Arkana

The Verenmore Volumes #2

by RuNyx

A rumored sorceress. A villainous scoundrel. An ancient castle. What could go wrong?

A woman in hiding, Lenore Emmeranne finds herself at Verenmore after a series of unfortunate events, hoping it would be a clean slate for her. Keeping her head down and blending into the shadows, she simply wants to rest her feet before taking off again.

A man in power, Draven Constantine knows every crack and crevice of the castle. So when he finds her, it breaks his ennui and piques his interest, and their descent into doom begins.

Set in 1872 at the University of Verenmore, death, deceit, and darkness invade the mountain. Something beyond the understanding is at play, slithering down the spine as Lenore and Draven weave through lies, sink into lust and hold onto life.

From the bestselling author of Gothikana, comes a gripping tale of the gloomy, the grotesque, the gothic, and the gravest flavor of love in the unlikeliest of places.

Genres: Dark Romance, Gothic, Fantasy, Romance, Dark Academia, Dark, Romantasy

Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 5, 2027

About the author

RuNyx is a New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author of romance. Her stories range across subgenres from dark contemporary to gothic to historical to fantasy and more, and are currently being translated into over 10 languages.

Her pen name has a very special meaning to her. When she's not writing, she's reading, traveling, meditating, daydreaming, and most of all, procrastinating.

Join her newsletter tribe for all updates and stalk her on her social media.

Website ➡️ https://runyxwrites.com
Newsletter ➡️ https://runyx.myflodesk.com/newsletter
Instagram ➡️ instagram.com/authorrunyx
Reader Group ➡️ facebook.com/groups/runyx

Reviews

[Grace Btrs · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌙 A masterpiece. 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️6-stars
RuNyx's best work to date, in my opinion.
It felt like coming home in the best possible way. Except instead of simply welcoming me with open arms, it whispered, Oh, I know your brain. Here's everything that will speak to it... and call forth your heart.
Poetic.
Lyrical.
Gothic.
Eerie.
Psychological.
I need every edition of this book!
While The Predator and The Reaper (reviews linked) will probably always hold the sentimental value and remain my #1 RuNyx books, Arkana simply walked in and said,
🌕"Move aside. I'm bringing a moon-spun throne of my own."🌑


🖋️ The Devices That Make RuNyx's Writing My Vice
There are a few things no one writes quite like RuNyx: Love confessions, Voices, The language of love itself.
Arkana takes all of that and adds an atmosphere so alive it becomes tangible.
Ru once mentioned she never intentionally wrote Verenmore as a character in Gothikana.
Well...
Verenmore and its mountain clearly disagreed.
They command attention.
They impose their macabre grandeur.
They beckon you forward, calling from the shadows through the enchantment of RuNyx's words.
Every literary device is placed with astonishing precision.
I have 750 highlights.
Sometimes a single highlight spans an ENTIRE paragraph or even a FULL page.
The book is 448 pages.
I have at least 10 highlights and notes in EVERY SINGLE chapter.
I'll let that speak for itself. I will give you a moment to absorb what I’m saying.

Okay, welcome back, let’s continue.👻
I've always loved Ru's writing, but rereading Gothikana alongside Arkana made one thing abundantly clear:
Ru’s writing has matured exponentially. It has become more confident, and she takes bigger risks.
From the musicality...
to the lyricism...
to the rhythm...
to the breathtaking, vivid, and living imagery and analogies...
Every sentence feels like Gaudí architecting the Sagrada Familia, and then Michelangelo giving his eyes, with no regrets, to bring it all to life in paint and stone.

That confidence and maturity in writing also extend to her narrative structure.
The parallels with Gothikana are nothing short of extraordinary and tugged relentlessly at my heart.

🌹Where the flowers of my heart first rooted themselves so deeply in the soil of Verenmore in Gothikana, those same flowers bled into the soil for Verenmore to live in Arkana.🌹

I wanted nothing in return but to exist with the mountain and the moon.
(Yes. This is me begging you to read this book.)
Everything, from the pacing to the pauses to the jumps to the foreshadowing tucked into forgotten alcoves to the twists that reveal yet another hidden tunnel, builds the experience we have come to expect from RuNyx.

We don't come to Verenmore for answers, so don't expect to receive all of them. (even if we receive a few more than Gothikana and get more lore)
We come to Verenmore to ask questions beyond what the eye can see and hope the mountain will answer.
And if it doesn’t?
Then at least it allowed us to enjoy the stay and leave with a heart a bit fuller and mind a bit more tickled.


🧵 The Red Thread Connecting RuNyx's Characters 🪢
Which brings me to the characters.
As always with RuNyx, you have to meet them yourself before you can begin to understand their complexity.
My words simply aren't enough!!
I think there is a red thread weaving through every one of Ru's protagonists, connecting them all together to make a complex and astonishing fabric.
Her FMCs all share echoes of similar emotions and personality traits, yet every single one manifests them differently through their beliefs, experiences, aesthetics, personalities, strengths, and choices.
Likewise, every MMC is enigmatic, purpose-driven, and secretive. They guard their truths fiercely, revealing them only to the FMC and, by extension, to us blessed readers.
They are protective, devoted, and focused, yet each expresses those qualities in entirely unique ways.

🖤 The Beauty, the Beast, and the Badass
Most importantly… every RuNyx protagonist is a mix of
• beauty beyond compare that makes you cherish them
• a beast forged through darkness and resilience
• and a king or queen unafraid to own their story, their voice, braving the dark and acting as the complete badasses they are.
Lenore and Draven are no exception to what we crave from Ru.
They reached out from the pages, took hold of my heart, gently held my face, and asked only one thing: "See me."
See them, I did.
Hear them, I did.
Understand them? Oof... I did.
They command your attention without asking for it.
They exhibit incredible strength in a world that demands perfection and flawlessness.
They show us exactly what being human looks like and what having layers and being complex feels like.
I won't tell you anything more, because I genuinely believe you need to meet them yourself, sit with them, listen to them.
Let THEM tell you their own story.

I know this has gotten long, but I have mulled over this for 2 days and I have so much to speak about. This is me constraining myself.

🌑 The Tunnels of Verenmore
🕯️What is love if not...
Being seen?
Being heard?
Being understood?
Being accepted… unconditionally.
🕯️What is love if not showing someone the hidden tunnels of your heart and mind and asking,
"Would you venture them with me…"
through the light, the darkness, the surprises, the unpredictable, and the unknown?
🕯️What is love if not two forces coming together and colliding in an explosion that shakes the very foundations of their world, only to showcase the intricately crafted and magnetically alluring fireworks beautiful enough to light up that world?
(And perhaps burn down a few necessary evils along the way.)
🕯️Lenore and our D-man come together in:
• love and lust,
• loss and finding,
• darkness and light,
• death and life,
• despair and hope,
• propriety and rawness,
• vulnerability and resilience,
• madness and sanity.
Their love story changes generations…..

🌒 Omens, Curses, and Blessings
If you've read a RuNyx book before, you know to hunt for the Easter eggs.
And good mother, does this one deliver and blow your mind!!!
The lore of Verenmore in itself could sustain our hunger.
The parallels to Gothikana satiate your thirst.
And the tunnels, they lead to places that could walk you right to the Dark Verse and Enigma.
I'm saying absolutely nothing (because we don’t do spoilers) but KNOW that I'm still spiralling over the possibilities.

Fun fact: Hera and I decided not to share theories about Ru-verse until we finish, so we don’t influence each other.
We came up with several SIMILAR or SAME theories connecting the universe, so you KNOW we are right!!

If you're already invested in the Ru-Verse, Arkana doesn't only feed you; It serves you a 27-course banquet. (I didn't actually count... but you know it's that many.)


🌑 The Mountain Calls
I'm incredibly grateful to NetGalley, Tor, and Bramble for the eARC.
Not simply because I got to read this six months earlier than release!!!!
But because Arkana has effortlessly become my newest Roman Empire.
It’s a story that enchants you, haunts you, and still makes you feel the safest and at home.
See you back at Verenmore. 🌙🖤


--
This is my new Roman Empire.
A dissertation - cz a review is too little- will come to you tmrw.

