Heartless Hunter: The Crimson Moth: Book 1

Lush, romantic, and tense. Heartless Hunter delivers rich worldbuilding, complex emotions, and morally gray characters in a gripping fantasy. Looking forward to how this story will prevail

I loved this! I am chomping at the bit to see where this will go. The pages turned easily, and it felt like there was no beating around the bush, no delay in getting to the point of the story- which is refreshing! The world building is pretty good, though I think some of the characters could be better developed (especially the peripheral characters). Looking forward to the next half of this story!!

The story started a bit slow but after the first couple of chapters I couldn't stop reading. I guessed some of the plot twists but it was still a satisfying read.

This was a great adventure different then many of the books I’ve read so far. Definitely a slow burn and not super spicy. Can’t wait to dig into book 2!

I absolutely loved this book. I went in totally blind and just decided to get out my comfort and I’m so happy I did. I loved the story of the witches and the witch hunter. I am sad that the Fmc didn’t end up with the mmc. I can’t wait to start the next one and this book I will definitely be recommending it to everyone. The ending did break my heart but I feel the second one is going to make up for it well I hope it does

I felt like the first 60% of this book was a little slower, but had a lot of world building. The last 40% had me super engaged and I couldn't wait to start the second book. It's definitely more of a YA book, but excited to see where the duo-logy goes!

Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth: Book 1)🌿🌼By, Kristen Ciccarelli5⭐️1🌶️I loved this beautifully written YA fantasy/ romance book!! 💜I’ve seen the mixed reviews about this book and at first was hesitant to read it! But I’m glad I did!There’s not much complexity to the story and the minimal world building is very easy to follow. But I myself was so immersed in it! This book is set in the Gaslight era and I’m such a huge fan of it!The magic system 🩸was very generic but it was also very captivating to me!This book is very character driven and I’m looking forward to reading more about these characters! Especially the three witch queen sisters !The Heartless Hunter follows MMC Rune , a high society undercover witch who is trying to save her fellow witches who are being hunted and unalived by witch hunters.MMC Gideon is a mortal , a part of the “Blood Guard “ and a witch hunter for the New Republic, He is trying to find out who the mysterious savior of the witches “The Crimson Moth” is.Loved the cat and mouse game between the two protagonists and I really don’t mind a (brothers) love triangle! To me it was very minimal in this book and didn’t deter me from loving these characters and being invested in the story!Overall I really enjoyed reading this book and I’m highly anticipating the next book in this series! I would recommend this book!

The anxiety this book has you going through is what makes this book one of the better stories I've read in a while. I'm not usually a fan of main characters being in this much denial but Ms. Ciccarelli does a very good job of not making the FMC pathetic. She's strong and smart and at least a little self aware which I more realistic and doesn't lull you out of the groove of the story . My only complaint is the (SPOILERISH) this love triangle is sad and I feel like she settled only to have it ruined anyway other than that I Loved this book.

Heartless Hunter is a fast-paced, addictive romantasy with sharp political intrigue, a unique magic system, and characters full of emotional depth. Kristen Ciccarelli crafts a vivid world where revolution has reshaped power—and where a dangerous game of cat and mouse unfolds between two unforgettable leads. With layered motivations, sizzling tension, and just the right dose of danger, this is a must-read for fans of enemies-to-lovers romance and richly built fantasy worlds. I couldn’t put it down—and I can’t wait to start the sequel.

One of the best narrator voices I've heard in a long time. The story was good and I enjoyed it. The plot is intentionally slow since it describes what's happening on a nearly daily basis by Rune, the main character. So, this is a good book for fans of slower-paced historical fantasy. There is no spice in this book, and very little description of the romance. It has enough twists to keep you intrigued until the very end. I'm looking forward to reading the next book to find out what happens to Gideon and Rune.

I loved this book until the last 20%. It became an absolute dumpster fire. It felt rushed, sloppy and over the top. Like, the engagement the very next morning (iykyk). That was just tacky and awkward. I kept waiting to find out that the main characters actions were being influenced by the villain in some way but nope. I’m not sure I’m willing to continue. I did enjoy the majority of the book but I don’t see how another book could possibly salvage the story at this point.

