The Annihilator

Dark Verse #5

by RuNyx

The highly anticipated fifth book in the bestselling Dark Verse series.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗯𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝘅𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?

She lives in the shadows. He rules them.

She's the moon, and he the dark night encompassing her.

She's surrounded by demons, and he's the biggest devil of them all.

And she's his.

Passion, obsession, possesion. Theirs is a tale of danger, deviance, dread, desires, and the darkest flavors of love.

𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻.

Disclaimer: This is not a standalone. The series must be read in order. Please read the author's note.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Dark, Mafia Romance, Contemporary, Mystery, Crime

257 pages, ebook

First published July 1, 2022

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

[Ayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

the amount of pure dopamine that hit my brain while reading this book should be illegal. i told myself i needed to slow down and not read this in 3 hours, and did i listen? absolutely tf not. because apparently this author puts straight up crack cocaine in her books. and i inhaled that shit like a true addict😤

This follows the shadow man and lyla and i’m gonna be very vague with descriptions because literally knowing almost anytime about this book before reading the other books in the series is kinda a spoiler. but this is a 5 ⭐️ fucking review for a reason.

Shadow Man is obsessed to not just a questionable level when lyla but a “bitch you’re fucking crazy and need medical help immediately” type of level. and there’s something really poetic about that 🫣💞

Lyla comes from a trauma filled background and ooooh it’s the way that this man will raise hell for her, to get the help, and safety that she needs. i melt for his toxic ass 🫠🫠🫠but the real toxic one is me because if i had someone as obsessed with me as he is with lyla? i would’ve folded like an origami…

AND LET ME FUCKING TELL YOU!! the plot THICKENS in this one. so many of the dots get connected but not all because there’s still one more book in this series. but damn…my jaw was on the floor with that one. i just wished this book was longer but i’m excited for the final installment coming out later this year 🤩🤩🤩

[Clace · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!

“I am darkness.” He kissed her softly. “I live it, I breathe it, I am it. There is no redemption, no emotion, nothing for me. Nothing but you. You’re the moon to my dark night, flamma. You’re the only thing in this black sky that can thrive when I swallow everything else whole. The stars don’t exist in this space. Just you and I. You need me to glow and I need you to exist. It’s simple as that.”

the writing style never fails to amaze me. This was such a fast paced book because i remember reading this in a single day the first time and like in two days this time and i fell in love with the writing so easily. The Annihilator is easily the darkest of them all and the themes were handled so well, i usually find problems with how trauma is dealt with but i liked how RuNyx tackled it. Another thing that i really liked was how well built the plot was and how it helped with the worldbuilding and also how the romance didn't overshadow the whole plot. I also love how each of her books feel like they can stand on they're own they dont feel similar to others while being in the same series and I like that since they follow different characters!

“There is no reality where you and I exist that we don’t end up exactly where we are now. None.”

The Shadowman. He's not even morally grey that guy is morally black. I really liked him even found myself rooting for him but i just wish the things that he did were dealt with in a more smooth way. I know if he saved her it could have ruined his whole mission that he had planned for such a long time and if that failed, more women would face what Luna faced but it still felt weird because he just saw but I mean he did kill them it was only once where he wasn't there. I liked that he helped her and how he helped her cope. I also loved how he killed every single one of her abusers but I didnt like him keeping things from her but tbh he is a psycho s...,and also i did not like him not telling her about tristan before or maybe that just because im head over heels in love with Mr. Caine so yeah dot expect me be in love with you if you speak about tristan like that. One thing that I heard a lot was Zade meadows at least did something to save his girl. BAHHAHA lets just ignore the shame, guilt and disgust she felt after zade had sex with her. Dont disrespect The shadowman by comparing him to Zade.

You have many wishes left in you, flamma, and I will lay every single one of them at your feet. Just keep fucking breathing, got that?”

Lyla/Luna i just want to give her a big ass hug. She went through so much. SO MUCH. I loved how RuNyx wrote Lunas character. i want the best for her and literally some peace for her. I want her to meet her brother. I want her to meet Xander and most of all i want her to be at peace. i cried with her and felt what she felt. I honestly need her to be in peace, to get all the closure, to get the best life, to live in peace, happy with Xander BECAUSE she has suffered enough!! I dont want for her to suffer anymore PLEASE!

“I'll always come for you.”

The romance. It was definitely one of RuNyxs best. i loved how the shadowman handled it with Luna and how caring he was of that face and i also liked how the romance was a part of Lunas healing journey. I loved it. it was also her hottest book yet, the quotes that mr shadow was dropping had me using a hand fan.
The Plot, I'm glad it progressed as well and the way it set up book 6 YEAH I CANT WAIT!!
___
The darkest and the most conflicting book 🤭

Reread#3 and I've been delaying this so much because I know I'll want to reread immediately and the syndicater is just around the corner 🙂‍↕️ Shadowman here I come 🫦

[kendyl ʚ♡⃛ɞ (hiatus)]

i just realized i never marked this as finished omg, but review to come for sure!! i’ll be trying to get out of my review slump and catch up. i miss writing reviews😣

[SK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conflicted thoughts about this one. It was better than the last one but at the same time not too great either. Definitely way darker than any other book in the series, so please check trigger warnings before reading. I heard people compare it to Haunting Adeline and maybe it is in some ways, but both are messed up in their own ways. I'll say this tho- Zade Meadows actually stepped up to save his girl and spent all his time in finding her. Dainn had her and let her suffer.

The heartbreaking thing is the fact that these things do happen to people in reality and they rarely get justice. Rarely. It makes me so angry and sad at the same time. Lyla had my whole heart. Her pain, her trauma, her healing is all so real. We talk about Amara being the strongest in the series, but Lyla is not far away from her. Both these women have displayed that they are the fiercest and brave women in the series. I just wanted to give a big hug to Lyla tbh.

Now this is where I struggled- the Shadow Man. I couldn't sympathize with him until the very end when he revealed a bit more about himself. I don't think I'll ever be able to like him. So many of his actions did not make sense to me and were purely motivated by manipulation and obsession. He could have done a whole lot six years ago to help her. Withholding information about her reality and her family was outright manipulation- even when she started her healing process, she deserved to know. He could have been working with Dante and Tristan in a better way, but he chose to play games? He stood there watching her get raped so he could later take revenge?? Wtf. Just save her, help her and take your revenge regardless. Am sorry but the man is gone in his head and is a walking, talking, breathing red flag 🚩🚩🚩 I get that he had struggles with emotions and feelings and what not but it's still no excuse.

Now that my mini rant is over. Another thing I found not working for me was the pacing, unlike the previous four books, this one was slow. The ending was kind of underwhelming but am looking forward to the last book. I can't wait to see the Syndicate get burned to the ground.

~•~•~
I hear this one is darker and gives Haunting Adeline vibes? *grabs popcorn*

[bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

y’all gonna have to shake the fabric of the universe to get me off his dick.

[annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Is he like Zade Meadows? No. Do I regret calling him Zade Meadows from Target? Absolutely. I'm laughing rn because I literally changed my friend's perception about Shadow Man even though I didn't even read the book. I EVEN SPREAD A LITTLE HATE 💀😭 Do I care? again, NO.

❝If you ever choose another, make sure you kill me first. Because I will annihilate the fucking world before I let you go.❞

Whenever I think I'd not like a book, I always end up liking it. This book is definitely my favourite after THE REAPER. 🥺 This book is so emotional and heartbreaking. I felt frustrated so many times, but it definitely hooked me that I finished it in one sitting.

