A review by kaceereads
The Annihilator by RuNyx

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

since i’m still new to the dark romance genre, this was definitely a book that made me think because it explored darker elements that weren’t really included in the previous books. i enjoyed the book so i’m not complaining, but i definitely experienced a couple of moral dilemmas while reading this lol. 

okay, of course i don’t agree with all of the shadow man’s methods, but i cannot deny that i really do think that he cares for lyla. he ultimately granted her her freedom and helped her to replace negative, traumatic memories with positive experiences. he is not someone who can verbalize his emotions or even show them through actions very well, but, to me, i think you can see that feelings shift from just an obsession to more throughout the book.


lyla and the shadow man had so much chemistry it was evident from the beginning of the book. and to watch their relationship evolve and become somewhat domestic was so cute, like, when toward the end when they were walking down the street holding hands. i was <3


i understand why we didn’t but i wish we could have gotten to know the shadow man a bit more because i am so intrigued by him. we finally got to see glimpses into his past and it left me wanting more. like, i need to know everything. an entire biography. i’m really excited for the next book because we will get to see all the couples, but i hope we do get to see more of the shadow man’s point of view and find out what goes on inside his head. 

i think lyla is one of my favorite characters. it was heartbreaking to read about her life growing up and everything she had to go through. i like the inclusion of lyla’s mental health journey. we got to see her evolve with help from dr. manson but still start to relapse after receiving news at the end of the book. this made the experience feel more human. even though lyla may feel weak at times, she is undeniably strong.
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