5 stars - arc review. This was the perfect way to end this duology. I absolutely adored the first book and was so excited to read this and it didn’t disappoint. The plot was executed perfectly and I loved that it picked up almost immediately after where the first book ended. Rune and Gideon have my heart as well the tension and their special moments had me giggling and screaming the entire time. It was beautiful I’m so grateful for net-galley and magpie for letting me read this early because I read the first book too quickly and waiting a whole year was criminal so thank you again.

I absolutely adored this book... the character development between Gideon and Rune is astounding.. Learning to trust, learning to love.. I was on the verge of tears multiple times with my heart in my throat!! Love this series!! The whole storyline pulled you in and had your rootingmfoe them both throughout..

I'm not saying much plot wise as this is a sequel. But what I will say is this - if you enjoyed Heartless Hunter, you are not ready for what Rebel Witch is about to give you. My first 5 stars of 2025!

Let me preface this review by saying that I was not prepared for this duology to be over, emotionally or otherwise. (Is it over? Is it a duology? What is life?) I did not expect to finish The Rebel Witch in less than 2 days, considering my usual pace. But here we are, the book is over, and I already want to reread it.

Now, about the book. It was everything I hoped for and more! I love that Rune and Gideon interacted almost constantly; I hate it when the "enemies" get separated in sequels and only reunite towards the end of the book. I also love how they slowly worked through their feelings, and didn't have a sudden change of heart. It was almost the opposite, to the point where I was screaming at my e-reader that they should just confess already. There is a little bit of the miscommunication trope, but just enough so that it didn't get frustrating, yet the enemies part was still believable.

The first half had me gripped so hard that I managed to read it in a few hours while also working. (don't ask me how I managed that) The second half was also good, but a lot more predictable and slightly less... banter-y. There, I said it. Not that I didn't enjoy it, it's just that what was happening didn't surprise me anymore.

The plot twists were a lot more predictable than in the first book, but I honestly don't mind that. I also don't care about world building when it comes to this duology, because the main characters dominate the plot and I don't wanna be bored to death with pointless descriptive paragraphs. It's perfect just as it is.

I am going to miss this duology dearly, and I'm honestly thinking to schedule a reread already.

this was such a beautiful conclusion to the duology, I LOVE Rune and Gideon so so much, and the breakdown of their relationship and eventual reconciliation gave me life, im so glad i got to experience this, and so sad i wont get to experience it for the first time again.
Thank you for the earc copy of this, im still crying!!

O.M.G What a book! I thought I oved The Crimson Moth, but this was insane! The action and the drama were brilliant as well as the plot of this book. I am kind of disappointed it's all over, and there isn't a third book 😕 I could use a third book or a little novella just to dip into the future. This book was fast-paced, action-packed, and just absolutely brilliant. I honsetly could not put it down. I love Rune and Gideon so damn much and their journey in this book was nail biting, heart wrenching and very much will they won't they. Well done Kristen Ciccarelli 👏 Well done. What an absoltely amazing book. Xx 😍

OMG THAT ENDING!!!
I got goosebumps, i cried and i smiled the way this book came to life for me was breathtaking! The characters emotions and experiences i FELT it.

All i can say is WOW from start to finish i was fully invested. The action the twists and turns kept me completely on edge, all the uncovered secrets were unexpected so i was truly on a rollercoaster with the characters! Gideon Sharpe in this book!! what a man & Rune, i mean what a badass/strong fmc! slightly more spice in this book which was done perfectly.

Speechless it gave me all the feels, Fell in LOVE with this book! truly grateful i got to review it before release.

Thank you Netgalley and (HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction) for providing me with this arc in exchange for a honest review,All opinions are my own.
- adelereadsromance

The Crimson Moth was one of my favourite reads of 2024 so The Rebel Witch was a highly anticipated read for me - thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. I have been waiting for this book for almost a year and it did not disappoint!!
I absolutely loved going back to Rune and Gideon, picking up where we left off at the end of The Crimson Moth. I find it so easy to get in to and a very addictive read - I could barely put it down!
The Rebel Witch gave me all the feels, and I loved seeing how their story would play out - to me, this is a perfect duology that I'd love to experience again and again!
If you've not yet picked up The Crimson Moth, I highly recommend for a duology full of enemies to lovers, secrets, witches and witch hunters, that angsty romance and lots of great characters! I loved The Rebel Witch and can't wait to see what Kristen Ciccarelli does next!

My heart.
This book has to be one of my most anticipated releases for 2025. I squealed so much when I got approved.
The first book The Crimson Moth was one of my favourite reads of 2024. I had saved it for my recovery from my ankle surgery, and it was exactly what I needed.
The sequel was downloaded immediately and I started it that same night. I think readers should definitely read Book One prior to this, I adored it and still needed to look up a blog to read a reminder of events because I couldn't remember some bits!
I adored it though, I will read this author forevermore.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘜𝘒, 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘱𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊.

