| Title | : | Hunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse Duet, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 531 |
| Publication | : | First published January 28, 2022 |
The Diamond
Death walks alongside me,
But the reaper is no match for me.
I'm trapped in a world full of monsters dressed as men, and those who aren't as they seem.
They won't keep me forever.
I no longer recognize the person I've become,
And I'm fighting to find my way back to the beast who hunts me in the night.
They call me a diamond,
But they've only created an angel of death.
The Hunter
I was born a predator,
With ruthlessness ingrained in my bones.
When what's mine is stolen from me in the night,
Like a diamond hidden within a fortress,
I find that I can no longer contain the beast.
Blood will paint the ground as I tear apart this world to find her.
And bring her back to where she belongs.
No one will escape my wrath,
Especially not those who have betrayed me.
Warning: This is the second and final installment to the Duet. You must read Haunting Adeline first.
Hunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse Duet, #2) Reviews
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before i get into it, yes this book is more triggering than the first. like 10x over not even joking. there are very graphic scenes that isn’t meant for the faint of heart. tread carefully, your mental health matters. there’s a list of the full TWs in the beginning of the book as well.
anywayyys
HOLYFUCKINGHELLWHATTHEACTUALFUCK?!?!? i’m not even fucking playing when i say this book was a roller coaster of emotions. i don’t cry easily when it comes to books but i was fucking sobbing, crying, and felt my heart being ripped out of my chest. i was screaming with joy as some scenes and kicking my feet in the air at others.
yes i will go ahead and say that this book is 10X better than the first. the writing drastically improved. i was hooked from the very being to the end. i read this in less than 24 hours because i was fucking addicted.
i’m being dead fucking serious when i say i went through every emotion while reading this book as did the main characters. i grew so attached to them and wanted nothing but the best for them.
i won’t get into the plot or anything that much since #1 it’s a trigger in itself and #2 there’s a lot to unpack anyway and i’m trying to keep this short and sweet. so i’ll talk about the main characters.
Addie’s character arc and growth was admiring as fuck. not gonna lie, i wasn’t really attached to any of the characters after reading the first book but this second one really turned that around.
Zade OMFG when he became all submissive and breedable?!?! ohhhmyyyyfucckinggawwd!!!! i literally started floating in mid air, back arched like i was possessed by the devil. he’s a bare breed and i need him in my life god dammit😩
i love Zade and Addie’s dynamic. i’m honestly sad this series is over because i high i felt while reading it was like no other -
I'll start with honesty. This book destroyed me. And you may think because it is dark and twisted, but the true reasoning is because of the immense pressure to make this one live it up to the first and to be frank, I was a little burnt out. It wrung every last blood, sweat, and tear from my body. And I believe I came out of the other side with something beautiful - a little jagged and imperfect, but beautiful all the same.
I know some may have wanted them to reunite sooner, but I felt like I would be doing an injustice to the realities of human trafficking. And to be blunt, if I was truly being realistic, she never would've been found at all. I truly felt her trials and tribulations were necessary for her development and transformation, and I'm so proud of who she became.
Some will say Hunting isn't a romance, but I will kindly disagree. Zade and Addie have an epic love story, and the journey back to each other may be long and hard, but that doesn't make their love story less than. And they certainly don't need physical intimacy to show how much they love each other. (Though there is still plenty of that.)
Thank you all for taking this journey with me. I know it's dark, and heavy, and these characters have gone through hell and back. But who they are now? I couldn't love them more.
If you enjoyed this one, take a gander to my next standalone, Does It Hurt? It's an enemies to lovers psych thriller, and I'm so very excited for you to meet Enzo and Sawyer!
Preorder DIH here:
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https://amzn.to/3IRmUUi
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https://amzn.to/3GaTf6r
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https://amzn.to/3ubWQyM
AU:
https://amzn.to/3KSII3r
Join my facebook group for updates and sneak-peeks!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/75200... -
Can Zade and Addie adopt me? PLEASE? I'm a good girl I promise 😇
Holy fuck this story was an absolute MASTERPIECE. It was heartbreaking, it was healing, it was BEAUTIFUL. Zade was just perfection. The way he helped and pushed Addie was continuously fighting for her had me SWOONING. This man is a whole other breed let me tell ya.
Adeline's character development was so insane. Watching her grow into the beautiful and strong badass she is was so amazing. She is just incredible, like seriously. Reading what she was going through made my heart ache, but the way she fucking proved to those cunts that she is, and always will be, so much more powerful than them was fucking phenomenal. Addie truly is a precious, rare gem way fucking more than a regular old diamond.
I fucking LOVEDDDD it when she chopped [redacted] dick off. I CHEERED!!
Sibby was the perfect balance to the story. It is very dark and heavy so having the henchmen-loving, orgy-crazy doll made the whole thing so much better. That girl had me cracking up every time she talked.
The Cat & Mouse duet is truly one of a kind! I am so fucking sad that it is over and yet so fucking happy Zade and Addie got the ending they deserve.
