Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

74 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.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder

belala's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Murder, Violence, Death, and War

doahdancer's review

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.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Toxic relationship, Death, Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Child death

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

bloomingbookworm's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Death

Minor: Death of parent

iloponis's review against another edition

3.5

this was so fun. i devoured it. i want more. scratched that enemies to lovers itch nice and good. adding book 2 to my 2025 TBR

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Gore

Moderate: Sexual content

scoto435's review against another edition

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.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, Sexual content, Blood, and Sexual assault

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

theartsybookwitch's review against another edition

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent and Sexual assault

Minor: Addiction and Child death

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