Heartless Hunter

The Crimson Moth #1

by Kristen Ciccarelli

On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can't help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

Kristen Ciccarelli’s The Crimson Moth is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch… is falling in love.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Young Adult, Enemies To Lovers, Witches, Fantasy Romance

406 pages, Hardcover

First published February 20, 2024

About the author

Kristen Ciccarelli is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Crimson Moth duology, A Dark Forgetting, and the Iskari series. Before writing stories for a living, she dropped out of college and worked as a baker, a potter, and a bookseller. She currently resides in the Niagara region of Ontario, Canada with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[SK (Back for good this time? We'll see) · Rating 4 out of 5]

That ending😭😭💔 Been crying for hours now, so if this review comes across as messy- it's cause of that.

✔️ Witches + witch hunters
✔️ Enemies to lovers
✔️ Love triangle (resolves by the end)
✔️ Forbidden magic
✔️ Morally grey characters

It's mostly a character driven story and is quite fast paced. The world building is minimal but as I draft this review I realised I was so mesmerized by the story I didn't even care for the world build. The main characters- Rune, Gideon and Alex are not perfect, have their flaws and tragic backstories but their dynamic is so perfect with each other.

Rune kinda disappointed me which is why it's not a perfect read for me. Given her reputation as the Crimson Moth, I was expecting her to be more badass, fierce and hands on action. But she came across as just a girl stuck in a love triangle, a damsel in distress who needed rescuing by the two brothers. I did like her personality but she did not live up to her reputation. Gideon the witch hunter, had me blushing, giggling and kicking my feet. I loved his confidence, his flirting, and how much he cared for Rune and Alex. His trauma and the loss of everyone in his life, gave his character depth. Alex, Gideon's brother and Rune's friend was the sweetest. I loved the lengths he went to protect Rune and how much he loved her. Alex, although flawed was the purest character in this book.

The romance is pretty swoon-worthy. I was torn between Gideon and Alex throughout the book. Both of these guys are so different but so deserving. Their genuine affections for Rune was nice to see. I personally do not mind love triangles, so it wasn't much of an issue. But if you are looking forward to reading this book and worried about it- the issue gets resolved by the end of this book. There are a lot of sweet and heartbreaking moments, so don't miss out 👀

The ending... Bro don't make me talk about that 😭😭 It's gonna take few days to recover. But I will say, the plot twist regarding Verity did not surprise me as I was suspecting her already. But the other stuff 😭😭😭 I can't wait for the next book.

If you are looking for a simplistic, easy to get lost in romantasy, this is the one for you. Do give it a go 🥰

Thanks to my girl Gillian for reading this with me, had a great time with you babes 💜

[Ali Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

three 5 stars in a row feels crazy!! But the last 3 books I read have truly been some of my fav reads this year. I LOVED this book! This book could not be more my taste - its enemies to lovers (witch & witch hunter), cunning FMC, morally grey MMC, forbidden romance, & fake dating ish. The characters both pretend to be dating each other to get information from each other & I thought that plot concept was SO cool and unique. They're both hunting & being hunted by each other. It was like a steamy game of cat and mouse.

PLUS THEIR BANTER AND CHEMISTRY was great!! I'm in love with Gideon. It's also set in high society in a fantasy world which made for great outfits & settings.

And THE ENDING! I need book 2 asap

[jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this! like, whole-heartedly loved this.

it reminded me of my reading experiences with ‘blood and moonlight,’ ‘serpent and dove,’ and ‘small favors.’ not because the plots are similar (theyre not), but because i was so effortlessly submerged in the stories.

the characters are fully developed, the plot is engaging, the writing is spot-on, and the overall vibe is entertaining. its just a high-quality novel in all the ways that matter to me as a reader.

so this is an easy book to recommend!

↠ 4.5 stars

[angel · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 43% my little toe have more chemistry w the foot of the bed than whatever these two had

[Clace · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.45!

“The hunted had fallen for the hunter.”

This is what I want when I ask for a romantasy!! It was so good and so easy to read like you guys don't understand how busy my whole week was but I still managed to read so much and binge it when I got the time and I had to take so many breaks but never once did it make me loose interest, the short chapters made this book so fast and I honestly was flying through it, I had to stop myself at times because I would be so consumed in this book and honestly my first book by this author and it was such a banger. This is what I deserve when I go through booktoks recs because AHHH I went in blind but it surprised in every ways and I didn't know that it was going to be Enemies to lovers so it was so refreshing to read and find out about it because it just took me back to my 2021 reading era where I would just pick up a book blindly without looking at the tropes and it would be a surprise for me.

“Some people are determined to live out their own personal tragedies.”

This was easily a character driven story and I honestly was so consumed by it that other aspects of the book didnt even really mattered to me because the characters really shined for me. Rune Winters was easily one of the best characters to read about, she was badass, not easily manipulated, did what she wanted and was so sneaky! I loved it. Yes, at times she did do some dumb stuff but it felt natural and it made her characters actions just more rational and realistic so I liked the way that was showcased but her resilience and her determination was something that I really admired and honestly her in book 2 is even betterrrrrr. Gideon Sharpe, I am sooooo conflicted on his character because while I really liked him, I also hated him and I was so torn between liking him or hating him. He was complex because I didn't like his role but I really liked him with Rune and his backstory was so sad which made it even more worse but the way Gideon managed to me be even conflicted with a role like that is so impressive!! Alex Sharpe, THE MAN THAT YOU ARE!! I know you all love gideon but Alex?? my sweet, sweet cinnamon role you deserve so much and honestly the way things were ending, I saw a future with that but nooooo everything got ruined like whyyyy!! it could have been perfect but just know that I loved Alex so much!

“You are not the things that happened to you, Gideon.”

The romance was so conflicting!! I mean I can see the main couple and I am fully willing to root for them, I actually am and it's not even a love triangle lol but ughhh you guys dont understand :(((( but anyways the relationship between Rune and Gideon was so fun to read because while Gideon was madly in love with Rune, he also hated her alter ego so much and it made everything so much! their dates were so cute and I liked the spice as well, although minimal a nice addition but everything about how it was written was so enjoyable like it was written in a way where no matter what direction it took, I would have been happy but THE DIRECTION IT TOOK CAME OUT OF SOMEWHERE I WASN'T EXPECTING AND I WAS STUNNED.

“Your laugh is like a fuse,” he said. “It lights you up.” Rune’s heart thudded. No one had ever told her that before.”

Lets talk about that situation.....orrr lets not :(( the ending was sooooo bad (in a good way) to say I'm devastated is an understatement cuz I gasped and I actually threw my Ipad on the bed because what the fuck man!!!!! why would you do that to me?? it's not fair and honestly book 2 is going so well but its not the same and ugh I dont even wanna talk about it so I wont.

Overall, amazing and you all need to read this!
___
THAT ENDING 🤧
___
I just know it's about a witch hunter and a witch but I know literally nothing else about this book (I think it might be enemies to lovers) but it's been a long time since I read a book blindly + I have a flight tomorrow and I have the audiobook loan due so gotta get to it 🤭 soooo excited!!

[Sloan MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY FUCK!!!!&:$:):$:$/&&£ $/&/&/bxnsjshsbssh !!! AHABBSSBSBB

[✰⋆☾ ⋆ Anna ⭑☽ ✧˖°. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kristen.. The ending? APOLOGIZE. What did I do to deserve to cry at 4am? 😭

[Madison Kait · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 … i cannot identify why this isn’t a 5, because it was legit perfect like i cannot identify a problem but in my core it feels like 4.75… like i don’t have 5 star feelings but this is an iconic romantasy!!

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ A fast-paced romantasy set within an intriguing world.


***This review contains spoilers***


"It's not the times you don't need saving that I'm worried about. It's the one time you'll need it, and there will be no one to do it."


WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ forbidden romance
✨ witch x witch hunter
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ insta-lust
✨ best friend’s brother
✨ fake courting / dating
✨ he courts her because he suspects she's a witch
✨ she dates him for information to help free a witch prisoner
✨ brothers love triangle
✨ loss of virginity
✨ size difference
✨ .5/5🌶️ (brief, not explicit)
✨ high stakes
✨ cliffhanger
✨ 3rd person / dual POV
✨ TW: sexual abuse/cohesion (past), sexual trauma, physical abuse, murder, death of loved one, grief

This book is marketed for a younger YA audience (ages 13-18). However, I think age 16+ is better since there are non-explicit sex scenes, violence/gore, and heavier topics.


My Thoughts:

I’m torn with giving this 4 stars or 3 stars because I enjoyed the overall story and had a good time reading. I would definitely recommend it to the right audience. However, while there are things I liked about this story, I was disappointed by other things, so let's get into it.

What I liked:

I was impressed with the world building and truly loved the magic system! I haven't read a story with witches quite like these, so I found this aspect to be unique and captivating. Everything from the witches backstory before the revolution to how they use magic was so interesting and was explained so well. I never felt overwhelmed with information.

The author paints a very vivid picture and the writing was straight forward so it was easy to follow along and imagine the story in my mind. I honestly couldn't put it down (I finished it in 5 hours).

The angst had me in a chokehold. I'm a sucker for angst in romance because it usually means the stakes are high and there's loads of drama, and that's definitely the case between Rune and Gideon (and Alex). There were a lot of moments where it felt like my heart was getting strangled from the angst, and I'll be honest, I loved it. lol


What I was disappointed in:

The story and plot twists/reveals were so predictable that I thought about DNFing since I knew what would happen. I'm not going to lie, this part was a bummer for me because I truly LOVE this world and the story, but when an author writes in a way that makes it SO obvious what's going to happen, I lose the will to keep reading. I mean, hello, I also want to be surprised along with the characters. At 27% I wrote down my guess for the big reveal, and I was right. There was ONE thing that shook me to my core, but it was an action instead of a reveal.

The characters weren’t bad and I liked a lot about them. However, they definitely could have been stronger. Rune and Gideon had some good development. I understood their backgrounds, their actions, and the things that drive them. Even though both are on opposing sides, they are similar in the sense they struggle with grief and guilt.

But there were a lot of things they did or said about the other that seemed to contradict our initial understanding of them.

For example, Rune is supposed to be a strong, cunning woman who makes in-depth plans to help free witch prisoners. She's supposed to be level-headed, but she sometimes acted like a bumbling idiot and gets caught up in the moment when she's around Gideon. There's also the time Gideon (who Rune knows is fake dating her to prove she's a witch) makes a comment to his comrades that she means nothing to him, and Rune has a breakdown over it. I get this is supposed to be a vulnerable moment and show how much she's let herself care, but still, it didn't sit right. I also wish we actually got some badass moments with her doing something besides trying to flirt with and seduce Gideon. And another thing, how did Rune not know Alex was in love with her? Is she that daft??? Again, I thought she was supposed to be smart.

And as for Gideon, in the beginning his inner thoughts are about how Rune is just a shallow girl and just like all the other socialites, but then later he admits to basically wanting her from the moment he met her but resisted since his brother was in love with her first. Like, what? Which is it? Did you always like or dislike her from the beginning?

Also, Gideon is supposed to be the equivalent of a detective, and yet somehow he doesn't connect the most obvious dots - like the silver ring belonging to his brother or the fact Alex wants him to bet his prison access coin during a game of cards. It's like he was written to be obtuse but only at certain moments when it was right for the story.

While I find the dynamic between Rune and Gideon intriguing and deliciously tense, I don’t know if I quite believe their ‘love’. I get they were vulnerable with each other but they beliefs are just so fundamentally different and they’re both aware the other is dating them for the wrong reasons, so when they start getting feelings, I wasn’t really convinced. They just seemed horny and dumb for continuing the charade, especially when Rune legit got nothing out of it. She needed info on how to break out a witch from prison and she got absolutely no info about it from dating Gideon. So what was the point? It seemed like she was just deluding herself into thinking it was a good idea since, I don't know, he got her hot and bothered?

Harrow and the whole “you have to sleep with her to find out if she has cutting scars” was weird. I get Gideon needed to see Rune naked to make sure she didn’t have any scars anywhere, but Harrow was sooooo pushy that it came off as weird and suspicious. She’s also just Gideon’s informant, not really a best friend so her insistence on this matter seemed inappropriate. There’s also the fact Harrow appeared out of nowhere during the raid on that print shop which made me even more suspicious of her but nothing came of it. But I feel like there’s more to her character that we’ll learn about in the next book.


***MASSIVE SPOILER AHEAD***

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WTF Alex. I cannot and do not believe that Alex, who knows exactly what Gideon and his entire family went through, would not only let Cressida go, but lie about it! I don't care how nice you are, you don't let your brother's r*pist and sister/parent's murderer go. And if you do, then honestly fuck you. Alex's not killing her was selfish and ultimately damns the people he loves the most.



Overall, it was a fast read and I was entertained. The ending was intense and that cliffhanger left me very eager to know what happens next, BUT I'm not sure I'll pick up the next book. I really just don't know if I can read book 2 if it's as predictable as this one. Maybe I'll read a summary.


Thank you Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.

[Yun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gideon would come for her, and when he did, Rune would be ready.

Okay, this would have to be the most enjoyable witchy story I've read in quite some time.

Rune Winters is a witch, but no one can find out. For in the New Republic, to admit to being a witch is tantamount to treason, punishable by having your throat slit and strung up to bleed out in the public square. Rune watched her beloved grandmother die this way, and she can't stand by and do nothing while others suffer the same fate . But she's going up against the Blood Guard, an elite group of soldiers bent on purging witches. And their captain, Gideon Sharpe, is the most lethal of all. In order to save others of her kind, she'll have no choice but to seduce him and gain his confidence.

When we're talking about enemies-to-lovers (in my opinion, one of the most interesting tropes out there), I often feel like the enemy part isn't taken very seriously. In place of real enemies, you're more likely to come across weak rivals or even snarky acquaintances, who are then forced to interact in ever more outlandish ways in order to satisfy the "enemy" trope. So you can imagine my surprise and delight when Rune and Gideon turned out to be actual enemies, with good reason to hate each other and want each other dead. Well then, let the games begin, shall we?

I love it when a story grabs you right off the bat, and Heartless Hunter does just that. There's no awkward worldbuilding, no confusing backstories. Right from the first page, we're sucked into the thick of things and it doesn't stop from there. The magical system is clear and easy to understand so we can focus on the good stuff, and that's what's happening between Rune and Gideon.

The witch and the witch hunter must engage in a cat and mouse game in which each is trying to outmaneuver the other. Both are committed to their cause and believe it's worth fighting to the death for. To mess up is to face deadly consequences, so the stakes could not be higher. You then sprinkle in a bit of attraction between the two, and how could I not be riveted?

But I don't want to overemphasize the romance part because I think that undersells the story and it isn't the main reason why I found it so interesting. It's the matching of the wits and how the two enemies must always stay one step ahead of the other. In particular, I loved Rune's character and how she approached the obstacles in her way. She's smart and courageous in face of overwhelming odds, and she's exactly the sort of heroine I get excited about.

The only thing I'm a little surprised by is that this is marketed as young adult. The violence, the themes, and the sexual content all seem pretty on par with any adult fantasy I've ever read, and it even has one spicy scene. The only young adult part of it is the age of the characters, so just be aware if that concerns you.

