Name: Lover of Romance 's review of Gothikana by RuNyx
Item: Gothikana
Rating: 5
Author: Lover of Romance

RuNyx

"If this is madness," she whispered almost against his lips, "drown me in it."

Corvina Clemm is a woman with secrets. The last thing she expects to receive is an admission letter from the University of Verenmore, a place just as secretive.

A castle atop a mountain, Verenmore is steeped in shadows, deceit and death, a place where students have been disappearing every five years for over a century. As Corvina becomes caught up in unravelling the clues to solve the mystery, her path collides with Vad Deverell, her enigmatic professor.

Vad, too, is a man with secrets. And he cannot allow Corvina to get close enough to discover what he hides. But whenever she is near, his heart and soul yearn to possess her.

As Corvina and Vad become more and more entangled, their passion for each other could be the very thing to solve the mystery of Verenmore - or it could bring them both down in flames.

Gothikana

Isabelle

'This is lust,' she whispered, trying to validate it, excuse it. 

'No, Corvina.' The sides of his lips twitched. 'I've known lust. This is something worse. This is a barbaric need to possess, to eliminate, to own. This is madness.' 

'If this is madness,' she whispered almost against his lips, 'drown me in it.' 

Jodie Reads

You're the mountain I build my castle on, brick by brick, she whispered to him, her eyes stinging. You I soar. You crack, I crumble. 

Death is fascinating. It’s the only inevitability of life, but one that most people spend their lives trying to outrun. 

Megan BV

“You’re the mountain I build my castle on, brick by brick,” she whispered to him, her eyes stinging. “You stand, I soar. You crack, I crumble.”

Corvina swallowed, her free hand over his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart under her palm. “Just know that if you kill me, I will personally haunt you. Good luck getting your dick wet after that.”

A slash of a smile in the dark. “Duly noted.”

“I’m in your head, in your blood, in your very veins. I’ve claimed you before anything else ever could. Your body, your heart, your mind, your fucking soul, it’s all mine. Your hunger is mine to feed, your madness is mine to tame. Do you feel that?”

His arm tightened. “I will take all your lasts too, Miss Clemm. Mark my words.” 

A clock ticked by somewhere in the silence, sounds of raindrops hitting the glass windows a white noise in the background. And in the dark with her devil behind her, Corvina fell asleep, feeling safe and cherished and not alone, for the first time in her life.

Books had become her refuge, especially books with men—humans, shapeshifters, or aliens—who fell in love hard and claimed their women, body and soul, were her favorite.

Vad to Corvina, The Devil to his little crow

Tanya

“Little witch,” he kissed her softly. “You’ll leave me when the roots of roses on your grave…” “Leave the roots of roses on yours,” she completed, having heard it multiple times over the course of the months, taking a deep breath.

Lover of Romance 

6 stars! I loved this book so much and it made my little emo and macabre loving heart so happy. This book was everything up my alley and then some. It gave me dark, mystical academia, a creepy occult murder mystery that actually scared me, and a brooding possessive and haunted man with spice to spare. The writing was lyrically beautiful and I really enjoyed the author writing about female characters openly struggling with mental health issues. Immediate fave🐦‍⬛🖤

Emily O'Masters

aleksandra

3.5/5

I could probably give it more stars, if not, there are some unanswered questions in this book.


  
    "This will last until the day roses on my grave stop sharing roots with the roses on yours,” he declared. “I will have you even in death, little witch. I am your beast. I am your madness. And you, you’re my afterlife.”

"You’re my mountain, my Vad. I don’t know how and I don’t understand why, but somehow, I’m building my castle on you."

low-key like one of those wattpad fan fictions where you’d eat raw dirt from the ocean bed before admitting you liked the ff, yeah 

vyn 

low-key like one of those wattpad fan fictions where you’d eat raw dirt from the ocean bed before admitting you liked the ff, yeah 

so much smut i cried 

This was a hard one for me to determine my thoughts on. 

On one hand, I loved the gothic elements, the storyline with the disappearances, and the romance. However, on the other hand, I thought the execution was bad. The gothic imagery was there, but the pacing of the disappearances was not right. It also wasn’t the main focus of the story, or at least it didn’t feel like it was. I think that also threw the pacing off because we would get bits about what was going on in between spicy scenes. Which the spicy scenes were too much and kind of cringy. I also think they took away from Vad and Corvina’s character development, especially Vad’s. I also didn’t feel the frustration that I think the author wanted us to feel with Corvina and Vad’s relationship.

