Rebel Witch: The Crimson Moth: Book 2 (The Crimson Moth, 2) Hardcover – February 18, 2025

Rebel Witch delivered everything I wanted and more! Kristen Ciccarelli masterfully wrapped up Rune and Gideon’s story with heart-pounding action, raw emotion, and the kind of character growth that sticks with you long after you close the book.Rune’s journey from fear and self-doubt to fierce determination was inspiring. Watching her finally face her inner battles and choose love, bravery, and her own power was beautiful. Gideon continues to be the loyal, soft-hearted but deadly protector we fell for in Heartless Hunter, and their dynamic in this book felt so earned and real.The pacing was fast, the twists kept me guessing, and the emotional moments hit hard. That scene at the train station? Absolutely broke me (in the best way). And the final chapters gave me the closure I needed while still leaving me dreaming about their future.If you loved Heartless Hunter, you NEED to finish the series with Rebel Witch. It’s a story of rebellion, healing, and choosing love even when it’s hard. Highly recommend!

Rebel Witch, the second and final book in the Crimson Moth series, delivers an electrifying conclusion that exceeds expectations. Often, sequels struggle to maintain the magic of the first book, but this one defies the trend—keeping the tension high, the stakes even higher, and the romance utterly captivating.The chemistry between the main characters crackles with intensity, embodying the essence of a true enemies-to-lovers dynamic. Their yearning, their internal battles, and the slow-burn passion make every interaction compelling. The plot is gripping, and the storyline is masterfully woven, making it impossible to put down—I devoured it in just two days, a welcome cure for my reading slump.For fans of slow-burn romance, powerful magic, and fiercely determined protagonists, this duology is an absolute must-read. Rebel Witch is a thrilling, emotional ride that cements this series as one I’ll be recommending to everyone who loves witches, war, and heart-wrenching romance.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted eARC, I ended up borrowing the finished ebook from KU. I own the audio but I focused in on the ebook this go around.Synopsis: a witch and her hunter team up to betray each other at every turnRead this for:- second book in duology- witches and witch hunters- enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers- betrayal- hidden royalty- fake marriageMy thoughts: I binge read Heartless Hunter in a single sitting last year and was super excited for this book and then just didn’t pick it up? It came out the day before my birthday and I think my brain was in birthday mode not read it now mode. But I finished it in 2.5 days and had fun reading it. I loved Rune and Gideon in Heartless Hunters and I loved the dynamic changes they go through because of their history. This is one of the true enemies to lovers stories out there and I am here for it.Highly recommend for a complete duology!

𝑹𝒆𝒃𝒆𝒍 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉 by Kristen Ciccarelli“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙢 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙮 𝙞𝙩, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨.”The worthy, gut-wrenching end to this soul-snagging duology. 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 gave us the perfect introduction to a new magical world, with danger, and an 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 chase—𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 gave us the aftermath. And woof, was it TORTURE (in the best way).The slow burn between Rune and Gideon is absolutely 𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨—even more deliciously intolerable than before. We know what they’re capable of, we 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 their chemistry ignite in book one, and yet—pages and pages of yearning, proximity, longing, betrayal & heartbreak in book two. It’s a 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴 in tension. There’s almost no spice on the page, but honestly none was needed. Rune and Gideon together are passion incarnate and it pours off the page even when they’re 𝘯𝘰𝘵 touching—sometimes, especially when they’re not.Rune continues to be one of my favorite heroines—fierce, loyal to a fault, willing to burn herself down if it means saving someone else. Her sense of justice isn’t performative; it’s deeply personal. She’ll right a wrong even when it costs her everything. And Gideon—this man—sworn by duty but RULED by love. He tries to be logical. He tries to do what’s expected of him. But his heart always chooses her.𝙄𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙠. 𝙄𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙣, 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡.That said—the miscommunication trope—it got a 𝘣𝘪𝘵 out of hand for me. Like, “been there, done that”. The repetition of missed chances, half-truths, mistrust evasions was a little much—even for a slow burn lover like me.But despite that frustration, the raw emotion, the poetic prose, and the 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 connection between these two still kept me hooked. This is a story of sacrifice, love, and what it means to 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨—to a place, to a cause, to a person. It wasn’t just a conclusion; it was a deserved end. And I wasn’t just rooting for Rune & Gideon. I FELT for them. And that’s was the 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 magic.“𝙄𝙩 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙡. 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙.”⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️

While the storyline was intriguing and full of potential, I felt like there was simply too much happening in one book. The fast pace and abundance of plot points didn’t leave enough room for the depth and development I was hoping for—especially in the character relationships.There could have been so much more exploration between Cressida and Rune. I would have loved to see deeper conversations, more emotional buildup, and a clearer sense of why Cressida chose to connect with Rune as a friend. Their story felt a bit rushed, and fleshing it out could have added a richer emotional layer to the story.Overall, Rebel Witch had a solid foundation, but it could have really shined with more time spent developing the characters and their dynamics.

An excellent finish to an outstanding duology which achieved impressive results in every facet of plot, world building, character growth, etc, etc, etc!