Gothikana
Author: RuNyx
Publisher: Rebellion Books (Solaris)
Page count: 468pp
Release date: 16th March 2023


A Symphony of Sensuality
Between Netflix commissioning an adaptation of School of Good and Evil, the recent hit Wednesday, previous hit Sabrina and The Scholomance books by Naomi Novik, Dark Academia is quite the popular genre right now.
In Gothikana we have all of the farl academia tropes with added Gothic Romance and a lush cover.
Set in the world of Verenmore, RuNyx gives ample content warnings at the beginning of the book – these include mental health issues and suicide - a supreme playlist to accompany the novel, and the reminder that many of us were the ‘weirdo’ who later found their place.
This book is for the outliers, the quirky ones, the unique ones.
Perhaps like Alison (Ally Sheedy) in The Breakfast Club.
Or like me.
In this book, I feel ‘seen’.
It is a love letter to the old Universal Monster movies, the classic gothic literature, to Poe and to celebrating differences.
It starts with Old Zelda, who has a knack for knowing stuff when it comes to the boys at the home, but when she tells young Vad he will go to a castle, and meet a girl with purple eyes, he snorts. After all, he’s “not got a pot to p**s in” level of poor, so a castle isn’t in his future.
Many years later, twenty-one year old Corvina (the prophesised purple-eyed girl) gets an unexpected invite to the University of Verenmore. She too, is poor and expects very little from her future.
There she meets doctoral student and teacher Mr Vad Deverell; the silver-eyed devil; Mr Rochester to her Jane Eyre.
For lovers of gothic literature there’s no shortage of deftly handled tropes, sinister figures, mysterious woods, strange voices and death.
Corvina “little crow” is used to those strange voices, and the one who has always warned her and kept her safe is known only as ‘Mo’. When Mo tells her to leave the woods surrounding the castle which houses Verenmore, she obeys.
There is something sinister lingering there.
However, it doesn’t her stop her from returning to feed the waiting crows or listening to the ghostly pleas for help.
Despite herself she begins to make friends from the student body, though she is enamoured by the handsome Deverell. She wants to know all of his secrets.
He insists they can’t be together, a teacher/student relationship not permitted - but whenever his silver eyes meet her violet ones, the attraction between the two is off the charts and can’t be denied.
Unlike the original gothic literature of the eighteenth century and beyond, there is no ‘fade to black’ when the chemistry combusts. It full on visuals, enough to make me clasp my imaginary pearls and flutter my fan.
This a wonderfully delicious modern gothic romance brimming with passion, secrets and pperil
At it’s heart, it’s a mystery.
Who are the voices Corvina hears and where are the students who have gone missing every five years for the last century?
Are the voices real, or is this her descent into madness?
This is tragic, funny, sexy, swoon-worthy, lush and heart-rending. The style so rich and lyrical it is a book to be savoured.
To lavishly embrace and indulge in.
As for that cover, mentioned earlier, it completely captures the atmosphere of the novel.
Just reading this fills me with an insatiable urge to traipse through the local park in my nightie carrying a candelabra.
Okay, perhaps not, but you get the idea.
I am hopeful we see more of Verenmore in the future.

Gothikana was an atmospheric dark-acadmia romance. Reclusive Corvina suddenly finds herself in Verenmore Academy, where she hopes for a new chance to start over, away from the small town where she grew up. The college is based in the grounds of a gothic castle where Corvina starts to find herself. She finds herself drawn to the mysterious, silver-eyed Devil, Vad, though knows she needs to stay away as he's a teacher and relationships are forbidden. There's also the mystery of the missing students that needs solving, but with voices in her head commanding Corvina, can she really trust anyone?

I thought the premise for this book was deliciously promising. A dark, forbidden romance set in a Gothic school and although I enjoyed the story, I felt it was missing a few things that stopped a solid story from becoming a great one. It started off giving me Darcey/Orion/Wednesday crossover vibes and had me so excited to read it.

I found Corvina to be rather immature, though with her sheltered upbringing and tortured past, I could understand that to a degree. The chemistry between her and Vlad...sorry Vad, was a bit uncomfortable at times, though I seriously liked him as a character. I did worry about the state of Corvina's nipples after he spent the majority of the novel flicking and/or twisting them in a rather strange way. It wasn't too annoying to stop me reading though and I raced through this novel.