❝You have been, you are, and you will always be my only obsession, Luna Caine.❞

• Shadow man has a huge beef with The syndicate and helps Morana and the others time to time by giving them some crumbs about the syndicate and heads up about their assassination attempts. The reason? Lyla. (Tristan's sister from Book 1 who was kidnapped at 3). He's obsessed with her sm that he kills each and every person who bid on her at auctions or buys her. She gets sold, he kills them, she returns to her handler back. This happened for 6 whole years until he finally rescued her.

Lyla/Luna Caine — I knew I'd end up crying for her because she has suffered sm 😢 she's so innocent and nice that reading her past POVs, I'd felt super bad for her. The scene where she saw Tristan and the others in a restaurant and was happy to see a happy family, I LEGIT FELT SO BAD because that was the day she decided to end her life! 💔

➤ Her trauma is portrayed well! Even though there are not descriptive scenes about her locking herself in her room and barely eating and talking, and all of it was TOLD later rather than showed earlier, I appreciate that she received all the medical help she needed rather than just being holed up with Dain.

Dain Blackthorne — lol I called him a bitch after reading the previous book hahahah and even though he was a bitch THERE, I kinda... teenyyy tiny bit like him in this book.

❝A man who cared wouldn’t have left her standing there naked, ready to be bought.❞

➤ I agree with everyone who hates him for waiting 6 YEARS BEFORE RESCUING LYLA BECAUSE HE WAS MORE HELLBENT ON HIS REVENGE RATHER THAN SAVING HER. Pls, if you say that 'he couldn't do that without messing up his whole plan and all', I don't care? HE'S OBSESSED SO HE'S SUPPOSED TO SAVE THE GIRL FIRST. He's selfish. A lot. and also manipulative. Though his manipulations were all for the right reasons, I still hate him for not saving her earlier. Even Lyla knew about this and it felt so cruel that she kept on getting hopes again and again only for him to crush them.

➤ His reason to withhold the information from Lyla about her family? I don't hate him for that even though that was toxic as fuck. He's a psychopath and a selfish person, and even I know that if Lyla had gotten her family back and all the love she deserved, she would've never given him a chance. She already started hating him and she might've left him after meeting her family. She was at her most vulnerable moments when she met Dain, so her brain definitely created some alternative realities because she got the sense of safety from him that she never got before and it was highly possible that she might've left him. He's selfish but he succeeded 🤧

His backstory included a girl named 5057 who killed herself because she was used by the syndicate to blackmail Dain BUT, In The Finisher, Dante said something about number 5057 that's supposed to be be transfered/sold from Los Fortis.

❝The world isn’t ready to see who I would become if this — his thumb pressed on her pounding pulse — ever stops.❞

➤ Aside from his selfishness, he was really nice? I'm so happy he gave her space, letting her explore new things, made her feel secure and killed her rapists. and thank God he's finally gonna let her meet with her family. I started liking him and no doubt the smut in this book was hot. LIKE THE HOTTEST AFTER TRISTANMORANA's. 😌

❝Has he told you about your brother? The man who's been looking for you for almost twenty years?❞

➤ I'm dying for Tristan Luna's reunion! this scene where she got to know that she has a brother who's been searching for her for 20 YEARS. 💔🥺 god I'm sobbing. I want them to be happy because they both have suffered so much in their lives and they finally deserve to meet each other. also, they both share a passion for cooking because it's soothing.... 😭 and the part about Xander!!!!!!

❝Knowing she was waiting made him a little more careful with his life, because if something happened to him, she would be lost.❞

This quote is so cute??? I love this Bonus scene and If you wanna know what happened between that cheap Nikki and Dain at the greenhouse, read the bonus chap.

"Nikki is gone. I didn't like how she made you feel. I'm a married man who is loyal to his wife, and she came onto me despite knowing that. While I don't understand morals and I admit I enjoy your occasional jealousy, nothing is worth putting your mental peace at risk. So, you won't have to see her again.”

this is so freaking thoughtful and considerate 🥺 i don't understand, why these ADORABLE scenes are not included in the book. i would've loved to read it. [this quote is from the private bonus scene]


ratings:

• The Predator – 5 stars
• The Reaper – 5 stars
• The Emperor – 3.75 stars
• The Finisher – 3.5 stars
• The Annihilator – 3.75 stars
• The Syndicater – tbr

[Lilyya ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOW WE GOT PROBLEMS!!! where is 'the syndicator' ???????
—-
*breathe in breathe out* here we go..

[Maditales · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have mixed opinions about this book. I don’t really like the love interest because of a few things he said and did. They made me feel a bit weird so I was not really rooting for him in the end.

[julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm extremely sad and frustrated that I have to come here to write a review about how much I didn't like this book, after waiting two years for its release.

I've been following the Dark Verse since the beginning, I waited for the release of each book, and this one was without a doubt what I was most looking forward to, and after so long it's devastating that I didn't like it at all.

I'm going to talk about Luna, which honestly is the only positive point of this book. I loved her from the start, she wasn't what I was expecting and for that at least I'm grateful. She is such a strong person, and at the same time so kind despite everything she's been through. I enjoyed reading about her recognizing herself and discovering what she likes and slowly recovering.

"The Shadow Man" I HATE him, in the most literal and deepest sense of the word, I hate him. I hate how he was completely selfish towards Tristan&Luna, and how he deprived her of all information out of pure fear of losing her WTF, he only saw her as possession, as an object he was going to lose. Family and friends was everything what she needed most in her life, and she made that clear SEVERAL times in the book, and even then he came up with the excuse of knowing her better than she did, and knowing what would be best for her, given that all their attitudes they were based on pure selfishness, that's what kept her there, that's what helped to break her, he had all this power to save her and he chose to wait, wait for the moment when she literally barely made it out alive. I despise him, and I can't find any empathy for him in myself.

I couldn't get attached to the couple, it was so obvious to me that Luna was with him because he was the ONLY safe thing she knew, she didn't have contact with anyone else, she never met anyone outside that world, obviously she was going to get attached to the first person who doesn't treat you abusively.

I found it totally irresponsible how her trauma was treated, how she "handled" it, how all the problems involving sex were solved because with HIM it was good. This is not working on a character's trauma, this is irresponsible and dangerous for anyone who has gone through this and will read this book.

The ONE thing I was looking forward to didn't happen, and I still hated the plot she made around the "X". Totally unnecessary.

I don't know what to expect from the next book, as long as I have Tristan and Luna reunion I'll be happy (and Tristanmorana marriage, but I think asking for that after reading this book will be to much, right?)

[Fiza · ia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread #1: 5 ★
The ´ i ´ in my name stands for ´i would let shadowman spit in my mouth´. Thank you!

I'm annihilating my existence with this one 🗣️🙏🏻

Thank God i don't need a driving license to ride his di- in mah dreams ofc. I don't know man i can't control my wh0remones for him. 👽

Real footage of me explaining the reasons why i love Mr. Blackthorn and Shadow Man and Dainn:


LAYLA DESERVES THE WORLD, AND DAINN IS GONNA GIVE HER. *full stop*

To everyone who doesn't like him: (v respectfully ofc teeheee)


The two most popular reasons why people hate this book are as follows:

1. Why six years?? Ans.🫴🏻 cuz otherwise she was gonna end up six feet under.

(not that it didn't make me angry and broke my f*ckin' heart-eu into million gazillion pieces for Lyla)


2. The greenhouse scene?? Ans.🫴🏻 go re-read that scene plus bonus chapters too. Thank you mwah.

( ၴႅၴ “There’s been no one for six years, Lyla.”

