Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The tension between Rune and Gideon was flawlessly executed, and the pacing was fantastic. There were certain elements to the plot that felt a little convenient and underdeveloped, but it wasn't enough to detract from the story. I'm excited for KCs next project!

AHHHHH Rebel Witch by @kristenciccarelli was the absolute perfect conclusion to The Crimson moth.
I always seem to judge how good a book is by how quickly I finish it since I'm such a slow reader, I finished this book in 2 and 1/2 days.

SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1 BELOW

Crimson moth left me on the edge of a cliff begging to know what will happen to Rune and Gideon after the death of Alex and the exposure of Cressida.
Rune and Gideon are separated by land and love, but he is still the witch hunter and she the witch. In order to prove his loyalty, Gideon must kill the Crimson Moth, but can he do it? Will he choose the side of the Republic or will he choose love.

Kristen's ability to write sexual tension into words on a page is superior to any other book of this caliber. It's SO. GOOD. Any the plot twists?!? Ugh. So good. I'm so sad it's over... I could read about Rune and Gideon indefinitely.

Be sure to pick this one up when it publishes February 27, 2025!!

I read this entire thing in just over a day. This and the original crimson moth both flowed very well and were great reads. Both 5 stars and I’ll be looking forward to anything else from this author.
Great timings in book and nothing dragged at any point.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy, all opinions are my own.

4.5–5⭐ This is how you finish a story successfully. ཐིཋྀ🤩
I couldn't stop reading and didn't want it to end!

Is this book better than the first one? YES, and I really enjoyed book 1.
The story is engaging from the beginning, and we don't have to wait long to see Rune and Gideon interacting with each other.

The author does an amazing job answering all the questions and resolving unresolved issues. The story reflects on social, political, and religious complexities with a satisfying conclusion.

The characters wrestle with deep internal conflicts—between right and wrong, vengeance and justice, power and freedom. Rune and Gideon's points of view explore their constant self-analysis, confronting their fears, dreams, and desires. I really love this couple; their relationship evolves into something beautiful.

There are some predictable twists in the plot, but that doesn't change what a great ride it was to read this duology.

"I don't deserve this girl". He slid his palms against her cheeks and tilted her head back. "But I want to. I want to be the man who deserves Rune Winters."

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a stunning conclusion to the duology and it had me gripped from the start, much like The Crimson Moth. I loved the continuation of Gideon and Rune's story, although I was concerned how this would conclude as it didn't feel like there were enough pages left! However, Kristen beautifully wraps up the duology and created a beautiful world and immersive story across both books.

Kristen has a way of immersing you into their world without the need for complicated worldbuilding and high fantasy complexity. That isn't to say the story suffers with its simplicity but that rather it is beautiful in its simplicity, making the story accessible to most readers whether they usually read the fantasy genre or not.

This is a series I would thoroughly recommend to everyone if you are looking for an accessible fantasy read with gripping story, romance, intrigue and are a fan of the enemies to lovers trope. Absolute perfection!

Wow.

I absolutely adored the second book in this duology. Don’t get me wrong, the enemies to lovers gave me whiplash…. But in a good cat and mouse kind of way.

- Betrayals
- Secrets
- Curses
- One bed trope
-HEA

The final instalment of this duology does not disappoint!

Betrayal, forced proximity, enemies to lovers back to enemies this sequel story continues in the fast paced fantasy of witch hunters and witches and a civil war on the horizon.
Both Gideon and Rune need to find a way to trust each other and with their last words are not going to be enough!

Book two may not be as light hearted as book one but it has matured in the wake of the choices our characters have had to make and the twists on turns their lives are taking there is no choice but to fight for what you believe and choose your allies wisely!

I received this book as an ARC and provide and honest review

This has been one of my most anticipated sequels of the year and it did not disappoint!

Rune and Gideon's romance is one of my ultimate favourites and I'm obsessed with their relationship. That being said, this constant 'should I?/shouldn't I?' in this book got old really fast. It was almost every 2nd or 3rd page. Like, really!?

I loved their adventure and I'm sad to see it end. I'll just have to re-read it as often as possible.

I absolutely loved this book. This was a fantastic story with a brilliant end to The Crimson Moth. I kept thinking I knew where the story was going only for something to happen and prove me wrong. I was lolled into a false sense of security by guessing some of the plot, to then be left completely clueless and getting scared for how the book was going to end. I am not an emotional person, but this very nearly brought a tear to my dried up ducts. I enjoyed every page of this book.

Kristen Ciccarelli's "The Rebel Witch", the much-anticipated sequel to "Heartless Hunter", delivers a heart-pounding conclusion to this gripping duology. The novel picks up with Rune Winters on the run, forced to ally with the ruthless and ambitious Cressida Roseblood to survive and reclaim power for witches. On the other side of this magical battlefield stands Gideon Sharpe—a former lover turned relentless witch hunter—driven by duty and lingering pain after Rune’s apparent betrayal.

