Thank you Macmillan audio for the ALC!

This story was fast paced and had my attention the whole time. I really enjoyed Salems character and her struggles with understanding people around her. She’s smart and can problem solve like no other but when it comes to relationships she can be clueless. Caz was a 10/10, I’m obsessed with him and he’s a new book bf for sure!
I feel like this story mostly focused on their relationship rather than the answers Salem was looking for. Don’t get me wrong she still searches for those answers nonstop but most of the time it leads her to Caz.
For me the ending got wrapped up a little too quickly and the reveal kind of felt brushed over. However the vibes of this book were eerie and I enjoyed that, I also loved Salem and Caz together and their epilogue was one of my favorite parts!

Oh boy. This was rough. There’s some fun going in, but once you’re inside… it’s just a whole lot of nothing. It’s like being promised a rollercoaster and ending up on one of those sad mall trains that goes two miles an hour.

The unnecessary in-depth details were a full-on sensory attack. And him? Why does he sound like a predator lurking in plain sight? I was less worried about romance and more worried about filing a missing person report.

This is my second book from this author and at this point I think it’s time for us to see other people. Every time my friends asked how it was going I just stared into the void and whispered “Bored.” The last few chapters finally picked up but by then I was emotionally checked out and halfway planning my escape.

My first thought after finishing was “I’M FREEEEE.” Picture me running through a field, arms wide, screaming with joy. This book may have taken hours of my life, but at least now I can frolic in peace.

This is a dark romance book full of mystery, twists, a FMC that grew up prim and proper but with a darker side. She always had interest in death and the details. What caused it? How to recognize different aspects of the death itself. Unfortunately she was looked as a black sheep and like she was strange. Especially after her sister died by suicide… but she knew better. She knew her sister and there was more to it. So what did she do? She decided to investigate at the place where it all happened. Her sister’s school.
Little did she know just how much was hiding behind the beautiful walls and smiling faces.
Little did she know just what dark and evil things were around each corner.
Little did she know she could lose everything with what she discovers.

This book I received the netgalley and am giving my review of my own honest opinion.

This book has it all. The mystery, the plot that just getting bigger and bigger, the characters you don’t know if you can trust no matter how close to the FMC they are and an poor FMC that doesn’t let what scares her the most stop her from finding not only answers but here opportunity for better for herself. She is so strong and doesn’t let fear sneak in and make her stall her progress. She learns and grows as a person. Her confidence grow tremendously and I enjoyed watching her develop into that character.

I never know what to expect or what would happen next. You would have a tiny hint revealed just to feel like the two steps forwards was actually more steps backwards and brining her closer to danger. I loved the atmosphere of the setting of the book. I love that it played into this storyline that makes you think and wonder. That makes you doubt what you know and yet still be hopeful.

Definitely recommend reading it!

I went into this book pretty blind and I’m so glad I did. The story was unique, haunting, beautiful, thought provoking and awe inspiring. It was like Gothikana but 10x better (I absolutely loved that story as well).

Caz was dark, mysterious, brooding alpha male energy all wrapped up in one. And the way he loved Salem was obsessive but beautiful. The way he was able to give her exactly what she needed without her having to put words to it was heartwarming.

Salem was intelligent, determined and loyal. It was so nice watching her blossom thanks to the love of Caz and her friends. Her analytical mind and insatiable curiosity are amazing.

Thank you to Macmillan audio and Bramble romance for the ALC. Both narrators did a beautiful job bring Caz and Salem to life.

This was just okay. I was expecting to be wowed like I was when I read Gothikana. I definitely think my high expectations is part of the reason why I didn't love this book. I really enjoyed the mystery aspect and I found myself more interested in that than the romance itself. The narration was fantastic and the narrators did a great job! Thank you to netgalley and the author for the ALC. I really appreciate it.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Salem is the black sheep of her family -- quiet, odd, obsessed with death. When she heads to Mortimer University, she becomes determined to discover what happened to her older sister -- the perfect one, the one her parents actually wanted. Cazimir -- mysterious artist with a dark past and hidden agenda -- is drawn to Salem from the moment he sees her. They might be total opposites, but the two of them are drawn together. But when Salem discovers that her sister isn't the only one to have gone missing, she discovers there's something sinister happening on campus, something that haunts her, and she'll need Caz if she has any hopes of surviving.

There is a lot to unpack in this one. You have the dark academia setting, you have the Hades X Persephone retelling, you have the romance, the danger... I love the fact that she wants to go into forensics; I love the fact that he was an artist. And then there's the secret society and the murders, the mystery. The atmosphere was so dark, the characters were very well written, but I think the romance in this book was just absolutely phenomenal. I loved Salem and Caz together, and the spice was absolutely **chef's kiss** perfect. I was literally hooked from beginning to end and I am so obsessed with this whole book.

