Choices (The Flesh Cartel #3) in Riptide Publishing

Aug 13, 2013 Debra ~~ seriously slacking on her reviews ~~ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dark-and-disturbing, short-or-novella, m-m, part-of-series-or-serial, bdsm

I need a break! Just read books 1 - 3 back to back and understand why this is in serial form. If this was all one book I would absolutely go mad.

I thought it would be impossible, but this installment hit me harder than the first two. We finally get a view of what Nikolai's plans for Dougie and Mat are. While Mat is destined for nothing but physical pain and unhappiness, it is the manipulation of Dougie that is really tying me up in knots here. Both brothers are only hanging on by the thought of ...more

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Aug 23, 2022 Kerry rated it really liked it

Shelves: m-m, short-story, e-book-own, series, dubcon-noncon, kobo

Now the mindfuck begins. Nikolai is ready to begin training Mat and Dougie, but the brothers couldn't be more different, so their training will be very different. Nikolai is going to be a tough, manipulative master. Onto the next... ...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Darien rated it really liked it

Shelves: in-a-series, m-m-short-stories, tag-teaming-authors, netgalley-reviews, when-fucking-crazy-happens, 2013-reads, release-2013, pants-off-reviews

~NIKOLAI YOUR FACE IS STUPID!~

Warning: This review is more rant than review. I cuss a lot, hate on Nikolai, and want him to be killed by gigantic black bears.

Choices picks up right after where episode 2 left us, where Dougie has to get all up in Mat to make sure that they get sold together. I don't even need a refresher, because all the episodes are tattooed to my brain. I might be permanently scarred, and the way I feel about this series is just too hard to place in words. I fucking love it, b ...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Patty rated it really liked it

Shelves: e-books, contemporary, fantasy, abuse, non-con, horror

I wasn't sure I wanted to continue on with this series after I read the first two books from season 1. But I needed to know what was going to happen to both Dougie and Mat. I'm having a strong love/hate relationship with these books. It is not something I would normally read, but I was sucked into the brothers plight, and now find myself wanting to hang on to the end, hoping against hope that there might be a reprieve for them.

A few warnings about these books, this is not a happily ever after s ...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Leigh rated it really liked it

Review posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

And it just keeps reeling me in, further and further…

So, here we are in episode 3 of the Flesh Cartel, Choices. In this episode, we see what happens immediately after the Auction. As per Nikolai’s instructions, Dougie is put into complete isolation, in total darkness, and is completely sensory deprived for days on end. Mat, on the other hand, is provided with some more luxuries, like food and a bed, but is still tortured to hell and back and back again. Review posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

And it just keeps reeling me in, further and further…

So, here we are in episode 3 of the Flesh Cartel, Choices. In this episode, we see what happens immediately after the Auction. As per Nikolai’s instructions, Dougie is put into complete isolation, in total darkness, and is completely sensory deprived for days on end. Mat, on the other hand, is provided with some more luxuries, like food and a bed, but is still tortured to hell and back and back again. I’m not really sure which one is worse. For Mat, it really doesn’t look like there is an end in sight at all…not that what the reader has learned about his apparent future would lead one to think there will ever be an end to his sadistic treatment. But ever the eternal optimist, I hold out my hope.

As with the previous episodes, the cruelty and torture pervade and endure. And as disgusted as I still get (thankfully, I’m not desensitized yet), I cannot stop reading. In this episode, Haimowitz and Belleau provide the reader with such interesting insight to Nikolai, the brothers’ buyer and “trainer.” He is such a fascinating dichotomy. He has to be cruel to Mat so as to prepare him for his ultimate master. And yet for Dougie, he has taken such a liking to him and sees such a perfect sub in him, that he provides him with care and, dare I say it, loving gestures. And while all of his actions are egoistic and self-serving, we see that he WANTS to be caring and tender to Dougie. While part of me wants to like him for those tidbits of kindness, another part of me wants to hate him for his manipulations.

