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A review by plush
Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
challenging
dark
sad
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? No
3.0
Much like the first book, I’m not totally sure of what to rate this book.
Firstly, I have avoided writing a review because I’m conflicted. I’ve literally read two other light romances before coming back to this review.
I’m not going to go in super detail about plot because this book is dark. Please read trigger warnings, because this is actually dark.
I have not dabbled in dark romances. This is my first toe in the water and I’m pretty confident I will not read anymore. This is brutal to read. Especially the first 40/50%. There is graphic explicit rape, sexual assault, gore, knife play, death, murder, misogyny, etc… Had I not been buddy reading this, I’m not sure I would have even made it through book one.
All of this sounds rather negative, but I did like aspects of this book. Namely Addie’s revenge. It was the only reason I kept reading, because I wanted to see her assaulters suffer. Which, spoiler, they do in fact suffer.
This book is addictive. I’m not sure I would say that I enjoyed myself, but I wanted to know the end. I felt compelled to finish the book. But honestly, this didn’t even feel like a romance. It felt like an origin story. By the end of the book Addie is not at all who she was in book one. She’s understandably traumatized, but she also becomes bloodthirsty. I’m not sure it actually felt true to her character, but trauma changes everyone.
There were a lot of random, unnecessary side plots and points in this story. One being the journal Addie finds. Another being this weird cult that keeps being mentioned. The other strange thing being the rituals related to this supposed shadow government. Also, Addie’s house being hella haunted? It was a lot of extra just kinda spooned in with everything else to the point of being muddy.
I don’t really know. I’m giving it 3 stars because I finished it, and it made me thing, although I would never pick it up and read it again.
Firstly, I have avoided writing a review because I’m conflicted. I’ve literally read two other light romances before coming back to this review.
I’m not going to go in super detail about plot because this book is dark. Please read trigger warnings, because this is actually dark.
I have not dabbled in dark romances. This is my first toe in the water and I’m pretty confident I will not read anymore. This is brutal to read. Especially the first 40/50%. There is graphic explicit rape, sexual assault, gore, knife play, death, murder, misogyny, etc… Had I not been buddy reading this, I’m not sure I would have even made it through book one.
All of this sounds rather negative, but I did like aspects of this book. Namely Addie’s revenge. It was the only reason I kept reading, because I wanted to see her assaulters suffer. Which, spoiler, they do in fact suffer.
This book is addictive. I’m not sure I would say that I enjoyed myself, but I wanted to know the end. I felt compelled to finish the book. But honestly, this didn’t even feel like a romance. It felt like an origin story. By the end of the book Addie is not at all who she was in book one. She’s understandably traumatized, but she also becomes bloodthirsty. I’m not sure it actually felt true to her character, but trauma changes everyone.
There were a lot of random, unnecessary side plots and points in this story. One being the journal Addie finds. Another being this weird cult that keeps being mentioned. The other strange thing being the rituals related to this supposed shadow government. Also, Addie’s house being hella haunted? It was a lot of extra just kinda spooned in with everything else to the point of being muddy.
I don’t really know. I’m giving it 3 stars because I finished it, and it made me thing, although I would never pick it up and read it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Body horror, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Murder, Rape, Self harm, Stalking, Confinement, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, and Sexual harassment