--
Pre-read:
SCREAMING SQUEALING SCREECHING
eARC is in my inbox!!!!!!
will be BRing, ranting, and yapping with bestie Hera

--
ANNOUNCEMENT
How much do we bet this is Ru's announcement tomorrow?

Ummmm THIS IS HAPPENING!!!!!
Bramble???? 12 Jan 2027????
Why is Ru in her cave now???? We need details!!! I thought this was going to be indie published in 2026!! Um please!!!!
Hera had to snoop around for us to know this happening???

[bookwormriss]

If this gets pushed back one more time… 🤬

[Lucia]

I cannot tell you how I started shaking upon discovering this. foaming at the mouth.

[Wobilba]

Someday this book will finally be released and all will be right with the world 🙏🏾

[manas]

WE GOT A COVER AND DATE

[Clace]

I'm confused with this one..should I read it before or after gothikana??

[‌]

see y’all in 2030

[becca ୨୧]

i need this rn, i can't wait

[Bookishness]

I cant wait for this one~~ Queen RuNyx..

[autumn ✶]

edit: we’re actually getting this aaaaah


prettiest cover i've ever seen omfg

[Hera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had this book come out in 2022 like it was initially supposed to, my flabbers would have been gasted. Due to unfortunate circumstances, this book did not come out in 2022. It came out in 2027, and since I am reading it in 2026 my flabbers are gasted.

So buckle up, grab your snacks, because this dissertation is my love letter to Arkana, and you are in for a completely spoiler-free ride.
First and foremost, thank you to Tor and NetGalley for trusting me with the eARC of one of the most anticipated books of my life.

I have been waiting for Arkana for three years, and I don’t say that lightly. In fact, I still remember the day I accidentally stumbled upon Arkana’s placeholder long before the book was ever officially announced. I was on a call with my friends when I saw it sitting there with a January 12 publication date. I quite literally yelled. I screamed. I announced to everyone on that call that Arkana was coming. Naturally, they believed me because we had the evidence right in front of us. Looking back now, it feels surreal that the traditional release page for one of my most anticipated books somehow found me before the official announcement ever did (and if that is not the most Arkana thing ever, I don’t know what is). It almost feels like fate quietly nudged me toward a story that I was destined to fall hopelessly in love with.
Ever since that day, I have carried this book with me.
Every teaser, every tiny update, every crumb of information only made the anticipation grow. My expectations climbed higher with every passing month until they reached heights that no book should reasonably be expected to meet. I had built Arkana into something almost mythical in my head, and a part of me wondered if any story could ever live up to the version I had imagined.
And then RuNyx did exactly that.
She met every expectation.
She exceeded every expectation.
She shattered every expectation.
Now let’s talk about why.

Beneath the Cathedral Bells

There are books you read.
There are books you enjoy.
And then there are books that completely consume you.
Arkana belongs to that last category.

This book is Gothic in every sense of the word. Rustic. Haunting. Eerie. Ancient. It feels as though every tunnel is carrying centuries of whispered secrets, every shadow has a story to tell, and every gust of wind is warning you that something watches from just beyond your line of sight.
It is unsettling in the most beautiful way possible.
The horror elements never exist simply to frighten you. They become part of the atmosphere. They settle beneath your skin until you no longer know whether the chill running down your spine belongs to the story or to yourself.
That is the magic of RuNyx’s writing.
She doesn’t ask you to imagine her world.
She places you inside it.
Every time there was an eerie silence, I felt it.
Every time the air turned cold, I felt it.
Every moment of anticipation tightened in my chest.
Every ounce of joy softened my heart.
And every heartbreak…
God, every heartbreak felt like someone reached into my chest and squeezed.
I felt this book in my bones.
In my heart.
In the deepest corners of my soul.
That is something so few authors manage to achieve. Stories are meant to make us feel, but RuNyx has this extraordinary ability to make emotions tangible. You don’t simply witness them. You experience them alongside her characters.
I have always known she is an incredibly intelligent writer, but Arkana reaffirmed that belief in every possible way. The layers within this story, the atmosphere, the symbolism, the emotional complexity, and the sheer confidence with which everything is woven together left me speechless.
Without hesitation, this is one of the best books I have ever read.
And in my opinion, this is one of RuNyx’s finest works to date.