Me already swooning just bcz he wears leather gloves. Then he has the audacity to say he has never touched anyone bare-handed except Lyla.
*Writing from my grave*

My gender is the way he calls her flamma:❤‍🔥🔥


Now the spice- don't even get me started on that.
Just one word- hottttttttttttttt

Bonus chapter quote:

( ၴႅၴ "I'd take poison if that's what you made with your affection."

Gonna go wild with quotes for this one:

( ၴႅၴ "Your voice makes my atoms sing."

( ၴႅၴ “The world isn’t ready to see who I would become if this—” his thumb pressed on her pounding pulse “—ever stops.”

( ၴႅၴ “Your trust, flamma, is the most addictive drug.”

( ၴႅၴ “You have been, you are, and you will always be my only obsession, Luna Caine.”

( ၴႅၴ “The deepest desires of your heart, the softest secrets of your soul, the meanest moments in your mind. I know them all, I own them. Every desire, every secret, every thought.”

( ၴႅၴ “Why not live here before?”
He turned his neck to look at her. “You weren’t here.”

( ၴႅၴ “I will set the whole world on fire before I let anything hurt you again.”

( ၴႅၴ “For you, anything.”

( ၴႅၴ “The only one who knows me as the devil I truly am. And seeing you here, willing and trusting, is the only time I come close to feeling something.”

( ၴႅၴ “There is no reality where you and I exist that we don’t end up exactly where we are now. None.”

( ၴႅၴ "The world could tilt on its axis, flamma, and I’d still be the most certain thing in your life.” A soft kiss. “You’re the oxygen that feeds my flames—without you, my existence is questionable.”

( ၴႅၴ “If you ever choose another, make sure you kill me first. Because I—” he bent to whisper against her lips “—will annihilate the fucking world before I let you go.”

( ၴႅၴ “I am darkness.” He kissed her softly. “I live it, I breathe it, I am it. There is no redemption, no emotion, nothing for me. Nothing but you. You’re the moon to my dark night, flamma. You’re the only thing in this black sky that can thrive when I swallow everything else whole. The stars don’t exist in this space. Just you and I. You need me to glow and I need you to exist. It’s simple as that.”

( ၴႅၴ “What does love mean for you?”
"If there was any love in this world of mine, Lyla, it would be you.”

Lastly, You can hate him tho no pressure cuz he's mine, Tristan too, Dante also, plus Alpha and Vin.
I want all their names tattooed on mah a$$.

BYE 🏳
_________

I'm sat on top of him is silent.



PS. Me whenever "The Shadow Man" pops up:
come right on me 🗣️
I mean come ride me 🗣
I mean camaraderie 🫂

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Though she wasn’t a blaze yet, only an ember, she was his. One day, she would be an inferno, and he would be the devil who controlled it."

My head is spinningg with what ifs after how this ended which left me thinking about how crazy and twisted it would be if something were possible

this was such a dark and conflicting ride but i enjoyed it. Somehow I connected to the characters here which was unexpected given their dynamic. And I didn’t find this entirely dark, but it’s definitely the darkest in the series. the fmcs journey here made this feel more character driven with the plot being minimal but pieces of it does set up what the finale will be like

"He had given her a ceiling of beautiful stars and slowly put the pieces back together again. He had touched her soul.”

^ this held such meaning

I can’t say much but learning about lylas story broke my heart. It made me feel sad and angry for her. i hated what she was put through and she was undeniably so strong for having to endure what was her reality for years. it made me happy to see her slowly heal and get to explore parts of herself as many things were new for her in experiencing and feeling. Her mixed feelings for the shadow man were apparent throughout as were mine. But I’d say she was pretty aware in knowing what was right and wrong about it and the effect his presence had on her? it was interesting to say the least lol I see her healing being an ongoing journey and I honestly cannot wait to see what’s gonna happen further ahead for her 🥹

it felt like I was reading about some version of dexter with how beyond complex and intriguing the shadow man is. He’s for sure a character you’ll find yourself conflicted with given the nature of who he is to his core—as I was, but I also was left in awe of him? the man would annihilate anyone who went near lyla as it was his way to selfishly keep her safe and to himself but that could’ve looked differently. I wish he didn’t take long. she also had a right to know something, even if she wasn’t exactly ready for it. His biggest fault was his obsession-driven selfishness. However, I cannot deny the good he did (regardless of the mild Stockholm syndrome) since he gave her the space and choice to learn about herself besides supporting her healing journey. i appreciated how he replaced the bad memories she’s had with better ones.

“They were perfect, she and him—her soul full of emotion and light and his of void and dark. And somehow, even with his void and his dark, she didn’t lose her innate ability to emote, to shine, to warm.”

He cared for her in his own twisted way despite emotions being foreign to him—and yet—during those moments he unknowingly possessed them. he doesn't pride himself on being a good person, but I don’t think he’s evil, so morally gray? morally black? I think he was in the middle. idk how things would’ve been like alternatively but somehow he felt like the only one who could help Lyla as he knew what she went through. So if he’s making her feel loved, happy and ultimately safe then so be it. The way they tested each other’s boundaries said plenty as well. he’s had one goal that he’s been hellbent on achieving but just know he would also burn the world down for her. we were given some context to his backstory and some of his drive but I still feel like he’s a bit of a mystery. looking forward to seeing him continue to measure up

I just gotta say, bravo to RuNyx for immersing me, but also leaving me by the end of this series so at odds—yet excited all the same. I truly cannot wait for everything that’s anticipated to come in tying up this plot thats spanned the whole series with each one leaving me more thrilled for the next. especially for certain interactions to happen! I listened to a few songs but sick and twisted by Chris grey and the machine by Aurora olivas mainly fit the vibes well lol I need to make a playlist for this series

the finisher review

I'm posting this review much later but thank you hoda for the br 🖤 I had an amazing time again reacting to it all as we did!

some quotes

“Do you regret anything at all?” She asked him, their eyes locking together. “I regret that you were hurt.” Selfish to his core but in this moment he was truthful

“I am darkness,” he kissed her softly. “I live it, I breathe it, I am it. There is no redemption, no emotion, nothing for me. Nothing but you. “You’re the moon to my dark night, flamma. You’re the only thing in this black sky that can thrive when I swallow everything else whole. The stars don’t exist in this place. Just you and I. You need me to glow and I need you to exist.”

“if you ever choose another, make sure you kill me first. Because I—he bent to whisper against her lips “—will annihilate the fucking world before I let you go.”

“He would slay her demons and give her the sword to slay them if she wanted.”

“I am the prince of this hell in every way. Fitting, isn’t it?” Indeed 👀

“He wasn’t just addicted to her now; he was addicted to her when she was happy, her laughter a new sound to add to the list of his obsessions.”

[shei · Rating 3 out of 5]

—— 3.✰ stars.

��There is no reality where you and I exist that we don’t end up exactly where we are now. None.’

