Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

233 reviews

bookswithbeea's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious sad tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

pandaheads2's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This was less of a dark romance and more of just a dark story with a romance in the background. I kept reading because although the abuse is graphic, I think the author did an excellent job of exploring trauma and how one reacts to it both during, and after. Trauma can certainly change a person but watching the fmc slowly come to terms with her experience and become stronger, while still having moments of weakness was refreshing. Far too often fmcs are written to instantly get over a trauma and move on as if nothing had ever happened. It was empowering to walk along with the fmc while she came to terms with her experiences and how she wanted to live moving forward.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

Minor: Alcoholism and Alcohol

dontbendmybooks's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Beginning felt fast paced, but last half fell into a slower pace. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

mmstfuattdlagg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice/Steam: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Relationship: FM
Tropes/Triggers: CSA (off page), murder, torture, mutilation, dismemberment, non/dubcon, secret society, human trafficking, kidnapping, self harm, SA, rape, PTSD, knife play, blood play
Series: Hunting Adeline - Cat and Mouse Universe #3 (second book of the duet)

Synopsis
The trigger warnings are real, this is a much darker book than Haunting Adeline.

Picking up right after the first book, FMC Adeline/Addie Reilly has been abducted. Her captors work for a human trafficking ring and she is being forced to learn her place. She is regarded as a highly coveted possession but that doesn't save her from cruelty.

MMC Zade Meadows is desperately searching for his little mouse, Addie. He is razing the earth for her and leaving countless bodies behind, trying to save her.
How far will someone go to survive and how far will someone go to save their loved ones? The main characters aren't the only one pondering that.

Review
As previously mentioned, there is a lot of darkness and gruesome acts are described in detail. So this is not for the faint of heart. There is a lot of blood and blood play, consensual and non consensual.

Some parts were difficult to read, such as the tragic events and the resulting debilitating trauma. Our main characters absolutely go through it all...but lightness does peek through eventually. It wasn't always my cup of tea but the love story is still there, which will always draw me in. The pure love and devotion, unwavering and ever present.

A lot of loose ends are tied and while it doesn't end on a cliffhanger, per se, it leaves the universe open to so many possibilities. We see the return of Sibby, who is always a crazy delight, and the introduction of some other memorable characters that either have their own books or who will eventually be fleshed out into their own stories. As dark as this book was, I still need to read everything in its universe.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

crypticspren's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Firstly, holy gods READ the trigger warnings. If you make it to the first grape scene and can’t deal, skip to chapter 21. I promise you won’t miss much, if anything.

The writing and character development were extremely well done, and the book felt well paced and the level of detail was tangible. From a writing and quality point of view, this book is excellent. Although I can’t say I enjoyed it. The first half was extremely graphic and it was unsettling at best. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Stalking, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol

lreadss's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

bre_mad's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

I truly did enjoy this book. It is dark but that is not a secret. This book did a lot of eye opening for me and I feel it does capture trauma response in Addie well for how it would go for someone else.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

gigglybookgeek's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Again, on kobo it was very disappointing to have an AI voice. This is such a disservice to the narrators that did work on the book. It’s also a disservice to author because of mispronunciation and disjointed words. 

This book is definitely darker. You read the trigger warnings, right? Right?! Well, it hits even harder. So get ready. This is more than just dark romance. It will push you over the edge. 

There isn’t anything Zade won’t do to find his little mouse. While others work to shatter the diamond to pieces, she remembers all the things Zade has taught her. In the end, they will regret her turning her pain into a rage. 

As the description says, blood will paint the ground all through out this book. Addie endures so much, it broke me. Parts were so difficult to read, and Zade really felt like just an absolute ahole in some places. Not love or desire, just an ahole. 

This book is full of suspense, twist and turns, pain, the darkest parts of humanity (if you can even call it humanity), and enough blood spilled to save several lives. You’ll wonder why you’re still reading it. Especially if the ptsd/cptsd hits. You will probably still finish it, and be glad you did. Now, I need to go touch grass and feel some sunshine on my face. Whew. What a freakin journey!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

laurencita's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book doesn’t shy away from exposing the horrible trauma of the skin trade- take the reader discretion note seriously!!! 

It was an amazing and emotionally complicated book— definitely ramped up from book 1 but tastefully. Also I’m in love with Zade- he’s so well written!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

dmdebevoise's review

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Almost DNF into part 1. Part 2 was better

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis