Riot

Scarred Souls #4

by Tillie Cole

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.

Genres: Dark, Dark Romance, Romance, Abuse, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Fighters

304 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 2017

About the author

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!

Reviews

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Now LIVE!***

Holy. Fucking. Hell.

This book.



Wow. Just wow.

Not gonna lie, I was a little...concerned when I got the ARC for this.

Not because I didn't want to read it...and not because I didn't want to feel forced to read and review it, for SURE (which is why I say no to a lot of ARCs).

Because I am that lazy.



But because, in this case, I was really worried about not liking it.

While I definitely liked Ravage (Scarred Souls #3)
I did NOT lurve Raze (Scarred Souls #1)
Or Reap (Scarred Souls #2) , for that matter.

Thus, I was very uncertain how this one would go for me.



And, while I would never skew my opinion/review to be higher just because something is an ARC - this is not a dig at anyone else and I'm not trying to suggest others do this - I am talking only about myself...

...I also feel really shitty about negatively rating something I was lucky enough to be given free and early by an author whom I love and admire.

Ya'll know I am NOT afraid to write a stinging negative review if needs be, but I truly prefer to love and gush.

Well, as much as I am capable of gushing.



But anyfangirling, as I was saying.

This was me about 20% into this book when I recognized I was really enjoying it:



At 50% when I realized I was totally gripped by it:



And, finally, at 75-100% when I had the realization this was the best thing I had read in a long time:



Tillie Cole is just a master at making emotions jump off the page and into your heart.

She also isn't afraid to make you uncomfortable - and to put your characters in positions and circumstances that are going to make you feel uncomfortable.

And not just for the sake of shock value, either.

While so many authors make tragedy or hardship feel empty or like a constantly overblown plot device (that usually falls flat for me), Cole has this ability to capture those moments and make them feel authentic.

Not only that but, in this case, this book was the culmination of the emotions of the three books which preceded it - and I didn't even like two of those books.

So just imagine how much you will love this one if you did.

Needless to say, I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to read this, it's definitely going on my "Top Reads of 2017" shelf.

I hope you all love it as much as I did.



Find me at:


XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When you get approved for a Tillie Cole ARC.

[✦❋Arianna✦❋ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!!




Tillie Cole’s delivers another great, dark and gritty tale that blew my mind. 'Riot' is gripping, unique, emotional and like the other previous three installments in the series, it kept me at the edge of my seat the entire time. I really enjoyed the other books in this series, but this one was something else entirely. I loved every minute of it from beginning until the end. A story about love, healing, family and sacrifice, 'Riot' is intense, brutal, gut-wrenching, yet so heart-warming at times. If you are a fan of this series, I know you will love this installment!

“I owned this sand. I owned every soul freed in this ring. In the Blood Pit, I was a god.”

901 has spent all his life as a prisoner, fighting for Master Arziani, the head of Arziani Georgian mob crime. He’s the Blood Pit’s undefeated champion, the Russian Pit Bull. He’s rough and raw, tattooed and scarred and he doesn’t know his name or his age. For years, he had been trained as champion, no one being able to taking him down. The only thing 901 appreciates is his privacy. He doesn’t have friends, he doesn’t get attached, preferring to keep for himself. He doesn’t want someone to mess with his head and with his fighting skills, so unlike other prisoners, he always refuses the females Master offers him after a fight.

“You are more,” he told me roughly. “My more. 152, my more.”

Stolen by the Arziani Georgian crime mob as a child, 152 was raised and conditioned to be a Mona, a slave used for her body, to give males pleasure whenever they wished. She was with Mistress Arziani for a long time, but Master wanted her back, so she returned in the Blood Pit. Now, she’s Master’s new personal consort, Master being the only one who can touch her. 152 had been under the imprisoning influence of the Type B drug, so her memory is not clear.

Master needs to break 901, to have him fully under his instruction, so he decides to use 152 to accomplish that. He offers her to 901, hoping his champion will eventually break. 901 tries hard to resist 152’s beauty. He wants to keep her away, because he knows caring for her will make him weak, but as they spend more and more time together, 901 realizes that 152 makes him feel more alive than ever.

“Standing here with him now felt different. Something had shifted between us. It was indescribable. It was raw, but it made me feel alive.”

Tillie Cole’s fourth installment in this series is thrilling, intense and held me captive the entire time. My stomach was in knots from the very beginning and I devoured this story in one sitting. Loved everything about these two characters’ story. Tillie truly outdid herself with this one. 'Riot' gave me all the feels and I loved every minute of it. For me it was the best book in the series. I loved the engrossing story-line, the story’s intensity, the suspense, the danger and all the dark and gritty elements as the story progressed. And I loved how these elements were perfectly mixed. 'Riot' has everything to make any reader be immersed in this beautiful, forbidden story.

“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. You make me want to live.”

I loved the two main characters, their portrayals and how their backgrounds were gradually revealed. 152 is such a wonderful heroine. I loved her strength and how despite the fact that she’s a slave and despite all the abuse, she never loses her hope. 901 is a great hero, a real alpha-male who all he wants is to protect his woman. His possessiveness, hiss gentle soul, his vulnerability made him such a wonderful character.

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

I absolutely loved the way these two characters’ relationship unfolded and all their moments together. Their relationship progressed naturally and every single one of their scene together is so well written. Some scenes are so emotional, so heart-warming and the bond between them is so powerful, so well-portrayed. These two characters together are simply beautiful. Tillie Cole did such a fantastic job with the romantic aspect. I don’t have words to tell you how much I loved the tenderness between these two, the way they touched each other, their first kiss, which btw, melted my heart.

“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.”

I loved the pace of the story, the multiple POV, the action-packed plot and of course the supporting characters. As for the epilogue…simply perfection. It put such a big smile on my face.

If you are a fan of this series, you have to read this final installment ASAP. All in all, 'Riot' was everything I hoped it will be – dark, gritty, brutal, filled with action and suspense and of course, romance.



Find me on:

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I was provided an ARC of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley.com, in exchange for honest feedback.***

I love this series! Each one of the books in this series has grabbed my attention and left me craving more. I just cannot get enough of these tortured fighters and the women that tame them. It may sound ridiculous - and logically, it kind of is - but it just works so damn well.

There is something about the over-the-top, Alpha-male heroes in this series that appeals to me on a very primal level. In fact, much of the dialogue would be laughable in any other book, but Tillie Cole pulls it off flawlessly. The heroes are similar to those from Kresley Cole's 'Immortals After Dark' series, in their overwhelming need to answer to their baser needs. Phrases like "my female" and other possessive, rudimentary speech patterns fill the pages, but it manages to be incredibly H-O-T.

In this fourth, and final (?), book, we meet "901". He's the Blood Pit's undefeated champion fighter and he's proved to be a challenge to Master Arziani, the head of the Arziani Georgian crime mob. It is clear that 901 fears nothing, including Master Arziani. This presents a tremendous problem for the crime boss, who needs to reign in his champion.

When Master Arziani shows off his new favorite pleasure slave, "152", he finally finds the leverage he's been searching for. Despite his attempts to hide his interest, 901 is taken aback by 152's beauty. He's never wanted for anything as much as he wants her.

The two are thrown together, as Master Arziani uses 152 as a tool to break 901. No matter how hard 901 fights his attraction, he ultimately must cede control in this regard. Master Arziani has finally found a way to control 901.

Meanwhile, Valentin is determined to rescue his sister, 152, from the life of slavery that he was able to escape. Along with Luka and Zaal, he plots to bring down Master Arziani once and for all. Their plans are daring and they know that they will either succeed or die trying.

From start to finish, this book kept me on the edge of my seat. The plight of 152 and 901 was desperate and heartbreaking at times. Arziani was sadistic and seriously unhinged, so I never knew what to expect from him.

Unlike earlier books in the series, which followed a predictable pattern of the hero's escape/rescue from slavery and gradual acclimation to "normal" life on the outside, aided by the heroine, this book saves the rescue for last. In contrast to earlier books, this book is primarily set during the time of captivity. 901 and 152 are both slaves when they meet and fall in love. Only later, are they rescued.

This book was fantastic. I absolutely enjoyed every minute of it and could not put it down. Old and new characters come together and everything comes full-circle. We finally get the HEA that these characters deserve. I can only hope that there will be a spin-off series in the future. I loved it!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!!!

You are someone. You’re more than a number . . .


Since book one, Tillie Cole’s Scarred Souls series has blown me away. This series has elements that are gritty and raw, but they’re also so emotionally charged and beautifully written. They’re the type of romances that make you believe in that all consuming, healing, deep and true love.

Riot is different than the first three books in the series in a big way. Not just the hero of the story is a slave, a number… but both are.

901 is known as the Arziani Pit Bull. He’s never been beaten in a fight and he’s indestructible. He’s this way for a reason. There is nothing master can hold over him. He has no weaknesses period. He cares about nothing or no one. It’s safer that way. It’s how he survives.

I wouldn’t show weakness. In my twenty-one years in this hellhole, I had never shown him weakness. Because this was the motherfucking Blood Pit. Weak males died. Champions fell. Only the most brutal killers survived.

Then there is 152. She is Valentin’s sister and she is the High Mona. The High Mona has one purpose and one purpose only. To be a sex slave to the master of the Pit.

“You are Master’s new personal consort. You have been elevated to be his. And only his. You are no longer the property of other males, as you were before.”


152 and 901 get thrown together in a strategic way. 901 finds 152 attractive. As much as he tries to hide that, it’s apparent to master and he uses that for his own personal gain. But what master never expects is for 901 and 152 to relate to each other and to fall for one another.

Just her and me, lost to the feelings. Two slaves, for one night freed from their Master’s chains.

I think what I loved most about this book was the sacrifice that 901 made. He chose to be weak for 152. He’s been strong all his life, showed no signs of weakness, and that’s how he’s always survived. But for her, he would be weak. He would live with the consequences or die with the consequences, but he would be weak for her. It was such an epic love story between these two. My heart broke for them both. Instead of the heroine saving the hero, these two saved each other. Their was something so special in their story. I loved them both so much!



I’ve gotta say, Riot may very well be the best book of the series for me. Tillie ended the series with a bang. This book gave me all the feels. It was captivating, intense, romantic and thrilling. I loved that the other three fighters story was woven in. The conclusion was perfect and I couldn’t have been happier with how the series ended.

“I thought having a female would make me weak. I thought wanting someone, being with something, needing her, would destroy my place here in the pit.” He paused, then said, “But since I let you into my heart, since I let you into my soul, you have made me stronger. I want more than fighting and death. I want more than this pit. And I want that with you. Only you.”

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I even got teary eyed for all these guys what a good ending to the series!

[Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****FIVE++++++STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}



”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.”
“You make me want to live.”






The Scarred Souls series, has catapulted itself to my number one favorite by Tillie Cole. Each installment manages to be even better than its predecessor. RIOT was the absolute PERFECT conclusion to this dark but ultimately beautiful story. This cannot be read as a standalone. You must have read each book to be able to follow the storyline and honestly, you won’t want to miss out on each and every amazing Hero and their equally fabulous Heroine! I found the love story within this one to be even more heartbreaking as both characters were forced to live under the brutality of the blood pit master from their early childhood. Having been drugged and tortured for so many years, their memories of who they once were, have been almost permanently erased. What I enjoy most about this series is somehow, even within the darkest depths of despair, when all hope is seemingly lost--love always conquers all!



Everything that we have read previously has led us to this point. All the characters from book one and on, are back, and they have a mission that they must accomplish at all cost! There is absolutely no room for failure. The Blood Pit and its Master are to be extinguished and Valentin’s sister, Inessa, is to be rescued. Luka, Zaal, and Valentin are on their way back to the Georgian Blood Pit to put to an end all of the atrocities that have befallen them and countless others.




The Master has taken a new “Mona”, which is what you would consider a sex concubine. 152 has spent most of her life being forced to have sex with the many guards and fighters under Mistress Arziani. Drugs are constantly administered into her system that makes her a willing body but they’ve also wiped out memories of who she was before she came to live in the blood pit. When the Mistress is murdered, her brother takes 152 and plans to keep her for his own pleasure, that is until he notices that his most prized fighter has shown some interest in her.






901 is the ultimate killing machine. He is Arziani’s best blood pit fighter. This man lives for the kill and closes himself off to all human contact. He refuses the Master’s offerings of women to have sex with. He has not made any friendships with the other fighters in his cell block. Relationships are a form of weakness. He hates his Master with everything that he is and will not give him any kind of leverage over him. But with just one look at 152, his weakness has been discovered. Arziani sends 152 to 901’s cell and injects a drug in her that has her crying out in pain. The only way to stop the suffering is to have sex with her. He unwillingly obliges but little by little, 152 is breaking through all of his walls he had built up over the years to protect himself.