And real quick I would just like to thank my period 😒 for joining me on this adventure. You truly just made it a whole other kind of experience 😐
Ms. HD I will be sending you my tears <3
Please check TRIGGER WARNINGS before reading babes
Zade & Addie I LOVE you and I am NEVER letting you go 😁🥰 -
I am so heartbroken over how this book turned out. Not the storyline because I DNF'd at 70% but because of how high my expectations were.
The author said in a Tiktok comment that this book has more spice than the first. Ma'am, that "spice" was rape. What on earth are you talking about.
The first book of this series was a dark romance. This book, the second, was just dark. Very little romance to speak of.
Listen, I understand that women being sexually assaulted in books is necessary for story lines, and I also understand that sometimes it needs to go into detail to further drive the plot in very rare cases, but this book did none of that. There are VERY descriptive rape scenes from the main character, and they just seemed so unnecessary.
This book would have been so much better if it was a completely different story. Meaning, this book does not seem much like a sequel to the next book. I felt like I was reading two completely different stories honestly.
The first book was all about this girl falling in love with her stalker who works to takedown sex trafficking, while she tried to solve her great grandmothers, who was also haunting her house, murder. Totally amazing story with great spice and an even better plot, despite the fact that the MC didn't really have much of a personality.
The second book, suddenly she's been trafficked and it's not anything about her great grandmother or solving any other murder or the house she moved into, but it's about her suddenly working with her man to take down the people who assaulted her (good for her, though). Both books just didn't mesh together, and it felt very random honestly. If there would have been more storyline in the first book about what Zade does for a living and Addie saying she wants to help or is interested in learning more, that honestly would have made the story flow better.
Overall, I think the author is very talented, she's a great writer and I truly adored the first book, but this one just wasn't it. I'm hoping if I try out her other work it won't be like this. -
Decent read but expected too much.
As an avid romance reader, this one was bound to fall short for me. Although it continues to fall under the dark romance category, it was more of a thriller. This book will be much more enjoyable to those who enjoy majority of a thriller element than romance.
The trigger warnings are so so heavy on this one (will be mentioned at the end of the review). Although the author warned, I somehow didn't expect it to be so much darker than the first one. I wanted to throw up, cried at some of the scenes and was truly horrified and disgusted. But I applaud the author for having the heart and stomach to write it. It couldn't have been easy. The utterly raw and realistic scenes that take place in the book are not meant for the weak hearted.
Adeline and Zade went through so much pain, it was hard not to feel for them. Especially Addie, she went through so much. You've got to appreciate her strength. I would not wish that on anyone. Zade matured so much in the romantic aspect in this book and it was so amazing to see. He was patient, compassionate, and loving, didn't force Addie to do anything and continued to support her through thick and thin. This book brings more clarity to his character and I appreciated that a lot. The chemistry between the two characters flourished. The way Zade took care of her and the way Adeline opened to him was everything to see.
The pacing of the book was slower than the first one. I get that in some places it felt necessary to the author, to bring out the reality of human trafficking but part 2 could've been sped up a little. It could've easily been 100 pages shorter in my opinion. I skimmed through a bit after 70% mark. There were also too many characters in this one, and that kinda made the storyline too complicated. These two things did dull it down for me.
Disclaimer- My rating for this series is purely based on the fictional world created by the author. It's purely based on the enjoyment level of the stories and characters created. I do not agree to the events that took place in both the books and do not wish that upon anyone. Do check the triggers for both the books before reading.
⚠️TW- Graphic violence, human trafficking, rape, sexual assault, PTSD, blood play, knife play, degradation and somnophilia⚠️ -
EDIT: I am reducing my rating because it gave people the wrong impression. I do not support Zade’s character. He is a hypocrite and a rapist. I did enjoy this duet for the writing and the story. This part especially traumatised me but I couldn’t stop reading it.
Potential spoilers ahead!
Now this one was dark dark…
I didn’t expect this even after reading the author’s note.
I know that all the awful cruel scenes were to depict the ugly reality of human trafficking. And it’s not for the faintest of the heart. But I have to say even for me it was sometimes sickening to read some of those scenes. I just couldn’t imagine it would be that bad.
At first i was dumbfucked how the all mighty Zade took almost 3 months to find his woman.
But i realise that unfortunately that is the best case scenario irl. Most victims in skin trade don’t get rescued at all.. What Addie went through was hard to even imagine and reading it so explicitly made me hurt for those who had to deal with it for real.
The book has 2 parts and the whole first part the main characters are separated and a lot of time passes by.
So if you are expecting a cute reunion, you’ll be disappointed.
Adeline has changed, obviously. I cried for her. She suffers from ptsd almost the entire book and her healing takes the most focus in the second half of the book and for a long time period too. Which I liked. It would’ve been weird and unrealistic to see her being all happy after like a month and willing to bang her bf.
And just like she said “only a monster can create another monster” so she becomes one to get her revenge. As she should.
Zaddy… Why is he so much more fuckable suddenly??!! Did it really have to take him getting heartbroken and going on a killing spree to finally come to his senses?
Idk man I prefer him in this book more than the first one. BUT I still dislike him as love interest in general.
Also he is a virgo? I call bullshit on that, he is such a perfect psycho stalking scorpio.
But anyway, the way he was so patient and understanding with Addie even when she wanted to kill him was almost his redemption arc. Not only did he help her heal but he made sure her abusers paid for everything. He talks too much when he fucks tho. Like sir? Shut up and do your job.
Still it was not enough. I don’t think anything will ever be enough to justify the horror Addie went through. It all happened because of Zade. Don’t dare denying it.
He angered the wrong person and that douche sold adeline’s address. So whoever says she would’ve suffered more without Zade us delusional imo.
The ending was cute in it’s own way. Anal and proposal aww the romance is truly not dead.
After this shit I can read any book. I won’t even bother checking trigger warnings anymore. I’m desensitised for life✌🏻
Haunting Adeline review -
'HUNTING ADELINE' is the second dark book in H.D. Carlton's 'Cat & Mouse' duet. It picks up where the previous book left off.
Sooooo it's been a few weeks since I've read this, and to this day it's still on my mind, this put me in such a book funk, others fell short and didn't measure up, so it's gone from a measly 5 stars to ending up on my 2022 favourite shelf where it belongs. I so want to go back to this world, to be engulfed in that darkness again, so many authors state that their book is dark, this book right here got it so right, it is dark..
I'm not going to divulge any spoilers in this review, best go in blind, purchase both books and read back to back, you won't regret it. But please heed the warnings. This is a dark read with many triggers detonating all over the place. But out of the darkness we are thrown into so much light with these two. I couldn't get enough of them.
THIS WAS PHENOMENAL, my dark side couldn't be happier, sick, twisted, gritty, emotional, what more could I ask for, box after box was ticked. And I'm definitely excited to see what the future brings with this author because this series is going to be a hard one to top.
This right here had been one I had been highly anticipating especially with the way things ended in the previous book and I was counting down the days until release day..
Deliciously dark, 10x darker than the first book, it’s not glossed over, you’ve got a front row seat as everything unfolds in graphic detail. Similar to the Handmaides tale and the hunger games, so if you loved those then you'll love this.. BUT if you have triggers then this book may not be for you.
You have been warned.
This author slayed the darkness with this hard to read, dark gritty tale. And it comes highly recommended by yours truly. The amount of times my heart rate spiked, my palms got clammy, my eyes trying to read faster so I can see how it all unfolded, my foot tapping the floor, this had me on the edge of my seat too many times to count.
And best of all was Crazy Sibby was back again and OMG I just loved her, they say one crazy fits all and she's my kind of crazy. I never wanted this book/this series to end, it's unique, like you can not compare this to anything which makes it stand above the rest that much more.
* Teaser used is off the authors facebook page. *
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5 Diamond Stars ♥︎
I love when a book makes me nauseous.
*trigger warnings will be listed at the bottom of this review*
I truly don't know how to put into words how much I LOVE this book and sincerely this entire duet. This is a masterpiece and I have been putting off writing this review because this one is hard for me to write.
I am so enthralled with Zade and Addie. This continuation and completion to the Cat and Mouse duet was beautiful and heartbreaking in soo many ways. With that in mind, this book was dark to another level in comparison to the first and like stated above^, there were parts soo disturbing, the nausea couldn't help but creep in. That's how well-written this book is as well as how moving.
The start of this book takes place immediately where the first ended and then we are taken down a long, dark, and disturbing road filled with extremely realistic and graphic pain, suffering, and traumatic actions and experiences. I cried—multiple times—very hard.
This book doesn't just give up a happy ending for us readers. We are forced through every single struggle that takes place and the challenge, that is, to get out of them on the other side, broken but willing to fight the mental and physical traumas to come out stronger.
As far as Zade & Addie, I didn't think I could possibly love these two any more than I did in the first. Zade truly is one of my top book boyfriends and I mean I really can't just say that about any of my book boyfriends. This man holds such a precious place in my heart, it HURTS me that he is fictional. Addie came out of this duet being one of my most treasured female characters. I personally, couldn't be more proud of her growth. Now let's mention the amazing Sibby. By God, I love that girl. She is something else but just as Zade & Addie, I didn't think I could love her any more than I did before.
These characters mean soooo much to me and this entire duet truly touched me in soo many places. It will forever stay a top read for me and I recommend it to anyone who can handle this type of darkness. I'm so sad it's over.
*Trigger Warnings*
R**e, Graphic Violence, Sexual Assault, Explicit Sexual Situations, Human Trafficking, PTSD, Blood Play, Knife Play, Degradation, Somnophilia -
a recap of what I read:
0%-60%: explicit, traumatizing,unnecessary, disturbing, "descriptions" of what the fmc goes through
70%-100%: smut, mental breakdowns, revenge..?
take care of yourselves and do not waste your time on this shit <3
I would say rtc but I would also like to spare that tiny bit of sanity I have left.
