The Predator: Dark Verse, Book 1

— 5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"Don't you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? We like the hunt."📖 | 374 pages👤 | author RuNyx🏢 | published independently📅 | release date 1 January 2020What you can expect:— Adult Contemporary Dark Romance— First Instalment In A Series— Third-Person POV— Morana X Tristan— Enemies-to-Lovers— Rival Families— Forced Proximity— 'One Time To Get It Out Of Their Systems'— Mafia Families— Found Family— Check TWsTrigger & Content Warnings include: human trafficking, sexual assault (groping), parental abandonment, child abuse, drugging, blood depiction, death of a father (past, on-page), murder, gun violence, torture (mentioned), kidnapping of a child.The Predator is the first instalment in the Dark Verse series by author RuNyx. In the dark underbelly of the mob, Tristan Caine has been an anomaly. As the only non-blooded member in the high circle of the Tenebrae Outfit, he is an enigma to all - his skills unparalleled, his morality questionable, and his motives unknown. He is lethal and he knows it. As does Morana Vitalio, the genius extraordinaire daughter of the rival family. What Caine does with weapons, Morana does with computers. When a twenty-year old mystery resurfaces, Morana infiltrates Caine's house with the intent on killing him and unaware of a tie that binds them together. Hate, heat, and history clash together with unexpected sparks. But something bigger, something worse is happening in their world. And despite their animosity, only they can fight it down.Wheeeeeew this book. Wow. I'm fairly new to the Dark Romance genre as a whole, however the Dark Verse series is one that I've seen recommended and hyped for some time now. It honestly has not disappointed. Author RuNyx has weaved an intricate web of bloody history, deadly characters and forbidden romances. I was intrigued from the very first page, and gripping my seat by the very end. Addictive doesn't even begin to cover how incredible this story is... and this is only book one. The Predator flawlessly establishes the beginning to a mystery that will span across a total of six books for the series, and yet independently stands out thanks to its main characters.Morana Vitalio is a queen and I will not hear any different. Constantly cast aside and ostracised by her father, Morana doesn't have anybody to consider a friend or a confidant. When Morana's ex-boyfriend's steals a dangerous set of codes with the intention of selling them, Morana has to do whatever it takes to get them back and avoid them landing in the wrong hands. This endeavour takes Morana on a dangerous and thrilling journey filled with difficult truths and complicated feelings for a certain dangerous man. Tristan Caine is such an interesting and mysterious character from the beginning. Known as the deadly 'Predator', Tristan harbours a hidden loathing from an otherwise unbeknownst Morana that soon comes to light as the story progress. Tristan and Morana's unwilling professional relationship is all bark and bite... and yet you cannot help but swoon at their apparent chemistry and tension. There's so much unknowns regarding their volatile relationship which just makes it all the more interesting and engaging. I loved that Morana wasn't afraid to dish back on everything that Tristan had to give... just as I love all of Tristan's mysterious quirks that you come to learn have meaning. I've seriously not been hot for a couple like this is so long... and I cannot get enough. Wow.The Predator is one of the best books that I have read, and I am absolutely feral for the continuation of Tristan and Morana's duet in The Reaper. The Dark Verse series is a story that spans across six interconnected books that have to be read in order to understand the continued plot despite the change of focus on different couples.

Book was good but VERY slow burn. There is so much push and pull between these two that at times I was just like ffs come on get it together now! I hope these two don’t continue this way for the span of the 5 books as I don’t see much more where it could go between them. So far the plot is good and I’m eager to find out more. I’ve liked the characters and I hope Dante gets a book and we can see his story. I will continue to the next book and see if progresses. Only reason I didn’t give 5 stars was because I wasn’t 100% gripped so far. There’s a lot going on with the back story that I don’t know if it adds up yet

Book Review - The Predator & The ReaperI was speechless by the end of each book…… Tristan Caine and Morana Vitalio….. Their story is by far one of the best I have read!!! I was literally on edge at all times!! There were sooo many surprises, I barely recovered from one and then the next surprise would pop out from no where. The lust and angst between Tristan and Morana is something I could feel in my bones!! Both their pasts are heart breaking, I literally cried multiple time!! And OMG without giving to much away…………. The rain scene was my favourite!!! Also just putting it out there… Morana is a badass!!!I don’t remember the last time I read a book from a 3rd person point of view and initially was confused but after a few chapters, the book didn’t leave my hand!!

Couple things annoyed me:1. When a character got seriously injured, they were fine the next day. I know it's friction but apparently they're superheroes.2. He's supposed to be a predator but essentially just stares at her for long periods of time & talks a big game3. The smut did not smut. It's a loooong burn, LOTS of lead up. Maybe 2/3 scenes & they're very vanilla.4. At 1 stage she gets on a motorcycle, the guy has a leather jacket on but she's wearing a spegetti tank top. Really?5. The author spends pages and pages of the FMC thinking "what if this" "what if that". Jesus just get on with it. I skipped alot.Will read the 2nd book because I liked the Tristan character but i hope it's get significantly better.

