Gothikana by Runyx Review – Dark Academia Romance with Forbidden Desire

Review

Some books you read.
Others pull you into their world and lock the door behind you.

Gothikana by Runyx is the latter.

From the moment Corvina Clemm steps through the towering iron gates of the University of Verenmore, you feel the air shift—heavier, colder, tinged with whispers of the past. She’s not supposed to be here. She’s never belonged anywhere. But this university, with its crumbling gothic halls and ghostly legends, feels like it’s been waiting for her.

And then there’s him—Vad Deverell. Professor. Rumor. Predator. Protector. No one knows what he’s hiding, but everyone knows to stay out of his way. Corvina doesn’t. She can’t. And every step closer to him is a step deeper into the dark, where answers are dangerous and attraction is deadly.

⚠️ Content Warning:
This book contains abuse, stalking, mental health struggles, and past sexual assault references. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

Why It Works

Runyx writes with the kind of tension that winds itself around your chest until you’re breathless. This isn’t just a romance—it’s a puzzle, a dare, and a descent into the forbidden.

The love story simmers in the shadows, every touch a risk, every look a promise.

The University of Verenmore is as much a character as the people themselves—rain-slick cobblestones, candlelit libraries, the constant feeling that someone (or something) is watching. You’ll find yourself glancing over your own shoulder as you turn the pages.

Why You Can’t Miss This Book

If you crave:

• Dark academia dripping with atmosphere
• A slow-burn romance so tense it hurts
• A heroine who refuses to be fragile
• A hero who is as dangerous as he is magnetic
• Twists that make you doubt everything you think you know

…then Gothikana isn’t just a book you’ll read—it’s a book you’ll haunt long after the last page.

Famous Quotes from Gothikana

“People were scared of the dark because they didn’t know what it held. She was scared of the light because she knew exactly what it exposed.”

“Every legend had a core of truth; you just had to dig deep enough to find it.”

“He was not her knight in shining armor. He was the beast in the shadows—and she had walked right into his lair.”

Final Words

There are stories you can put down and walk away from.

Gothikana is not one of them.

Once you enter the University of Verenmore, you’ll stay.
You’ll search the shadows.
And you’ll understand why Corvina never truly wanted to leave.

And if you’re into forbidden setups where every glance feels like a sin, then you need to check out Twisted Games by Ana Huang. Royalty, a bodyguard, and enough tension to set a castle on fire.