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contemplating my life choices rn why am I reading this 😃 -
My mind is blown away. Hunting Adeline (Cat & Mouse Duet #2) is my most anticipated book of the year. I was not disappointed.
Words alone can’t express the several emotions I felt reading this book—heartbreak, sorrow, anger, rage, and of course, love. The author sends you on an emotional rollercoaster. I loved every single minute of it.
Book two starts where book one ends and takes place over several months. If you're looking for hearts and flowers, this is not for you, and it’s okay. If you want to stay, the book teeters on black, on my dark scale. As dark as it is, no worries, it doesn't take away from the plot or spice.
Can I talk about the admiration I have for Zade and the obsessive love for his little mouse? Zade is everything, and I love him. The man who would burn down the world for the woman he loves. Just pure perfection. They both made my face water a time or two. And I am in total awe of Addy’s character growth. She is a survivor, overall badass, and a force not to be reckoned with. Zade and Addy hold a particular spot in my heart.
I think this duet is the author’s best work, and I love how she never shies away from the details in dark romance. She also adds to the healing process. I, for one, appreciate it. Pay close attention this book is action-packed and very well written.
I'm screaming from the rooftops recommending this book. The book written, this book here is a prominent example of how I fell in love with her writing. -
Let me first state that this is not for the fairest of hearts. This book has graphic violence, sexual assault, explicit sexual situations, human trafficking, PTSD, and very particular kinks such as blood play, knife play, degradation, and osmophilia.
I could list so many other things. Wrong with Humanity for the shit that people do to each other for their so call pleasure… . …..
This book also may not be for everybody and may not be your cup of tea, and I am not saying that I didn’t Struggle with this one cuz I did
I also wanted to mention This book is significantly darker than the first. Please take these warnings seriously…….. So don’t say you weren’t warned.
The final installment to the Cat and Mouse Duet.
The story picks up right after the first book. Adeline is kidnapped after the car crash and is brought to a house to be "Groomed". For sale
I can’t even begin to tell you how much this series blew my mind!!! Especially this book……The last book hadn’t Prepare Me enough for how much of a Darker side of life could be
Told from dual first-person perspectives this was bit longer than the last instalment but, in my opinion, it was two books in one. But hey that’s just me
‘I can’t help but marvel at the fact that the Society sacrificed their own people’s lives just to ensure that I would be caught. That speaks volumes. “
Not only am I a threat, I am catastrophic.
A diamond doesn’t start off polished in shining, it once was nothing special. But with enough pressure and time becomes spectacular, she is that diamond. She is fighting her way back to the Shadow hunter that lurks in the darkness
What’s Adeline to do when she is thrown into the pits of hell with true monsters…….. Some might even call them men, but all Adeline Wants to call them is sick bastards
What is a man like Zade to do when his mouse is stolen from him in the dark of night? -only Blood will Satisfy his need for revenge., and he will tear apart this world to find her of course …… No one will escape his wrath, not even those who have betrayed her
I was so excited when I turn the page and seen our Crazy Sibby was back again and OMG You’ll be as excited as I am. When you reach that point where Sibby and her henchman and their crazy antics stand out in between the pages of this book …..
I must say that I did have bit of trouble with how the author left us at the end with Sibby……… Happy Reading Everyone, I’ll see you on the other side
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5 STARS
I may own every breath in your body, but make no mistake, Adeline, you own mine, too. I am yours to command. To bend and break. To mold and manipulate. Do you think that makes me weak? Or do you think I'm strong enough to admit that even though my body can physically live on without you, I would never get my fucking soul back?” 
It's a rare occasion that I get to say this, but I loved this book even more than the first. And considering I 5 star loved the first book, that's really saying something. For the hours that it took me to devour this book, it owned me. Fully and completely. And when I finished, I simply didn't know what to do with myself. How do you even move on from this? How, I ask you?!You’ve never been a good man,” I whisper, reiterating the exact words he’s told me so many times before. “No,” he agrees. “But I have always been yours.”
While I found
Haunting Adeline to be more gray than dark, this book made me eat my words. This was dark. Like the very pits of hell dark. Like sick to my stomach, goose bumps, fist in my throat sort of dark. It was pitch fucking black, okay? And holy shit, did I love it!We’re all fucking damned anyway, forced to live outside of heaven’s gates. I find I like it better living in the darkness next to my shadow.
Am I going to tell you anything about this book that you can't get from the blurb? Absolutely not. You want to go into this blind. Trust me. But be prepared for one rollercoaster of emotion, because this story puts you through the ringer and then some.
This story was truly the evolution of Adeline. It's one thing to deal with her obsessed stalker. But when she gets thrown into the pits of hell with true monsters, it's the true test of her sanity and strength. And this woman has strength. One thing I'll say is that I loved that Carlton didn't shy away from the details. She didn't graze over the difficult things, and go from one extreme to the other. You get to see and experience it all. But what I loved the most, is the aftermath. This isn't glazed over as it can be in some dark romance. You get to experience all of it with Adeline, the ups and the downs, the painful and gut wrenching. All of it.Heaven isn’t a place you go to when you die, it’s inside the person that’s worth dying for.