In this thrilling tale of power, love, and betrayal, Ciccarelli crafts a riveting plot, brimming with tense alliances and emotional conflict. The dynamic between Rune and Gideon, rooted in betrayal and complicated by their simmering, rekindled feelings, drives the narrative with passion and tension. As they navigate their precarious bond, readers are drawn into their impossible choices and are kept guessing about who, if anyone, they can truly trust.

"The Rebel Witch" excels in its portrayal of a strong female protagonist in Rune—fiercely determined and multi-layered—and its exploration of shifting loyalties, heartbreak, and hope amidst chaos. Fans of the "enemies-to-lovers-back-to-enemies-back-to-lovers" trope will revel in the rollercoaster of emotions and intrigue.

Ciccarelli's masterful storytelling weaves love and political intrigue seamlessly, culminating in a satisfying blend of fast-paced action and poignant moments of reflection. For readers captivated by "Heartless Hunter", this sequel exceeds expectations with its depth, high stakes, and nuanced character arcs. It's a darkly enchanting tale of love, sacrifice, and the cost of power that will leave readers breathless.

Why is it over? I want more. This story has really surprised me, and I love it so much.

This was one of my most anticipated releases, and it did not disappoint. It was magical, fun, sad. All the emotions.

The story picks up not too long after book one, and I felt like I had forgotten a lot of details, but as i kept reading everything came back pretty quickly, which was really nice and refreshing.

I absolutely love this book and series. But the amount of not really miscommunication, but just no communication and lack of trust (though understandable) drove me crazy at times. That being said, I didn’t enjoy it any less for that, and never wanted it to end.

3.5 stars

I think I need a break from romantasy as the last few books I have read in this sub-genre have been underwhelming and too similar to other books I have read in the past. I enjoyed this sequel much more than the first book (which is why I changed my rating for The Crimson Moth to 3 stars), but it was mostly because of the romance. The plot fell flat for me, it's very weak and predictable.

I enjoyed the enemies to lovers dynamic in this book, it was very angsty and there was a lot of tension between the characters. Rune, once again, didn't stand out to me, my opinion remains that she is a character with potential to be better, but her actions make her look like a naive, cowardly girl most of the time. For someone who is supposed to be so strong and badass, there were many times when she wanted to hide and run away from everything, even if it meant leaving everyone she cared about behind, which makes no sense considering she spent the first book helping the witches escape. Gideon is mostly the same in this book, but I appreciated that he was the one who took the first step to come up with a plan to take down the bad guys and make sure their home was a safe place for everyone.

I also liked how fast paced the story was, but like I said, the plot isn't anything outstanding. This book didn't expand on the world building or magic system and the resolution was rushed. I didn't like the use of a certain trope at the end, a trope that I think has been used one too many times in other books. It was all so easy and there wasn't enough build-up to the final scene, making it much less emotional than it could have been. A little more depth would have been appreciated.

I don't have much more to add, my mind is mostly going blank trying to think of what else to add to this review. I had a really good time reading this book, but the truth is that this will not be a memorable duology for me.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

This dueology is EVERYTHING!
Absolutely obsessed with it and have recommended it to everyone I speak to! The magic is so easy to understand, following the storyline/plot is so easy but it just gives all the feels. Ruin and Gideon’s characters are just perfect. The ending couldn’t have been any better 🫶🏻 I know a lot of people will say it would be better with spice but honestly doesn’t bother me at all, the storyline more than gives everything I needed in a book! These books did take longer to read than normal but I did want to savour them and I was so sad when they ended!
Cant wait to do a reread already and I am going to deep dive into Kristen Ciccarelli’s work!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

4.75/5

Extremely picky minor mark down purely because I guessed majority of the plot twists and felt like quite a few people will guess easily. Other than that, this book was INSANE. This was an absolute JOURNEY and I devoured every single second. The only thing I wanted more of was an epilogue, I needed more of future Rune and Gideon to eat up.

The plot was fast-paced, we moved all over the place. We got a cat and mouse game, our main characters were still enemies yet completely secretly obsessed with one another. There was fake marriage and I screeeeamed!!

I got what I wanted, which was much more magic. This book had tons of it, new ones as well as ones we've seen before. The development of certain characters was fun to read, it worked well with the story. The story felt more brutal than the first book and I loved it. Higher stakes, lots of action and drama and killing. Plenty of fight scenes and moments where you wonder if someone's going to make it or not.

Honestly probably one of my favourite books I've read this year. Devoured!!!

Earlier in the year I rated The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli 5 stars, and was lucky enough to get an ARC for book two, The Rebel Witch thanks to netgalley harpervoyager_uk.

