I purchased this book from BOTM subscription and received it before my wish for this book was granted.

Will come back and leave a full review here and on my usual sites after finishing. Anticipating it to be a 4-5 star read like the first.

Rebel Witch is the sequel to Heartless Hunter and it does not disappoint. I won’t spoil it for you but know that the plot picks up right away and immediately you’re wondering what’s going to happen between Rune and Gideon, the witch and witch hunter. The world is immersive, the characters are so well crafted and the plot twists don’t stop. You know I love a dual POV enemies to lovers when it is done right and this one is done to perfection.

Five stars from me! I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this one.

Vibes:
Romantasy
Witches vs witch hunters
Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
One bed
Jealousy
Found family
Forbidden love

Loved this game of cat and mouse! Had a lot of my favorite tropes (forced proximity, fake relationship, enemies to lovers, don’t touch her) and I actually really loved how they loved each other. The ending was great! But I think overall this was a little too long and I got bored through a lot. A solid 4 stars for me!

Rebel Witch picks up shortly after the conclusion of Heartless Hunter, and it quickly accelerates. With heart-pounding action and all of the delicious romantic anticipation of the first book, Rebel Witch is a fantastic conclusion to this spellbinding duology.

I highly recommend this series for readers who enjoy:
❤️‍🔥 slow burn romantic tension
✨ political intrigue
❤️‍🔥 forbidden magic
✨ heart-pounding action
❤️‍🔥 descriptive writing

My rating: 5⭐️

I just love this duology so much! I was in love with Heartless Hunter and Rebel Witch did not disappoint 😍 I had so much fun reading it. I will say that the pacing felt a little off towards the end. I think the ending just felt rushed? But regardless I still thought it was an amazing read! Cannot get enough of Rune & Gideon. Absolutely in love with the witch x witch hunter storyline!


Thanks to the publisher for the advance copy! 😍

I was so mad at Gideon for most of this but I guess he redeems himself.
I was so sucked into this story that I read it in a day; just had to find out how everything would end. The ending was perfect, really every second of this book was perfect.

I am obsessed. I want to shout from the rooftops for every YA Romantasy Lover to immediately read this series.
My only call out is I wish this was a fall release as the whole witch x witch hunter dynamic is more autumn appropriate in my opinion, however this was exactly how I was hoping the sequel would play out.

This story picks up in the perfect place (right where heartless hunter left off). We are still feeling turmoil from the loss of Rune's best friend (and also sort of lover?), as well as all the secrets that were just revealed. The plot continues to keep you on the edge of your seat with twists and turns. The growth within the characters was tangible, and the chemistry and tension between Rune and Gideon is exactly what I am looking for in a TRUE enemies-to-lovers story.

I loved how the story was well developed, but since it was YA it is easy to follow unlike some of the high fantasy stories written where you sort of have to infer what is actually happening.

I LOVE how this was wrapped up into a duology - some of the best fantasy stories are. It is in league with Six of Crows, and One Dark Window. Its upsetting when series are trilogies and book 2 is just filler and fluff. Rebel Witch had the necessary amount of detail, questions were answered from Heartless Hunter, and the plot came together in the end without being dragged out.

Will definitely be picking up Kristen Ciccarelli novels in the future. This duology sits on my top YA Favorites list.

The ROMANCE! Gah! It was intense! And so lovely.
Rune and Gideon are my favorite hetero couple! Kristen Ciccarelli does an amazing job playing these characters off each other, their absolute opposite goal a constant battle as they struggle to work together. Devious and yet so obvious.
I am so sad this series has ended - I loved them so much!

Rune Winters is on the run after being betrayed by her former love, Gideon Sharpe, who exposed her identity. To survive, she must ally with the ruthless Cressida Roseblood, who plans to reclaim the Republic and restore the Reign of Witches. Gideon, feeling betrayed, follows after Rune, to eliminate her and protect the new world. Rune offers Gideon a deal he can't refuse.. As they spend more time together, Gideon realizes his feelings for Rune are still alive, forcing him to choose between sacrificing her to stop a tyrant or letting her live and risking the world's destruction.

I absolutely LOVED this book! It picks up right where The Crimson Moth left off, with Rune scheming to save her home once again. Her character development is fantastic, and Ciccarelli did an amazing job of showing Rune's acceptance of her identity as a witch. Gideon and Rune's relationship is heartwarming—they're a perfect example of enemies to lovers with all the delicious banter.

The world-building in this second book is impressive, and the fast-paced writing made it easy to devour. I enjoyed exploring more of the continent at the beginning of the book. Cressida is a phenomenal villain, and I loved hating her even more. The plot twists were truly twisty—some I saw coming, but others took me by surprise. Overall, I highly recommend this book; it's definitely worth the hype and the wait.

