Audiobook Review: Rebel Witch (The Crimson Moth #2) by Kristen Ciccarelli

 

TITLE: Rebel Witch

SERIES: The Crimson Moth #2

AUTHOR: Kristen Ciccarelli

PUBLISHER: Wednesday Books

PUBLISHED: February 18, 2025

PAGES: 464

GENRES: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy

SOURCE/FORMAT: Audiobook

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A WITCH...

Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. If Rune hopes to survive, she must ally herself with the cruel and dangerous Cressida Roseblood, who’s planning to take back the Republic and reinstate a Reign of Witches—something Cressida needs Rune to accomplish.

A WITCH HUNTER...

Apparently it wasn’t enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she’s now betrayed him by joining forces with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won’t allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters.

AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE...

When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can’t refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren’t as dead and buried as he thought. Now he’s faced with a terrible choice: sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.

In Kristen Ciccarelli's Rebel Witch, the exciting conclusion to The Crimson Moth duology, love has never been so deadly.

Rebel Witch was one of my most anticipated sequels of 2025. The first book took my heart by storm and this story has been on my mind ever since. I (im)patiently counted down the release of this follow-up and was so glad to be back in this world with characters that captured my heart.

Kristen Ciccarelli is a master storyteller. She writes a mesmeric story that delivers in every way. She has a fluid writing style that is enticing and evokes various emotions. The premise for this story was highly intriguing and I am truly a hot mess for this kind of story. I love the witch/witch hunter vibes. It is totally my kryptonite. I loved the unique way that Ciccarelli wove her story. The plot was so addicting and cleverly crafted and I was totally enchanted. The world-building was detailed and atmospheric. The only thing keeping me from giving this book five stars was the ending. It felt a bit rushed and anticlimactic. Not necessarily how the story ended because I liked it, but the execution of the ending felt too quick with not enough oomph. Everything else was perfection. 

These characters were so magnetic. I felt drawn to them instantly because they were so vibrant and memorable. I adored the personalities of Rune and Gideon. Rune was so sassy and self-assured and Gideon was so conflicted and such a damaged hero but with a heart of gold. There was some fantastic character growth from both of the main characters in this book. I loved their personal journeys. I also loved all of the secondary characters and how they balanced things out with their contributions to the story. 

Enemies-to-lovers is a top-tier trope for a reason and Ciccarelli slays it. Everything about Rune and Gideon's relationship was perfect. The tension was sizzling, the chemistry was explosive, and their banter was to die for! And the "who did this to you?" vibes? OMG, yes please! I loved the evolution of their relationship. 

Overall, this was an exhilarating story with compelling characters and excellent world-building. If you are a fan of enemies-to-lovers romantasy with "kiss me or kill me" vibes then this series is for you. Kristen Ciccarelli is a marvelous storyteller and I can't wait for her next adventure!

Kristen Ciccarelli is the New York Times, Sunday Times, and Indie bestselling author of Heartless Hunter (Book 1 in The Crimson Moth duology), Edgewood, and the Iskari series. Before writing books for a living, she dropped out of college and worked as a baker, a potter, and a bookseller. She currently resides in the Niagara region of Ontario with her husband and daughter.

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This book was one of my top anticipated sequels for 2025. I even put this book on my 25 in 25 Challenge list. What are some of the books that you are/were most looking forward to in 2025?

Blog Tour, Review, & Playlist: The Scorpion and the Night Blossom (The Three Realms Duology #1) by Amélie Wen Zhao

NOTE: Blog Tour occurred from March 3rd - March 9th but I am posting this belatedly due to severe illness and hospitalization. (I am doing better now though and slowly recovering!)

Title: The Scorpion and the Night Blossom

Series: The Three Realms Duology #1

Author: Amélie Wen Zhao
Release Date: March 4, 2025

In a world at war with demons, one girl will face the ultimate test when she is forced to enter into an ancient, deadly competition for the chance to save her mother's soul… before she loses her forever. From the New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night comes the beginning of a dark and opulent fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Throne of Glass.

Nine years ago, the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Rivers tore Àn’yīng’s family apart, leaving her mother barely alive and a baby sister to fend for. Now the mortal realm is falling into eternal night, and mó—beautiful, ravenous demons—roam the land, feasting on the flesh of humans and drinking their souls.

