Publishers Weekly
11/13/2023
In a world once ruled by witches, revolution has brought about their demise and given rise to the Republic of Red Peace. Still hunted, witches must hide the elaborate scarring on their bodies, which act as catalysts for spellcasting, to avoid discovery. Teenage Rune Winters, a wealthy socialite, is known for betraying her own grandmother as a witch to the republic. In secret, however, she operates as the Crimson Moth, a rebellious figure who helps witches escape the purge by fleeing the country. Her most recent rescue attempt is thwarted by the man she loathes most, Blood Guard captain Gideon Sharpe, who wants nothing more than to capture the Crimson Moth and suspects Rune of being more than the vapid aristocrat she plays in public. Determined to use each other for their own gain, Rune and Gideon enter a dangerous courtship that will test their convictions. Via Rune and Gideon’s alternating first-person narration, Ciccarelli (Edgewood) persuasively imbues each side of the conflict with complexity, depicting both as being neither wholly good nor evil. The protagonists’ strong chemistry unfolds at a tense and steady pace in this high-stakes romantasy, the first in a trilogy. Main characters cue as white. Ages 13–up. Agent: Danielle Burby, Mad Woman Literary. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
Praise for Heartless Hunter:
An Instant New York Times Bestseller!
An Instant Indie Bestseller!
Book Riot, "Winter 2024 YA Book Releases"
Goodreads, "The Most Anticipated Young Adult Books of 2024"
Paste Magazine, "Best New Fantasy Books of February"
She Reads, "Most Anticipated YA of 2024"
The Nerd Daily, "The Most Anticipated YA of 2024"
"An addictive romantic fantasy about the cat-and-mouse game between a witch and a witch hunter that develops into something more, Heartless Hunter seems destined to be one of the buzziest releases of winter. (The chemistry! Whew!)" - Paste, "Most Anticipated YA of 2024"
“This fantasy take on The Scarlet Pimpernel smoothly spools out a complex plot, and the perspective changes heighten the tension … The dizzying finale promises a sequel." - Booklist
"Ciccarelli persuasively imbues each side of the conflict with complexity, depicting both as being neither wholly good nor evil. The protagonists’ strong chemistry unfolds at a tense and steady pace in this high-stakes romantasy." - Publishers Weekly
"An addictive first installment that sets readers up for a series full of magic and romance." - Kirkus
"Fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope will not be able to put this book down.. Ciccarelli creates a world that will immediately immerse readers." - School Library Journal
"Heartless Hunter is a stunning YA fantasy that combines unforgettable characters, thought-provoking themes, and a thrilling romance into a heart-wrenching and consuming story. Highly recommend picking this one up, especially if you enjoyed Divine Rivals, The Shadows Between Us, and/or To Kill a Kingdom." - YA Books Central
"A steamy game of cat and mouse between witch and witch-hunter, played out against a backdrop of opulence, secrets, and bloody history. I couldn't look away." - Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Champion of Fate
"This was just the book for me. Dark, romantic, and brimming with forbidden magic, Heartless Hunter masterfully captures being caught between seduction and subterfuge. My heart was racing!" - Rachel Gillig, author of One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns
“Could not put it down…It’s the sexy witchy lady PIMPERNEL retelling we all deserve.” -Kester Grant, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Court of Miracles
"Kristen Ciccarelli bewitched me with raw storytelling talent! Heartless Hunter is a gritty caper and a delectable enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance rolled into one. From the high-stakes intrigue, to the rich world-building, to the enthralling magic system, to the toe-curling tension between two striking characters who are destined to be foes but can’t keep their hands (and hearts) to themselves—there is nothing about this book that I don’t fervently adore." - Thea Guanzon, New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars
"I loved this book so much! It was so gorgeously written and at points you could cut the tension with a knife. It was so propulsive and powerful, and I thought the Scarlett Pimpernel-re-imagining element was utter genius. An enchantingly written, high-stakes romantasy with a pulse-racing plot - I was captivated." -Natasha J. Hastings, author of How to Charm a Viscount