Rating: 4.5/5
Spice: 1/5

Tropes:
Betrayal
Close Proximity
Enemies to Lovers
One Bed
Found Family
BANTER

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Kristin Ciccarelli for this ARC. All thoughts are my own!

4.5 🌟A great conclusion to the duology! I started and finished in one day - I was hooked. There was a lot of back and forth at the end which ultimately is what caused me to not bump this up to a 5 - but it makes me want to reread the first to see what things I missed!

I saw parts of the ending coming but still think it was all resolved in the best way. Everything came together beautifully and the ending was short but sweet - which I loved.

Definitely liked this better than the first one overall and I’m excited for my reread!

Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli is a captivating and intense story that is filled with heartache and longing. The sizzling chemistry between Rune and Gideon adds an extra layer of depth as they navigate a dangerous world where magic and their very lives are constantly at risk. In this gripping tale, no one is safe. From the moment I picked up the book, I was completely enthralled.

Rebel Witch picks up a bit after the events of crimson moth, and while I first sounding myself wishing I’d re-read book one, the author did a nice job recapping the important bits and I soon caught on, and felt immediately invested.

It’s a fun, fast, dynamic book and I enjoyed the dual pov and all of the travel and exciting plot in the sequel. Some points I found myself feeling like the action was a little repetitive, but overall I felt like she wrapped the story up nicely and gave the characters and world the ending it deserved. I continue to really like the magic system in this world.
It was a really fun duology, and I’d definitely recommend it and probably do a re-read someday!

To anyone reading this review, I’d say if you enjoyed book 1, you’ll enjoy book 2 just as much!

Thanks so much NetGalley and Wednesdays book for the arc.

4.5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

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

Rebel Witch is the second and final novel in the young adult fantasy romance duology, The Crimson Moth. Following the events of book one, Rune is on the run and forced to ally herself with a dangerous witch focused on bringing back the Reign of Witches no matter the cost. Gideon, on the other hand, is bent on finding Rune to stop her, especially with her betrayal hitting way too close to home as she allies with the woman who made his life hell. Yet an unlikely series of events brings these two together and their goals seem to somewhat align...can they find a way to trust each other to achieve their goals or will the need to find justice keep them forever apart.

If you thought Rune and Gideon were angsty before...

Rune is very much in a sticky situation she is desperate to unravel. While she yearns to protect her fellow witches she senses something is off and I admire her strength to stick to her guns. She's still willing to take big risks (it feels like she has nothing left to lose and just throws herself into situations) but has this tenacity that puts her three steps ahead at times. Even when she is brought low there is a glimmer of success that I just rooted her. Rune has been through so much and I feel I haven't really had time to cope.

Gideon is just as amazing as he was before. He still feels drawn to Rune but struggles to accept the choices he must make because of what he has seen witches do. He is also still grieving a loss and it weighs hard on him. He is determined and plays the fields oh so carefully and I just loved seeing the roller coaster he went through to not only protect those he cared for but also the people of the republic.

This book does have spice but it is YA spice so I would say 1 spicy pepper out of 5 spicy peppers. This romance is oh so angsty as these too finally are faced with how far they are on opposite playing fields. At the same time what made this romance so perfect was the areas of grey that made them both waffle on their fields as they were drawn together. It was a true slow burn as small pieces were chipped away as they bantered and fought. The trust was so fragile but they still fought for the other without acknowledging what that meant...and when they do! The spice itself isn't super detailed and happens towards the end of the novel. It is more focused on the emotions they are feeling. It was the best reward...I just wished we had more time with their romance once they figured things out.

"I'll miss you the way a fox misses the wolf's snapping jaws."
"I can't tell if you're insulting me, or flirting with me."

The story really kept you on your toes throughout our adventure! I found the secrets, the twists, and the ebbs and flows to balance out the romance and character machinations because, make no mistakes, Gideon and Rune are plotting so hard in this book. I had no idea where this book was taking me and I appreciated the journey. There was one twist I could see a mile down the road but, honestly, I liked the satisfaction of knowing it. This book also holds no punches with violence and harm so just keep in mind the characters do suffer in their fights. The climatic moment in the book pulled a rug right from under my feet for a moment and I could not speak for a few moments (just keep reading when you get to that moment!). The ending leads off with an epilogue that was sweet...I just wish I got more of this world and the characters.

Overall, this was the ending we needed for these characters but I still want more!

Thank you Wednesday Books for this arc!

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60217777-rebel-witch?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=7exA6aSY7q&rank=1
Instagram review: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFIIiLgIwCc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

We will also be covering this book for Season Two of our podcast - episode set to launch on March 25th.

In my review of Heartless Hunter, I had said that I thought the book was better suited for a new adult audience as opposed to YA. I didn’t feel that in this book, it very much reads like YA, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The book is what it is marketed to be, but I didn’t feel the complexity in some of the emotions and situations come through as much here as I did with Heartless Hunter.

So, was this sequel exactly what I was hoping for? No. Am I sad this is over? Very much so. Still, with that said, I very much enjoyed this book! Kristen Ciccarelli - please write a prequel or something, anything else as I very much still want to live in this world!

Favorite quote: ”I may not know you Rune Winters,” he whispered, his mouth an inch from hers. “But I know the Crimson Moth. And she is no caged thing.”

We see both Rune and Gideon pressed to impossible limits while trying to fight for what they believe to be right. The banter between the two was fun and enjoyable, and kept me turning the proverbial e-page well into the night. I love that we see how far both Rune and Gideon will go for each other and their love.

My (personal) biggest criticism of this book is that the miscommunication between Rune and Gideon goes on for a loooong time, and then boom, we’re at the end of the book. Overall, I felt the ending was rushed and would have liked to have seen more significant stakes to the conclusion than all of the dialogue we get between the two. Recognizing this is probably a personal preference for me but I was very much invested in the world-building aspect of this fantasy, and I would have liked this story to include more of that and what that meant for our characters.

A few notes (with spoilers) on why this sequel felt a little dissatisfying for me…

· I couldn’t reconcile how “advanced” Rune’s spells had become in the two months since we left her in Heartless Hunter. In that book, she is still struggling with spells like “pick lock,” but then suddenly, she is an expert and casting much more complex spells in that short period of time. Even if Seraphine was helping her, it doesn’t seem like enough time to gain all the knowledge she has in this book. I would have liked to hear more about how Seraphine or even Cressida helped her with her magic – since it plays such an important part in the book.
· With that said, I personally disliked the two-month time jump. It felt like a lot happened in those two months and I feel like so much is left out. I think I would have rather gotten less of the miscommunication with Rune and Gideon and more of what happened in that period. Or honestly, I feel like there is enough that this could have been three novels! What was Rune’s relationship like with Cressida during that period? Did Cressida already distrust her? I mean, she’s been her best friend as Verity for a long time now, it seems that there would be some level of trust between the two. What changed that? What was Rune’s relationship with Seraphine like during this timeframe, given what we learned about Seraphine later?
· Cressida plays a major role in this book and the actions of the characters, but funny enough, what we don’t get is a lot of Cressida. She is only present in a few scenes, specifically the conclusion of events, and overall, it felt all too easy to easy of a victory over her. I would have liked to see a lot more conflict here and the lengths to which this new Cascadian army would have to go to defeat Cressida.
· Who is Antonio? Rune comments that he had a scent to him – can’t remember what, but that is usually the indication of a witch.
· Lastly, and maybe most of all… I feel like we never see Gideon give a full declaration to Rune of his love. We see it as the reader through his chapters, and he shows it when he leaves her the note in the boat, but I was hoping for more of a proclamation of love and his feelings.

Thank you so much for the advance copy of this book!

The Crimson Moth duology is everything. One of my favorite fantasy/witchy stories of all time.

Even though it was a YA fantasy it gave true enemies to lovers. The chemistry between Rune and Gideon was everything I wanted, and the action just kept coming. I ate it up. I'm beyond glad that this sequel lived up to the hype of the first book for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5/5 ⭐️

THIS BOOK. I devoured it and it left no crumbs. I re-read Heartless Hunter on audio a couple weeks before diving into Rebel Witch and I loved revisiting this world before seeing how Rune and Gideon would handle being enemies once again.

I absolutely love that Kristen thrusts us right into the action and has our protagonists pitted against each other once again. The enemies to lovers dynamic really shines and I thought the romance was so so so good in this one.

I think one of my favorite aspects of Rebel Witch is Rune’s vulnerability. I think in a lot of YA/NA books, we see the “chosen one” with their literal and figurative armor and they head off undeterred to burn the world down. Rune, however, shows a level of humanity and vulnerability that I really appreciated, and it added a lot of depth to her character.

Rebel Witch was a great mix of old and new characters, new settings, and a fast-paced story. I absolutely loved it.

AHHHHH OH MY GOD I LOVED THIS STORY SO MUCH!

In a nearly perfect finish to this duet, I fell hard and fast for this story once more. There was adventure, hope, romance, sacrifice, hurt, betrayal, questioning of oneself and what matters, and found family.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the eARC via NetGalley and PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook! These are my honest thoughts!