Also, I hated that Vad was a professor. I don’t like student/professor relationships at all. It very much felt like the author wanted to have a forbidden romance between them, so the student/professor relationship got thrown in there. 

I was definitely disappointed in the execution of this book. I wanted more character development and more of the mystery plot surrounding the school, the Slayer’s and the disappearances. Although, I didn’t see the twist at the end coming. I definitely thought something was up with Jade, but I didn’t expect to her be a Deverell. I also thought the writing was repetitive. So many details we had gotten before. There was also more telling than there was showing in the writing. 

Kendall Deranek

This was a hard one for me to determine my thoughts on. 

On one hand, I loved the gothic elements, the storyline with the disappearances, and the romance. However, on the other hand, I thought the execution was bad. The gothic imagery was there, but the pacing of the disappearances was not right. It also wasn’t the main focus of the story, or at least it didn’t feel like it was. I think that also threw the pacing off because we would get bits about what was going on in between spicy scenes. Which the spicy scenes were too much and kind of cringy. I also think they took away from Vad and Corvina’s character development, especially Vad’s. I also didn’t feel the frustration that I think the author wanted us to feel with Corvina and Vad’s relationship.

Also, I hated that Vad was a professor. I don’t like student/professor relationships at all. It very much felt like the author wanted to have a forbidden romance between them, so the student/professor relationship got thrown in there. 

I was definitely disappointed in the execution of this book. I wanted more character development and more of the mystery plot surrounding the school, the Slayer’s and the disappearances. Although, I didn’t see the twist at the end coming. I definitely thought something was up with Jade, but I didn’t expect to her be a Deverell. I also thought the writing was repetitive. So many details we had gotten before. There was also more telling than there was showing in the writing. 

I get the point of the ending, especially after Vad's extra chapter but without more world building to theorise or interpret a true conclusion, the idea of re-reading feels pointless. Also I'm all for grumpy, brooding love interests but murderous, possessive psychos is where I draw the line. 

Izaac Richards

Honestly I didn’t expect myself to enjoy this book as much as I did. The dialogue was cringy at points and pet names were used far too often. However, I really loved the character development and my heart was just so warm at the end. 

Abigail Marie

i have mixed feelings about this one. probably because i don’t like the professor x student trope but the writing also came of as weird at times. the last quarter was amazing tho.

 still prefer the dark vers series (which i still have not finished lol)

Amelia

i have mixed feelings about this one. probably because i don’t like the professor x student trope but the writing also came of as weird at times. the last quarter was amazing tho.

 still prefer the dark vers series (which i still have not finished lol)

Lauren

All you need to know is that I cried at the end while watching Hell’s Kitchen with my mom

Renata

pls i literally just finished it for the 2nd time and my god vadcorvina literally consumed me i am still so obsessed???? THE MYSTERY IS EVERYTHING AGH they are sexy as fuck, honestly this book is amazing i still cant wait for arkana 

- “Purple eyes. You will find purple eyes.”

- "That's not a name you call your student," 
"How am I looking at you?"
"Like you're inviting me to play" 
"You look at me like that, too, Mr Deverell"

- "If this is madness,""drown me in it"
"If this is madness" "I've already descended too far."

- "oh how she wanted him, without truly knowing him, not knowing who he was or where he came from. It was madness. The molecules in her body recognised the molecules in his, the madness in her blood recognised the madness in his, the melancholy in her soul recognised the melancholy in his."

- "This is happening, little crow" "I'm done denying this. You've haunted me long enough. And I don't care if you're haunted by forces beyond your understanding or if it's all in your head. You're mine now. For as long as this madness ensues."

- “You want to know who I am?” he punched his hips harshly against her.
“I,” slam “am” slam “your” slam “madness.” 
 “I’m in your head, in your blood, in your very veins. I’ve claimed you before anything else ever could. Your body, your heart, your mind, your fucking soul, it’s all mine. Your hunger is mine to feed, your madness is mine to tame. Do you feel that?”

- "They liked having music with their murder."
"I can't believe we kissed by it. That's just so... macabre."
"I would've kissed you bathed in blood, Corvina. If I had a chance to kiss you while a thousand ghosts rose from their graves, I would have kissed you. Don't doubt that."

