Thank you HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to read, quite frankly, one of my most anticipated reads of 2025!
5 stars is not enough for this book, if I could give it 100 I would! The Rebel Witch had me hook, line and sinker from the first page and I DEVOURED it in less than 48 hours. I loved the fact we jumped straight into a reunion between Rune and Gideon, there was no waiting around for them to come together. The banter and attempted hatred back and fore was perfectly written, and the yearning and tension was next level. Gideon trying to fight his feelings but constantly pining after Rune’s touch? Had me kicking and squealing with every page! A lot happened in this book and for some people I can see how it could be considered fast pace but everything just worked for me, I wished it was longer! Although I predicted the twists, they were so expertly written it didn’t even matter. The way Rune and Gideon constantly fought for each other and their relationship was heartwarming, but also heart wrenching (the last few chapters had me in hysterics). I am so sad this duology is finished, but it sits at the top of 2024 reads together. Absolutely loved it from start to finish!

3.5 rounded down for goodreads and netgalley.
It was a rather anticipated release of mine and overall, it was not disappointing. It is a solid follow-up to a book that I enjoyed reading a few weeks ago. The pace is satisfying and there’s not a lot of slow moments. Some reveals were interesting. Beware though, this is not a young adult book but a new adult because of some sexual content. That disappointed me a little bit, I think the book would have been better with some fade-to-black scenes instead of on-page scenes. And as long as there’s sexual content in a romantasy novel, it can’t be a young adult for me. Young adult romantasy is safe and smut-free.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This is why I love romantasy!!! One of the best romantasy duology in my opinion. The worldbuilding, the characters, the tension, everything about this was perfect. Fast paced and filled with so much action. Betrayals you won’t see coming. Kept me on the edge of my seat. The romance had me giggling and kicking my feet constantly. The tension was everything. Definitely seeing myself rereading it once it has been released!!

I don't even know where to begin with writing this review other than this was everything I could have hoped for and more. Reading this felt like coming home, an ode to everything I love in a fantasy book: heart stopping romance, tension, plot-twists that leave your heart racing and bucket fulls of action. This book took me to the edges of a cliff and left me breathless until the very last page.

In this heart racing sequel, Rune and Gideon, a witch and witch-hunter, find themselves on opposing sides, both vowing to betray one another one last time. A fragile truce is born from shared interests, forcing the two to work together very close in proximity. The stakes are higher, the tension is greater and neither knows if they can ever fully trust each other. There's confusion, there's hurt, there's betrayal, but at the same time there's undeniable yearning, tension and chemistry. My heart broke for Rune and Gideon reading this. The hurt they both went through, the choices they both had to make and the feelings they had to navigate in order to simply fight to be with one another was devastating at times and euphoric at others. I'm so glad they got the ending that they deserved.

I haven't read a sequel that has made me feel this way in a while. Rune and Gideon deserve the world and have my entire heart. I might know the ending to their story now, but I cannot wait to revisit this world Kristin Ciccarelli has created again and again. This is a story that will stay in my mind and heart for a very long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperVoyagerUK for providing me with an early reading copy, you have my endless thanks and gratitude (and trauma for the tears caused reading this).

Thank you so much Netgalley & HarperCollins UK, for giving me this early copy of The rebel Witch , I SCREAMED SO LOUD when I got the email with the approval .

A captivating finale to a highly addictive and entertaining duology. In the wake of a dramatic betrayal in Heartless Hunter (2024), a witch and a witch hunter are again embroiled in a high-stakes struggle to outwit each other, further complicated by their deepening, conflicting feelings.

Kristen Ciccarelli you did it again , you smashed this out the park and I don't want to give too much away as this book isn't OUT YET BUT THIS WAS A WILD RIDE . Rebel Witch is outstanding and I loved every second of it . 10/10

TOP BOOK FOR 2025 I am calling it now

I need a physical copy as a trophy ASAP .

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!