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Auctioned #1
Auctioned
Gray Nolan’s biggest problem in life was the torch he carried for his closeted coach. He was just another happy-go-lucky dude, a college student and hockey player, when his ordinary existence was interrupted, and he became a human trafficking statistic.
He and seven other young men were taken aboard a luxurious yacht where they were to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Gray was beaten, shattered, and almost defeated by the time his buyer stepped out of the shadows in a swirl of his own cigarette smoke.
He was Gray’s new owner.
Darius Quinn had vowed never again to find himself in a situation like this. His days as a private military contractor were over. No more missions, no more risks, no more personal attachments. Yet, here he was, after weeks of searching, face-to-face with his broken prize.
It was time to get the knucklehead back to his family.
Quick and easy was Darius’s plan.
Then everything went sideways.
----------------------------------------------------
Auctioned, book 1. (Does not end with a cliffhanger.)
He and seven other young men were taken aboard a luxurious yacht where they were to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Gray was beaten, shattered, and almost defeated by the time his buyer stepped out of the shadows in a swirl of his own cigarette smoke.
He was Gray’s new owner.
Darius Quinn had vowed never again to find himself in a situation like this. His days as a private military contractor were over. No more missions, no more risks, no more personal attachments. Yet, here he was, after weeks of searching, face-to-face with his broken prize.
It was time to get the knucklehead back to his family.
Quick and easy was Darius’s plan.
Then everything went sideways.
----------------------------------------------------
Auctioned, book 1. (Does not end with a cliffhanger.)
207 pages, ebook
First published June 25, 2018
About the author
Cara Dee
88 books3,834 followers
I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 640 reviews
June 27, 2018
4 Stars.
Strap yourself in,because you're in for one hell of a ride with this book...
I've read a lot of dark books over the years and this one is up there as one of the most disturbing(for me.)
Human trafficking is something we're all too aware of in today's society but what really happens to the victims? We really have no idea about the physical and emotional abuse they go through.Is this an accurate portrayal? I've no idea but in some ways,although it's hard to read,I hope so.What I mean by that is I hope some things here aren't just included for the shock element...because shocking is most definitely what it is in certain parts.
It seems anything can be ordered/requested and that includes people. When Gray is kidnapped along with other young,gay men his life is never going to be the same again.After months on the road,it seems his final destination is on board a ship where he's involved in an Auction....
His buyer is Darius and Gray soon learns that Darius's reason for buying him isn't what he first thought...
I really don't want to elaborate too much on what happens....it's best to experience this one not knowing too much,go in with an open mind but,be warned,it's not for the faint-hearted...
It's brutal,disturbing,and utterly captivating...
Don't expect romance....it couldn't be,given the theme of the book.However the Author brilliantly manages to make the connection between Gray and Darius believable as the story progresses.
The story doesn't end here.I suspect these two have quite the journey ahead of them...
Will i be along for the ride? Most definitely.
An Arc of Auctioned was kindly provided to DirtyBooksObsession in exchange for an honest review.
Strap yourself in,because you're in for one hell of a ride with this book...
I've read a lot of dark books over the years and this one is up there as one of the most disturbing(for me.)
Human trafficking is something we're all too aware of in today's society but what really happens to the victims? We really have no idea about the physical and emotional abuse they go through.Is this an accurate portrayal? I've no idea but in some ways,although it's hard to read,I hope so.What I mean by that is I hope some things here aren't just included for the shock element...because shocking is most definitely what it is in certain parts.
It seems anything can be ordered/requested and that includes people. When Gray is kidnapped along with other young,gay men his life is never going to be the same again.After months on the road,it seems his final destination is on board a ship where he's involved in an Auction....
His buyer is Darius and Gray soon learns that Darius's reason for buying him isn't what he first thought...
I really don't want to elaborate too much on what happens....it's best to experience this one not knowing too much,go in with an open mind but,be warned,it's not for the faint-hearted...
It's brutal,disturbing,and utterly captivating...
Don't expect romance....it couldn't be,given the theme of the book.However the Author brilliantly manages to make the connection between Gray and Darius believable as the story progresses.
The story doesn't end here.I suspect these two have quite the journey ahead of them...
It wasn’t sex or freedom or blinding desire , but it was comfort. Gray got what he craved for a moment.(...)
Will i be along for the ride? Most definitely.
An Arc of Auctioned was kindly provided to DirtyBooksObsession in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews are posted on DirtyBooksObsession
June 24, 2018
I'm going to change my rating from 4 stars to 5 stars, because I can't stop thinking about this book. I can't even find a new book to start because I want to keep reading this one. Classic symptoms of a bookhangover. And that deserves all 5 stars.
Things you need to know before reading this book.
1. This is part 1 of a 2 book story. Update: There will be 4 more books about Gray and Darius. This makes me very happy because there is still so much story to tell.
This doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, but it does end in the middle of the story. There is (almost) no romance in this. I expect the healing and the romance to happen in the second book.
2. This book is not for the faint-hearted. Gruesome things do not necessarily always happen to Gray, but they do to the people (boys) around him. I got nauseous several times while reading this book.
3. Even though we know Gray from Power Play, this can be read as a stand-alone. I’m not sure how big a role Abel and Madigan will play in the next book though. Just know that the atmosphere of this book is waaaaaay different than Power Play. Power Play is a pretty light book. This is not.
It’s really hard to rate this book since the story isn’t finished yet. There is no romance yet (although there is a bond formed between Gray and Darius and there is one sex scene, I would not call it a romance, I can’t even call it a friendship yet). It feels unfinished simply because it is. I did love it, but I’m not sure I would have read it before the second book is out if I’d had known it is a 2 part story. Update: now that I know there will be 4 more books I'm way more okay with this book. It does feel like the start of a (long) story.
Gray is a 20 year old hockey player who we met in Power Play as Abel’s best friend. When he is kidnapped one night Gray is not sure what they want with him. He is held captive for several months and moved around a lot.
When he and several other guys are escorted to a ship it is clear they are being sold to the highest bidder.
Gray tries to keep his hope to ever go home alive, but it is so hard after all these months. When he is bought by a man they call Mr. B, Gray loses all hope. That is until Mr. B. introduces himself as Darius as soon as they are alone, and tells him he is hired by his family to get him out of there. Unfortunately they are on a ship in the middle of nowhere…
I wasn’t too sure where this story was going since Gray endured so much, but there was no chance of healing in sight. When I was at 75% it became clear to me that there would be another book. Especially since there is no romance yet. Yes, Gray and Darius become close, but it was a bit of a strange relationship. Darius was a cold man at times, a man who knew what needed to be done to save most of the boys, but not all. He was aware there would be casualties while Gray wasn’t ready to accept that. It made for a bit of a weird dynamic between the two. I’m not even sure I liked Darius to be honest. I do think I can like him, but I’m postponing my opinion until I’ve read the next book.
Gray was amazing and I loved him just as much as I did in Power Play. He was such a strong person, and my heart broke for all he endured.
I loved this, but I think I will love it even more when the other 4 books are out since Gray and Darius have such a long way to go before either one is fine again.
------------------------------
An ARC of Auctioned was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
Things you need to know before reading this book.
1. This is part 1 of a 2 book story. Update: There will be 4 more books about Gray and Darius. This makes me very happy because there is still so much story to tell.
This doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, but it does end in the middle of the story. There is (almost) no romance in this. I expect the healing and the romance to happen in the second book.
2. This book is not for the faint-hearted. Gruesome things do not necessarily always happen to Gray, but they do to the people (boys) around him. I got nauseous several times while reading this book.
