The quick cut: A girl who plays a socialite by day while being a witch saver at night finds herself dating a powerful witch hunter to save an important person. Chaos ensues.
A real review:
Governments and regimes can change overnight when you least expect it. Worlds can completely change any time this occurs. For Rune, this is a very painful truth when the witches who once ruled are all wiped out.
In a flash, witches went from powerful rulers to hunted outcasts. In that moment, Runes life turned upside down as her grandmother, a witch, was taken away and Rune was forced to be a part of that to save herself. Now, she's a vapid socialite by day to cover for her nightly activities: being the Crimson Moth who saves witches from the deadly hunters who capture them. When one rescue goes wrong, she decides to get the Intel she needs in the riskiest way: by saying one of the most powerful hunters named Gideon. Will she succeed? Or end up caught and dying instead?
This book is very much a cat and mouse game between Rune and Gideon in the best way. Each of them has a devastating reason for dating the other that doesn't involve true emotions. Seeing their mutual manipulation get complicated is half the fun.
Rune is a witch who feels that the witches were painted in a bad light when they were taken down. She had to do something horrible at her grandmother's insistence in order to save herself. Seeing Rune take the cause of the witches as far as she can is the core of this story.
Gideon sees the witches as evil, horrible, and a disease that needs to be wiped out. He's dedicated his life to it and he has personal reasons for that view. Seeing where his hatred came from and why is important to understanding him.
They're on opposing sides and yet these two find moments of pleasure together. Their chemistry is a spark bound to blow one another up (and not in a good way). I'm excited to see how they close this duology in the next book.
A thrilling fantasy story that will have you excited for a conclusion.
My rating: 5 out of 5