Zade is just as captivating and intense as ever. I fell even harder for this man here. This is the man that will happily walk into hell for his woman, and take on the devil himself. Some may even argue that Zade is the devil, and I loved that about him. This is a man with many layers. He's firmly rooted in the gray, because while he has a good cause, he's not a good man by any means. This is a man that does bad things for a good reason, but never loses any of his intensity.Jesus,” I breathe.
He smirks...“He’s not the one you should be praying to,” he murmurs darkly, sending shivers rolling down my spine. “Only I will be your salvation.”
Now let's also talk about the secondary characters because OH MY GOD. I've always been intrigued by Sibby, and I think that's now turned into a full obsession. But we get additional secondary characters like a particularly bad man, and some brothers, that I'm desperate for a story for. I won't tell you the names, because I don't want to spoiler anything, but GOD. I'm desperate for a certain someone's book. Talk about your broken men that do bad things for a good reason. I will sell my soul for his story. *desperate sob*
If you've been as eagerly anticipating this conclusion as I have, it is worth every painful second of the wait. HD Carlton knocked it out of the park with this book, and I am fully obsessed!
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
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4.5/ 5⭐
5/5 🌶️
Holy darkness. Jesus. I need a drink.
I can confidently say that Hunting Adeline is the darkest book that I've ever read. This shit is real, sex trafficking is real, corruption is real, not everyone is capable of walking out of it stronger like Adeline. Addie had a whole damn character arc in this one. If you like dark romance, this is definitely for you and if it’s a genre that you like, I can definitely see the appeal for this series.
Zade. ZADE. I don’t even know how I feel about him. Love/Hate/Lust/Disgust/Sorrow/Appreciation/Fear. Maybe he is a God.
Quotes:
“I’ve followed you through lifetimes, Adeline. My soul needs you so badly that I’ve become a shadow, destined to hunt you for eternity.”
“I am no longer a man—only a beast succumbing to primal instinct. I am annihilation.”
“You can throw glitter on a snake, but the bitch still bites.”
“I was born with a blackened soul and good intentions. And there is a difference between those who are needlessly evil and those who do bad things hoping that something good will come out of it. I'll let you decide for yourself which one I am.”
“My chest swells. Having Zade’s love feels like a dream, but having his trust and confidence feels like a dream come true.”
“Zade may be Hades, but the dark God has never been known to bow for anyone but his woman. It gives me a small dose of power, enough to reignite my confidence.”
“I love you, Zade. Sometimes I can’t fucking stand it,” I say, my voice raspy and uneven. “But it was the only thing that kept me alive. You saved me. Even when we were apart, you saved me. And I hope to God you never stop hunting me.”
... -
There is a fine line when it comes dark romance being all kinds of messed up and still being a romance book.
This was not a romance book.
I actually really like the author's writing style, but this book was about 200 pages longer than it had to be and it was more of a thriller/horror, with a little sprinkling of erotica here and there, than a romance. At no point, was the romance the driving force of the story.
I'm a little disappointed as I really loved the first book, but I'm still eagerly anticipating whatever H.D. Carlton writes next. -
ZADE is a poet. The way his words can make me melt should be considered a crime. I can’t get over how he helps her heal and KNOWS her inside out because it just shows he’s a good man even though he won’t admit it. Also it’s so fricken hilarious when he can’t keep his hands to himself because he feels pride knowing she’s a badass and can follow through with her threats. It’s official, ZADE is one of my top five book bfs. I love him!
Addie went through hell and back only to grow and become a BADASS. It was heartbreaking to see the effects of their separation on them both. It made my stomach churn and my blood boil when everything was happening to Addie and I felt helpless for her. I can still remember the moment of relief when he found her and I knew somehow, anyhow, he’ll get her to see life again. And his ways had me speechless. Like he did things and I had to take a second to fully process what in the world just happened. It was mind altering!
Hunting Adeline was wayyy darker and REMORSELESSLY BRUTAL. This book was made to break you because it was still slightly more realistic and raw than most books. It made me want to cry, laugh, vibrate with the need to throw something and actually managed to keep me on my toes for some things. I don’t think I would have it any other way.
Side note:
What’s happening with Sibby?? Omg it’s so cute how ZADE cared for Sibby from the start. It made me swoon for him even more.
And that ending with the world domination thing was a bit overkill. 😂
Also I still have a soft spot for Rio and I’m so glad his note was mentioned at the end. And it so unapologetically SCREAMED Rio that I couldn’t help but laugh. -
Did I read this massive book in a day? Yes I did. I honestly didn’t have expectations going in. I just knew I loved Zade and Addie and couldn’t wait for more of them and I trusted H.D. to give me a fantastically written story. And boy did she. 😭 This book is so good you guys. It felt like everything happened exactly the way it needed to happen!
