RuNyx has such a unique vibe and writing style that I think you either like or you don't like. I was really excited for this one because I do love dark academia, secret societies, and enemies lovers and those elements were good; however, it just still didn't quite hit with me.

I still encourage you to check this one out because I have NO doubt some people will be obsessed! <3

"I make the rules."- Salem
"I break them, on purpose."- Caz

Enemies to lovers
Dark academia
Secrets

Any book by Runyx is already a win in my book; I know I'm giving it at least three stars before I start. Runyx didn't disappoint with the character development, slow-burning spice, and secrets. I listened to this book but also followed along on my Kindle to help when some areas got a little confusing.
The banter between Salem and Caz had my attention the whole time. I'm a huge fan of Troy Duran, so having him narrate this book was a plus. There were some parts of the audiobook that didn't sound like the narrator's voice.
Runyx has done a great job of starting this series off on the right foot. I am looking forward to more.

If you're a fan of dark, twisty romance with a spooky academic vibe (Gothikana readers, I’m looking at you), this is a solid pick. It takes the Hades-and-Persephone style love story and drops it into a gloomy, secret-filled university where danger is always lurking.

Salem, the main character, is smart, quiet, and kind of obsessed with death. She’s on a mission to find out what really happened to her older sister—and maybe uncover why girls keep disappearing at Mortimer University. Enter Cazimir, the dark and broody TA who feels like walking danger. Their chemistry is instant and intense. If you enjoy protective, mysterious love interests who are all-in from the start, Caz will totally pull you in.

I listened to the audiobook and loved that it had both a male and female narrator. I did wish we got more chapters from Cazimir’s point of view, but I get why it focused more on Salem—this is her journey first. Still, hearing more of his voice would’ve added even more depth to their romance.

The story plays with some great tropes: secret societies, forbidden love, dark pasts, and that feeling that something is just off. I loved trying to figure out how everything connected. While I hoped for a bit more mystery or action, the tension and slow build kept me hooked.

Heads up: this one leans into swoony, overtly possessive/protective physical and verbal acts (think Edward from Twilight) that might come across as cheesy if you're not into that swoops-in-to-save-the-day thing. If you're into that, it totally works. If not, it might feel a little over the top.

All in all, this was fun, eerie, and romantic. I liked it enough to buy the print copy after finishing the audiobook—and that says a lot.

A Hades and Persephone retelling amidst a dark academia setting, this was a step above Gothikana by the same author. The relationship between Salem and Caz was infinitely more romantic. The plot was also more fully developed and the mystery at the core of the story was more compelling.

I appreciated the poetic representation of death and grief, since the bond between the two main characters came to be from trying to figure out the truth behind the death/disappearance of their older siblings. Overall it was a beautiful and strange book!

Review: DNF
Unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me. I struggled to connect with the narration and writing style. I found it hard to stay engaged with the story. I ended up putting it down around 20%. Appreciate the opportunity to review, and I’m sure it’ll find the right audience!

I won't publish a review on it on my social media or Goodreads (I don't count dnf books on there)

Once again thank you for the opportunity!

5/7/2025 - Is the 'twisted Hades and Persephone' in the room with us??
So first off, the dark academia was dark academia-ing. The mystery, secret societies, castle-school setting, Twilight-esque atmosphere, forbidden romance, and scary obsession...the vibes were off the charts and that's what kept me reading.

The enemies to lovers claim feels like an Elastigirl reach, but I'm always picky about this. I want my ETL characters to LOATHE each other for a minute before there is any hint of attraction, and that is difficult to achieve in a standalone. The "academic rival" part of this one was overcome in a heartbeat with lust-at-first sight and boom! bang! we have obsession bordering on insta-love. It was still a vibey good time and that small irk didn't stop me from enjoying the ride.

Trigger warnings = mentions of suicide, death, murder, human sacrifices, sexual assault, date-rape drugging, drug/alcohol use and abuse

I received a copy of this audiobook for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

5/1/2025 - Kicking this off with gruesome gothic vibes and a quote from The Secret History? Yes.

In my honest opinion, I liked the book but it wasn't the best. The plot kept me entertained however I must say that sex parts were a bit cringe which is why I only give 3 stars

Overall: 3.56 ⭐️ -> 4

This was my first RuNyx book and she does not disappoint. RuNyx’s prose is dark, moody, and luscious. I will say, this is definitely not for everyone, but if dark gothic romance is your thing, I highly recommend this book.