I wouldn't say this story treads new ground, but what it does, it does supremely well. It was such a fun and entertaining read from beginning to end, and I can't wait to get to the sequel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
#2. Rebel Witch
~~~~~~~~~~~~

✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
✧ This was a pick for my BOTM box. Get your first book for $5 here.

[✨⚡ Kelcey (felinebooktrovert) ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very reminiscent of Serpent and Dove, and I think it fell short for me because of that. I really liked Serpent and Dove and the dynamic that the main characters had, but the dynamic here was nowhere close.

I don't think I ever got behind Gideon as the MMC. He had a horrible experience with witches, and so he hated them (understandably so), but I find it so hard personally to make the jump from hatred to mass genocide. Obviously, that's what all these witch/witch hunter books are covering, but this story just didn't seem grounded enough to make Gideon a sympathetic character on the witch hunter side. Usually, the witch hunter I think is portrayed with more humanity or an internal struggle. I think that may have been attempted here but didn't quite hit the mark.

I really liked Rune as the FMC, so she brought it back for me a little. Though I wish we got to see more of her as the Crimson Moth and had some more action and forward progression on that storyline. Her encounter with Gideon in the mine was the most exciting part of the whole book, and KC could have really capitalized on that. But the ending certainly upped the stakes a bit more and got the story moving along again.

I was debating with myself the whole time I was reading this if I will continue the series, and I think I will. I think that maybe this suffered from First Book Syndrome and is really just setting up a banging sequel.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I want all of you, Rune. Not just tonight, but every moment from now on.” ❤️

This book was so good! This was an enchanting and exciting fantasy romance about love, friendship, betrayal, power and courage. Heartless hunter follows Rune, a witch who must hide who she is after a revolution changed witches from powerful to hunted. At night Rune is the Crimson moth, a vigilante who saves captured witches and during the day she pretends to be a noble woman. Rune decides to court Gideon, a witch hunter in order to gain insight after a rescue mission goes wrong. Will Rune develop feelings for Gideon or will he be her biggest enemy?

I become immersed in this magical world from the very beginning. The pacing was great and the plot was very interesting. The plot twists were so great, I was so shocked at several of the reveals. There were several betrayals that were shocking, although I did guess one betrayal. I really enjoyed the magic, the spells were unique and have different levels of power. The world building was great, I enjoyed the enchanting world of witches, power and hunters. I enjoyed learning about the backstory of the revolution and how the world has evolved. The writing was descriptive and engaging. I felt like I was in the world with the characters experiencing the scenes with them.

The characters were relatable and had many challenges in their past. I really like Rune, she is kind, tenacious, brave, resilient and relatable. I was a bit disappointed in her character development and I was expecting to see a more badass side to her. I can relate to Rune is many ways because I am also kind and resilient. I really liked Alex, Rune’s friend, he is caring, sweet, protective, charming and artistic. I loved Rune and Alex’s friendship, it’s so sweet and they care for each other a great deal. I love Gideon, he is charming, mysterious, resilient, protective and has a softer side that she shows to Rune. I loved all the sweet things that Gideon did for Rune. There were several romantic scenes that had me blushing and giggling. 🤭 Gideon’s character development was well done, he showed all his sides to Rune and put his walls down for her. The chemistry between Rune and Gideon was amazing! 😊 The tension and enemies to lovers romance was so well done! I really enjoyed how their romance developed from enemies to friends to lovers to enemies again.

The ending was so heartbreaking and shocking. I cried so much at the end, my heart is broken. This book ended on a huge cliffhanger, I can’t wait to read the next one!

I recommend this book to anyone who loves YA fantasy with romance, great chemistry between the main characters, epic plot twists and awesome characters.

Thank you so much lovely SK for buddy reading with me! I had so much fun guessing the plot twists and giggling over the romantic scenes. 😊

[maria (catching up) · Rating 4 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 4.50 ✰

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹“His body buzzed at the lack of her. as if rune in his arms was the only true thing in the world, and until she was there again, everything was wrong.”⋆𐙚₊˚⊹

Heartless Hunter follows Rune Winters, a young woman hiding a dangerous secret in a world where witches have fallen from power and are now hunted. By day, she plays the role of a carefree socialite, but by night, she becomes the Crimson Moth, a vigilante who rescues witches from persecution. When a mission goes wrong, Rune devises a plan to mislead the witch hunters—by pretending to court Gideon Sharpe, one of the revolution’s most feared hunters. Gideon despises everything Rune represents—wealth, decadence, and superficiality. But when he discovers that the Crimson Moth has been using her merchant ships to smuggle witches to safety, he infiltrates her world by pretending to court her in return. As he spends more time with her, he realizes she is far from the shallow aristocrat he assumed.

But as their connection deepens, so does the danger. With secrets threatening to unravel and loyalties being tested, Rune and Gideon find themselves trapped in a deadly game of deception. Because the greatest risk isn’t just being a witch—it’s falling in love with the enemy.


➳ my thoughts:

Why did no one told me reading romantasy could be this fun and entertaining?😩

I'm so glad I chose this book to begin my fantasy journey. I loved everything about it—it captivated me in a way no book has in a long time. It completely pulled me out of my reading slump; I flew through 300 pages in a single day when, lately, no book has held my attention for more than 30. The pacing was fast and the story was incredibly engaging. Plus, the writing was so easy to follow, which was a huge relief. I had been hesitant to dive into fantasy, fearing complex world-building that might be overwhelming, but this book was the perfect introduction.

Since I don’t typically read fantasy, I don’t have a strong base for comparison, but I found the action scenes incredibly well done. I usually worry that I’ll get bored during fight sequences or high-stakes moments, but that wasn’t the case here at all. Every action scene felt dynamic and engaging, with just the right amount of tension to keep me invested.
I also loved the dual POVs—it added so much depth to the story and made me feel even more connected to the characters. And while the plot twist was predictable, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all.



➳ characters:


ೃ࿐ Gideon Sharpe

⭑.ᐟ "you are not the things that happened to you, gideon."

MY LOVEEEE! Ugh, I love him so much—I don’t think I’ll ever get over the fact that he not only made her a dress but also handcrafted flowers for her. The effort, the devotion… I’m absolutely obsessed! I don’t care that it was all part of his plan, he completely stole my heart. 🥹🥹
And then, when we finally learned the reason behind why he’s working as a Blood Guard, along with his backstory, my heart shattered. There’s just something about a tortured soul character that I can never resist. The pain, the depth, the emotional weight they carry—it makes me root for them even harder.😔
From the very start, I was desperately hoping for Rune and him to be endgame. Every moment between them had me on edge, filled with anticipation and longing.

⋆˚⊹"seeing him was like a drowning woman sighting a buoy. she wanted to throw herself in his direction, loop her arms around his neck, and hold on for dear life"⋆˚⊹

ೃ࿐ Rune Winters

⭑.ᐟ "The Crimson Moth only works beneath the cover of darkness."

I think she was the perfect female main character for this book. I loved reading about the duality of her persona—how she seamlessly played the charming socialite by day while transforming into the fearless Crimson Moth by night, rescuing witches from danger. It made her such a compelling and dynamic character, and I was completely entertained by every part of her journey.
That being said, there were moments when she got on my nerves with some of her choices—especially her indecision when it came to the Sharpe brothers. 😭 The back-and-forth had me feeling all kinds of emotions! But despite that, I still really liked her. She had depth, flaws, and a strong sense of purpose, which made her all the more interesting to follow.



˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥˚✿ °. Rune & Gideon:
⤷ witch & witch hunter ᡣ𐭩

I absolutely LOVED their romance! The cat-and-mouse dynamic between them was pure perfection—chef’s kiss. The way they challenged and pushed each other made every interaction so electrifying. 🤭 They were such a perfect match, balancing each other out in the best (and most chaotic) ways.
The betrayal, the tension, the longing. AAAAA, I ate it all up! Every moment between them had me completely hooked.
I’ll admit, their relationship leans a bit toward insta-love, but honestly? I don’t even care. It was so enjoyable that I was too busy loving every second of it to mind. Sometimes, when the chemistry is that good, you just have to go with it!

⋆˚⊹ "Your laugh is like a fuse. It lights you up." ⋆˚⊹

ೃ࿐ Alex Sharpe