Soon they come to find out their true identities, 152 is Inessa Belrova, Valentin’s sister. 901 is Ilya Konev, who was kidnapped from an orphanage in Russia when he was just a young boy. The two find true love during circumstances that can only be considered a living nightmare. How will they be able to live a life of love and freedom when they are facing insurmountable odds?



At the heart of each book has been the incredible and overpowering love that the couple feels for each other. It is the love of their women that sets them free from the torment and pain of their past. She is the one who gives them a new purpose, who beats into their hearts a new determination to live a better life. Without their women by their side, they are nothing and they never waste a moment cherishing these fierce females. Each Heroine may seem delicate but they are just as powerful and brave as their beloved Warriors.




RIOT is currently available! Don’t miss out on this truly amazing series!



Amazon : http://hyperurl.co/yp79mu
Nook : http://bit.ly/2c1BhJm
Kobo : http://bit.ly/2lHKnfG
iBooks : http://hyperurl.co/luc67q

[✰ Liz ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Scarred Stars

"She was like me."

Riot is the fourth book in the Scarred Souls Series. This series offers a delicious blend of gladiator style fighters, sex slavery, damaged heroes, and the sweet taste of revenge. The heroes and their females are all overcomers who have managed to withstand the horrors of torture and captivity to experience love and security. In the conclusion of this series, we meet the beautiful slave 152 and the Blood Pit Champion 901. Additionally, we catch up with all of our favorite characters from the entire series as they come together to overthrow the treachery of their enemies.

"Last night I made her mine."

Number 152 is a slave to the master of the Blood Pit. Her only job is to service him. When the master has a rebellious fighter, who refuses to yield to his demands he discovers a way to tear him down. He decides to offer his beautiful slave to him and then use her as a bargaining chip.

"Her attention only made me break more."

901 is the champion of the Blood Pit. He is indestructible and always wins. Win the Master's Mona is locked in his cell she is under the influence of powerful drugs. If the champion doesn't take her, she will die from the pain. If he does take her, he will immediately be under her spell and be yielding to the master. When he realizes there is no way out, he gives in and takes her. As they grow closer together, the physical connection shifts into an intense emotional connection like they have never experienced before. Both slaves to the master, both only knowing their numbers, they find peace in each other. When the Master's wrath showers down on the lovers, it becomes a fight to the death for them to be able to stay together.

"Something had shifted between us. It was indescribable. It was raw, but it made me feel alive."

Told in dual POV, Riot is a stunning conclusion to this series. Each book in the series has introduced a different fighter and their harrowing tale. Because this installment features all of the main characters and their fight to overcome, it is especially unique. I found both of the main characters to be well matched and fierce in their resolve. The evil is raw and gritty as the characters are abused sexually and physically by their Masters and guards of the Blood Pit. The fighting is bloody and similar to a Roman Arena where the Gladiators must fight to the death. The blend of action, tenderness, and raw passion make this series, an absolute must read for readers who enjoy the shock and awe of the battle and the beautiful connection when broken people become healed!



Overall, I highly recommend Riot and this entire series. Tillie Cole amazes me every time with her magical storytelling, complex characters, and passionate moments that make me cry and smile at the same time! If she is writing, I will always be ready and waiting for more!

*ARC graciously provided in exchange for an honest review!

For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm hoping that those who read this book take the time to read the first three of the series. Is it necessary? Not really, but if you want to know who everyone is, understand each characters depth and growth, watch what they've been through and had to overcome, see how they effect one another and how they relate to each story, then I strongly suggest it.

The heroine, 152, is a sex slave, a Mona, of the Arziani Georgian crime family and, as most of us know, she's also Valentin's little sister. The drugs she's been given, like all prized slaves of this mob, help to keep her subdued, in a stupor, mess with her memories, and amp up her sex drive. So when she's gifted to the Pit's champion fighter, 901, he tries to send her back. He wants a woman of his very own. And as much as he wants 152, he knows who, or what, she really is. He wants to choose his woman and have her choose him. It doesn't take long for these two to realize just how perfect they are for each other and how well they fit as they hope, dream and plan for their freedom.

Fans of the series, such as myself, will be happy to know that Luka's POV pops up once again. Yup, that pretty much made this story for me. *wink* I have always loved that fierce bad boy with the knuckle dusters, the original conqueror, Raze. *swoon*

Honestly, this book was just as addictive, action-packed and downright compelling as its predecessors and Tillie Cole did a remarkable job of wrapping up all of these stories with a tidy little bow. There were virtually no loose ends and all of the characters, past and present, were given a happy, if not hard-fought, ending. I'm intolerably sad to say goodbye to everyone, especially my baby Luka, but I'm satisfied with how the series ended.

Release Date: March 7, 2017
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
POV: Primarily dual - 1st person
Steam: 3.5 out of 5
Book Type: Book 4 of the Scarred Souls series
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

RIOT: Tillie Cole fast became one of my most favourite authors, there’s nothing she can’t write, she can go light to dark in the blink of an eye, or then she’ll throw you for a loop and set you on an emotional ride of epic proportions, all her books are unique, gripping, gritty, emotional and Riot is no different. This author knows no bounds when it comes to delivering us all exactly what we crave, need, want, seek it's given to us.

Each book within this series just seems to get it’s hooks into you even more, book by book, tortured soul by tortured soul. Each man has been raised in the pits, each man is more scarred than the previous one, a little more lost, a little more fearless. BUT 901 is different, he may not know his name, or age, he may not be scarred or broken within, like his predecessors but he has a drive within himself to not show weakness, to be undefeated, to show weakness is to love and he's not having a bar of it.

I bore no gratitude whatsoever to my master for condemning me to this hellish life. That I bore no gratitude for being drugged and forced to fight as a kid. That I bore no fucking gratitude to the male who bestowed on me a life of solitude, where having feelings toward someone else made you weak. - 901

In Riot we are introduced to 901, twenty one years of his life has been subjected to living in the Blood Pits, where only the toughest of the toughest survive, he’s one of the most feared, undefeated most prized fighters and is owned by Master Arziani, whose challenge is to find 901’s weakness and he may have found it in 152 'The High Mona' who has been sent to service her Master, and one of the most beautiful females 152 has ever seen, though he tries not to show it, he's captivated by her as soon as he claps eyes on her.

901 has pushed every boundary known to mankind, his master struggles to control him, and now he's set on finding a weakness.



