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A review by katemc7
Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I hate that this book took me soo long to finish. But to be honest it took a while for me to get into it BUT then when I did, I read the last like 200 pages in one sitting. I could NOT get enough of Gideon and Rune. When looking at everything the pacing was perfect. I loved the characters! Gideon was so broken. He was doing everything he could to protect people against what he had experienced. He was on the hunt for the big bad- the Crimson Moth. What he didn't expect was Rune- his brother's best friend/unrequited love. Watching Rune and Gideon show vulnerabilities to each other and then question what was real and what wasn't made me feel SOO many things. I was heartbroken at hearing what Gideon had endured and his view of the world because of it. I was in AWE of Rune and all that she had to endure. And this mask she constantly wore while trying to save the world after hours. I have to say I can't remember the last time I was so gutted by an ending of a book. Things changed RAPIDLY. I knew something tragic was going to happen because Rune and Gideon seemed well. But then perspectives shifted. Old habits and biases came to play. All of this on top of true evil being at play and neither Rune nor Gideon were able to explain themselves. I found myself basically stunned silent at the end of this book while contemplating throwing it across the room.
Rune has one goal in mind. Her goal is to save witches from the purging. She is a witch in hiding that also happens to be a socialite. She uses her vantage to get information. When she finds out that a witch her Gran wanted her to watch out for has been captured, she is determined to find her before it is too late. She never thought she would be in a position where she would be trying to woo her best friend Alex's brother Gideon Sharpe. Gideon is the lead witch hunter. He is dangerous. And yet he holds the key to everything. And so starts the cat and mouse game. Rune has to act interested in him not the information. Rune has to ignore the beating of her heart when they kiss. Or how much she opens herself up to him without telling him the full truth. Or realizing how much she genuinely hates what happened to him at the hand of a witch. She has to remind herself this is all to gain information right? But he looks at her like no one else has. He makes her feel things no one else has. He makes her wonder if she wasn't a witch and he wasn't a witch hunter would they work out? But then EVERYTHING changes. She finds out how she thinks he really feels and realizes none of it was real to him. She realizes that she should go the safe route not the Gideon route. She realizes that she can only save herself no matter the cost. No matter how Gideon looks at her. No matter what the world thinks.
Gideon's on the hunt for the Crimson Moth. They have been evading him for months. It is a game to them. He enjoys the chase but hates what is happening. Bodies are found in alleys. Witches are meeting in groups. He gets a hint that maybe Rune Winters is involved. His brother Alex has a crush on her thought she is his best friend. She is also an elite socialite. Could she be the Moth? There is only one way for Gideon to find out. He tries to woo her. He puts himself in a position he hasn't wanted to be in since the world changed for him. See Gideon has a past only a select few know about. He was the lover to Cressida Roseblood- the old witch queen. Gideon was her toy more like. He is on the other side of that tainted relationship which helped hone in his thoughts on witches. He finds himself enjoying his time with Rune. He finds himself liking when he makes her blush and pushes the line a little bit. He question whether he should back off since he knows how his brother feels- but Alex has never made a move and this is all an act...right? But he has to remind himself that when he opens up to Rune. He has to remind himself that when he finds himself lost in her. He finds himself wanting more. Wanting a future. A future he can now picture. But when he tries to play his cards right, Rune overhears the wrong thing and everything changes in the blink of an eye. He realizes he was right all along. There is more at play here. Rune was playing him for the bigger picture of what is coming. Rune never cared and she will rue the day she made him think she did.
Kristen what have you done to me?! I legit can't WAIT to get my hands on book 2. HOW are these two going to be able to reconcile with everything that has happened?? It is clear they are meant to be but I am hoping it doesn't take the WHOLE second book for that to become fact. I cannot recommend this one enough. Be prepared for the slow entry but yall it is WORTH it!!
Rune has one goal in mind. Her goal is to save witches from the purging. She is a witch in hiding that also happens to be a socialite. She uses her vantage to get information. When she finds out that a witch her Gran wanted her to watch out for has been captured, she is determined to find her before it is too late. She never thought she would be in a position where she would be trying to woo her best friend Alex's brother Gideon Sharpe. Gideon is the lead witch hunter. He is dangerous. And yet he holds the key to everything. And so starts the cat and mouse game. Rune has to act interested in him not the information. Rune has to ignore the beating of her heart when they kiss. Or how much she opens herself up to him without telling him the full truth. Or realizing how much she genuinely hates what happened to him at the hand of a witch. She has to remind herself this is all to gain information right? But he looks at her like no one else has. He makes her feel things no one else has. He makes her wonder if she wasn't a witch and he wasn't a witch hunter would they work out? But then EVERYTHING changes. She finds out how she thinks he really feels and realizes none of it was real to him. She realizes that she should go the safe route not the Gideon route. She realizes that she can only save herself no matter the cost. No matter how Gideon looks at her. No matter what the world thinks.
Gideon's on the hunt for the Crimson Moth. They have been evading him for months. It is a game to them. He enjoys the chase but hates what is happening. Bodies are found in alleys. Witches are meeting in groups. He gets a hint that maybe Rune Winters is involved. His brother Alex has a crush on her thought she is his best friend. She is also an elite socialite. Could she be the Moth? There is only one way for Gideon to find out. He tries to woo her. He puts himself in a position he hasn't wanted to be in since the world changed for him. See Gideon has a past only a select few know about. He was the lover to Cressida Roseblood- the old witch queen. Gideon was her toy more like. He is on the other side of that tainted relationship which helped hone in his thoughts on witches. He finds himself enjoying his time with Rune. He finds himself liking when he makes her blush and pushes the line a little bit. He question whether he should back off since he knows how his brother feels- but Alex has never made a move and this is all an act...right? But he has to remind himself that when he opens up to Rune. He has to remind himself that when he finds himself lost in her. He finds himself wanting more. Wanting a future. A future he can now picture. But when he tries to play his cards right, Rune overhears the wrong thing and everything changes in the blink of an eye. He realizes he was right all along. There is more at play here. Rune was playing him for the bigger picture of what is coming. Rune never cared and she will rue the day she made him think she did.
Kristen what have you done to me?! I legit can't WAIT to get my hands on book 2. HOW are these two going to be able to reconcile with everything that has happened?? It is clear they are meant to be but I am hoping it doesn't take the WHOLE second book for that to become fact. I cannot recommend this one enough. Be prepared for the slow entry but yall it is WORTH it!!