The Maiden Who Refused to Break

If you know me, you know that Salem from Enigma owns a piece of my heart. I have always said I see parts of myself in her. So it might sound hypocritical when I tell you that I saw myself in Lenore too.
But that is the beauty of RuNyx’s FMCs.
They are relatable in entirely different ways.
Lenore captured my heart almost immediately.
She is resilient without becoming hardened.
Kind without becoming naive.
Compassionate without losing herself.
She always wants to believe in the goodness of people, even when every instinct tells her otherwise. She is an empath through and through, and somehow, despite everything she endures, she never allows the darkness around her to define the light within her.
What impressed me most was her certainty.
So often, we see female protagonists make bold decisions only to spend chapters questioning themselves. Lenore doesn’t.
When she decides something, she stands by it.
She trusts herself.
She owns her choices.
And that unwavering conviction made me admire her more than I can put into words.
She is soft. She is strong. She is brave. She is gentle. She is everything I aspire to be as a woman.
I cried with her.
I laughed with her.
I rooted for her through every page.
Not once did I find myself frustrated with her decisions. Not once did I want to shake sense into her. Instead, I simply wanted the world to be kinder to her.
Because she deserved every good thing it had to offer.
One of my favourite aspects of her journey was the way she understood Draven long before most people would have bothered trying. She recognized his complexity without allowing it to frighten her away.
She met it with empathy.
With patience.
With understanding.
I have never read a FMC quite like Lenore.
And I have no doubt that everyone who picks up Arkana will carry a piece of her with them long after they finish the final page.

The Man Made of Chaos and Control

Now… What do I even say about this man?
Draven came dangerously close to dethroning Tristan as my favourite book boyfriend.
Dangerously close.
That never actually happened, but there were several moments where I genuinely thought, “Oh… this might be it.”
That alone should tell you everything.
Draven is, without question, one of the most unique male characters I have ever read. His story is not something I can adequately explain without venturing into spoiler territory, so I won’t even try.
Instead, I’ll simply say this.
RuNyx once mentioned that Draven is one of the most complex characters she has ever written. She wasn’t exaggerating. Not even a little.
His battles.
His silence.
His need for control.
His relationship with chaos.
His constant search for balance.
Everything about him felt unlike anything I have encountered before. There were countless moments where I wished for more of his point of view because I wanted to crawl inside his mind and understand every thought.
But by the end, I realized why RuNyx held parts of him back.
Mystery is part of who Draven is. Explaining him too much would have taken something away from him. So every glimpse into his mind became something I treasured. Something I devoured.
I could not stop thinking about him.
When I wasn’t reading, I was wondering what he was doing.
When I went to sleep, I thought about him.
When I woke up, I thought about him.
Every time I had to put my iPad down, I wanted to pick it right back up because I simply needed to know what happened next.
It is rare for me to feel this much empathy for a male main character.
They are often written as stoic, emotionally impenetrable men who always appear to have everything under control.
Draven appears that way too. Until he doesn’t. And when the layers begin to unfold…
I cried.
Real tears.
His story broke my heart.
Then it carefully stitched it back together.
Then it broke it again.
Then it healed it once more.
It became a relentless cycle of heartbreak and healing, and I willingly surrendered to every second of it. Once you truly understand Draven, every piece falls into place. And it is nothing short of breathtaking.

Of Highlighted Pages and Forgotten Margins

Before I talk about the side characters, I need everyone to appreciate the absolute tragedy that occurred while I was reading this book.
Since I only had the eARC, I decided to make full use of it. I highlighted everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything. If you looked at my copy, you would think a child had just discovered highlighters the night before an exam. By the halfway point, I had over 850 highlights. Every quote, every theory, every tiny detail that made my brain light up was there.
And then…
A glitch happened.
Every single highlight disappeared.
Every note.
Every theory.
Every reaction.
Gone.
I genuinely mourned those annotations because they were part of my reading experience. But if there is one thing this book proved to me, it is that I loved it enough to do it all over again. By the time I finished Part Three, I had accumulated another 850 highlights. Considering I wasn’t highlighting nearly as much during the last few chapters because I was on a call with a friend, I can confidently say that, had nothing been erased, this book would have easily had somewhere around 1,700 to 1,800 highlights.
In a 400-page book.
I finished Arkana barely half an hour ago, and my first thought was not to pick up another book. It was to go back to page one and annotate everything again. That should tell you everything you need to know.

