The Annihilator

Very dark and might be disturbing to others. Contains sexual slavery activities, voyeurism, human trafficking, BDSM, forced drug abuse, and suicide ideation. It was heart-rending to witness Luna's/Lyla's unendurable and tormenting experience. I felt her despair and brokenness.

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖📖
Narration:🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨✨✨

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

First Impressions
The Annihilator is the most recent release of the DarkVerse series by RuNyx. There was something so much different that caused this one to just hit different in comparison to her other books, I am not sure exactly what made The Annihilator so much more impactful, but there is literally nothing wrong with this book and its practical perfection if you love dark romance. It has thrills and edges, passion and heart and its her most flawless writing that I have experienced and once you get into it, I guarantee that you won't be able to put it down.

First Line
Alone.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: The Shadowman
The Heroine: Lyla

Whatever it was, from the moment her fire had found his, her fate, was sealed.

Summary
Lyla was taken as a child and all she has ever known is a life of slavery and working for those that own he, she is forced to do things for an organization that for her there is literally no escape and no hope for anything good in her life....until her Shadowman showed up into her life and her life was changed forever. The Shadow man and Lyla have a connection and he will always protect her no matter what. But just when Lyla thought there was hope and love happening, she was betrayed and hurt and Shadowman was her saving grace, but can he help her heal from a lifetime of inner scars and turmoil? Will they forge a new path together and find freedom together?

What I Loved
Whew this book was a wild ride of a roller coaster and took me through so many twists and turns that I never expected when it would begin and end. There is such a cloud of mystery around their connection and the way that it is built throughout the story is truly magnificent. My heart immediately went out to Lyla but she does deal with some challenging things and so if you get triggered at all, I would check these for this book. Although if you love dark romance, then you should be good to go.

Lyla resonated so well with, and while I haven't personally had her full experiences, I do understand what it means to be violated and I resonated with her on it. And it really showcases how real human trafficking is and we need more books that show this. The hero was so anti hero alpha male that I fell so hard for him. It was hard seeing what happens between them to cause some conflict, but how he becomes such a caretaker for her and helps her heal totally sealed the deal for me completely. I had no issues with the hero at all, although, I know some readers aren't a fan of Shadowman. But honestly he really worked for me. He was the perfect anti hero and yes he wasn't perfect but I don't want my heroes perfect, he was beautifully flawed and they had such a raw energy that I just connected so easily with.

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. He would slay her demons and give her the sword to slay them if she wanted. He would hold her close and protect her from anything wanting to tarnish her being. She completed parts of him that had been jagged and raw, fitting inside them with softness and fluidity, soothing some latent beast within him. Where she loved him with all her light, he possessed her with all his shadows. That's why she was his.

What I Struggled With
The only thing I would change is the ending, it was slightly rushed. Not enough to affect my outlook on the story, but I do wish we had more couple page time after everything was resolved. But now I need the finale book...where is it RuNyx? LOL

Narration
Powerfully done. Very captivating. The story and narration starts out slow, but once you get hooked, you won't be able to put down the audiobook.

Overall View
The Annihilator is a raw and riveting romance that will take you to the most intense of human experience but throughout the journey will deliver beautiful heart to take your breath away!

He wasn't a believer, but she was his miracle

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Dark Romance
Character Types: Alpha Anti Hero, Submissive Heroine, Abused Heroine, Assassin Billionaire Hero.
Themes: Mutual Pining, Protector, PTSD
Tropes: Forced Proximity

Book Perspective
Duo POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A blend

If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Sebring by Kristen Ashley
Fractured Soul by Neva Alta J
Relentless Hunter by Maggie Cole

Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes I would say doing it in order, but you could read as a standalone if needed, just depends on how easy you catch onto detail.

Steam/Spice Explanations

Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.

Narrators:
Gregory Salinas
Heather Stonewell show less

This series has so many diverse characters, one can't help but marvel at the author's work. Also, this book is dark. At some point I felt I struggled to keep myself afloat in Luna's depressive modes. Fair warning for multiple triggers.

I did not enjoy this book as much as the other ones. I felt Lyla and Shadow Man's were not as epic and the other ones, and I was hoping for a more detailed ending. I am unsure if I should get the last one (which has been on hold for over a year). A part of me wants to get it, but the wait has made me lose a bit of interest.

I loved the book so muchhhh