Book Review: The Syndicater by RuNyx

Minor Spoilers Ahead!

“End of an era” left me with mixed emotions. I’m happy that I learned about this series, but I'm sad that it has ended. RuNyx, I’m still in awe of how your brain works, and I wish someday I could be half as good as the writer you are.  If you’re reading this, please make sure you’ve read all six books because this review contains SPOILERS (Teeny tiny spoilers)!

*A mix of happy and sad tears*

The Syndicater by RuNyx is the 6th book of the Dark Verse series followed by The Predator, The Reaper, The Emperor, The Finisher, and The Annihilator. I was introduced to this series a year and a half ago. For someone who wouldn’t prefer a third-person POV, this was the only series that kept me hooked from the very first page. After waiting for a year and a half, The Syndicater got released today and I consumed it in a day like a starved man. As much as I wanted to be patient, the need to know took over and I must say, I wasn’t disappointed. The book is worth the wait.

The story revolves around 4 couples, Tristan Caine (Sqeallllll), Morana Vitalio, Dante Maroni, Amara Rossi, Alpha Villanova, Zephyr De La Vega, The Shadow Man, and Lyla (or should I say Lyna?) discovering the ugly side of their mafia world. The Syndicater is divided into three parts, Part 1, Fountainhead, Part 2, Metamorphosis, and Part 3, Ouroboros.

While we all know how The Annihilator ended with a call Lyla received from someone she was most afraid of, threatening her of killing The Shadow Man and her brother, Tristan, The Syndicater starts with that man’s POV of how it all started. His identity is still unknown. The story then shifts to what the four couples have been up to. 

And yessssss, we got the Caine siblings’ reunion. And honestly, I wish I could get the experience all over again. The anticipation was so thick that I could hear my own heartbeat waiting for their reunion and when they cried, I cried. Tristan Caine has always been my favorite Dark Verse man and after The Syndicater, he has become my only most favorite fictional man. When Morana said, “You, Tristan Caine, are a beautiful, beautiful man. And my heart beats for you,” in The Reaper, I agreed with her back then and I agree with her even more now. Tristan all along wasn’t afraid to express his emotions he was just forced to bottle them up but with Morana and Luna by his side, he finally got to let his guard down.

I loved Xander’s character through and through. His comic relief characterization was much needed for this serious-paced book. And after reading the first epilogue, I’m pretty sure he spoke to Tristan about giving the gift to Morana (IYKYK😜).

Speaking of the plot twists, I sat up straight too many times and my mom got concerned about me. I would’ve said “Whattttttt” too many times, staring at my non-existent camera like, “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” The last few chapters had too many plot twists that I sat like this cat

Tristan and The Shadow Man’s face-off didn’t disappoint me either. Even in the most serious moment, their face-off made me laugh. The book’s pacing was so good that when the crying subsided, there was something funny to laugh at. 

The relationship development between the four couples felt natural, Morana and Zephyr being hesitant and not knowing how to be around each other after Zenith, the actual Morana’s death, Alpha and Dante trying to learn how to be the half-brothers they are since Alpha always thought him to be the bad guy. Amara being the peacemaker and Tristan being wary of Alpha since the shootout happened in his city. Luna still trying to accept the fact that there’s more than The Shadow Man to love her and care about her. The Shadow Man hating but tolerating them for the sake of Lyla.

Overall, The Syndicater was a bittersweet experience where the ending warmed my heart at the same time left me with a void, wishing I could get the experience of reading it for the first time all over again. It made me sob, laugh, go awww, giggle like a teenager, get scared like watching a horror movie but in the end left me with happy tears. Thank you RuNyx for this beautiful series, as much as it pains me that this series is over, I look forward to more books from you!

Rating 5/5 (Obviously, what else do you expect?) 

“If you haven’t read The Dark Verse series, do yourself a favor and start now!”

Be right back, I’m gonna go reread the entire series again and cry my eyes out!