🎧 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.

Enigma is a dark romance/mystery in a dark academia setting. I loved the quotes at the beginning of each chapter and the setting. The initial buildup of the romance and mystery premise had me hooked for the first half. I felt slightly disconnected from the romance once it picked up and found the mystery resolution a little underwhelming. I'm not sure why this is categorized as fantasy in some places, and I believe that led to me feeling underwhelmed as I was waiting for fantasy elements. Overall I did enjoy Enigma and would recommend for readers that enjoy a dark romance/dark academia mashup.

I enjoyed the dual narration performed by Aiden Snow and Jaclyn Kelso.

I received an ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Runyx is so dang good at atmospheric writing. The vibes here were SO good. I felt like I was actually at this school. It's moody and dark (the vibes not so much the story itself) and it just seems like there would be a constant low-to-the-ground fog at all times. I was intrigued by this one from the start and desperate to know what was going to happen. The build up made me expect a bit more bang with the ending but overall I found the book to be pretty intriguing. I love an academic setting with a bit of off limits relationships, what can I say! I'm so glad Runyx is back a new book and I already can’t wait for more!

thank you to macmillan audio for the alc!!

for me, this book was everything gothikana should’ve been!! the dark academia vibes, the mysterious characters and a plot that keeps you hooked right from the start! i enjoyed this one SO much more! i loved that everything plot wise was wrapped up nicely and there were no lingering questions or plot holes that had me confused!

when people talk about fantastic dark academia books this one is going to be added to that list! the vibes were everything!! i wish i had saved it for spooky season because it truly gives the best mysterious, on the edge of your seat vibes! salem & caz were electric! their tension and banter mixed with their quirkiness and the schools weird vibe was everything to me!

i loved seeing salem open up and learn to trust caz fully and also getting to see caz retain that trust through his actions towards salem. i feel like we see both characters grow so much throughout the story which is something i really appreciated!

narrators did a fabulous job on the audiobook and overall production was great! would deff recommend this one on audio!!

I think I like it? It’s my first real dive into dark academia vibes but I was definitely entertained by this audiobook and the narrators were absolutely fantastic!

Though the ending was a bit abrupt and perhaps stunted, this audiobook book was an enjoyable listen. It was dark, sexy and filled with mysterious dangers. It did have me on the edge of my seat in anticipation a few times. I was also quite happy to discover that the FMC was autistic coded! If you like dark academia and a spicy romance, give this audiobook a listen.

Thank you to NetGalley and RuNyx for the opportunity to read and review the ARC audiobook for Enigma.

With their dark pasts to fuel them, Salam and Caz enroll in Mortimer, an elite college. What they didn’t expect was the impact they would have on each other.

To start, the audiobook edition of this story is absolutely perfect. Aiden Snow voiced Caz and his deep gravely voice was complete and utter male dark decadence. He really brought Caz to life and I couldn’t imagine it any other way.

Jaclyn Kelso was the voice actor for Salam and was able to bring me right into her headspace. Her pacing and infections where spot on!

As for the story, this was dark academia at is finest! It is a murder mystery filled with a dark romance that is on fire, secret societies and a morally grey possessive man who is also the most talented artist.

This is the type of story that sucks you in from the very start. It’s sexy, engaging, dark and intriguing. You become enamored with the main characters and I already miss them!

I am a sucker for darker (usually very dark) themed stories and this touched on those themes but I felt kept it at a level that those that may only dabble in dark would still appreciate it. There is loss, grief, trauma and you feel it all and route for the MCs all along the way.

I loved this book/audiobook and highly recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the copy of Enigma in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first RuNyx book, I’ve been on the fence about her other book Gothikana and after reading 50% of Enigma I am finding myself bored with the story and didn’t find a good connection between the main characters. This felt like it was lacking all around, at least for me. The only thing I was drawn to was the atmosphere, it is dark and gothic feeling and I enjoyed that aspect.

The audio narration I felt was done well, but would have liked more of the male side of the story because he was so mysterious.

Overall, there is an audience for this book but unfortunately that wasn’t me.

Thank you Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for the ALC!

I love a dark academia, gothic romance but I felt this didn’t quite deliver for me. It started strong with the haunting prose and mystery, but I felt it didn’t get much darker and focused heavily on the couple for majority of the book. There was a lot of tension, push and pull, and unhinged obsession. But I did have trouble connecting with the characters and taking them seriously because of the instant attraction and desire. Things that also missed the mark for me was a lot of telling and not showing and the ending was a bit unsatisfactory.

Narrator for Salem was perfect, however, the narrator for Caz was OK. I felt the inner narration was forcibly deep that it took me out of it, but his dialogue narration was great.

Unfortunately, I think I’ve outgrown RuNyx and they’re just not for me anymore. 😭 If you’ve enjoyed Gothikana, you should definitely give Enigma a try.

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan audio for the free alc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. This was a dnf for me at about 12% I was not prepares for the content or knew anything about it before starting it. Definitely would not have requested is had I known about the content.

Dnf

Enigma by ruNyx completely consumed me from the very first page. I lived for the dark, intense atmosphere that never let up—it was haunting, mysterious, and addictive in all the best ways. The writing pulled me into a world that was twisted and unpredictable, and I honestly didn’t want to leave.

What really made this book stand out was the romance. It was everything. The tension, the push and pull, the raw chemistry—it was so well done. I especially adored the "I hate everyone but you" trope. That dynamic just hits, and ruNyx nailed it. Every moment between the main characters felt electric and dangerous in the best possible way.

And the mystery? So good. I was constantly guessing, constantly wrong (in the most satisfying way), and on edge with every twist and turn. Nothing felt obvious or overdone. It kept my mind spinning and my heart racing.

If you're into dark romance with a heavy dose of suspense and emotionally charged characters who burn the world for each other, Enigma is a must-read. I’m still thinking about it—and probably will be for a long time.

I’m so obsessed with the aesthetic Runyx is posting and how blue it is so I wanted to make something similar!
and for the love of God, please go and listen to the playlist because it is elite 🔥

the atmosphere—because wow, I don’t know if it’s because of all the misty-blue aesthetic moodboards the author kept posting, but those visuals completely took over my brain while I was listening. I love when a book has that specific vibe you can feel in your bones while reading, and this one nailed that eerie, melancholic, gothic academia mood.

the writing is solid as hell. Runyx’s prose always feel like a warm, familiar hug. her writing style is poetic, layered, and she has this effortless way of wrapping up raw emotion in beautiful descriptions. It’s like her sentences breathe—they linger, they hit. that part of her craft was easily one of the best things about this book, no question.

when it comes to characters—this is where I’ll give Runyx her flowers. as individuals, the characters in this book were incredibly well-developed. She really took the time to dive into their flaws, their philosophies, their trauma, their family dynamics, their inner monologues… all of it.

She peeled back their layers and showed us who they were beyond just plot devices or love interests. their views on life, their issues with friends and family, their internal battles—everything was explored in a really intimate way. I genuinely think this might be the book’s strongest suit: how fully fleshed out Salem and Caz are as individuals. that part felt real, honest, and nuanced.