Y’all already know I like to keep it vague and this review will be no exception, but here we go:
Haunting Adeline was my favorite book of last year and ends in a pretty rough cliffhanger.
The author warns that if you’re looking for a quick reunion for Zade and Addie, this may not be the book for you. Yeah, know that going in babes, but also know that their time apart is important to their story. It wouldn’t have felt right if Zade swooped in to save her in chapter two, I’m sorry.
H.D. also warns this book is much darker. Heed that warning loves. I mean it. Addie does not have a good time for a lot of this book. H.D. does not shy away from the realities of sex trafficking and the situation Addie is in. She also doesn’t shy away from the reality of the aftermath and the healing process and I really loved how that was handled too.
And Zade is in fine form, he will reign at the top of my book boyfriends list, likely forever. There is no love out there that compares to the way Zade loves Addie. It’s everything. I fucking love that man. Words cannot adequately express my feelings so I’ll stop trying.
The spicy scenes in this book will live rent free in my mind for the rest of time. Fuck they are so good. 🥵
We also get some more Sibby in this one y’all, and I absolutely love her and cannot wait for more of her story!!
Let me just say again, I loved this book you guys. It was everything I needed and more and I hope y’all feel the same way.
I don’t need to tell y’all to pick this one up when it comes out, but this is me telling you to anyway! -
4 stars
The first book in this series was just a bit creepy, this book however is straight up dark. It's definitely darker than I usually read and after seeing the author triggers at the beginning I wasn't sure if I would like it but after the cliffhanger in book 1 I didn't have a choice. I had to read it. Even though this had more violence and other things than I would have liked, I loved Addie and Zade and this duet was so good. I know we're getting a Sibby book, but I really really want a book. So so much! -
No.
1st book: dark romance
2nd book: SEVERAL graphic and gratuitous rape/torture scenes + revenge(ish) + consensual bloody sex
I’m not ever one for censorship, so feel free to read the book if the TWs don’t bother you. I just don’t feel as though the first half of the book was in any way necessary. It spent hundreds of pages curdling my stomach and for what? To rush through Addie’s recovery in paragraph-long summaries? Then spend the rest of the book focusing mostly on her getting revenge/being okay with sex again? So, we’re just skipping right over any necessary therapy sessions, making new friends, finding a safe space in the world again, and everything else survivors go through just to get to the sexy revenge?
That’s beyond bad storytelling. You put the characters/readers through all of that just to try to switch the book back to a sort-of dark romance?
No.
Absolutely not.
Based on this book’s ratings, I’m very much in the minority here. Just don’t go into this one thinking it’s in any way a continuation of the first. Probably best for you to pretend like this is a brand new series. Different characters. An alternate universe. Whatever you need to do. That’s about as much as the two books connect in this “duet.”
For the record, I did have to start skipping over scenes after the first rape/torture. There are several. Thought maybe I could handle one. Nope. Especially when it was clear this was all happening for shock value and not to treat the issues with much sensitivity. -
**Major SPOILERS under Sexual History**
NOTE: I cheated & read the last book 1st. I'm not sure if I'll ever read the 1st 2. Not Safe.
I heard such good things about the 1st 2 books of the series (
Satan's Affair(the Prequel) &
Haunting Adeline(Book1)) from other reviewers. But some very disappointing things about this final book. I hate it when my hopes are up for H&h in a romance series. Only for it to take a downturn later. Since I wasn't invested in the couple or the characters yet, I wanted spoilers of the end first. Such as:
1.) What exactly to kidnapped h?
2.) Was the romance in this last book truly just mostly sex between H&H?
The answers are:
1.) h was raped multiple times by her abductors
2.) No, there was more romance development between H&h than sex scenes in this book.
For details, read below.
I liked how H was consistent with his alpha-dominant obsessive-possessive love for h & how he searched the depths to find her & kill all who got her kidnapped & molested. Found it un-necessary to prove H's love for her and show h's character growth as strong & dark by having her gang-raped & cut up during her 2-month kidnapping. But things sex-trafficking does happen. It's just hard to read it. Especially when a couple were happy and in love before the kidnapping. I just don't think I can read the earlier books, knowing what will happen to h later. Too heartbreaking.
But I did appreciate how the romance was shown to grow from such a tragedy. I also liked how h's innate sassy grit still shone through in the midst of being traumatized as seen in her 1-pager secret diary that she'd write during her captivity. Overall good writing. Good psychological & romantic depth. Believable romance & HEA.
Sexual History in Book2 ONLY:
@19% kidnapped h's 1st rape by the brother of her female trainer (Francesca)
@25% h beaten badly by her trainer for supposedly ruining her shoes (h was setup by a crazy co-abductee) & then shoved her high-heeled shoe nside h's butt. Later, trainer's bro & other henchmen shoved different things inside h's butt & gang-banged her & the 3 other new abductees that night. 3 days h's butt still hurting that even merely farting hurts.