・❥・ Mood of the book playlist:
: ̗̀➛ Playing with Fire by Sam Tinnesz ft. Yatch Money
: ̗̀➛ Terrible Thing by AG
: ̗̀➛ In Flames by Digital Daggers
: ̗̀➛ Guest Room by Echos

eh. I'm not going to lie, this was a disappointment, I expected a lot more from this book, mainly for the reason that all the books that preceded it were incredible in terms of plot, and in this one I feel that it has only served to answer some questions that the reader has during the series, but not much more.

‘Because I—' he bent to whisper against her lips ‘—will annihilate the fucking world before I let you go.’

The reason why it doesn't have a lower score is because I read it super quickly, and at least it was entertaining, I really like the plot and the world of the series, therefore, it was interesting to return to it.

‘Your voice makes my atoms sing.’

❛ ━━･❪ 𝓅𝓁ℴ𝓉 ❫ ･━━ ❜

Sorry to be repetitive, but now more than ever I can't say ANYTHING about the plot of the book. Any slightest detail could be a spoiler for any of the first four books, so I'm just going to explain my problem with the plot of this book.

'After a lifetime of looking at cracked ceilings and peeling paint while pieces of her were ripped from her, he had given her a ceiling of beautiful stars and slowly put the pieces back together again'

I feel like it was half cooked?? I don't know if what I'm saying makes much sense, but oh well. It lacks the explosiveness of Runyx from the previous books, this book seems more like a novel to explain the past of two characters and answer questions that the reader has had since the first books, (but not too many) and prepare for the last book.

❛ ━━･❪ 𝓇ℴ𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒸ℯ ❫ ･━━ ❜

I can't talk about the characters either HAHAHAHA. At this point you may think that this review is a joke, and you are absolutely right.

In my opinion, the main characters of this book should not even be named, since only their names or their backstories would be spoilers for the entire series, therefore, I will only talk about the romance.

'But seeing her had felt like finding the richest shades of her favorite colors'

The romance has not convinced me at all, I think this shows me that dark romance is not for me, until this book I did not consider it so dark, but the obsessive behavior of the male main character and the sexual practices made me very uncomfortable. So I'll think twice before venturing into other dark romances in the future. But the rest of the series didn't make me feel like this.

'You have been, you are, and you will always be my only obsession.'

I must add that I was very excited to meet this male character, since he is someone very mysterious throughout the series, his his first points of view had me fascinated, but little by little they lost strength, I just wanted him to tell me the information Runyx made me wait for 5 books and that's it.

I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE LAST ONE I SWEAR!!!

❛ ━━･❪ 𝓈ℴ𝓂ℯ 𝓆𝓊ℴ𝓉ℯ𝓈 𝐼 ℯ𝓃𝒿ℴ𝓎ℯ𝒹 ❫ ･━━ ❜

‘What do you see?’ he prodded again. Lyla saw herself blink in the reflection. ‘You behind me.’ She startled as he leaned in, his reflection joining hers closer, his face beside hers. ‘Exactly. I’m always behind you, even when you cannot see.’

‘You’re the only one who knows my name, flamma,’ he spoke, his words brushing her lips. ‘The only one who knows me as the devil I truly am. And seeing you here, willing and trusting, is the only time I come close to feeling something.’

‘There is no redemption, no emotion, nothing for me. Nothing but you. You’re the moon to my dark night, flamma. You’re the only thing in this black sky that can thrive when I swallow everything else whole. The stars don’t exist in this space. Just you and I. You need me to glow and I need you to exist. It’s simple as that’

‘She was the sun in the endless dark abyss of the universe, a ball of fire so bright she made everything revolve around herself without even trying, and anything that didn’t was lost to float away and die. And he? He was the endless, dark abyss they died in, the one that surrounded her, the one that let her blaze.’

‘You invited the devil to play, don’t beg for mercy when he shows up.’

‘She completed parts of him that had been jagged and raw, fitting inside them with softness and fluidity, soothing some latent beast within him.’

Thank you so much for reading until here ♡

Dark Verse series:
╰┈➤The Predator , 4✰ stars.
╰┈➤ The Reaper , 4.5 ✰ stars.
╰┈➤ The Emperor , 4.5✰ stars.
╰┈➤ The Finisher , 4.✰ stars.


￫ Old updates:
UMMMM. Ok. Rtc

jan 31: honestly I couldn’t wait, I need my dosis of Runyx 😈

[emma]

god hopefully it’s the shadow man and luna

[Yana · Rating 5 out of 5]

UMMM EXCUSE ME WHEN DOES THE NEXT ONE COME OUT?! Bc I just got whiplashes by this book and I need answers

[Ri ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

‘Your voice makes my atoms sing.’

RuNyx, you are a mastermind—but you are also a very cruel and evil woman, and I love you for it.

The Annihilator made me cry, made me rage, made me feel sorrow and pain for Lyla, broke my heart, and then slowly put it back together. This book is darker, more intense, and more heartbreaking than the others in this series. I wasn’t expecting Lyla’s story to be this heartbreaking and soul-crushing, but it’s RuNyx—and this woman is so good at crushing our hearts with her words and storytelling. The amount of trauma and heartbreak this series has put me through is insane, but I still wouldn’t want it any other way.

“One day, she would be an inferno, and he would be the devil who controlled it.”

This book follows Lyla and Shadow Man’s story—how they met, the connection they formed six years ago, and how it stayed with both of them for years after, along with the reasons behind Shadow Man’s obsession with Lyla. This book revolves around Lyla’s past—the torture and pain she endured for years. It’s about her healing and rising again after spending years burning in a raging fire. But the plot also centres on the mystery behind the Syndicate and its members, and how Shadow Man is connected to all of it.

Lyla is my precious girl. My heart broke for her on every page of this book—the torture she endured for years, the trauma she went through, the horror and nightmares of demons and monsters who ruined her life. It was heart-rending. But I also loved seeing her discover herself and her individuality after finally gaining her freedom—finding joy in the little things in life, putting herself and the wreckage of her life back together, healing on her own and with Dainn’s help, and rebuilding herself from scratch. Lyla is a strong and courageous woman, with resilience and gentleness in her heart. Her ability to keep going and moving forward amazes me—how she can still see the beauty in life and humanity even after the way it tarnished her and left her broken. I can’t wait to read more about her healing and her finally meeting her real family.

“He became a fixture in her life, an anchor in the hurricane, a rock against the waves. Until he started leaving a trail of bodies of everyone who tried to hurt her. Until he claimed all the broken pieces of hers as his own.”


Shadow Man, or Dainn Blackthorne, is an enigma. He’s one of the most complex and perplexing characters I have ever read about. His morality is more black than grey—you can either hate him or love him because there’s no in-between. He hides in the shadows, and the aura and power he exudes are both intimidating and captivating. But I’m not sure how I feel about him. I liked how he helped and protected Lyla for years, but he could have saved her before things went bad for her. It’s apparent how much he cares for her, loves her, and how his obsession with Lyla knows no boundaries. He’s ready to kill for her, burn for her, feel for her—even though he’s never felt an ounce of emotion in his life. But Lyla is responsible for every visceral emotion he experiences. Dainn is something else—so very different from any other hero in this series, but I love him.

“You’re the oxygen that feeds my flames— without you, my existence is questionable.”


