Buying Samir

Title: Buying Samir
Author: Kimberly Rae
Series: India’s Street Kids, book 2
Major Themes: Human Trafficking, Slavery, India
Synopsis: After Jasmina escapes from the slavery she was sold into by her parents in India, she tries to buy her brother’s freedom—only to discover the horrible web he is entangled in.

Human trafficking is an ugly topic. Kimberly Rae does a good job of exposing some of the things that happen in India in Capturing Jasmina and Buying Samir. I wouldn’t say I exactly enjoyed the books, because the subject is so ugly, but they certainly vividly portray the horrible life street children in India lead.

Buying Samir begins where Capturing Jasmina ends. Jasmina is in a safe house with kind people who love her and are trying to show her Jesus. When she sees a chance to get away, however, she goes to look for her brother Samir by herself, and steals money to buy his freedom. The reality she finds, however, is horrifying when she finally understands what he is doing. Samir has gone from being an exploited child to trafficking other children, himself. Can Jasmina free herself from his clutches and get away, too, from the people he is working with? What about the other girls they have under their power? You won’t be able to put this book down until the end.

I appreciated the discretion with which Kimberly Rae told Jasmina’s story. There are never any explicit references to the “job” the girls are to be given, although if you know about such things you will know what is happening. Just enough is said that we know their fate will be horrible.

I received a free ecopy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

WARNING: Not a story for young children; there are some rather graphic, tense scenes.