Thank you so much to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in return for an honest review.

When I read the book blurb for Gothikana I was immediately intrigued by the idea of the subtitle ‘A Dark Academia Gothic Romance’ and had to read it to learn more. The description is exactly right, this is book is set in the University of Verenmore, a place where those with difficult backgrounds and those who are a different are sent an invitation to study. The central characters are Corvina Clemm, invited to the university to study and Vad Deverill, the handsome and enigmatic teacher. Drawn together their relationship is dark and dangerous and could cause trouble for both. This is dark, beautiful and full of mystery full of secrets, lies and suspense.

This is a book that made me go WOW, as it was so encompassing and addictive to read. RuNyx has created a book full of tension and mystery that not only describes the plot but the characters as well. Corvinna and Vad ooze chemistry in their relationship, with the electrical shocks almost jumping off the page. Corvina has led a sheltered life, never been to school or interacted with others much as she and her mother were seen as different. She is looking to be loved and accepted, something she has never had, and into her life comes the dark and enigmatic Vad. He has an air of mystery and danger about him, something the Corvina should stay clear of but he is fascinating and intoxicating, a combination that she can’t stay away from. Their relationship is pretty steamy, and there is always the undercurrent of the secrets both keep, from her backround to Vad and the rumours of his involvment in the disappearance of students. The darkness in the characters and plot kept me asking questons of the characters, wanting to know more, trying to second guess there actions and emotions.

RuNyx keeps the tension in the plot as well as part of the characters. The whole book is underpinned with suspense and mystery around the University, the suicide of a student, and students that have gone missing on the night of the Black Ball. Throughout the book I was trying to work out the mystery, looking for clues that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. RuNyx’s writing is very descriptive and made the setting of the castle of Venemore come to life, with its Gothic architecture, secret tunnels and beautiful setting on top of a mountain. To add to the darkness and fear is the forest, which is very creepy and has its own myths attatched to it, of death and torture.

I’m so glad I was able to read Gothikana, I was completely lost in this book and didn’t want to put it down. RuNyx has written a novel that is both beautiful and dark in equal measure both in her characters and plot. The chemistry between Corvina and Vald was magnetic, and they were the perfect central characters with their secrets, unusual backgrounds and differences. I loved the writing, dark and atmospheric and full of suspense and drama to grab your attention. This is a stunning gothic romance that left me wanting more.

I loved nearly every second of this book. The atmosphere was beautifully written, it was mysterious, eery and intriguing all the way through with two major twists that left me shook for ages. Our main characters were well thought out and I love them both so much. Especially Corvinas character and her background. She was a refreshing character. I would absolutely love to read more set at Verenmore.

This is everything my gothic-y, paranormal, dark academia literature loving heart needed and has instantly become a favourite of mine!

This is a well thought out story with mystery, suspense, and romance that, whilst doesn't have an ambiguous ending, it leaves a lot of questions unanswered. The unanswered questions are unnerving, but I enjoy that the author doesn't hand everything to the reader all neatly wrapped up. It adds to the mysterious aesthetic of the novel.

Whilst Corvina is a possible unreliable narrator because of her being a higher risk for schizophrenia, I enjoyed her POV because it left me wondering what was real, or if anything was real. It also made Vad's thoughts and actions even more mysterious and ambiguous. Seeing the story from one only perspective really helped keep the mystery of the events of Verenmore alive and question every character's actions and motives whilst also questioning Corvina's mind and whether the events she experienced were true or a hallucination. I feel if Runyx had written this in dual POV it would have accidentally spoilt some of the mystery behind Verenmore.

The pacing and plot flowed well and kept me on the edge of my seat with suspense. The only thing I'd say is that there are sections of the book that have long descriptions, which slow the pacing of the plot down considerably. I felt the strengths of the plot were the faster paced scenes of suspense, potential paranormal scenes and overall the dialogue between the characters.

The ending is a bit on the fast side. Once you hit 85% it seems to go from 0 to 10 real quick but overall, I loved it.

I also really appreciated the mental health representation.
Overall, this is a great spooky season read and a must-read for lovers of dark academia mixed with gothic castle undertones!

