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max_lovesreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Violence, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Stalking, Torture, Death, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Pedophilia
georgina1306's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Trafficking, Sexual assault, Slavery, Murder, Death, Violence, Torture, Kidnapping, Confinement, Sexual violence, Stalking, Rape, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts
meganlaza's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Body horror, Classism, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Medical content, Murder, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Child death, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Gore, Rape, Alcohol, Death, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Sexism, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Mental illness, and Physical abuse
kat_reads26's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
With that said, Haunting Adeline started strong and then became a chore to read. The idea of a sexy-stalker-CNC romance with a spooky setting was very intriguing. I'd heard good things from Booktok about this one, including how heavily "spicy" it was. While there is graphic sex scenes depicted here, I have definitely read better. What's worse is that the book is so plot heavy that you have to read through several chapters of our FMC playing detective in her house and our MMC playing "good guy" mercenary with maybe 10 spicy scenes in a 500+ page book.
Speaking of our MMC, he's a complete hypocrite. The chapters from his POV are all about how he wants to save women and children from trafficking and take down pedophile rings/the skin trade and how disgusted he is by the sexual abuse that takes place. And yet he is a textbook definition stalker that has set his sights on the FMC for no discernable reason besides beauty and sexually assaults her again and again. The author does her best to convince us that its not as bad as it is because our FMC is aroused by fear and mystery. That while she "knows its wrong" her body "can't help it." The MMC is clearly told no to his advances over and over again throughout the span of the story (with a few CNC moments nearer to the end) but he persists, claiming it's a game and that he's turned on by her fear and by the chase. The author insists the stalker needs to be redeemable and likable so she has essentially made him the batman of sex trafficking rings.
The sex scenes we do get (albeit rape for most of the book) are padded with multiple chapters of our MMC being the hero of an action movie no one signed on for, as well as an ongoing (and insufferable) added plot of the FMC solving her Great Grandmother's murder. I mean, I guess Adeline needed SOMETHING to do when she's not getting assaulted by the MMC.
If you were hoping to get a dark/taboo sexy love story to get off to while you read... this isn't gonna be it.
I'm not kidding when I tell you that 95% of the sex scenes in this book are non consensual. The FMC is more or less Stockholm syndromed into falling for her stalker via his magic penis. I'm not saying this story wasn't worth reading...but I am saying I probably won't read the next one.
This story ends on a cliffhanger. I'm fine with not knowing what happens next.
Trigger Warnings with Spoilers:
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Trafficking, Child abuse, Stalking, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Cursing
Minor: Cannibalism and Drug use
nholdenarendt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Rape, Violence, Antisemitism, Drug use, Kidnapping, Child death, Death, Torture, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Murder, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
raspberryjelly's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Blood, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Trafficking, Car accident, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Torture, Death, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Cursing, and Sexual harassment
feeow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Torture, Gore, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Death, Cursing, Gaslighting, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Slavery, Addiction, Blood, and Body horror
Minor: Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Body horror, and Alcohol
alyciajstewart's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
All of that being said, I think the author did an exceptional job of creating a morally gray character. Zade is not someone you want to like, but in the end you do start rooting for him because his cause is so just. Addie is the perfect heroin for this type of romance novel. She enjoys being scared and I think is a little bit twisted. Honestly, the novel wouldn't work if she wasn't just a little bit insane. The banter between the two leads is top tier and the spice is definitely high.
I think that this book is a great way for people to explore a darker side of romance without actually putting themselves in danger. I think it's okay to enjoy reading about things that we wouldn't be okay with in real life. I am eagerly anticipating the second book in the duology.
Graphic: Death, Child death, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Gore, Sexism, Body horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, Grief, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Drug use, Blood, Car accident, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Trafficking, Violence, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, and Rape
marswellings_'s review against another edition
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Violence, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Rape, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexism, Torture, Gore, Blood, Child abuse, and Murder
Minor: Cursing, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Pedophilia, Sexism, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Drug use, Gore, and Child abuse
shakzer's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.75
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Drug use, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Slavery, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Murder, Torture, Alcohol, Child abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, and Trafficking