My baby 😭 He deserved so much better. I absolutely adored how kind, sweet, and gentle he was—yet at the same time, his unwavering loyalty to Rune and the way he always stood up for her made me love him even more.

I also really enjoyed the contrast between Alex and Gideon. They were so different, yet both had qualities that made me completely indecisive about who Rune should end up with at certain points in the book. Their dynamics with her were so distinct but equally compelling, which only made the emotional stakes even higher.
Not going to lie, I did suspect Alex a few times… but to be fair, I was suspicious of everyone in this book. 😂 The twists and tension had me questioning every character at one point or another!

overall: really recommend this book if you want to read something quick and high stakes🤸🏻‍♂️


♬⋆.˚ mini playlistᰔ

⤷ heavy in your arms ⟡ florence + the machine
⤷ war of hearts ⟡ ruelle
⤷ love and war ⟡ fleurie
⤷ my blood ⟡ ellie goulding
⤷ witch hunter ⟡ indigo & the sirens
⤷ running with the wolves ⟡ aurora

💌 tropes:

ꨄ︎ witch x witchhunter
ꨄ︎ enemies to lovers
ꨄ︎ dual pov
ꨄ︎ betrayal
ꨄ︎ secret identity
ꨄ︎ mini love triangle


-‘๑’- my favorite quotes & scenes
possible spoilers mentioned

・❥・ "I remember the sound of you laugh. It pulled me like a magnet toward the beach, where I found the most beautiful girl in the world standing on the shore."

・❥・“Instead of getting Gideon Sharpe out of her system tonight, Rune had gone and gotten herself addicted.The hunted had fallen for the hunter.”

・❥・”like the moon and the tide, the closer he got to her, the closer he wanted her.”

・❥・“did you just call me beautiful, gideon?"
“i'm stating the obvious. don't change the subject.”

・❥・“while everyone else ran away, he had run toward her.”

・❥・“he would start there, and if he proved himself worthy of her, maybe this could be more than a game. not just flirting and kissing and courting, but a life shared. maybe gideon could have all of her.”

・❥・“i didn't know. that it would be like that. powerful. like two souls fusing into one. like a kind of magic.”

・❥・"Gideon was her perfect rival; a deadly enemy to outwit. Without him, Rune could only be half of her full potential. It was why, deep down, she wanted him to come for her. She ached for the challenge for him. She needed to finish what lay unfinished between them."


ᝰ.ᐟ pre-read: ᯓᡣ𐭩୭˚.

I have to admit that I have never read a fantasy / romantasy book in my life🫣 idk if the right choice it’s to start with this one but I’ve seen it everywhere and it sounds soo good😭 the fomo got me.

may this change of genre take me out of the slump🤞🏻

[April (catching up) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars ★

"The hunted had fallen for the hunter."


I needed something to pull me out of my mini-slump, and this did exactly that!

Heartless Hunter is the first installment in The Crimson Moth duology. This is character-driven, and I didn't even mind because I fell in love with every aspect of this. The world-building was easy to fall into and understand yet kept me engaged along with the action scenes. The enemies to lovers sometimes felt like insta love but I honestly didn't mind here, the witch x witch hunter aspect which I loved, and the magic system as it kept me intrigued and wanting to learn more about it. Kristen kept me on the edge of my seat while trying to guess what was going to happen with some of the plot twists that had me surprised and in a chokehold, while others I had a feeling about.

We follow Rune Winters, a girl who is playing a very dangerous game. She is trying to save witches who are being hunted and have fallen from power since the revolution. All the while hiding who she truly is. During the day, she is a socialite gathering information, while at night she is the Crimson Moth saving witches who are being hunted by the Blood Guard. One night, things go wrong, and she finds herself pretending to court the leader of the guards Gideon Sharpe. While he pretends to court her as well in trying to uncover who the moth is. They find themselves with high dangerous stakes as they play this game and begin falling for the enemy.


Rune Winters is perfect with just the right amount of vulnerability, fearlessness, strength, and intelligence to play both roles. During the day, she pretends to be someone she's not a girl who is shallow and enjoys gossip. While at night, she is the fearless Crimson Moth who rescues witches from being purged. I really enjoyed her character. She was so real and raw, especially when she wasn't playing the part of the socialite. Did she make some rash and dumb decisions at times? Of course she did, but I still loved her, though.

“They say the Crimson Moth only works beneath the cover of darkness.”


Gideon Sharpe took some time for me to warm up to. I'll be honest at first I didn't like him much. He came off as being an ass but then we started to learn more about him and his past. He truly is a tortured soul who thinks the worst of himself and is trying to do what he feels is right because of the tragedy that happened to him and his family. The pain and emotional turmoil that he carries with him makes my heart break for him. We then uncover a softer side. I began to fall when he made a rose for Rune, and then he made a freaking dress for her, gahhh. And let me tell you that I fell hard.

“You are not the things that happened to you, Gideon.”


Rune and Gideon were perfect for one another. Though their romance felt like insta love at times, I honestly didn't mind. It was the push and pull of tension, the longing glances, and challenging each other that had me rooting for them. I even loved it when they were tricking and deceiving one another while also falling in love it kept them wanting more and holding one another's interest. They were just so good together complementing each other to the greatest extent.

"He would start there, and if he proved himself worthy of her, maybe this could be more than a game. Not just flirting and kissing and courting, but a life shared. Maybe Gideon could have all of her."


Alex Sharpe I absolutely adored this man. He is Gideon's brother and the polar opposite. He is so gentle and compassionate and is the perfect person that Rune could ever have as a best friend.  He was the one who was there for her when she first found out that she was a witch. And he told her "Your secret is safe here." He was nothing but supportive and protective of her through everything, and I loved she had him. There was a point when I thought they were going to be together. Then the thing happened that I don't want to talk about.


What the hell was that ending? It took a turn that I wasn't expecting and surprised the hell out of me. It left me reeling, broken, and a sobbing mess. I need the second book to fix me.


Favorite quotes and moments

"Gideon Sharpe is the missing name on my list. I’d have to pretend more than ever. But it would be worth the risk …"

“Your laugh is like a fuse. It lights you up.”

“I remember the sound of your laugh. It pulled me like a magnet toward the beach, where I found the most beautiful girl in the world standing on the shore.”

"Like the moon and the tide, the closer he got to her, the closer he wanted her."

“I didn’t know."
“Didn’t know …?”
"That it would be like that.”
“Like what?”
"Powerful. Like two souls fusing into one. Like a kind of magic."


︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵


˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Pre-read

I've heard many good things and the fomo has been real, so it's time that I jump into this one 🤭 I'm hoping that it also helps get me out of my mini slump 🤞 So excited for a romantasy world, let's goooo!

[cherie ^_-★ (ia—will be back on 8 sep) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars ⭐️
⤷ spoiler-free unless stated otherwise!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

marianna moore’s tiktok video conveyed my thoughts on this book PERFECTLY (may contain spoilers)

i know i’m in the minority here, but i don’t quite get the hype 😭😭😭 (this is in no way, shape, or form a hate review. i simply want to share why this book fell short for me).

first and foremost, all i knew before going into this book was that it was advertised as an enemies-to-lovers book about a witch and a witch hunter. however, i only skimmed the book description and wasn’t aware that they would be pretending to court each other just to get information out of each other. while this felt somewhat cliched, it was still tolerable.

“This is a game. It’s only pretend.” this line reminded me of a certain book (iykyk) and i wanted to bang my head against the table.

what i found intolerable was the insta-love/lust between rune and gideon. i really need authors to stop advertising books as enemies-to-lovers when they clearly aren’t. i’m so sick and tired of characters being drawn to each other or feeling lustful despite their hatred within the first few interactions. while gideon’s attraction to rune during their initial encounters was somewhat bearable since he wasn’t entirely sure whether she was a witch/the crimson moth, runes lust for gideon felt completely wrong. she didn’t even understand why he tortures or hates witches then!! if i were rune, i wouldn’t even be thinking about touching someone i loathe. yet there she was, wondering what it would be like to kiss him, how his body would feel under her touch, etc. etc. (you get the point), all during their first few interactions. like girl, BFFR 🤦🏻‍♀️ this completely ruined their romance for me and made me super frustrated every time they interacted.

‼️ spoilers ahead ‼️

another thing that really bothered me was the love triangle. love triangles make me so mad (though i enjoy them when they’re well-executed). rune was so dense, she didn’t even realize alex had been in love with her all along, and then she fell for gideon. but when gideon ‘betrayed’ her, she hated him again and went looking for alex. and when alex confessed his love and asked her to be his wife, she hesitated, saying something along the lines of “no, i can’t leave!! what would that make me?!!” but when he kissed her and urged her to run away with him, she caved in and agreed. when i tell you I ALMOST THREW MY BROKEN LAPTOP OUT OF MY WINDOW!!!!! let’s be real, we all know she didn’t love him romantically 🙄 she didn’t deserve him AT ALL 😭 poor alex genuinely loved her for who she was and was incredibly loyal, but guess what? he just had to DIE AT THE END. MY FAVOURITE CHARACTER IN THE BOOK, DEAD 💔💔💔

the plot twists at the end were somewhat predictable (except for alex’s death) too. i had my suspicions about verity after the luminaries dinner incident, and the characters were clearly hinting that verity was suspicious, so the revelation that she was cressida didn’t surprise me. i also don’t understand cressida’s intentions towards rune. does she want her dead or what? the ending was chaotic and it just didn’t sit well with me.

overall, despite my earlier points, i found myself genuinely invested in the story, and i did enjoy the book to some degree.

anyway, i will be taking a short break from fantasy books (after finishing dark fae) because they’re all starting to feel the same to me. i feel like i’m not in the right mood to enjoy them right now, and i don’t want to force myself to read them and end up not enjoying even the good ones because that would be such a waste, if that makes sense!


pre-review:
i’m so glad it’s finally over, but WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?!! 😭😭💔


pre-read:

i got sidetracked from my october tbr because of ZA, so i gotta get back on track 😭 this is one of my highly anticipated reads and i’m excited to see what the hype is all about ❤️

[anh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

“The hunted had fallen for the hunter.”

This was a really fun read that I couldn’t put down. The writing is super easy to follow, making it the kind of book you just want to binge. I kept telling myself “just one more chapter,” but before I knew it, I was several chapters ahead. It’s definitely the kind of story that keeps pulling you in. However, I’ll admit that the last 20% of the book left me a bit underwhelmed.

Set in a world where witches are hunted after a revolution stripped them of their powers, Heartless Hunter follows Rune, a witch who spends her days pretending to be a superficial socialite and her nights as the Crimson Moth—a vigilante rescuing her fellow witches. When a mission goes wrong, she decides to fake a romance with Gideon Sharpe, a tough witch hunter, to throw him off her trail. As they spend more time together, Gideon starts to see there’s more to Rune than he originally thought, and despite their differences, they find themselves drawn to each other. But with Gideon hunting witches and Rune secretly saving them, their relationship is full of tension and danger. It’s a fast-paced mix of action, romance, and tough choices in a world where love could literally cost them everything.

Rune- she is one of those protagonists you can’t help but root for. She’s tough, smart, and completely in control of her own fate. What I really loved about her was how unpredictable she was. She had a sneaky, clever side that kept me on my toes, and I loved seeing her outwit everyone. Of course, she makes some questionable choices along the way but they felt real—like things she would actually do, given who she is. Her drive and determination were admirable.

Gideon- he is such a layered character, and I found myself torn between loving him and getting frustrated with him. His motivations made sense, even if they made me crazy at times. Once you learn about his backstory, you really start to understand why he acts the way he does, and it’s hard not to feel for him. But the moment that completely won me over was when he made Rune a dress and handcrafted flowers for her. I don’t care that it was part of his plan—it was just such a sweet, thoughtful gesture that totally stole my heart.

Rune & Gideon-The chemistry between Rune and Gideon was amazing! The tension between them had me hooked, and their romance was equal parts sweet and exciting. The back-and-forth, the betrayals, the longing—it was all super addictive. I was so invested in every scene. That said, their relationship did feel a little like insta-love. It’s billed as an enemies-to-lovers story, but their connection developed so quickly that it didn’t feel as earned as I would’ve liked.

Alex- deserves so much better!

The first part of the book was really engaging, but I have to say the plot twist was pretty predictable. I saw it coming from a mile away I feel so smart, and by the time it happened, I didn’t get the shock I was hoping for. That being said, the pacing stayed fast enough to keep me interested, even if I wasn’t completely caught off guard by the twist.

The writing was solid—it definitely kept things moving, but I was hoping for a bit more. It was easy to read, and the story was fun, but I found it a little too simple in places. I was expecting more depth, especially when it came to the fantasy elements. There were some cool ideas, like witches using blood for magic and the scars left when blood is used in spells, but overall, the fantasy world felt a bit underdeveloped. I would’ve liked to see more exploration of that side of the story.

The love triangle, though? Honestly, it felt a little random. I’m not a huge fan of love triangles in general, and this one didn’t feel like it added much to the plot. It seemed kind of forced, and it kind of annoyed me. The only thing I did appreciate about it was that I didn’t see it coming which I guess was the point, but still…

Despite a few things that bothered me, I genuinely enjoyed this book. It’s fast-paced, fun, and packed with just the right amount of romance and tension to keep you hooked. If you’re looking for a quick, engaging read, this one is definitely worth picking up. It’s not perfect, but it’s an entertaining ride from start to finish. I’m diving into Rebel Witch very soon because, while I predicted the plot twist, that ending was criminal wtf!!

[évieane · Rating 5 out of 5]

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . 5 ☆ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ˋ°•*⁀➷ㅤmight contain spoilers ❗

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ᯓ ✿ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍re-read ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⪼ ┆28-Feb-2025┆
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⤿ changing my rating for this to 5 stars because rereading it made me fall even harder for Gideon “I’d rather fight with you than do most other things.” Sharpe. This man alone deserves 5 stars.


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ This could have easily been a 5-star read for me because it was so entertaining and came at the perfect time to grab me and pull me out of a terrible, looming reading slump. But then that thing came with that dull, uninteresting character, and despite it being solved pretty quickly (rest in peace, I never liked you), it still kind of disrupted my enthusiasm and happiness.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ “The hunted had fallen for the hunter.”

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ short(?) summary
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ Since I was already beginning to enter that lazy, end of year period, I chose to pick up this book despite the fact that it had a lot of mixed reviews. I reasoned that it would not really matter anyway. My initial expectations were quite modest, but this book exceeded them in every way. When you first start The Crimson Moth, you are thrust right into the action, with Rune Winters attempting to save a witch before the fearsome Blood Guard condemns her to a gruesome end. Shortly thereafter, you discover that Rune is a witch herself, compelled to remain in hiding by recently enforced regulations following the overthrow of the three Witch Queens and the New Republic's takeover of power, which aims to completely eradicate witches.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ Being a member of the upper class gives Rune access to helpful individuals and information, which makes it easier for her to try to save as many of the witches as she can. This makes her one of the state's most feared and sought-after characters: the cunning, Crimson Moth. However, as a young, vengeful aristocrat, she still has to abide by the rules of their society, and, in order to gain access to even more information, she deems it necessary to find the perfect candidate to be her husband. Little does she know that her plan would lead her right to the captain of the Blood Guard, Gideon Sharpe, a tortured soul hidden under a facade of cold beauty, which actually earns him the attention of many young women. But Gideon also has his own agenda in regards to Rune, and he is also the man who wants to see the Crimson Moth to her death more than anyone else.
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ When carefully crafted plans are going awry and dark pasts come to light in the most vulnerable of moments, feelings might be harder to control than ever; and two enemies might find themselves closer and closer to a very dangerous and passionate love, born from hate and secrets.


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ honest thoughts
