Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

1070 reviews

moxiereads's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

lorenp's review against another edition

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Trafficking

libbijade13's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Murder

saffiyahk's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

amateur_bookworm's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Haunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton is the first book of the Cat and Mouse duet. It is very  heavy on the dark and light on the romance (unless a stalker’s obsession is your idea of wooing) with a lot of suspense. I’ve seen such mixed reviews for it and I completely understand why.

It has creepy vibes for sure. And I don’t think I’ve ever been so terrified by a single red rose in my life. This book is just so deranged and I kept asking myself why I was still reading this, pretty much throughout the entire thing. Despite being mostly appalled, I was still flipping pages like it’s *my* life that depends on it. And I’m not gonna lie, exposing the entire government as corrupt pedos sounds like a theme that I can get behind here for sure. 

But, seriously, I just read 600+ pages and I’m honestly not sure how I feel here. Disturbed? Intrigued? Disgusted? Paranoid? It’s definitely twisted. Pretty deranged actually. But somehow the vigilantism is comforting. Even though the stalking obsession is hard to swallow.

Every time I read a f-cked up book, I think to myself, “wow, this is the most f-cked up book I’ve ever read.” And then, with the next one, I’m like, “No, *this* is the most f-cked up book I’ve ever read.”  But, ya’ll, without a doubt, THIS is the most f-cked up book I’ve ever read. And I’ve heard the next one is darker. Eek. 

The tension I felt while nearing the end was astronomical. There’s a very ominous feeling, but maybe it’s because I know that it’s going to end on a cliffhanger because this is a duet. I’m definitely reading the next one to see how this ends. And mostly to see why it’s her chapters are labeled as The Manipulator. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, and Alcohol

_roguereader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Just wow. Zaddy can give me roses any day that ends in “Y”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

exrthalex's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

A very dark read, but thrilling nonetheless. Just as I was getting confident in my prediction skills, the plot would take an unexpected turn, totally throwing me off and ensnaring my interest once again. The characters are intriguing, both easy to love and hate at the same time. I was excited to see the author has written more stories about other characters, and can’t wait to read more of her work!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Trafficking, Stalking, and Murder

richnaluvs_bean's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

lettuce_dance's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious relaxing tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Personally I loved it, it was the first book to get me back into reading and I have been looking for a similar book since. Have finished the series and unsure if I’ll find another book that grasped my attention as much as this did.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

It is very much a smut book with dark content. Be prepared for the sexual tension and sexual interactions.

ivanderspeckliche's review against another edition

Horrible writing, had severe headaches from rolling my eyes so hard over and over again. Unlikeable characters.
I was well aware of the CN and have read many dark books and fics before. This feels like fanfiction by an author who lacks (adult) experience in the real world and is trying to go for shock value but it’s always over the top. If this is what has gone through the editing process I shudder to think what the text looked like before.

Z is a stalker, murderer and rapist
…but his dick is so good and made Addie have the best orgasms she ever had in her entire life so she yearns to be raped again. Ugh.
And yes, he’s a stalker and a murderer
…but he only kills the really bad guys, so it’s ok. Ugh.

It goes on and on like this.
There are ways to write extremely spicy books. There are ways to write dub-con and non-con and treat it with the amount of care the topic deserves. This isn’t it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Trafficking, and Stalking