My heart!!!!!!! I took my sweet time savoring this because I did not wanted to end. You know that feeling when you have to say goodbye to friend you’re so sure you will not see again? That’s exactly how I feel finishing this! Is this a duology? Because Mrs Cicarelli, you need to give us more Rune/Gideon, I need to see them happy, the after of the after! ALL THE STARS!

I’m so satisfied with the second half of the Crimson Moth’s story but also so heartbroken that it’s over. Heartless Hunter was my favorite fantasy read of the year so I most definitely screamed when I got an email saying I got an early copy of Rebel Witch 😭 This book has everything the first one has: witches, enemies to lovers, heartbreak, cat & mouse game, love, found family, magic. I can’t say how much y’all should read this duo. I could go on and on about this duo.

4.5 stars

Rebel Witch by Kristin Ciccarelli is just as absorbing as Heartless Hunter, the first book in the series, and I was so pleased with how much I loved it. It definitely stood up to the hype of the first book and I could not stop reading as I was desperate to see where the duology would go.

Gideon and Rune are everything. They completely make the duology because they are characters that I grew to love so quickly and despite them being on opposite sides, you can't help but want them both to win in the end. This makes for such conflicting feelings, and books that leave the reader feeling that way are so well done in my opinion. There is no easy answer between the two of their views either, as there are both positives and negatives that can be seen in why they feel the way they do, and the fact that it isn't so completely black and white and can make you feel like both characters are valid in their feelings is something I really love about this duology. And also, enemies to lovers is elite, need I say more?

Needless to say I loved both of their points of view being shown in chapters, as it gives perspective into each of their minds which is essential to the story. I also loved both of their points of view and never found myself wanting one over the other which makes me love a book all the more. Getting to see the angsty feelings between Rune and Gideon from each side of things is pretty great too.

I love, love, love a good witch story as well. This one draws me in with the fascinating magic system and I found myself wanting more details on the magic and just more magic happening. It's such a uniquely cool system with blood magic and the fact that using said magic has the consequence of leaving behind obvious scarring that points someone out as being a witch (and the thing that witch hunters have used to condemn said witches in their hunt to destroy them all). Also, the fact that they leave behind a unique signature that is basically a witches calling card on their magic is so awesome. And again, consequences because if someone knows your signature, they know exactly what magic you have cast, a fact important to the story as Rune continues to try to hide herself and her actions, this time amongst her own people who know her crimson moth signature.

Honestly I was so pleasantly surprised that Rebel Witch lived up to the expectations that Heartless Hunter set. Heartless Hunter was one of my favourite reads of the year and I loved this one just as much. Getting to see Rune and Gideon team up again all while dealing with the back and forth of their conflicting positions on opposite sides of the battle between witches and hunters had me quickly addicted to the story and this was a literal one sitting read for me. Highly, highly recommend and I'm a little sad that this duology is now complete because I loved the world and the characters so much.

One of my fav duology of all time with the perfect ending I love this characters so much

Gideon will always have my heart

What an incredible follow up to a stunning start. Rebel Witch doesn’t waste time bringing you up to speed or reminding you of book one, but instead drops you right into another amazing story.

The growth in both Rune and Gideon is clear throughout the book, and it manages to be an interesting and action-packed continuation of the story without feeling at all repetitive.

There’s tension, there’s action, there’s characters we loved in the first book and new characters that bring everything even more to life. A really great ending to the story.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the Advance Copy for review

“You are far worse than a thorn in my side,” he said, dark eyes gleaming at her. “You are knife in my heart.” “And you’re a wolf I can’t outrun,” she whispered. “Not even in my sleep.”

I felt like I was having a heart attack the entire time. My heart was pounding either from Giddiness or STRESS. Five stars. No notes. No better book feeling. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An absolutely perfect duology. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoyed Heartless Hunter, I think you’re going to be obsessed with Rebel Witch- because I did and I am.

WOW. There is so much packed into this duology. No boring bits. No downtime. Just twists and turns and near misses and action! And what an amazing conclusion for the story this was.

I loved seeing all the characters again, but a few new ones were introduced that fit in seamlessly. New settings were used that brought a vivid richness to the story. I could easily picture all the locations, so I felt immersed in the story the entire time I was reading.

Enemies to lovers at its best, I adored the push and pull between Rune & Gideon SO MUCH. These two 😭🥵🫠

Was some predictable? Yes. Was I on the edge of my seat, devouring to see it play out in spite of it? Again YES.

I didn’t wait it to end. I was at 97% of the book like noooo don’t be over. The epilogue was so satisfying, but I still wanted more. I know this is one I will come back to again and again.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for a chance to review an advance copy.

In the exhilarating finale of the Crimson Moth duology, *Rebel Witch* masterfully intertwines themes of love, betrayal, and moral ambiguity against a backdrop of high-stakes fantasy. Kristen Ciccarelli takes readers on a thrilling ride as Rune Winters and Gideon Sharpe navigate their complicated feelings and fierce allegiances in a world that teeters on the brink of chaos.

Rune's journey is fraught with danger and desperation. Betrayed by the one she loved, she finds herself in an uneasy alliance with the formidable Cressida Roseblood, a character whose ruthless ambition propels the plot into darker territories. Ciccarelli does a remarkable job of fleshing out Cressida, allowing readers to understand her motivations while still recognizing her as a threatening force. Rune’s internal conflict is palpable as she struggles between loyalty to her new ally and the haunting memories of her past with Gideon.

Gideon, on the other hand, is a compelling embodiment of the witch hunter's plight. Torn between his duty to eradicate witches and the lingering feelings he harbors for Rune, his character arc is both poignant and intense. Ciccarelli effectively captures the emotional turmoil that defines his journey, illustrating the devastating consequences of love and hatred intertwined.

The chemistry between Rune and Gideon crackles throughout the narrative, particularly as they are forced into precarious situations that challenge their preconceived notions about each other. The tension is expertly crafted, making their moments together charged with both passion and peril. As the stakes rise, Gideon faces the impossible choice of sacrificing the girl he loves or letting a dark force reclaim power over the Republic. This moral dilemma is central to the plot, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as the tension escalates toward a heart-stopping climax.

Ciccarelli’s world-building is rich and immersive, vividly bringing to life a realm where witches and hunters exist in a delicate balance of power. The stakes are higher than ever, and the author skillfully weaves action-packed sequences with introspective moments that allow readers to connect deeply with the characters’ struggles.

*Rebel Witch* is an unforgettable conclusion to the Crimson Moth duology, where love is as deadly as the magic that surrounds it. With sharp prose and intricate storytelling, Ciccarelli delivers a tale that will resonate with fans of fantasy and romance alike. As the final pages turn, readers will be left pondering the costs of love and loyalty in a world where nothing is ever truly black and white. Highly recommended for those who relish epic tales of enchantment and emotional depth.more

Without giving anything away, I thought this sequel wrapped everything up perfectly! It was tension-filled and kept my attention the entire time, just like the first book did.
I’m not disappointed at all that it’s over; sometimes it’s nice to keep fantasy series short and sweet without overdoing it. I’m already looking forward to doing a re-read in the future!

I would recommend this series to anyone who loves romantasy! Thank you St Martin’s Press for sending this ARC!

Ahh The Rebel Witch did not disappoint!
This book was so much fun and just as bingeable as the heartless hunter. The tension, the pacing and angst was just amazing! I highly recommend!

When Rune discovers that restoring Cressida to power won’t bring the freedom or safety witches deserve, she’s forced to join forces once more with Gideon Sharpe - whom she plans to ditch just as soon as she puts a stop to Cressida. Gideon, though, also has plans of his own when it comes to Rune. Just as long as their stupid hearts don’t have any say in it!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advance readers copy in exchange for my honest review. I was over the moon when this ARC was approved for reading!

Rebel Witch was one of my most anticipated reads! The conclusion of Heartless Hunter left on such a cliff hanger so I was ready to dive into this book! I absolutely love Rune and Gideons dynamic. The push and pull that they have feels complicated and real but also completely undeniable. I really enjoyed being back in the world that Kristen has created, as well as all of the little details that call back to book one, people we know and love or just things that were such a cool connection or realization. I felt like Rune became a more complex character through this book and I really appreciated her journey. Seeing Gideon change and become more confident was beautiful as well. My only wish for this book was that the conclusion had a bit more to it. It felt like we were building up to this conflict throughout the last two books and there were beautiful aspects to the ending and heartbreaking things as well, I just feel like it wrapped up a bit sudden.

I would give Rebel Witch a 4.5⭐️
Overall I really enjoyed my time with this book and I am content with the conclusion. I am excited to see what Kristen does next!

I am so so grateful to have received this ARC! Thank you thank you thank you!

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! It was just as good as the first and I’m obsessed with both as a duology. I want more of this world! Every page just sucked me in more to the love story, war, the witchcraft, and the lore.

Okay, so I feel torn about this one. I adored "The Crimson Moth/Heartless Hunter" and impatiently waited for this novel to come out. Overall, i enjoyed the story and following the characters again. The closure at the end was good, and seeing the relationship progression between the two main characters was great. I had some disappointment with the big plot twist though. It felt a little unnatural as if it were the easy solution to tie everything together. Overall I highly recommend. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

review ♥
rebel witch- kristen ciccarelli
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the free copy to review.

Rune Winters is on the run from the New Republic and is tasked by Cressida Roseblood to ensnare Prince Soren of Umbria. Although Rune dislikes Cressida’s mission to place witches in power, she is revolted by the New Republic’s goal of murdering all witches to extinction. Gideon Sharpe is no longer captain of the Blood Guard and must regain the trust of the republic after falling in love with the Crimson Moth. Both Gideon and Rune must work together, whilst coming up with plans to betray the other, to assist their cause. Throughout their journey, they must refrain from falling back in love, or else they may find themselves risking their lives for one another.

Rebel Witch was the perfect conclusion to the Heartless Hunter duology. Kristen Ciccarelli has outdone herself, and I can confidently say this is my number one read of the year and favorite duology. Rune is such a relatable character. Her strength and will to save the world, combined with the insecurities and longing of a teenager make her journey easy to understand. Even when she has to choose between love, fighting, and safety, she follows a character arc that builds and strengthens her overall personality. Gideon never fails to make me kick my feet and giggle. He is the perfect example of the ideal man written by a woman. Their hatred of one another's betrayal coupled with their desire makes this game of cat and mouse so intriguing. Both characters dive deeper into themselves as the plot thickens and increases the stakes. I cannot get over the plot twists, betrayal, unveiling of characters' secrets, and still the death of Alex. I fear I will never get over it, and I had hoped he would come back to life (which he did not). Overall, I haven’t read a book that I couldn’t put down in a long time. Not a chapter goes by where you aren’t searching for answers and longing to know more about how Rune and Gideon’s relationship pans out.

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Where do I start? I could not wait for this book after reading book 1! This book was everything. The plot was fast-paced and engaging. We start with Rune trying to build up the army of witches to reclaim their home and Gideon is back to hating witches (shocker). They are on opposite sides again, but their love for each other keeps pulling them back in to help each other, even when it goes against what they believe in or think they want. Rune and Gideon are the definition of soul mates. They didn't give up on each other, even when they thought they hated each other and this made their relationship stronger than it would have been. The separation allowed them to grow and become the people they needed to be, for both themselves and each other.

This storyline was a good mix of adventure, betrayal, action, and romance. This combined with the amazing characters made for an amazing book (and duology). I look forward to seeing what else Kristen Ciccarelli creates!

Thank you to the author and St. Martin's Press for an ARC. This is my voluntary and honest review.

LOVE LOVE LOVE! This was even better than book one in my opinion. There were tons of tropes (including fake marriage *heart eyes*) and the romance was soooooo good. I love a good cat and mouse dynamic and of course Rune and Gideon are the perfect characters for it. I loved their banter and the magic. I will be recommending this duology to everyone.

Rebel Witch is one of my most anticipated releases and sequels of 2025 and what a wild ride it was! We pick right up where Heartless Hunter left off, with more cat and mouse games from Rune and Gideon. This book is action packed, fast paced, I was on the edge of my seat for a lot of it wondering what these two were going to do with the deception, betrayal, and secrets that sometimes the readers were or weren't privy to.

Someone described them as Mr. and Mrs. Smith and I could not agree more. Between the mutual pining and the hate love enemies, I just wanted to bang Rune's and Gideon's heads together sometimes with all the tangled mess they were wrapped up in. I just needed these two to be together!

After reading this book, it dawned on me that it reminded me of Fable (one of my favorites), with a lot of plot packed in a two book fantasy duology with twists and turns but has the right amount of emotions to give it that depth and romantic feeling these two main characters have towards eachother and you couldn't help but care and root for them both.

I really loved this conclusion so much and The Crimson Moth is one of my top duologies ever!

A very thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

WHAT A FINALE. I am blessed beyond belief to have gotten an ARC copy of this story that was 1 of a few that had me at the edge of my seat with my book bestie needing to know the end.

Picking up where book 1 ended but not without a bang. Rune Winter is playing a part, but is her part too good? Gideon, the knight in shining armor that he wishes to be with a cold heart kept me on my toes. I loved every second of this book and I am so happy that we got the ended it deserved.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I still can't contain my excitement when I think about this book, and I've read it twice already. I was ecstatic (and in a little bit of shock) when I held the physical arc in my hands. I don't know if I've ever been more excited for a book after that crazy cliff hanger Kristen left us on in The Crimson Moth/Heartless Hunter. (still not okay from that, btw). And I'll be honest, I was scared to begin reading it. I've had too many books lately where the conclusion fell flat - rushed, not enough content to really flesh out a full second book, or the conflict and tension from the first book seemed to fizzle out by the second.

But you guys! This book does NOT DISAPPOINT! I absolutely cannot WAIT for it to come out so I can see other's reactions to the conclusion to this story! If you are someone like me, who often feels let down/disappointed by a sequel or the conclusion to a duology ... then you need to pre-order your copy now because this book is everything that The Crimson Moth/Heartless Hunter was, and MORE! I loved it more than the first book and that one was already my favourite read of the year, hands down (and one of my top romantic fantasies). I cannot squeal enough about this book and the rollercoaster of feelings it puts you on through Rune and Gideon's eyes. I don't know how Kristen manages to do it every time but she is a master of knocking romantic fantasy out of the park! I cried for these characters on multiple occasions - for what they've gone through, for the heartache they felt, and for a certain event that I'm still not sure if I forgive Kristen for putting me through (of course I do, because let's face it, we all know that we love to have our hearts put through the ringer when we're reading a masterfully plotted book with characters we can live and breathe through!).

Rebel Witch picks up right where The Crimson Moth/Heartless Hunter left off ... and jumps right into the angst, betrayal, longing, conflict from page one. We're tossed back into Rune and Gideon's conflict of feelings, and Kristen just keeps adding on more! The heartache this book wrung me through ... for both characters. And we get a more in-depth look at more characters. Do yourself a favour and pre-order this one, you won't be sorry!

If I could give this book higher than 5/5 stars, I would!!

This is one of those rare cases when I like the second book much more than the first. Great conclusion to this romantic fantasy duology. It's one readers will be wanting more.