4/5 🌶️


Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author RuNyx for the early access audiobook of Enigma.

🖤Dark Academia
🖤Secret Society
🖤Steamy Suspense
🖤Gothic Romance
🖤Rivals to Lovers
🖤Forbidden Live

Synopsis:
💫Salem has always been fascinated by death, ever since she was a little girl. She’s a legacy student at Mortimer University, hoping to find answers about what happened to her sister. When she gets there, she finds a body and a strange man named Cazmir on the beach. Cazmir is a mysterious artist and teaching assistant who’s looking for his muse. She’s determined to figure out what’s going on to these girls and with Cazmir’s help, uncover the secret societies, even if it means risking her own life. 💫

My thoughts:
💫I absolutely loved this audiobook! The narrators did an incredible job bringing the story to life. I was particularly drawn to Cazmir’s obsession with Salem. Salem is such a fascinating character, and I loved how both the narrator and the character portrayed her. I was also captivated by her determination to uncover the truth behind her sister’s disappearance and put an end to the deaths. 💫

I was so excited to see RuNyX have a new book out AND get lucky enough to receive an Advance Listener Copy of it. This was my first book by them, though admittedly Gothikana has been sitting in my TBR forever.

I enjoyed the themed and vibes in this book: Dark academia, secret societies, death/murder, revenge, and mild to medium spice.

The narrators were excellent, and that deep male voice gives the “touch her and die” trope a deep grasp on the reader. Hot hot hot.

I didn’t find myself deeply invested in the storyline, though there were great moments of build up. I didn’t feel like there was a lot of character development to really pull this together. I thought the writing was too young/new adult for my personal taste. I still plan to read Gothikana!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars. I’m not usually much of a dark romance person, but usually that’s because I really need a storyline to carry the book, and this one does. Although the surrounding story did feel a bit rushed, I appreciated the mystery outside of the romance.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Runyx for providing me with the opportunity to listen to this advance listening copy of Enigma.

This is my introduction to Runyx writing.
I didn’t expect to like this story as much as I did. I went into this blind, so I was expecting some magic but that didn’t happen, but that’s okay. This story had everything that I like within a dark academic setting. I had a good time reading this book!

Awesome dark academia!! The connection between Salen and Casimir is steamy and strong. The history between the two families is heartbreaking.

This book has a gothic feel with wealthy school, mystery, secret societies, murder, spicy enemies to lovers. Traumatic back stories and more.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ALC in exchange for an honest review!

“She walked around the fire, straight to him, coming at him like a storm in the ocean, ready to drag him underneath.”

I had a great time! I am a sucker for dark academia books with gothic vibes and this book definitely hit those tropes. The beginning started a bit slowly and I had a lot of questions for the first 30% or so but eventually I was finally invested.

“Because the chaos inside me quietens when I’m near you.”

There was so much angst between Caz and Salem! Not to mention all the banter. "She was ice and he was fire", that was a theme within the entire book and I loved every second of it. The romance and spice was a slow burn but once the spice hit, it was SPICY.

The audiobook was great. I highly recommend reading this book that way.

What to expect in Enigma:
-Hades & Persephone mythology
-Dark Academia
-Gothic Vibes
-Secret Society
-FMC obsessed with death
-She must solve her sister’s death
-Artistic bad boy MMC
-He’s her Psych TA
-He becomes obsessed with her
-Spice 🌶️
-Touch her and 💀 vibes
-"Mine” Vibes

thank you to RuNyx, Bramble Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC of Enigma in exchange for an honest review! 

In this we follow Salem, who has just arrived at Mortimer University. Salem is secretly searching for answers to what happened to her older sister because the story her family was told just doesn’t add up. On her hunt for information, she discovers her sister wasn’t the only student to mysteriously go missing at the University. Then we meet Caz, the dark and mysterious artist that won’t let Salem out of his sight. As Salem continues trying to uncover the dark secrets of Mortimer, she falls into the dangerous world of secret societies and decides to use her self as bait, much to Caz’s dismay. 

I absolutely devoured this!! This was full of secrets, intrigue, suspense, dark, lush descriptions and lots of chemistry. The audiobook narration was so well done!! 

RuNyx knows how to write a brooding, tortured artist so well! I love Salem and Caz’s characters so much! The romance between Salem and Caz was so fun. Caz definitely had me kicking my feet and giggling at the things he would say to her!! 🤭 His comments to her were so unhinged sometimes and Salem’s reactions to them were priceless!! 

I loved the way they really understood each other’s dark secrets and comforted one another the way nobody else could! I loved following Salem on her journey of solving the mysteries lurking through Mortimer, finding herself and finding people who truly loved her along the way!

I highly recommend this for a twisty, mysterious, and steamy dark academia read!!

This is my first RuNyx story and I’m a fan. It was a great blend of dark academia, secret societies, and romance. Salem is like Wednesday Adam’s meets Nancy Drew - led by her morbid curiosity’s and a persistent investigator. During a macabre encounter under the moonlight, our MMC, Caz, enters the picture. He’s a dark and broody artist with a deep voice and intense energy. I loved how unhinged (in a good way) and possessive/obsessive he became with the FMC as their relationship & the story progressed. Loved the ending and epilogue that gives insight in the future.

The duel narrators were great and engaging storytellers. Excellent pacing, tone, and helped me imagine what these characters may look like couples using their voices. Sometimes the quotes and changes in scenes between chapters threw me off not knowing if part of the story or not, so I look forward to reading the story next time around to catch details I may have missed. Overall I recommend this audiobook.

Enigma by Runyx started with promise, grabbing my attention with intriguing characters and a compelling setup. Unfortunately, the momentum didn't hold; the pacing faltered midway through, and key plot points felt glossed over to reach a tidy conclusion. Additionally, the male audiobook narrator lacked believability, which detracted from the overall experience, and the inclusion of a double epilogue felt excessive. An okay listen, but not one I'd strongly recommend.

If you need a gothic, atmospheric, dark academia book full of danger, suspense, and secrets, this is the one for you. Salem has never fit in anywhere. She’s fascinated by the macabre, and obsessed with unraveling the mystery behind her sister’s death. At Mortimer University, she meets Caz, a mysterious artist with a shadowy past, a hidden agenda, a skewed moral compass, and a fiery, passionate personality. They start out as rivals, but agree to work together to unravel the mysteries surrounding their families, the shadowy secret societies at the university, and the death that stalks them both. Their love was obsessive, explosive, dark, and a little twisted. I absolutely loved it! The audio is phenomenal. Aiden Snow and Jaclyn Kelso were the perfect narrators to bring these characters to life. Their dual narration was amazing, and I highly recommend listening!
🐦‍⬛
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🐦‍⬛
Read if you like:
▫️dark academia
▫️secret societies
▫️reluctant allies
▫️morally grey characters
▫️possessive, broody, damaged hero
▫️touch her and 💀
▫️he’s obsessed with her
▫️dual POV
🐦‍⬛
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, RuNyx, and NetGalley for the ALC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Enigma by RuNyx was a solid read, though it didn’t quite reach the 4- or 5-star level for me. It had a lot of the right ingredients—dark academia vibes, mystery, secret societies, and layered characters—but something about the execution didn’t fully hook me the way I hoped. I did love the dual narration!

Salem’s character growth is one thing that stood out to me most. Watching her grow more confident and step into herself was really satisfying. A lot of that is thanks to Caz—artistic, possessive, and intense. Their dynamic added a lot of tension and emotion to the story.

You can expect a moody, secretive world that blends dark academia with romance and mystery. The setting and atmosphere were interesting, but there were moments where I felt the pacing dragged a bit and was repetitive.

Overall, Enigma is worth checking out if you enjoy romance with a darker, mysterious twist and good character development.

Rating: 3.5⭐️
Spice: 3🌶️

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC!🫶

🎧 Audiobook: Enigma-a standalone

✍🏾 Author: RuNyx-new to me author

📅Publication date: 4/29/25| Read: 4/25/25

Genre: Dark Academia, Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense, Dark Romance, Gothic

Tropes: secret societies, rivals to lovers, NA-college, found family, open door, amateur sleuths

🗣️Narrator: Aiden Snow and Jaclyn Kelso voice all the characters with standouts from Caz and Salem. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrators worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrators paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

🏃🏾‍➡️Run Time: 11:48

🌎 Setting: Mortimer University

👆🏾POV: 3rd person dual Salem & Caz

⚠️TW: online bullying/SH, suicide, death of loved ones, grief, depression

Summary: Salem is accepted into Mortimer University-the college her older sister Olivia went to and later died while attending. Salem meets the handsome, mysterious, and dark Cazimir who Salem dislikes but can't stay away from and vice versa. She plans to find out what happened to her sister and all the other suspicious student deaths at Mortimer.

👩🏾 Heroine: Salem Salazar-20, forensic scientist, black sheep of her family, obsessed w/ death

👨🏾 Hero: Cazimir van der Waal/Vanguard-24, an artist in school to expose Mortimer for the student deaths and his own brother's death.

