Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC.

Really enjoyed this one. Dark academia, with secret societies and a really engaging plot. It kept me guessing until the end. I liked the characters, Caz was super intriguing, just silent and broody enough without being too dry and one dimensional. I liked Salem, though sometimes I felt like I couldn’t get a solid grasp of her personality. I never felt like I actually knew her, which could very well have been by design.

The audio was great. Aiden Snow and Jaclyn Kelso did amazingly.

DNF 35% in. I've unfortunately chosen to not finished several books over the past month for various reasons, but this one was probably my least favorite of all. Where to begin? Let's start out with the few positives. These narrators are wonderful and I did enjoy listening to them guide the story along. The dark, gothic atmosphere is also a nice addition. However, this desperately needs editing. Because I was listening on audio, I wasn't able to highlight certain sentences to quote them properly in my review, but man. This really wasn't written well. Salem and Caz. Sigh. There's zero connection, chemistry, or yearning that makes sense between these two. Salem is a weird and morbid girl, and that alone is not a bad thing! She's clearly been through a lot, though some of it hadn't been revealed yet. The way she meets Caz near a dead body was too odd for me personally. That was one of my first red flags. Then, all of a sudden, though they've barely interacted, and the times that they have, he's told her to stay away from him, he states that she's his muse? And their next encounter involves him holding her while she has a panic attack, and later during his POV, he states that he'd never been more turned on than he was in that moment? Huh?? It just gave me the ick. Look, I love dark romance and spice, but this literally made zero sense. I need more build up between characters, and I need it to feel natural. This felt forced. Also the coffee/bookshop being named Big Bookish Coffee aka BBC for short - stop 🙃 This book simply didn't work for me. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Not only was this story 5 stars, but the way the narrators brought this story to life was nothing short of amazing.

The dark academia vibes were stellar. The lust and obsession and push/pull from Salem and Caz was just waht i was looking for. Slow burn, but in the best ways.

The narrators were truly the perfect audio embodiment of what I would expect these characters to sound like. I truly cant imagine reading this book any other way except audio!!

I loveddddd this book!! I have heard great things about runyx but never read their books before and I was missing out. This was engaging and fast paced. I love that it’s a standalone in this current era of series that are anywhere from 4 to 9 books long. The narrators we absolutely amazing at bringing this story and the world to life. I felt like I was at Mortimer with them. Absolutely 10/10 across the board

Alright, so Enigma by RuNyx was definitely a wild ride. The characters were complex, which I always appreciate — no one was one-dimensional, and I found myself trying to figure them out the whole time. The storyline had just enough mystery and tension to keep me turning the pages, and I was invested in seeing how it would all play out. Honestly, it scratched that itch for a dark, twisty read.

That said, I wasn’t totally sold on how quickly things escalated between the FMC and MMC. I would’ve loved a bit more slow burn and emotional build-up before things got intense. It just felt a little rushed for my taste. Still, despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who’s into complex characters and fast-paced romantic suspense.

I’m a fan of Dark Romance, Dark Academia, and have read quite a few RuNyx books, but this one just didn’t work for me. RuNyx is great at writing atmospheric books, and that was still true with this one. What ended up falling flat for me was mainly the romance.

I’m personally not a fan of insta-list/insta-love but RuNyx always writes great tension and banter so I was still on board. But it got to the point where I just didn’t really care for the romance. I also felt like the plot got rushed at the end, especially considering the first half of the book had so much intrigue.

This book just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and McMillan Audio for and advance “listen” to this book!

Unfortunately, I’m sad to report- after trying and trying to finish this audiobook- I had to dnf at 67%.
I want to start by saying, maybe “it’s not you, it’s me?” In this situation? Maybe I’m just not into “dark romance” so this wasn’t for me?
The rivals to lovers that fall into insta love were the first turn off for me. We have this big mystery that we are supposed to be digging into- but I feel like it falls flat- bc all she sees is this dude with no personality she’s attracted to. At 65% into the book, I still felt like we had gotten nowhere, and I felt no connection with any of the characters.
Now, if dark romance is your jam- don’t let this deter you. I clearly am not a pro in this genre. Maybe this is the MO?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Enigma by RuNyx! This one was dark, twisty, and full of those mysterious vibes I love. Salem was such an interesting main character—smart, a little weird (in the best way), and determined to get answers about her sister. And Cazimir? Total chaos. Broody, intense, and hard to look away from 👀🔥

The dark academia setting, the secret societies, the tension—it had me flipping pages. It does get heavy though, so definitely check the trigger warnings first.

I still enjoyed the story!

Salem is looking for answer to her sister passing. what she find is a mystery amd more 💀 at Mortimer University. When she head there to looking for answer she meet Caz who is an artist and seeking revenge and the connection that draw them together can be denied. Its a pull that bring them to each other and joined forces to find out what is going on with the school.

narrated by Aiden Snow; Jaclyn Kelso

I feel quite strongly that the description of this book is highly inaccurate. At no point did this read as Hades and Persephone. Instead it was a dark romance in a dark academia setting.

Salem, long obsessed with forensics, enters Mortimer University on the heels of family tragedy. She plans to discover who killed her sister, the sister who supposedly committed suicide. There is no shortage of suspects, with every male character extremely suspicious. She also meets the mysterious Caz, a graduate student and talented artist. They are drawn to each other like magnets, even knowing the other could expose them as they seek truths.

Salem was a strange character, a lot of time is spent with her referring to herself as icy when she is drowning in feelings. Her family makes almost no sense. Caz isn't much better. Then there is repetition. The same facts are rehashed over and over and over and over. This book could have been SIGNIFICANTLY shorter, which would have majorly improved it!

The narrators were okay. She was a bit whiny in her voice and her version of Caz speaking to her was so far from the way the Caz narrator sounded that it was disconcerting and removed me from the story.

I think there will be people who will enjoy this book. While I enjoy dark academia, I do not love dark romance, nor mystery and thrillers. Not to my taste, but maybe to yours?

Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

*ARC Review* recieved from NetGalley and Macmillian.

My long waitied anticipation for this book did not end in disappointment! This book took dark academia, murder mystery, and romance to hook readers in from the beginning. A dark, steamy mystery with an intriguing storyline, "Engima" was a huge hit for me!

After reading "Gothikana," also by RuNyx, last year, I knew I had to read more. The setting itself was very misty and mysterious, making the perfect backdrop for our plot. Salem and Caz had such an interesting dynamic that readers saw progress as they attempted to work through the murders happening on and near their campus.

I highly recomend this book to other readers! The writing was great, narrator even better!

This book is for my dark academia, dark romance readers. Taking place at the exclusive cliffside college of Mortimer University, this story follows Salem Salazar on her journey to uncover the truth about her sister's death. She finds her TA, the ultra-sexy, super mysterious Cazimir van der Waal , is also hiding secrets. Welcome to Mortimer where it seems everyone is hiding something. Told in dual POVs, the narrators do well with voice inflection and different voices for the many different characters. Their voices kept me engaged in the story.

ENIGMA, by popular booktok author, @authorrunyx is out now. This is my first read by the author, and I'm not disappointed. I definitely want to back track now and go read the first stand-alone, Gothikana. I loved the haunting backdrop that Mortimer University provides for this suspenseful, mysterious read. I love secret societies (I was such a Cruel Intentions girlie back in the day...iykyk) and a good who-done-it mystery. Top it off with a tall, broody, snarky MMC, and I was hooked. The audio production was really well-done. Aiden Snow @aidensnowvoice never disappoints as a male lead, and Jaclyn Kelso got me really invested in the FMC. I'd love to hear more from both narrators.

This is my first introduction to the author and I’m intrigued enough to read more of their works!

Enigma is the dark romance, mystery, fantasy standalone that many try to do well but few can achieve. The characters are intriguing and well thought out. The story line is interesting and leaves you wanting to know more even when it’s over. It’s a lightly spiced tale of self discovery and secret crime society.

The FMC perceives the world through analytics which I can relate to. It was nice to read through the eyes of a character who also struggles to understand social dynamics and feelings. I wish there would have been more focus on her career interests since that was a shaping part of her character.

The audiobook had two narrators and I wish it had been done duet style as the male narrator only has a couple chapters and has an amazing voice. Both narrators were captivating and added to the story nicely.

Enigma by RuNyx is a Dark Romance with a side of mystery, suspense, and some serious spice!

This story is centered around Salem Salazar a girl who is fascinated by death at a young age and as she grew up, was viewed by all as the odd sheep in her affluent and scandal-ridden family. After her sister’s untimely death, Salem hopes to uncover clues in her first year at Mortimer University, studying criminology. Little does she know that she’s being watched from all sides the moment she steps on campus.

One of the sets of eyes watching her is Cazimir van Der Waal, also known as Caz. He is the definition of tall, dark and handsome, with an emphasis on DARK. He is mysterious and aloof and the only thing people know about him beyond his good looks, is that he is an amazing artist, although no one outside of the faculty has seen his work. Caz is instantly pulled to Salem and despite being told by many to stay away, she has ensnared him in her web and he can’t seem to break free…nor does he want to.

