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A review by nidhzinwonderland
Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
2.75
Okay so I have a lot to say so buckle up,
I dnf'd this book twice so this is my third attempt reading it and was it worth it? Yes and No
Why did I dnf it?
I dnf'd this book because despite all the trigger warning I still did not find it in me to be okay with the inconsensual shit and the stalking. I think overall I just felt kinda disgusted and like not okay with it one bit. And I still feel the same about the stalking. It is and will always be unacceptable regardless of the fact that Zade Meadows is this dark super cool superhero that's saving children from traficking. So, because of the fact that I was soo not okay with what was going on I dnf'd it; TWICE!!
What made me pick it up again?
I ain't one bit proud of this but Tik tok made me do it. It is all over frickin book tok and everyone else just seems to love it. So that was the major reason I picked it up again but the other one is that I'm practiclly incapable of leaving a book unfinished. It continuously bugs me and even f I don't like it one bit I'm stll spending all my mental energy wondering what exactly the plot might've been.
So curiousity + booktok = Terrible life choices
My final thoughts about the book:
Well am I suddenly okay with all the shit Zade did? NO. But was the book all bad, NO. One of the things that made this book enjoyable was the parallel plotline of Gigi's murder. I absolutely loved the phsycological impact it had on Addie cuz it helped establish an inner conflict about this stalker [whom she firmly believed to be her great grand mother] and what it could mean for her to live in the same house and watch history repeat itself.
Another hing I liked or rather I thoght brought a meaning to the plotline was the whole human traficking and child abuse aspect. Personally speaking I don't read romance because I find it lacking and find myself getting bored with just two charecters trying to figure out their lives. But, this book had so much mystery to it and kept us on our toes while unraveling the dirty secrets of the underground and the governments involvement. Overall, I think it just brought to light a very underdiscussed and taboo topic which is such a huge scary part pf this world.
Coming to the charecters, Addie was an okay charecter. She reacted like any normal prerson and though most people would probably find her excitement for fear to be kinda phsycotic, I relate to, maybe not to that great of an extent but haunted houses and horror films have always been a favourite. Zade was a charecter I have veryyyy conflicting feelings about and I think thats what he was from the very start. Yes he was messed up on so many levels but unlike Colleen Hoover's books it was acknowledged, and accepted as wrong. He is man of morals and though when it comes to Addie he pisses me off he comes close to swoon- worthy a couple of times.
Overall, though plot and mystery was a plus to this book it would've made for a much more pleasent experience if the romance was handled differently. But it is what it is and thats a reason I'll never be able to like Zade Meadows completely.
Nidhi <3
I dnf'd this book twice so this is my third attempt reading it and was it worth it? Yes and No
Why did I dnf it?
I dnf'd this book because despite all the trigger warning I still did not find it in me to be okay with the inconsensual shit and the stalking. I think overall I just felt kinda disgusted and like not okay with it one bit. And I still feel the same about the stalking. It is and will always be unacceptable regardless of the fact that Zade Meadows is this dark super cool superhero that's saving children from traficking. So, because of the fact that I was soo not okay with what was going on I dnf'd it; TWICE!!
What made me pick it up again?
I ain't one bit proud of this but Tik tok made me do it. It is all over frickin book tok and everyone else just seems to love it. So that was the major reason I picked it up again but the other one is that I'm practiclly incapable of leaving a book unfinished. It continuously bugs me and even f I don't like it one bit I'm stll spending all my mental energy wondering what exactly the plot might've been.
So curiousity + booktok = Terrible life choices
My final thoughts about the book:
Well am I suddenly okay with all the shit Zade did? NO. But was the book all bad, NO. One of the things that made this book enjoyable was the parallel plotline of Gigi's murder. I absolutely loved the phsycological impact it had on Addie cuz it helped establish an inner conflict about this stalker [whom she firmly believed to be her great grand mother] and what it could mean for her to live in the same house and watch history repeat itself.
Another hing I liked or rather I thoght brought a meaning to the plotline was the whole human traficking and child abuse aspect. Personally speaking I don't read romance because I find it lacking and find myself getting bored with just two charecters trying to figure out their lives. But, this book had so much mystery to it and kept us on our toes while unraveling the dirty secrets of the underground and the governments involvement. Overall, I think it just brought to light a very underdiscussed and taboo topic which is such a huge scary part pf this world.
Coming to the charecters, Addie was an okay charecter. She reacted like any normal prerson and though most people would probably find her excitement for fear to be kinda phsycotic, I relate to, maybe not to that great of an extent but haunted houses and horror films have always been a favourite. Zade was a charecter I have veryyyy conflicting feelings about and I think thats what he was from the very start. Yes he was messed up on so many levels but unlike Colleen Hoover's books it was acknowledged, and accepted as wrong. He is man of morals and though when it comes to Addie he pisses me off he comes close to swoon- worthy a couple of times.
Overall, though plot and mystery was a plus to this book it would've made for a much more pleasent experience if the romance was handled differently. But it is what it is and thats a reason I'll never be able to like Zade Meadows completely.
Nidhi <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Torture, Blood, Trafficking, Stalking, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Man this is the most trigger warnings I've ever used or seen used for a book so careful.