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battyboojgirl 's review for:
Rebel Witch
by Kristen Ciccarelli
adventurous
fast-paced
This was such a good conclusion to book one. Honestly, I picked it up because I was still so attached to the relationship, and with that cliffhanger ending in book one I had to know.
I liked Gideon Sharpe before, but book two Gideon? All the slow burn realizations, the way actions carried more than words—it just makes your heart swell. Rune was even better here too. She let herself be more vulnerable but still kept that scrappy, conniving edge as she figured out what was right. She’s not the slay-queen type of FMC I usually gravitate toward, but I loved how smart, sneaky, and quietly brave she became once she wasn’t bound by fear.
The found family piece was so strong in the conclusion. The way characters came back together—even some I’d half-forgotten from book one—made the payoff worth it. It reinforced the idea that blood doesn’t always equal loyalty; it’s the people who show up, believe in you, and fight alongside you that truly become family.
Yes, there was a lot of miscommunication. And normally that trope drives me up a wall. In the middle, it did get heavier than I wanted, but the pacing kept things moving so quickly that I could forgive it.
Cressida was a strong villain. Everything we learned about her in book one still lingered in the air here, and in book two we saw even more of what she was capable of behind closed doors. What made it even more satisfying was how you could draw the parallels with the Blood Guard—especially now that we saw it through Gideon’s new perspective.
As a YA, the writing is easy to follow, the plot had twists and turns that kept me turning pages, and the slow burn romance continued in a way that made their eventual moment together one of the best scenes in the book.
Do I have some questions left? Yes. Rune’s visions—were they a new power or something forced on her? And did Kestrel actually know about Seraphina? Guess I’ll just make up my own headcanon. Also, I’d happily move into Wintersea Estate if anyone’s offering.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend this duology if you want a quick romantasy with closed-door spice, found family, and a story that keeps your attention without making your brain hurt.
I liked Gideon Sharpe before, but book two Gideon? All the slow burn realizations, the way actions carried more than words—it just makes your heart swell. Rune was even better here too. She let herself be more vulnerable but still kept that scrappy, conniving edge as she figured out what was right. She’s not the slay-queen type of FMC I usually gravitate toward, but I loved how smart, sneaky, and quietly brave she became once she wasn’t bound by fear.
The found family piece was so strong in the conclusion. The way characters came back together—even some I’d half-forgotten from book one—made the payoff worth it. It reinforced the idea that blood doesn’t always equal loyalty; it’s the people who show up, believe in you, and fight alongside you that truly become family.
Yes, there was a lot of miscommunication. And normally that trope drives me up a wall. In the middle, it did get heavier than I wanted, but the pacing kept things moving so quickly that I could forgive it.
Cressida was a strong villain. Everything we learned about her in book one still lingered in the air here, and in book two we saw even more of what she was capable of behind closed doors. What made it even more satisfying was how you could draw the parallels with the Blood Guard—especially now that we saw it through Gideon’s new perspective.
As a YA, the writing is easy to follow, the plot had twists and turns that kept me turning pages, and the slow burn romance continued in a way that made their eventual moment together one of the best scenes in the book.
Do I have some questions left? Yes. Rune’s visions—were they a new power or something forced on her? And did Kestrel actually know about Seraphina? Guess I’ll just make up my own headcanon. Also, I’d happily move into Wintersea Estate if anyone’s offering.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend this duology if you want a quick romantasy with closed-door spice, found family, and a story that keeps your attention without making your brain hurt.