Females were a distraction from the most important thing in this place...Staying alive.

Now she's thrust into 152's cell on lock down, a bracelet that shoots venom through her system can only be relieved through intercourse, and will shoot into her veins at any given time. And now it's up to 152 to help her or she will die.

He was the most intimidating male I had ever encountered. And I was trapped in his cell. Completely alone. In the unwelcome company of a killer. And there was absolutely nothing I could do. - 152



To love is to get you killed and these two have witnessed this first hand, no matter how they strive to fight their growing feelings it's inevitable.

God this book slayed me with the feels, it has such a feel of Spartacus to it, very similar storyline, fight to the death. A race against time to stay alive.

If you've not read this series I highly highly recommend it. Each book in my opinion just gets better and better.

*Teasers used are off the authors facebook page*

[Hulya Kara Yuksel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"With you in my heart, and me in yours, I'm alive."

I FLOVED this book... <3

[Selene · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book was about survival of the fittest and leading by example! While I liked this book slightly more than Raze, I wasn't expecting that sci-fi erotica-ish/ fantasy-ish/ twilight zone feel of the story. Overall, I enjoyed the last fifteen percent of this book most and the epilogue was fitting. It was great to get Luka's insight and watch this cast of characters come full circle! Favorite standout character? Maya!

**ARC received via the NetGalley team at St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Maida (Medley of Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING: 5 "Moy prekrasnyy & Moy voin" Hearts!! <3 :D

We didn't have names. Our numbers weren't welcome in this moment. Right now I was his beautiful, and he was my brave warrior.

I've had my highs and lows with this series, but Riot is truly an epic conclusion to this fantastic series. This is a story about family, friendship, loss, finding hope even in the darkest of moments, and above all love. 901 and Inessa's (152) love story is so delicately beautiful, and it will tug on your heart strings. I simply adored this couple!

"When it is me and you alone, there is no Master. When we are here, in your cell, there is no Blood Pit." A smile tugged on my lips. "There are no matches to the death. There are no quarters where I am held captive all day. There is your heart beating in sync with mine. Speaking the language of our old home, in the company of the male that is becoming my new home."

We also get snippets of the previous couples in this installment, which I loved. And that epilogue was the cherry on the cake. Perfect!

"Happy. Together, we make happiness."

Really enjoyed this series, and now I can't wait to see what next Tillie Cole has in store for her fans!



Posted: March 15, 2017

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Captain's Log Day 2:

Kindle still missing. Have resorted to thievery and child abuse in the most basic form by stealing young human's ancient reader. Desperate times call for desperate measures (these scientific journals ain't gonna read themselves) and when you get a Tillie Cole ARC it's totally okay to go full on Lord of the Flies on your own offspring . . . .



Merged review:

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/



Ha! I keed. It’s actually Val. If you want a smutastically funny reviewer to follow or friend, she’s a winner. She’s also the person who put this (what appears to be final) selection of the Scarred Souls series on my radar so blame her for this garbage review wasting all your data.

I had big plans before I started this . . . .



However, I ended up reading it sober. Maybe that’s why it wasn’t hit right out of the ol’ ballpark for me. Or maybe I just channeled my former non-porn reading self . . . .



Before anybody goes all apeshit and tells me I read this wrong, allow me to state for the record that I have read two others in this series and even though the first didn’t really work for me much at all, the other I liked berry berry much. I will totally own up to the fact that a lot of the problems I had with Riot were mine and not the book's. But let’s start with the positives.

The covers. This whole series is nothing but #sploosh when it comes to the fronts.

I love this world hardcore. It’s oh so very Thunderdomey and I get all moist excited just thinking about all these sweaty Russkies fighting to the death . . . .



This one also had a plot. It made for less of the sexuals, but it tied everything together quite well. The story here was about 901 and 152. If you’ve read this series before, you’ll know that the characters are prisoners of an evil “Master” and known only by assigned numbers. 901 is the best fighter in the Blood Pit, 152 is the Master’s number one whore. In an attempt to break 901’s spirit and make him obedient, the Master gifts him with 152 so he will develop all the feels and have something he’s afraid of losing. (There’s also stuff with the former featured players from the previous books in the series, but I don’t do the spoilsies.)

So there you have it. Now let’s talk about how I read this wrong because it’s far more entertaining than when I read things right.

First, 152’s official job title was called the “mona” – which my mind constantly replaced with . . . .



Good Christ brain, that’s a child FFS! It made the pervy good time nearly impossible to achieve.

Second, to prove a sober brain is a horrible brain, I also thought of the Master like this the entire time I was reading . . . .



Which was hilarious, but I’m fairly certain that wasn’t really the reaction Tillie Cole was going for.

Third, although 901 was clearly described as a blonde, as soon as a leading male is said to be a giant who is twice as broad as the average petite leading lady I want to cast him as either Jason Momoa or . . . .



Again, that would be great if I had not just watched Central Intelligence with the boychild – thus making 901 be . . . .



Fat Robbie.

Also, the only giant blonde in my pornographic repertoire is Vampire Eric and he's currently doing bad bad things to Nicole Kidman on Big Little Lies and I probably shouldn't want to make the sexies with him so much anymore (but I totally still do anyway because me = zero shame).

And then there was the sexytimes. Why did the term “channel” get brought back in to play?????? Channel does not conjure good imagery. At all . . . .



(^^^^^Makes you want to run to Sonic, don’t it Ron?)

Anway, this ended up being just okay for me. If I would have gone with my gut instinct and read it while loaded it probably would have been 5 Stars and my husband would be a much happier camper too. At least he scored some jambalaya out of the deal for Mardi Gras weekend . . . .



ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

ORIGINAL "REVIEW":

It's Mardi Gras weekend. Mitchell and I are going to get drunk and read porns : )



Laissez les bons temps rouler!!!!

[Jacqueline's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Winner Takes All Stars

I love Tillie Cole and I love this series and I really enjoyed Riot.

You can read Riot as a standalone, but it’s highly recommended you read the previous books since the previous character are heavily influenced in each book, especially this one and YAY!

I was really looking forward to this one because a lot of the story was set up in the previous book with 152’s brother. I also wanted to read the Heroine as the main character.

I love 152. I feel for her, I wanted to give her a big hug, heck throughout the book I was rooting for her to stay strong and keep on going. She goes through a lot and I liked that she doesn’t have her memory so it’s kind of a mystery and it keeps the story interesting.

Then there is 901. He’s the unstoppable champion and he has no weakness. Master will bring women to his cell, but he doesn’t touch them because he knows better. I really enjoyed reading about 901. He’s the alpha male I crave for in a Tillie Cole read, but I liked the tension he brought to the story.

152 is suppose to become 901’s weakness, but he doesn’t make it easy for her. I love how he pushes her away, but of course he is drawn to her. Like most Tillie Cole’s reads, she really develops the characters and I like the relationship the Hero and Heroine have.

A lot goes on in this book and you get POV’s from previous characters, so this is a nice treat for fans of the series.

This series isn’t for the faint of heart and that’s exactly why I love it so much. My heart always aches when I read these books and it’s a good kind of ache too. I’m emotional with the characters and they completely suck me into the story.

An ARC was provided

REVIEW | AMAZON
REVIEW | AMAZON
REVIEW | AMAZON
AMAZON

[Choko · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** 3.25 ***

Another research read with the scientific team @ the Abs-tastic Geishas, because someone has to figure out the magical influence of hot abs on book covers upon the reader's brain!!! For science!

I am not going to deny it, I had a hard time sticking with this story... And this time I feel like the odd man out, because all my distinguished GR friends seem to have loved it, while I barely stayed engaged and only towards the end did I find some interesting developments. Which is weird, because I enjoyed the previous books quite a lot and this one followed the same formula, so I should have enjoyed it more.

901, a Gulag blood pit fighter is a pit champion and merciless to his opponents. 152 is a Mona, a sex slave, both of them owned, manipulated with drugs, and used as lowly possessions by the same cruel and sadistic master. This is all they have ever known, living worst than cattle, fostering no hope at all. In order to quash the little spark of defiance 901 still held in his heart, Master baits him by giving him a woman, 152, and forcing them with drugs to copulate... The intimacy is something new for the fighting champion and despite it being forced on them, they discover that they can be gentle and caring with each other. The Master got what he wanted when 901 and 152 developed feelings for one another, by using threats to 152 and her life in order to get the Champion to dance to his tune. 901 has finally learned what it is to be truly afraid...

What I had a hard time with was the internal monologue of the two lovebirds in that it sounded exactly like the internal monologue of all three previous couples. Maybe the author thought that if it ain't broke you shouldn't​ fix it, but I would have appreciated something to make them more distinct as individuals. I know, I know, we are all used to the formulas of Romance Novels, be it Historical or Contemporary. Us Romantic Saps that we are, accept the reality of redundancy in our favorite genre, but when it is that similar in four books in a row, it becomes a bit tedious, to the point where the emotions brought on by the shocking mistreatment and abuse of the characters, which in the first books were raw and extremely painful, reading them now only brings a feeling of status quo and glum, even depressing acceptance... This is why I am very glad that this is the last book in the series - best to quit while ahead:-)

I still enjoyed the writing, loved seeing the men and women from the previous books and seeing how they are doing with their freedom, and fell in love with the character of the 000 slave girl with acid-ruined face - she was the real heart of the story. And as always, the fights were awesome!!!

I am glad my research team is still working on the never ending question of how hot dudes with six packs on the covers influence our minds, because in this situation the sample brought on diverging opinions. So, we will have to keep going and sacrifice for our fellow book lovers.☺☺☺

Now, I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

O.M.G I do love Tillie Cole, I just do, I can’t even help it. I especially love this series!! This series always makes me cry, but that’s why I love it. I just have these overwhelming feelings when I read these books. If you have read the series you know they build on each other. I mention this because I think they must be read in order even though they feature different couples so you don't miss anything. Also, it’s just better to see the story connect.

Riot allows us to see the fighting camps in a different light. In this book we have two prisoners 152 and 901. 152 has been brought in to service the master. It’s different for us to see a female being drugged and forced into this role. 901 is the best fighter and isn’t on the drugs as strongly as the other fighters we have seen in the past books. 901 has accepted his fate and while he hates Master, he knows that this is life.

901 has spent his whole life protecting himself by never giving Master an edge over him. That all changes when he sees 152. There is just something about her that changes something in him. I know this sounds like insta-love, but you have to read this series to understand how these prisoners are just different. When Master realizes 901 weakness he decides to use this to destroy the headstrong 901.

I swear this story, it had just enough angst which for me was a lot. I read this book in one sitting because my stomach was in knots about how things would play out. The forbidden love is something, but I actually loved the pureness in their feelings. Both 901 and 152 have been prisoners their entire lives. So the feelings and bond they share is new and it’s absolutely beautiful to watch their relationship unfold.

This series is action packed with lots of suspense and even some fight scenes. However, it also has that softer side that has me overwhelmed with feels. I love how this story unfolded and the conclusion was perfect. I have loved this series. Every year these books are one of my top reads of the year. I absolutely recommend reading them, you won’t be disappointed!

ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Dee Montoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+++ ~My More~ Stars*****

Forbidden love, survival, and fierce brotherhood are the main components that make RIOT a truly amazing read. A story about unexpected love born out of the cruel intentions of a master. But in the end, it was their love what became the freedom they never had, even when they were still inside the cage.



A woman with no name. Only a number, 152 and incredible beauty that caught the eye of the master. She doesn't remember anything about her past, she only knows how to cope with her cruel reality as she has now become the The High Mona of the ruthless master of the blood pit.

She submits to him day and night without hope, until one day she sees a tiny spark of freedom inside the eyes of the undefeated champion killer of the pit.

A merciless killer, 901 only wants to destroy his opponents in the arena where he trains and lives everyday. He doesn't submit to anyone or anything, he only wants to fight. What he doesn't know is that his master has an evil plan, a secret weapon against him, love...

901 and 152 where forced to mate by orders of the master. They don't know why or how but from the moment they saw each other they became more than just a number, more than two slaves, that are now falling in love inside the dark arena of the blood pit.

152 is actually Inessa Belrova, Valentin Belrova's sister. Her brother, together with Luka and the other members of the Russian family have came up with a plan to come rescue her and finally burn the blood pit to the ground. But will they achieve this complicated mission on time, or will it be too late?

"With you in my heart, and me in yours, I'm alive."

"Happy. Together, we make happiness."

This book was simply exceptional. It was amazing how this author was able to create such a special kind of love story, despite all the hate, blood and destruction in the background. Like a beautiful flower blooming in the middle of hard and dark concrete. RIOT was without doubt my favorite book out of this wonderful series.

