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kaigar96's review against another edition
This book made my heart whole and then ripped it into a million pieces. Heartless Hunter follows a witch (Rune) who spends her night as The Crimson Moth saving other witches from death and a witch hunter (Gideon) whose sole mission is to find The Crimson Moth. The two attempt to court each other to gain information, but begin to fall for each other.
The first 50 pages were slow to get into, but then I couldn't get through the rest fast enough. Usually stories like this have a sudden switch where one of the characters instantly falls, feeling like a different personality. This book doesn't do that. Heartless Hunter has perfected the enemies to lovers trope. Both Rune and Gideon are true enemies who really get to spend time learning about the other. As a reader, you get to learn more about each character and better understand the reasons for their missions as well as their struggles underneath. You can't help but root for these characters as they work through their histories and begin to care deeply for each other. HOWEVER, this is not a story where they fall in love and have a perfect ending. By the end of this book, the characters are still deeply troubled by their pasts and are still very much rooted into their past mindsets. Overall, this book is perfect for readers who are looking for enemies-to-lovers done well, heartpounding cat and mouse, or heartbreaking twists. Please see listed content ratings.
Regarding the ending - I've never been more stressed or heartbroken reading a book.While I understand the pain Gideon felt, what he did feels irredeemable to me. Obviously he loves his brother and was falling for Rune, but to send both of them to be killed was just.... I'm assuming he'll grow and regret in the second book, but at the end of the day, he's still committing gruesome acts of violence against witches. This is done well by the author so it is completely my reading prefernce, but I just don't enjoy a story where a victim ends up with a person who mass genocided her people and attempted to murder her too
The first 50 pages were slow to get into, but then I couldn't get through the rest fast enough. Usually stories like this have a sudden switch where one of the characters instantly falls, feeling like a different personality. This book doesn't do that. Heartless Hunter has perfected the enemies to lovers trope. Both Rune and Gideon are true enemies who really get to spend time learning about the other. As a reader, you get to learn more about each character and better understand the reasons for their missions as well as their struggles underneath. You can't help but root for these characters as they work through their histories and begin to care deeply for each other. HOWEVER, this is not a story where they fall in love and have a perfect ending. By the end of this book, the characters are still deeply troubled by their pasts and are still very much rooted into their past mindsets. Overall, this book is perfect for readers who are looking for enemies-to-lovers done well, heartpounding cat and mouse, or heartbreaking twists. Please see listed content ratings.
Regarding the ending - I've never been more stressed or heartbroken reading a book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Genocide, Sexual violence, Torture, Murder, Violence, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Domestic abuse and Death of parent
caitlinspeachyreads's review against another edition
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…
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Slavery, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Torture, and Rape
adventurebound7's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Interesting story. I wasn't sold on the romance, but I'm not that into romances to begin with. Will definitely be reading the second book when it comes out.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Alcoholism
pkm48's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Bullying, Murder, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Blood, Child death, and Gun violence
Minor: Cursing, Suicide, and Torture
ewatt33's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death of parent
xapoptosisx's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
All I need to say is I read this book in one sitting and I need the next book now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Blood, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Cursing, Addiction, and Classism
Moderate: War, Sexual violence, Grief, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
mr05e's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book had a great set up to be an amazing story, but it ended up falling short for me.
The world-building didn’t seem very well thought out. Some of the details made it sound like it was a Victorian-inspired fantasy story, but then the author uses words like “leggings,” “bralette,” “sundress,” and “hooded sweater” (what’s wrong with just a cloak 🥹). Those parts would take me right out of the story.
I also wish Rune was given more time to shine as a vigilante-witch! It’s just explained that she has saved a bunch of witches from prison and helped them escape. I wanted part of the plot to be her saving people and being a badass. It’s a lot of talking about what her plan is and her internal struggle as a witch in hiding. Just wish there was more of her taking action/vigilantism to supplement her internal conflict.
The plot twist withVerity actually being Cressida in disguise was a bit predictable so I found myself wanting the characters to hurry up and get with the program. And sadly, I think we all knew Alex wasn’t going to be long for this world, the enemies to lovers plot is obviously going to favor the enemies lmao
The enemies to lovers aspect of this romantasy was solid, probably the best part of the book. A little more “cat and mouse” action would’ve made it even better (aka more scenes where Gideon and Rune interact as blood guard vs crimson moth,like when he sets up the trap in the mines ). I feel like it would’ve added more interest to their enemies dynamic. And once we get to the actual “lovers” part of the tropeit was well written: good balance of angst, consent, communication, intimacy, and spice that definitely made the way they parted ways at the end more emotional as opposed to just being fanservice-y
📚TLDR: Good enemies to lovers plot, just wished the characters and the world they are in were fleshed out better—more “show” and less “tell”.