3. Even though we know Gray from Power Play, this can be read as a stand-alone. I’m not sure how big a role Abel and Madigan will play in the next book though. Just know that the atmosphere of this book is waaaaaay different than Power Play. Power Play is a pretty light book. This is not.
It’s really hard to rate this book since the story isn’t finished yet. There is no romance yet (although there is a bond formed between Gray and Darius and there is one sex scene, I would not call it a romance, I can’t even call it a friendship yet). It feels unfinished simply because it is. I did love it, but I’m not sure I would have read it before the second book is out if I’d had known it is a 2 part story. Update: now that I know there will be 4 more books I'm way more okay with this book. It does feel like the start of a (long) story.
Gray is a 20 year old hockey player who we met in Power Play as Abel’s best friend. When he is kidnapped one night Gray is not sure what they want with him. He is held captive for several months and moved around a lot.
When he and several other guys are escorted to a ship it is clear they are being sold to the highest bidder.
Gray tries to keep his hope to ever go home alive, but it is so hard after all these months. When he is bought by a man they call Mr. B, Gray loses all hope. That is until Mr. B. introduces himself as Darius as soon as they are alone, and tells him he is hired by his family to get him out of there. Unfortunately they are on a ship in the middle of nowhere…
I wasn’t too sure where this story was going since Gray endured so much, but there was no chance of healing in sight. When I was at 75% it became clear to me that there would be another book. Especially since there is no romance yet. Yes, Gray and Darius become close, but it was a bit of a strange relationship. Darius was a cold man at times, a man who knew what needed to be done to save most of the boys, but not all. He was aware there would be casualties while Gray wasn’t ready to accept that. It made for a bit of a weird dynamic between the two. I’m not even sure I liked Darius to be honest. I do think I can like him, but I’m postponing my opinion until I’ve read the next book.
Gray was amazing and I loved him just as much as I did in Power Play. He was such a strong person, and my heart broke for all he endured.
I loved this, but I think I will love it even more when the other 4 books are out since Gray and Darius have such a long way to go before either one is fine again.
------------------------------
An ARC of Auctioned was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
August 15, 2018
3.5 Stars
"You know how magicians work, right? They distract us with a show over there so we don’t notice what they’re doing right here in front of us. This is our distraction, and it’s okay to enjoy fucking them over."
Gray was twenty-year-old when he was kidnapped and a few months later he was sold at an auction with seven other guys. But his new owner isn’t like others, he has a purpose. But his quick plan became something else and like any other war, there are casualties.
"Lives had been lost, hearts had been broken, spirits had been crushed."
This is not a romance story; it’s more about surviving. It doesn’t end with a cliffhanger but I think we will hear more of Gray and Darius in the next book. I mean I hope so because I’d like to see this two fall in love with each other! And there is a huge age gap (twenty-two years but it wasn’t palpable in my opinion). I liked that Gray didn’t lose his hope and remained strong. And I liked the trust between them! My only complaint was the lack of romance, and I’d like to hear Darius thoughts too! Told in single POV (Gray), 3rd person. It’s the first installment in the "8392" series (and I like to know the meaning of the number). Overall, it was a good read and hope you enjoy it!
"You know how magicians work, right? They distract us with a show over there so we don’t notice what they’re doing right here in front of us. This is our distraction, and it’s okay to enjoy fucking them over."
Gray was twenty-year-old when he was kidnapped and a few months later he was sold at an auction with seven other guys. But his new owner isn’t like others, he has a purpose. But his quick plan became something else and like any other war, there are casualties.
"Lives had been lost, hearts had been broken, spirits had been crushed."
This is not a romance story; it’s more about surviving. It doesn’t end with a cliffhanger but I think we will hear more of Gray and Darius in the next book. I mean I hope so because I’d like to see this two fall in love with each other! And there is a huge age gap (twenty-two years but it wasn’t palpable in my opinion). I liked that Gray didn’t lose his hope and remained strong. And I liked the trust between them! My only complaint was the lack of romance, and I’d like to hear Darius thoughts too! Told in single POV (Gray), 3rd person. It’s the first installment in the "8392" series (and I like to know the meaning of the number). Overall, it was a good read and hope you enjoy it!
May 23, 2020
"Kill me," Gray whispered raggedly. "I don't wanna live anymore."
Not in a universe where this sort of thing happened. The world was a horrible place.
Well.
That was...…
My rose-colored bubble has burst.
Seriously. I need a dose of unicorns and rainbows and all the happy things I can think of.
This book.
It was amazing and awful, and I wanna talk about it with everyone.
But not everyone will read this. And I get that. In fact, take every trigger warning that ever existed in the romance genre, and apply it to this book.
Gray is targeted and abducted by human traffickers specifically for his "type." Athletic, young, and gay. There are buyers who request any and all "flavors" of slave.
From a purely abstract standpoint, human trafficking is vile. During the times I've thought about it, I can't think of people more evil in the world. But that's in the abstract.
There is no abstract in this book. You LIVE this experience with Gray. Told exclusively in his POV, we not only experience what he goes through with him, but we see, through his eyes, what he observes that happens to the other slaves at the auction, and the months leading up to it.
Darius, whom we met in Power Play, is a mercenary-type professional (maybe?) who is hired by Gray's family to find him. And he becomes the man who buys Gray.
This is a mindfuck when it comes to the romance. There is attraction, sure, but how much can that be the focus when you're experiencing these horrific things while gaining a little bit of hope when Darius reveals who he is?
I thought the limited romance was done well, and it really couldn't be done any other way.
The book generates all kinds of ethical questions for me -
1. If you had the chance to escape this kind of torture, would you make your run for it and leave the others behind?
2. If you couldn't escape, but you had the chance to end someone else's (or your own) misery with a bullet, would you do it?
Cara Dee goes where few will go, and the writing is phenomenal. I can't say that I enjoyed this book, but I am definitely looking forward to the next book now that the auction is over and the romance can really start.
I'm gonna go hug my kids now and have a cocktail.
August 14, 2019
A Cara Dee book on audio??? ABOUT DANG TIME!!!!
Audio – 4.5 Stars
Alex Kydd is new to me. I liked his voice, and he was great with accents. I did, however, have to increase the speed of the audio to 1.25 to really enjoy his performance.
Story – 5 Stars!!!
Cara Dee just keeps proving to me why she is a favorite author of mine.
Auctioned is dark. It deals with sex trafficking. I’ve read darker, but this was dark enough for me. I appreciate that the story didn’t go too much into the sadistic details of what was happening to the victims.
I would agree that this isn’t really a romance, but it’s pretty damn close in my opinion. There were a couple of sweet and intimate scenes. So, in true Cara Dee fashion, there was no denying the chemistry and connection between the MCs, Gray and Darius. I can only imagine what’s in store in the next 2 books.
Everything worked for me in this first installment, the pacing, the suspense, the action, and the REVENGE!! Even the ending was satisfying.
On to book 2 soon…but where the heck is book 3 already???
Audio – 4.5 Stars
Alex Kydd is new to me. I liked his voice, and he was great with accents. I did, however, have to increase the speed of the audio to 1.25 to really enjoy his performance.
Story – 5 Stars!!!
Cara Dee just keeps proving to me why she is a favorite author of mine.
Auctioned is dark. It deals with sex trafficking. I’ve read darker, but this was dark enough for me. I appreciate that the story didn’t go too much into the sadistic details of what was happening to the victims.
I would agree that this isn’t really a romance, but it’s pretty damn close in my opinion. There were a couple of sweet and intimate scenes. So, in true Cara Dee fashion, there was no denying the chemistry and connection between the MCs, Gray and Darius. I can only imagine what’s in store in the next 2 books.
Everything worked for me in this first installment, the pacing, the suspense, the action, and the REVENGE!! Even the ending was satisfying.