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️The Predator by RuNyx is book #1 in the Dark Verse series.I absolutely loved this book, it was very sexy, angsty, dark, and scrumptious...So Tristan is the hero of this book and at first he was all mysterious, quiet, dark, and brooding and then we slowly, very slowly, unravel is character and my heart melted for him!!! I absolutely love Tristan and all the secrets he harbours, I really felt for him.Enter Morana, the fiesty heroine, she is so ahhhmazing and I live for characters like her, she was so strong, intelligent and sexxy & she really knew how to throw caution to the wind, She did stress me out at some points, actually scrap that! Throughout, she had me so stressed, on the edge of my seat! I was legit screaming at her, what are you doing!!! But I love her tenacity & Admire the way she stands up for herself, she’s deffo a breath of fresh air from cliche, helpless heroines.Overall this book was ahhmazing, I definitely recommend. The book is written in third person which isn’t really my thing, but It was totally enjoyable, There was definitely a lot of intense eye contact and thick tension, I’ve been left needing lots and lots of answers!!!

This first entry in RuNyx's Dark Verse series is solid, especially for a first release. It is a bit of a slow-burn, but the writing overall is good (although like with any first-time release by an indie author, this could have used an extra pair of eyes in the editing department to make things a bit tighter and cleaner. But the story itself is where it's at for me, so the small amount of errors isn't enough to dock this book a star).RuNyx really knows how to tell a story, and while her heroines and heroes may not be for everyone, she has a way of writing them in such a way that makes it near impossible for me not to connect with them on some level, and the characters in this story are no exception. Morana, Tristan, Dante, and Amara - I love, am fascinated by, and am emotionally invested in each one of them. In a world of crime and unabashed evil, these four - with their varying shades of gray - fascinated and effortlessly drew me in.Morana Vitalio is our heroine, and her feelings of loneliness and isolation in the face of growing up under a tyrannical and emotionally neglectful (and straight-up abusive) father was especially poignant. You'd think after all she's endured, she'd be subdued or a doormat, but no. This woman - even if she has a tendency to let her hot headedness get her into trouble - she's got a mettle to her that I can't help but admire. She's stubborn, she's got a temper, and the girl just burns hot.Tristan Caine, on the other hand, is the ice to her fire. He's our dangerous, brooding, intense hero/anti-hero, and as is typical for the dark mafia romance genre, he is dominant, stubborn, unrelenting, and intimidating. But underneath all of those layers of frosty anger and a capacity for great violence, we get a good look towards the end at his damaged center: that of a broken boy with a lifetime of trauma that has never had the chance to properly heal.The chemistry between these enemies-turned-lovers is gradual, but the attraction and interest is there from the start, even if it's unwanted by both parties for much of the book. The way these two try to keep an emotional distance between themselves, even when they start to explore their mutual attraction - the romantic in me found that so frustrating, but the enemies-to-lovers trash that I am loved the agonizing tension and yearning. RuNyx captures the explosive heat and passion of their encounters, but also follows it up with a believable lack of satiation that leaves all parties involved (us readers included) wholly unsatisfied and desperate for another go round.The revelation of Tristan and Morana's connection at the climax made so much sense, though, and considering the nuggets of foreshadowing we've been getting, I think I can guess what's to come in The Reaper, but we'll see if I've interpreted RuNyx's hints correctly.Overall, this was a solid story. Definitely more of a slow-burn than anything else - even with the action scenes, the pacing wasn't as fast as I would have expected. Not necessarily a bad thing, just something to note. But I enjoyed it and am looking forward to the follow-up to see where all this leads.

It's not an authentic version. DON'T BUY IT

Mon commentaire ne concerne pas le contenu du livre mais plutôt l’état dans lequel il était à la livraison et je l’ai trouvé impeccable. C’était vraiment ma crainte en commandant un livre sur Amazon mais c’était vraiment superbe

I really liked reading this book, it is very relatable for me in the traumatic sense, but I do recommend that readers sensitive to triggers read the warnings first. The plot in the background is intriguing and mysterious and follows through in the next book. The main characters are interesting and well developed and have a unique relationship that develops well and follows into the second book.If you love Dark Mafia with plots and mystery and triggers, this is the book for you.

I can’t describe in words how much I love this book.All I can say is that my emotions are everywhere. 100 % I recommend it. For me it is an amazing book and I am so happy that I have gave a chance to read it.Good job author ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️