🎭 Other Characters:
*Olivia-Salem's sister, deceased
*Baron Nathaniel Whitmore-a gossip, blackmails Salem
*Aditi-Salem's friend
*Melissa-Salem's friend, Nathaniel's sister
*Laura-bullies Salem but their parents were friends
*Dr. Bane-Salem's academic advisor
*Dr. Merlin-a professor @ Mortimer who dislikes Salem

🤔 My Thoughts: I loved all the author quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Death and suicide were central themes that affected Salem and Caz with their siblings' deaths. Their romance was all-consuming and steamy on the backdrop of a tragic conspiracy.

Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level 4/5🔥

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and RuNyx for this ALC ! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

Enigma is a thrilling blend of dark academia and sizzling romance. When Salem Salazar arrives at Mortimer University to uncover the truth about her sister’s disappearance, she never expects to fall into a world of secret societies, haunting mysteries—and the arms of the magnetic Cazimir van der Waal. With a moody campus vibe, high-stakes twists, and undeniable chemistry, this page-turner is perfect for readers who love their romance with a side of danger.

Just when I thought this couldn't get any better, RuNyx knocked it out of the park! Everyone who loved Gothikana will love Enigma. Especially the Audio! The storyline is amazing, I love a good gothic romance book with a bit of mystery. And the spice just added to the whole thing. I loved getting lost in this world.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the advance audio.

I’ve found my favorite book of the year I don’t know if anything will top this book! This is my first book I’ve read from runyx and I want like 50 more literal chefs kiss! I could not stop listening to this audio book. The story had me hooked I loved the characters.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook ARC.
First off, if you already love and are familiar with runyx writing and love it then you'll also love this book.
I love the dark vibes. The plot keeps you intrigued enough to keep going.
That said, the pacing felt uneven at times. Some scenes dragged while others rushed. The MMC had good potential but sometimes what he said felt forced, like just because it's what the girlies swoon over, but there's different ways to say things. I did love the FMC though!

Sometimes it’s okay to admit when a book isn’t for you. And it’s also okay to admit that a book isn’t bad just because it wasn’t for you.

This is my first RuNyx book and I’m not sure what I expected. This book is incredibly atmospheric. Its gothic academia setting along a rocky coastline was stunning to behold. I thought Salem was an interesting character to follow. My only real issue with this book was some of the lines (hunky chonk of a man) and how the mystery is solved.

This book is going to have readers who really enjoy this book. I thought it was just fine.

Holy Caz!

First things first, I really enjoyed this audiobook. Narration was great and kept me pulled into the story and it was nice having a dual POV every couple chapters.

I love a good dark academia story. The story is about Salem, who attends the very prestigious school that her sister attended (and ultimately died at) to find out what happened to her and many other girls over the years. Then she meets one of her TAs, Caz. He's mysterious and moody and brings ALL the spice. Whew.

I was hoping the mystery would wrap up with more of a punch, but it was good. I really enjoyed this authors writing and I hope to read more from them in the future.

ALC/ARC review!
4.5⭐️ 3🌶️
I really enjoyed this dark academia romance with secret societies, murder mysteries, coastal academy atmosphere and morally grey MMC.
Salem is a legacy student starting at Mortimer University, she's there to study forensic science, but has other motivations. Her older sister died at the university and Salem is convinced there's more going on in this sleepy coastal college town than meets the eye. On one of her first nights there she sees something on the beach from the cliffside and decides to investigate, knowing her sister was not the first to die at Mortimer, and she's on a mission to find the truth and uncover the darkness lurking there.
She quickly meets Cazamir, our dark, broody, mysterious artist MMC. He's a TA and involved in some of the mystery happening at Mortimer, but what side is he truly on? There's an intense pull between them that they can't escape, and the forbidden aspect, while unclear why, only makes it more tempting.
While there's a bit of insta-lust, the tension is ever present and it becomes a bit of a slow burn. I thoroughly enjoyed the layers of the characters that peel away as we learn more about the mysteries, secret societies at play and how entangled Salem and Caz's paths really are.
Satisfying conclusion.
I really enjoyed this audiobook. thank you to Netgalley and RuNyx for this ARC.

This was a great take on Dark Academia. I wasn't sure how we were supposed to take our main character Salem as she starts out pretty dry/flat but you learn this is a defense mechanism, she is actually just guarded. I really loved her growth and how she didn't just let the man fix her.
I also loved our male main character, Caz. He was sometimes a bit of a caricature, but again it felt intentional. This book has is spicy! It was a fun ride.