୨⎯ 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒔 ⎯୧
rating: 4.5
plot: 4
characters: 4.5
writing: 4
romance: 4.5

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“You are far worse than a thorn in my side, You are a knife in my heart.”

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°•*⁀➷ what to expect
witch + witch hunters
enemies to lovers
second chance??
jealousy
best friends brother
forbidden romance
dual POV
gets a lil spicy but not explicit
lots of back and forth
BETRAYAL(S)(?)

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°•*⁀➷ the rundown
this was an incredible sequel to Heartless Hunter and an end to The Crimson Moth. i’m sad it’s over, i would have delightfully read any and every book of Gideon and Rune if it had their banter. The obvious attraction but betraying minds. They were hot and cold and gave everything and nothing. I devoured this and savored it and am still begging for more slivers of THEM!

”Rune was right about one thing: she wasn’t just a girl. Not to him. She was so much more than that. Rune was a sparring partner. Someone to fight with, and admire. Someone to match. Rune was a force. One Gideon could barely keep up with.”

anyways, i didn’t really care too much about the pacing of this duet, i read some reviews complaining about them but honestly i felt like they paced really well and got to the point which is what I enjoy. I didn’t have to skim too much and got to enjoy the story and get all the info at a timely manner. if i thought too hard maybe i’d ask questions or have comments but i was here for vibes and they were shining and shimmering with Gideon and Rune.

ohmygod the fuck it scene had me screaming!!!

Cressida is just as evil as she was in the first book, although I did expect more from her or the Blood Guard! this was a lot different than the first book, the atmosphere and the friendships or surrounding characters are not the same except for two of Gideons friends.

”If this was weakness, he wanted to be weak. If this was sin, let him be damned to hell.”

We get to see more casting rune scars and how witches usually sport them when not in hiding or undercover and honestly it’s so stunning. I sri wish there was more history or explanation to the casting runes mark, like why was Rune a moth?

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ᯓ 𝜗𝜚 thank you netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | Magpie for an arc! I am so grateful to have been accepted for this arc, I loved reading Gieon and Rune fight their love for each other!!

The Crimson Moth/Heartless Hunter was one of my top reads of 2024 and so the conclusion to Rune and Gideon’s story has been highly anticipated. Rebel Witch, sadly, fell short for me in many ways. It isn’t *terrible* but it really just doesn’t hit the same. The first half dragged on for seemingly no reason, the overall pacing felt off, it is really repetitive and while the ending is *fine*, it doesn’t really have the payoff we want for Rune and Gideon. It almost feels like it could use with some additional development time. I would still recommend it for anyone who loved The Crimson Moth/Heartless Hunter, just be prepared for it to be a much different book than you’re expecting.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kristen Ciccarelli and publishers for allowing me the honour to read this much anticipated title before release. I am so grateful.

*This review does contain spoilers for The Crimson Moth (book 1).

Summary

The Rebel Witch is the highly anticipated sequel to The Crimson Moth/Heartless Hunter. A tale of an aristocrat witch (Rune) also known as The Crimson Moth as she tries her best to save her kind and survive as they are hunted down by The Blood Guard. The Blood Guard is led by Gideon Sharpe, a man set on revenge to take down the infamous Crimson Moth.

After the events at the end of The Crimson Moth this sequel jumps in right where book one ended. Characters are left dealing with the aftermath of destruction and great loss.

Rune is on the run after her true identity was revealed and now everyone wants her dead. In order to survive Rune has to ally with a notorious and cruel witch who's only goal is to rule over the republic with the reign of witches. After being betrayed by The Crimson Moth, Gideon is under pressure to take her down with haste before the witches can rule over all. "Every last witch must die. Especially Rune Winters".

Review

After falling head over heels for The Crimson Moth and leaving it a 5 star review, I just knew I had to read The Rebel Witch, and as soon as I could. There is not a single thing I can find fault with in this amazing Duology! I really didn't think that book 1 could be topped, goodness me was I wrong! And by a longshot.

The Rebel Witch was everything that I had wanted and far more. There was action from start to finish and the plot certainly did not disappoint. There was also really interesting character development as well as the addition to some beloved book tropes including the infamous enemies to lovers. And when I say this, I mean true enemies to lovers. The tension was written so well that I was literally on the edge of my seat while taking in every moment.

Kirsten Ciccarelli is an author that knows just how much to pull on our heartstrings to make us feel so invested in the characters and their journeys. And because of this talent, Ciccarelli is now an auto buy author for me. I felt every emotion possible when reading The Rebel Witch. I laughed, I was shaking with anticipation, I gasped in shock and I sobbed my little heart out while my tears fell like a rainfall. The last time I had felt this was while reading the infamous Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas.

I am so incredibly sad to see this story come to a close. However it will be one that I will be recommending and holding dear to me for a very long time. Dare I say it, The Crimson Moth & The Rebel Witch is a Duology that will be contently sitting within the top 5 of my favourite books series! And I have a feeling it will remain there for the for the foreseeable future.

I genuinely cannot recommend The Rebel Witch enough and I fear that my review will not be able to do it the justice that it deserves. A phenomenal, beautifully written story that deserves all of the praise it receives.

I will be purchasing The Rebel Witch upon it's publication to sit proudly on my bookshelf like a little trophy.

Thank you Kristen Ciccarelli for this absolute masterpiece, I will be sending my therapy bills your way.

3.75 stars

An enjoyable read, the chemistry between Rune and Gideon in this book was even better than the first book, but the magic system/ witch lore needed to be more developed.

The ending was also a little anticlimactic, Cressida was defeated too easy in my opinion.

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

I was so excited to read Rune and Gideon’s conclusion! I won’t lie I did get very frustrated with the miscommunication and was getting a bit of whiplash with the back and forth of whether they hated each other or not, but that was also part of the enjoyment as I was on the edge of my seat. All in all I think it wrapped up perfectly and I was emotional at the end knowing it was over 🥺

Okay. I devoured this book. It’s perfect. Enemies to lovers back to enemies? Perfection. I don’t know what to say without spoilers but this book lived up to the first one and honestly disappointed this isn’t going to be a series that ends up with 8 books. Kristen Ciccarelli makes sure you feel all the emotions and the tension throughout the book is better than the first. The growth of the characters and action is so good, I’m going to be recommending this duology to everyone I know and is now definitely one of my faves. Do I need multiple editions of this book? Absolutely every single one of them

This book was 🔥🔥🔥🔥.

I adore this duology for various reasons:

1. High stakes - pacy and gripping. I loved the end of chapter cliffhangers.

2. The tension will they/won't they Enemies to Lovers plot was perfect. I loved Rune's hesitation.

3. The villains were truly villain-ing!

4. The romance. Delicious slowburn.

5. The ending. I almost threw my kindle but I loved it. Emotional and epic.

Thank you for allowing me to read this incredible duology! 🩷

This was the perfect conclusion to a unique captivating world.

Ciccarelli's storytelling is both captivating and immersive, drawing readers in with magic, danger, and suspense. The characters are complex and well-developed, with both Rune and Gideon's growth and resilience shining brightly throughout. Themes of rebellion, self-discovery, and growth are woven into the plot, making for a compelling and engaging read.

The pacing is well-balanced, with a mix of action, emotional moments, and suspense that kept me gripped from start to finish. Ciccarelli's writing is evocative and vivid, bringing her world and its characters to life in a way that is both enchanting and memorable.

At one point I was questioning how the book was going to wrap up in time, but honestly? Shame on me for doubting Ciccarelli's mastermind. It was the perfect conclusion to a masterpiece of a duology and I never wanted it to end.

Thankyou thankyou thankyou to Harper Voyager and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This duology deserves all the stars and more, the sequel didn't disappoint one bit. I will be recommending this to anyone and everyone. After the events of The Crimson Moth, there was no way I would've been able to wait until February to read The Rebel Witch so as soon as I saw it available on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to get it and I was so happy when I got approved for my most anticipated book of 2025 and didn't hesitate to read it as soon as I could.

The Rebel Witch jumps right in as we see Rune and Gideon reunited for the first time since the events of The Crimson Moth. With the two at odds: one with orders to kill and the other siding with the enemy, they are soon forced to work together after a series of events unfold, and somehow try not to kill each other in the process. Their goal is simple: take down Cressida but can they really put aside their hatred aside? Can they really work together if they both have plans to betray the other?

I really didn't want this to end (secretly hoping for spin offs) because I am so in love with this world and the magic system, and of course Gideon and Rune. They are enemies to lovers at it's finest and their relationship throughout this duology is so fun to read. The constant back and fourth of "will they/won't they" was so entertaining, nobody does it quite like them. The tension? The angst? The yearning and longing? Give it all to me. I need more. They banter had me grinning and swooning despite what was happening.

