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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