Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

173 reviews

ekmartin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

The smut was good but it took so long to get there. Honestly shocked this was a slow burn. Also I definitely think the "Dark" romance aspect was way oversold. This isn't nearly as dark as all the booktok hype was letting on. I think maybe for those people this was their first dark romance - but I was expecting a lot more. The NC scenes were very much not NC as per the integral dialogue of the FMC, which just leaves us with stalking & murder. The end also drug on. Once I hit 80% I was wanting it to be over.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Body horror, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Gore, Gun violence, and Trafficking

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Trafficking, Classism, Child death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Sexual content, and Child abuse

sierrabowers's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad 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

4.75

I loved this book. The only reason I didn’t give it a 5 star rating is because of some of the random things put in that didn’t make sense or they were cringe. But otherwise, great plot and a great morally grey main character !! I liked the dual plot with the great grandmother’s murder and the infiltration of a trafficking ring. An amazing independent author! Support independent authors!!!!!
PSA PLEASE check triggers before reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Car accident, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Cursing, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Torture, Classism, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Stalking, Gaslighting, Rape, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Trafficking

navikris's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Body horror, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Rape, Drug use, Vomit, Torture, Trafficking, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death, Death of parent, Self harm, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Cursing, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Child death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Gun violence, Gore, Slavery, and Car accident

wolfkitten's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, Child death, Murder, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Slavery

vireya's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

It was SO GOOD. TikTok lead me to believe it would just be some super fucked up Stockholm syndrome sexcapade, but in truth the story itself was actually very compelling and there’s only one scene where she well and truly doesn’t consent and even then you could make an argument for it if you wanted to. The rest is all very much consensual non consent. And that is a very common kink. It isn’t for everyone, but it’s very common and I didn’t feel like it was super overdone. I’ve definitely read more romance novels that have sex just tossed in for the sake of having it. This was built into the story very well and did a very good job of highlighting the developing relationship between Addie and Zade as she gets to know him. I appreciate that the screwed up nature of developing a relationship with her stalker is something Addie frequently chastises herself for. It’s written in a way that doesn’t feel like she’s developed Stockholm syndrome and at one point she says

she’s the worst possible person to have a stalker because she already knows she’s attracted to that sort of thing before he even came into the picture

. And I love her side of the story as she works through her feelings and tries to figure out what happened with her great grandmother. I love the mirror effect and how she’s seeking her own answers to the conflict she feels toward Zade in her great grandmother’s past. I thought it was really well done. The story was compelling and intriguing beyond just this strange developing relationship between them.

Update: I actually reread the series about a month and a half later and loved it just as much the second time around  so I upped my rating

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Murder, Toxic relationship, Death, Sexual assault, Torture, Gore, Trafficking, and Violence

Moderate: Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Child death, and Child abuse

Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

It is very dark. If you are squeamish in the slightest this book is not for you.

autumn's review against another edition

dark 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.25

I saw this book recommended on TikTok and FB groups for those of us who enjoy a bit (okay, actually, a lot) of spice in our reading, and after reading the synopsis, I initially decided it wasn’t for me. 

But, I’m trying to push myself out of my comfort zone with my reading this year, in case I might find that I enjoy something I never bothered to try. It worked with another title (following two serial killers’ romantic tryst), so why not this? 

Well. I’ll tell you why. 

The female main character is, of course, the most devastatingly-beautiful, well-traveled, successful, early-twenties writer, who inherits a spooky manor from her grandmother (travel in her early twenties and a homeowner in the PNW…in THIS economy?!) But, whatever. This is a trope in all the romance books. Successful, breathtakingly beautiful FMC. Fine. 

The male main character. Ugh. He’s a super-hacker who is also a super-spy and super-stealthy super-soldier who rescues “trafficking victims” by killing bad guys. He devotes his life to saving “girls and children” (as written in the book), but upon seeing a poster of the FMC outside a book shop decides he is going to stalk her and force her to love him. Huh??? Where’s that savior complex now, dude? 

Of course, the first trafficker we encounter is described as a “Mexican” man. The next predator we are introduced to is part of a group of politicians who participate in Satanic rituals of drinking kid’s blood, and - wouldn’t ya know it - he’s got a stereotypically Jewish last name! Bigoted stereotypes, ahoy! 

All the “trafficking victims” are portrayed as loved and cared for little English-speaking girls who were snatched up by evil immigrants and will be returned to loving families, furthering this ridiculous notion that these trafficking rings are snatching up middle-class white women and their tow-headed children Braydynn and Braxxlyeigh from the children’s section of Target, rather than portraying the reality that most trafficking victims are groomed by family or close friends, or are a part of marginalized communities that are easily exploited or taken advantage of. 

The “hero” MMC murders a man and leaves his hands on the FMC’s doorstep, sexually assaults her multiple times (once with a handgun), and then she falls in love with him because he bangs her so good. He’s a disgusting hypocrite, and she is a dimwit. 

We’ve also got a potential ghost (?), a drug dealing crime family, a 1940s mafia, a crazy “broken doll” who works in a haunted fair and murders people…the list goes on.
  
The FMC was maybe (?) haunted in this book, but the fact that people can find anything redeeming in either of the main characters of this book is what will haunt me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Murder, Slavery, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Death, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Blood, Cannibalism, Pedophilia, Torture, Vomit, Antisemitism, Child death, Drug abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

caroras's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

1.75

Badly written book. The main character, Adeline, is completely fucking unlovable. She’s unbelievably annoying and plain out stupid. She makes not a single logical choice during this 583 pages long book.
This is Stockholm Syndrome, so I guess whoever is into that, this one’s for you.
That is if you also enjoy idiot characters and predictable plots.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Child death, Gore, Slavery, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Child abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Torture, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Violence

Moderate: Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, and Death of parent

nicollette_13's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Confinement, Rape, Sexual harassment, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, Gaslighting, and Gore

hcrocker18's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Trafficking, Child abuse, Violence, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Sexual content

karlyjo's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

1.0

very conflicted with my rating for this book. did i stay up until 3am to finish it? yes. did the mystery element have me turning the pages like crazy? yes. for that reason it should be a 3-4star rating  BUT I cannot stand the countless times God was painted in a false light and Satan was glorified. Also Zade hates rapists and pedophiles but he rapes her but it’s okay because she ended up liking it? and he called her little girl while doing it? no. the spice was the majority of the book and had my jaw on the floor but despite me flying through this book i can’t rate it more than one star for those reasons. also the ending had my stomach twisting with the elevated form of child sacrifice and pedophilia and the dark part of the dark romance became a little too much for me. did i have a unique and fast reading experience? yes. could i ever in my right mind recommend this book to anyone? no. even though it was thrilling and the spice scenes were… on another level… at the end of the book i felt like i never should have picked it up in the first place. yet i’m curious to read the second but i don’t think i will anytime soon. or maybe ever. everyone in this book needs major therapy 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Stalking, Torture, Vomit, Blood, Cursing, Murder, Gun violence, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Violence, Body horror, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Car accident, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Trafficking, Child abuse, and Death