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ I might mostly have praises for this book at the moment because it was so entertaining, fast-paced, and with such a perfectly crafted imaginary world. You are somehow transported into a slightly dark and mysterious Regency era that the book itself so greatly portrays; you experience all of the higher aristocracy's luncheons, magnificent balls, and fine gentlemen, and the action is simply perfectly placed inside this beautiful setting.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ However, despite the compelling and wonderful framing, there were times when I, sadly, entirely forgot that this was supposed to be a FANTASY book. The story itself was still very much delightful, but I would have honestly loved to see a bit more of the mystical element. There was a really intriguing magic system, but regrettably, it was not used to its fullest extent, while it might have been explored much more as the plot progressed.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ The action of the book was probably one of the best I've read lately. There is not a single moment of respite as the plot's pace and development were so well adapted to this book and the story. If there is not a major event, you get new secret plots being discovered and planned, or if there is not a new secret, you get a scene that is so full of action that you have to hold your breath. If none of these are present, you still get a romantic scene that will make you squeal and swoon.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⋅ ☾ Finally, I will just state that this book's romance elements are flawless. I do not know if it is for everyone, but this was just what I needed to read at the moment, and despite all the sinister secrets and evil forces that lurked, it was just plain lovely in a way that was somehow innocent and pure. I immediately adored all the lingering glances and touches, the whispered words, and the tender longing because, despite my tough exterior, I am a little romantic at heart.


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ characters
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ While I do understand why some people found it pretty hard to resonate with some of these characters, they instantly became so dear to me and I was entirely captivated by them. I have to admit, I pictured them to be slightly older, and I was a bit shocked when I found out how young they actually were, but it was all for the best.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⛥ Rune - I could literally ask for no changes to be made to this character as a whole. She was the perfect FMC that this book needed. Despite the cruel things she was forced to do, Rune somehow still manages to stay pure at heart and willing to help the others against all odds and dangers. Cunning, sly, wicked when needed, yet somehow still innocent and inexperienced in so many ways, Rune definitely has many of the things it takes to make you enjoy her story. Will you always agree with her choices? No (girlie has awful taste sometimes), but you will still stick around for more.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⛥ Gideon - Despite receiving such an ugly name, this man made me want to become a witch just so he can hunt me all the time, anytime he wants. I was already falling for his character, but once the truth about his past was uncovered and I actually realised that he is one of those tortured souls, I absolutely lost it. There are not enough words to describe the things I loved about this character, and if there might be enough, I am pretty sure I am prohibited from using some of them on this platform.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⛥ Verity - I don't have anything specific to say about her as a character, apart from the fact that she was pretty annoying, and oh, yes, I knew it!! I am never wrong.

ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⛥ Alex - I swear to God I cannot understand the people who liked this man. I mean, I don't judge you, but I just simply cannot understand you. Apart from the fact that he was less interesting than a drop of rain sliding down a window, he also indirectly messed up his brother's life. I really couldn't stand how incredibly dull and useless he was as a character.


ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ should you read this?
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ Go and read this NOW! Even though you may disagree with everything I just said, I believe that if you truly enjoyed books like Once upon a Broken Heart, One Dark Window, and Phantasma for their fast pacing and gradually developing romance but wished they were more witchy with a hint of forbidden love, you should definitely read this. I do not even know if the works I named can be compared in the first place, but just read this and make your own judgement, ok? Curse me after that if you end up not liking it.
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ With all of this being said, despite my honest efforts in keeping this as short as possible and my obvious utter failure in doing so, I can only summarise this by saying that I loved this book and it was absolutely one of my most enjoyable reads of the year. Unfortunately, now I am not sure what I am to do with my life until the next book comes out.



⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ᯓ ✿ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍pre-reading ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ⪼ ㅤ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ save me hot witch—witch hunter story!!! please save me from this reading slump because I can't do this anymore!! 🙏🏻

[Devin The Book Dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I just saw this is a Feb botm pick! Definitely ordered it.

This could be your favorite fantasy romance of 2024.

If you like slow burn, enemies to lovers, witches and witch hunters, this story is for you. This book features many of our favorite tropes and executes it incredibly well. The characterization is phenomenal. Each character had their own personality and voice, and gray morality. That's right, there's no perfect characters in this book.

One thing I found interesting about this book is there is a hard magic system. There are checks and balances. There is no one with unlimited power that manifests itself at convenient and plot-thickening times. Also, there are negative consequences to casting powerful spells. I like this concept a lot, as hard magic systems are rarely seen in YA/NA fantasy books. It was a fun system to learn about and super creative.

I would highly recommend this book to fantasy romance lovers. If you're new to fantasy romance, this would be a great place to start.

Thank you to Alexis from Wednesday books for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.


---------------


I just got sent the ARC of this from Wednesday Books. Thank you SO much! This sounds exactly like something I will love. Cannot wait to read it!

[Noorj · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @50%

I can't force myself to continue this book sorry .
I just couldn't care less about any character.

I don't know why but in my head I was comparing them to The characters of the serpent and dove maybe that's why I didn't like them.

Maybe I'll give it another try someday but not today.

[marta the book slayer · Rating 1 out of 5]

a menstrual cup would be game changer for her

[ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

patreon book club pick for august!!
3.75 stars⭐️

[veerali · Rating 4 out of 5]

three words to describe this book — cunty, cuntism, cunticity.

[Paige 💫 · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I guess I’m like the other girls now too 🤭 LOVED it!

—

Fomo brought me here 🤷‍♀️

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't remember the last time I was this mad about a book wasting its potential. Like COME ON.
Don't read this if you want to be spoiled. All I will say is that if you don't want your love interest to be blood thirsty for your MC's death, I would skip this one. And I do fully mean it when I say he wants to kill her. Also if you don't want to be repeatedly told that a victim of SA is "broken", this might not be for you. Oh and the magic in this book is conducted via self-harm, but the self-harm isn't graphic. Just a heads up for people who might not vibe with that.
But anyway, on I go spoiling this book.

This book has so many things about it that made me mad, but it also had some things that I thought were really good. The romance was both of these things.
This is a "true" enemies to lovers, and it has forced me to make a rule about whether or not I can tolerate this trope;
If the FMC and MMC are actually genuinely enemies, their desire to kill each other has to be equal.
Which feels like a weird thing to have to specify, but trust me; it's necessary here.
The romance was really well written, and if the circumstances had been different, I would have LOVED them together. They had good tension, banter, and I could really see their fake desire for each other turning into real desire as they spent more time together.
The problem is this: Gideon wants to brutally and efficiently murder Rune.
And I know what you're thinking. This is witch and witch hunter. Obviously he wants to kill her. But Rune has no desire to do the same. All she wants is to protect innocent people. She doesn't hate him with the same violence or bloodlust. It is completely unequal in a way that makes the romance unconscionable to me. Why would Rune, who by all accounts is a cunning and kind badass, be falling in love with someone who not only wants to kill her, but wants to kill everyone she's trying to protect? I don't believe in the "power of love" overcoming all when the issue is that one half of the couple is participating in GENOCIDE. Because that's what it is. They are indiscriminately and violently slaughtering an entire group of people based on something they were born as.
And Gideon fully supports this.
He is fully behind the genocide of an entire (race? species? whatever witches are) for like 70% of this book. I HATE the trope of "big murderous man only decides murder bad because a woman cares about him". It shouldn't take Rune showing him a witch can have humanity for him to believe the people he is killing are human. Some of the witches he's killed are CHILDREN. It's giving very much "woman has to fix the man".
Rune deserved to fall in love with someone who didn't need to be taught to see her as human.