Added to the paradox that is Nikolai, we see in individual exchanges with both Mat and Dougie the he provides them with “choices.” He lets them know that they have a choice in how things will happen, and he gives them this breadcrumb of hope that they will actually have some say and control in their lives. He tells them that he won’t force them to do things that they don’t want to do. However, those “choices” come with consequences. If they choose wisely, the consequences can be great. If they choose poorly, the consequences can be equally as tortuous as anything they’ve experienced previously, albeit in different ways. So, really, what choices do they have? As we got a glimpse of some of the brothers’ choices once in Nikolai’s care, we also saw some consequences. It appears that there will more of the same in the next episode, “Consequences,” and here is another reader waiting on the edge of my seat for its release.

*ARC provided by publisher

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Jan 20, 2013 Lilli *slowest reader ever* rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary, m-m, slavery, dark-and-devastating, nothing-romantic-at-all, scary-shit, violent-and-disturbing, psychology, m-m-m, abuse

Not sure what to say about this one. Not even sure I can say I “like” reading this series. Most of the time, I don’t, really. But it grips me on a basic emotional level and doesn’t let got. It sucks me in and puts me through the wringer and then in the end it spits me out and when I look up there is this huge middle finger right in front of my face. Yeah, thank you very much.

It seems I can’t detach myself enough from this just by telling me that it’s fiction, fantasy, unreal, gratuitous, anythin
Not sure what to say about this one. Not even sure I can say I “like” reading this series. Most of the time, I don’t, really. But it grips me on a basic emotional level and doesn’t let got. It sucks me in and puts me through the wringer and then in the end it spits me out and when I look up there is this huge middle finger right in front of my face. Yeah, thank you very much.

It seems I can’t detach myself enough from this just by telling me that it’s fiction, fantasy, unreal, gratuitous, anything. Nope, doesn’t work. Because personally I think that’s way too easy and mankind has the history to prove it. Anyway. The result is my imagination’s going wild with retaliation fantasies while reading this. And I love THAT. Very much. THAT is actually the kind of story I want to read, would love to read, written by authors who know how to pull it off in a spectacular way. Like you are watching a smart action movie that makes your mouth hanging open with the twists and turns and surprises and pumping your fist in the end when the bad guys are lying slain in their own blood. No second thoughts here.

Um.

Back to the book at hand. What to say about it? It’s getting more psychological now, less violent – although that’s relatively speaking. What has the biggest impact, imho, is the mindset of those that belong to the Flesh Cartel. It’s a parallel universe, its inhabitants look like human beings and they walk like human beings but they are not. Not in their minds. Or not by known standards. It’s very distressing and driving you mad. Generally speaking, I can say that I enjoy the writing very much. It’s a testament to the authors’ skill to pull this off in such a way that I’m deeply invested without wanting to be.

However, the fascination for me – as it seems, at least – has started wearing off a bit. I’m looking forward to the addition of an unexpected variable or two in the next episodes, to a surprising shift in dynamics. Anything to hold my undivided attention in addition to the need to know how this will all end.
...more

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Jan 08, 2013 DayDreamer added it

Shelves: lgbtqa, short-m-m, reviewed-or-kinda, arrogant-mofo, not-in-the-next-five-years, proofs-for-my-masochism, pain, made-me-rage, slavery, made-me-sick

Almost dnf.
Definitely not the book for me.

You know how feeling nauseous while hungry feels like? Well, so do I and it's never a pleasurable experience.

Not sure what else to say. I want to read the ending of this story. Good, bad, torturous, hopeful, hopeless, I want to know it. Anything before that, I'll skip. ...more

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Nov 08, 2012 BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme rated it really liked it

Shelves: bdsm, slavery, m-m, arc, short-story, requested-reviewed

The third book is out! (Well, okay, I have a copy and devoured it.) This continuation of Dougie and Mat's training into slavery is not slowing down. There are still sadistic scenes of rape as well as non stop anal gang banging. The question is, which brother is the one constantly sexually violated?