[Sher❤ The Fabulous BookLover · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!
An awesome ending to an intense series! I loved the appearance of previous characters in this series and I love that both the hero and heroine were scarred souls. It was a little sappy between 20%-60% but after that the story really took off and the ending was just crazy.

"ARC graciously provided in exchange for an honest review*

[~Stéphanie~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

▪ 5 " Together we make happiness" stars ▪

OMG all the feels!!! This was the perfect finale to a tremendous series! I wish we could have more but Riot is exactly everything people are waiting for; exactly what I was waiting.



I don't even know where to start because my mind is all over the place. My favorite book in this series so far was Reap but now I'm not sure which one I love more Reap of Riot. I think this one sum up all the feels, all the emotions, all the terrible events of the previous book in one book.

Tillie Cole brings us a ruthless world, a darkness that is different than Ravage but still very real. Hope is what will keep you afloat and Love will melt 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. You make me want to live.”



While I was getting used to the insta-love connection I was gladly surprised to see this one takes a little longer.
901 is a male without concession. He is the undefeated champion of the Blood Pit. He's his Master most valuable fighter but still not entirely submissive to his will. He has no weakness but is it possible? He sees females as such and he has always refused to yield. But how will he be able to resist and how will he react when being forced?

152 has always been forced to do anything she was asked in her life. Meeting 901 is most definitely terrifying for her. Under the Type B drug, she never intends to force him to sacrifice a part of himself, yet it happens.
They get acquainted with each other through the small times of consciousness they have before the dugs takes over. They share a bound, they share roots and they share dreams.

I was craving for the time together. I loved the anticipation I had until the moment it all clicked together and where both are falling hard for each other. If there's one thing you should be waiting for, it should be their first kiss! ♥

"I am choosing to be with you. I am choosing you as my first. Despite the other males I was forced to be with. Despite Master. You will be the first in my heart. The only one I have given myself to freely . . . with no drug forcing my hand."



As in the previous book, you'll get Luka's pov. Once again, I was grinning like a girl at the idea that all the men were going to be involved in this one. It's what makes the book perfect IMO because you have a good balance between all the different actors in the book. You are left hanging with dread wondering how is it possible to have beauty in this hell and how an HEA is possible with so much violence surrounding everyone.

“You are more,” he told me roughly. “My more. 152, my more.”

I'm a little sad to say goodbye to this series but I already know Tillie got so many stories planed for us, and I already know I'll be here waiting.



~Arc provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review ~

[Bookadmirer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just too depressing and dark. I didn't get the connection between the protagonists. It was all sex.

And the book is filled with disturbing elements that made it hard to read. Rape, torture, murder, almost everything. I wonder why the author likes to torture her characters? How much torture someone can take?

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 just bloody brilliant stars

Cole, you really out did yourself with this book.

I’ve been in love with Tillie’s writing ever since I read Raze when it was released a couple of years ago, and because it was one of my first books in the Dark romance category, it always stood out to me, because it helped me fall in love with this genre. With each book that came out, it just kept getting better and better, and by the end of Ravage, when Valantin’s sister, 152, had been called back to “Master”, I was pretty much panting for this book.

I wish I could say that this was everything I was hoping it would be, but that would be a lie. A gross understated lie. This book was the best bloody book in the entire series, and what a way to end!

I’ve been waiting for Riot for forever it feels, and when it arrived on my kindle, I was on the very proverbial 7th heaven, because I knew, Cole was going to take us one a very gruesome, very angst filled journey across hell in this book.

And show us hell she did.

This book was no holds barred, and not for the faint-hearted, because if you think that the books before this one were dark, then you have something else coming for you.

In the last book, 152 (Innessa, Valentin’s sister) had been taken back to Master back in Georgia, and it starts from when 152 wakes up in a strange room. After years of being on the type B drug that made her crave sexual release of a man, she has very few memories that are splintered right in the middle. She has these small snippets of her life, and of a boy who promises to save her, but no way of knowing if those were real or just her imagination gone wild after being weaned off the drug.

But before she could make much of these, she was thrust into the dark world of Master, right beside his pitbull, the man everyone feared- 901.

901- Ilya- had spent his entire life alone, never taking a mona, and never making any friends with the other Pit fighters. It was a must to keep Master from breaking it, because he’d been taught in his life that if he cared for someone, they would become the medium of torture for him.

But then comes 152, and she turns everything upside down.

Suddenly he has a reason to fight- her.

Everything comes full circle in this final installment- Luca and Zaal’s revenge for their captivity, Valentin’s search for his sister, Inessa and Ilya’s fight for freedom, and the fall of a sadistic hellish empire.

I was really digging this book, because it was dark. And we all know how much I love dark.

Like I said, it’s not for the faint of heart, because there are a lot of possible triggers in it. We’ve all read that book were an author kills a character, or throws up obstacles to garner more sympathy and play on the emotions, but not Cole. Nope. Nada. Cole’s writing felt perfectly authentic to say. I did not just feel for the characters, I felt everything that they felt. And that right there tells you that it was a fantastic book.

I had a strange sense of loss in the end, because of how much I came to love all the characters. The ending was beautiful and nostalgic at the same time.

Raw, haunting, and brutal, Riot is a book that will make your skin crawl with anger at the cruel slavery, and make you fall in love with the characters simultaneously. It’s easily one of the best dark books I’ve read in some while!

This is one series I really really recommend if you are a lover of the dark genre.

“In a world of iron cages and bars, we were taking something of our own.”

Connect with me—

[Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 STARS

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

I am a fan of Tillie Cole and also this series. Book two and three are one of my favourites, so when I had the chance to read this story I obviously took it. But now it pains me to say that I didn't enjoy it as much as I did the previous two books. The plot is a bit repetative and the tourtured hero theme did make me skimm a few pages. There was a lot of violence, drug abuse and rape in this book but that was to be expected, since that is this whole series theme. I did enjoy the slow burn and development of the main characters relationship and the ending was really sweet. I don't know if this is the authors last book for this series but I would love to see Maya's story and how she found love. In the epilogue we do get a hint of what happened to her but I want the full circle of her story. I was also happy about the Master's demise and the end of his rule. It was about time someone put him out of business. We get both main charaters POV but also Luka's and that was really great. So all in all, it's a great story but I wouldn't recommend you read the full series in a row, since the plot is a bit repetative and might take away some joy of reading these stories.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!!! Awesome read!!! Review to come

[Monty Cupcake ☠ Queen of Bloodshed ☠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

BR with Aileene and Choko, for science!