@30% h & other 5 girls are forced to wear skanky clothes while being hunted down like prey ala Hunger Games-style by 5 rich pervy guys
@35% It's been 2 months & h has been unofficially claimed by sadistic OM (Xavier) who's allowed to smex her 1x a week in the past month before the auction in 3 weeks where he'll officially buy h. This OM cuts her skin while raping her & h felt even more broken when she orgasmed with him.
@43% h escapes from her captors after killing her psycho co-captive & is found by H who'd been desperately looking for her & buying all the girls @ slave auctions he attended hoping 1 of them was h
@50% 5 weeks later h is cocooned in H's well-protected house but won't let H touch her due to her PTSD & found out she has an STD/chlamydia when she got herself tested
@60+% h lets H kiss her & only lets him touch her while self-defense training with him & H patiently encouraging/supporting h's healing & a bit later allows him to touch her at her permission (i.e., hold the knife she was using like a dildo per his suggestion to orgasm, using a rose to intimately touch her & prick her)
@70% she BJs H & let him booby-smex her
@74% H&h revenge-hunts & kills h's former groomer & her main rapists
@75% h lets H lightly cut(with a glass piece) all her body-scar locations she got from being knife-cut by her now-dead sadistic rapist so H can replace her painful memories into pleasurable ones of him
@76% h finally smexxes H with clear intent that she's the 1 in control of their smexxing
@80% 3rd time they smex & 1st time h tells H ILY while she had him in handcuffs
@88% h breaks up with H coz she didn't want to keep endangering her parents' lives & he leaves then h minutes later chases after him with regret. He forgives her & shows her she'll never get rid of him. They smex.
From what I clued in from this book, neither h nor H were virgins when they 1st got together in Book1. No idea about either ones dating & sexual history before this book. H was celibate for a total 4-5 months since h was kidnapped for 2 months & then waited 2-3 more months after he rescued her to heal & trust him again. -
Hunting Adeline is DARK, way way darker than book 1. There’s on-page rape, both to the heroine and other side characters. There’s murder, abuse, torture, psychological torture. Things get ROUGH. (None of it is done by the hero, just an fyi.)
It’s also a loooong book and it definitely felt like it when I was reading, but I really did enjoy this sequel. There’s not as much romance in the beginning just because Zade and Adeline are apart for a while, but once they got back together, I was so happy. The whole duet is a WILD ride, and to say I loveZaddyZade would be an understatement. His obsession with Addie?? Unmatched. If you love dark romances, and can handle... a lot, read this! -
I was more obsessed with Haunting Adeline than Zade was with Addie but still sadly this book just is not for me.
I read the trigger warnings ⚠️ but still did not expect the first half of the book to be Adeline being repeatedly abused. I did anticipate that but simply not to the level it was written.
I feel as though this part of the book could have been slimmed down to where the readers understood the context of the trauma Adeline went thru but moved forward with her reuniting with Zade, healing and getting revenge. I was anticipating insane takedowns with the legendary Z.
Haunting Adeline was and will continue to be a perfect dark romance for me. It had all the perfect elements with a stalker romance, haunted house, solving an old family murder and said stalker chasing down pedophile rings.
For me, this just missed the mark and did not feel remotely close to the same book. -
➳ 2 ½ stars
“i’ve followed you through lifetimes, adeline. my soul needs you so badly that i’ve become a shadow, destined to hunt you for eternity.”
would it be dumb to say, that adelaine has been through a lot. i was thrilled to see her and zade's reunion.“at least you’ll end up marrying a rich man,” i comment.
she pins me with a dry look. “now i can never marry you. it’s my life’s purpose to disappoint her in every decision i make.”
i arch a brow. “don’t underestimate me, addie. i’ll become a poor man for you.”
this man has his way with words. where's someone who is rich, but if i wanted would become poor?“meadows, baby. our last name is meadows.”
“yours. don’t get ahead of yourself. you’ll be expected to beg.”
there’s no stopping the savage grin from gracing my lips. “i love to beg.”
love this quotes so much. i really can't say that these two love each other, because it was more look like stockholm syndrom from addie's part, but the books are very enjoyable imo.
also, in the second part i was so happy so see sibby again, but the ending was so confusing. who was that guy even? and when she come back? very very weird and i needed more information.
anyway, this book was good, but i would've liked it more if we got more details of the side characters and maybe even some side couples? i shipped daya and jay so bad the entire time, and i upset that there was no romance between them. but in my head they're together idc.
spoiler below!!
THE SCENE WHERE ZADE MADE ADDIE COME WHILE HE HELD AN ARROW TO XAVIER’S THROAT??!!??! iconic -
this duet is SOOO goood !! Zade does it like not other. Like top tier book bf. Ughh i missed them
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I can't quite put into words how much I loved this series - H. D. Carlton was absolutely amazing at making you feel every single emotion as this book went on from sheer pain and sadness to infinite love and friendship. I am blown away at the emotional rollercoaster I was just on - and so sad it came to an end.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel - Carlton says she is working on Sibby's duet. I'll be patiently waiting until then..... -
“I don’t even know your last name.”