The Bitches and the Witches of Verenmore

I trusted you with everything that I had in myself for you to do this to me
That sentence is dedicated to one particular character.
No, I will not be naming names.
No, I will not be explaining why.
Just know that I trusted someone with my whole heart, and they repaid that trust in the most spectacular way possible. Looking back, the clues were always there. RuNyx simply hid them in plain sight.
That is what I admire so much about her writing. She never tricks the reader unfairly. She simply lets you believe exactly what you want to believe until the truth finally stares you in the face.
The betrayal hurt.
My faith was shaken.
My heart genuinely ached.
So yes…
The bitches and the witches of Verenmore have my heart.
The bitches have the hate corner of my heart.
The witches have the loving corner.
I won’t elaborate because this review is spoiler-free, but every single one of them left an impression on me.
And then there is Verenmore itself. I genuinely believe Verenmore is not simply a setting. It is a character. It breathes. It watches. It remembers.
Having read Gothikana, returning to Verenmore through Arkana felt like coming home, except this time I understood it so much better. The history runs deeper, the atmosphere feels heavier, and every stone seems to carry a memory.
RuNyx didn’t just create a location.
She created a place that feels alive.

The Red Thread Between Worlds

My beautiful bestie Grace once said that there is a red thread connecting all of RuNyx’s FMCs.
I couldn’t agree more.
But I also think there is a red thread connecting every single one of her worlds. That is what makes her stories so special. Yes, they are standalones. Yes, they can all be read independently. But if you’ve read them all, you’ll notice the quiet connections that tie everything together.
The parallels between Arkana and Gothikana absolutely blew my mind. The connections with Enigma warmed my heart. Even the little nods to The Dark Verse made me smile because they reminded me that RuNyx has built something far greater than individual romances.
She has built a universe.
And every new story makes that universe feel even richer.

When the Last Candle Burned Low

At 37%, I texted my group chat and declared this a six-star read.
At 51%, I knew this book was going to ruin me.
By the final page, I knew it had imprinted itself onto my heart.
This is, without question, one of the best books I have read this year.
One thing I will forever admire about RuNyx’s writing is that the intimacy never feels like filler. Every kiss, every touch, every moment of longing is earned. I didn’t just feel the chemistry between Lenore and Draven. I felt the yearning. The restraint. The admiration. The love.
That is another thing RuNyx does unlike anyone else.
Her characters admire each other.
They don’t just fall in love.
They see each other.
And then there are her love confessions.
Nobody writes them the way she does.
Her characters never need to say, “I love you,” for you to know exactly how deeply they love one another. Their words are so uniquely theirs that a simple “I love you” almost feels too small. I like to think those three little words are their own private vow, something they whisper only to each other. We don’t need to hear them. We already know.
And while we’re here, can we appreciate RuNyx’s obsession with describing voices?
Whiskey and Sin.
Sea and Smoke.
And now the new voices!
I will not be telling you who those voices belong to or what they are.
That is for me to know and you to find out.

To the Woman Who Dreamed Verenmore Into Existence

I know RuNyx doesn’t usually read Goodreads reviews, but if this ever somehow finds you…
Thank you.
I don’t think I will ever have enough words to explain what your stories make me feel.
What I admire most is your mind. The way it can be so beautifully twisted while remaining unbelievably intelligent. The way you weave together stories that are haunting, emotional, immersive, and somehow still feel like coming home.
My admiration for your work isn’t based on blind love.
Your stories speak for themselves.
Arkana is, in my opinion, one of your finest works, and I feel incredibly lucky to have experienced Lenore and Draven’s story before the world gets to.
Thank you for writing characters that feel real enough to grieve, celebrate, and carry with us long after we close the book.
Thank you for creating worlds that somehow feel like the safest place to get lost.
Thank you for reminding me why I fell in love with reading in the first place.
I hope my voice is always loud enough when I’m cheering for you.
I hope more readers continue to discover your work because everyone deserves to experience stories that make them feel the way yours have made me feel.
The Predator and The Reaper will always hold a special place in my heart because of Tristan.
But Arkana…
Arkana has carved out a place of its own.
This story will stay with me for a very, very long time.
So all that’s left for me to say is… Thank you.