"[A] spell-binding fantasy romance with twists, turns, and an irresistible forbidden love. Between the intricate and unique magic system, an addictive enemies-to-lovers romance, and a stunning world filled with intrigue, Ciccarelli weaves a tale that is impossible to put down. With complex, morally grey characters you can't help but root for, I was left thinking about Rune and Gideon long after I turned the last page." - Elizabeth Helen, author of Beasts of the Briar series
“Enchanting and deeply romantic, Heartless Hunter drew me in with the first sentence and left me breathless by the last. A story that unfolds like a spell, and one that is destined to capture your heart.” - Rebecca Ross , #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals
"Tense and bloody, with a steamy undercurrent, dark luxury and decadent world building, Ciccarelli has created a cutthroat world of forbidden magic that will become your new favourite enemies-to-lovers Romantasy. This is enemies-to-lovers done right, and after that ending, I can’t wait for book two.” - Megan Scott, author of A Temptation of Magic
"Heartless Hunter is my favorite kind of fantasy: sizzling with romance and banter between enemies caught in a dangerous world." - Emily Thiede, author of This Vicious Grace
Praise for Edgewood:
"Precise in construction and style, with an elegant and eerie music motif, this easily earns a place on Stiefvater fans’ TBR lists." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
"Characters are the highlight of Ciccarelli’s novel as she explores communities—the kind you’re born into and the ones you build for yourself—by building families, friendships, and romances that will sweep readers away...whimsical and threatening." - School Library Journal
"Edgewood has everything I love in a Kristen Ciccarelli book: lyrical prose, a romance that will hurt, and themes rooted in raw and intimate questions, making for a timeless tale." - Joan He, New York Times bestselling author of The Ones We're Meant to Find
"With gorgeous writing and a strong female lead, Edgewood is a tale for anyone who loves their fantasies lush, dark, and romantic. I could have remained lost in the woods forever." - Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven In Moonlight and Written in Starlight
School Library Journal
02/01/2024
Gr 9 Up—Rune Winters is living a double life. By day she is an airheaded debutante flitting from party to party and by night she is the Crimson Moth, a masked crusader dedicated to rescuing witches from the clutches of the Blood Guard. Gideon Sharpe took control of his life the day that he helped overthrow the corrupt Witch Queens, sisters who ruled over their island kingdom with the magic afforded them by their blood. Witches need their own blood, or that of another person, to cast their spells, leaving behind an intricate tracery of scars visible to the naked eye. A captain of the Blood Guard, Gideon is convinced that all witches are evil and need to be rounded up and punished. Rune and Gideon will stop at nothing to see their missions completed. When they both decide that cozying up to their own worst enemy is worth the risk, they didn't count on actually beginning to care for each other. Fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope will not be able to put this book down. Ciccarelli creates a world that will immediately immerse readers. Those familiar with The Scarlet Pimpernel will recognize the essence of the story in this gender-swapped fantasy reimagining. VERDICT Give this one to fans of Kendare Blake's "Three Dark Crowns" series and Bridgerton, both the show and books.—Sara Brunkhorst
Kirkus Reviews
2023-11-17
When the Blood Guard revolted against the Sister Queens and the purging started, no witch was safe, until the Crimson Moth arrived and began smuggling them away.
Rune Winters has been hiding her magical abilities for two years, ever since the revolution that claimed the lives of her grandmother and so many others. Seen as “a darling of the New Republic” for her role as an informer, Rune spends her evenings at lavish events with the wealthy, collecting secrets about witch raids and arrests. Later, while disguised as the Crimson Moth, she uses this information to save lives. But now that she’s 18, Rune is expected to marry. If she must have a husband, she intends “to make the most strategic choice”—someone like Gideon Sharpe, her good friend Alex’s older brother and one of the Blood Guard’s most notorious witch hunters. Gideon has firsthand experience with witches; their “heinous acts” are why he hunts them and why he’s willing to get close to Rune and discover whether she’s really the Crimson Moth. What starts as a game of wits for each of them turns into a beautiful relationship that forces them to reconsider their earlier beliefs. Told in alternating viewpoints, this intriguing story explores questioning one’s beliefs and viewing the world through a different lens. The main characters are cued white.
An addictive first installment that sets readers up for a series full of magic and romance. (Fantasy. 14-18)