The audio is absolutely fantastic, but if I can suggest anything it's to also pick up the physical copy because those drawings are absolutely gorgeous.

This was an interesting dark academia book that had all the tropes that people enjoy. Forbidden lovers, possessive, touch her and you 💀, found family, secret societies. The main story outside of the romance was an interesting tale of mystery and whodunnit.

The romance was steamy and the spice was spicy. My one gripe was how casually the MMC was written as a stalker in the beginning of them getting to know each other. I definitely understand that this is a dark academia book and there are dark themes but that was a gripe of mine.

I will say too that I got the same feeling that I had after reading Gothikana where I enjoyed the story, but the conclusion felt rushed and not fully settled. It seemed like a lot of the main story took a backseat to the romance and the spice. And trust me I love a good spicy book, but I really enjoy when the author can balance it well with the main story.

Overall, I did enjoy reading this, I was just a little disappointed with the ending.

I'm beginning to think maybe Runyx books just aren't for me.

I listened to this via an advanced listeners copy so my spelling of names might be wildly incorrect.

My first issue is that I struggled to connect with the characters. This is written in third person, which I don't dislike, but I think in the case if this book, it may have helped connect me with the fmc Salem.

Another issue is the setting description. When a book is labeled as Gothic, I expect some darker themes but I also expect vivid descriptions. Again, I did not connect with the setting.

The entire plot seemed all over the place. Salem is attending Mortimer, an elite school for the ludicrously wealthy, to investigate her sister's (and other student's) suspicious deaths. There just wasn't much of a mystery to it and the ending wasn't surprising at all. I'm not sure it was intended to be, though.

The mmc Cazimer (I probably butchered the spelling) almost feels completely unnecessary to the entire plot. He could have been removed and aside from the spicy scenes, he wouldn't have been missed.

The narrators did an excellent job with the audiobook, the story itself just didn't captivate me the way the beautiful cover did.

As my very first RuNyx read, Enigma was an absolutely immersive, dark, and stunning experience. RuNyx has such a distinctive and poetic writing style — vivid, atmospheric, and so rich in imagery. I found myself pausing often just to re-listen or highlight lines purely for the beauty of her words. It felt like she was painting a picture with every scene.

The narrators brought this world to life in such a powerful way. Between the writing and the audio performance, I felt like I was right there — surrounded by a stormy, shadowy, lush environment that fit the dark academia vibe perfectly. What made this story especially compelling was how the darkness wasn’t just part of the setting — it was deeply woven into Caz and Salem themselves. Their connection, their inner shadows, and the community they found in each other felt raw and beautiful.

One of the standouts for me was the way darkness became a kind of shared language between the characters. Their unique brand of brokenness was not something to be fixed, but rather something to be seen and accepted — and that really drew me in.

If I had one small qualm, it would be the ending. While the mystery kept me hooked, the resolution came on a little quickly. I almost felt like I’d missed something — like we could’ve used just a bit more time, or even some of Caz’s POV, to help flesh out the behind-the-scenes elements. Still, the emotional payoff was strong -- the epilogues were perfection!

And I have to shout out the quotes at the end of each chapter — they were so perfectly curated and added a beautiful finishing touch to each piece of the story.

RuNyx has officially landed on my must-read list. This book was not only a standout debut for me but also a reminder of how style and storytelling can work hand in hand to create something hauntingly beautiful. I'll be easily giving Enigma, a 4.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC.

4.5 stars, I really loved this one! The vibes were vibing, the romance was romancing.

I love the dark atmosphere with intense romance and murder mystery elements with this one, and the fmc was incredibly relatable.

The parts centered around Salems relationship with her mom made me really emotional because the progression of the relationship repair is really moving.

The reason it didn't quite get to 5 is because the twist at the end was really predictable and I was hoping to see more from that.

Caz? What. A. GUY!!! Runyx REALLY knows how to write a romance, I was actually kind of blown away at parts.

Overall I think this was a great book and| fully recommend!

Enigma is a wild ride. There is lots of foreboding atmosphere, mystery, and spicy romance. I especially like the heroine, Salem. She is an interesting combination of intellect and trauma, and narrator Jaclyn Kelso does a great job of showing Salem’s internal chaos and external stoicism. Aiden Snow is awesome, as usual. He brings all the heat and all the snark to Cas.
Also, the epigraphs that start each chapter are perfect.. The quote that kicks off the second epilogue slayed me! Well played EuNyx, well played.

Love!!! I’ve been waiting for this one since GOTHIKANA

Aiden snow was perfect in this one!!!


RuNyx has become one of m favorites authors and I will die on that hill

5 🌟

LOVED. OBSESSED. Read in a day.

I listened to the audiobook for the first half - the narrators were amazing. Caz’ voice had a hold on me.

This was one of the first dark academia + dark romance type genre books I’ve ever read, and I was not disappointed. From the first page, I was hooked. I loved Salem - her wild, curvy little bombshell vibes mixed with death and despair and loneliness? Perfect. Don’t even get me started on Caz. With his dark artist demeanor and his obsession with Salem that goes deeper than just their first meeting… I might have swooned. Their chemistry was top notch and the banter was 😘

The settings were incredible. I loved Runyx’ writing style and the descriptions of every scene never failed to paint a picture in my head. The chapter intro quotes were heavy hitters too, I highlighted almost every one of them cause of how deep they went. And the murders/deaths? Those added a higher stakes feeling to the already intriguing mystery behind Mortimer University. I had some serious trust issues with every character, but was always rooting for Salem and Caz.

The story started very strong, pulling me in little by little with each chapter. There were a couple parts in the middle and near the end where it felt a little rushed to me. I remember thinking “Salem, are you dumb…” with a couple decisions she made. But I refuse to deduct point from my review because this book invoked every emotion from me and that hasn’t happened in a while. I’m confident in saying I’ll be thinking about this book well after today. I’ll also be picking another Runyx up real soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC audiobook in response for an honest review!

This did publish 4/29/25 so I ended up finishing the book on my kindle.

This audiobook was a suspenseful, dark academia, dark romance ride with great narrators! I was on the edge of my seat the whole book. Secret societies at play with rich families and an old spooky school was the perfect formula for a dark mystery.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me to get the Audiobook ARC for this title.

Enigma is a moody, dark academia-dark romance set in a prestigious university for the highbrow members of society. Anyone who is anyone wants to get into this school where being a legacy is key. Our female main character Salem is “strange and unusual”, very much reminiscent of Lydia Deets. Our male main character Caz is a dark and broody bad boy, and very much fits the Lord of the Underworld archetype.

This books dark academia setting is so well done, with readers really getting the feeling they are in the fog and gloom of Mortimer University. The writing evokes beautiful imagery that does not feel forced. The mystery and the intrigue and the secret society aspect of this book is reminiscent of The Secret History, Babel, and The Atlas Six.

If you’re interested in a story where your FMC finds her worth through strong female friendships, murder boards, and expressing her sexuality, and where your MMC would ~unalive~ anyone who looks at her sideways Enigma is the story for you.

This was such an enjoyable book. The narrators really brought the characters to life. It is atmospheric with its dark academia setting and intriguing with the mysterious secret societies. It also has a decent amount if spice if youre into that. My only issue is the characters didn't have the chemistry I was hoping for and I think if I were to read this and not listen to it, I may not have enjoyed it as much as I did.

This was my first book from RuNyx. I found this book to be juvenile and lacked everything. I was very disappointed with this story. I got into 25% into the book and there is not really anything going on. Also, between the cheesy conversations and repetitive descriptions the writing was lack luster at best.

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

ALC Review
Enigma by RuNyx
Narrated by Aiden Snow & Jaclyn Kelso

I think I am officially in my Dark Academia era. This was my first RuNyx book and I definitely will be reading more.
I was not sure what I was getting into, but the blurb had me intrigued. I am a big fan of the secret society trope, so I knew I wanted to check it out.
I would have given this five stars if I had more of the male POV - it was heavily focused on the female POV and it had me feeling like I was missing out a bit.

Pick this one up if you enjoy:
* Dark academia
* Rivals to lovers
* Secret societies
* Scandals and lies
* Suspense and spice

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook.

RuNyx has become one of my fav dark romance authors.. Definitely an auto buy! Thanks so much for the advanced copy of this audiobook! I loved this Hades and Persephone dark academia retelling! Hooked from the very beginning. Will be purchasing the physical copy so I can do immersive reading along with this audio!

Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 4.5⭐️
Plot: 4⭐️
Themes: 5⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 5⭐️
Emotional Impact: 4⭐️
Overall rating: 4.5/5⭐️

Murder mystery, dark academia, academic rivals, secret society, slow burn, and dark romance 🖤

This book sucked me in immediately. I was completely enraptured by the first page. The dark academic setting was everything I needed.
The audiobook was fantastic with Aiden Snow & Jacklyn Kelso. Both did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life and adding more depth to the setting.

Salem Salazar is a legacy to Mortimer University who is obsessed with forensics. After the death of her older sister, she enrolls at the University to uncover the mysteries behind unsolved murder/suicides. Salem is determined to uncover the truth and uses herself as bait to lure out dark forces. Enter Cazmir van der Wall an artists, with secrets of his own.