“Meadows, baby. Our last name is Meadows.”
due to this quote i will be passing away🫠 -
WOW. I had high expectations going into this book because book 1 was one of my top favorite books last year. This book was everything and more.
This book is DARK. READ TRIGGER WARNING if you need to!
It took dark to a whole new level.
I was always invested in this story. It was written at the perfect pace.
I cried many times.
This is more than just the spice in the book. It is EVERYTHING!!
Zade is my one true love. -
I have received an ARC for this book and this is my honest review.
TW: R@P#, Explicit Violence, Murder, Blood, Sex Trafficking, Psychological Trauma and Torment, PTSD, "Non Consensual" consent, trauma journey.
Another unputdownable masterpiece, after reading Haunting in 24h, I knew Hunting wouldn't be any different.
One of my favorite horror movies of all times is called Incident in a Ghostland. I love it because it makes me feel things I could never conjure on my own, it makes me feel things I can't even begin to explain and that is what art is for. Horror movie junkies will always chase that inexplicable high.
Hunting is my Incident in a Ghostland, in book form. I never thought I would feel the same fear, the same anxiety, or have the same breathtaking experience if not with a movie. I was wrong.
Hunting is a completely different book than it's predecessor. Do not jump into this expecting the same sensual and almost light (in comparison) tones to the first book. This is Adeline's survival journey. This is dark, gruesome, unapologetic, and unhinged.
Watching Adeline become who she has always been in the first place has been one of the most satisfying journeys. Knowing other people also share my love for Zade and Sibby as characters makes me feel so fucking normal. Reading something like this makes me feel normal. I know this won't be for everyone. I won't apologize for liking, relating and adoring every chapter, every tone and madness of this duology.
HD will take you to dark, disturbing places and make them so vivid, you won't be able to avert your eyes. You won't be able to put this book down until you feel like your own legs are sore from running, until you can smell blood, feel your hair in a tangled mess, until you can't do anything but let the madness sink in and imagine yourself stabbing someone in the neck just so you can get a chance at survival.
This is what reading a well written book is supposed to feel like. Not good, uncomfortable, painful, breathtaking, because it feels real. Zade and Addie feel real.
These characters will make you care so much, they will make you feel so heavy and good at the same time. What a wild f*cking journey. One of my favorite duologies to date. Thank you for this world and these characters, thank you for this beautiful ending. I can't wait to see what you come up with for Sibby, and please, please, I a begging you, give me more Rio.
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I didn't add this book. I don't own this book. I don't know why Goodreads added it to my shelves with a rating I didn't give it. If it doesn't go away by itself soon, I'll delete it manually on the 15th.
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Actual review:
HI AND WELCOME! To the absolute incoherent mess that will be this review! LETS START!
Let’s begin with the fact that you should 100% look up trigger warnings for this one! Basically 60% of this book is pure traumatic moment after the other!
Having said that, lets resume!
When i picked up Haunting Adeline a lot of people told me it would be very dark. After reading that one I thought to myself “this wasn’t that bad tbh”, boy oh boy, this one was!
We pick up where we left of at the end of book 1, over the course of about 60% of the book we see Adeline changing into someone who has to survive and thus keep silent. It was nerve wracking to see. Add that to the other list of triggers.
That said, i thought it was incredibly thought provoking to read about it. It was so interesting to see how it worked from the inside. I’m pretty sure this not an accurate display of how human trafficking actually works, but it was interesting nonetheless.
While we go through all the Adeline stuff, we also get the pov from Zade.
Zade has gone completely off the rails, mad crazy looking for his gurly. Only then he finds and actual mad crazy gurly, our beloved Sibby.
Yk, Zade’s chapters weren’t really that interesting other than Sibby’s appearances. I love her and her crazy henchmen. (we’ll get to the sibby point later)
Also, i feel like Zade’s pov’s are a bit of loose plot? Who are those men he started working with? What happened to them???
Another very interesting character is Rio??? I kinda hated him and loved him at the same time. Like this dude is one walking red flag but you know why he does it? Loved the little note at the end hihi.
BUT THE PLOTTWIST IN SIBBY’S ARC?!!?! i was GAPING, CATCHING FLIES. I was like “wow i recognise the name Kraven from somewhe- WAIT A SECOND”
that was superb.
to sum this whole review up:
the first 60% could’ve been 30%.
More interesting Zade arc
wtf happened with that group of men
also rio?
also SIBBY? (she’s getting her own duet tho)
i loved the rose carving scene, i’m demented but it’s okay
ALSO WHO THE FUCK WAS MOLLY?? like where was the diary from? i also needed background info on that one crazy bitch in the house???
overal rating would be a 4 or 4,5/5. i liked haunting adeline more😭
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even tho this took me weeks to finish, i absolutely loved and hated it at the same time.
Review to come
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i'm so ready to eat this shit up
