Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

58 reviews

misswirum's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

3.75

This is a book that's extreme hyped on social media, and I guess I expect more? It was kinda slow, but also kinda relaxing? 
I liked the c-plot the most. I was deeply invested in knowing who killed Adeline's great-grandmother. The ghost-vibes was a nice touch.

I also liked Parson Manor. It was described perfectly! 
I think Adeline was an okay FMC. I really don't see the hate for her. Zade was also okay, although unhinged lol.

Will be diving right into Hunting AdelineđŸ«Ł

3,75/5⭐
4/5📝
3,5/5đŸŒ¶

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meganlaza's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • 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


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teaandbooksnuggery's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75


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alyciajstewart's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • 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

First, let me start by saying that this is a *dark* romance. If you do not want a bit of blood and tears mixed in with your smut then this will not be the right book for you. You have been warned. 

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.

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marswellings_'s review against another edition

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Idk it was just kinda giving me the ick (the girl would say no I don't want this and the guy who was supposedly super against sexual assault would just kinda force her and be like 'you want this you just don't know it'.) Some people absolutely love this book I am not one of those people. I might pick it back up and finish it later but probably not.

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carolinemassaro's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

When H.D. Carlton said cliffhanger she meant cliffhanger.
Everyone talks about the house of mirrors scene but why was no one talking about the car or movie theater scene?
Also had side plot of mystery that was never mentioned on tik tok.
Throughly enjoyed

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eliya's review against another edition

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dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
R*PE IS NOT SEXY.

This book is kink for people who don’t understand the consensual trust between sexual partners. A person who thinks that raunchy sex can only exist completely opposite to their understanding of sex. It made me really sad to read this book. I was really excited for creepy, scary kink and this book let me down.

The plot of the book is boring,
I don’t care about the grandmas murder, the killer was obvious.


The book is too long, 600 pages of the main character “i don’t like it
 i shouldn’t like it
 but i do” over and over and over again made me want to slam my head through a wall get new material 

The characters are poorly written, Adeline is so obviously the author, Zade is so self-righteous about his conflicting morals — stalking a women “i’d never hit a woman” ass bitch while hitting and choking addie??? 

Below are direct quotes from the book - 

"If you were my little girl, I would worship every inch of your body for as long as our souls are tethered to this earth. My tongue would leave no part of you untouched." pg. 342 

“‘Stop it’ she pants, but don't listen. She swats at me, but those tiny hands: no match against mine.“ pg. 344

“But I know that I would've woken up the next day and hated myself. Because I would've slept with a stalker, a murderer and a man who has forced himself on me on several occasions. I would've slept with a man who doesn't respect my boundaries, my personal space, or the word no.” pg. 409

“she shrieks, her voice pitched so high, it nearly makes me cringe. God. Fucking women and their screeching.” pg 442

“A wicked smile forms, though the heat in my eyes remains. "Sounds to me like you don't understand a woman's body well enough to know when it sings for you, even when her mouth tries to resist." pg. 531

fuck this book. 

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bimsa's review against another edition

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

5.0

The writing was great, pace and plot was cohesive and engaging. Smut and story dark but not overwhelming. TW recommended for sure. 

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azileotulp's review against another edition

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

4.75

I've procrastinated reading it for months and I'm so happy I finally got around to it. Obviously this book isn't for everyone (pay attention to warnings!), but I'm perfectly happy with darker stuff.

I really liked how long it took for the real smut to actually start. I'm honestly not a big fan of smut in general, so I liked that it didn't start until about one-third of the way in. It really ramped up after that point, but I didn't mind. Like I said, I'm not a fan of it in general, but I don't let that reflect my ratings because it's something I've come to expect.

I also loved the mystery throughout the novel with Adeline trying to find Gigi's killer. I did guess it, but it took quite a long time for me to realize. The use of Gigi's diary pages between chapters was also a really nice touch.

And how can I talk about why I love this book without talking about "the shadow?" (I'll call him Z for the rest of the review just in case anyone considers revealing his actual name a spoiler.) This man is a whole comedian. I lived for his POV. I loved seeing him come face-to-face with pedophiles and absolutely obliterating them in his mind. Just a very sassy, funny little guy. I feel like under most circumstances I would dislike how much of a hypocrite he was (a rapist who hates rapists?), but the fact that he acknowledged his own hypocrisy and just didn't care was such a power move and kind of hilarious to me.

Of course, I loved Adeline too. Her conflicting feelings of desire and hatred of Z were really interesting to me, and I liked the parallel between her own feelings for Z and Gigi's feelings for her stalker. Even without Z, I appreciate her as a character in her own right. She's funny, sassy, and strong. Even if I preferred the shadow chapters a bit, I definitely enjoyed her chapters too.

I honestly would love to give this book a slightly higher rating because I absolutely adored it. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 was that it could honestly be a bit cringeworthy at times, specifically when it came to some of Z's dialogue. I wish I could give examples, but I don't have the book with me (borrowed it from a friend). I just know that as I read some of his dialogue, I had to put the book down and take a breath. It didn't happen often enough that it destroyed his character for me, but it was often enough that it brought down the book overall just a bit. Other than that, I have literally no other complaints. I feel like a lot of the hate comes from people thinking that it "glamorizes" things like sexual assault and stalking, but I never really got that feeling? I don't believe you're expected to read the story and conclude that Z would be a good person in real life. The warning at the beginning of the book literally describes his actions towards Adeline as non-con/dub-con. The things that happen in this book are pretty common fantasies for women (fantasy as in things that we don't actually want to happen in real life) and we shouldn't be ashamed of that.

I can't recommend this book enough. I've started the second one and I am loving it so far, and I'm definitely hoping I'll be able to give it 5 stars.

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autumn's review against another edition

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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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