Thank you to @netgalley and @solarisbooks for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

“𝕸𝖞 𝖑𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖈𝖍 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖊 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖕𝖚𝖗𝖕𝖑𝖊 𝖊𝖞𝖊𝖘, 𝖋𝖚𝖈𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖒𝖆𝖉𝖊 𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝖒𝖊. 𝕬𝖓𝖉 𝕴’𝖒 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖉𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖑, 𝖆𝖒 𝕴 𝖓𝖔𝖙?”

This book is something else entirely! It was my first book by Runyx, and this reread made me realise why I fell completely in love with it in the first place.

☯︎ 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝑪𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒎, A young lady who's never really fit in, is sent an invitation of admission to join the mysterious University of Verenmore. She takes a leap of faith and joins, hoping to have a fresh start.

☯︎ 𝑽𝒂𝒅 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒍, Is a mystery to everyone. He's a lecturer, posing as a student to complete his thesis at Verenmore. He knows the dangers that possess the grounds of Verenmore, along with having his own secrets.

However, the university isn't like any other. Mysterious disappearances, suicides and secrets all surround the University sat on top of a hill surrounded by forests.

Sometimes, even with all of that going on you can't help but add falling in love with your mysterious professor into the mix.

❥︎ “𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖑𝖆𝖘𝖙 𝖚𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖑 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖆𝖞 𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖘 𝖔𝖓 𝖒𝖞 𝖌𝖗𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖕 𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖗𝖔𝖔𝖙𝖘 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖘 𝖔𝖓 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖘,” 𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖊𝖈𝖑𝖆𝖗𝖊𝖉. “𝕴 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖓 𝖎𝖓 𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍, 𝖑𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖈𝖍. 𝕴 𝖆𝖒 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖇𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖙. 𝕴 𝖆𝖒 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖒𝖆𝖉𝖓𝖊𝖘𝖘. 𝕬𝖓𝖉 𝖞𝖔𝖚, 𝖞𝖔𝖚’𝖗𝖊 𝖒𝖞 𝖆𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖑𝖎𝖋𝖊.”

UPDATE: After rereading this as an ARC for the new UK release, I feel like I enjoyed this more the 2nd time around. Even though I did like it the first time, I'm not sure if the book has actually undergone any edits, but it seemed as though there wasn't as much repetition which was nice. 4.5* this time around.
____________________

I'd heard plenty of amazing reviews about this book and decided it was finally time to see whether it lived up to the hype. Tbh, I enjoyed this more than I was expecting to and my enjoyment increased as the story went on.

The dark, gothic vibe was a little bit different to my usual reads, but I was intrigued throughout and excited to get to the bottom of all the mystery surrounding Verenmore and its tales. Although the storyline was a little slow and repetitive in places, it did keep me hooked and the mysterious vibe was incorporated well. I think Runyx did a nice job of incorporating an equal amount of suspense and romance. Each aspect felt well balanced throughout.

Corvina was an interestingly complex character who's background I enjoyed learning more about. She has a very intriguing backstory which largely centres around schizophrenia. I really liked her backstory as it's not something you usually see a main character deal with personally, usually it's a family member or friend etc. Plus, I'm glad she was slightly older than the rest of the students too as I felt it made her a bit more mature than the usual, stereotypical virginal character that you normally get in an academic romance. Whilst she is naïve in some aspects, I didn't find it annoying and overall I quite liked her character and the way she just went about doing her own thing, instead of falling in with the rest of the crowd.

Likewise, Vad was steamy, intense and not annoying in his possessiveness. He has a very secretive aura surrounding him and his reasons for being at Verenmore, which make him seem incredibly sketchy for the majority of the story. Getting his backstory helped make more sense of why he was there, although I did think it seemed a bit unlikely that none of the other staff members/board would click on to what he was getting up to. Similarly, his penchant for being linked to other women on campus seemed like it should have been more of an issue.

Vad was another Runyx character with BDE though and one of the reasons that helped me like this more was the full on chemistry you could feel between these two. There was a lot of staring, but the heat of the moment lived up to the promise. I'm so glad those scenes didn't disappoint for me. And I did really like Corvina's distinction in determining whether or not he was involved in certain things. Although they had a pretty insta-love relationship, I think it showed that they did have a deeper understanding of each other. The moment were Vad unofficially declares that he loves her was also pretty cute, and I liked the unique way it was done, it felt very fitting for the storyline.

