An addictive immersive enemies to lovers, action packed, simmering romantasy.

Part of me has been getting romantasy fatigue, the cringey dialogue, the shallow world-building or surface-level character development grating on me the more I read, but this one managed to hold my attention and keep me immersed and engaged and believing in the characters and the world despite that which is quite an achievement.

Yes, if you think about it there are holes, we have to suspend our moral compasses as well as our disbelief for most of these enemies to lovers books, because there has to be high stakes, they're often in brutal visceral worlds with cataclysmic plots, and that tends to mean bloodshed and brutality, so how can our heroine ever fall for anyone like that?! Well, it's because their world is not our world, and each side commits atrocities because they believe they're in the right, and the 'to lovers' part of the enemies to lovers is largely brought about by how each come to understand the other person's perspective, even if they still don't agree. Again, moral compasses aside, this is done quite well here, and the kind of fake courting element means that the usually too quick 'I don't like him, he's my enemy, but he's hot, so I love him' insta-lust trope which can often spoil enemies to lovers for me, makes sense for the Crimson Moth, because our FMC Rune's alter-ego means that she, has to get close to Gideon (MMC) and learn about him, even while they are on opposite sides of a conflict.

Unfortunately, Gideon never has the same learning curve when it comes to him understanding Rune's viewpoint or motivation, because he only gets to know the Rune that she is forced to present, not the Rune that he is on the opposite side of, she sees him and knows where he stands and where he comes from, but he doesn't get that chance, so he doesn't actually come to love all of her. But then, we will see what future books bring, another reason why Crimson Moth was written so well, there is a reason to want to read on, it isn't just the conflict that is left unfinished, it is the conflict in the relationship between the main - and the side - characters that is yet to be resolved and leaves the reader yearning for more.

So yes, a blockbuster, yes the usual tropes, but yes please for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review!

I enjoyed this witchy tale! Rune is an interesting protagonist, and there is a genuinely good twist towards the end.

However, I really struggled with the love interest. The enemies to lovers is difficult because one of them is sort of a genocidal maniac who's tortured and killed a bunch of people, including kids potentially. The best thing about him is he doesn't torture witches too much? <Spoiler> He also really betrays everyone including his own brother at the end because I guess he really loved genocide? </spoiler> I usually really enjoy enemies to lovers but Gideon wasn't brainwashed or religious or anything, he was fully aware and okay with murdering and torturing people because <spoiler> his abuser was a witch, which doesn't really excuse this at all </spoiler> So I really couldn't get behind him.

But it's not like Alex presented an actual option, it was barely a love triangle since we had Gideon's POV and they only hint at Alex's feelings until he comes out of left field with his "I've always wanted you" stuff.

I'm very intrigued to find out where this goes, and I'll definitely be reading the next one, but honestly more for Rune and Verity than anything else. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for Goodreads.

I was initially drawn to "Crimson Moth" by its captivating cover, intriguing description, and great recommendations. So, of course, I started the book with high expectations and I'm pleased to say it didn't disappoint.

"Crimson Moth" follows Rune, a witch who hides in plain sight in a society that hates and hunts witches, while secretly saving those condemned to die. On the other side, it follows Gideon, a witch hunter driven by a profound loathing for witches, on a quest to unmask the elusive Crimson Moth. Themes of love, friendship, loyalty, pretense, hatred, and betrayal are woven throughout the story.

From the outset, the book captivated me, I couldn't put it down until I finished it. Particularly the last part was highly engaging; I needed to know how it would end.

Both main characters were well-developed. Their motivations were well described and understandable. One fights to protect witches out of solidarity, while the other seeks retribution for his past. Neither of them is entirely right or wrong, and that complex dynamic adds depth to the story.

This is a very character-driven story, so there isn't an extensive description of the world they live in. It was only halfway through the story that I realized they were on an island, and almost at the end that I found out witches aren't hunted in other places. I would have liked a bit more explanation of the book's universe.

The story is straightforward to follow, the writing is simple, but the story doesn't need much complexity. There are some quotable parts, especially in the conversations between the characters. In general, the book is a quick read.

Some moments felt a bit predictable to me. I'm not sure if I'm good at predicting story twists, but they didn't surprise me because I saw them coming much earlier. Nevertheless, they were good twists and made the story much more interesting. The ending left me eager for more.

Overall, I recommend this book if you enjoy enemies-to-lovers stories with a touch of magic. The tension between the protagonists, the debate between attraction and what each of them represents, was the most complex and engaging part of the story, truly the highlight, and certainly what I enjoyed the most. Can't wait for book two!

