Reviews with content warning for Body horror - Heartless Hunter

Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

12 reviews

tmholsman_1994's review against another edition

I got this book from my local library because of a review I saw about it and 186 pages in I agree with the review. I was reading it fast because it reads like a tropey YA read that I personally don't care for anymore. I did skip ahead and spoiled the ending for myself so I feel like I'm not missing out on anything.

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witcheep's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The relationshis in this book are messy, and I love it! The FMC witch Rune and the love interest MMC witch hunter Gideon both decide to seduce each other for information, but begin to develop feelings for each other. They both have strong-minded friends who have opinions about what they should do regarding the flirty foe, and this makes the relationship even messier.

While the seduction game is ongoing, the surrounding society is trying to slaughter every last witch, and a revolution of rebel witches is quietly forming in the sidelones. There are murmurs of old enemies, whispers of wished allies, and hopes for a future where no one needs to suffer anymore. Both sides must ask themselves what kind of world they want to live in: one where there is room for mercy, or one where the end result can be chased after by any means necessary. Moreover, Rune and Gideon must ask themselves if they can find room for love in their lives between the opposing sides in this current society. The book does this well, wrapping questions of prejudice, justice, classism, and revenge into an entertaining romantasy plot.

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folded_between_pages_of_books's review against another edition

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dark hopeful informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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caitlinspeachyreads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I struggled to put this book down, I wanted to read it at every free second! I will be thinking of the characters a lot, ugh hurry up February 2025….

I cannot think properly after that ending….what, why, how? I guessed the big twist, but there are clues throughout the book. Now I have to wait 7-8 months to find out what happens…

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chasinggrace's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Overall, I really liked this book. I was invested in the fake courting between two characters, rooting for the underdog, and anxious during the attacks. I was worried this was going to be a typical “two brothers and a girl” love triangle story, but it really was more than that. You truly come to understand each character’s motivations, why they are who they are today. By the last 20 pages, I was crying.

Now, there are a few things I would change. In the first 100 pages, the author repeats herself a LOT, with very similar sentence structures and identical descriptions (of a witch’s first bleed, of how Rune played into her Nan’s death, etc.) I found it annoying and it took me out of the story. Secondly, boxing? The way the characters speak and dress and transport themselves, this story takes place in the “past.” But boxing? With gloves, in a ring? This could’ve easily been a fighting ring or sparring, but boxing took me out of the story as well. It didn’t seem to fit.

Seeing as Rune and the witches have escaped to Cailis on the Continent, I’m excited to see what happens in book 2 as the world expands. My heart is BROKEN that this is now an Enemies to Lovers back to Enemies story, but I’m rooting for them. They just need to talk it out😭

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suzi_is_cake's review against another edition

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Cannot believe this book is so hyped. I’m stopping this book for my own sanity and am gonna leave it at my local station reading library cause omg the triggers in this book that are not mentioned and the fact this is a YA when it should obviously be an NA. I don’t mind enemies to lovers but this was not that it was basically just everyone needs therapy and instead are awful to each other. I was gonna try and power through to the end but it was just too much.

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bookishkale's review against another edition

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adventurous dark lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I was expecting something different when I first picked up the book. I was prepared for enemies to lovers, but I thought that the book was going to be more of 'Young witch has to stay hidden in society, and to throw people off her trail, she starts seeing one of the people trying to kill her', so I was a little uninterested in the 'vigilante story with the heist, and trying to get information out of the male lover interest' but I was pleasantly surprised!

This book has a heavy lean on four stars for me. I liked the magic system, I think the consequences of the hard spells and some parts of it were interesting and made for a fun time. It's a blood-based magic system, and I thought it was smart of the author to utilize period blood. I liked Rune a lot, I can see where she grew and where she still is young. I liked her socialite life, I was intrigued by her story with her grandmother, and the responsiblity she takes on from that. The overall world has some good worldbuilding, and while the author struggles a little bit with some lore dumping, it does make sense so I can look past that. I felt like there was lots of imagery, and I wanted to see some art of her house, cause it sounds gorgeous. I think the ending of the book sells it for me, honestly. I had fun reading this, which makes what I didn't like easy to ignore.

I wasn't Gideon's biggest fan? I liked him a lot more at the end, but there were some things that I could have done without. He tends to lean a little too much on whiney BUT I may be being too harsh. I did enjoy the flirting and the banter. It's been a while since I read Enemies to Lovers that felt like there was some hatred and being hesitant while falling for each other. A little Insta lusty/insta love, so if you aren't fond of that, that's a heads up. Some of the secondary characters are forgettable. There is a sort of love triangle... but uh, I wouldn't worry too much about it by the end. There were some pacing things where I am not even sure how many days the book takes place over. The first 25% of the book or so seemed like it took place over 24 hours. I also just need the author to be a little more clear in the rough time period she's trying to take inspiration from, some of her language was too modern for the era I think she was trying to convey.

Overall, a fun romantasy enemies to lovers, with an interesting magic system around blood. You have some good banter, and a fun main couple. Some of the plot twists were a little obvious, but if you read a lot of this genre, I wouldn't be surprised if you can pick up things. I would also check out the content warnings, cause it's a little dark in some areas.

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