I just had no idea what was going to happen in book two, as book one left off on quite the cliffhanger. This story was so much more than I could have imagined.

Rune has spent her whole life hiding her identity from the world, and to not spoil what happens at the end of book one, she finally gets to live life out loud, but on someone else's terms. She escapes, and then she ends up back where she doesn't want to be. And in the meantime, Gideon has to figure out the complexity of his own feelings surrounding witches, particularly the one who killed his family and the one he has fallen in love with. They're so different, and yet, he's stuck on the fact that they're both witches. Rune has been trained to protect herself from others finding her weaknesses, but that just doesn't apply to Gideon AT ALL. He somehow gets behind every shield and between every crack in her armor. She needs him. And that makes her feel even weaker.

These two spend a lot of time not saying what they need to, out of fear or duty, and that makes this story even more compelling. They both make sacrifices that the other person may never know. They both carry secrets that could hurt the other, but that ultimately protect.

This book brings me back to the dystopian YA universe that I loved so much in my teenager years. I appreciate it so much because Rune, Gideon, and friends are strategic and smart; they aren't afraid to do a scary thing because they know something good and right will come from it. We need more examples of this in the world, and this book gives you perspective for more than two sides of a revolution. And the hope of what it feels like to fight for what you truly believe in.

This audiobook was fantastic! I did both Heartless Hunter and Rebel Witch via audio with Grace Gray was phenomenal! She played the full cast of characters so well!

All-around, 5 stars. Sad it's over (lol).

If you were obsessed with Heartless Hunter like I was, this conclusion will not disappoint. Rebel Witch picks up shortly after the conclusion of Heartless Hunter. Our favorite witch and witch hunter continue their game of cat and mouse.

The pining and yearning in this series is some of the best I’ve ever read. At the same time, there is no sacrifice to the story or world building, it remains as rich and interesting as book 1.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rebel Witch will be available February 18! Plenty of time to read Heartless Hunter and not wait for the concluding novel! Thank you to @netgalley and @wednesdaybooks for providing this ARC for review.

4.5 stars

Rebel Witch was SUCH a good follow up to Heartless Hunter and conclusion to the duology. I’m disappointed there won’t be more after this one though. The romance was sooooo good, I love them together. The fantasy and witchy elements were just as good as the first book, if not better.

Rebel Witch definitely wasn’t a disappointing follow up to the first book and I would highly recommend it, and this duology in general!

Thank you St. Martins Press & Wednesday Books for my copy of this!

I'm doing it, I'm giving Rebel Witch 5 stars because I simply have not been able to stop thinking about this wonderful book!! REBEL WITCH IS A TOP ROMANTASY BOOK OF 2025!! If you haven't read the Heartless Hunter duo, what are you doing?? I know this will be the top of my list and honestly a contender of my top TOP books of 2025, I loved it that much. This is now one of my favorite YA romantasy series of all time :) THIS MAY HAVE MINOR SPOILERS FOR HEARTLESS HUNTER (but I tried to keep at a minimum).

Rebel Witch picks up right where Heartless Hunter left off and starts with a BANG!! Gideon has just betrayed Rune when he found out that she is a witch and he thinks she has tricked him into falling in love with her. Gideon and Rune are right back at hating each other and trying to get revenge. Rune is trying to just adjusted to her new life, living with her grief, and trying to live freely as a witch. Gideon is back in the Republic and will do anything to hunt down the Crimson Moth and kill her.

This book was ACTION PACKED!!! Honestly, the entire book flew by! I am so so impressed with how Kristin managed to write a duology with so much world-building, an in-depth plot, and really developed characters. I was in my toes the entire book. I could predict how I thought something was going to go and then was COMPLETELY thrown off. The tension and ANGST between Gideon and Rune throughout literally the entire book was just romantasy and enemies to lovers UNMATCHED. They hated each other, they secretly loved each other, they hated each other again, they thought they couldn't trust the other. But at the same time, they way that they showed up for each other, to protect each other was so pure. ALSO, there was fake-dating and sharing a bed!?! It made the tension 100x better. really loved the story of the 3 witch queens in this book and how it wove into the greater story. The ending was CRAZY and beautifully written, I genuinely cried (lol).

I listened to this book on audio mainly and it was such an incredible experience!! The narrator is Grace Gray and I have absolutely LOVED the way she narrated both books in the series. She managed to make the book even more fast paced and intense, while also making the tension and longing between Gideon and Rune stand out. I would 10/10 recommend listening to the audiobook with this one, I simply didn't want to stop listening!! Thank you to Penguin Random House Audio and Wednesday Books for the free book and ALC!!