Lyla and Dainn are a complex couple—but a beautiful one. Lyla is the light to Dainn’s darkness. She is the one who makes him feel alive, and he is the one who protects her from her demons. They make sense together. Lyla feels every emotion in her core, while Dainn is just a void—but the way he feels everything with her, the way his emotions and feelings manifest in his own inexplicable way, is such a stark contrast to hers, yet they fit together perfectly. I was completely engrossed in their relationship and how it evolved over the years, from the moment they first met. How Dainn gave her his protection, the means to heal her broken parts, and how he played a major role in both her mental and sexual healing. That tragic and fateful night changed everything for them. Lyla found a protector, and Dainn found his obsession. The revelations from that night six years ago—the shocking plot twist—broke my heart. I am never getting over it.

“They all looked at her but no one saw her, none except the man who watched her like it was his religion.”

“You’re the moon to my dark night, flamma. You’re the only thing in this black sky that can thrive when I swallow everything else whole. The stars don’t exist in this space. Just you and I. You need me to glow and I need you to exist.”

Lyla is Tristan’s sister, and while we didn’t get one of the most anticipated reunions of this series yet, we’re getting closer to that moment. And I just know it will heal and ruin me in equal measure. I have so many questions and theories cooking in my brain right now, and I cannot wait for the final book.

➙ Second read: November 2024 — 4.5 stars
➙ First read: August 2024 — 4.5 stars

————————
HELLO?? I NEED ANSWERS!!?! RTC

i am so excited to meet shadowman 🤭

[Kaitlyn ✿ · Rating 5 out of 5]

‧₊˚ ┊ "𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔, 𝚘𝚋𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚟𝚎, 𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚝, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚞𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚟𝚎. 𝙷𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚍𝚒𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚒𝚏 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚎. 𝙷𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚒𝚏 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍.”

★★★★★ ┊𝙄’𝙢 𝙨𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠, 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚.

𝑮𝒐𝒅 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑳𝒚𝒍𝒂..

°•*⁀➷ To start the plot in this book was 𝔾𝕀𝕍𝕀ℕ𝔾 what I wanted and needed. The plot twists, how the story was unfolding was chefs kiss!👩🏼‍🍳 𝒜𝓁𝓈𝑜 𝒪𝒞𝒯𝒪𝐵𝐸𝑅 29 𝒞𝒜𝒩𝒯 𝒞𝒪𝑀𝐸 𝐹𝒜𝒮𝒯 𝐸𝒩𝒪𝒰𝒢𝐻 𝐼 𝒩𝐸𝐸𝒟 𝒜𝒩𝒮𝒲𝐸𝑅𝒮 𝒜𝒩𝒟 𝒜 𝒲𝐸𝒟𝒟𝐼𝒩𝒢 𝒪𝑀𝒢 😭😭🤧 This book was hard to read at times, and I want to break every person who hurt my Lyla, and at times I wanted to strangle Shadowman, but the chemistry and romance between them was undeniable. 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕞𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕖𝕔𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕪 𝕓𝕖𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤.

‧₊˚ ┊ “𝚈𝚘𝚞’𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚡𝚢𝚐𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚜 𝚖𝚢 𝚏𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚜—𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚖𝚢 𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎.”

─ .✦ My poor sweet lovely Lyla. Oh my lanta, my heart went out for her. As I got deeper into this book, and kept watching her grow, change, and relearn how to live, feel safe, and come out of her shell, 𝒾𝓉 𝓉𝓇𝓊𝓁𝓎 𝓂𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝓂𝑒 𝑒𝓂𝑜𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝒶𝓁, 𝓌𝒶𝓉𝒸𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑜𝓌 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓊𝓂𝒶 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓉 𝑒𝓍𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝒹𝑒𝒻𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝒽𝑒𝓇. It was just exquisite watching her come apart for this man.

‧₊˚ ┊ “𝙼𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚎. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎, 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚎𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎.”

─ .✦ The Shadowman. What an interesting character. At times it was giving 𝒁𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒁𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒔, but I still couldn’t help myself from loving the character. I loved the sick, twisted obsession he has for her. Killing and cutting down anyone in his wake all for her sake makes my insides 𝑴𝑬𝑳𝑻. 𝙏𝙍𝙐𝙎𝙏 𝙈𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙐𝙂𝙃 there were times that I wanted to 𝚃𝙷𝚁𝙾𝚃𝚃𝙻𝙴 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝙼𝙰𝙽, but I was able to understand why the events occurred the way they did. 𝔹𝕌𝕋 𝕊𝕋𝕀𝕃𝕃 𝕀𝕋 𝕄𝔸𝕂𝔼𝕊 𝕄𝔼 𝔸ℕ𝔾𝕐. Then he opens his mouth and says the most swoon worthy things and it soothes my rage.

‧₊˚ ┊ “𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚜𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚘𝚗 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝙸 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗.”

╰┈➤ I didn’t take away stars for this, because I can understand why the story was done in such a way. But GOOD LORD was Dainn selfish, and manipulative… 𝑳𝑰𝑲𝑬 6 years to save my girl!? 𝑺𝒊𝒙 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚. It pissed me off she had to suffer for 6 years because he was more focused on his 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝒻 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓎𝓃𝒹𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓉𝑒. 𝑫𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒏 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒆 is a psychopath, manipulative and off the wall nuts, and this for sure could be some stalk home syndrome going on, but as long as Lyla is happy so am I! 🤧


‧₊˚ ┊“𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚕 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢, 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚞𝚙.”

─ .✦ The way Dainn, rewrote every experience, and tried his best to turn her suffering into something bearable melted my heart. 𝑫𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 but, the way he tries to heal Lyla, touches my soul, as I know he touched hers. 𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑳𝑳 this book was entirely too relatable at times, and I felt on such a deep level and that is why I am able to connect with this book, and why it now holds a beautiful spot inside my heart.

‧₊˚ ┊ "𝙷𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚌𝚎𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚏 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚒𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗. 𝙷𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕.”

°˖➴ Side note about my babes Tristianmorana 𝙊𝙈𝙂 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝙂𝙐𝙔𝙎 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙒𝙀𝘿𝘿𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙋𝙇𝙀𝘼𝙎𝙀𝙀𝙀 𝙄 𝘼𝙈 𝙎𝙊 𝙀𝙓𝘾𝙄𝙏𝙀𝘿!!! Also Xander literally could not have gone to a better couple, and now understanding what I do now, it all is SO perfect. AND **Some spoilers from Runyx Zephyr is PREGOO!! 🤰🏼Alpha is going to be a dad!! I am so excited for the Syndicator!!! ♡

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨┊🏹
› 𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝔾𝕣𝕖𝕪 𝕄𝕖𝕟
› 𝔻𝕒𝕣𝕜 ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖
› 𝕋𝕠𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕙𝕖𝕣, 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕚𝕖
› 𝕄𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕪/ℂ𝕣𝕚𝕞𝕖
› 𝕊𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕦𝕣/𝕍𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕞 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕩

𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔
➵𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℙ𝕣𝕖𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕠𝕣 4★
➵𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕡𝕖𝕣 5★
➵𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔼𝕞𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕠𝕣 5★
➵𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕣 2.75 ★
➵𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕒𝕙𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕠𝕣 5★
➵𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕪𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕠𝕣

𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
જ⁀➴ I really can’t wait for more Lyla and Dain, I must say I really want to see Lyla progress further, and I hope to learn to like Dain slightly more! 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙔𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝙆𝙉𝙊𝙒 that the ending in this book left 𝙎𝙊 many questions to be answered! Until OCT 29, see you soon Syndicator 👀

‧₊˚ ┊“𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝. 𝙱𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝙸—” 𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚙𝚜 “—𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝙸 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚘.”

