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Book Review-Riot by Tillie Cole

by | Sep 16, 2021 | Book Reviews | 1 comment

Book Review-Riot by Tillie Cole

Book Review-Riot by Tillie ColeRiot by Tillie Cole
Also in this series: Reap, Raze, Ravage
Series: Scarred Souls #4
Published by St. Martin's Griffin on March 7, 2017
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Mafia, Romantic Suspense
Pages: 352
Format: eBook
Source: Library
Goodreads
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four-half-stars

Stolen by the Arziani Georgian crime mob as a child, 152 was raised and conditioned to be a Mona—the most subservient of the Arziani Blood Pit slaves.
Gorgeous and kind, she has been and under the imprisoning influence of the Type B drug and under the command of the Blood Pit Master’s sister, Mistress Arziani, for most of her life, until the Master calls her back home to Georgia.
He wants her under his total control, and Master always gets what he wants.
But when 152 is gifted to the Blood Pit’s fearsome champion death match fighter as a prize, 152 suddenly finds out that the men who appear most brutal, may just own the kindest hearts. And love may be found, even when living in hell.
Freedom, family, love, 152 will have to fight for what she wants and ultimately make an impossible choice.

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Riot is the fourth and finale of the Scarred Souls series by Tillie Cole. And I had just realized as I was browsing this author’s book that I hadn’t read this one *gasp* yep I had no idea haha I am not sure why, maybe I think because I had read the first three books in a row and these books can get dark, so I could only do so much there. But I did love the journey of it, and after reading this book I realized how much I missed the characters from the rest of the series and yes I just did a re-read because that’s a thing with me. I will say that this book packs a punch so you better be ready for an adventure because this book really brings all of our characters together and brings such beautiful essence to this series and every time I read this author I am always amazed by this author and how much I fall for her.

Riot is a thrilling edgy story that features:

  • 901 (Ilya)-slave to the gulag pits, drugged and forced to fight, the best and cold and unfeeling and kills at a moments notice
  • Inessa (152)-trained since birth to be a mona, obedient and submissive, but fierce in her love

Riot begins with our heroine, who has been taken captive since she was little, and forced to be a slave. She lost her brother years ago and only remembers her place in the world, being a sex slave and being drugged and experimented on. She only knows of this life, and she knows of no other. And now she has become the “high mona” after a long line of high mona’s that didn’t last very long. She is determined to stay alive and to be obedient to her new master. Because he is cruel and he will kill her if she crosses the line. What she doesn’t expect is 901. 901 is the fiercest of the warriors forced to fight, but his master wants him to have a weakness. He doesn’t like 901 but doesn’t want to kill him without making a profit, but first, he needs to find his weakness. So he does the next best thing, he forces his high mona to seduce him and see if he can weaken the resolve on 901 just like he has been able to do with the other warriors. But 901 didn’t expect to fall in love with 152 or to be taken down a road where he may lose her forever …because their love is forbidden and could cost them the ultimate price.

“You are the Arziani Pit Bull. You are feared. But to me, you are safety.”

Riot is such an intense filled story and it really had me on the edge all the way through. I couldn’t get enough of this book and seeing where this author takes it. I will say that I did love seeing what this author crafts with this one. She really pulled this one altogether. I especially loved seeing that we also get a perspective from Luca and the others who are searching for 153 (Inessa who happens to be the sister to the hero in book three) but she has no memory of her brother and the one who promised to come back for her when they were torn apart by the mistress. I will say that there are some triggers in this book so please check those out before reading this one because there is rape and violence in this book. The beginning scenes can get pretty rough for the heroine, so be aware (but the hero is not the one assaulting her, that is consensual)

“You are in my heart. You are in my scarred soul. You are my male. My Ilya … I am not free if I don’t have you.”

What I have really admired about these books is that many darker elements are surrounding these books, HOWEVER, it’s not dark inside the relationship. The focus is outside of the relationship and I really love that with this author. The relationship begins with 152 being forced into his cage to see to his wounds and when she is drugged with this sexual chemical that causes her pain if she doesn’t get relief, 901 helps her with this relief, and with each night, they draw closer to each other. 901 is seeing how he can become weak because she is a woman he is willing to die for. We do see some side characters in this series that I wanted them to have a HEA, but it doesn’t happen so fair warning that not everything ends up well for everyone. The villain of the story is the villain of the whole series and who is behind everything, so seeing him get his just deserts was satisfying. When you see what he puts everyone through, and how malicious he is, he definitely deserves it. I really loved both of these characters though. I just felt their connection so deeply and this heroine is filled with a strength you don’t see right away. But the ending there, man, her devotion and loyalty will just break your heart.

“You have made me feel, in here. You have made me want things I never dare let myself want. You have made me want to fight for survival, not pride. I no longer want to die on the pit’s sand, like a warrior. I no longer want to die at all.” I held my breath, exhaling only when he said, “You make me want to live.”

Overall I found Riot to be a sensational romance that fed my edgy need for a story to keep me on my toes, its a tale of forbidden love that is worth fighting for when all the odds are against you. It will be a story of surrender, taking risks, and fighting with your last breath for the one you love.

She was mine. I was hers. Her, the girl, whose soul matched mine. And I, the boy, who was made perfectly for her. Finally home. Happy. At peace.

About Tillie Cole

Amazon & USA Today Best Selling Author, Tillie Cole, is a Northern girl through and through. She originates from a place called Teesside on that little but awesomely sunny (okay I exaggerate) Isle called Great Britain. She was brought up surrounded by her English rose mother -- a farmer's daughter, her crazy Scottish father, a savagely sarcastic sister and a multitude of rescue animals and horses.
Being a scary blend of Scottish and English, Tillie embraces both cultures; her English heritage through her love of HP sauce and freshly made Yorkshire Puddings, and her Scottish which is mostly demonstrated by her frighteningly foul-mouthed episodes of pure rage and her much loved dirty jokes.

Having been born and raised as a Teesside Smoggie, Tillie, at age nineteen, moved forty miles north to the 'Toon', Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, where she attended Newcastle University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts honours degree in Religious Studies. She returned two years later to complete a Post-Graduate Certificate in Teaching High School Social Studies. Tillie, regards Newcastle to be a home from home and enjoyed the Newcastle Geordie way of life for seven 'proper mint' and 'lush' years.

One summers day, after finishing reading her thousandth book on her much loved and treasured Kindle, Tillie turned to her husband and declared, "D'you know, I have a great idea for a story. I could write a book." Several months later, after repeating the same tired line at the close of another completed story, she was scolded by her husband to shut up talking about writing a novel and "just bloody do it!" For the first time in eleven years, Tillie actually took his advice (he is still trying to get over the shock) and immediately set off on a crazy journey, delving deep into her fertile imagination.

Tillie, ever since, has written from the heart. She combines her passion for anything camp and glittery with her love of humour and dark brooding men (most often muscled and tattooed – they’re her weakness!). She also has a serious side (believe it or not!) and loves to immerse herself in the complex study of World Religions, History and Cultural Studies and creates fantasy stories that enable her to thread serious issues and topics into her writing -- yep, there's more to this girl than profanity and sparkles!

After six years of teaching high school Social Studies and following her Professional Rugby Player husband around Europe, they have finally given up their nomadic way of life and settled in Calgary, Alberta where Tillie spends most of her days (and many a late night) lost in a writing euphoria or pursuing a dazzling career as a barrel-racing, tasselled-chap wearing, Stetson-sporting cowgirl... Ye-haw!

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1 Comment

  1. Melliane

    I did enjoy the books I tried by this author and I’m curious about this one now too! Will take a look of book 1!

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