Preread
If Ru writes it, its 5 stars baby

[Toriఌ]

Coming out January 12 2027

IT IS REAL!!
— —
Please tell me the date is real!!
— —
I heard it’s a live release as well. I listened to the playlist and looked on Pinterest for the aesthetic and IT’S SOO GOOD. Such a gothic vibe!!
— —
No idea when this gets published but we hope for the best

[Inés Molina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't need to read the book to rate it, it's runyx !!! No one makes a dark romance like her. Gothikana left me wanting more, i am excited for the release of Arkana.

[Alya ( 20 comments restriction )]

RUNYX writes 🤝🏻 I read😍

Can't wait for this to drop!

My Bookstagram

[taylor ୨୧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

RuNyx is a god tier author of mine so to have the opportunity to read this as an ARC is something i don’t take lightly. i really enjoyed this. RuNyx manages to build the perfect gothic universes. the plot of the MMC was INCREDIBLE and unlike anything i’ve ever read.

i did find myself lacking a connection to the characters and their love. i was having a great time with the plot itself, but i wish there had been more yearning between the FMC and MMC. their relationship felt a little rushed to me so i felt disconnected.

[daisy]

this hasn’t been released yet but it’s already my favourite, i’m so serious

[Zana]

Why does every RuNyx book sound the EXACT same lmao

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I NEED IT I NEED IT I NEED IT

[Persephone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for this ARC

This book gave me a lot of feelings. For starters I have been in the biggest book slump and this book was a thickie. I was enjoying it all, loved being back in Verenmore, I started reading and said “ahhh.. being home feels good” 🥹 now idk if it was because of my book slump or what but I felt something was missing from my experience while reading. I can’t really pin point, I was praying for another 5⭐️ read and was at a 4-4.5⭐️ BUT the last part of the book turned everything around for me and made me eat my words, because just like true Ru fashion, it was phenomenal! And is 1000% a 5⭐️ even a 6⭐️ if you will 😌 every word written is beautiful, every secret makes you want to dig deeper and yet every time you have a revelation you’re wondering, wtf?!!! 😂

The world building, the character growth, everything came together perfectlyyyy! I loved both the MMC and FMC, at first I don’t know what I really thought of Lenore, but ended up loving her and her growth and being a strong FMC. Draven… I see you baby 👀 and that ENDING had me like 😯

once again, incredible writing and everything she writes is just SO poetic. Her stories fill me with such happiness and makes me feel things that I didn’t know I could feel while reading. This book was obsession, darkness, mystery and a romance that will live till the end of time. She is my comfort. ❤️❤️❤️

**”If you are a storm in a cage, I will be the iron that contains it. If you are smoke, I will be the wind that holds it. If you are a haunting, then I will be the ground that gives you rest.”**

RuNyx writes the BEST love confessions of all time. I will FOREVER stand on THAT HILL!

[iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In Arkana, we return to the beloved and bewitching world of Verenmore, where there are endless hauntings of ghosts that succumbed to its dark, macabre lure over the centuries. Shadowed corners whisper sinister stories and melancholic melodies, but in this tenebrous tale, Lenore and Dravin are the ones on whom moonlight glimmers.

Lenore and Draven are unique parallels of each other, making their connection instant and multifaceted. They both grew up without someone to protect them, lonely and afraid, but endured in similar fashions. It’s hard to describe without spoiling a large part of the plot. I will say, however, that Lenore acknowledges the darkest parts of Draven, all of his twisted truths and shameful secrets, but still beholds him as the stars. What they share sparks hope to those who are scared of letting someone see the darkness in them.

The plot was interesting, with ancestral curses and a covenant, but I wish there was more of it. The story was a bit too romance-heavy for me, which I would’ve been okay with except for a few of their scenes felt too lusty for me. This aspect coincides with the plot, so I can’t say too much without spoiling anything. It’s very tricky to make it work given Draven’s complex character. I really liked the twists at the end, though.