Although I'd seen plenty of amazing reviews for this story, I didn't really have any expectations going in. This was a 4.3* for me, as I liked the characters and their chemistry, and I was intrigued with the world building and storyline throughout. Likewise, I kind of liked that Corvina didn't get all the answers at the end - whilst I would've liked to have gotten them, it was something out of the ordinary and stopped the ending from feeling like it was being tied up with a nice, neat bow that can feel out of place for a story like this.

However, the constant repetitiveness did make this feel longer than necessary and I think once we found out who was causing the current problems at the school, the scene played out too quickly and probably needed more development. Saying that though, I didn't actually guess who it was until much closer to the reveal, which I was grateful for as usually I can guess almost from the get go.

I am looking forward to getting more from this world though, with the release of Arkana which will be set years before the events of Gothikana. It will definitely be interesting to see more of the school's history. Likewise, I'm keeping all of my fingers crossed for Ajax to get a story!! I'm hoping he ends up with Roy after the scenes we saw in this, but even if it isn't, as long as we get his story I'll be happy!

A dark, erotic romance. The setting was suitably gothic and the mystery surrounding the school and the castle intriguing. Pity it didn’t lead anywhere and the one actually solved was somewhat childish. Corvina with her mental issues was a good MC and Vad was a suitable counterpart for her, if somewhat forceful for someone as inexperienced as Corvina. I’m happy they got their HEA.

Gothikana is the dark academic, gothic romance of my dreams, I loved the atmosphere that this book created and Corvina and Vad had amazing chemistry right from the start!

the combination of romance and suspense in this book had me wanting to keep reading to figure out what was happening and I really felt like I was in Corvina's head for most of the book and I was questioning everything that every character did, I didn't trust a single one except for Corvina and Vad!!

Corvina and Vad are everything to me, their chemistry was off the charts and I loved seeing them together! Vad was so dark and broody and he was so obsessed with Corvina, I loved him!

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from Runyx!

5⭐️

Gothikana is a captivating and sexy novel that will have you on tether hooks throughout. No matter how many times I read this book, I'm always left with goosebumps. Corvina is bewitching, and Vad is seriously hot.

Thank you to Netgalley and Solaris Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Source of book: NetGalley (thank you)
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.

I don’t quite know how to talk about this book.

I picked it up because I thought it was going to be … you know the sort of bananas I enjoy. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the sort of bananas I don’t enjoy. It is, however, clearly the sort of bananas other people enjoy. And I hope we can, you know, co-exist with our independent banana preferences.

It’s just … I don’t know. I kind of felt a little bit like I was reading My Immortal? I mean the heroine has purple eyes and is called Corvina and is described like this:

<blockquote>A short, slight girl of questionable heritage, with slanted violet eyes, sun-kissed skin even though she rarely spent much time in the sun anymore, a nose ring, long, black hair in a fishtail braid that reached her waist, dressed in loose black pants and a thin purple sweater.</blockquote>

Please note, however, that these black trousers are a gross assault on Corina’s identity because:

<blockquote>wearing one of her black full-sleeved tops and brown maxi skirts, a black ribbon choker around her neck, brown lipstick on her mouth, black liner outlining her odd violet eyes, hair in a fishtail braid, silver danglers hanging from her ears, silver ring piercing her nose, and the multi-crystal bracelet on her left wrist she never took off except to recharge, Corvina felt most like herself.</blockquote>

I swear to God, I have never read the words maxi skirt or fishtail braid more in my entire life than I did over the course of this single book. (I am too fucking old for what Gothikana is trying to serve me– what the hell even is a maxi skirt and/or a fishtail braid. *Googles* Okay so a long skirt and a French plait but, like, EDGY).

This is also something we learn about Corvina in the opening six percent of this book:

“Bras and Corvina were not friends. Having grown up the way she had, all alone with just her mother for company, bras had seemed necessary only in a while. Panties she wore every day except when she just didn’t want to.”