This story is focused on Choices, with the aptly named title. The reader learns how Nikolai plans to break down Dougie and Mat. Their conditioning is vastly different. It seems there is no hope for eit ...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Shirley Frances rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2-review, reviewed, glbt, mm-read, mm-series, favorites, 2013, erotica

It has been over a week since I've read this book and I still can't get these boys out of my mind. I want to forget what they've been through because it was so horrible, but I want to remember them because no one else in their world does. I started reading this serial because I wanted to challenge myself, but somehow I didn't want to start reading this episode. I didn't know what to expect. Will Nikolai be different, less rough with the boys? What more can be done to them? Can I take much more o It has been over a week since I've read this book and I still can't get these boys out of my mind. I want to forget what they've been through because it was so horrible, but I want to remember them because no one else in their world does. I started reading this serial because I wanted to challenge myself, but somehow I didn't want to start reading this episode. I didn't know what to expect. Will Nikolai be different, less rough with the boys? What more can be done to them? Can I take much more of this? My answers: I don't know, I can't imagine, but I have to find out.

Once again I find Mat and Dougie facing the imaginable. Dougie has just done a horrible thing to Mat only so they could have a chance to stay together. He is immediately taken away and it starts.

Agonizing remorse, intolerable anguish, oppressive fear and torturous desolation.

These were brought to the page brilliantly. I could feel what Dougie felt. While I was reading about Dougie, I was in the darkness with him, giving up, suffering. I wanted to stop reading. I wanted to continue. A voice inside my head kept saying that he HAD to survive, that they would be together and that it would end. My heart broke, my tears fell, but I could NOT stop reading.

On it continued with Mat. The strong one. Relentless in his determination to survive this - whatever the cost - Mat's suffering cut me the deepest. To see my Mat broken and lost was unbearable. My heart was beating erratically, my fingers shook with every tap of my tablet, but I could not step away.

Gut-wrenching pain, everlasting exhaustion, excruciating uncertainty.

All these emotion were exhilarating and taxing to my heart. I was beyond angry. I was murderous with rage. I was sad. I was in agony. But I had to know, would things be different once they were in Nikolai's hands?

Which brings me to Nikolai Petrovic. A cold-hearted bastard of a man, Nikolai turned out to be everything I was fearing. He went to the heart of my boys - to their bond and their need to be together. He was direct and never wavered. He was deceitful and played on Dougie's state of mind and Mat's devotion to his brother. To tell you the truth, I have to admire his scheming mind even if I was repulsed by his actions, because the way he manipulated those boys was original and effective.

I don't have to say that the writing was phenomenal, but I will express my admiration anyway. The world that Rachel Haimowitz and Heidi Belleau created is brilliant in a cruel, fucked up way. The characters alone captivate me each and every time, but the emotions brought to the page is what brakes me and keeps me coming back. How can I abandon my boys? All they want is to be together, to get through this, to survive. I want that for them too.

Like the previous episodes, this was not an easy read, but it was an amazing piece of work. From the characters to the range of emotions, this serial put its claws in me since the first episode and has not let me go. I wouldn't want it any other way anyhow. This serial continues to surprise and pull me in and I can't wait until the next episode comes out.

I received this title from Riptide Publishing through NetGalley in exchange of my honest review. ...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Evaine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: e-books, psycho-sexual-thriller

And it continues. Episode 3 kept up everything that was great about episodes 1 & 2. We finally get to really meet Nikolai Petrovic and watch the man go to work. It's horrifyingly fascinating. Mat and Dougie continue to break my heart but I can't help feeling that they are in a better place with Nikolai than they ever were back at the processing centre. At least, at first look, it's not as inhumanely brutal. I may be in for a rude awakening at some point, though. *LOL*

If you have the wherewithal ...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Wendy❤Ann rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sex-partner-mm, 5stars, series, app-stanza, sex-dubcon-noncon

How does someone go about making a choice between two equally disgusting and craptastic options? Well, that is Nikolai’s way – Mat and Dougie will always have a choice, but they may not like the consequence of said choice. Despite the pain and horror of being captured and prepared for auction, it looks like the brothers’ journey into hell has really just begun. Nikolai promises to be an unrelenting bastard. Let the real training commence. I’m hooked on the series, so I’m along for the ride no ma ...more

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