Thank you to Tor and Bramble for an e-ARC of this book. My second stay at Verenmore was delightfully gothic, and I would love to return a third time.

[Payal]

so, miss runyx is finally releasing this book??? and it better be pre-syndicator era cuz I cannot handle one more disappointing read by her🙏🙏

[nika]

runyx writing a dark historical gothic romance??? yeah i can’t wait for dravenlenore

[Annabelle Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

When is this being released originally it was in September, then October and now we have no date at all? Can’t wait to read it though!

[tiana ♡]

pre-read notes:

I just finished Gothikana and you’re telling me there’s more and we’re going back to Verenmore?? I 100% need this 😭

[SheReads]

On my knees for this to be released already 😭

[Stella Carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite book by RuNyx so far. Arkana was a perfect amalgamation of things that I love in books, dark, gothic, academia, with a love story that was nothing short of swoon worthy. “Arkana” follows Lenore, who is on the run from her past when she finds herself at the University of Verenmore, where she is tasked with the job of “assistant” to Draven Constantine, the dean of the school. Lenore was actually hired to keep a close eye on Draven to make sure he is kept “in check” as per his Aunts request. His unsavory aunt just wants to ensure that Draven is deemed fit to be the Dean of the school and come into his large inheritance once he is approved by the board. She believes him to have “anger issues” but it goes much deeper than that, even deeper than Draven himself is aware of. Lenore is determined to help Draven however she can as well as uncover all of the mysteries that Verenmore holds. Like I said in the beginning, this was my favorite book that I have read from RuNyx. To be quite frank, I liked everything about this book. Starting with our main characters, Lenore was so lovely to get to know. She was so strong in her own way. All she wanted was what was best for Draven and she never let him hide from her. Draven treated Lenore with such care and gentleness that I almost forgot I was reading a dark romance. These two accepted one another for who they are, despite their pasts and inner demons. Another thing that I loved was how the romantic plot line coincided with the main plot line. Sometimes I feel like the romance and the actual plot of the book are so separate from each other that it disrupts the flow of the story. That was not the case here, the romance and the story were interwoven so seamlessly. Draven and Lenore’s love story was like a breath of fresh air. Despite the doom and gloom around them they persevered like none other. “You undo me Lenore, you undo me and put me back together in the same breath.” If you read this book you will discover how true that quote really is. RuNyx you have outdone yourself and now Arkana will be my new dark romance recommendation to people. Thank you to Netgally and Bramble for allowing me to read this early and give an honest review!

[Katie (spellboundbooks_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

🦇 Arkana - ARC REVIEW 🦇

✨ Tropes

🔥 forbidden (professor x assistant)
🏛 historical fiction
🥀 gothic
💋 dark academia
💕 he falls first

📖 Quick Summary

A rumored sorceress. A villainous scoundrel. An ancient castle. What could go wrong?

⭐ My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶🌶🌶🌶

💭 My Thoughts

I absolutely adored this book and getting to see back into the past after reading Gothikana. Lenore was such a fun character and I loved how she put Draven in his place when he wasn't used to that.

The forbidden aspect and the dark gothic vibes were just perfect. I loved being back in the castle and seeing pretty much where it all began. It was in both senses so eerie and sensual at the same time. The way Draven protected her when she needed it without a care in the world about her history was perfect as well as how she loved even the darker sides of him.

The writing was so poetic and lyrical that it had me absolutely flying though the pages without even realizing how long I had been reading. It was addicting!

🖤 Would I Recommend It?

YES!

🖤 Big thanks to Tor Publishing, RuNyx, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

[Knjigomoljka | Ana Maria Žura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait for this one 😍😍😍😍

[julie ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Runyx can never disappoint!! This was such a good atmospheric read. Even though it was a bit less creepy than Gothikana, this was still an amazing gothic dark romance. I loved the subject explored in this book, it's so rare to see in books. The romance was filled with so much tension it was delectable and the plot was really thrilling. Definitely recommend to read this if you're craving a gothic read!