Let me tell you, The Rebel Witch delivers on all fronts. It was an easy 5 stars for me, I devoured it in two sittings. Rune and Gideon shine as protagonists, with entertaining banter and good character development. The plot doesn’t miss any of the major beats and feels well paced throughout. These books have a palpable tension woven into the narratives, and the writing absolutely shines. It makes me what to read everything Kristen Ciccarell is capable of writing!

If you haven’t already, add The Crimson Moth to your TBR!

This book was the best way to end this duology, everything about it was immaculate. The tension, the banter, the characters, i loved the fact that it was a true enemies to lovers book. Very fast paced with lots of action. I’m not ready to let these characters go and that says a lot about how much i loved it. The first book wasn’t something mind blowing but this book did really unfold the story and made it what it was.

What a beautiful ending to an amazing story!! This story made me giggle kick my feet and SCREAM KISS ALREADY!!!

5/5 Excellent world building and Witch plot

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Magpie Books and the author for the eARC!

Never have I been more excited to receive an ARC. I loved the first book in this series and was eagerly awaiting the sequel, positively scrambling to get in line for a first look. Boy was that worth it - this so was so fun! Again, a prime example of when the tropes and plot devices aren’t new, but don’t we love it when they’re executed well.

Right from the start the plot moves at breakneck speed - poor Rune can’t catch a break - and once I picked this up it was so hard to put it down. Yet interspersed throughout all the fast paced action are wonderfully tender moments. Characterization is key in a book like this, and you could tell a lot of thought had been put into Rune, Gideon and all of the supporting cast, from their inner turmoil to the relationship dynamics. Rune and Gideon’s relationship, from the initial betrayal to the tension, and dialogue was just *chef’s kiss*. I love a little tortured hero character and Gideon fits that perfectly🥺

One minor qualm I had was that the ending felt a little rushed, as if it were haphazardly tied up with a pretty bow? Nevertheless, that wasn’t enough to damper my enjoyment of this book. I had such fun reading this and will of course be recommending to friends once it’s published. Sad to say goodbye, but hopefully the author’s not done with this world yet…🦋!

This is definitely a very decent sequel, I just can't help but feel a tiny bit disappointed.

Maybe comparing it to the first book is doing this one a disservice, because The Crimson Moth was one of the best books I've ever read. The story continued nicely in this one, and whilst I loved many things about it, I was left wanting... more.

I truly loved Rune and Gideon's dynamic, the continuation of their conflicting feelings towards one another versus their personal beliefs.

The addition of a few tropes fitted so well, like the brief one bed, fake marriage situation. The intimate moments between Rune and Gideon were also fantastic, and a little jealousy thrown in made things even more tense.

But everything just seemed so convenient plot wise, I wasn't on the edge of my seat the entire time, like with the first book. There were very few unpredictable moments, it mostly seemed so completely obvious, with very few surprises. Although, maybe it's a good thing I was able to guess what would happen, showing I know and love these characters a lot?

Also, I found it hard to believe that Gideon had to convince Rune to stay and fight, rather than flee, when she's the one who spent two years risking her life to free witches. Wouldn't she want to do everything in her power to save as many people as possible, instead of running away? I do kind of understand that she's meant to be afraid, and doesn't want to lose Gideon, but come on.

What about Rune's future predicting abilities? Are we just glossing over and forgetting about that?!

And I really wanted the Ancients to make more of an appearance!

Ultimately, whilst I did have a pretty amazing time reading it, I am still left with unanswered questions and I'm just not completely satisfied with this conclusion.

First of all, thank you @netgalley and @harpercollinsuk for this gifted e-arc.
This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2025. I can't believe I got to read it early.

This is such an amazing duology. And both books are so good. These two definitely belong in my top favorite books of this year.

I like that both books are fast paced and easy to understand. I would say that if you are new to the fantasy genre, this would be a great duology to start with.
The romance in these books are perfection, I love the banter and tension between the maincharacters. And the fact that it is written in dual pov makes it even better.

The Rebel Witch also had a lot of my favorite tropes in it. Some of them, I have written below.

I know that this is a very populair book and that there are some people who don't appreciate spoilers.
So if you want 0 spoilers stop reading the next lines because I'm going to share one of my favorite quotes and some of the tropes of this book.

"Go ahead. Pull the trigger." "I intend to."
"Yeah? Prove it". He'd forgotten the way her eyes raged when she was angry. Like a storm he wanted to walk straight into.
"We both know what you want to do to me, Gideon. Well, here is your chance."
His gaze slid to her mouth.
"You have no idea, the things I want to do to you."

- Romantasy
- Witch hunter x witch
- Enemies to lovers
- Forbidden magic
- 'Who did this to you?'
- Forced proximity
- Once bed
- Push & pull
- Banter
- Tension
- Evil queen
- Found family
- Dual POV
- Fast paced