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Graphic: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence, Trafficking
⚠️ Before I get into my review, though, I need to give a very serious warning first. This story is not for everyone. I would honestly venture to say that it isn't for most people. Some seriously messed up and scary topics are explored in this duology, and the author herself warns that the second one is even darker than the first (and this one ends on a cliffhanger so if you do read it, there is a high likelihood you'll probably want to pick up the second). These scary topics include: human trafficking, child abuse, stalking, explicit sexual content including gun play and non-con interactions, and graphic violence among others. The second book is even more violent and sexually graphic based on its warnings. Please do not try to read this if any of those topics sound like things that could affect your well-being, no matter how many positive reviews you see about it.⚠️
Now if you know me, you're probably saying "WTF, Ana. Why would you pick up a book like this?" To which I say...I'm great at compartmentalizing.
But really, that confusion makes sense. I'm a therapist whose entire job is to help people overcome the sort of trauma that's in this book. But I'm also a horror and haunted attraction aficionado who's fascinated by what makes fear and the taboo so appealing that people pay to subject themselves to these things. In the end, that's what this book is: the same voyeuristic sensation-seeking that draws us to Halloween events and slasher flicks. All the feeling and adrenaline without the risk of living it. So I was instantly hooked.
HD Carlton managed to craft such a thorough exploration of the overlap between fear and arousal, anxiety and excitement, that i know after reading just a few pages that I was going to be obsessed.
The way that Carlton integrates humor, fear, and spice--flipping effortlessly between them--leads to a fast-paced, un-punt-down-able assault on your sensibilities. It makes you question yourself just as much as it makes you question Addie's decisions. I was so often torn between empathy and giggles or between disgust and attraction that I would often ponder what I'd read for hours after I put my Kindle down.It's very meta in that way--Addie talks about the line between terror and intrigue, and the reader is snared by the story, balancing on that same precipice before we even realize it.
Then, underlying the psychological conflict that both the reader and the characters face, there is the gothic horror subplot that would have kept me interested in the book alone. At it's core, this reads like an old-school feminist ghost story, in the vein of "The Yellow Wallpaper" or a Shirley Jackson story but with a lot more smut. So not only does the reader have to suss out our own reactions, but we're also at times trying to figure out what of Addie's experience is paranormal, psychological, or physically-real-world dangerous.
I am just overall blown away, and I absolutely cannot wait to pick up the next one. I know this series is going to give me the worst book hangover, and I'm handing myself over to it willingly. Decidedly very worth it if you can stomach all of the dark topics herein.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Car accident, Death of parent
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, Gaslighting
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
I think this book should be categorized as a thriller than a romance so the themes wouldn't mislead others and think that the actions made by the protagonist are acceptable. The thing is that there are so many moments that place doubts on the main character's beliefs where over time she makes an effort to accept her situation which is not fine at all.
I hate that there were moments that should be taken seriously but instead, they romanticize them.
It makes the readers think that the action that was made by the predator is fine which makes them ignore the other red flags that were present throughout the whole book. I also didn't like that there was little discussion about Adeline's situation and it was disregarded at times or brushed off by her.
If the predator himself should be considered a savior for the reason he saves sex-trafficked girls and women from men who abused them then sure he can be called a savior but if he does save women and children and have this particular liking towards this one woman and tries to stalk her and force her in a relationship then how can he be a good guy if what he does is save people then does this traumatizing stuff to this one woman.
I'm fine with him killing other people and stuff but her not giving consent and him forcing himself on her is not acceptable but he still continues to do throughout the whole book. I researched topics and themes that this book has so I am aware of some of the things that this book talks about but still questionable stuff.
In some way, the stalking part traumatize me a bit since I also experienced it recently and it made me remember the times when it happened to me...
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Car accident
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Death of parent
When Adeline's grandma died, she left her a beautiful Gothic mansion, and after a year of mourning her grandma, she moves in. Everything was alright until one day she discovers her great-grandmother's chilling diaries that shed some light to a murder case that was never sold. Meanwhile, she starts receiving flowers and notes to her home from a stalker. Will this stalker take her life before she can solve the mystery, or will he take more from her than that?
0.5 - World building and background characters
0.75 - Main character
This book was very good. It was so intriguing and the smut, oh my god. Zade was such a hot character and he and Adeline made such a good couple. I loved them so much together and their chemistry was off the charts. The one thing I didn't like is the whole paranormal thing going on in the book, totally unnecessary and it was just too much. The story was already good without it, and that was just overdoing it. The other thing I didn't like was that Zade was a little shitty to Adeline, to the point where it almost felt as if he just wanted to fuck her and that was the end of it. But in the end, he shows his love for her and I think he redeems himself, but still, he's on thin ice. And Adeline was low key stupid and couldn't stand up for herself at all.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Torture, Cannibalism
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts