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slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It saddens me to say that I think post-Syndicater RuNyx and I might not be a match in author and reader heaven.
I enjoyed the first three Dark Verse books, couldn't get through more than five chapters of Gothikana, and haven't even attempted to read The Syndicater after stumbling into spoilers. I think Enigma is a sign from the book deities above that RuNyx's direction as an author is just not one I'm interested in following further.
I enjoyed the first three Dark Verse books, couldn't get through more than five chapters of Gothikana, and haven't even attempted to read The Syndicater after stumbling into spoilers. I think Enigma is a sign from the book deities above that RuNyx's direction as an author is just not one I'm interested in following further.
The Good
I have to give RuNyx credit where it's due—the setting. As most already know, she does a good job crafting a dark academia setting. The doom-and-gloom of the cliff-side college was a decent enough differentiator from the doom-and-gloom of one of RuNyx's other dark academia schools (Gothikana's mountain-top college). RuNyx gives us great descriptions of the old castle buildings, the jagged cliffs, and the lone lighthouses, which makes Mortimer University feel a bit more real. The school itself becomes a character in the story, and making her setting significant enough was always something I thought RuNyx did well (e.g. Tenebrae City, the Maroni Compound, Los Fortis, Verenmore).
The Bad
Nothing. Happens. In. This. Book.
I want to reiterate that this book is a nothing sandwich.
Salem and Caz are giving nothing as individuals and as a couple. They had no chemistry (Shoving her into dark alcoves and looming over her to sniff her neck and touch her hair ≠ chemistry). They had no actual tension (Having shallow academic debates limited to the classroom ≠ tension). They weren't rivals or enemies. They were nothing. Until, they were suddenly in love after maybe a month or two of light stalking.
I'll give Salem some brownie points for at least growing a little bit as a character—from being a quirky loner who saw no point in human interactions to genuinely caring for and appreciating the people around her. Now, I'll take some brownie points from her due to the infuriating amount of times we have to read about her "liquid golden eyes," "petite size," and snake-like hair (as a curly-haired girl, I'm not sure how to feel about Caz constantly comparing her/her hair to snakes but alas...)
The side characters were also...nothing. We have Salem's wilder sidekicks who teach her about the joys of friendship in the form of Aditi and Melissa. They party, they drink, they have hook-ups (not together). That's all I really remember about those two. Caz doesn't have friends, which he re-confirms a lot, but there's Baron. We know nothing of Baron besides that he has a good pedigree like Salem and he knows a lot apparently.
The worst thing this book did was give us nothing for the conclusion. From my understanding, Enigma is a STANDALONE book. However, this book leaves us with more questions than answers, which leads me to believe it is going to receive some type of spin-off (probably with Baron and Aditi). This is false advertising and completely disingenuous. I'm not sure if RuNyx changed her mind and made a statement saying she was planning for this to be an interconnected series akin Dark Verse, but I went into this book thinking it was a complete standalone. However, once I reached the end, I realized it's really not trying to be a standalone. (view spoiler)
The main conflict/mystery is barely handled at all. The "villains" are seemingly dealt with in under two chapters, but we don't hear about any consequences or lasting effects. The two epilogues reference the secret societies maybe once or twice. Despite solving the murders and understanding the secret societies being Salem's main goals when she entered Mortimer, Salem kind of just has to accept that she'll never be welcomed in the secret society, thus she'll never actually understand them. It feels like lazy writing on RuNyx's part if this is a standalone. When I compared this to how each of the Dark Verse books ended before leading up to The Syndicater, I can see where RuNyx is trying to set up more storylines while prolonging the mystery. However, again as a standalone, she just left us with plot holes and unfinished stories, which is genuinely frustrating as a reader.
I came here to read a finished story, not whatever half-baked attempt at literature this was.
Anyways, in the end, Enigma is a disappointing, forgettable, anti-climactic drab; Enigma is nothing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment
Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, Stalking, Death of parent
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5 but since Goodreads only has whole stars we are deopping to a 3. I thought it would be darker. It had all the work up to be more morally gray and just overall "darker". The MMC was morally gray but never embraced it, was just light gray IMO. He had the depth and character development there just didn't actually have / didn't really do anything. The FMC was the same. I kept waiting for them to do something truly bad. lol And I can't believe I'm saying this, but other than 1 and .5 ish spicy scenes, there were a lot of fade to black type scenes. They had soooooo much chemistry and heat, but very little played out on the page. The Dark Verse series is one of my all-time favorites. This one sadly didn't live up to that amazingness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content
Moderate: Suicide, Grief
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide
Moderate: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Grief
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
i loved this book. it is honestly refreshing to read a novel where the FMC is intelligent and complex, but i would never have expected less from Runyx as an author. it was interesting to have Salem (the fmc) be the more "detached"/less outwardly emotional main character, as opposed to the generic trope of the MMC being that way. i really love that she felt like a complete character with her own intricacies before the romance is even mentioned. Caz (the mmc) felt the same, not necessarily needing a love interest to make him intersting, though i would have loved to read more from his pov. his ferocity regarding Salem i suppose could be described as typical in regards to MMCs in this genre, but the poetic way he speaks to her about his feelings was very romantic and refreshing. it did make sense considering he's an artist lol. while i dont necessarily relate directly to Salem and her traumas and being logical vs emotional, i did really relate to her feelings of loneliness in childhood and feeling detached from her family. the way Caz and her new friends were with her with her was comforting to read.
the mysteries in the plot were well written and intriguing! i LOVE when there is such a balance between the romance and the plot, i personally felt this book had a perfect ratio. i do like that everything was wrapped up fairly neatly, i dont personally feel like i need more answers or like there was anything left unresolved. i also felt the background characters were involved just enough without being distracting.
i would recommend this book a million times over. if you're just dipping into "dark romance" i would consider this a good starter! if you read and enjoyed Nocticadia by Keri Lake (or anything by Keri Lake), i think you would most likely enjoy this as well.
Runyx, if you have anything else in the works i am beyond excited to read more. after reading through the Dark Verse earlier this year, you have quickly become one of my favorite authors. thank you. 🖤❤️
the mysteries in the plot were well written and intriguing! i LOVE when there is such a balance between the romance and the plot, i personally felt this book had a perfect ratio. i do like that everything was wrapped up fairly neatly, i dont personally feel like i need more answers or like there was anything left unresolved. i also felt the background characters were involved just enough without being distracting.
i would recommend this book a million times over. if you're just dipping into "dark romance" i would consider this a good starter! if you read and enjoyed Nocticadia by Keri Lake (or anything by Keri Lake), i think you would most likely enjoy this as well.
Runyx, if you have anything else in the works i am beyond excited to read more. after reading through the Dark Verse earlier this year, you have quickly become one of my favorite authors. thank you. 🖤❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Murder
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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!!
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!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting
Minor: Pregnancy
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
RuNyx has a way of world-building and creating characters that feels fully fleshed-out, so when I read her books not only am I transported, I can also envision everything very clearly. I always feel her books are perfectly written to be movies, and in my mind they read cinematically. Enigma is no different. I could very clearly picture Salem, Caz and Mortimer University in ways that made the storyline quick-paced and entirely whole. I love this about her books!
This is a dark academia goldmine! Secret societies, possible hauntings, seemingly desolate beach-scape with ominous lighthouse. The mood was spot on. Salem and Caz are a not too slow, slow-burn romance, and have some great tension at the start. Caz may just be your new favorite dark and broody, tattooed, MMC. He has a dark past, he’s territorial, and he’s a mercurial artist. Salem is a curvy FMC, and I much appreciated an FMC that is not the usual body type.
Enigma had multi-faceted themes of found family, finding confidence in self, and learning to trust that really can speak to readers on a deeper level as well.
RuNyx never disappoints. Her books, to me, are great palate cleansers. You can pick them up knowing you’re going to have a hard time putting them down. They move quickly, and you can transport into her Gothic-themed worlds entirely. Perfect for a train ride books. Perfect for a rainy day in bed books. Enigma is a perfect entry level to dark romance books!!
If you loved Gothikana, you will love Enigma. However, if her Dark Verse series is more your cup of tea this might not be dark enough for you. Give it a try though!
Enigma was a joy to read. I was waiting for this after I saw it pop up as to be published and I was not disappointed. 12/10 recommend.
Thank you to RuNyx and Tor Publishing for giving me an ARC of Enigma to read and review.
This is a dark academia goldmine! Secret societies, possible hauntings, seemingly desolate beach-scape with ominous lighthouse. The mood was spot on. Salem and Caz are a not too slow, slow-burn romance, and have some great tension at the start. Caz may just be your new favorite dark and broody, tattooed, MMC. He has a dark past, he’s territorial, and he’s a mercurial artist. Salem is a curvy FMC, and I much appreciated an FMC that is not the usual body type.
Enigma had multi-faceted themes of found family, finding confidence in self, and learning to trust that really can speak to readers on a deeper level as well.
RuNyx never disappoints. Her books, to me, are great palate cleansers. You can pick them up knowing you’re going to have a hard time putting them down. They move quickly, and you can transport into her Gothic-themed worlds entirely. Perfect for a train ride books. Perfect for a rainy day in bed books. Enigma is a perfect entry level to dark romance books!!
If you loved Gothikana, you will love Enigma. However, if her Dark Verse series is more your cup of tea this might not be dark enough for you. Give it a try though!
Enigma was a joy to read. I was waiting for this after I saw it pop up as to be published and I was not disappointed. 12/10 recommend.
Thank you to RuNyx and Tor Publishing for giving me an ARC of Enigma to read and review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Classism