4.5

I'll start off by saying I think this author writes so beautifully, and I loved how immediately I felt immersed into the world. I really liked the magic system and the worldbuilding, and it felt very unique! The plot was very clever too - there are a lot of layers to the story, with the game of cat and mouse being played throughout by Rune and Gideon that made the story so exciting! I also did really like Rune as a main character and I enjoyed getting to know her backstory as to why she was this witch vigilante - I just felt a bit disappointed that we didn't see more of her as this vigilante? We're told throughout the book how badass The Crimson Moth is, but we only really get one scene where Rune is actually her alter ego, and I would've liked to have seen more of that. The plot twists however were exciting and although the biggest plot twist was a little predictable, I still felt shocked by it! I'm really looking forward to the sequel after how this book ended, and I'm definitely looking to pick up more from this author!

3.75 stars really, I loved the world and the ideas and overall the characters but the romance is so unconvincing. I care nothing about it and do not think it is sincere on either part, but putting that aside I really did enjoy the world.

Loved this so much, I have literally JUST stopped crying at chapter 59-62. And now to wait however long for the next???? 😭

✨ Unputdownable and utterly addicting, The Crimson Moth is a new favourite of mine and sure to be among my best books of 2024. ✨

This review might be a tad short as I read it in January but have been putting off writing my review until now... oops!

I loved everything about this book. Rune and Gideon made for wonderful POV characters, and I adored all of the tension and angst. Of course, this is an enemies to lovers story, and so there's a decent amount of lying and betrayal in the mix too. Given some of the content (both in the world/plot and romance departments), this is definitely an Upper YA book.

The worldbuilding and lore was really interesting. I really enjoyed getting to learn more about the witches and the republic as the story went on, and it helped flesh out Rune and Gideon's motivations for why they're on the sides they are.

There are plenty of plot twists throughout and I'm still not over the ending. The pacing was absolutely on point too; given the amount of time I actually spent reading this book (ignoring my Goodreads read dates), I flew through it. I desperately need the second book!

Thank you to HarperCollins UK for my eARC!

↠ 5 stars

This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Describing it as a mere game of cat and mouse doesn't do it justice—I was constantly left guessing who held the advantage. Despite the heart-wrenching moments, I grew to love the characters, and navigating the intricate twists and turns kept me thoroughly entertained. I couldn't put it down and now I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel!

Thankyou NetGalley for an arc copy of The Crimson Moth, I absolutely devoured this book, from the first page I couldn’t put it down, I had to go out and buy the physical copy, I can’t wait for the second one to be released, the easiest five stars I’ve given ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the early access to this book.

I feel like this was a very typical YA book, and I'm not enjoying these tropes as much as I used to, but this was still a fun, easy read, and I finished it in a couple of days. The MC annoyed me during a few scenes, but I overall enjoyed the storyline, and I can't wait for my Fairyloot edition!

The Crimson Moth is the first title (which is actually now called The Heartless Hunter) of the new series by Kristel Ciccarelli, already author of the Iskari series.

It is a young adult Fantasy Romance with witches and witch hunters, enemies to lovers and morally gray characters.

The author said she was somewhat inspired by the work The Scarlet Pimpernel, which was made into a film in 1982, which talks about the period of Terror following the French Revolution.

And here in the Crimson Moth (Heartless Hunter) we have a similar situation: the revolution has already happened, the witches' government has been overthrown and we are seeing the consequences of the purge by the revolutionaries.

The story follows two points of view namely that of Rune and Gideon. The first is a witch who managed to escape the hunters who, under the pseudonym of Crimson Moth, searches for and helps the surviving witches to escape the country. Gideon, a witch hunter and one of the supporters of the revolution who doesn't know he has it right under his nose, is hunting this elusive figure.

This "cat and mouse" style game takes place against the backdrop of a still brutally shaken country, where the dark and bloody tones are contrasted with a rich, opulent and aristocratic atmosphere.

For me it is in fact an entertaining, smooth, dynamic and exciting title.

Even though it is flawed in some points, I still found it to be a very compelling read and the character of Gideon, especially, really captured me.
Both characters are deep, well built and with good development but Rune really lacks a strong naivety despite some things being really obvious and this made me turn up my nose a bit!

I also appreciated the setting with the deliberately slightly gloomy tones aimed at outlining a historical situation, which for this world is rather bloody and typical of a political upheaval of this level.

It is obvious that since it is a young adult, everything remains rather superficial as do some of the current themes introduced by the two POVs.
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Even though it is a character driven book, it has a rather fast pace, especially in the second half. Here the narrative becomes much more dynamic and accelerated, so many things happen and even if some are a little predictable, this doesn't affect the reading which remains very enjoyable!
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For me it is a volume not to be missed if you are a lover of Fantasy with a good romance component, of witches and witch hunters and above all if you are able to overlook the typical defects of young adults to enjoy a truly captivating story.
I can't wait for the sequel Rebel Witch to come out, there's a lot of irons in the fire and I absolutely have to know how it ends!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC.

This book has found its way into my top ten of the year !!! It’s amazingly well written and absolutely beautiful, I can’t wait for the next one

The Crimson Moth immerses readers into the thrilling world of eighteen-year-old Rune Winters, a witch living in secrecy and aiding imprisoned witches in their quest for freedom. However, her clandestine activities draw the attention of Gideon Sharpe, a formidable witch hunter and the male lead of the story.