- “You saw me,” 
"I saw you,” 
“You see me,” 
“I see you,” 
“I’ve always seen you.” 
 She didn’t know what happened after, she didn’t care to know what happened after, not in that moment, not when this man who saw her demons, knew her demons and accepted them, stood so close to her. She didn’t need answers, not with his hand on her face and his eyes on her eyes. He saw, truly saw, into her moon of a soul, one with blemishes and scars and a dark side unseen and unknown even to herself.”

- "He knew. He had always known. And he wanted her anyway. Something she never thought she would have, not because she didn't deserve it, but because who would have wanted a girl with voices in her head and uncertainty in her future? Things like that had only existed in the books she loved to read, not in her life.
But he existed. He was real and warm and he had been for years that she hadn't known." 

- "I'm building my castle brick by brick in the middle of the storm, and I'm wondering if the mountain underneath my feet will crumble." "You're my mountain, my Vad. I don't know how, and I don't understand why, but somehow, I'm building my castle on you."
"Build your castle, Corvina," "I'm not moving anywhere. Build your castle as fucking high as you want."

- "You're taking all my firsts, Mr Deverell"
"I will take all your lasts, too, Miss Clemm. Mark my words."

- 'I saw you then, I found you then. Bringing you here was a way for me to assuage my curiosity, nothing more. I never intended for you to know my secrets. But here we are, and this, this will last, Corvina." 
"This will last until the day roses on my grave stop sharing roots with the roses on yours" "I will have you even in death little witch. I am your beast. I am your madness. And you, you're my afterlife."

- "He wasn't a believer of anything beyond what he could see, but there had been something at work beyond his understanding that had driven him to her. Because what were the odds that the day blind Old Zelda had grabbed his arm had been the day this girl had been born? He didn't believe in destiny, but he was living the effect of it"

- "Verenmore had been his home for so many years, his dream, his ambition, his passion for so long. He had to make a choice between returning to the place he loved and lose the girl who breathed magic into his life or stay with her and lose the place that had driven him for so long. He stood for a long time, contemplating, trying to imagine his future without both. He would rather miss Verenmore than miss her. And fuck if he wouldn't miss Verenmore."

- "Then he walked to the room where the love of his life was sleeping, watching her fighting in her head, battles he couldn't fight for her. Some battles, his soft little crow had to fight for herself while he just sat by her side, letting her know she was never going to be alone again"

- "And if someday, she truly did forget him, he would remain her mountain and keep her blooming with everything he felt for her. She was his, for now and for life, and if there was an afterlife, then maybe in that, too." 

- "That's the legacy of the children we'll have. I want to raise them there and show them the beauty of it."
"There is also darkness, Corvina." 
"It's time for us to go home, Vad." "Dark as it can be, it's where we both found ourselves. We can make it better."

- "The castle on the mountain awaited them. Tomorrow, they would return to Verenmore once, again."

I really liked this book. I started it not really knowing what to expect but oml am I glad I picked it up. 

The overall feeling of this book is so comforting to me, even though it's also haunting and eerie. The story and world building and the chemistry between Corvina and Vad were so well written and very enjoyable. 

Overall a very good read and perfect for spooky season :) 

I really liked this book. I started it not really knowing what to expect but oml am I glad I picked it up. 

The overall feeling of this book is so comforting to me, even though it's also haunting and eerie. The story and world building and the chemistry between Corvina and Vad were so well written and very enjoyable. 

Overall a very good read and perfect for spooky season :) 

Sara Uribe

I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and options are my own.

Do yourself a favor and go into this blind.

The second I started reading this book I knew I was going to enjoy it. The overall vibe of this book feels so comforting to me, even though it's also haunting and eerie. It really made me want to cuddle up with some tea and read this. Corvina Clemm and Vad Deverell have me quick. Hook, line and sinker, I was done the minute we were introduced to them both. These two have some top notch chemistry. I mean, this book had me blushing a few times. They just can't stay away from one another. This book goes into detail about everything. So, if you don't like very detailed writing, you won't like this book. I however, love it, it makes my visualizations of what's going on come to life even more. The story was very well thought out and kept me guessing. I had no idea where we were going on this journey, but when we finally made it to the end, it was well worth the trip. This was some top notch writing and, again, I am continually amazed by RuNyx’s writing. The detail, thought and planning that you can see went into writing this book is so apparent. I cannot wait to read even more by RuNyx since they have become a one click author for me.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book was amazing to me! I really enjoyed everything about it. 

Faith Kitowski

OH MY WORD THIS BOOK=PERFECTION. perfect for the spooky season too. i’m so glad i read this book ahhhh

Gothic romance keeps solidifying itself as my favorite genre. Spooky and smutty and all the fun things. I loved this book. 

Gothic romance keeps solidifying itself as my favorite genre. Spooky and smutty and all the fun things. I loved this book. 

Probably more review to come later. 

Allison Freedman

10/10 prepare yourself for a dramatic + chaotic review written at a very fitting 3 AM.


Call me insane, but wtf is it about these dark, twisted, haunted, fictional men that make my knees weak and my heart melttttttt. They say all the right fucked up things that make my heart skip a beat in the best way. Holy crap, this book was so dang good. The mystery, the spookiness and the ending twist were the cherry on top. The writing of this was so captivating I could not tear my eyes away from the pages. The world building was conveyed beautifully and the emotions were written so poetically. The adoration and affection spoken between the characters were so electric and so distinct. They did not need to utter the words ‘I love you’ once to grasp how deep their admiration for one another was. Vads devotion to Corvina had a vice hold on my heart. And the tarot card scene? Swooooon. I was gasping for air and physically clutching my chest. I devoured this baby like my life depended on it. The spice was out of this world. Absolutely toe curling 🫣 Corvinas dark and haunted past was so intriguing, I adored her and her little Mo in her head. Dark academia is officially my jam. RuNyx had me scared shitless, but also warm and fuzzy throughout this read. How?! A gothic sensation I tell ya!

sansa-alayne 

i have so many issues with this book, the writing prose left much to be desired, the romance... let me not speak on that arocity but what gets to me the most is the horror part of the book, which i felt was the only good part of it, yet when we got to the climax of the book it just... wasn't used well ig?? idk i feel like the author could've done more with it instead of what we were given.

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
 
First Impressions
Gothikana is a standalone that was written by author: RuNyx. I have to say that this book is one of the most popular gothic romances that I have ever seen. In fact, if you search for gothic romance anywhere, this book will be at the TOP of every single list (trust me I have looked) This is an author that I have seen all over bookstagram but hadn’t yet picked up. I had this one put on my list to read for Halloween because I knew that it would have the perfect Gothic-like vibes, I mean all you have to do is look at the cover and you can already sense the vibe. I have to say that when I picked this up, I was instantly sucked in the atmosphere of the story and the world-building, very quickly you will see why it’s known as such a great gothic-feeling romance. It has so many spook vibes within the story and I was so impressed with how this was written. I also enjoyed the style in which the story was written here.

Summary
The story sets off with our heroine, who was raised by a mother who homeschooled her, worked with the magical arts and tarot cards, and kept her isolated. Her father passed away when she was young. Corvina is twenty-one years old, her mother is now in a mental hospital, and she surprisingly receives a letter from a mysterious university of Verenmore. The University of Verenmore is a secluded university up high in the mountains, with much mystery surrounding it. When she arrives, she quickly makes friends, but there is a lot of intrigue and murder surrounding the mysterious deaths of past students and a professor that seems to have an aura of mystery and darkness itself. Corvina doesn’t expect to feel so drawn to Vad Deverell, but she knows that there is something more to him than meets the eye. Their relationship is considered to be forbidden, but their bond is magnetic, but with the darkness closing in around them, who can they trust and who is the one seeking to cause these disappearances and cultivating the fear and the mytery in the history of the university?

What I Loved
Gothikana is a story that you won’t expect, and it was just the right kind of book to read on Halloween. I can’t tell you how much I adored this book. It was also everything that I could have hoped for and more. Its also definitely worth ALL the hype surrounding it. I absolutely adored this book in all of its glory. I couldn’t seem to put this one down, and read it in one sitting. I have to say that its PURE GOTHIC ROMANCE. There aren’t many books that have such an atmospheric vibe, but this book emulates it in such a perfect way. I can guarantee that you won’t regret picking this one up. From the mysterious deaths, to the spooky forest, the fog like atmospere around the mountain where the University resides, and the never ending mystery surrounding the hero, you will eat this up like the best catnip. Gothic romance is one of my favorite loves in the genre, and unfortunately there isn’t that much of it. But Gothikana is the perfect representation of this theme and I was hooked so much within this story. I also was intrigued to see where the author was taking this story.

The romance itself was so addictive and so forbidden. It does have the professor and student type of forbidden feel to the story. It also has such fascinating characters that are brought into the relationship. I found the heroine so relatable, her character is unique and packed with spice. She has a softer vibe to her personality. She is more reserved, but also isn’t afraid to stand on her own when its needed. She has this vulnerability that is contagious and you are seemingly so drawn to her so quickly. Then we have our hero who has so many depths to his soul and you just hold your breath every single time that he enters the scene. I was so hooked in his character and wanted to know all of his secrets. But even when much of his past is revealed, I felt like we just scratched the surface on the scope of depth that his character is capable of. Then we have the overall relationship that is focused on between these two. I was so in tune with these two and wanted them to find their HEA but I knew that they would have to go on this journey together in discovering what their bond was capable of and the friendships they cultivate along the way. This story was simply stunning and kept my attention all the way through. I just didn’t want to put this grativating read down and just wanted more. It was so easy to be caught up in the details as the author so vividly portrayed every moment so well and in such a way that you yearned for it to never end.

What I Struggled With
There wasn’t much that I truly struggled with, I don’t think it’s quite a five-star read, but it’s more than a 4 star for me.

Overall View
Gothikana ended up being a gold star read of a romance, it was addicting, so craftily penned and beautifully pictured in the atmosphere that will only addict the reader instantly to it! AN SPOOKY GEM TO SAVOR!

Heather Miller

I felt like the romance was very underdeveloped. I would’ve definitely enjoyed more of a slow burn in this. The timeline of the story made it take a while for them to do anything, but as you're reading, it's already ahead a few months, so it seemed much more rushed than it actually was. And although it went fast, I also felt like it was just getting started and that we didn’t get enough of them. I’m not even sure how to explain that LOL.

The atmosphere and story line I really enjoyed, but I felt like something was lacking and that the story wasn’t quite over even though it was. I was left with questions that were never even answered and I am not a fan of a story not wrapping up and feeling complete.

I loved the dark, mysterious, older man and secret relationship vibes. The smut was good, but I felt like love was declared way too soon. And it makes me wonder. If she didn’t have purple eyes like in the prophecy, would he have even pursued her?

I did not predict the twist at the end with her friend, but I also felt like that was an easy, rushed fix. I was expecting more action, more struggle. And then no one even got in trouble even though there were witnesses to Vad clearly deliberately killing her. How was that explained?

The author’s writing was what definitely kept me reading. It wasn’t boring, it wasn’t lacking, the storyline was interesting and made me want to keep reading, and it was beautifully descriptive. If she could have wrapped up the unanswered questions and drug out the romance a little, I think I would have been more satisfied.

Because of the few issues I mentioned, this was just a three star read for me. It was not one worth remembering, but it was not a dnf, and I do recommend giving it a read.

kristine hugøy vie

THE END FOR NOW??? 
OMG i absolutely loved this book!!!!!! argh! the setting, the mystery, CORVINA!!! god, i love corvina with all my heart.

I absolutely blazed through this book. Yes, there were a few questions that i would have liked answered by the end, but i still loved the experience.  

Katie Buchanan

Triandafylia 🎃

Gothikana has made it into my top 10 favorite reads of all time!!! If you haven’t read it yet you must!! It was outstanding and I loved every bit of it! I had moments where I got chills while reading. It was dark, eerie and romantic. I suffered from such a long book hangover..It was the end of July and I still couldn’t pick up another book.. I haven’t had this happen in such a long time. I decided the only way I could possibly fix this hangover was by rereading Gothikana. You want an amazing five star read this is it!! I promise you won’t be disappointed!!

Wren Elliott 

This book was wordy in parts but that was it’s only downfall and even then it didn’t sway me from giving it 5 stars. 

I adored Corvina and Vads relationship and their ending was perfect. The twist at the end completely caught me off guard but made complete sense. But the best thing about this book was the imagery. It evoked every one of the senses and painted the most beautifully dreary picture of Verenmore, it’s eerie surroundings and dark history. 

This really is a book that’ll stick with you long after you’ve finished and make you wish to visit Verenmore for yourself.

I liked the story but I felt like I had too many unanswered questions at the end. I really didn't feel like I understood the love interest very well and he was still too much of a mystery at the end. 

Katie Fountain

I liked the story but I felt like I had too many unanswered questions at the end. I really didn't feel like I understood the love interest very well and he was still too much of a mystery at the end. 

It's spicyyyy.

Yami🌷

Me encantó todo, fue todo tan misterioso y el romance... nono lo amé y de verdad necesito más de Vad y Corvina porque son hermosos🥺🥺 amé todo.

PD: Runyx, te amo❤️

Lover of Romance &
Gothikana by RuNyx

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