And I fully understand the reason he is the way he is. But having his character basically say "one witch evil = all witch evil" as a response to being sexually assaulted is gross. This book fully uses his trauma as a justification for why he is so violent and murderous. It wants you to sympathize with him because he has been abused, and therefore sympathize with his actions. It is an INSANE take. It's like if a woman was assaulted by a white man and decided that she had to participate in the government sanctioned murder of every single white man. It is a ridiculous idea.
Speaking of Gideon being a victim of SA. The way he talks about himself and what happened to him is just so bad. He constantly refers to himself as broken and unworthy and genuinely hates himself for what happened to him. Which is a thing people do actually feel, but the narrative almost never challenges this. Rune says one time that he is not responsible for the things that happened to him, and it comes up like two more times, but that's it. I wanted something more.
AND the last like, 40% of this book involve Gideon basically being forced into sleeping with Rune (not by Rune herself) in order to see her scars. This man is like 18, and was sexually abused for YEARS. The weird focus on having him sleep with Rune made me so uncomfortable. And after they do have sex, he literally thinks about the last time he slept with someone and it was assault!! And he just tells himself to ignore it and move on!! It's weird!!
There was so much interesting and good things going on in this book, but it was completely overshadowed by how much I couldn't stand Gideon "My Mission is to Murder Innocent People" Sharpe. The friendships were solid, the twists were good, the romance could've been great. The setting was cool, the Bridgeton-esque world of balls and gowns and tea parties was so fun. The actual plot was really good! I loved the idea of Rune leading a double life to save innocent people. I loved the Crimson Moth plot line. I thought it was so interesting. And I really liked Rune! She was smart and complex and kind. She was interesting and determined and scheming. I genuinely liked her as a character when she wasn't forsaking her entire cause for a mediocre man.

To explain myself better, here is my pitch for a way this could've been done that I think would've made it less icky:
Gideon is a part of the revolution in the beginning, killing the queens and helping to establish the new republic. He is traumatized and has been convinced (through Creed's careful propaganda and his taking advantage of an abused child) that witches are the enemy and must be eradicated. At first, he is okay with it, even if it is violent and maybe a bit much. He is good at his job and enjoys the company of his team. Eventually though, he starts to become disillusioned with the cause. He talks to witches and realizes that he was generalizing the entire race off of his abuser. He wants to quit, but because he is the best at it and because he was part of starting the revolution, Creed won't let him. He threatens to kill Alex if Gideon doesn't keep doing his job and doing it well. Enter the Crimson Moth, who Gideon is tasked with finding and arresting. He doesn't hate Rune because she was born a witch. He hates her because she is vain and privileged, because she comes from a class he can never attain. She hates him because she thinks he WANTS to kill witches. She doesn't know that he doesn't want any of this. He is trying to find the Moth not because he desperately wants to kill her, but because keeping his brother alive is most important to him. They fall in love, and their tension comes from the perceived bloodlust between them and the class differences. In reality, they share the same beliefs and love for Alex.

TELL ME THAT'S NOT BETTER THAN GIDEON SPENDING ALMOST THE ENTIRE BOOK WANTING TO GENOCIDE RUNE. TELL ME IT'S BETTER THAT HE GENUINELY WANTS TO KILL HER WHEN SHE DOESN'T WANT TO KILL HIM AT ALL.
Hell, I'd even take it if Rune was spending the entire book wanting to kill him too. If the Crimson Moth was created specifically to kill Blood Guard members. That would be better!

Anyway I'm honestly more mad than if this book was just outright bad. It could have been SO GOOD and I'm almost offended it wasn't.

Thank you to net-galley for the arc in exchange for review. (Very obviously) All opinions are my own.

[Rowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

that fucking ending- Kristen Ciccarelli when I catch you!!

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

✩ 5 stars ✩

“Your laugh is like a fuse,” he said. “It lights you up.”

What to Expect:
➼ Witch & Witch Hunter
➼ Blood Magic
➼ Forbidden Romance
➼ Secret Identity
➼ Forbidden Magic
➼ Lies/Betrayal
➼ Concealed Identity
➼ Enemies-to-Lovers
➼ Cat & Mouse
➼ Mild Love Triangle
➼ Cliffhanger
➼ Dual POV

“But which character was she—the heroine, the villain, or the fool? The fool.”

It’s rare that I enjoy books centered around witches, so when I do, I have to give credit where it’s due. Happy to report that this was a GREAT book! 🙌🏻 I think what really made it stand out was that it was written in Dual POV. Hearing both MC’s inner monologues AND seeing each main character through the other’s eyes was the hook this story needed. I genuinely think this would have been a three star book if we only got Rune’s side of the story. And that twist was certainly twisty… In hindsight, the clues were definitely there, but I did NOT see that coming and the ending was brutal! 😢 Say it ain’t so… 😭 I really hope the author has book two well plotted because the pressure is on now for a strong sequel. I am literally begging her not to let us down! 🙏🏻

I do have one gripe… I like to consider myself a girls girl, but her using her fingers to do blood magic with her hooha blood was disgusting. I think at one point it was even implied that someone else was sharing their hooha blood with her for her spells. At least get a paint brush or some gloves or something. 🤢 So gross. 😅

“I’m afraid you’ll be the end of me, Gideon.” And then, much more quietly: “Maybe you already are.”

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: I have never been more unsure of a books title… is this called “The Crimson Moth” or “Heartless Hunter?” 🤔

[fadheela ♡ (on a mental-health break) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

⤿🍃 09/04/25
4.25 stars, rtc when I recover from that ENDING. ugly sobbing uncontrollably at 3 a.m. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED IN THOSE LAST FEW CHAPTERS?! Kristen you better not do the same in the next book 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

⤿🍃 06/04/25
Edit: Restarting again as I didn't read past chp 1 for four days due to my slump 😪

⤿🍃 02/04/25
*drum rolls 🥁* *mic drops 🎤* IT'S FINALLY TIME FOR ME TO OFFICIALLY JOIN THE HYPE TRAIN BESTIES, starting my birthday month with this duology 😍 ngl, I've been having the biggest FOMO seeing every single one of my friends reading this 😩🙌🏻 putting all my crs on pause now. Please, please, PLEASE, let this be good, because the reader in me is dying with the slump 😭🙏🏻

[chloé ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

re-read: 3/11/25 🫶🏻
4.5 stars

it’s settled — i love this book. i rarely re-read anything but i’m so happy i picked this up again. loved it just as much the second time through.

Gideon & Rune have my heart


first read: 8/2/24
🦋 4.25 stars 🦋

this was the perfect enemies to lovers and it has me on my knees 🧎‍♀️

witch + witch hunter

need i say more?

fast-paced. great characters. perfect length. strong plot. slight bit of spice, but definitely not too much.

i absolutely ate this up and i need book #2 to come out immediately. (huge bonus: this is going to be a duology. no long waits for multiple books)

this was so surprisingly amazing. i’m so glad i decided to read this after seeing it everywhere.

one of my favorite reads of the year!! ❤️

✨ available on kindle unlimited!! ✨

[Lyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

─── ⋆⋅5☆⋅⋆ ──

𐔌“Gideon was her perfect rival; a deadly enemy to outwit. Without him, Rune could only be half of her full potential. It was why, deep down, she wanted him to come for her. She ached for the challenge of him. She needed to finish what lay unfinished between them. ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ

hunter by paris paloma
╰ ❝ if I was easy to kill, you would’ve done it already. ❞
1:39 ─〇───── 3:19

⋮ ⌗ ┆ᢉ𐭩 this book, to put it short, was exactly what I’ve been needing from a book. two perspectives, equally relevant and important but conflicting. two people, not revolving around one another while also building the story off of each other. hatred, inequality, justice, revenge, toeing the line between good and evil and all that’s between, deception, love, angst. but, I suppose that’s what to be expected when a witch and a witch hunter wind up accidentally falling in love with each other, pure angst. what I particularly loved is that Gideon (mmc) had a reason to despise witches, we got to understand his perspective and ideology despite him being one of the current oppressors. but at the same time, Rune—the fmc—was fighting to keep fellow witches alive, innocent women and girls who were being sent to die because of power they never asked to have. so what do you get when you put a witch hunter and a witch in the same love story? chaos. absolute chaos, in its most beautiful and exciting form.

I must now rant on how this book reflects on real world politics!