From the very first page, this book delivers a fast-paced and captivating narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The seamless worldbuilding expertly crafted by the author provides a rich backdrop against which the story unfolds, allowing readers to easily immerse themselves in the fantastical realm of witches and magic.

The magical system introduced in the book, centered around the use of blood magic, adds an intriguing layer of depth to the story. The premise of witches harnessing this unique form of magic adds a compelling twist to the narrative, keeping readers engaged and eager to discover more about the intricacies of this mystical world.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This book did not let me breathe. To call it a game of cat and mouse would be an understatement and I never knew who had the upper hand.
I loved the characters even if they did all make my heart ache and I had so much fun following all the twists and turns and trying to guess what was coming next.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and am now desperate for the sequel!

This is fantasy, fantasy romance and is the first in a duology.

This is set in a world where there was a revolution a couple of years ago, the leaders who were witches were overthrown and witchcraft is now absolutely forbidden. Any witches who are found are executed.

Our female main character is a witch who's working in secret to smuggle out other witches from the country, and our male main character is the witch hunter tasked with tracking her down.

As an added complication, the two of them have actually known each other socially since they were children and have got a longstanding frenemies relationship.

Can she outwit him, or is he going to discover who she really is?

This was another story that I both thoroughly enjoyed and cried at. I expected some similarities with Serpent and Dove, but they're actually not that alike. Similar decisions are not made by the characters!

I've seen this classed as YA, which I wouldn't necessarily have agreed with. The FMC is 18 and he's a couple of years older, but there's some quite dark traumatic events in their lasts. And the MMC in particular has very valid reasons to hate witches given what happened to him as a minor.

Overall I thought this was great, there was one reveal that I thought was fairly obvious but it did have layers so I didn't predict all of it.

4.5 stars rounded up. The only downside is now waiting for book 2

I was debating reading this book as I have so many that I wanted to read more but as chance (or fate) decided I picked it up, and what a surprise! I got hooked in the book almost straight away.The characters are all so well draft, neither good nor bad even though they're on opposite sides, and the plot so well spun, every time you think you have something figured out, the author spreads doubt and makes you rethink everything.
I don't know when book 2 is coming out but I can tell you one thing, I will definitely get it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harpercollins UK for an sending me an eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

I rated it four out of five star, I would definitely recommend it if you were to enjoy a 'fake-courtship/dating' plot, enemies-to-lovers plotline, and a slowburn with a lot of tension.

The Crimson Moth follows eighteen-year old Rune Winters, who is a witch in hiding, helping imprisoned witches escape to freedom. In doing so, she puts herself on the radar of our Male Lead, Gideon Sharpe, who is a witch hunter...

This book was a lot of fun. I had a great time reading it, it was fast-paced and instantly enticed me to read more. The worldbuilding was well-written and easy to understand. The magical system was interesting and the premise of witches using blood magic was compelling.

The romance was well panned out. There was a lot of banter and flirtation between the two MC's and their chemistry was just divine. Their tension was palpable and I would love to see how their dynamic changes in the next book (especially after that ending!!!).

I need the next book right!

Damn this book was a work of art. I was so so so excited to read this after watching a review on it and when the netgalley and the publisher gods blessed me with an e-arc of this i audibly screamed.
I loved everything about this book. From start to finish i was hooked on the magic system, characters and plot. Starting off with Rune, the female main character, and an absolute badass. Rune and the crimson moth are two different people in the sane body. I absolutely loved how she could go from this gossip-loving girl, to the witch who floored the Blood Gaurd Captain, not once but MULTIPLE times. Girl boss ✋🏻
Speaking of the Blood Gaurd Captain, Gideon, our male main character, and god damn 🛐 what a work of art. The definition of a moody, 'i dont like people except you' witch hunting badass. I love his little soft spot he grew over time for Rune. And oop the ending- they need couples therapy 🤷🏼‍♀️
As for the side characters, Alex and Verity, i LOVED them! Alex is literally my beloved and he deserves the world.... 😑 yeah, Kristen, im looking at you. You better change that certain something.
The plot twist after plot twist towards the end of the book had me HOOKED, and now i need book two IMMEDIATELY 🧎🏼‍♀️
This is enemies to lovers to enemies, fake dating, bridgerton but make it witchy. Go and read it!!!

I have enjoyed the dual pov of this book as we are following Rune and Gideon although this is romantasy with a slashing of fantasy I found it slow paced at times I have enjoyed the magic system in this world and how the author has painted a very vivid vision I have to laugh at the both our MC lying to each other. O found this book slow paced and that character lacking

This book absolutely blew me away! I'd intended to read it gradually as part of a read along over a week, but could not put it down and ended up devouring in one sitting. The dynamic between Rune and Gideon as they played their cat and mouse game was enthralling to read. The pacing was perfect, the twists and turns left me reeling and I want book two now!