I really felt for Rune in this book, after seeing her so brave and headstrong in The Crimson Moth to someone who is constantly burying her emotions because she is plagued with self doubt. Her decision making isn't always the best, but I loved seeing her growth. I would've liked to see have seen her learn more spells instead of relying on the three spells she knows and uses most. There were times that she could've done with having different spells at her disposal. If you follow me on Twitter/X then you just know my whole reading thread is just full of my love for Gideon Sharpe, that man can do no wrong. I loved reading him fighting between his heart and head, both wanting completely different things. I'm so glad that we got to see a different side to Gideon ion this book, showing how conflicted he was when it came to Rune and doing what he believed was the right thing. My heart broke for him after what happened in The Crimson Moth, it's really no surprise that he hates witches after everything he endured because of them. I was really rooting for his happy ending and I'm so glad that he got it.

The Rebel Witch was everything that I needed and more. It was the perfect sequel and if you loved the first instalment then you'll love this one just as much. If I didn't have work then I would've devoured this book in a day because I was hooked from start to finish, I didn't want to put it down. This duology isn't one to miss, I highly recommend to everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🔥 One of my favourite quotes - 'If this was weakness, he wanted to be weak. If this was sin, let him be damned to hell.' 🥵🔥

Firstly, thank you so much to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction (Magpie) & Netgalley for allowing me to read The Rebel Witch in exchange for honest feedback.

Wow, wow, WOW!! The Crimson Moth was brilliant, a 5-star read, but The Rebel Witch is on another level! 🔥 What an epic conclusion to this brilliant duology! From start to finish, I was absolutely ENGROSSED - I couldn't put my Kindle down, unless it was absolutely necessary! 🤭 The pace of the story was unbelievable, keeping me hooked from page 1, all the way through to the final page - I just couldn't wait to read more about Rune & Gideon, my favourite Witch & Witch Hunter. This is absolutely one of my top reads of the year, potentially of all time! ❤️

I finished the last 8% of The Rebel Witch during my lunch break at work, and oh my days, I struggled to contain my emotions because the ending was amazing - it was shocking but soooo good!! 🫣🥹❤️

Not only is the content of the book amazing, the cover is absolutely STUNNING and the art at the beginning of each chapter is beautiful 😍⚘️

Without a doubt, this is one of the best enemies-to-lovers books that I've read so far. Their relationship sucked me right in to the point I felt like I was the third-wheel, shouting at them to 'just get it on already!' 🤭 The tension, the burning hatred for each other, the drama they go through together, the desperate longing, the wee bit of spice 👀🔥 - it was phenomenal. Oh, and the epilogue is just perfection. As the blurb says, 'love has never been so deadly', but for who? 👀🫣

I don't want to say much more in case I give anything away... All I'll say is that if you love romantasy, witchy drama, a grumpy commander, forced proximity, brilliant supporting characters, a cat & mouse chase and lots of tension, drama and emotions, then this is the book for you! 🤌🏻❤️🔥

I read The Crimson Moth at the beginning of the year and absolutely loved it so I'm incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to read and review this book.

Firstly, the world building and atmosphere continue to be strong, immediately immersing you back into the story of the character's journey. Rune and Gideon’s growth is compelling. However, I felt like some of the side characters and their plots could have been developed more. I would have liked to have paid more attention to these moments within the story, as I was intrigued to learn more.

While this book had its strengths and I was excited to return to this world, it lacked the spark that the first book captured so vividly and made it so captivating. It was an enjoyable read but not as satisfying as I had hoped going into this.

An incredible conclusion to the duology! This sequel picks up right where the first book left off, delivering all the action and character moments fans loved. Your favourite characters are back, and they play even more significant roles this time around. The forbidden love and yearning are exquisitely written, and the ending is absolutely soul-crushing in the best way possible.

Packed with Action and Magic: This instalment introduces more spells and is brimming with action from start to finish. The duology truly deserves all the stars and lives up to the hype.

No Spoilers Here: I’ve tried hard not to give away any spoilers, so you can enjoy every twist and turn for yourself.

Special Thanks: Thank you so much for the ARC via NetGalley.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the eArc! I absolutely loved the first book, so this sequel was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Although I enjoyed it, I didn’t love it quite as much as the first.
It took me a while to get into the story, but once the pace picked up, I found myself fully engaged. The tension and witty banter between Rune and Gideon were fantastic, but the lack of proper communication between them was frustrating at times.While there were some interesting twists, they felt a bit predictable. The writing was just as amazing and magical as it was in the first book.
I'm really going to miss these characters, but I’m glad they ended up together and got the happy ending they deserved.

Enemies to lover....tick
One bed.... tick

I thought Alex would be mentioned more? The female lead was great and strong headed

This book delivered. What a great series & author!

The Rebel Witch did not disappoint!!

Picking up where The Crimson Moth left off, Rebel throws you right into the thick of things and I honestly could not stop reading!! The tension between Rune and Gideon is masterfully written, the dual POV making it even more intense!

