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A review by amanda_reads13
Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Read the trigger warnings before even thinking about reading this book. They are no joke. There are some incredibly intense scenes involving rape (they call it non consentual consent, but let's call it what it is), child abuse, stalking, and trafficking.
The relationship between Addie and Zade was completely fucked up. She got off on being scared and he got off on scaring her. He is her stalker (he breaks into her house and rapes her/sexually assaulted her) and we are meant to believe that she just accepted it and formed a relationship with this man (within 3 months). There are some very traumatic scenes near the beginning of their "relationship" where he sexually assaulted her with a gun and then ties her to a bed and sexually assaulted her. It is played off in the book as though it was a non consentual consent situation, but it wasn't. He did not have her consent at that point. Later in the book he did, but not during those scenes. These scenes could be very traumatic for some readers.
What I cannot understand is that Zade works to eliminate rapists and pedophiles from this world, but he himself is a stalker, rapist, and murderer. We are give no logical reason as to why he became this way. He came from a good home and when he learned about human trafficking he wanted to "do something about it". I feel like this was lazy writing and we needed more of a motive and backstory as to why he does what he does and why he is the way he is.
I feel like the whole storyline surrounding her great-grandmother was pointless and could have been cut out completely. It didn't add anything to the story.
I think the writer was really focused on writing for "shock value" and not enough on creating a strong story.
What I cannot understand is that Zade works to eliminate rapists and pedophiles from this world, but he himself is a stalker, rapist, and murderer. We are give no logical reason as to why he became this way. He came from a good home and when he learned about human trafficking he wanted to "do something about it". I feel like this was lazy writing and we needed more of a motive and backstory as to why he does what he does and why he is the way he is.
I feel like the whole storyline surrounding her great-grandmother was pointless and could have been cut out completely. It didn't add anything to the story.
I think the writer was really focused on writing for "shock value" and not enough on creating a strong story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Child death, Rape, Confinement, Grief, Trafficking, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Violence, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gun violence, Stalking, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Torture, and Toxic relationship