On to book 2 soon…but where the heck is book 3 already???
April 22, 2020
Still a tough and chilling read....original rating and review stand.
-------Original Review 26 June 2018-------
4.5 Stars
There are a few things to note before getting into the meat of this review. First, Auctioned is not a romance. I suspect that will happen more as the story progresses. Second, while I wouldn't call the ending particularly cliffy, the story is most definitely not wrapped up. It does stop at a good point, though. And lastly, if descriptions of torture and human trafficking trigger you, you might want to stay clear. Cara Dee doesn't pull punches here. The story is graphic and there are times it is a touch hard to read. My heart hurts.
All that said -- Auctioned is some amazing writing and story telling! Cara Dee knows how to pull me in and make me keep reading, even when I'm highly uncomfortable. I've been looking forward to Gray's story since Power Play, and I knew from the sneak peak we got at the end of that book, that Gray's story would be intense - and it is, there is no question.
Human trafficking is a subject I never thought I'd read about in a romance novel, and if this book were written by any other author, I probably would not have chanced it.
There's definite attraction here, and I could see the edges of a romance by the end of Auctioned, but Gray has been through so much and it isn't quite over, yet, so we only get that glimpse. He's a strong young man in an impossible situation. Even having been though so much over the past few months, he still has a huge heart.
Darius is a bit of an enigma. We meet him in other Camassia Cove books, but we don't learn much about him. Well, turns out this man has layers and we've only scratched the surface. I'm looking forward to learning more about him as a man and his motivations for rescue missions. I have my hunches and I want to know if they are correct.
In short, Auctioned will stretch your boundaries and make you question things you may have thought you knew about yourself and your fellow humans. There really are no limits to either human generosity or human evil and we see both sides of that coin, here.
I do recommend this book, with caution -- heed the warnings. I've every confidence, however, that Cara Dee will make the journey worth it.
-------------------
ARC of Auctioned was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
-------Original Review 26 June 2018-------
4.5 Stars
There are a few things to note before getting into the meat of this review. First, Auctioned is not a romance. I suspect that will happen more as the story progresses. Second, while I wouldn't call the ending particularly cliffy, the story is most definitely not wrapped up. It does stop at a good point, though. And lastly, if descriptions of torture and human trafficking trigger you, you might want to stay clear. Cara Dee doesn't pull punches here. The story is graphic and there are times it is a touch hard to read. My heart hurts.
All that said -- Auctioned is some amazing writing and story telling! Cara Dee knows how to pull me in and make me keep reading, even when I'm highly uncomfortable. I've been looking forward to Gray's story since Power Play, and I knew from the sneak peak we got at the end of that book, that Gray's story would be intense - and it is, there is no question.
Human trafficking is a subject I never thought I'd read about in a romance novel, and if this book were written by any other author, I probably would not have chanced it.
There's definite attraction here, and I could see the edges of a romance by the end of Auctioned, but Gray has been through so much and it isn't quite over, yet, so we only get that glimpse. He's a strong young man in an impossible situation. Even having been though so much over the past few months, he still has a huge heart.
Darius is a bit of an enigma. We meet him in other Camassia Cove books, but we don't learn much about him. Well, turns out this man has layers and we've only scratched the surface. I'm looking forward to learning more about him as a man and his motivations for rescue missions. I have my hunches and I want to know if they are correct.
In short, Auctioned will stretch your boundaries and make you question things you may have thought you knew about yourself and your fellow humans. There really are no limits to either human generosity or human evil and we see both sides of that coin, here.
I do recommend this book, with caution -- heed the warnings. I've every confidence, however, that Cara Dee will make the journey worth it.
-------------------
ARC of Auctioned was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2023
4/5
I surprisingly liked it. This is the first book in a series of six books centered around one couple - Darius and Gray. I'd say it's more of an action with romance than an romance with action, but it's the first book so we can't jump right into them falling in love at the end because that would honestly be boring.
There’s some heavy stuff in the book such as: human trafficking, drugs, death, SA, abuse, fucked up torture methods, and kidnapping.
The book jumps right into the action, where Gray is being kidnapped by human trafficking organization. The story is told from Gray's point of view, so we can witness what he has to went through to finally be transported with the other boys to the luxury yacht where all the action takes place and where he meets Darius. I don't want to write spoilers here, but the plot mainly evolves around Darius trying to save Gray and bring him home, which unfortunately isn't that easy and they have to go through a lot of complications.
As I said the romance isn’t the main interest here (the rest of the books I heard has more of it obvs), plus Darius is straight, or at least he think he is, but we can already see that he is becoming soft for Gray. There is one scene between them, the intimate one, but it’s a slow burn so you have to be patient.
I also like the main characters, Gray, who, despite difficult conditions, does not give up and tries to help other boys save them, and Darius? Uhu I definitely like him. He is older than Gray (he is forty one, Gray twenty one), but I have daddy issues and like older men so it obviously not a problem. He has a hot lumberjack vibes, is six-four, is a former private military contractor, doesn’t want any attachment (Yet), will do anything to protect Gray and calls him knucklehead. So yeah, I will definitely continue the series.
I surprisingly liked it. This is the first book in a series of six books centered around one couple - Darius and Gray. I'd say it's more of an action with romance than an romance with action, but it's the first book so we can't jump right into them falling in love at the end because that would honestly be boring.
There’s some heavy stuff in the book such as: human trafficking, drugs, death, SA, abuse, fucked up torture methods, and kidnapping.
The book jumps right into the action, where Gray is being kidnapped by human trafficking organization. The story is told from Gray's point of view, so we can witness what he has to went through to finally be transported with the other boys to the luxury yacht where all the action takes place and where he meets Darius. I don't want to write spoilers here, but the plot mainly evolves around Darius trying to save Gray and bring him home, which unfortunately isn't that easy and they have to go through a lot of complications.
As I said the romance isn’t the main interest here (the rest of the books I heard has more of it obvs), plus Darius is straight, or at least he think he is, but we can already see that he is becoming soft for Gray. There is one scene between them, the intimate one, but it’s a slow burn so you have to be patient.
“You realize we’re cuddling, right?” Gray smiled to himself and scratched lightly at Darius’s chest.
“Mm. Big fan.” He hummed and ducked his head to burrow his face into the crook of Gray’s neck. And that felt…even better."
I also like the main characters, Gray, who, despite difficult conditions, does not give up and tries to help other boys save them, and Darius? Uhu I definitely like him. He is older than Gray (he is forty one, Gray twenty one), but I have daddy issues and like older men so it obviously not a problem. He has a hot lumberjack vibes, is six-four, is a former private military contractor, doesn’t want any attachment (Yet), will do anything to protect Gray and calls him knucklehead. So yeah, I will definitely continue the series.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
June 23, 2024DNF @51%
I’m sorry, but I’m so incredibly bored. For a book about human trafficking, this is surprisingly uneventful.
Obviously there’s a lot of sadistic stuff going on within the organization, but we don’t get to see any of it. All we’re doing is just sitting in a room with Gray and Darius, talking about how they’re going to escape.
The horrific stuff seems to happen to the side characters, while our mains are just looking on from the sidelines.
They’re both very emotionless, especially Darius. They don’t feel like real people at all.
There’s also absolutely no romance between them whatsoever, not even a hint of affection or anything like that.
Honestly, I just can’t be bothered. It’s boring.
Prequel 'Camassia Cove' series:
1. Home - 4.0 stars
6. Out - 4.0 stars
7. Power Play - 2.5 stars
I’m sorry, but I’m so incredibly bored. For a book about human trafficking, this is surprisingly uneventful.
Obviously there’s a lot of sadistic stuff going on within the organization, but we don’t get to see any of it. All we’re doing is just sitting in a room with Gray and Darius, talking about how they’re going to escape.
The horrific stuff seems to happen to the side characters, while our mains are just looking on from the sidelines.
They’re both very emotionless, especially Darius. They don’t feel like real people at all.
There’s also absolutely no romance between them whatsoever, not even a hint of affection or anything like that.
Honestly, I just can’t be bothered. It’s boring.
Prequel 'Camassia Cove' series:
1. Home - 4.0 stars
6. Out - 4.0 stars
7. Power Play - 2.5 stars
June 25, 2018
There are approximately 20 to 30 million slaves in the world today...
that's a fact and while this story isn't fact it stems from reality a hard, cold cruel reality that this happens in the world that we exist in...it's a thing people a serious, scary, horrible, violent thing and if violence isn't your thing and by that I mean if it's a trigger for you than as much as this book dug into my heart and soul I'm going to suggest you think long and hard before reading it...actually I'm going to suggest that you may want to take a pass on this one. While I don't seem to have any 'triggers' that doesn't mean that there aren't things that will keep me up at night and I'm pretty sure that this will be one of them.
This is "NOT" a romance. But it is Gray's story or the beginnings of it. We first met Gray in previous books that were from or connected to the Camassia Cove series. Gray is Abel's best friend and had a pretty significant role in Abel and Madigan's story...'Power Play' which is where I came to really like him. I'm not saying there won't be caring and feelings but this is so not a typical or even an atypical love story.
This is a story about strength, courage and survival. It's about the evil that's out there in the world and while the story itself is fiction the reality of what it's about isn't...so this one's definitely not for the feint of heart. It's dark and disturbing and left me feeling a little sick because the fact that this kind of thing happens in the world we live in is more than a little disturbing.
While the violence wasn't downplayed by any means I appreciated that it also wasn't portrayed with an excess of description. It's a fine line to walk between what's not enough, what's enough and when things have gone to far and I have to say for me the author did a pretty impressive job of walking that line. While we're not give excessive descriptions of the violence what we are given is enough to engage the imagination and sometimes it's what the mind imagines that can be so much scarier than words on a page.
So you've been warned this is not a light and fluffy story and it can be disturbing and having said all that I have zero regrets that I read this book. It's an incredibly well told story about a subject that shouldn't be ignored.
Once again Cara Dee has dared to go where many wouldn't and she's done it without glossy, rose colored glasses. There were victims, survivors and heroes and yes, Darius was among the heroes in this story but I have the feeling that wasn't always the case. I have a sneaky suspicion that Darius has in the past been a victim as well. Gray and Cole were also victims but in the end we saw that they rose to the occasion and were heroes as well. But hero or victim...these men were all survivors and while someone can become a hero in an instant being a survivor comes from enduring getting back up no matter how many times you've been knocked down...never giving up
This is also a story that makes a person want to take a look at their own moral compass just to be sure that it's pointing in the right direction to where you want to go. While the subject of this story might make many a person squirm in their chair there was also a relationship starting...a relationship that is trying to establish itself under less than ideal circumstances so needless to say it's gotten off to a very slow start and for those of us who didn't get enough of these two men...there will be more and I honestly can't wait to see what's next for Gray and Darius.
************************
An ARC of 'Auctioned' was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
that's a fact and while this story isn't fact it stems from reality a hard, cold cruel reality that this happens in the world that we exist in...it's a thing people a serious, scary, horrible, violent thing and if violence isn't your thing and by that I mean if it's a trigger for you than as much as this book dug into my heart and soul I'm going to suggest you think long and hard before reading it...actually I'm going to suggest that you may want to take a pass on this one. While I don't seem to have any 'triggers' that doesn't mean that there aren't things that will keep me up at night and I'm pretty sure that this will be one of them.
This is "NOT" a romance. But it is Gray's story or the beginnings of it. We first met Gray in previous books that were from or connected to the Camassia Cove series. Gray is Abel's best friend and had a pretty significant role in Abel and Madigan's story...'Power Play' which is where I came to really like him. I'm not saying there won't be caring and feelings but this is so not a typical or even an atypical love story.
This is a story about strength, courage and survival. It's about the evil that's out there in the world and while the story itself is fiction the reality of what it's about isn't...so this one's definitely not for the feint of heart. It's dark and disturbing and left me feeling a little sick because the fact that this kind of thing happens in the world we live in is more than a little disturbing.
While the violence wasn't downplayed by any means I appreciated that it also wasn't portrayed with an excess of description. It's a fine line to walk between what's not enough, what's enough and when things have gone to far and I have to say for me the author did a pretty impressive job of walking that line. While we're not give excessive descriptions of the violence what we are given is enough to engage the imagination and sometimes it's what the mind imagines that can be so much scarier than words on a page.
So you've been warned this is not a light and fluffy story and it can be disturbing and having said all that I have zero regrets that I read this book. It's an incredibly well told story about a subject that shouldn't be ignored.
Once again Cara Dee has dared to go where many wouldn't and she's done it without glossy, rose colored glasses. There were victims, survivors and heroes and yes, Darius was among the heroes in this story but I have the feeling that wasn't always the case. I have a sneaky suspicion that Darius has in the past been a victim as well. Gray and Cole were also victims but in the end we saw that they rose to the occasion and were heroes as well. But hero or victim...these men were all survivors and while someone can become a hero in an instant being a survivor comes from enduring getting back up no matter how many times you've been knocked down...never giving up
This is also a story that makes a person want to take a look at their own moral compass just to be sure that it's pointing in the right direction to where you want to go. While the subject of this story might make many a person squirm in their chair there was also a relationship starting...a relationship that is trying to establish itself under less than ideal circumstances so needless to say it's gotten off to a very slow start and for those of us who didn't get enough of these two men...there will be more and I honestly can't wait to see what's next for Gray and Darius.
************************
An ARC of 'Auctioned' was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2019
4 solid stars!
I've read it in one sitting. Really enjoyed the writing! The story is hard to read, and it's not for everyone. You should know before diving in that it's about human trafficking. So if it's a trigger you might want to skip it. It is really hard to stomach especially knowing it's something that is happening right now in the world.
For some reason I expected it to be darker. There were many scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat, but the main characters form a bond in the middle of madness and they win in the end. I know both will need time to heal, especially emotionally. Looking forward to reading the next book! I need to know they will end up together, even if it's not going to be easy.
I've read it in one sitting. Really enjoyed the writing! The story is hard to read, and it's not for everyone. You should know before diving in that it's about human trafficking. So if it's a trigger you might want to skip it. It is really hard to stomach especially knowing it's something that is happening right now in the world.
For some reason I expected it to be darker. There were many scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat, but the main characters form a bond in the middle of madness and they win in the end. I know both will need time to heal, especially emotionally. Looking forward to reading the next book! I need to know they will end up together, even if it's not going to be easy.
November 27, 2021
hmmm… no.
February 10, 2023
Well, fuck
Another brilliant book by Cara Dee but so tragic. It was heartbreaking every page and yet the strength of Gray was mesmerizing.
My heart hurt for every single one of those boys and for the people trafficked every single day who don’t have anyone to save them.
It was so good, but I honestly don’t know what more to say to do this book justice.
Another brilliant book by Cara Dee but so tragic. It was heartbreaking every page and yet the strength of Gray was mesmerizing.
My heart hurt for every single one of those boys and for the people trafficked every single day who don’t have anyone to save them.
It was so good, but I honestly don’t know what more to say to do this book justice.
August 14, 2019
3.5 Stars!
I liked this one more than I thought I would. I was so confused at the sneak peek of Gray’s book. It’s definitely not what I expected. And the jury’s still out on the rest of the series. I’m kind of bummed it’s going to be 5 books.