Àn’yīng is no longer a helpless child, though. Armed with her crescent blades and trained in the ancient art of practitioning, she has decided to enter the Immortality Trials, which are open to any mortal who can survive the journey to the immortal realm. Those who complete the Trials are granted a pill of eternal life—the one thing Àn’yīng knows can heal her dying mother. But to attain the prize, she must survive the competition.

Death is common in the Trials. Yet oddly, Àn’yīng finds that someone is helping her stay alive. A rival contestant. Powerful and handsome, Yù’chén is as secretive about his past as he is about his motives for protecting Àn’yīng.

The longer she survives the Trials, the clearer it becomes that all is not right in the immortal realm. To save her mother and herself, Àn’yīng will need to figure out whether she can truly trust the stranger she’s falling for or if he’s the most dangerous player of all . . . for herself and for all the realms.

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Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher/author. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own. 

I had a fun time with this book. This was a new author for me and I truly enjoyed her storytelling. I have a few criticisms but overall I was overjoyed with this story and the way it made me feel. 

This author had a very solid writing voice that spoke to me straight away. I loved her smooth narrative and original storytelling. There were points in the book, mostly at the beginning, where there was a lot of "telling" by the female lead character. I know that happens sometimes to get all the information to the reader but it felt repetitive. I loved the premise for this story. When I read the synopsis it really spoke to me. The plot was engaging and compelling. There were many plot points that were very predictable but that didn't put a damper on my enjoyment of the book at all. The world-building was vivid and immersive for the most part. I loved the Chinese lore and inspirations in the story. I loved the originality of this world and appreciated the author's unique twist on things. I felt that the magic that practitioners use could have been explained more thoroughly though. 

These characters grabbed my attention and held me hostage from the start. I was drawn in immediately by them. I love a strong female lead character and this one was a delight. I loved that the author showed her failing at times and showed her flaws because it made her more authentic and relatable. The male lead character was a mystery and I adored his personality. There were many other characters in this book that shined as well. Each character was distinct and stood apart from the other characters. All of the character dynamics were interesting and kept me glued to the story. 

The romance in this book was an enemies-to-lovers trope with a dash of forbidden. The divide between the two lead characters made things so tantalizing. The chemistry between them was undeniable. There was a second potential love interest towards the end of the book and I think that the second book will venture into love triangle territory. So far, the love triangle aspects feel genuine and believable so I am excited to see where things go for these characters. I am a sucker for a convincing love triangle.

Overall, this was an engaging story with a unique premise that captured my attention from start to finish. If you love enemies-to-lovers, strong female characters, exhilarating plot twists, and characters that come alive on the page then pick this book up. I very much look forward to reading the second book in this series and want to explore more from this author!

For those of you who cannot use the widget here is the link to my playlist on Spotify.

Amélie Wen Zhao（赵雯）was born in Paris and grew up in Beijing, where she spent her days reenacting tales of legendary heroes, ancient kingdoms, and lost magic at her grandmother’s courtyard house. She attended college in the United States and now resides in New York City, working as a finance professional by day and fantasy author by night. In her spare time, she loves to travel with her family in China, where she’s determined to walk the rivers and lakes of old just like the practitioners in her novels do.

Amélie is the author of the Blood Heir trilogy and the upcoming Song of Silver, Flame Like Night duology.

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Blog Tour, Review & Playlist: Nightweaver (Nightweaver #1) by R.M. Gray

 

Title: Nightweaver
Series: Nightweaver #1

Author: R.M. Gray
Release Date: October 13, 2023

For fans of Adalyn Grace's Belladonna and Lauren Roberts’s Powerless, Nightweaver is a propulsive YA fantasy debut about a strong-willed heroine avenging her brother and discovering her destiny.

Six hundred years ago, Nightweavers, cursed beings with untamed power, claimed the continents for their own. The ocean was meant to be a safe haven for humanity, including seventeen-year-old Aster Oberon and her pirate family. But after Aster’s brother is killed in an epic battle at sea against Nightweavers, Aster and her family are thrust into a new life on land.

When a handsome Nightweaver named Will offers the Oberons protection and work at his opulent estate, Aster is suspicious. As the arrogant and entitled right hand to the wicked prince, Will is everything that she has been taught to hate. But as he shows empathy and kindness, Aster can’t ignore a blooming attraction. And even more, Will opens her eyes to a new There are monsters worse than Nightweavers, monsters who may be behind her brother’s death.

As Aster hunts the creatures responsible, dark secrets threaten to unravel everything she once believed about her family, herself, and her world.

Filled with elemental magic, forbidden romance, and breathtaking twists, this is a propulsive romantasy about an iron-willed heroine avenging her brother and discovering her destiny—perfect for fans of Powerless and Heartless Hunter.

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Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher/author. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own. 

Loved this!! This book was a romantasy that was right up my alley and I truly, wholeheartedly, irrevocably fell so hard for this story. Reading this book is like falling into a manic state of euphoria. I just clicked with it so much. 

Right off the bat, I have to say that I loved the unique ideas that the author came up with for this book. They were so interesting and riveting. I can honestly say that I have never read anything like this before. This author's writing voice was magnetic. I was pulled right into the story. The plot was marvelously crafted. Many of the plot points were very predictable but I was still engaged and excited to read more. The storytelling was so immersive and compelling that I was totally unbothered by the predictable elements in the story. The world-building was so vivid and atmospheric. I felt as if I had stepped into this world. I also loved the darkness in the story. There was a lot of blood, gore, and monsters in the book and I was grateful that the author didn't hold back. 

These characters were so fascinating. I was so drawn in by them. They were full of so much depth and were so relatable. Aster was so sassy and rebelled against authority (pirate) and was unapologetically herself. I just adored her! I definitely have mixed feelings about Will. I liked him at first but as more things came to light I wasn't as enamored with him. The way that he lied to Aster and kept things from her was such a betrayal of her trust and if I were Aster I don't think that there would be any coming back from that. I am interested to see how Aster handles it in the next book. I enjoyed Aster's character growth. She came a long way from the obstinate, grief-stricken girl at the beginning of the story. All of the side characters in this book were excellent. They added tons of depth to the story and made things very interesting. 

I enjoyed the forbidden romance in this book. I felt that Aster and Will had great chemistry. I am almost certain that the second book is going to swerve into love triangle territory and I am here for it! Aster and Titus also had incredible chemistry and I am excited to see where the author takes the romance in the story. Aster has formed a genuine connection with both of them so I think that a love triangle would be very convincing. The spice level in this book was in the "just kissing" zone and I'm not upset about it because the romance was very well written. This is also marketed as a Young Adult Romantasy so I expected the spice level to be low. 

Overall, this is a captivating and unique story brimming with pirates, strange magic, forbidden love, and a bit of havoc. If you love a good revenge plot then this book is going to be perfect for you. This is an imaginative story with memorable characters, beautiful storytelling, a fascinating magic system, and mysterious non-human creatures. This book was just so fun! It's going to be torturous to have to wait for the next book in this series! 

For those of you who cannot use the widget here is the link to my playlist on Spotify.

R.M. Gray lives in Texas with her husband and two giant dogs, where she enjoys writing stories about pirates, magic, mystery, and all things fantastical. A self-proclaimed expert at whistling and a dedicated collector of lightsabers, she spends her days drinking too much Earl Grey tea, re-watching old cartoons, and thinking up new ways to break readers’ hearts. She invites you to visit her online at rmgraybooks.com or @rmgrayauthor.

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Blog Tour, Review & Playlist: The Forest King's Daughter (Thirstwood #1) by Elly Blake

Title: The Forest King's Daughter
Series: Thirstwood #1
Author: Elly Blake
Release Date: February 11, 2025

For fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, The Forest King’s Daughter is an enemies-to-forbidden-lovers romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Frostblood.

Once upon a time, among the bloodred trees of Thirstwood, a young forest princess became friends with a lonely demon boy. He gifted her an amber ring, a worthless trinket…or so he thought…because no sooner did he slide it onto her finger than the demon queen and forest king declared war.

Years later, Cassia is a crucial force in her father’s army, wielding her ring of light that can blind and disorient hundreds of demons at a time. Then battle-hardened Zeru abducts her, planning to steal the ring back to fix his costly childhood mistake. Exhausted, terrified, and more than a little mistrusting, Cassia is forced to travel with Zeru to a place they both believed only existed in storybooks, one where their childhood friendship slowly rekindles into something much more. But it’s only a matter of time before the war they’ve escaped comes for them, and a hidden threat to forest folk and demons alike grows in the shadows.

From the author of the Frostblood Saga comes the first book in an enchanting, adventure-filled fantasy series about the daughters of the powerful forest king, sure to leave readers breathless and desperate for more.

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Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher/author. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own. 

I really enjoyed Elly Blake's Frostblood Saga so when I saw The Forest King's Daughter while browsing upcoming releases I was so excited! 

Blake has a beautiful writing style that is both lyrical and easy to read. I was swept up in her immersive writing instantly. The plot of the story was so compelling and intriguing. I loved the unique premise of the story and how Blake wove everything together. I was completely dazzled by this story from start to finish. The pacing was perfect and showcased both the characters and the world-building to great effect. The world-building was exquisitely vivid and wonderfully detailed. 

I was wholly invested in these characters. From their first emergence I was entranced. I found both main characters very relatable. I loved that all of the characters in the book were distinct with differentiating personalities. The character growth was impressive. I also loved the underlying themes of self-acceptance and dealing with the expectations others place upon us. 

This was a slow-burn forbidden romance that felt a bit rushed but really captured my heart nonetheless. I loved how the two of them slowly build back their childhood bond and how it shifts to more. This is certainly a star-crossed lovers trope. I adored the banter between them and there was so much tension!

Overall, this story is a ode to folktales with forbidden romance and warring species. If you enjoy atmospheric world-building, magical forests, fantastical creatures, enemies-to-lovers vibes, whimsical storytelling, and charming characters then this book will be the perfect fit for your TBR. I am excited to continue this series!

For those of you who cannot use the widget here is the link to my playlist on Spotify.

Elly Blake is the NYT bestselling author of FROSTBLOOD. After earning a BA in English literature, she held a series of seemingly random jobs including project manager, customs clerk, graphic designer, reporter for a local business magazine, and library assistant. She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and a Siberian Husky mix who definitely shows Frostblood tendencies.

Her work is represented by Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media.

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Release Blitz & Review: The Kiss Lottery by Ilsa Madden-Mills

The Kiss Lottery by Ilsa Madden-Mills is now live!

Title: The Kiss Lottery
Author: Ilsa Madden-Mills
Release Date: February 11, 2025

From bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills comes a steamy novella about first love and second chances where a city girl returns home for a Valentine’s Day tradition…and the boy who broke her heart.

Roses are red, violets are blue—someone in Rose has feelings for you…

Yeah, bad ones. Everly Davis didn’t leave her tight-knit hometown on the best terms. It’s been ten years, but you don’t forget heartbreak like that. Then again, the anonymous invite to the annual Kiss Lottery in Rose, Tennessee, gives Everly content for her podcast. And she has a bone to pick with that old heartbreak anyway.

Beckett Whitfield has never left Rose—and he’s never forgotten Everly. He even named the villain in his latest bestseller after her. Turns out she’s not happy about that. Nothing about their reunion is particularly happy, and after the way they left things, what did he expect?

When the Kiss Lottery pairs them together, Everly and Beckett will have to confront old feelings that never went away and the secrets they never shared. But finally telling each other everything might be exactly what they’ve needed all along.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

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Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher/author. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own. 

Ilsa Madden-Mills is such a unicorn author! I have loved every single book that I have read from her. I know that when I pick up one of her books that I am going to have an awesome experience. 

I am always over the moon for this author's writing style. It is so relatable and flows beautifully. Her storytelling always catches my eye. The plot of this book was so entertaining and kept me engaged. I loved the quirky vibe of the small town in the story. It felt so real and inviting.

The characters in this book were delightful. The main characters were easy to connect with and I enjoyed their story. The side characters brought so much magic to the story. They balanced it out nicely and kept things interesting. 

I loved the Ilsa Madden-Mills delivered a tantalizing slow burn romance despite this being a novella. Beckett and Everly had binge-able banter that I was ravenous for. All of the friends-to-enemies-to-lovers vibes had me on the edge of my seat. I had some mixed feelings about the chemistry between the main characters. At times it felt like it was working and at other times I felt it needed more development. In the end, Beckett could have groveled a bit more but all in all their romance was adorable. 

Overall, this is the perfect book for all those Valentine's Day vibes. This is a feel good (sort of) second chance romance with humor and plenty of charm. Some parts of the story were a little predictable but still so satisfying. If you are looking for a quick read with a unique plot and entertaining characters then you'll want to pick this one up!

#1 Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills pens angsty new adult and contemporary romances.

A former high school English teacher and librarian, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero. 

She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.

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