The stakes in this stunning sequel are even higher, with plot twists that keep you guessing even after they’re revealed! I cannot wait to have a physical copy in my hands and I’m praying Fairyloot are able to do a copy to match The Crimson Moth

Loved this book so much! Wasn’t sure the first one could be topped but I was very happy with this sequel/ ending to the story.
Very good and satisfying ending.
Will now be trying Kristen’s other books :)

⭐⭐⭐.5 / 5

I really enjoyed The Crimson Moth, so I was super excited when I was approved for an ARC of The Rebel Witch. One of the things I appreciated most was that the author didn’t stretch the plot to fill a trilogy. I am a huge fan of duologies, as they provide enough context and character development without becoming overwhelming.

I found the main characters in this book to be well-developed. Although this duology targets YA and NA audiences, it also addresses well tough themes like SA and grief. I enjoyed the angst and tension in the romance between a witch and a witch hunter, but I felt it was a bit overdone. The back-and-forth dynamic lasted well over half the book, which caused me to disconnect from the plot.

The ending was intriguing, but unfortunately, it felt rushed. I wish there had been more world-building and lore development. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable read!

Thank you, Kristen Ciccarelli and Harper Collins UK, for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

WARNING! REVIEW CONTAINING HEAVY SPOILERS!

I will start with the fact that the first book is ingrained in my heart and was one of my favorite reads. So I counted the days for The Rebel Witch.
It started promising, and I love how already from chapter one we had the tension and all the emotions and hard decisions from The Crimson Moth caught up to them.
The pacing was perfect, the story, and the chemistry between our beloved characters was wonderful.
Alas, halfway in the book, things change for the bad for me.
The story is rushing to tie all things up and, in my opinion, it would've been best if it was a trilogy that would've allowed it to make a steady gradation both with Rune and Gideon's relationship and their plan.
It felt like their relationship went from hesitating for the merest touch and I can't trust you .... to I want to have kids with you in a short time with minimum gradation. The emotional part where he stops seeing her as a witch and gets his head around that fact and accepts it is missing altogether. Yes, he is infatuated with her and later realizes he has strong feelings for her, but to me like he turned a blind eye to the fact she is a witch.
Furthermore, when Gideon realizes that the armies are attacking, his thought is that Rune had BETRAYED him instead of thinking that maybe something happened to her! Which means that they still have zero trust to each other and no work towards resolving that and bringing their relationship to the next level naturally. Even at the scene at the spring that is nearly at the end of the book, she was scared to tell him she is related to Cressida, not knowing how he will react, and she didn't write off the possibility of him pulling a gun on her. And a chapter later out of the blue, she wants to marry him and have kids? Furthermore, there are a few unanswered questions:
- why Gideon didn't felt when Rune broke his curse? When Cressida activated it, he was screaming and in a ton of pain….and when it was broken, he didn't even know? That felt strange.
— also is Rune that kind of witch that sees the future? It wasn't clarified, and she had two visions that one come to fruition but still.....some explanation how, why now that power appeared?
The other part that bothered me was the part when she struggled with her near-death experience with Cressida and the scars that left as a reminder. She was scared, weak of what happened to her and all those years of being the Crimson Moth and if someone had known what she was going through it should've been Gideon because he was the queen's prisoner too. And instead of being gentle with her, he pushed her, called her scared and weak, throwing a tantrum “I want my Crimson Moth back at all cost”. Then, when she genuinely wanted to escape starting a new life without fear for her life for once, he botched her escape. Of course, she'll never leave him to die when she saw what was happening, but for me, that was another way he forced her to jump back to being something she wasn't sure she wanted anymore.
One more thing I was confused about was Gideon's decision to shoot her in the end. He had the protective counter spell already, so why didn't Rune tell him, so he could've gone after Cressida without killing Rune? Her death felt pointless?
It pains me to write this review because as I said, I counted the minutes to reading the story of Rune and Gideon, but unfortunately, in my opinion, it felt rushed.

Really enjoyable and satisfying end to the duology. The back and forth enemies to lovers felt like whiplash sometimes, but made resolution really great.

The Crimson Moth was one of the first fantasy books I had read in a decade and a half. It got me back into reading and the fantasy genre. Book 2 lived up to the first book. There was a great pace throughout the book. Characters and the world building were built upon even more in this book.
There was great tension and passion between the two main characters. I was also invested in the side characters. Rune is such a strong lead character but it was good seeing that she wasn't perfect. She had flaws and weaknesses but they just made her more relatable and likeable.
The book finished the duology with a satisfying ending.