The Crimson Moth was one of my favourite YA reads of 2024, so I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of the second book - the conclusion to the duology.

I'll begin by saying that Rebel Witch is very trope heavy. We return to enemies-to-lovers territory again after the big reveals at the end of book one; there's a healthy dose of forced proximity, fake dating, mutual pining, only one-bed-dom and 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘦. In that sense, it feels a little similar to Crimson Moth, though admittedly the romantic dynamic takes on an extra level now everything is out in the open.

The dual-POV works well for building tension and I love how active Rune and Gideon are as protagonists. There are no shortage of moments where you want to slam their heads against walls for poor decision making (or indeed slam their heads together), but flawed protagonists are always so much more fun and grounded.

In terms of the plot, there were some more BIG REVEALS, but you didn't need a telescope to see them coming. Calling it predictable would be too harsh, but it definitely follows recognisable and inoffensive patterns.

All in all, it's a satisfying conclusion to the duology, though lacks a little of the magic of Crimson Moth just by virtue of playing it safe.

WOW! Kristen Ciccarelli did not hold back with this one! The Crimson Moth was one of my top reads of 2024 and I have been, not so patiently, waiting for the follow up. Second books are notoriously difficult, especially when the first book is so hyped and loved. The Rebel Witch MORE than delivered! It was everything I wanted and needed it to be and more.

Picking up a month after the (excruciating) end of The Crimson Moth, The Rebel Witch launches into action from the very first page. I loved that we didn’t have to wait for Rune and Gideon to reunite, and that the enemies were enemy-ing from the get-go with the most delicious tension mixed in with the hatred they have for each other.

The Rebel Witch just had everything from action to forced proximity to yearning and heartache to high stakes and rebellion. You name it, Kristen delivered. An absolutely epic duology!

I enjoyed the first book but I never really got the hype it was getting. I was hoping this would be better and my god it was! I LOVED this book. It brought everything together. The banter, angst and tropes in this one hit so much harder than the first. The plot felt fuller and more fast paced which I personally wanted. I loved the characters still and was hooked. A great ending to this Duology.

This was one of my most anticipated releases for 2025, and it did not dissappoint!
This story follows Rune & Gideon after the death of Gideons brother and Runes best friend, Alex; and Cressida has come back to enact her vengeance.

I am really happy with the pace and conclusion of this story, the only reason I will give it 4 stars instead of 5 is simply that I felt like there was a LOT of build up to the final conflict, and it was over in just a handful of pages.... nevertheless, this book single handedly broke my heart and put it back together and I loved every second of it.

I loved getting to see Gideon's character development and he has to completely refigure the way he sees the world and the way he handles things due to what Rune is to him and her people. I loved getting to see them together again and the slow burn and angst and the MAJOR obstacles they had to overcome! So sad that this was only a duology, I would have read their story for many more books.

I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love Gideon and Rune so much, my god. I love how this book is written in dual POV, and in short chapters too?? Sometimes we read something from Gideon's POV that we already know he misunderstands due to having read it in Rune's POV previously, and vice versa, and when not done well, that gets annoying quite quickly. Like, learn how to communicate, you know? But this was the exact opposite. These miscommunications just MADE SENSE.

We're starting book 2 off with being on the other side of the sea, after hell has broken loose in the first book basically. The tension was there immediately. Rune and Gideon I guess still aren't really sure how they feel about it, and Rune just manipulates him in a way that her plan works? But at the same time he is plotting her demise. THE TENSION WAS JUST SO GOOD ALL THROUGHOUT.

I do feel like this book would have benefited from a bit more depth into how the world would change after getting rid of the enemies though. Like, your political system didn't work when humans/witch hunters were in power and it also didn't work out when the witches were in power, so what is your plan now? It's hinted at slightly in the epilogue, but I really would have loved to see more. Otherwise we'll get the same problems again in a century, you know?

That being said, I loved this duology and I'm really glad I read this. Rune and Gideon are close to my heart.

*ARC review*

“The problem with love is the more you try to destroy it, the stronger it becomes.”

“Heartless Hunter” was one of my favorite reads from last year.
So I was very happy to receive an e-ARC for “The Rebel Witch” from HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction via Netgalley.
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The book continues the story from the end of the previous one and Rune and Gideon are back to enemies. Even if they try to avoide each other, I like that they seem to keep ending up in small spaces as they are hiding.

There is a lot of tension and chemistry between them and they spend a lot of time together.
Every time Gideon thinks he is not worthy I want to hug him. He feels a lot of guilt and fights his feelings.
Rune is a strong character that deals with conflicting feelings.