This was a bit brutal to read at times. Not much romance yet. I *am* a bit curious to see where things go though. So for now I’ll be reading the next book.
I liked this one more than I thought I would. I was so confused at the sneak peek of Gray’s book. It’s definitely not what I expected. And the jury’s still out on the rest of the series. I’m kind of bummed it’s going to be 5 books.
This was a bit brutal to read at times. Not much romance yet. I *am* a bit curious to see where things go though. So for now I’ll be reading the next book.
July 27, 2023
I'm utterly OBSESSED!!!!!!!
I can't stop thinking about this book/series ♡
I can't stop thinking about this book/series ♡
January 30, 2019
I pretty much inhaled this book. I'm not sure how to review it so I'll start by restating what everyone else has said in their review. It is dark.
The plot revolves around human trafficking and the sadistic fucks who sell and buy other people.
I don't read a lot of dark books, but I've read a few. Some are so graphic that I can't get through them. Some are so vague that the darkness is only alluded to, usually in the past. What made this one more readable for me is that it has a combination of both current scenes and past trauma. The scenes we are directly exposed to are the more bearable ones. Others are fade to black, while still others are only mentioned as happening in the past or to someone else. This all combined to make me turn the pages faster and faster to see how/if this would resolve without making me so overwhelmed that I needed a break.
If you've read some of Cara Dee's other books you'll recognize some characters. But in no way is this a continuation of a series. If anything, it's the beginning of one. You do not have to read any prior books in order to fully understand this one.
As book 1 of 5, you know at the end of this first book that the story will continue and expand. However, it is not a cliffhanger ending. It comes to a solid conclusion and resolution of the central conflict.
I want, so badly, to give this five stars. But I can't because I'm silly to the extreme. I did not like the nickname "knucklehead" used throughout the book. I found it jarring. For me, the term knucklehead is one you'd use for a child. Since there was a 21 year age difference between the MCs, the last thing I wanted was to think of one of them as a child. Every time I read it it took me out of the story. So the ONLY reason I'm rating it 4 instead of 5 is because of my PERSONAL feeling towards a nickname used in the story. 🤦♀️
The plot revolves around human trafficking and the sadistic fucks who sell and buy other people.
I don't read a lot of dark books, but I've read a few. Some are so graphic that I can't get through them. Some are so vague that the darkness is only alluded to, usually in the past. What made this one more readable for me is that it has a combination of both current scenes and past trauma. The scenes we are directly exposed to are the more bearable ones. Others are fade to black, while still others are only mentioned as happening in the past or to someone else. This all combined to make me turn the pages faster and faster to see how/if this would resolve without making me so overwhelmed that I needed a break.
If you've read some of Cara Dee's other books you'll recognize some characters. But in no way is this a continuation of a series. If anything, it's the beginning of one. You do not have to read any prior books in order to fully understand this one.
As book 1 of 5, you know at the end of this first book that the story will continue and expand. However, it is not a cliffhanger ending. It comes to a solid conclusion and resolution of the central conflict.
I want, so badly, to give this five stars. But I can't because I'm silly to the extreme. I did not like the nickname "knucklehead" used throughout the book. I found it jarring. For me, the term knucklehead is one you'd use for a child. Since there was a 21 year age difference between the MCs, the last thing I wanted was to think of one of them as a child. Every time I read it it took me out of the story. So the ONLY reason I'm rating it 4 instead of 5 is because of my PERSONAL feeling towards a nickname used in the story. 🤦♀️
August 15, 2018
What a story!
Put in one sentence, this is about a human trafficking operation on a huge yacht where young men are sold as slaves – and the slaves turn against their ‘owners’ and take revenge.
Lots and lots of violence and blood…
I am a sucker for stories like this. Stories where characters go through hell before any sign of hope is on the horizon.
Sadly, what was an amazing, psychological journey in The Flesh Cartel series Capture and in Lisa Henry’s The Island, fell completely flat here.
The psychology behind that kind of trauma was barely touched and the promising plot twist of Darius either being one of the good or bad guys wasn’t thoroughly executed.
Darius is a very hot and very mysterious guy, but his motive behind the entire thing was kind of odd. I didn’t really buy it and I didn’t understand how he got involved in the first place.
Gray, I am sad to say, is a rather flat character, even though he is the one who went through hell. He constantly jumped from ‘I am so unworthy’ to ‘I want to kill them all’ to ‘Yes, please fuck me with that monster cock!!’
And I need to mention that the bad guys are all simply evil guys. We don’t get involved with them on an emotional level like in the Flesh Cartel. So it’s pretty easy to just hate them. But watching them die cruel deaths and thinking ‘Yeah, you had it coming’ doesn’t feel right, either.
I don’t know. I think that story just didn’t sit right with me.
2.5 stars
Put in one sentence, this is about a human trafficking operation on a huge yacht where young men are sold as slaves – and the slaves turn against their ‘owners’ and take revenge.
Lots and lots of violence and blood…
I am a sucker for stories like this. Stories where characters go through hell before any sign of hope is on the horizon.
Sadly, what was an amazing, psychological journey in The Flesh Cartel series Capture and in Lisa Henry’s The Island, fell completely flat here.
The psychology behind that kind of trauma was barely touched and the promising plot twist of Darius either being one of the good or bad guys wasn’t thoroughly executed.
Darius is a very hot and very mysterious guy, but his motive behind the entire thing was kind of odd. I didn’t really buy it and I didn’t understand how he got involved in the first place.
Gray, I am sad to say, is a rather flat character, even though he is the one who went through hell. He constantly jumped from ‘I am so unworthy’ to ‘I want to kill them all’ to ‘Yes, please fuck me with that monster cock!!’
And I need to mention that the bad guys are all simply evil guys. We don’t get involved with them on an emotional level like in the Flesh Cartel. So it’s pretty easy to just hate them. But watching them die cruel deaths and thinking ‘Yeah, you had it coming’ doesn’t feel right, either.
I don’t know. I think that story just didn’t sit right with me.
2.5 stars
March 9, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶️🌶️
🎧🎧🎧
I’m always a little reluctant when I start a book like this. I can handle trafficking and all the violence it entails especially if revenge is served ice cold.
What I can’t handle is Stockholm syndrome, it’s one thing to fall for an asshole, it’s a whole other can of worms if they’re your buyer, i.e. a slave trader and your abuser. That’s something that rarely, if ever works for me.
So thank fucking god that’s not the case with Gray and Darius, quite the contrary. And considering the villains were especially vicious and completely irredeemable that’s a relief.
If you’re not prepared to endure an extreme amount of abuse, violence, rape and murder this series, at least this first book isn’t for you.
It was difficult for me and I have no triggers outside of child abuse.
But as I said, revenge is a beautiful thing. Fuck turning the other cheek, an eye for a fucking eye every time.
🌶️🌶️
🎧🎧🎧
I’m always a little reluctant when I start a book like this. I can handle trafficking and all the violence it entails especially if revenge is served ice cold.
What I can’t handle is Stockholm syndrome, it’s one thing to fall for an asshole, it’s a whole other can of worms if they’re your buyer, i.e. a slave trader and your abuser. That’s something that rarely, if ever works for me.
So thank fucking god that’s not the case with Gray and Darius, quite the contrary. And considering the villains were especially vicious and completely irredeemable that’s a relief.
If you’re not prepared to endure an extreme amount of abuse, violence, rape and murder this series, at least this first book isn’t for you.
It was difficult for me and I have no triggers outside of child abuse.
But as I said, revenge is a beautiful thing. Fuck turning the other cheek, an eye for a fucking eye every time.
