Hunting Adeline – H.D. Carlton

This review is something I’ve honestly been debating whether to put out. I feel like I haven’t been this emotionally invested in a story in so long and to be completely up front, I didn’t want to taint the story with my review. I feel like there are too many things to cover and I don’t even know where to start. 

Part 1

The first part of Hunting Adeline brought tears to my eyes on every single page. There wasn’t a sentence that didn’t make me want to throw the book at the wall and give in to the depression threatening my mind. 

I could barely make it through Addie’s story without wanting to vomit every five seconds. Despite that, the story is realistic. It’s truthful and raw. It’s something that honestly, a lot of people have to suffer through and Addie, my girl, she fought bravely through it. I can’t say that this part of the story was even remotely enjoyable, it wasn’t, it was absolutely horrific and I struggled very hard to get through it. At the same time I felt that Addie deserved so much more than this, and for that reason I couldn’t put the book down. I needed her to be okay, I needed her to be saved and to work through it and to get her life back. I needed her to be okay. Nothing was more heartbreaking than seeing the time pass by from Addie’s point of view and seeing her almost accept her situation, her fight leaving her body. It was destroying me, it was shattering my very soul when I saw my strong girl admit defeat rather than continue to fight, but at the same time, she was being incredibly strong just by listening and finding the right moments of reprieve. 

While Addie’s story had me wanting to vomit every few seconds, Zade’s point of view had me crying. I couldn’t catch a break with the first part of this book, and it was killing me to see Zade so helpless. I don’t think he’d ever experienced something so utterly scary and someone so close to him be taken in this way. I was worried that Zade would lose himself in the killing and just continue to make the world bleed because of his mistakes. There were countless moments where Zade crushed my soul from his own guilt and heartbreak.  

“I’m going to burn the entire fucking world down until I find her, and I don’t care who gets burnt.”

Part 2

Seeing Addie relieve her trauma over and over and over again was torturous. I knew she’d be able to pull herself out of the incessant loop of PTSD, but that never really leaves you and I wasn’t expecting it to. The moments where she was stuck in her head were killing me, and all I wanted to do was give her a hug and tell her she was safe and she’ll be okay. 

Watching Addie learn to fight reminded me so much of Feyre’s healing journey in A Court of Mist and Fury. I couldn’t help but think about the fact that these two very strong and once independent women were turning to honing their fighting and physical skills to get themselves out of their own minds. I loved this parallel, and I loved that Addie was able to focus on her pain and hone it into something murderous. 

Zade turned into a big old softie in part 2 and I can’t say I blame him. Addie was not only healing but learning about herself and who she is after her trauma. It’s something that she needed to overcome and figure out while fighting for revenge. I love that Zade not only let Addie take control but helped her when she needed it, and not otherwise. He let her be who she needed to be to overcome her trauma, it was refreshing to see a man actually let his woman use her capabilities and not just do everything for her. 

“I don’t care if I need to set this world on fire until there’s no one left but you and me. The world will burn around us, and I’ll gladly live in chaos with you as long as the only person that is a danger to you is me.”

Side characters

We see a ton of Sibby in this book and I can’t say I don’t love it. She’s hilarious and while I understand that she’s clearly dealt with her fair share of trauma and mental health issues, she brought humor into the story that our characters desperately needed. I didn’t expect to love Sibby, especially with the weirdness that comes with her character, but she made it fun and more lighthearted considering the topics covered in the book.

Of course, I have to mention Daya. Forever my favorite duo, Daya and Addie’s reunion had me in tears and the two will never fail to make me love them. They’re the best combination for best friends. I do wish that Daya’s trauma was explored a little more throughout the book as she was also abused, but it’s clear that the story is about Addie. Another thing, I love that Daya was able to take her revenge in a way that worked for her. A lot of people would just put their abuser in jail, but Daya genuinely deserved to do what she did and I’m proud of her and who she’s become. 

Addie and Zade

I don’t know how I’ll ever get over Addie and Zade. The pair were quite literally made for each other and it’s killing me not to have more content. That epilogue destroyed me and I was bawling my eyes out over it. Their softness for each other and nobody else is one of my favorite things ever and they have my heart completely. 

“Meadows, baby. Our last name is Meadows.”

Addie and Zade’s relationship development is something I fell into very easily and found myself adoring. Not only do they bring out the best in each other but they also allow their dark sides to intervene when necessary. While their romance is definitely considered dark (and definitely a little toxic), the two are an unbeatable pair and I love them for it. 

The cliffhanger 

How is there not a second book with that cliffhanger? Also, I need more Addie and Zade content so I want a third book!! 

“Heaven isn’t a place you go to when you die, it’s inside the person that’s worth dying for.”

Warnings

While I completely adored this book, it’s extremely dark compared to the first one. As a warning, check the triggers! I definitely went into the book blind but it’s a lot darker and a lot more twisted. It’s something I probably couldn’t handle if I wasn’t in the right headspace, which is another reason why it took me longer to get through as I required quite a few breaks just to get my bearings and my mindset right. 

“Our mouths are touching the same spot,” she says shakily. “Does that count as kissing?”

“You tell me, little mouse. When I make you cry out for God, does that count as praying?”

The Cat & Mouse Duet

This duet not only brought me out of a huge slump, but brought me into a world that I never want to leave. I love Zade and Addie’s story despite their many hardships and difficulties. The story shows a realness to the world that you don’t always get in a dark romance and it proves that the world isn’t a nice place, it’s dark, scary, and demented. This book is incredibly realistic and I love that it presented me with an all-consuming romance while continuing with a plotline that had me on the edge of my seat, on the verge of tears. I don’t want to leave Zade and Addie, and knowing me, I’ll come back and revisit them sometime in the future, but the two are probably one of my favorite dark romance couples of all time. 

“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?”

Doing this book justice

Honestly, I feel like I could never give you guys a review that gives this book the justice it deserves. It made me feel a million things at once and then took it all away again. I felt so hard for Addie and Zade and their story and the million difficulties that they had to endure. I can’t put into words how much I adore these characters and how human they are. They feel like I feel, and it kills me knowing they aren’t real. I want nothing more than to give this story, this beautiful, raw, and heartbreaking story, every single bit of me, because that’s what it deserves. 

Do I recommend?

If you couldn’t tell already, yes, absolutely I do. But, that being said, this book is NOT FOR EVERYBODY. Please check trigger warnings and don’t continue if it’s not the right type of dark romance for you! 

Rating: 5/5⭐️