TMI, FICTIONAL GIRL. Why am I—the reader—being told this? And in this bizarrely toneless style that sounds like the book is being narrated by the Google Maps voice. I mean, we find out Corvina doesn’t like underwear later via the hero sticking a finger in her so if nothing else, this is completely redundant information. But it also feels genuinely weird for one of the first things we learn about the character we are spending the next however many pages with is that her bits are flying free and living wild. It’s sort of the textual equivalent of someone coming to you at non-sexual social event and being like “Hello, my name is Corvina, I’m a libra vegetarian, and I am pantsless right the fuck now.” Let me get to know you a bit before you tell me about the below stairs coverage or lack thereof.

Anyway, Corvina here is home schooled in the middle of nowhere by a mother with paranoid schizophrenia who talks to crows. After her mother is institutionalised, she receives a mysterious invitation to a mysterious university that invites students from under-privileged backgrounds to access higher education. Which is excellent. Except, as we quickly find out upon Corvina’s arrival, the mysterious university of mysteriousness is … like … this dark and haunted castle where the students keep dying. Never a good sign. Also not a good sign is the presence among the teaching staff of a PhD student called Vad Deverell, who is this sharp tongued, silver-eyed crush bait with a dark reputation. It is later explained why this guy is somehow being allowed to do teaching (I mean apart from the spurious “they couldn’t get anyone else” offered at the beginning) and it makes a mite more sense than it initially seems. A mite. Not more than a mite. Needless to say, Vad and Corvina get it on after some smouldering and library-inspired fingering, the mysteries of Weird Castle University are mostly unravelled, and that’s … that’s the book, really.

In bare bones, I think this is probably fairly engaging? And it’s willing to go some pretty dark places—it’s just I’m sure how equipped it is to handle those places, having gone there. For example, there’s a sort of on-going thread regarding Covina’s mother’s mental health, and whether Covina herself is suffering from the same illness or legitimately supernaturally attuned. And where that takes us ultimately is here:

“But [Corvina’s mother] not only raised Corvina all on her own, she was rational enough to make a living, homeschool her, teach her everything she needed to be selfsufficient, all the while dealing with her own undiagnosed condition. It is one of the most extraordinary things I’ve heard. But then, maternal instinct has always been something understudied.”

I’m kind of—having complicated feelings about this? Because on the one hand, that’s great. After all, the idea that someone with a mental health condition can’t take care of others or function in the world is super toxic. Except this also seems to be implying that if a woman is sufficiently *maternal* she can overcome, you know, paranoid schizophrenia. Which in turn implies that anyone who does need extra support to parent—or indeed just couldn’t parent— for mental health reasons just didn’t mother hard enough.

Anyway, the other major arc of the book is Corvina’s relationship with Vad. And this is … I mean. It almost makes 50 Shades of Grey look healthy. I mean, say what you will about Ana and Christian AT LEAST HE WASN’T HER ACTUAL TEACHER. And yes, yes, I know teacher/student is a thing for some people and probably fits the dark academia theme (more on dark academia in a bit, btw) but, like, even in—especially in—dark academia uncomfortable teacher-student dynamics are supposed to be a bad thing. Not an HEA. This is like if The Secret History ended with Henry and Julian Morrow getting together. In any case, all you need to know about Vad is that when Corvina tells him she’s a virgin he responds:

<blockquote>“You chose the wrong guy for your first time, little crow”<blockquote>

Wow. Hot.

I feel I’m being more negative about this book than I would like to be about, well, any book, really. I can genuinely appreciate the *exuberance* in Gothikana, you can’t go wrong with a murder university plot, and there’s some solid writing here, for sure. But it also, ultimately, felt quite juvenile to me, probably because I am old enough to find nose rings fairly banal and, in a professional capacity, more inclined to obsess over Vad Deverell’s terrible teaching than his sexy silver eyes. I think what also lowkey bugs me—not that I think this is any reflection on the author—is that Simon & Schuster bought this thing on the basis of its TikTok success (which is immense, btw, so don’t come for me: I didn’t personally like the book, but that doesn’t mean I can’t celebrate the accomplishment of the author) and couldn’t even show it enough respect to excise a few of the repetitions and tighten the prose. Let it shine a bit. Because, honestly, it could. It really could.

