Author: Kristen Ciccarelli
Published: February 18, 2025 by Wednesday Books
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: The Crimson Moth #2
Blurb: A WITCH...
Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. If Rune hopes to survive, she must ally herself with the cruel and dangerous Cressida Roseblood, who’s planning to take back the Republic and reinstate a Reign of Witches—something Cressida needs Rune to accomplish.
A WITCH HUNTER... Apparently it wasn’t enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she’s now betrayed him by allying herself with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won’t allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters.
AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE... When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can’t refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren’t as dead and buried as he thought. Now he’s faced with a terrible choice: sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.
My Opinion: I’m not saying The Rebel Witch was downright awful, but let’s just say it was, at best, a lukewarm finale to this duology that left me wanting the pull of The Heartless Hunter. That book had a pulse that could be felt on every page. This one? Tepid. Like reheated leftovers.
The "surprise" midway? Yeah, no. It was about as shocking as finding out the sky is blue. Anyone remotely paying attention could’ve pieced it together long before the “big reveal.” And as for the final twist, sure, it was interesting, yet, made perfect sense since it was foretold; but by that point, I had already resigned myself.
The banter? Fine. Serviceable, I guess. But let’s be real—this is Teen/YA territory, so any hopes of the snappy, zingy exchanges adult readers crave were dashed early on. As for the dark fantasy label—who are we kidding? This is “dark fantasy lite,” a watered-down version of the genre that barely scratches the surface of its usual complexity. No brooding depth, no haunting themes, no stakes that leave you breathless. Just… fluff with a hint of shadow.
What’s most frustrating is that The Heartless Hunter was such a captivating ride. This book, however, dragged its feet through every chapter, leaving me so unengaged that I found myself turning to other books just to break up the monotony.
The Rebel Witch was a chore to get through. Disappointing doesn’t even begin to cover it. Not sure what Ciccarelli’s future works will be, but here is hoping that she is able to recapture the magic of her Heartless Hunter storytelling.
A WITCH HUNTER... Apparently it wasn’t enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she’s now betrayed him by allying herself with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won’t allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters.
AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE... When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can’t refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren’t as dead and buried as he thought. Now he’s faced with a terrible choice: sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.
My Opinion: I’m not saying The Rebel Witch was downright awful, but let’s just say it was, at best, a lukewarm finale to this duology that left me wanting the pull of The Heartless Hunter. That book had a pulse that could be felt on every page. This one? Tepid. Like reheated leftovers.
The "surprise" midway? Yeah, no. It was about as shocking as finding out the sky is blue. Anyone remotely paying attention could’ve pieced it together long before the “big reveal.” And as for the final twist, sure, it was interesting, yet, made perfect sense since it was foretold; but by that point, I had already resigned myself.
The banter? Fine. Serviceable, I guess. But let’s be real—this is Teen/YA territory, so any hopes of the snappy, zingy exchanges adult readers crave were dashed early on. As for the dark fantasy label—who are we kidding? This is “dark fantasy lite,” a watered-down version of the genre that barely scratches the surface of its usual complexity. No brooding depth, no haunting themes, no stakes that leave you breathless. Just… fluff with a hint of shadow.
What’s most frustrating is that The Heartless Hunter was such a captivating ride. This book, however, dragged its feet through every chapter, leaving me so unengaged that I found myself turning to other books just to break up the monotony.
The Rebel Witch was a chore to get through. Disappointing doesn’t even begin to cover it. Not sure what Ciccarelli’s future works will be, but here is hoping that she is able to recapture the magic of her Heartless Hunter storytelling.
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