The book has a fast pace, with twists, magic, betrayal but also funny and emotional moments. I went through many emotions while reading it and did not want it to end.

I do not want to give any spoilers but if you liked the first book this will not disappoint.

The Crimson Moth was one of my favourite books of 2024 so I was more than delighted to get my hands on an ARC of The Rebel Witch and having inhaled all 464 pages in less than twenty four hours I am pleased to report that it did not disappoint.
Obviously nobody is going to read this without having first read The Crimson Moth but I am still going to be pretty circumspect in my descriptions to avoid potential spoilers. Rune Winters is a witch on the run and her only hope of survival seems to be an unwilling alliance with the former Witch Queen (and psychopath) Cressida who is essentially selling Rune to a neighbouring prince in return for his army. Since the man she loved, Gideon, was the one who handed her over to this fate it seems like all hope is lost.
Gideon Sharpe, witch hunter and former toy of Cressida is heartbroken by Rune's betrayal and new alliance, so when he is sent to kill her, he thinks that though it will not be easy, it is essential for the future of his homeland and for his own sanity. All witches must die, but especially Rune.
Of course this plan does not run smoothly and Rune and Gideon find themselves unable to resist their growing attraction as they are forced to work together to try to claim a future where humans and witches can co-exist.
The tropes are strong in this book, we obviously have enemies to lovers but as the story unfolds we also get forced proximity, fake fiances and only one bed to name just a few of the more popular ones in this genre. I loved both Gideon and Rune as characters in the first book and that love continues here. I often find that miscommunication issues and lack of communication between characters in a romance can take me out of the story but here the reasons for the reticence and mistrust are really well established and so I found it far more understandable. This is a book that crams a lot of plot in and the pace is definitely fast, neither characters nor reader gets much breathing space as we escape one horrible situation only to end up in a potentially even worse one. It is so impressive that even with such a fast paced read there is still time for character development, but we do see growth in both Rune and Gideon as the story unfolds.
It may be too early to call my books of the year for 2025 but I would be very surprised not to find this one on the list in December.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

The romance was good and did what it needed to do, but overall i don't think this sequel was going to be more than a 3 stars. The first book was good but not memorable despite me enjoying the romance it's forgettable. Rune and Gideon were giving forbidden romance longing and tension was done well.

An excellent wrap up to the story. I did prefer book one and this maybe fell a little short of it in some parts, towards the end dragged a little bit. However, still a great read. I enjoyed the progress everyone made, the change of hearts that were had and the eventual acceptance. The romance was lacking for me in this one but for some, that's not what makes the story.

First of all i’d like to thank netgalley and the publisher for granting me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Aaahh I can’t believe it’s over now. Was secretly hoping this would turn out to be a trilogy, just to get some more gideonrune content. But to be fair, I think it was all wrapped up pretty well, so I can’t be mad about it.

The novel started off in such an interesting way. Gideon and Rune are both left reeling after each other’s betrayals and have sworn to themselves they will finally kill each other for good this time (who are they even trying to humor).

Furthermore we have PINING, we have TENSION, we have even more PINING. The emotions were HIGH in this book and I guess that’s why I was struggling to put it down after getting immersed in the story. As a very emotionally driven person myself, I can appreciate when characters just let themselves be ruled by their emotions, instead of using their brains for some (rational) thinking. Even when sometimes it makes me want to pull out my hair, cause why would these make those dumb ass decisions (as if I would’ve done any better in their positions)

I do have to say that I liked the first half of the book more than the second half. While the story started on a pretty strong note, I do feel like the plot was a little more rushed towards the ending, which caused me to be easily distracted while reading. Lots of different things were occuring within a pretty short time frame aswell at some point, making it a little harder to keep track of where the story was going.

That was truly the only thing that bugged me though, so I can easily say I have no regrets of making this my first read of 2025 :)

I absolutely adored this book! As the follow-up in a duology, it had some big shoes to fill, but not only did it meet all my expectations—it completely blew them away!

If you loved the first book, get ready to fall head over heels for this one. All the best parts of The Crimson Moth are back and, dare I say it, even better. Every interaction was beautifully written, and I was so invested in these characters’ journeys that I couldn’t stop reading. The chemistry between them was more established, and their growth felt so authentic and heartfelt.

The world-building and magical elements took a huge leap forward, too. I found myself completely immersed in where the story was taking me, with the political elements feeling much more present in this instalment. The stakes were higher, the plot moved around with more confidence, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!

Every moment of excitement I felt leading up to this release was worth it. From the breathtaking action to the tender, emotional scenes, it delivered everything I could have hoped for and more.

I couldn’t recommend the duology more highly, and The Rebel Witch is a fantastic finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for my ARC.