The world-building didn’t seem very well thought out. Some of the details made it sound like it was a Victorian-inspired fantasy story, but then the author uses words like “leggings,” “bralette,” “sundress,” and “hooded sweater” (what’s wrong with just a cloak 🥹). Those parts would take me right out of the story.
I also wish Rune was given more time to shine as a vigilante-witch! It’s just explained that she has saved a bunch of witches from prison and helped them escape. I wanted part of the plot to be her saving people and being a badass. It’s a lot of talking about what her plan is and her internal struggle as a witch in hiding. Just wish there was more of her taking action/vigilantism to supplement her internal conflict.
The plot twist with
The enemies to lovers aspect of this romantasy was solid, probably the best part of the book. A little more “cat and mouse” action would’ve made it even better (aka more scenes where Gideon and Rune interact as blood guard vs crimson moth,
📚TLDR: Good enemies to lovers plot, just wished the characters and the world they are in were fleshed out better—more “show” and less “tell”.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Sexual violence, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Death, Blood, Gun violence, and Sexual assault
Minor: War
dcnireads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture
Moderate: Genocide, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Slavery, Addiction, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, and War
Minor: Misogyny
amarainfaeland's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Death, and Self harm
mindsplinters's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-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? No
4.5
So... when is the second book coming out? February 2025? Um... I guess I can wait. Maybe! When it comes to cliff hangers, Heartless Hunter is like an enthusiastic leap off a short pier at the top of a mountain and you are only mostly sure you tied the bungee cord right. In other words, it is just the right amount of fear and anticipation for the next book to keep it bubbling until you get there. Magic, intrigue, romance, a not-quite love triangle that is thankfully not a real focus, and some lovely olfactory descriptions.
I just hope we don't go splat. Because this is a pretty strong book and it needs a very strong follow-up! While there were a few hiccups in world-building, the author still made things feel real enough and balanced between familiar and fantasy that my mind could overlook some of the minor gaps in the world logic to submerge into a world that is a mix of post-Revolution France, Regency England, alchemical fairy tales, and derring-do. I love derring-do. I enjoy it even more when the one doing the derring is not completely perfect at it but tries hard and doesn't make the stupid mistakes...
Other than the fact that, well, Rune and her accomplices are teenagers so there willl still be some inherent stupidity. Which is alright because they rarely tip into the kind that makes me eye-roll. Rune herself is an unsteady mess of guilt and bravery and brains and foolishness which works, given her background and all. You can't help but appreciate how she wants to do the best she can while also realizing that, wow, girl, you're unhealthy and probably need a qualified therapist to work through this baggage.
Ditto for Gideon. He gets more depth to him than you would expect in a YA Romantasy, helped by the alternative POV chapters. You can still think he's a bit of an ass but you understand where he is coming from. The fact that he opens up to Rune? Shockingly mature, despite his alleged reasons for it.
While I saw some of the reveals coming, I am pleased to say that there were still some surprises. One of which had me hollering "you dumbass!" at a character. He totally deserved it. I mean, I get it. Morals and all. But, dude, you had one job. (Don't worry. I still love you.)
Now for the real question... What would my magical signature be and what does one do if you're such a dominant rightie that carving casting marks with your left hand leaves you with scars that look like they were done by a drunken kindergartener?
I just hope we don't go splat. Because this is a pretty strong book and it needs a very strong follow-up! While there were a few hiccups in world-building, the author still made things feel real enough and balanced between familiar and fantasy that my mind could overlook some of the minor gaps in the world logic to submerge into a world that is a mix of post-Revolution France, Regency England, alchemical fairy tales, and derring-do. I love derring-do. I enjoy it even more when the one doing the derring is not completely perfect at it but tries hard and doesn't make the stupid mistakes...
Other than the fact that, well, Rune and her accomplices are teenagers so there willl still be some inherent stupidity. Which is alright because they rarely tip into the kind that makes me eye-roll. Rune herself is an unsteady mess of guilt and bravery and brains and foolishness which works, given her background and all. You can't help but appreciate how she wants to do the best she can while also realizing that, wow, girl, you're unhealthy and probably need a qualified therapist to work through this baggage.
Ditto for Gideon. He gets more depth to him than you would expect in a YA Romantasy, helped by the alternative POV chapters. You can still think he's a bit of an ass but you understand where he is coming from. The fact that he opens up to Rune? Shockingly mature, despite his alleged reasons for it.
While I saw some of the reveals coming, I am pleased to say that there were still some surprises. One of which had me hollering "you dumbass!" at a character. He totally deserved it. I mean, I get it. Morals and all. But, dude, you had one job. (Don't worry. I still love you.)
Now for the real question... What would my magical signature be and what does one do if you're such a dominant rightie that carving casting marks with your left hand leaves you with scars that look like they were done by a drunken kindergartener?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Drug abuse
Minor: Sexual violence