[Antje ❦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The feeling of finishing a great book when the sequel isn't out yet<<<

[luna_inthesouth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two point something!!!!

It was just disappointing, honestly!I feel like someone else wrote this one because nothing in this felt the same as other books in the series? I don't even know how to explain it.

The whole story telling and plot felt different from previous books!

There was one good twist that I saw coming and some i didn't obv, but there were so many parts that felt like page fillers to me, or I personally didn't see the point of including them because they didn't seem worth telling and there were PLENTY of them!

I will definitely be reading the last one in the series whenever it is going to be released, HOPEFULLY SOON!!

[EmBibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read #2 (10/26/2024) 3.5 Stars.

I’m not ready for that finale.😭

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3.5 stars

“Because you’re mine!” She slammed her hands on the table, standing up. “You’re the only person, the only thing in this entire world that is mine!” Her chest heaving, she glared at him. “My killer, my stalker, my lover. The thought of sharing your obsession makes me sick to my stomach. You have power over me. Is that what you wanted to hear? That your claim makes me an idiot because my stupid fucking heart believes you? Is that it?”

Our girl was like; if you’re going to be anybody’s stalker, you better be mine. Good for her.

This was definitely darker and heavier than the previous books. It was full of trauma, TWs, and a lot of healing. I was so excited to read the story of these two and I really liked them both.

“The world isn’t ready to see who I would become if this—“ his thumb pressed on her pounding pulse “—ever stops.”

Lyla is a broken strong character. She has been through a lot and my heart broke for her. This book was completely about her and her healing process. The shadowman was such a mysterious interesting character throughout the series, I was happy to finally get his book and I loved his obsessed psychotic character.

“There is no reality where you and I exist that we don’t end up exactly where we are now. None.”

However, there was still a lot of loose ends. We got a lot of questions answered, but I still felt like some things could’ve been avoided? Things that didn’t need to go that way? Things that could’ve been stopped?? I’m still looking forward to the final book in the series and that one big reunion with all the characters. They didn’t make a huge appearance in this book and I kinda missed them.

#1 The predator ~ 4.25 stars
#2 The Reaper ~ 4.5 stars
#3 The Emperor ~ 4.5 stars
#4 The finisher ~ 3.25 stars
#5 Annihilator ~ 3.5 stars

[veerali · Rating 3 out of 5]

i'm bumping up my rating because the bonus chapter finally spilled the beans on that greenhouse scene, and the whole six-month drama got some clarity in the syndicater. but let's be real, shadow man still managed to mess things up in this book, so yeah, still not perfect.

— ( 🧷 ) 2nd read 2 stars ⊹

꒰ 🏷 ⊹ ׁ݂ review might contain spoilers | dark contemporary romance

ᝰ.ᐟ tropes:
⤷dark obsession romance
⤷age-gap
⤷forced proximity
⤷possessive mmc
⤷strong character development
⤷touch her and die
⤷mafia romance
⤷traumatic past
— CW: light somnophilia, light breath play, light knife play, voyeurism, power play, light spanking, CNC, psychopathic behavior, stalking, blood, human trafficking, sexual slavery, sexual assault on minor, child abuse, skin trade, murder, arson, assassination, torture, r*pe, forced drug abuse, mentions of organ trade, mentions of suicide, suicide ideation, depressive episodes, PTSD, stockholm syndrome, BDSM.

this was a good book. i hated it.

let's get straight to the point. when i first read this book, i chose to overlook all the wrongdoings of the mmc and gave it a lenient rating. however, upon reading it for the second time, i was struck by how much i disliked it. this book was a huge disappointment.

oh my god, where do i start. here's a list of reasons why i LOVEDDD this book:

➛ i've seen people comparing shadow man and zade meadows a lot. well, for me both are trash. shadow man is such a boring and one dimensional character.

➛ he had an opportunity to save lyla multiple times in those six years but instead he let her be abused, r*ped, and auctioned off, and then killed anyone who bid on her. isn't he so dreamy? 😍

➛ the green house scene was so weird like he was checking out or whatever he was doing with a naked girl in front of him so he could make lyla jealous? yeah, no i'll pass.

➛ he ate her out while she was drugged because our dr. shadow man thinks that an orgasm can flush drugs out of someone's system. we love a smart man 🫶🏽

➛ he makes her orgasm in a room full of men at sex club like? hello sir? she has trauma.

➛ another thing that i found quite strange was the shadow man's inaction when lyla was held hostage and r*ped for six months. seeing his character as a vigilante, i expected him to make a move immediately, rather than just observe.

well this just explains it all:

"Were you behind when they were raping my body?" His grip on her hips tighten. His face remain neutral. "Yes."

and they say romance is dead 🧚🏻‍♀️


ᝰ.ᐟ overall ratings:

the predator
⤷ 4 stars ★
the reaper
⤷ 5 stars ★
the emperor
⤷ 5 stars ★
the finisher
⤷ 3.5 stars ★
the annihilator
⤷ 2 stars ★
the syndicator
⤷ yet to release.

[Linz_loves_books (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Where she loved him with all her light, he possessed her with all his shadows."

The fact that I wrote out this big long review and then GR glitched and it was all gone has me so irritated and I am not writing it all again. So here is the shorter version. I enjoyed this book even though it was the darkest out of the series so far. I was invested in Lyla and Shadowman/Dainn's story more than Alphas but not as much as Tristan or Dante's. I absolutely admired and loved Lyla's character but me and Dainn have a love/hate relationship: one minute I loved him and the next I wanted to unalive him. This series was absolutely amazing and had me in the most severe chokehold. It has been so long since I have been able to sit down and binge-read a whole series the way I did this one. I would give anything to be able to read it for the very first time all over again and I can't wait for the last one to come out.

જ⁀➴Lyla
Listen, I want to wrap Lyla in the biggest hug and never let her go. I want to take her away from her world and give her nothing but happiness and peace. When I tell you this girl is the definition of a warrior/fighter, ugghhh my heart breaks for her. The strength this woman holds inside of her is nothing short of remarkable. To be able to deal with all the trauma and heartbreak she went through and still continue to fight leaves me speechless. I loved reading about her and watching her healing process throughout the book. If she does not get happiness in the last book I might just scream.

જ⁀➴Shadowman/Dainn
This man is "morally black" and infuriating. His character is so toxic and complex, I mean there is a reason he is referred to as the "devil" multiple times throughout the story. When I wanted to hate him he would make me love him and then when I wanted to love him he would make me hate him. I loved that he would burn the world for Lyla and was there to protect her and be her savior in a lot of situations. However, there were other situations where he wasn't and I just wanted to push him in front of a train. It is absolutely crazy that throughout the series this man manipulated so many people in this "master plan" because his "end game" was always Lyla. These two together are literally the light and the dark, the good and the evil, the ying and the yang that balance each other out.

જ⁀➴Favorite Quotes

"Though she wasn’t a blaze yet, only an ember, she was his. One day, she would be an inferno, and he would be the devil who controlled it."

"She could never be anyone else’s. She’d been claimed by a devil in the shadows long before anyone could bring her to light.

"She didn’t need a good man telling her he loved her; she needed a dark devil to tell her she was his."

“I am darkness.” He kissed her softly. “I live it, I breathe it, I am it. There is no redemption, no emotion, nothing for me. Nothing but you. You’re the moon to my dark night, flamma. You’re the only thing in this black sky that can thrive when I swallow everything else whole. The stars don’t exist in this space. Just you and I. You need me to glow and I need you to exist. It’s simple as that.”

