion! Gideon and Rune are two of my favorite loveable idiots.

So much happened in this book that it almost felt like multiple books, but not in a bad way.

I loved the pieces of the overall story that were laid in the first book coming together and the continuation of the pining.

Literally PERFECT. First of all, I absolutely adore the enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Rune and Gideon. It's honestly one of my favorite kinds of relationships in books—complicated😂 Their cat-and-mouse back-and-forth is just 🤌💋
Rune and Gideon’s arcs in this story are so impactful 🥹—and the twist!?? I audibly gasped.
I’m a huge fan of duologies—there’s something so satisfying about the two-book format. But with The Crimson Moth, I really wish there were more books in this series! The story is absolutely perfect, and the writing is fantastic.
I can’t wait to reread it over and over again! 🥰

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for granting my wish for this ARC!

4.5*

What a way to end a duology!!

I read this in one day because nothing could have torn me away from Gideon and Rune! This story was much more action packed than book one, the pace never lagged and the plot was constantly propelled forward by new obstacles.

The yearning, the pinning and the angst between Gideon and Rune was everything!! I loved how conflicted they were, how their witch hunter x witch dynamic made their relationship so tense and difficult to navigate. How much they secretly wanted each other, but it just wasn't that easy. The betrayals from book one weighed so heavily on both of them.. making every interaction overflow with tension and feeling. ATE IT UP!

I loved every second of this book!! A very satisfying conclusion.

I absolutely enjoyed this conclusion to the Crimson Moth Duet. I found myself unable to put it down and wanted to keep reading late into the night. There was something utterly refreshing about the writing and just ticked all my boxes for a great time. There was SO much great tension throughout the book and if anything I think I enjoyed this more than book 1. Loved seeing the characters grow and eventually get to that HEA we crave.

Holy smokes! I flew through this book! I got immediately drawn in. I was looking forward to this book and it blew my mind!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

This is one of those rare cases where I believe this book should have been longer OR another book should have been written. The biggest issue I had was that I felt like more time was needed. It didn't exactly feel rushed, but a lot of scenes or information could have been expanded and flushed out a bit more. For example, in the very first chapter, Rune is engaged to a prince. We don't get to see the build up to how or why this happened, only that it happened. Rune's relationship with Seraphine is also told to us readers instead of us seeing how it developed. I would have appreciated more build up, especially with Verity/Cressida being the villain now.

There were a few minor pet peeves that I had, such as the ending (side eye to the author), the number of times Gideon and Rune argue about not trusting each other, etc. But I will say that this was an entertaining read and I'm so glad I got an early copy. I read through it super fast. The pacing overall was pretty good, though it could have slowed down in a few sections. I'm sad that this duology is coming to an end, but it was fun while it lasted!

Thank you so much to TBR Beyond Tours and Wednesday books for the early copy in exchange for a review.

I don’t even know where to start with this one. This might be one of my favorite couples of all time. I’m a huge enemies to lovers fan, and this duology delivers. What could be better than a witch/witch hunter couple??? These two have so much chemistry that even when they’re trying to kill each other they’re thinking about how much they want to kiss each other. I’m a sucker for that, and apparently just love getting my heart ripped out.

Dual POVs was the best possible choice for this duology. Getting to move back and forth between Rune and Gideon really draws you into this battle of wits, each one trying to outsmart the other. It is so funny to start in one perspective and see all their plans being laid out only to move to the other’s perspective and see that they’re already three steps ahead of that.

But this book becomes so much more than a cat and mouse story with an incredible romance. The themes of standing up against a corrupt government and choosing to be the one to fight for a better world were beautifully incorporated into this story. Rune has always been so much more than the facade she puts forth to the people around her, and in this book we get to see more of HER. And Gideon has to decide between his friends and the organization that gave him a home or his heart, and what it means to not let your experiences define you. That your past is not your future.

This duology has definitely made its home at the top of my list. It’s so hard for a sequel to stand up to its predecessor, and this one exceeds it in my opinion. I devoured this book in a little over a day, and can see myself going back over and over again in the future. Rune and Gideon are what I mean when I say I love enemies to lovers. I WILL be reading everything Kristen writes from now on. She can break my heart anytime.

Gideon and Rune have my heart forever. This duology is a masterclass on how a YA novel can still impact an adult reader. The characters were rich. The story was powerful. The love between the MMC and FMC was so beautiful and fought for. I just ate this up like I did book 1. It gave a very fitting end to their story. I’ll think about Gideon and Rune forever. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Loved it soooo much but the first one will absolutely still be my favorite. The author made this sequel fit very well with the original. Everything about this forbidden romance was captivating and beautifully written.

The sequel to the hit Heartless Hunter, Rebel Witch is “the enemy of my enemy is my friend: a book.”
And what a wild ride it is. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for the eARC of #RebelWitch

At the conclusion of Heartless Hunter, I didn’t know what to expect from these characters; everything was both back on the table and at an impasse, simultaneously. But never you fear: this book is anything but a standstill.

With even more excitement and action than the first book, Rune Winters stands alongside Cressida Roseblood to give freedom back to their fellow witches. Unfortunately, Gideon Sharpe can’t let them do that. He has a Republic to preserve, after all, and he can’t let Rune get in the way. To put it simply: adventure ensues.

My only critique is that I guessed every main plot point 5-10 chapters in advance. This is not normal for me as I like to be surprised, and the predictability reduced my enjoyment of those scenes and the whole book (but only a bit).

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Crimson Moth duology, specifically Rebel Witch, and would read them both again someday!

I loved this book; it drew you into a world of magic, danger, and suspense. I couldn’t read it fast enough. Kristen created such an enchanting world with action and romance. I loved Gideon and Rune and their relationship. The romance in this book was swoon-worthy; this is how enemies to lovers is done!

I love how Kristen wrapped up the story in the end; it was the perfect conclusion to this incredible duology. I loved Heartless Hunter and worried this sequel wouldn’t live up to my expectations, but let me tell you the book did not disappoint. I would recommend it over and over again. The writing was amazing and the pace was perfect, I didn’t get bored for a second.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press / Wednesday Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

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

4.5 stars

An extremely satisfying end to this duology.

I had a little bit of a hard time with the first book, but my conclusion had been that regardless of the issues I had, it was going to set up a banging sequel, AND IT DID. I'm so happy I decided to give the second one a chance. This sequel essentially "fixed" the issues that I had with the first, mainly my issues with Gideon.

In the first book, Gideon just didn't feel like an actually decent person since he had no issue enacting mass genocide with seemingly little struggle. But this book showed way more of that struggle and him coming to terms with witches not being fundamentally bad and understanding that the way the New Republic was doing things was the same as the witches but with a different name. So Gideon was leagues better in the book than the first.

There was also way more action than the first, which I super enjoyed. There was always some high stakes going on, both on a physical level and on an emotional level. Basically everything in this book leveled up and I really enjoyed it.

And the ending! I knew that something specific had to happen, but I didn't guess at how it was going to come about, so when that little twist came along I audibly cheered and may have said, "fuck yeah!"

So would absolutely recommend this series for romantasy readers and would specifically recommend to those who had a harder time with the first one like I did ❤️‍🔥