What do I mean by Dark Romance? I mean an MMC who is so morally grey, a normal person might call the cops on him. He’s completely unhinged, stalker-ish, dominant, possessive, and touch-her-die vibes. All this to say, he’s also got me blue balled in a way I need more. Which segues into the spice.

Spice 4.5 ⭐️
The spice - oh my. I think I might’ve added some kinks onto my list after reading this book. While some of the spice is open door, the parts that have me blue balled are the closed door summaries. The one’s where he destroys her and puts her back together with much needed cuddling and petting. We get glimpses of it as it leaves her “crying and whimpering”. And yet, it is all consensual folks. I need more of this. Might need to open literatica for that fix.

Writing 3.8 ⭐️
I absolutely adore the writing. The prose. It’s elegant and eerie. There were times though where it felt strangely redundant or repetitive monologues. I ended up skimming those. The pacing in the beginning and middle were sometimes slow.

Plot 2.5⭐️
By the time I got to the middle, I couldn’t put it down. I’m not sure when it happened but I got the sense that I NEEDED to know what happened at the end. And that rush kept me moving forward. The ending - while it made sense - was also a bit underwhelming.

Audiobook 2 ⭐️
I initially received a NetGalley copy of this as an eARC (Thank you NG and MacMillion studios). Unfortunately, I found the audio to be kind of annoying. There are two narrators but yet, it isn’t a duet. The male voice only speaks during Kaz’s chapters. It kind of takes away from the mental picture that we already have of his voice when the female narrator reads it. Because of this, I almost DNF’d it. Thankfully my library had a copy of the special edition!

Special Edition Hardcover copy 5 ⭐️
I don’t know what’s going on, but the special edition is truly a work of art. I’m so glad I made the switch. The chapter title pages have photographic art that elevates the mood of the story. Then there’s the subtle context clues of using different fonts for texting, or for indicating a past memory. I found the book to be a much more enjoyable experience than the audiobook.

Overall: I recommend it if you want to come for the almost-bdsm spice and unhinged romance.

5 Full stars!!! I loved this book! I loved Salem, she is the first FMC that I could connect with and understand and she was not annoying at all. I felt her emotions and her disconnect from people and society. Caz was her equal on so many levels, I was in shock at his story when it came to light. The tension between these two was insane. I wanted to jump in the book and make things happen!! Lots of push and pull and angst. The mystery was really good, I didn’t know what was going to happen and was always on edge trying to figure it out. There are definitely some very dark parts so check triggers. The chemistry and spice was hot and sizzling!! The narrators were perfect, I am a sucker for Aiden Snow.
2/5 🌶️🌶️

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook arc

Loved the dark gothic, dark academia vibes of Enigma. The world was reminiscent to the one of Nocticadia by Kerri Lake. I loved the MMC the most. Cas was perfect!! He was a bit of a stalker, obsessive, protective, possessive, and intense! Definitely touch her or you’ll die vibes. The only thing that didn’t add up for me was the murder mystery plot. Felt like a loose end that was never resolved. Other than that, a great dark gothic romance!

This was good, the story sucked me in. I was a sucker for the broody, mysterious, possessive MC. The gothic vibes were strong and the setting was developed well because it set the tone for the story.

The ending was a little bit of a letdown. It felt a bit rushed. Everything wrapped up in about half a chapter. The ending was also a bit convoluted. The mystery wasn't unraveled slowly for the reader, just dumped.

Overall, it kept me interested, but fell short.

𝖲𝖺𝗅𝖾𝗆 𝖲𝖺𝗅𝖺𝗓𝖺𝗋 & 𝖢𝖺𝗓𝗂𝗆𝗂𝗋 𝗏𝖺𝗇 𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖶𝖺𝖺𝗅

🐦‍⬛ Dark Academia
🐦‍⬛ Secret Society
🐦‍⬛ Gothic
🐦‍⬛ Family Secrets
🐦‍⬛ Mystery/Loss

I seen the trope Forbidden romance, But there really isnt much forbidden about the romance....

I wasnt blown Away, the Audio was brilliant though.

Soooo

Salem Starts at Mortimer University to study and try and find out the reason her sister died while at the school, On Campus she meets teachers aid Kaz and After Iniatially being a bit gruff they soon start up a repoir.