Action: barely anySpice: 1/2 🌶️Plot: 3 of 5This book sells itself as being much more than what it is. It a PG version of many other books in the genre. MC was supposed to be some valiant bads$$ but wasn’t. The one fight scene i remembered was barely one and she didn’t know how to fight really. Just stabby with a knife.The chemistry that the book the touts btw the MCs is kinda true but doesn’t really go anywhere and like I said, it’s PG bordering on G-rated. (I had to re-read the few lines of 🌶️ to make sure what I thought happened did. the description was very G and flowery/figurative. So I still wasn’t sure until after the MMC dialogue confirmed it.)🤦‍♀️I may or may not glance at the second book. Since I what I now know to expect (and not expect), perhaps I won’t be so disappointed vs the book description again.

I’m not sure why I was expecting more from this book—maybe because of all the hype—but it didn’t quite live up to it for me. The world itself wasn’t overly complex, so the slow plot development felt a bit unnecessary. Some parts were predictable, and the relationships with Rune and the brothers bordered on cringe at times. That said, it wasn’t a bad read—just underwhelming. I’m lowkey scared to start the second book, but here’s hoping it picks up and delivers more depth and momentum.

Kristen Civcarelli has done a fantastic job of capturing the essence and spirit and marking them on paper for Heartless Hunter. This is a 4.5 star read for me, only because I had a bit of trouble getting into the story at the beginning of the book. Rune, our FMC, is a witch that is fighting back after the revolution in her own way. She is strong, stubborn, and smart. Alex and Verity are helping her along the way, and they must all steer clear of the witch hunters, especially Gideon, out MMC. This narrative is action-packed and heartbreaking, and I couldn’t stop reading it. It was easy to get drawn in, especially at the end of the book. Just when you think the situations are resolved another twist is thrown your way, and that last chapter… Just Wow! The plot, world-building, and character development are amazing and I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book!

Despite this being a story with a warning of American's political climate, it was still a slow and largely frivolous plot. Lots of parties, dresses, and carriage rides. The plot itself could be considered a warning against regime change. But since the author has her pronouns in her bio, it is more likely a warning against populism and genocide. The consequences of blind allegiance and lack of due process are common themes in the book. A populist regime change resulted in continuing poverty, class inequalities, genocide, literal witch hunts, random search and seizures, and public executions. To soften the political rhetoric, there is a focus on fashion and extravagant parties. I read this book because it was popular in FB groups, but like Iron Flame, I think the audience missed the author's true message.

Shew this book and that plot just took me straight out! 💀💀I loved this book so much!! I’m glad I went in blind on this one. I listened to the audiobook as well as read the book together and I felt like I was being transported and watching the scenes play out scene by scene, chapter by chapter! I swear I’ll throw a damn fit if Rune and Gideon doesn’t end up together at the end of the next book. I cried so hard with what happened to Alex but he loved Gideon so much that he died for him. But Alex should’ve killed Carissa like she said he had, instead of letting her go a couple of years ago. They none of this would have happened but it doesn’t take away the fact that I loved him and Rune. Best friends who turned into lovers at the end but mainly due to her needing to get away from the witch hunter Gideon. I’ll be diving head first into the second book within the next few days, but I have to get this book out of my system first.

Heartless Hunter is a magical realism/romantasy with enemies to lovers, best friend's brother, and love triangle tropes. And it is AMAZING!Rune Winters is a witch who is hiding the fact that she is the Crimson Moth from everyone, because if she doesn't she will be killed. And the person to kill her would be her best friend Alex's brother Gideon Sharpe.Gideon is the Blood Guard captain, and is the best and most beloved witch hunter in the New Republic. Gideon has brought in the most amount of witches to be "purged" from society, and he has been hunting the Crimson Moth for two years.When Rune & Gideon's paths cross, they both pretend to be something/someone they are not to try and gain the trust of the other one. They are plotting against each other to be able to bring about the changes in their society that they want. But neither of them plans to fall in love.This book ends on a cliffhanger after a very heart wrenching scene that proves love is the strongest thing in the world. Stronger than even a witch's magic.

There are so many emotions going through my mind after reading this!!! This book was exactly up my alley; it has:• Enemies to Lovers• Dual POVs (!!!!!!!!)• Cat and Mouse - Hunt and Chase• An intriguing magical system• TwistsOh my goodness, it was ALL. SO. GOOD. !!!!The dual POVs added so much depth to the characters and made the emotions and interactions much more believable and easily felt; you could really connect with the characters. You also could really understand the tensions on both sides in regards to the hunter and hunted element. The dual POVs also made the enemies to lovers so much more exquisite!!The worldbuilding and magic system of blood magic was unique and I was surprised in a good way to see the author not shy away and utilise period blood as an option for casting because hell yeah - that does make sense, it's smart of the character, and why not make that time of the month useful when it's usually so miserable!Personally I guessed the twists early on, but they were so SATISFYING with how the story unravelled and I LOVE when authors utilise twists for satisfying plot elements vs just for shock factor. Thank you, Kristen Ciccarelli!I thought the pacing was great and each chapter kept me wanting to read more! I wanted to savour this story but also really wanted to know what happened next. I ended up staying up well into the early hours of the morning finishing this book and OH MY GOD all that happens at the end!!I also loved the "calm before the [next] storm [after a huge storm just happened] " vibes of the epilogue that really felt satisfying as a cliffhanger!I cannot wait for the world to read this book!! And I cannot wait to read the next book myself!! One of my best reads of 2023!!