"She was the sun in the endless dark abyss of the universe, a ball of fire so bright she made everything revolve around herself without even trying, and anything that didn’t was lost to float away and die. And he? He was the endless, dark abyss they died in, the one that surrounded her, the one that let her blaze."

Pre-read Review: Heard this one is dark so let's see how it goes!
Buddy reading with the bestie Bella!❤️

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus)]

Finally made it here...

[manas (suffering) · Rating 4 out of 5]

➳ 4.25 ☆

love was light, love was beautiful, love was pure. what he felt was dark, obsessive, deviant, and utterly possessive. he would kill for her, as he always had, and he would die for her, if need be.

this was the final (solo) book in the dark-verse series, and i am happy to report, i liked it. i consumed this the quickest out of all the other books, partly due to the fact that i was getting more comfortable with her writing, and because i was more invested in this plotline. this was easily the best story of the four, as it has a lot of ties to the overarching narrative. runyx unfortunately diverted back to using excessive exposition and monologue, but there was a more coherent justification for these facile prose and structure as opposed to books one and two.

➺ lyla : i was very familiar with what this story entailed because my fatass got ALL the spoilers?? like, goodnight. i was trepidatious because this is the book where most of the development for the overall plot happens, and i did not want that to takeaway from my reading experience. lyla easily had the most interesting backstory and upbringing. although we explored a lot of her past with those details presented, the manner in which they were done was very bereft. there was something more i needed, but since the book was REALLY short, i felt a huge disconnect with her nodus and overall comportment. she is my second favorite heroine after amara! i fear i will not get better than her.

“you’re the only person, the only thing in this entire world that is mine!”. “my killer, my stalker, my lover. the thought of sharing your obsession makes me sick to my stomach.”

after a lifetime of looking at cracked ceilings and peeling paint while pieces of her were ripped from her, he had given her a ceiling of beautiful stars and slowly put the pieces back together again.

he’d never told her that he’d not been with others, just like she’d been with others. the only difference, and the one that hurt the most, was that she’d never had a choice and he'd always had it.

“it’s just us. it’s always just been us. focus on me.”

he was going to be her last and she would be his first in so many ways.

➺ shadowman : for peculiar reasons, i will keep his name as such when i am referring to him. i am unsure how to feel about him, as similar with lyla, his character was inadequate. this was making it difficult for me to fully connect with him and his manner of thought. as opposed to the previous main male characters, shadowman had a severe lack of presence in this book. while this could revert back to the fact that this book was the shortest (at least it felt that way), i believe he was just irrelevant to the overall character development. i had the utter displeasure of suffering through a 'stalker' romance (VERY questionable), with a male lead who was depicted as an obsessed psychopath with heterochromia. while i got literal death threats for expressing my view of that, i am chuffed to say i can read about these characters and enjoy them, so long as they are respectful and not abusive to women or children. dark romance is a concept i enjoy. i don’t like seeing abusive + disgusting men put on pedestals, but that is a personal preference. runyx will always deliver in this department, so i was not overtly surprised by his mannerisms. shadowman barley opened his mouth (which i loved), so his deportment was a diverting surprise. he easily had the most impressive skills and was very compelling. he was unfortunately under utilized for the duration of the novel. dante stays my man though. i do not make the rules.

bigotry + glorified abuse ≠ romance, at least in my eyes. i like seeing my girls win, so if that makes me a terrible person, oh well.

he saw the moment she saw his silhouette, a mix of hatred and betrayal etched on her face for everyone to see. her hands fisted at her sides. his obsession deepened.

she’d heard the voices of many men in her life, and his was, without a doubt, the most dangerous of them all.

they all looked at her but no one saw her, none except the man who watched her like it was his religion.

“the world isn’t ready to see who i would become if this —” his thumb pressed on her pounding pulse “—ever stops.”

“touch her and you die,” he remarked quietly. “touch her worse, die worse. it’s a simple thing, isn’t it? i don’t know why you didn’t understand it.”

“if you ever choose another, make sure you kill me first. because i—” he bent to whisper against her lips “—will annihilate the fucking world before i let you go.”

“i know you, flamma,” he reminded her. “the deepest desires of your heart, the softest secrets of your soul, the meanest moments in your mind. i know them all, i own them. every desire, every secret, every thought.”

[buket · Rating 1 out of 5]

if there was a gun against my head and the only survival was to read this book again, i would ask them to shoot me twice

and if i could have one wish and my options were world peace and death trope for shadowman in syndicater, rip world peace💔

thank you, lila💗 without you this would be so much worse(if it’s possible)🙄

[Iqra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love how bingeable RuNyx’s books are Omf

[mira · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

“I am darkness.” He kissed her softly. “I live it, I breathe it, I am it. There is no redemption, no emotion, nothing for me. Nothing but you. You’re the moon to my dark night, flamma. You’re the only thing in this black sky that can thrive when I swallow everything else whole. The stars don’t exist in this space. Just you and I. You need me to glow and I need you to exist. It’s simple as that.”

i am a fucking mess. LUNAAAAAAA <3 <3 <3 MY BABY GIRL I WANNA PROTECT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

lemme just be honest here i was about to give this book 3 stars because honestly i couldn't read this for more than a chapter at a time. the writing was bothering me so much. idk i just felt so claustrophobic. the first half barely had any dialogues so my brain just kept closing up BUT BUT you know in a way i'm kinda?? glad that i got through this because even tho i was suffocating i enjoyed it.

the shadowman is who i want in life. I WANT HIM TO BURN DOWN THE WORLD FOR ME BC WTF i never loved a more obsessed man in my life. jesus christ THIS IS WHAT OBSESSION MEANS.

i am actually a mess right now because i need the next book LIKE NOW NOW NOW.

“If you ever choose another, make sure you kill me first. Because I—” he bent to whisper against her lips “—will annihilate the fucking world before I let you go.”

JUST GIVE ME THIS ENERGY PLEASE!!!!!!!!! I NEED THIS IN LIFE

“You’re the oxygen that feeds my flames—without you, my existence is questionable.”

HIM. JUST HIM. MY HEART.

“You’re the only person, the only thing in this entire world that is mine!” Her chest heaving, she glared at him. “My killer, my stalker, my lover.”

[tasnia &#x1f349; · Rating 1 out of 5]

“Were you behind me when they were raping my body?” His grip on her hips tightened. His face remained neutral. “Yes.” 🥺😍

So you’re telling me that he had the opportunity to save her multiple times for 6 YEARS but instead he let her be auctioned so he could kill anyone who bids on her..? AND THEY SAY ROMANCE IS DEAD 😍 I get that he had his “reasons” but he knew she was being r*ped every single day?
Anyways can someone explain to me how having an orgasm will flush out drugs from her body? 🤔 why did this man eat her out instead of taking her to the hospital or smth 😟 I’M STILL SO CONFUSED, what’s the science behind that??
Also I’m not a fan of books where the guy makes the fmc orgasm in front of a group of crusty old men in a sex club knowing damn well she’s been sexually abused her whole life, but that’s just me I guess.
This could’ve been a decent book if he wasn’t a weirdo in the beginning and if she didn’t have a family he was hiding her from 🥲 I want Tristan to be reunited with Luna so bad. And *spoilers* HER SON?? I’m so glad he’s with Tristan and Morana 🥹🫶🏻 I don’t get why he was so afraid of her leaving him when she clearly has Stockholm syndrome 😭❓
Also one thing that pissed me off was how he said she hasn’t touched a woman in 6 years but at the sex club he had a half naked woman on his lap 🤨 I found it sooooo weird when she asked him if he knew she was being r*ped and he was like “yeah but I was with you the whole time, you didn’t go through it alone 🥺” ??? wtf is that supposed to mean 😟
The greenhouse scene was soo much worse from his pov, cause why did he not leave the second he saw a naked woman?? Why was he analysing her body and using her to make Lyla/Luna jealous??
Surprisingly it wasn’t traumatising like everyone was saying it would be.
Still giving this 2/5 stars bc I hate d*nte more <3 even tho the more I think about this book the worse it gets 😭
Anyways tristan>>>>>>>>>>>alpha>dainn

Quotes 🕴🏼

She had spoken to him, to warn him, to save him. Despite all her anger and hurt, she cared for him. Soft-hearted little fool, but his fool.