The other thing Gothikana kind of got me thinking about was the whole … what is dark academia for/about chestnut. I know dark academia is supposedly big right now, and I think there’s always been a kind of hopeful push towards making academic happen somewhere other than Tumblr but I think part of what makes that really difficult, borderline impossible, is translating it from an aesthetic or a vibe to an actual book that is a) functional as a story b) feels true to the themes/preoccupations of whatever dark academia supposed to be about. The thing is, The Secret History—which probably originated the whole shebang—did this so successfully and so comprehensively that it’s hard to know where to go from there. I’m not saying it’s impossible, I think Atlas manages by bringing magic to the table, and I think Babel and Catherine House do the same by bringing, um, colonialism. But I think Gothikana where you end up when dark academia is almost entirely aesthetic. And while that’s fine—if that’s what draws you to dark academia, more power to you—it’s part of what contributed to the book feeling slightly shallow and unconvincing to me personally. Like, apparently the hero’s thesis topic is “correlation and influence of music on literature through the ages”. And, I mean, Jesus wept, no wonder he hasn’t finished the thing: the sheer impossible breadth of that would get you laughed out of the room in any academic institution that was not an isolated murder castle.

And obviously--*obviously*--it is not reasonable to expect any book with dark academia theming to be The Secret History or to even *want* to be The Secret History. Gothikana clearly has its own interests, and they’re maxi skirts and men who are eye-wateringly inept at dirty talk. It’s just when you’ve grown up with:

<blockquote>Springs of honey bubbling from the ground. If we are strong enough in our souls we can rip away the veil and look that naked, terrible beauty right in the face; let God consume us, devour us, unstring our bones. Then spit us out reborn.</blockquote>

it’s a bit weird to find yourself at:

<blockquote>Girls I interact with dance with death much sooner than they should</blockquote>

I’m absolutely not saying the latter doesn’t have a place, and clearly it has an appeal to a lot of readers. It’s just that, for me, while I’m definitely up for having fun with dark academia … this isn’t my kind of fun.

It may well be your kind of fun. And no shade if it is.

I had heard mediocre reviews of this book but wanted to try it for myself and I’m here to tell you, don’t bother. The book opens with “there is nothing scarier than a blind old woman” and goes downhill from there. As someone who is partially sighted I am over disabilities being used as a villainous trope.
But I wish that was this books only flaw but it’s just the beginning; the writing is very amateur, convoluted and the language is cringy. The characters are the classic cliché of broody and ‘not like other girls’ stereotypes we’ve seen a million times.

I’d skip this one.

"You're the mountain I build my castle on, brick by brick," she whispered to him, her eyes stinging. "You stand, I soar. You crack, I crumble."

3.75/5
Thanks to Solaris Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

Tell me it's a spicy dark academia story with a very morally gray MMC and I am here for it! Corvina's tale of growing up alone with her mother and then finding herself at Verenmore University hooked me from the get go. Creepy castle, spooky happenings, found family and then add on a hot, mysterious professor with a dark past and a forbidden relationship......yes please!! The mystery of the disappearances, the Black Ball and throw one heck of a twist at the end and it adds up to an intriguing story. I loved Corvina's growth through the story and her acceptance of herself and her gifts. Her relationship with Vad and slowly learning his story......good stuff indeed!

Be sure to check content warnings.

I loved the first half of the book but I struggled with the lack of answers I had during the second half and it was very clear through the characters that those are answers I will not get.

One of my highlights this year, without a doubt, was the opportunity to dive back in and immerse myself in Verenmore. The world that Runyx has beautifully crafted is one that will always call to my soul and the universe of Gothikana definitely is no different.

I don't often read gothic romance books but if it's Runyx then I'm automatically reading it without a doubt and so, to fall so helplessly in love with this world was an unexpected treat for me. In true Runyx fashion, she gave us unconventional characters that anyone could relate to and feel seen in. Her characters are so layered and complex yet so lovable at the same time.

Vad and Corvina are some of my favorite couples to return to. They're incredibly strong, complex, and just entire enigmas. Their relationship was even more different than what I'm used to. I'm not the biggest fan of student-professor but I couldn't help but be obsessed with every single scene between these two, every interaction, every stolen glance.

If you're in the mood to read a book so unconventionally unique, I completely recommend Gothikana. A beautiful book set in a capturing world with such unique characters and I hope that if this is anyone's first RuNyx book, don't hesitate to dive into the rest of her books because you definitely won't regret it.

