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ariistokate's review
2.0
this is for the people who have never read fan fiction in their life and have to learn it is not peak
reiwarden's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
It's just the same thing over and over. The prose is enjoyable but characters are flat and plot is bland.
highladyofthenightkourt's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
I didn’t realize this was actually an “abuse romance” instead of a “dark romance” and only read it because everyone was talking about it.
I almost DNF after the SA but kept going to see why people love the MMC and I just…ick.
I’m going to read the second one anyway because I have a hard time DNFing books/series. It’s a problem but I don’t see all the love Z has.
He still SAed her…more than once. 🫤
I’m going to read the second one anyway because I have a hard time DNFing books/series. It’s a problem but I don’t see all the love Z has.
He still SAed her…more than once. 🫤
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Stalking, Rape, Kidnapping, and Physical abuse
whatnataliereadss's review
4.0
I’m gonna rate this 4.5 stars because I loved it but was just not quite a 5 star read for me. I’ll come back and write a proper review later because with a cliff hanger like that you know I’m going straight to HA2!?
wsyrzaaaa's review
4.0
So, "Haunting Adeline" is a pretty intense dark romance book that will definitely give you the chills. I legit kept my moral compass out of bearings and i did the right thing before reading this
Addie, the main character, moves into a haunted manor she inherited from her grandma. Turns out, her great-grandma was murdered in that very house, and the killer was never caught. Creepy, right? As if that's not enough, Addie starts seeing similarities between her own life and her late grandma's, including having a stalker. This stalker won't leave her alone, and as she reads her great-grandma's journals, she starts to feel like history might be repeating itself.
Let me tell you, this book genuinely creeped me out. The haunted manor alone made me feel like I should only read it during the day, but when you add in Zade, Addie's stalker, it takes it to a whole new level. Now, I know what you're thinking. A stalker as a love interest? That's messed up. Well, you're right, it's not your typical romance. But strangely enough, I kinda liked Addie and Zade together. He brought out her sassy side, and she didn't take any of his creepy behavior lightly. And damn, the chemistry between them was sizzling hot, dark, and kinky.
The mystery aspect of the book was alright, though not mind-blowing. You could probably guess what happened to Addie's great-grandma pretty early on. But hey, that's not the main focus anyway.
My biggest gripe with the book is that Addie and Zade felt a bit one-dimensional. Addie lacked personality, and her attraction to Zade seemed purely physical. And Zade? Well, all we really learn about him is that he's Addie's stalker and works against sex trafficking. It felt forced, like they were trying to make him redeemable.
Overall, "Haunting Adeline" lands somewhere between good and excellent. It had its moments, and that cliffhanger ending definitely got me curious about the next book. I'd say H.D. Carlton is an author worth checking out if you're into dark romances with a side of mystery.
Addie, the main character, moves into a haunted manor she inherited from her grandma. Turns out, her great-grandma was murdered in that very house, and the killer was never caught. Creepy, right? As if that's not enough, Addie starts seeing similarities between her own life and her late grandma's, including having a stalker. This stalker won't leave her alone, and as she reads her great-grandma's journals, she starts to feel like history might be repeating itself.
Let me tell you, this book genuinely creeped me out. The haunted manor alone made me feel like I should only read it during the day, but when you add in Zade, Addie's stalker, it takes it to a whole new level. Now, I know what you're thinking. A stalker as a love interest? That's messed up. Well, you're right, it's not your typical romance. But strangely enough, I kinda liked Addie and Zade together. He brought out her sassy side, and she didn't take any of his creepy behavior lightly. And damn, the chemistry between them was sizzling hot, dark, and kinky.
The mystery aspect of the book was alright, though not mind-blowing. You could probably guess what happened to Addie's great-grandma pretty early on. But hey, that's not the main focus anyway.
My biggest gripe with the book is that Addie and Zade felt a bit one-dimensional. Addie lacked personality, and her attraction to Zade seemed purely physical. And Zade? Well, all we really learn about him is that he's Addie's stalker and works against sex trafficking. It felt forced, like they were trying to make him redeemable.
Overall, "Haunting Adeline" lands somewhere between good and excellent. It had its moments, and that cliffhanger ending definitely got me curious about the next book. I'd say H.D. Carlton is an author worth checking out if you're into dark romances with a side of mystery.
library_breeder's review
3.0
Yeah, I only read this because of the "Satan's Affair" novella and wanted to see how the POV of the
"hero" in this book matched up with his POV in that book. While it was okaaaayyy, I skimmed a LOT of this book.
Aside from the hero being a crazy stalker/instalove with the heroine, and our heroine being unable to resist said scary stalker, which really, honestly, I had no idea who this character was supposed to appeal to, but the thing that really had me skimming the book was the unnecessary and total story killer of a subplot in which we deal with a diary/ghosts/and an unsolved murder of a great grandmother that everyone in the book calls by her first name - "Gigi".
Even the granddaughter (Mom), and great-granddaughter and heroine of this book (Addie) call her by her first name. Who does this? When I think on my great-grandparents who aren't all that far removed from my own generation (Grandma's Mom) I don't think of them by their first names. Our heroine talks about her "Nana" (grandmother) and Mom, but when it comes to Nana's mom, she gets the first name treatment. That was only one problem with this subplot I had a problem with.
You know, I was going to get on the author about the times and ages not adding up, but eff-me, 1946 was actually farther back in time than I am giving it credit for. Apparently, Nana dies in 2018 at the age of 91, being 16 years old in 1946. I for whatever reason couldn't imaging a 91 year old grandmother being so young back in that time. Yeah, 1946 was some 75 years ago. ok. Regardless, I guess my own family have had their kids young because we only have between 20 - 25 years between the generations. Lol.
So, I am glad I pushed through because I had been on some kind of quest to finish the books I have started, and I do want to read the next book in this duet because I believe it will finally be what I am looking for. Of course I won't spoil what that is, but thank fcuk that it won't be about a dead great grandmother's diary.
"hero" in this book matched up with his POV in that book. While it was okaaaayyy, I skimmed a LOT of this book.
Aside from the hero being a crazy stalker/instalove with the heroine, and our heroine being unable to resist said scary stalker, which really, honestly, I had no idea who this character was supposed to appeal to, but the thing that really had me skimming the book was the unnecessary and total story killer of a subplot in which we deal with a diary/ghosts/and an unsolved murder of a great grandmother that everyone in the book calls by her first name - "Gigi".
Even the granddaughter (Mom), and great-granddaughter and heroine of this book (Addie) call her by her first name. Who does this? When I think on my great-grandparents who aren't all that far removed from my own generation (Grandma's Mom) I don't think of them by their first names. Our heroine talks about her "Nana" (grandmother) and Mom, but when it comes to Nana's mom, she gets the first name treatment. That was only one problem with this subplot I had a problem with.
You know, I was going to get on the author about the times and ages not adding up, but eff-me, 1946 was actually farther back in time than I am giving it credit for. Apparently, Nana dies in 2018 at the age of 91, being 16 years old in 1946. I for whatever reason couldn't imaging a 91 year old grandmother being so young back in that time. Yeah, 1946 was some 75 years ago. ok. Regardless, I guess my own family have had their kids young because we only have between 20 - 25 years between the generations. Lol.
So, I am glad I pushed through because I had been on some kind of quest to finish the books I have started, and I do want to read the next book in this duet because I believe it will finally be what I am looking for. Of course I won't spoil what that is, but thank fcuk that it won't be about a dead great grandmother's diary.
x_lucy_x16's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Amazing