Shelved as '0-mm-books-i-own-and-to-be-read'
June 29, 2018Just chatted with Cara [who's friggin' AWESOME] and she elaborated on a few questions I had! One of those questions was how many books there'd be in the Auctioned universe and how many would be about Gray and Darius :-D ... the answer to that is: There'll be FIVE books in total and ALL of them will centre around the same guys - i.e. ALL 5 books will be about Gray and Darius [and there WILL be a wonderful HEA at the end] :-D!!
Holy shit, I WANT THIS :-)!!
Holy shit, I WANT THIS :-)!!
October 6, 2018
This was brutal for me to read so I say take extreme caution going into this one. If rape, torture, kidnaping and things make you trigger...then avoid this one.
Overall, Cara Dee is definitely up there as a must read author for me and I very much look forward to the second book in this series because these characters have some healing to do.
October 6, 2018
4.5 stars
Are you a fan of Cara Dee's series "Camassia Cove"? It doesn't really matter one way or another, because this book is so different from what we are used to getting from that little fictional town. While the characters are from there and we've met them in previous stories the theme of the book is nothing like we got in the past.
For me, this series of five books, yeah eventually there'll be five in total, reads more as a spin off of the original series rather than as an addition to it. It's dark, it's angsty and a lot of the time it's difficult to read. The hard scenes aren't described in great detail and that's what made it bearable to read. Many times things are left to the reader to realise what had happened or mention of the result that an evil act had on someone without focusing on the act itself. It was still difficult to read about so much cruelty and what these boys went through, so please read the warnings before you dive in. (I know there aren't any in the blurb, but there are reviews out there to give you an idea of what to expect.)This story with sweet Gray takes place in a dark world that hides in plain sight.
The book as a whole was well written but there were some plot holes. For example, it was mentioned in the beginning that in Gray and Darius' cabin there were cameras, yet later they acted freely while alone in there as though no one was watching. At first, t hey were supposed to keep up appearances even while they were in their room but that was completely forgotten after the first night.
Other than small things like that the plot was a good one and I can't wait to see what else awaits Gray, Darius and the rest of the characters until they are able to get back home to safety, provided of course that a happy ending is in the cards for them.
I liked Gray and Darius both together and separately and I liked the connection they formed between them. They were only together for three days, but under the circumstances it's understandable and completely believable that they grew this level of trust between them.
We only get Gray's point of view so Darius is still somewhat of a mystery, but I liked that we didn't get all the details of his life yet. It's something to be expected anticipated from the next books.
This review has been cross-posted on The Novel Approach Reviews.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via The Novel Approach Reviews in exchange for an honest review. *
Are you a fan of Cara Dee's series "Camassia Cove"? It doesn't really matter one way or another, because this book is so different from what we are used to getting from that little fictional town. While the characters are from there and we've met them in previous stories the theme of the book is nothing like we got in the past.
For me, this series of five books, yeah eventually there'll be five in total, reads more as a spin off of the original series rather than as an addition to it. It's dark, it's angsty and a lot of the time it's difficult to read. The hard scenes aren't described in great detail and that's what made it bearable to read. Many times things are left to the reader to realise what had happened or mention of the result that an evil act had on someone without focusing on the act itself. It was still difficult to read about so much cruelty and what these boys went through, so please read the warnings before you dive in. (I know there aren't any in the blurb, but there are reviews out there to give you an idea of what to expect.)This story with sweet Gray takes place in a dark world that hides in plain sight.
The book as a whole was well written but there were some plot holes. For example, it was mentioned in the beginning that in Gray and Darius' cabin there were cameras, yet later they acted freely while alone in there as though no one was watching. At first, t hey were supposed to keep up appearances even while they were in their room but that was completely forgotten after the first night.
Other than small things like that the plot was a good one and I can't wait to see what else awaits Gray, Darius and the rest of the characters until they are able to get back home to safety, provided of course that a happy ending is in the cards for them.
I liked Gray and Darius both together and separately and I liked the connection they formed between them. They were only together for three days, but under the circumstances it's understandable and completely believable that they grew this level of trust between them.
We only get Gray's point of view so Darius is still somewhat of a mystery, but I liked that we didn't get all the details of his life yet. It's something to be expected anticipated from the next books.
This review has been cross-posted on The Novel Approach Reviews.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via The Novel Approach Reviews in exchange for an honest review. *
June 23, 2021
***Audio Review ***
Well...I listened to 2 chapters, and have returned it to Audible I'm afraid. IMHO, the narrator was truly awful...just imagine the worst narrator you could possibly imagine with a deep, gravelly voice who actually sounded as though he needed winding up 🤯. No more Alex Kydd for me, and what's really irritating is that I noticed book 2 is being read by a completely different narrator...do I try that one or not 🤔. Decisions, decisions....oh well, I can always return that one as well. Don't like doing it, but sometimes these book/narrator pairings just do not work out at all 🙁.
***Book Review ***
4.5 stars from me. Is it wrong that I fist-pumped when some of the nastier traffickers AND slave owners were killed?? Did I wish I was on that bloody yacht with a ruddy machine gun...hell to the yes!! Unforgiving....moi?? 😠😠😠 Hanging Judge here!! Cannot wait to discover what happens to Gray, Darius and the rescued boys...the Lost and Forgotten Boys, in the next story Stranded. Count me in!! #LinusandMiloforever
Well...I listened to 2 chapters, and have returned it to Audible I'm afraid. IMHO, the narrator was truly awful...just imagine the worst narrator you could possibly imagine with a deep, gravelly voice who actually sounded as though he needed winding up 🤯. No more Alex Kydd for me, and what's really irritating is that I noticed book 2 is being read by a completely different narrator...do I try that one or not 🤔. Decisions, decisions....oh well, I can always return that one as well. Don't like doing it, but sometimes these book/narrator pairings just do not work out at all 🙁.
***Book Review ***
4.5 stars from me. Is it wrong that I fist-pumped when some of the nastier traffickers AND slave owners were killed?? Did I wish I was on that bloody yacht with a ruddy machine gun...hell to the yes!! Unforgiving....moi?? 😠😠😠 Hanging Judge here!! Cannot wait to discover what happens to Gray, Darius and the rescued boys...the Lost and Forgotten Boys, in the next story Stranded. Count me in!! #LinusandMiloforever
June 30, 2018
I think this book works in blurb theory more than in the actual story.
I was frustrated with the amount of telling in this book. While bad things happen to Gray we're told about it more than live through it with him. For instance, "Call me Bob", the bad guy that is in charge of Gray for months on his way to be auctioned....well, we never meet the guy. Never actually see anything he does to Gray. We just know that Gray was afraid of him because Gray muses about him in his head at times. The reader doesn't live through a single scene with Bob and Gray. (The only clue to any of the things that might have been done is a throw away thought near the end of the book of one of the things that Bob did to Gray but whether that thought had been there or not makes no real difference at that point).
There is no sex in this book between Gray and Darius that is kinky or debasing or anything else, really. The one time they have sex, Gray imagines himself somewhere else and they have voyeurs but it's not the kind of sex being forced on the other boys and Gray is fully consensual and on board, almost pushing Darius to do it. The other boys have it bad - of course they do, they weren't secretly saved - but again, none of that is reader "lived" pain. It's all told pain. Visual pain. Imagined pain. Gray hears screams, Gray sees bruises, Gray sees blood, etc. The people on the boat are depraved but Gray is mostly isolated from anything but listening to them tell their gruesome, sadistic stories. Yes, there are a few depraved, murderous action scenes and all that changes Gray a lot - of course it does - but it's all missing something, somewhere to make a connection with this reader.
I found nothing that would classify this a romance or erotica. There is absolutely no sexual chemistry coming from Darius toward Gray. None. Gray is too traumatized to be able to recognize sexual attraction too so it's mostly subdued on his part.
The plan to save Gray changes a lot as most plans do which is fine but the end of the book, while maybe not technically a cliffhanger, is absolutely a cliffhanger. If you don't consider this a cliffhanger than this doesn't even end with a Happy For Now ending. It just ends. It ends with a lot of loose ends. even more questions and no resolution whatsoever to anything.
I was frustrated with the amount of telling in this book. While bad things happen to Gray we're told about it more than live through it with him. For instance, "Call me Bob", the bad guy that is in charge of Gray for months on his way to be auctioned....well, we never meet the guy. Never actually see anything he does to Gray. We just know that Gray was afraid of him because Gray muses about him in his head at times. The reader doesn't live through a single scene with Bob and Gray. (The only clue to any of the things that might have been done is a throw away thought near the end of the book of one of the things that Bob did to Gray but whether that thought had been there or not makes no real difference at that point).
There is no sex in this book between Gray and Darius that is kinky or debasing or anything else, really. The one time they have sex, Gray imagines himself somewhere else and they have voyeurs but it's not the kind of sex being forced on the other boys and Gray is fully consensual and on board, almost pushing Darius to do it. The other boys have it bad - of course they do, they weren't secretly saved - but again, none of that is reader "lived" pain. It's all told pain. Visual pain. Imagined pain. Gray hears screams, Gray sees bruises, Gray sees blood, etc. The people on the boat are depraved but Gray is mostly isolated from anything but listening to them tell their gruesome, sadistic stories. Yes, there are a few depraved, murderous action scenes and all that changes Gray a lot - of course it does - but it's all missing something, somewhere to make a connection with this reader.
I found nothing that would classify this a romance or erotica. There is absolutely no sexual chemistry coming from Darius toward Gray. None. Gray is too traumatized to be able to recognize sexual attraction too so it's mostly subdued on his part.
The plan to save Gray changes a lot as most plans do which is fine but the end of the book, while maybe not technically a cliffhanger, is absolutely a cliffhanger. If you don't consider this a cliffhanger than this doesn't even end with a Happy For Now ending. It just ends. It ends with a lot of loose ends. even more questions and no resolution whatsoever to anything.
January 21, 2019
Dark and utterly compelling
I've read plenty of dark books in my time and this one is up in the top ten for the sheer attention to detail and focused look at what it's like to be a victim of human trafficking.
There's no let up in this story, which links into the wider Camassia Cove books, Cara Dee takes the reader deep into the tortured lives of a group of young gay boys and men, stolen to order for an auction at sea.
It's horrific and absorbing and the faint echoes of hope and possible romance which lie right at the very bottom of the plot are just enough to stop it being irredeemable.
There's no way I could say I enjoyed reading this one but I was absolutely absorbed by the narrative.
I've read plenty of dark books in my time and this one is up in the top ten for the sheer attention to detail and focused look at what it's like to be a victim of human trafficking.
There's no let up in this story, which links into the wider Camassia Cove books, Cara Dee takes the reader deep into the tortured lives of a group of young gay boys and men, stolen to order for an auction at sea.
It's horrific and absorbing and the faint echoes of hope and possible romance which lie right at the very bottom of the plot are just enough to stop it being irredeemable.
There's no way I could say I enjoyed reading this one but I was absolutely absorbed by the narrative.
March 31, 2019
Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK
All I can say right now is just, wow. This book was dark and gritty, and Gray's emotions just about killed me. It was extremely captivating to read, even at parts that were a little uncomfortable to read about. This book was definitely not a romance but I can tell that there is something brewing between Gray and Darius that I can't wait to see more of.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
All I can say right now is just, wow. This book was dark and gritty, and Gray's emotions just about killed me. It was extremely captivating to read, even at parts that were a little uncomfortable to read about. This book was definitely not a romance but I can tell that there is something brewing between Gray and Darius that I can't wait to see more of.
January 22, 2019
But wait! There’s more!
Holy crap, what a story. It’s often brutal and frightening, horrifying and ultimately thrilling. I could not stop reading because I got emotionally invested in Gray immediately, along with secondary characters. It took a little longer to warm up to Darius, once he was on the scene because he had to be pretty cruel in order to save Gray. I was asked about scenes of non-con; there are suggestive but mostly non-graphic passages making it understood what happens to different characters and just a few details about Gray are disclosed later on in the book. Mostly it’s visual evidence of violence perpetrated on the boys taken with Gray. Only one brief glimpse of forced oral is on-page. It’s used more to highlight how Gray’s mindset has been impacted by what he’s experienced and witnessed. There is a lot of graphic, non-sexual physical violence and killing.
Darius and Gray become close rather quickly because all the action takes place within 3-4 days. There is one sex scene, totally consensual and more about comfort and solace for Gray but the attraction between him and Darius feels genuine. The story ends at a point where the action has stopped, Gray is free from his captors but a sequel is coming. It didn’t really feel like a total cliffhanger, but he has yet to be reunited with his family and friends. It’s also evident that Gray will need some serious therapy and that Darius has an interesting past that needs to come to light. Highly recommended but not for the squeamish or faint of heart.
Holy crap, what a story. It’s often brutal and frightening, horrifying and ultimately thrilling. I could not stop reading because I got emotionally invested in Gray immediately, along with secondary characters. It took a little longer to warm up to Darius, once he was on the scene because he had to be pretty cruel in order to save Gray. I was asked about scenes of non-con; there are suggestive but mostly non-graphic passages making it understood what happens to different characters and just a few details about Gray are disclosed later on in the book. Mostly it’s visual evidence of violence perpetrated on the boys taken with Gray. Only one brief glimpse of forced oral is on-page. It’s used more to highlight how Gray’s mindset has been impacted by what he’s experienced and witnessed. There is a lot of graphic, non-sexual physical violence and killing.
Darius and Gray become close rather quickly because all the action takes place within 3-4 days. There is one sex scene, totally consensual and more about comfort and solace for Gray but the attraction between him and Darius feels genuine. The story ends at a point where the action has stopped, Gray is free from his captors but a sequel is coming. It didn’t really feel like a total cliffhanger, but he has yet to be reunited with his family and friends. It’s also evident that Gray will need some serious therapy and that Darius has an interesting past that needs to come to light. Highly recommended but not for the squeamish or faint of heart.
June 22, 2018
Where can I even start reviewing this? Anyone who has spent much time on my blog knows I read in a world of unicorns and rainbows. There were no rainbows or unicorns in this book. A part of me wants to give this book one star because it dealt with characters and subjects so horrible even my worst nightmares wouldn't take me to such darkness. The other part of me feels like the author deserves every single star I can possibly give her because she not only let her mind wander to such dark places but wrote about it as well.
Ugh.
I'll start by talking about the cover. It's amazing, it's a perfect representation of Grey and the story. However, the number 8392 is seen twice on the cover and while I think I know what the author was getting at, it's not mentioned in the story. It's a small issue but focusing on that means I'm not focusing on the horrible things I just read about.
Alright, let's talk about the book. This was an intense read that had me biting my nails and sitting on the edge of my seat. That might not seem like a big deal, but I have never been a nail biter and I can only hope it doesn't become a habit.
This book takes us on a journey into the world of human trafficking. But it shows us a different side of the trade than we're accustomed to seeing or thinking about. The victims were young, athletic, gay men and this all took place in America. I've always sort of assumed living in a first world country provided a sort of protection for those horrors, guess not.
