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A review by thelongroadtosanity
Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"Scars only serve as reminders of what we’ve survived, not what killed us."
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Picking up where the cliffhanger of the first book had ended, Addie was kidnapped and sold into the skin trade. Months pass of her enduring abuse, both physical and sexual, while she waits for Zade to locate her traffickers and rescue her. Zade starts by hunting down all of the people he suspects of taking Addie and tortures them for information. After a long period of time, Zade finally locates Addie... Just as soon as she escapes herself, and they head back to her manor to help her heal from her trauma. Once she has come to terms with what had happened she begins training to help Zade find the mastermind behind The Society and take the ultimate revenge on her abusers.
This book was graphic from start to end, so please make sure you check ALL of the TRIGGER WARNINGS before starting down this rabbit hole.
I will also be talking about some sensitive topics in the review below this paragraph so please read at your discretion.
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I have to say, the abuse that Addie had gone through was very explicit and despite its graphic nature, I came to a deeper understanding of what sex trafficking victims and other abuse victims go through. I also thought that the representation of the trauma and PTSD in the second half of the book was very well done, especially when Addie could hear their voices in her head and couldn't stand to be touched for a period of time. It breaks my heart that a character has to go through this, but when I think about the many, many individuals that have undergone this same abuse and trauma, my heart just shatters. It was definitely eye-opening for me. I want to conclude this by also saying that if you are reading this, and need someone to talk to, I am here for you and my messages are open, no judgements, no questions asked.
In regards to the book, I felt the plot was very fast paced and I enjoyed how the 'you-touch-her-then-you-die' troupe was portrayed. The spice is still up there (spice in the second half, the graphic abuse is in the first half).
The conclusion to this Duology felt a little anticlimactic to me however, especially when Addie and Zade confront the mastermind behind The Society. It felt like there was all this murderous build-up to an epic, bloody conclusion, but I was mildly disappointed in the ending so I knocked off a star for that.
I also really really want to know what happens to Sibby... She was probably one of my favorite characters in the second book and I just hated how she was written out. I plan on looking to see if I can find any spin-off novellas about her. (08/2023)
4 out of 5 stars
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***
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Picking up where the cliffhanger of the first book had ended, Addie was kidnapped and sold into the skin trade. Months pass of her enduring abuse, both physical and sexual, while she waits for Zade to locate her traffickers and rescue her. Zade starts by hunting down all of the people he suspects of taking Addie and tortures them for information. After a long period of time, Zade finally locates Addie... Just as soon as she escapes herself, and they head back to her manor to help her heal from her trauma. Once she has come to terms with what had happened she begins training to help Zade find the mastermind behind The Society and take the ultimate revenge on her abusers.
This book was graphic from start to end, so please make sure you check ALL of the TRIGGER WARNINGS before starting down this rabbit hole.
I will also be talking about some sensitive topics in the review below this paragraph so please read at your discretion.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I have to say, the abuse that Addie had gone through was very explicit and despite its graphic nature, I came to a deeper understanding of what sex trafficking victims and other abuse victims go through. I also thought that the representation of the trauma and PTSD in the second half of the book was very well done, especially when Addie could hear their voices in her head and couldn't stand to be touched for a period of time. It breaks my heart that a character has to go through this, but when I think about the many, many individuals that have undergone this same abuse and trauma, my heart just shatters. It was definitely eye-opening for me. I want to conclude this by also saying that if you are reading this, and need someone to talk to, I am here for you and my messages are open, no judgements, no questions asked.
In regards to the book, I felt the plot was very fast paced and I enjoyed how the 'you-touch-her-then-you-die' troupe was portrayed. The spice is still up there (spice in the second half, the graphic abuse is in the first half).
The conclusion to this Duology felt a little anticlimactic to me however, especially when Addie and Zade confront the mastermind behind The Society. It felt like there was all this murderous build-up to an epic, bloody conclusion, but I was mildly disappointed in the ending so I knocked off a star for that.
I also really really want to know what happens to Sibby... She was probably one of my favorite characters in the second book and I just hated how she was written out. I plan on looking to see if I can find any spin-off novellas about her. (08/2023)
4 out of 5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Torture, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Gore, Medical trauma, Medical content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Grief, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, and Trafficking