KC
§Author· 1 book
Kristen Ciccarelli
High-stakes fantasy novels featuring deadly magic, dangerous romance, and complex moral dilemmas have made Heartless Hunter, the opening book of The Crimson Moth duology, a prominent fixture on the New York Times, Sunday Times, and Indie bestseller lists. Written by Canadian author Kristen Ciccarelli, this romantic fantasy explores a tense game of cat and mouse between a hidden witch and a ruthless witch-hunter in a world shaped by bloody history, opulence, and secret alliances. Her work in young adult and romantic fantasy has been translated into over a dozen languages, connecting with readers across international markets through intricate character dynamics and vivid worldbuilding.
Career & Background
Raised on her grandfather's grape farm in Ontario's Niagara Peninsula, Ciccarelli did not grow up in a household filled with books and often begged her mother for reading material. She later dropped out of college and pursued diverse vocations, working as a baker, a potter, an NGO worker, and a bookseller before transitioning into full-time writing. Her journey to traditional publication involved overcoming significant hurdles, including spending a year and a half revising a manuscript that was ultimately shelved, and enduring more than eighty rejections before gaining momentum through the Pitch Wars mentorship contest. She broke into young adult fantasy with The Last Namsara, the first entry in her Iskari companion novel trilogy published by HarperTeen. Ciccarelli currently resides in the Niagara region of Ontario with her family, writing her novels from a garden shed.
Writing Style & Themes
Ciccarelli's fiction frequently weaves together tropes of romantic fantasy with themes of trauma, survival, and the transformative power of narrative. Her books often center on resilient heroines wielding deadly weapons, bloodthirsty dragons, and underground networks operating within repressive regimes. In works like Heartless Hunter, she contrasts luxurious, high-society settings with dark political realities, crafting suspenseful dynamic relationships where enemies are forced into intimate alliances. Across her standalone fantasy Edgewood, the Iskari trilogy, and A Dark Forgetting, her writing balances emotional intimacy with expansive fantasy lore and moral ambiguity.
Major Works
- Heartless Hunter — The first installment in The Crimson Moth duology, this bestselling romantic fantasy follows a witch hiding in plain sight who enters a dangerous game of deception with a formidable witch-hunter.
- The Iskari Series — A young adult fantasy companion trilogy published by HarperTeen, beginning with The Last Namsara, set in a world where ancient stories hold tangible power and bloodthirsty dragons roam.
- Edgewood — A standalone fantasy novel centered on magic, sacrifice, and survival in an enchanted forest realm.
- A Dark Forgetting — A fantasy novel continuing Ciccarelli's exploration of high-stakes romantic intrigue, memory, and magical conflict.
§All Books
Heartless Hunter
Kristen Ciccarelli, 2024
220 ratings