I just finished my reread of Heartless Hunter (book one of The Crimson Moth duology) before diving into Rebel Witch. I like to do this to refresh my memory of the characters and storyline, and I'm so glad I did! I forgot how much I loved Rune, Gideon, and Alex and how deeply the ending ruined me. I sobbed again! Well done, Kristen Ciccarelli; well done!Can you imagine turning your beloved grandmother in for practicing witchcraft and watching her die in front of you? Rune has had to live with that choice, one she made because he grandmother wanted her to live, not die beside her.Now, Rune's sole focus in life is to avenge her grandmother and save innocent witches from being purged. Wherever she uses her magic, a mark is left behind, a crimson moth, so she must be careful to hide her identity. Otherwise, she'll find herself on a purging platform.The Blood Guard is tasked with hunting down and purging witches for the Republic of the Red Peace, who overthrew and murdered the three evil Sister Queens.Gideon Sharpe, devoutly loyal to the New Republic, has sent more of Rune’s kind to the purge than any other member of the Guard. He also helped assassinate the Sister Queens, and Rune hates him.Ironically, Alexander, Rune's closest, most loyal friend and accomplice, is Gideon's younger brother. However, as loyal as Alex is to her, he draws the line at manipulating or harming his brother.As tension rises and loyalties are questioned, which side will they stand with, and who will stand beside them?Heartless Hunter is more character more than plot driven, making it an easy read to fall into.Themes and Tropes:• Friendship• Enemies to Lovers• Betrayal• Banter• Lots of Chemistry• Cat and Mouse• Forbidden Magic• Witches & Witch Hunters

⭐⭐⭐⭐1⁄2 (4.5 stars)I devoured this book in two nights and honestly? My dark circles are totally worth it.Look, I'm usually pretty skeptical about witch books (there are SO many out there), but Heartless Hunter grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go. The whole premise of a witch pretending to be a proper society lady while secretly helping other witches escape? Sign me up!Rune is exactly the kind of protagonist I love - she's messy, complicated, and sometimes makes terrible decisions, but for all the right reasons. She's not your typical "chosen one" - she's just trying to survive in a world that would literally burn her at the stake if they knew what she was. And doing it with style, I might add.And then there's Gideon. Oh my god, GIDEON. I have such a love-hate relationship with this man. One minute I'm rooting for him to catch the Crimson Moth, the next I'm screaming at my book because NO, YOU IDIOT, SHE'S RIGHT THERE! The tension between these two is absolutely delicious. Every scene they share had me holding my breath, waiting for everything to either explode or... well, explode in a different way 😏The magic system deserves its own paragraph because WOW. The way magic leaves marks on the skin? The cost of using it? The whole blood magic aspect? It feels fresh and dangerous and REAL. None of that sparkly, consequence-free magic here, folks. Every spell has a price, and sometimes that price is steep.Fair warning: don't start this book if you have important plans the next day. The pacing is like a runaway train - slow build at first, then suddenly you're flipping pages at 2 AM because you NEED to know what happens next. The last third of the book? Pure chaos in the best possible way.Also, can we talk about that ending? No, actually, we can't, because spoilers, but WHAT THE ACTUAL—deep breathMy only tiny gripe (and why this isn't a full 5 stars) is that there were a few moments in the middle where I wanted things to move a bit faster. But honestly? The slow burn was probably necessary for the payoff.If you love:--Enemies-to-lovers that actually feels earned--Morally grey characters who make you question whose side you're on--Magic that comes with real consequences--Sexual tension that could power a small city--Society balls with deadly secrets--Found family vibesThen do yourself a favor and pick this up. Just make sure you have the next day free because you won't be able to put it down.Now excuse me while I go stare at my ceiling and process that ending until book 2 comes out.TW: violence, blood, mentions of past abuse, deathCurrently: Recovering emotionally while aggressively recommending this to everyone I know