to put it simply, this book touches on the reality of politics. both sides are wrong, and both sides are right. neither side has the right to strip people of their lives and their rights, but in order to stay in power, stay alive, or gain freedom—it’s almost as though violating your own beliefs is the only solution. the idea that it costs innocent lives in order to live the life you deserve is what creates the cycle of revolution and rebellion and disorder. you could claim that the other side is the problem while ignoring the problems your own side contains, but all it will result in is division and maximized hatred. this book, while being about witches and magic and an enemies to lovers romance, is also about exactly that. the complicated question of whether your rights, liberties, and lives should be deemed more important than the rights, liberties, and lives of those you disagree with, and the very complicated answer that forever remains no. and yet, if you don’t fight against those who oppress you, you will never find those rights and liberties, so the cycle continues and forever will until you fight for peace and equality rather than against the rights and liberties of your enemies.

SPOILERS INCOMING

⊹ ࣪ ˖ “He stared at Rune, unsure if she was obtuse, or a master of deception.”

⋮ ⌗ ┆Rune ⋆˚꩜｡
╰ ladies and gentlemen, her. she was my favorite character in the book, because god knows i love kind and considerate but strong and courageous women as main characters. she loved fashion, adored dresses and looking pretty. you know what else she loved? freeing young witches from their jails and leading them to safety and freedom. guiding them through disgusting conditions, committing treason for them, risking her own safety to ensure the safety of other innocent girls. that’s. my. GIRLLL. she was beautiful and kind as well as strong and brave, because guess what fantasy, dystopian, and romance authors!! those things can exist in perfect harmony!! Rune Winters is proof of that. I truly can’t explain how much I loved Rune, she left me gasping at her deception and subtle intelligence. where a lot of people would let their love blind them, Rune kept herself mostly upright and aware of Gideons tricks. that’s not to say she wasn’t hurt when her theories proved true, but she wasn’t a devastated mess heaving and collapsing to the floor (but i was, i was a devastated mess heaving and collapsing on the floor during the whole last 50 pages of this book)

⊹ ࣪ ˖ “I remember the sound of your laugh,” he said as the back door of the house came into view. “It pulled me like a magnet toward the beach, where I found the most beautiful girl in the world standing on the shore.”

⋮ ⌗ ┆Gideon ⋆˚꩜｡
╰ I felt so so so bad for him. I feel as though a lot of fantasy and romance men are dumbed down to their love interest, but Gideon had his own thoughts and feelings and beliefs that weren’t completely changed and dropped the moment he discovered Rune is a witch. he has reasons for everything he does and everything he feels. he wasn’t a lovesick puppy who’s world revolved around her, his world revolved around his own thoughts and experiences and feelings, which eventually began to greatly involve her. I am personally very excited to see how he evolves and if his beliefs will slowly change. I yearn for him to see the other side, to not base his opinions on an entire race of individuals based on his experience with one, but that’s a difficult thing to do, which is why I’m glad it wasn’t shoved into just one book.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ “The way you make me feel is…” She hugged the bundle of clothes tighter. “I’m afraid it’s something I could get used to. Something I could need.”

⋮ ⌗ ┆Rune & Gideon ⋆˚꩜｡
╰ these two.. I wasn’t ready. these weren’t the standard enemies to lovers yadda yadda whatever that I was expecting, this was deception, falling in love despite knowing you shouldn’t, and somehow fooling yourself while attempting to fool another. it was a silent war of accusation, uncertainty, and romance.. and I loved it. but funnily enough, what sped me through this book wasn’t the promise of a love story, it was the characters, plot, and dynamic between Rune and Gideon. romance or not, this would have been such an interesting book because both characters and the way they interact while enemies is so compelling. while I’m devastated at the fact that they went back to enemies—worse than before—I’m simultaneously excited to see the dynamic between them in the next book because I’ll be able to watch them fall in love with the true versions of each other. the masks have been thoroughly entertaining and their tricks left me laughing and smiling, but the masks have fallen and now I’m simply excited for the battles they’ll beat each other in. that being said.. am i siding with Rune or Gideon..? let me grab my Hamilton soundtrack real quick. if you had to choose, if you had to choose… if you had to choose if you had to choose:

the people are asking to hear my voice! the country is facing a difficult choice! if you were to ask me who I’d promote..

Rune has my vote.

I have never agreed with CRESSIDA ONCE. her and Rune have disagreed on like 75 different fronts. but when all is said and all is done,

Gideon supports the death of innocents; Rune does not.

AND THATS ON FACTS.
Gideon has reasoning for who he is and what he does, but how many innocents does he get to send to their death before realizing they’re not monsters. the children, not monsters. the women, not monsters. but if you lead people to a dead end where their only escape is becoming what you believe they are, then a monster they will become. Gideon doesn’t understand this, he doesn’t understand that what you were born as doesn’t dictate who you have to be. Rune does, and I hope that in the next book she fights for equality rather than the rise of witches, even if it takes a while to get to that point.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ “Rune flung her arms around him, clinging tightly. He pulled her close, holding her for a long time. It was there, in his arms, that Rune realized for the first time she could trust Alexander Sharpe with her life.”

⋮ ⌗ ┆Alex ⋆˚꩜｡
╰ see I’m so here for Rune and Gideon’s love story but Alex is the one that deserved her, I’m sorry, it’s just true. when he found out she was a witch, he never even considered turning her in. he kept her secret, he protected her, helped her with her literal crimes. he was a witch sympathizer, aka, a human being with empathy and I loved him for it. he loved Rune, and he loved his brother, and for both of those truths: he suffered a terrible fate. I loved him so so much and I was absolutely devastated and shocked at his ending. free my dude alex, he was arguably the best person morally in this book.

and as for Cressida, ohh I hate her for everything she’s done but I am extremely excited for the dynamic she’ll have with Rune, I’m honestly very interested in what’s going to happen and what it will be like between them. I want her locked up for what she did to Gideon, and yet I cheered when she showed up and rescued Rune. In a way, her and Gideon are similar. to him, witches are like diseases to rid this world of. to Cressida, humans are trash to take out. which is why I’m standing with Rune right now, she doesn’t want harm on either side and has been surviving on the line between witch and human.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ “The hunted had fallen for the hunter.”

no notes, this was great.

⋮ ⌗ ┆pre-review⋆˚꩜｡
╰ I need to be lobotomized. 5 stars. I should’ve stayed a deadbeat dad. 5 stars. I’m gonna bash my head into a wall. 5 stars. this book just ruined my life. 5 stars.

rtc.

⋮ ⌗ ┆pre-read⋆˚꩜｡
╰ I’ve had this on my bookshelf.. forever. so it’s time for me to man up and actually read it instead of watch it collect dust and say “yeah.. later..” i feel like a deadbeat dad that sends birthday cards without specifying the child’s age because i don’t know it.

[mads · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Isn't that the point of art - to tame the monster in us?"

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

TW: addiction, blood, child death, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, genocide, gore, grief, injury/injury detail, medical content, physical abuse, rape, self harm, sexual assault, sexual content, sexual violence, torture, violence.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and I am devastated to be rating it this low.

Reviewing ARCs, especially negatively reviewing ARCs, is always a bit of a challenge because I'm unsure how much to say without accidentally giving too much away. Which means I am reduced to being vague and my thoughts may not come out clearly, but I'll try my best.

First, I want to say that this should not have been a YA novel. It felt like NA, it felt like it had been written for a NA audience, and the timeline simply doesn't make sense if all of the characters are in the YA age range. I will be shelving it as NA, despite the fact I know that's not what it's being listed as.

Beyond that, still trying to stay as vague as possible, I was bothered by the entire plot. So much of the premise revolves around an SA victim being pressured into sleeping with someone to properly inspect their body; while this is met with discomfort, it's still a sizable portion of the book and never truly condemned.

I felt the relationship between the two MCs was forced and toxic in a way that was completely unnecessary. As well as the way things were... propelled forward by the end of the book, felt cheap and predictable. I was able to guess the plot from the very beginning off of a very minor detail and was really let-down to find out that I had been correct.

There are many other things I could say, but as this is an ARC, I don't want to go any further. I will say, this is not a terrible book. It is tropey and very flawed, but I believe people will enjoy it so long as it finds the right audience. I just... I still can't help but wishing the entire plot had been different.

All in all, this is like a witchy Bridgerton (the comparison makes sense in my head) and if you've read this review and it still sounds like something that would interest you, please go for it.

I'm extremely grateful for the ARC and wholeheartedly wish I could have loved this even half as much as I wanted to.