3.5 stars
This book was a lot of the depressing. It's all about 901, the champion fighter of the Blood Pit in Georgia and 152, a sex slave. Yeah, see how those characters could be depressing. The Blood Pit is like the gladiators of old in the Roman colosseum and all the fights are to the death. The whole place is run by The Master, a really crazy evil man who is obsessed obsessed with 152. He's now got her as his personal sex slave and keeps her on the lower dose drugs. She was on super high powered drugs and still trying to gain back her memory from them. The Master has a problem, 901 isn't fully obedient and nothing so far has made him so, no weaknesses, until the day he sees 901 staring at 152. Bingo. 152 is now 901's sex slave and the way to control him.

The book is full of violence, both between the fighters and towards women. There's rape and lots of other horrors. I think the author did well with imagining how awful such a place would be. I think that's also why I didn't like this book as much as the others because it's a broader book that's more about the Blood Pit than it is exclusively about the main couple. There's so much going on that the main couple was given less book time to bond, at least to me.

The POV changes from 901, 152, and Luka (from book 1). Luka's POV is showing how life is for those that escaped the gulag fighting ring life.

This is the last book in the series and very nicely ties up all the loose ends. I appreciated that the author didn't leave anything unanswered and gave a satisfactory ending.

P.S. I suggest reading Val's review for a better review. I'm sick with a cold and too buried under tissues and too busy sneezing to put forth more effort for this review. Read Kelly the Book Boar's review if you want a rambling look at the book with a Hawaiian slant, yes, I said Hawaiian.

[Carolyn Reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, twisted and suspenseful – just wow!
Riot is book four in the Scarred Souls series and the first book I read by Tillie Cole. I know – unbelievable that it took me so long! That said, obviously, I haven't read the first three books in this series either, but I wasn't lost or confused so in my opinion, it’s not a must to understand what’s going on in this book.
I loved everything: the over-the-top alpha male Ilya, the heartbreaking pasts of both him and Inessa, the dirty, gritty world of the pits where everybody seems to be enslaved.
Tillie Cole’s writing is fantastic and her characters are beautifully flawed. Can’t wait to read the previous books in this series.


* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Betül · Rating 5 out of 5]

**ARC offered by publisher in exchange for an honest review**



"You are in my heart. You are in my scarred soul."

Riot is the last book in the Scarred Souls series, so I really tried to read slow to drag it out as much as possible. We met 152 in Ravage and I was intrigued by her right away. I couldn't wait to read her story, and see what would happen to her. Tillie Cole didn't disappoint and hooked me to the story right away.

"We didn't have names. Our numbers weren't welcome in this moment. Right now I was his beautiful, and he was my brave warrior"

The moment Master sees 152 he becomes obsessed and has to have her for himself. She becomes his High Mona, his personal consort. However the moment he sees that his most disobedient undefeated champion of the Blood Pit shows interest, the Master thinks of a plan to get 901 fully under his control. He gifts him 152 to then use her as a bargaining chip. I loved both 901 and 152, they were both such intriguing characters and very likable. My heart broke for both of them because they had went and still went through so much during their captivity. However both were strong and didn't lose hope.

To see them develop feelings for each other was beautiful, and it was very innocent. 192 is a warrior who doesn't want anything or anyone becoming his weakness. So he tries to keep a distance from 152. A lot of horrific and heartbreaking things happen at the compound, and I cried a couple of times.

"I wish I knew your name. I want so much to know the name of the male who has brought me home to his heart."

This book had it all. There was a lot of action, fighting, romance, darkness and very emotional scenes. Both 901 and 152 were amazing characters and I loved them together. I also loved that Luka had a couple of chapters, and that the gang fought to once and for all destroy the evil Arziani empire. The ending was perfect and I would love a bonus epilogue or even a novella because I love this series so much. Tillie Cole concluded this series perfectly and I am going to miss every character!

[Sophie "Beware Of The Reader" · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ARC has been kindly given by St Martin's Press via Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars
Warning :
If you don’t like grunting and fighting male.
If you can only stand badass heroine fighting alone…
This book will not be for you.

BUT

If you love big tattooed and scarred males, muscles bulging and fighting for their life, ready to kill anyone threatening their female.

If you can commiserate with a female having lived her whole life as a sex slave, never knowing anything else and being just a toy to other males…

THEN you’ll be a happy reader!



This is the fourth book of this series. I’ve read the first two books so far and will tackle the third one as soon as I can.

I must confess this one was the hardest to read. The female 152 in this book is drugged to feel the need to have sex. And she is used and abused by Master. That was really hard to read at times. As a woman I could easily relate with her.

901 has been abducted as a kid. He is orphaned and has no memories of his life “before”. Here he is Master’s champion. Pit of blood’s Pit Bull.

“Because I was the Russian Pit Bull. The collector of souls. This was my domain. The Blood Pit was my arena. And I’d fight until the end.”

Alone. Always alone. He does not want to have feelings for others. It makes you weak and Master can dominate and manipulate you. The last think he owns is his pride and he’ll never truly bow to Master.

Master Arziani is insane. He must be bipolar hitting Inessa one moment and kissing her the next. He sees himself as a modern emperor.

“I am the only male on the planet who has this as his kingdom.” He gestured with a sweep of his arm, then continued, “A Caesar for the modern age. An empire built on strength and skill. A gladiatorial Rome right here in Georgia. An arena where we root out the gods from the men. The arena where my word is law, where lives are saved or taken by the simple flick of my wrist.”

So they’re plotting and preparing.

Master is also obsessed with 152 who is Inessa, Valentin’s sister (you have to read the other books to understand all, sorry guys). He’s made her his High Mona and is really possessive with her but completely deranged. The poor girl was beaten , abused and then kissed. Try to stay sane!

Inessa is a gentle soul. She is gorgeous, shy and generous. She is not the kind of heroine fighting and kicking because she’s been conditioned to be pliant. And she needed to obey if she wanted to survive.
I can’t say that’s my favorite kind of heroine but I could totally relate with her and like her.

901 on the other hand is my kind of hero. I’ve a soft spot for powerful alpha male and he checked all the right boxes.

There is no complicated plot. This is not the book’s purpose. What’s taking center stage is 152 and 901’s relationship. And it is just moving.
They are two lonely souls “not free” never hoping to find something beautiful in this Hell. And yet together they created happiness.

