Lets talk The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli

*I was gifted an advanced reading copy by Magpie in exchange for an honest review*

Dearest reader,

You all know I love the enemies to lovers trope, and so a witch and a witch-hunter? YES, PLEASE!!!!!!! The fast-paced action mixed with the cat and mouse style romance made The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli an instant hit that I sped trough in a couple days (giving this author eye strain in the process).

Witch’s used to be powerful and revered until the rebellion. Now they’re hunted and purged. By day, Rune is a vapid, vain socialite. But by night, she’s the Crimson Moth – a witch vigilante dedicated to rescuing her kind from capture.

When a rescue goes wrong, she decides the only way to deflect suspicion is to court the notoriously ruthless and unforgiving witch-hunter, Gideon Sharpe.

Gideon is plagued by The Crimson Moth and will stop at nothing to see her brought to justice. He knows she must be smart, merciless and loyal, so it surely can’t be Rune Winters, or can it? Determined to unveil the truth, he decides to court the conceited young heiress.

Both are sure they’re just playing a game for survival. However, like moths drawn to the flame, their feelings start to change the more they get to know each other.

With rumours of a witch uprising, it is a matter of life and death. And maybe the only thing more deadly is falling in love…

Set in a fantasy regency inspired world with courting, promenades, horse and carriages and balls, but with a modern approach to a lady’s virtue and sexuality, this book was everything I wanted it to be and more. The setting worked perfectly and enhanced the plot where a medieval or dystopian fantasy setting would not have.

The narrative is told in alternating chapters from Rune and Gideon’s first person pov, giving you a fully immersive reading experience and allowing you to understand the trauma and struggles that motivate them in their goals. This results in them becoming bumbling simps who constantly misunderstand each other due to their own insecurities, fuelling the torturous slow-burn enemies to lovers trope.

Rune and Gideon are joined by a cast of complex yet loveable characters that drive the plot by creating unexpected twists and turns.

Possible my favourite aspect is the intriguing yet simplistic magic system – witch’s use blood to cast spells, of which there are four categories; mirage, minora, majora and arcana, with the latter being the most dangerous. Each category require different types of blood, be it a witch’s own blood or that of another person either given freely or taken by force. After casting, they leave behind a casting signature and have a unique magic scent which act as identifying tools.

As the first installment in a new duology, The Crimson Moth is a must read for romantasy fans, especially those who loved Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder, Truthwitch by Susan Dennard or the Prison Healer by Lynette Noni. I can’t wait for book two!

Yours truly,