Thank you Solaris Books and NetGalley for the arc of Gothikana by Runyx in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. I don’t mind a romance and encouraged by a friend who is a huge fan of spicy romance, I gave this one a go. I was actually encouraged by the openness of the author’s message at the start and eagerly started.

The world building in this book isn’t unique or startling, think gothic, Hogwarts, Nevermore or Netflix’s Wednesday, albeit with spicy adult themes, mental health and more gothic vibe than monsters or magic.

The key protagonists in in the story are Corvina Clemm, entering academic life after having lived an isolated life with her mother and Vad Deverell, a mysterious morally grey professor with a history that is the subject of rumours and whispers amongst the student population. And yes, it’s a romance that sees them connecting, falling into lust and love, all whist investigating an unsolved mystery over a century old and all the meddling, murder and mayhem that comes with it.

For me the pluses of the story included the pace, planning and plot, including the weaving of mental health throughout. However, at times the character descriptions, especially at the start we’re a little sparse. Personally, I would have preferred a little more character description and a little less description of Corvina’s wardrobe choices and danglers!

Overall, if you’re looking for an adult gothic fantasy escape from real life, this is a great one to pick up. It’s easy to read, carries you along, has a cohesive plot and of course some fun spice!

This book was captivating and dark and sexy. I still have so many questions, but I think that's the point haha. Corvina was so easy to picture, she was described so well, and Mr Deverell gave me Lance Orion vibes 🥵
Verenmore was so full of secrets, murder and betrayals. I'd be massively spooked in real life, but I felt safe enough on this side of the page.

Overall a fantastically compelling story that left me both satisfied and wanting more.

My thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Having seen Gothikana mentioned online quite a few times I had high expectations and was looking forward to diving into it, but if I'm being honest with myself I was disappointed. I probably would have given up about a third of the way in and not finished it except I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and for it to get better.

I found the characters a little flat, and struggled to engage with them. I wasn't invested in their story, and felt the chemistry between the two main characters was a bit forced. It seemed to go from zero to sixty within minutes of meeting, and stayed on the same trajectory without building a solid foundation first, The side characters also felt a bit one dimensional, more like stereotyped high school figures you might find in American films.

The teacher-student aspect is also something that didn't appeal. The abuse of authority and the controlling nature of the relationship - mentally, physically and emotionally - just left a bad taste. Needless to say I didn't warm to Vad at all.

I did wonder if there was supposed to be a sequel as the big mystery that was the main driving force of the book wasn't resolved and remained unexplained.

On a more positive note the writing itself was just fine, there were a few typos that can be ironed out with editing, but overall it was a disappointing read for me given some of the other reviews I've seen and it's not a book I will recommend.

I absolutely love the world RuNyx created with this book and how we are transported to such a beautiful and gothic world. I have to be honest, I was very intrigued going in, it's not my first gothic book, and the author literally blew my mind. I am obsessed with this book. The author went into great detail about the setting, and the plot is impressive. I hope to see more of Vad and Corvina in the future.

The vibes of this book were dark, spooky and utterly gothic. It was everything I was wanting and more!

We follow 21 year old Corvina as she embarks on a new chapter of her life at Verenmore university. A school that holds many secrets, forever raising questions and theories from the students and towns locals. Enter in the stoic and mysterious professor, Mr Deverell, and Corvina realises she’s potentially walked into a dangerous situation. Whether it’s her life or heart in danger, she’s unsure.

I was absolutely gripped while reading this book. The balance between romance and plot was perfect for me. There was never a moment where I felt bored, and every chapter left me needing to find out more and see what happens next.

I’m a big fan of tension in romances and we definitely get that from Corvina and Vad. They’re drawn to each other from the start, but they both try and fight the temptation due to a relationship between them being forbidden. Of course, as much as they tried to stay away, they couldn’t. The scenes where they finally let go and give in one another were captivating.

I love a book that plays like a movie in my head and this was definitely it! Every scene was so detailed and descriptive, making it easy to see the picture clearly in my mind. At times, I really felt like I was a student at Verenmore myself.

There is a mystery that runs through the entirety of the book and I couldn’t have called it if I tried! It really took me by surprise in the last few chapters and any theories I had myself went straight out of the window at that point.

If you enjoyed watching Wednesday on Netflix then I’m sure you will love this read!