I loved the way the Author wrote Salem, and all the feelings and confusion that came with her as well as her self isolation... it was a really deep character, and beautifully fleshed out.

The Author sets the scene Beautifully, the descriptions are really artistic.

The rest was good... But it wasnt gripping, the plot, it was a bit underwhelming and predictable - I love Keri Lake and was recomended this Author to try but apart from Kaz's art it wasnt really that dark.... it wasnt amazing But wasnt Bad a solid 3 stars.

This was an incredibly fast paced listen, and I had no trouble completing it within 2 days! The dual narration was a great choice, as both narrators perfectly captured their characters.
The quotes at the beginning of each chapter were a brilliant addition to the story. Many of the quotes are my absolute favorites, so it was exciting to have these used throughout the book. It was clear to see that each was strategically placed for emphasis on the story.
The characters were well written; though I did yearn for even a bit more background time with Olivia. Having both main characters having a similar background and motive for searching answers helped make them feel even more connected.
The spice was not too over the top, just the right amount!
The epilogues were appreciated, to see how the characters landed in their arcs!

🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇 5-Bat Review: Enigma
by RuNyx

This book? Pure dark romance perfection. Enigma wrapped its ink-stained fingers around my heart and did not let go. The story was gripping from start to finish, with a plot that pulled me deeper and deeper into its shadows and characters so vivid, they felt like whispers in the dark corners of my own mind.

Salem was beautifully broken—haunting, vulnerable, and strong in a way that made my heart ache. And Caz? That man was danger dipped in desire. My favorite line—“I want to be the only villain you see. I want to be the only devil that drags you to hell.”—is etched into my bones now. The way RuNyx crafts atmosphere, emotion, and intensity is absolutely spellbinding.

If this is just a taste of what she’s capable of, I’m ready to devour everything she’s written.

#Enigma #RuNyx #DarkRomance #VillainLove #BeautifullyBroken #BatRating🦇 #RomanceWithBite #GothicReads #Obsessed

There are two narrators to this edition and while I liked the female narrator a lot, I had some issues with the male narrator that I ultimately could not get past. I found his voice just too deep, it was at odds with the content of the book and was just distracting to the point I ultimately skipped those sections. This may not be an issue for other listeners.

Ok ok ok... I am SO pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this!! I've never read a RuNyx novel before and I can go either way with dark romances so was hesitant but oh yeah, I ate this up!

* dark academia
* Forbidden love
* steamy and suspenseful
* secret societies
* family legacies

Dark. Twisty. Steamy. Swoony. Hopeful. Suspenseful. Mysterious. UGH this was just SO GOOD.

I loved Salem and Caz - opposites on paper but so deeply similar on the inside. The development of this relationship was just SO good and I. ate. it. up.

This was my first RuNyx book and I have been missing out!

This book was delicious. I consumed it in less than 20 hours, tandem reading the audiobook and the hard copy. Aiden Snow is one of my favorite narrators, from Carissa Broadbent's Crowns of Nyasia series.

If you love dark academia, romance, sprinkled in with a little bit of murder mystery, this is IT for you. The dark and broody main male character is chef's kiss and the spice is well done.

My only note is that the end felt a little predictable rushed while the rest of the book was setup so well.

That said, 5/5. No notes. Give me more.

I really enjoyed this book. It had just the right amount of dark romance for me. The murder mystery, secret organization, dark mysterious love interest and misunderstood MC was well balanced.

The narration of this audiobook was really good. I really felt like a narrator voice fits the FMC’s, although I wish there was dual narration since there was a male narrator. I think that would’ve added some extra spice to this story. For the novel itself, I think it was pretty good. It was my first book from this author, and it won’t be my last.

This is the first RuNyx book I've read. I tried Gothikana a little while back, but it didn't resonate with me so I had to DNF. Fortunately, I enjoyed Enigma much more, though I'm not sure RuNyx is the best author for me. I completely respect their work and appreciate the gothic vibes found in Enigma (and Gothikana). Sadly, I had trouble focus on the story, but I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story and how Salem and Caz's stories intertwined. Their meeting was weird but I enjoyed it because I like weird--and it was about what I'd expect to find in a dark romance novel. Also I was oddly into him drawing/painting her in the middle of the woods. I also liked Salem's friendships and seeing her character develop from being a quiet loner to someone who had this close circle she could rely on.