Heartless Hunter: The Crimson Moth: Book 1 (The Crimson Moth, 1)
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
"A steamy game of cat and mouse between witch and witch-hunter, played out against a backdrop of opulence, secrets, and bloody history. I couldn't look away." - Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Champion of Fate
Enemies-to-lovers doesn't get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli's latest romantic fantasy.
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 Heartless Hunter is the thrilling start to The Crimson Moth duology, a romantic fantasy series where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch...is falling in love.
“Enchanting and deeply romantic, Heartless Hunter drew me in with the first sentence and left me breathless by the last. A story that unfolds like a spell, and one that is destined to capture your heart.” - Rebecca Ross, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals
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Community Reviews
The world of the story is clear and well defined. The class system is at the heart of the story, the wealthy aristos, and the lower classes that have rebelled against the powerful witches hoping for a new world order. The magic system is unique in that the use of blood leaves a mark on its user, making it hard to hide when a person is casting spells. The different levels of magic, personal blood, blood given with permission, and blood taken by force, are specifically described in the book.
The relationships between the characters are motivated and the love triangle is complex enough to cause me to waiver, vacillating between team Alex and team Gideon from chapter to chapter.
I have a weakness for characters living a double life, especially when their alter ego is heroically saving others. It reminded me of WWII and the undercover spies of that milieu. When I read the author's notes and realized she was influenced by the Scarlet Pimpernel, I recognized the inspiration.
Fun plot, engaging characters with strong motivating back stories, exciting adventures and escapes, moderate spice (refreshingly graphic-free descriptions) make for an easy read.
The first time I read The Heartless Hunter, I gave it a solid 3.75, but after this reread, I had to bump it up to 4.25. Knowing what was coming made it so much more fun to catch all the little breadcrumbs I missed the first time, like why Verity drowned herself in perfume or why she was so visibly shaken by Gideon and Rhuneâs relationship. Those small details added so much depth to the story on a second pass.
For a YA fantasy, I really appreciated how mature the FMC was. She was cunning, kind, smart, and witty... all qualities that made her a standout protagonist. The cat-and-mouse dynamic kept me hooked, and I loved how the layers of each character slowly unraveled as the story progressed.
And that twist?! I knew something was off about Verity, but I was not expecting that. My jaw was on the floor. And Alex dying in Rhuneâs arms? Absolutely heartbreaking.
This reread made me love the story even more, and now Iâm beyond excited to dive into Rebel Witch!
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