I felt for Gray, no one should ever have to go through what he experienced. The author didn't shy away from letting us see the bad things that happened to him and the other young men on the boat. While I could have gone my entire life without those images in my head, I think it is important to occasionally remind myself that bad things happen. It's also so important to remember that men are victims of sexual crimes too. It appreciated the author taking on a subject that is so rarely addressed.
Darius was a mystery to me. I can't wait to hopefully learn his secrets in the next book. I'm livid that I have to wait for the next book but I can only hope it will be worth it. I'm eager to get to the romantic part of this dark romance and put the darkness behind me, I can't wait to watch Darius and Gray fall in love.
Overall, Auctioned was a thought-provoking and emotional read. As soon as I read the first page, I was hooked. I read the entire thing in one sitting and was left wanting more. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about the darker side of our society. However, I would also recommend waiting until the next book is out.
In the end, the author kept me on the edge of my seat while writing about quite a taboo subject and handled it respectfully. As much as I hate it, this book deserves 5 stars.
Ugh.
I'll start by talking about the cover. It's amazing, it's a perfect representation of Grey and the story. However, the number 8392 is seen twice on the cover and while I think I know what the author was getting at, it's not mentioned in the story. It's a small issue but focusing on that means I'm not focusing on the horrible things I just read about.
Alright, let's talk about the book. This was an intense read that had me biting my nails and sitting on the edge of my seat. That might not seem like a big deal, but I have never been a nail biter and I can only hope it doesn't become a habit.
This book takes us on a journey into the world of human trafficking. But it shows us a different side of the trade than we're accustomed to seeing or thinking about. The victims were young, athletic, gay men and this all took place in America. I've always sort of assumed living in a first world country provided a sort of protection for those horrors, guess not.
I felt for Gray, no one should ever have to go through what he experienced. The author didn't shy away from letting us see the bad things that happened to him and the other young men on the boat. While I could have gone my entire life without those images in my head, I think it is important to occasionally remind myself that bad things happen. It's also so important to remember that men are victims of sexual crimes too. It appreciated the author taking on a subject that is so rarely addressed.
Darius was a mystery to me. I can't wait to hopefully learn his secrets in the next book. I'm livid that I have to wait for the next book but I can only hope it will be worth it. I'm eager to get to the romantic part of this dark romance and put the darkness behind me, I can't wait to watch Darius and Gray fall in love.
Overall, Auctioned was a thought-provoking and emotional read. As soon as I read the first page, I was hooked. I read the entire thing in one sitting and was left wanting more. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about the darker side of our society. However, I would also recommend waiting until the next book is out.
In the end, the author kept me on the edge of my seat while writing about quite a taboo subject and handled it respectfully. As much as I hate it, this book deserves 5 stars.
March 20, 2021
When I read fucked up things in books, I can feel my body thriving and glowing. I think I'm already immune after having read so many thrillers and gory horrors in the past. Nothing can faze me anymore. I love the story and the intensity right from the beginning. We follow Gray as he got abducted and later on auctioned by these human traffickers. Then we met Darius, the guy who bought Gray to be his personal sex slave. We later then found out that Darius was indeed in undercover to save Gray in this nightmare. How can Gray abandon the other boys?
My only concern here is that this book lacked in the romance department. The story was more of 90% action with 10% romance. It has potential so I'm looking forward to the next books. Honestly I can't blame them because the characters here are literally fighting for their lives but still I wanted more. I'm greedy that way.
My only concern here is that this book lacked in the romance department. The story was more of 90% action with 10% romance. It has potential so I'm looking forward to the next books. Honestly I can't blame them because the characters here are literally fighting for their lives but still I wanted more. I'm greedy that way.
June 28, 2018
4.5 stars - such intensity. This was dark and disturbing.. human trafficking is nothing less. This is not for the gentle reader, there are no hearts & flowers or sweet moments, this is just grit all the way through. In saying this, I couldn’t put it down and needed to find some light. Needless to say I really want the next book to see what happens to these poor traumatized souls.
December 18, 2022
1st Read: June 2022
This book blew my mind! I did not expect how intense this read was going to be and how emotionally invested I was going to become. This book was so raw and powerful, I loved every minute of this read (and I read it in one sitting it was so incredible).
My heart breaks for Gray and is still breaking now. Cara created such an authentic character with a beautiful soul and made me feel every emotion along with him ... and his emotions were utter turmoil and felt completely right for the awful situations he was in. Marvellous writing skills to help fuel true emotions in me and the storyline pacing was executed perfectly. The story didn't linger too long on each awful thing that happened, but it provided enough plot/writing to understand and feel exactly what was needed.
Now, I was genuinely worried how a sex scene was going to occur in this brutal book. I kept thinking as I was getting into the second half of the book "oh no it's going to ruin the whole story, it's going to be so tacky and distasteful", but I was so wrong! It was done in the sweetest of ways and really helped establish a stronger connection between Gray and Darius. I'm so impressed with Cara's writing skills here because she pulled this off perfectly in such a gut wrenching story.
I'm just going to tackle book two straight away because as Gray said it's not over. I'm so emotionally invested in this series and now a huge fan of Cara Dee.
**trigger warnings: sex trafficking, physical abuse, mental abuse, talk about suicide, violence, talk of rape, degradation, guns, knives, drugs, death, minors (characters - 16 and over, main character - 21)
2nd Reread: December 2022
Still love it. I haven't found another book in this genre like it. I'll definitely read it again ... and again ...
This book blew my mind! I did not expect how intense this read was going to be and how emotionally invested I was going to become. This book was so raw and powerful, I loved every minute of this read (and I read it in one sitting it was so incredible).
My heart breaks for Gray and is still breaking now. Cara created such an authentic character with a beautiful soul and made me feel every emotion along with him ... and his emotions were utter turmoil and felt completely right for the awful situations he was in. Marvellous writing skills to help fuel true emotions in me and the storyline pacing was executed perfectly. The story didn't linger too long on each awful thing that happened, but it provided enough plot/writing to understand and feel exactly what was needed.
Now, I was genuinely worried how a sex scene was going to occur in this brutal book. I kept thinking as I was getting into the second half of the book "oh no it's going to ruin the whole story, it's going to be so tacky and distasteful", but I was so wrong! It was done in the sweetest of ways and really helped establish a stronger connection between Gray and Darius. I'm so impressed with Cara's writing skills here because she pulled this off perfectly in such a gut wrenching story.
I'm just going to tackle book two straight away because as Gray said it's not over. I'm so emotionally invested in this series and now a huge fan of Cara Dee.
**trigger warnings: sex trafficking, physical abuse, mental abuse, talk about suicide, violence, talk of rape, degradation, guns, knives, drugs, death, minors (characters - 16 and over, main character - 21)
2nd Reread: December 2022
Still love it. I haven't found another book in this genre like it. I'll definitely read it again ... and again ...
July 1, 2018
OMG, what a hell of a ride this was . Human trafficking is horrendous. I loved Gray in Power Play. He was sweet and caring with Abel, a bit lost in his finding his happiness. But what he had to endure when he was plucked off the street??? How do you come back from something like that?
Loved Darius. Can't imagine what it felt like having to do the things he did for cover-up. *cringes
It'll be interesting to see Darius and Gray's relationship grow in something "healthy". The feelings, the respect are there but it feels more like a Stockholm syndrome now. Understandably so.
So, I hope I won't have to wait long for the sequel . This was awesome!!!
There’s no going back to normal...
Loved Darius. Can't imagine what it felt like having to do the things he did for cover-up. *cringes
It'll be interesting to see Darius and Gray's relationship grow in something "healthy". The feelings, the respect are there but it feels more like a Stockholm syndrome now. Understandably so.
We’re not here. We’re somewhere else. Just you and me.
So, I hope I won't have to wait long for the sequel . This was awesome!!!
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