When reading Enigma, you can expect:
🖤 Dark romance
🔎 Mystery
🤫 Secret society
🏫 Dark academia
💀 Morally gray
❤️‍🔥 Obsession
😱 Fear play
🪦 Touch her & die

Aiden Snow and Jaclyn Kelso took this audiobook to another level! They both really connected to their characters and brought them to live. Their performances were perfection and I’ll definitely be looking for other works from them both in the future.

Enigma tackles some really dark subject matter including death, childhood trauma and child predators, so check the trigger warnings before committing.

While I received a physical ARC copy from Bramble Romance at their private event at ApollyCon, when I saw the audiobook available on NetGalley, you know I had to try for it, and I was lucky enough to get it! So special thank you to Bramble Romance RuNyx and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this new release!

This book was well worth read if you haven’t read it please do. It’s definitely a dark romance, this is my favorite

The story follows Salem, a girl with a tragic past who enrolls in a college that holds its own secrets. As she navigates her new life, she discovers another soul, Caz, who might just have the missing pieces to the puzzle surrounding her sister's tragic fate.

I listened to the audiobook, which was an absolute masterpiece with dual narration that brought the characters to life. The narrators perfectly captured the emotional depth and intensity of Salem and Caz's journey, allowing me to immerse myself fully in the story. Their distinct voices added layers to the characters, making every twist and turn even more engaging.

The gripping plot and emotional depth kept me turning the pages late into the night! The chemistry between Salem and Caz is palpable, and their shared experiences create a bond that drives the narrative forward. The exploration of grief, resilience, and the quest for truth is beautifully woven throughout the book, making it a thought-provoking read.

If you love a good mystery filled with heart and suspense, "Enigma" is a must-read!

I really enjoyed reading this one!

I always love academic setups in books and dark academia. This was very nicely written and very mysterious. From the first chapter, it was captivating. It was such an easy read that I finished it in one day.

My only problem, and my problem in general with RuNyx books, is that after building this complex world, plot, and fascinating characters, the book ending is always very anticlimactic. It's almost like watching a Scoopy-Doo episode and learning the monsters were around us all along. I start with the highest expectation and feel disappointed at the end.

A dark academia romance with secret societies? Yes, please!
The atmospheric worldbuilding and mysterious, gothic like vibes pulled me in right away. I was immediately intrigued. The slow pacing worked in the story’s favor, and it kept me invested in the unfolding mystery. And of course, I loved the forbidden love in this story. The narrators, Aiden Snow, and Jaclyn Kelso are fantastic. Their tones and inflections are spot on and I was engaged till the very end!

Runyx nailed it with Enigma! If I could tweak one thing, it’d be to have dual narration: Aiden Snow for all of Caz's lines and Jaclyn Kelso for Salem's.

Enigma produces the same wild, mysterious atmosphere as its predecessor, Gothikana. The elite college town of Mortimer, set on the coast where its constantly raining, cold, and foggy, gives all the gothic vibes and is the perfect setting for a secret-society, murder mystery such as this. The college itself is comprised of old stone buildings, including a castle. Full of secret societies, secret rooms, and just plain secrets, the college is a character in and of itself. It's this overcast, brooding setting that we find our main character, Salem, attending Mortimore as a legacy student. Salem has a dual purpose to attending Mortimore - both to get a degree in the field of forensics, and to find out what happened to her older, perfect sister Olivia when she attended the college a few years before.

I've not seen confirmation of such, but to me, Salem presents as neurodivergent (possibly from a combination of who she is as a person, her raising, and as a result of trauma that she experienced when she was younger) and let me tell you, this was one of the most refreshing main female characters that I've read this year. As someone who is neurodivergent myself, it was so fun to see little pieces of myself that I could identify with in Salem, and it made me connect to her even more as a character. Add to that the fact that our leading man, Caz, is UNHINGED for her, accepts her wholly as she is, and supports her whole-heartedly, and you have a book that is so much more than the dark academia what it is advertised as. This book was healing to read, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Tropes:
*Dark Academia
*Enemies to Lovers
*Secret Societies
*Touch her and d!e

Spice level 4/5 chili peppers.

The sexual push and pull tension between Salem and Caz will have you both drooling and screeching in frustration. I loved the build-up of feelings and frustrations between them, and Caz is the perfect level of unhinged male for the woman he claims.

I listened to the audiobook of this novel, and I loved the female narrator. Her voice was easy to understand and not too slow paced. I also appreciated that it did not sound robotic as some audiobooks do. There are a few chapters in this novel told to us from Caz's point of view, and those are voiced by a gravelly, sexy male voice that makes Caz an even more intriguing character.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for providing me with an eARC of the audiobook for my listening pleasure.