Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Heartless Hunter

Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

53 reviews

morethanmylupus's review

adventurous medium-paced

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

2.0

I picked this one up for on one of my book clubs. I wanted to love it, but it just wasn't for me. I started out excited because I haven't read much witch/witch hunter fantasy and I liked the feminist themes. However, I found the characters mostly frustrating. Gideon, our MMC, was a caricature level of stubborn and Rune was absurdly naive given what she's involved in. The romance was lukewarm at best and unconvincing. We get all the usual YA fantasy tropes here so it was predictable, but I was expecting that. I struggled with the way a character reflected on their sexual abuse too. And then, at the end, my favorite character (largely because it's the only one that really had any depth at all)

was killed off! Ugh.

I don't think I'll be picking up the rest of this series.

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doahdancer's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

This is going to be my dark horse of 2024. I was expecting only 25% of the amazing story that was delivered. This has epic enemies to lovers, amazing plot twists, yearning, spice, a well designed magic system... when a reviewer I trust DNF'd this book I seriously questioned if I should bother, but as usual, letting myself make up my own mind was the best choice.

Hard disagree with this being labeled YA. This is solidly NA as the themes are intense. Mind the TWs, but barring those, run, don't walk, to read this book.

Sequel coming Feb 2025.

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scoto435's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

.5🌶️
There was amazing tension the entire book and all of the dialogue was well placed.
Great pace with cat and mouse/ enemies to lovers tropes.
The main characters make you hate/ love them.
Easy universe to fall into and understand.
The last quarter of the book was an adrenaline rollercoaster.
One of the best “Romantasy” books of 2024.
My only negative was that some of the plot points were mildly predictable but made up for with how good the story was when being unfolded.

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nestasbff's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

4.5 ⭐️ |
this was amazing! i was hooked from the very beginning and couldn’t put it down!

i loved both the main characters, their chemistry was unmatched and based on the ending their love will actually be forbidden (not like all those other books with this trope)

the plot twist at the end?? i wasn’t expecting it at all and if Cressida has 0 haters then i am dead.

this was so close to a 5 star, but this one plot line made me really angry, as i am the biggest hater of love triangles. other than that, it was a 5 star!

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pkm48's review against another edition

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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

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theartsybookwitch's review against another edition

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4.5

"Isn't that the point of art–to tame the monsters in us?"

In Heartless Hunter, you get the story of Rune Winters and Gideon Sharpe. Rune Winters, a witch and the Crimson Moth, lives a double life, one being in the public eye, and one in the shadows, protecting other witches. When a rescue attempt goes wrong, she's forced to change tactics and tries to court Gideon Sharpe, a famous and unforgiving witch hunter. One caveat? He's the brother of her best friend.

I absolutely loved Gideon and Rune's dynamic in Heartless Hunter. The push and pull, the danger, the seductive dance of light and dark; it's a fantastic love story. And the added detail of witches? All the more better.

I wanted a more deep dive into the fantasy, the lore, the history. Not just the witches, but more details of what happened. I felt it more focused on Gideon and Rune, the romance, the build-up, and none of the fantasy details.

Enemies to lovers to enemies is superior and I will forever die on this hill.

And that twist? So good.

Okay, and that ending is NOT FAIR.

tw // blood, death, death of parent

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ewatt33's review against another edition

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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

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xapoptosisx's review against another edition

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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.

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niftyreads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

HEARTLESS HUNTER is a book that suddenly a scene pops into my head, and I’m like, “Ohhh, that was so good!” But it’s not like the same two or three scenes; it’s most scenes in the book. Kristen Ciccarelli has written a book for fantasy lovers that you will not want to put down. I found myself wanting more and more, but then suddenly it was over and now I have to wait 😩

One of my favorite descriptive sentences to read about a book is “enemies-to-lovers doesn’t get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love.” Yes, please! There’s always so much angst. So much secrecy. So much pining. And HEARTLESS HUNTER has it all between Rune and Gideon. I lived for their banter, kindness, anger, snark, annoyance, and tension with one another.

What sets HEARTLESS HUNTER apart is its masterful execution of the enemies-to-lovers trope. It’s not a rushed ‘I hate you, well okay, I love you’ scenario. The book delivers on the promise of good YA angst and tension, leaving you craving more. This book knows how to keep you hooked, and I am here for it!

This was an excellent surprise of a new fantasy duology, and I can’t wait for book two!

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mr05e's review against another edition

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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 with

Verity 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 trope

it 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”.

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