“Take me gently, death. I’ve been waiting for you,” she whispered, her mind dizzy, her eyes closing again. “Open your eyes, flamma.” A low, guttural demand followed by a touch on her cheek had her eyes opening again. He checked her eyes, put his hand on her neck, then growled, “Fuck!”

“You have been, you are, and you will always be my only obsession, Luna Caine.” She cried out at the fact that he took another girl’s name, a sharp pain piercing her heart, before everything went black.

“I... laughed,” she murmured, still stunned. “Do it again.” “What?”“I want to hear it again.” It was ridiculous. “I can’t do it again.”

“What are you doing?” “Making you laugh again.” With that, he began to prod the side of her ribs in quick motions that made her squeal and struggle to get away from him, sensations buzzing on her skin. He was tickling her. The feared Shadow Man was tickling her.

“Say my name,” he ordered her, and she suddenly blinked. “I don’t know your name.” It was so ridiculous after everything they'd been through. LMFAO 😭

————————————————————————————-
I just know I’m gonna hate this one 😍🔫 there must be a reason why ppl always talk shit about him and don’t want him in the 6th book 🤔

[ˋ✧*⁀➷ ʙᴇᴛᴛʏ (med school got me good) · Rating 3 out of 5]

dude saw her all broken and dead and said: an orgasm a day keeps the demons away. everytime he made her come, a part of her past healed.
maybe that's why the virgin old me is still haunted by her trauma 😔

[Hoda · Rating 3 out of 5]

”I am darkness.” He kissed her softly “ I live it, breath it, I am it, there is no redemption, no emotion, nothing for me, nothing but you. You’re the moon to my dark night, flamma. You’re the only thing in this black sky that can thrive when i swallow everything else whole. The stars don’t exist in this space. Just you and I. You need me to glow and i need you to exist. It’s simple as that.”

Omgg what was this ending. I need answers! I need the next book in my hand right now. Runyx you’re so brilliant i lovee u. I seriously don’t know what to say my mind is so full with stupid theories and answers. I’ll not find peace until the next book is out.

Was this book perfect? No. Did i enjoy it? Yesyes. I enjoyed it a-lot especially at the end because of all the things that were happening and the secrets that were exposed. The couple were good and i loved them but they’re my least favorite in this series but overall i enjoyed it alot 🤍

” there will never be anyone else”
“Even if i choose another”
“If you choose another, make sure you kill me first because I’ll annihilate the fucking world before i let you go.”

the shadow man THIS MAN OMG! I have a love/hate relationship with him. Like he provoked me and angered me so much with his actions or lack of actions sometimes. I wanted to kill him so many times i swear but then he’d go and say something like ” your voice makes my atoms sing” for example and make me forget my anger. He is not moral or good man. He doesn’t understand emotions. He doesn’t have emotions. He only cares and love one person’s and this person is lyla. his lack of sympathy towards other people made me feel concerned sometimes but then again he cared about lyla so it doesn’t really matter. I still can’t forgive some of the things he did even though i see the reason behind his actions i still can’t forgive him. He’s good but not my favorite ✋🏻

” because you’re mine! You’re the only person, the only thing in this entire world that is mine! My killer, my stalker,my lover.”

Lyla my baby 🫂 she deserves the world. She made me cry a-lot. The way she spent most of her life suffering. And thought that she had no one. Her suicidal thoughts and her past and pain made me ache for her 😭 i wanted to kill everyone who caused pain to her. She deserves the world 🫂

” I will set the world on fire before i let anything hurt you again”

the romance I enjoyed it but not much because as i said the shadow man was not perfect. He has issues. He did some stuff that made me seriously want to kill him but i also loved him for what he did for lyla. The way he helped her overcome her fear and replaced every bad memory with a good one 🥹 the way he gave her choices because he knew she was forced to do everything in her past life. The way he killed and tortured every one who touched his flamma. He was perfect in some weird questionable way 😭 i loved how lyla understood him and communicated with him. I was frustrated with her sometimes because she forgive him so easily and i wanted her to fight but other than that it was okay. They really had some cute moments 🥹🤍

” the world could tilt its axis, flamma, and i’d still be the most certain thing in your life.” A soft kiss” you’re the oxygen that feeds my flame- without you, my existence is questionable.”

Reading this with sabrina was 100% better than reading it alone 🤍 us sharing thoughts and screaming at eachother and exchanging theories was everything. Thanks sabs 💋🤍

[Rebecca (life's chaotic catching up) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I will set the whole world on fire before I let anything hurt you again."

This book was so very heavy. It took me so long to finish this book even though it's relatively short just bc of how heavy it was. I love this series but this was definitely the darkest of all the books and I have such mixed feelings about it. I think maybe that is the appropriate response when reading something with so much trauma and tragedy, I can't say I loved it but it's just very complicated and I have such mixed feelings about how certain things went down. It is so heartbreaking and I still feel sad days later thinking about it.

SPOILERS AHEAD!! Don't continue if you haven't read this book!



I feel like after 4 books we already have formed this attachment to Luna/Lyla through Tristan and his love for his sister and his determination to find her, I felt so protective of her and her character before I even got to her book. I knew this was going to be about her and that it would be hard to read bc of where we know she is but I wasn't a fan of how her "love" story played out. It felt like Stockholm Syndrome to me and the way The Shadow man kept her away from Tristan not only after he rescued her but the entire time he knew her and she was suffering that whole time was honestly really unforgivable. I know he says some pretty words to her but he really only thinks about himself and his obsession with her. SIX YEARS he knew who she was! He could have gotten her out anytime or told Tristan and he could have saved her but instead he left her there and played these stupid games with her while she was being abused. I know he says he couldn't bc "reasons" but that's not good enough when Luna/Lyla was the one that had to endure all that trauma.
On the other hand, I really love Luna/Lyla so much, she is an angel and deserves so much better than what she got. I think I would have rather her found peace and happiness with her family and living an independent life for the first time instead of being manipulated into a relationship with some dude that takes away her agency after being denied that right her whole life. It makes me so sad for her.

In HAPPY news! The final book comes out soon and will feature POVs from all the couples and have epilogues for all of them too!!! SO EXCITED!!

My Dark Verse rankings.
1-The Emperor (book 3)
2-The Reaper (book 2)
3-The Finisher (book 4)
4-The Predator (book 1)
5-The Annihilator (book 5)