“901 froze, then with watery eyes, he repeated. “Happy. Together, we make happiness.” I smiled. I smiled freely and uncaged.”

Of course it’s not been a smooth sail, far from it. 901 will resist 152’s appeal as he knows Master wants to play with his head gifting him the gorgeous female. He does not want to surrender his pride. But when he’ll fall for her and get his first loving touch… I was all teary eyes. I know I’m a big baby sometimes but yes my heart broke for the lonely male. It’s 100% cliché but it worked perfectly well.

“But I am choosing to be with you. I am choosing you as my first. Despite the other males I was forced to be with. Despite Master. You will be the first in my heart. The only one I have given myself to freely . . . with no drug forcing my hand.”

15e and 901 are not the only main characters in the story as Valentin, Zaal and Luka still want to rescue Inessa and eradicate Master.

Will they succeed?
Will 15e and 901 find their HEA?
You’ll just have to read it. No telling!

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[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 more than just our numbers stars



The book begins where Ravage left off. Valentin is in New York with his love, Zoya and his sister Inessa (number 152), has now been transferred to the Blood Pits. While under the rule of her new and very cruel Master, she meets number 901, the Master's best fighter.

"As Master guided us around the pits, it took all that I could muster not to look back to the champion's training area. To the large beast that dominated it's domain. The male with the cruel eyes. The infallible killer. The Pit Bull of the Arziani empire. Master's living god among men."

Although their relationship started off as a matter of 'need', it quickly turned into 'want' as they found solace from the terrible blood pits in each other.

"Moy prekrasny," he whispered, and I closed my eyes as the words attached to my soul. My beautiful...His."

The book switches narrative back in forth from Inessa and 192, to Luka. Luka, Zaal, and Valentin concoct a plan to help free Valentin's sister, Inessa from the Blood Pits. Will their plan work? Will 192 and Inessa be able to survive under their Master's tyrannical rule?


So, why 4.5 stars and not 5 stars? Well, there was a point in the book where there were literally 7 different people who were identified by their numbers being talked about and honestly, I had a hard time keeping up with which number belonged to whom.



Tillie Cole is one of my favorite authors and will continue to be so. Her writing is truly poetry and this book was no exception. I truly felt like I was down in the Blood Pits with Inessa and 901 and feeling all of the emotions the characters felt.

This book is NOT a standalone and does require you to read the first three books. The book order is:
Raze
Reap
Ravage
Riot

I highly recommend you check these books out because they are truly amazing!

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "You are more" Stars!

A thrilling conclusion to the SCARRED SOULS series.

More to come after I have an adult beverage to calm my frayed nerves. Geeze, that was hard to read at times! Had me so anxious, I could feel my blood pressure elevating; but I just couldn't put it down. Tillie Cole is my Queen of Dark Romance. (She seems like such a sweet girl... where do these nightmares from?)

Well, this may turn into my review, so...

901(H) and 152(h) went through HELL at he hands of the most sadistic, psychotic, evil, unfeeling bastard you can think of- Master. I was so anxious just waiting for him to do something horrible to them.

Our H and h shared some very tender and sweet moments. They were both so innocent in their own ways.

This was a very good conclusion to the series. All the boys and their women were back in this one to rescue 152, our h and sister to Valentin- the H from book 3 RAVAGE. I think fans of the series will be happy with this series conclusion.

I recommend reading the series in order. Raze Reap Ravage Riot

Happy reading!

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You are in my heart. You are in my scarred soul.”

SO GOOD, SO GOOD, SO, SO GOOD!!!!

5 stars!

I love this series - a collection of dark and gritty romances tied together through family, loyalty, and a hideous shared nightmare. Tillie Cole has brought it all together for this final book, and she absolutely nailed it with a heart-achingly beautiful love story set in tragic circumstances, and a kickass ending that had my heart pounding and feels all over the freaking place. It’s everything that I wanted from this book, and I absolutely loved it!

This is the story of Inessa – sister of Valentin from Ravage. Stolen from an orphanage as a child, she was raised in a cruel Russian underground world where she was drugged and trained to be a whore. Stripped of her memories and her identity, she became 152, a slave to the drugs coursing through her system, and she knows nothing else.

901 is the champion of the Pit. Raised in the same world as 152, his path made him a warrior – raised and trained in violence, fighting and death is his world, and he knows only to win. But behind the brutal exterior is a man with pride, a man who wants to win at all costs, doing it in in his own way without bowing to the evil machinations of the man who controls his world – the infamous Master.

In a twisted game of manipulation, 152 is ‘given’ to 901 as a prize by the Master. She is terrified of the notorious monster, and he wants nothing to do with her – seeing her as nothing but a distraction and a sure path to death if he were to lose his focus in the ring. But there is something there, something between them that neither of them expected to find – a shared understanding of their situation, a bond that ties them together, and slowly, comfort, warmth, and so much more.

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

I adored both of these characters. 152’s strength in the face of all that she endures is nothing short of miraculous. She’s an incredible character who goes through so much but who never loses her hope, and I absolutely love her. And 901 absolutely stole my heart. The brutal killer with the beautiful, gentle soul – who knew? Watching him come to the realisation of all that 152 means to him, and seeing his reaction to that, and the way it changes him was wonderfully written. And as the two lovers open up to each other in every way, I both cheered and ached for them.

He placed his hand over his heart and said, “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 I want to die at all … You make me want to live.”

This is a beautifully developing love story. It’s well paced and emotional, and realistic given their circumstances, and I absolutely love the way it all played out. I could feel both of their walls crumbling towards each other and every little moment they were together was written with so much heart, I fell right alongside them.

“I had a choice,” he argued. Then, with a surprising tenderness, he pressed three light kisses along my neck. When he raised his head, he said, “I chose to take you. I chose to hold you close.” He inhaled. “I chose to make you mine.”

But they are still under the control of the Master, a man who is just as obsessed with controlling 901 as he is with owning 152. How can they ever find a happy ending when they live in hell and their lives are held in the palm of a madman?

And while this is all unfolding, Valentin is in New York with his new friends and family, and they are plotting a way to rescue Inessa and bring down the Pit once and for all.

I knew I wouldn’t fail. This was my family now. And we would all survive. We had to, there was no other choice.

The storylines converge in the most epic of circumstances which had my heart racing and my stomach churning as it all played out. It’s exciting, tragic and brutal, and the anticipation for each of the milestones on the way to the HEA builds fantastically – each of those small moments giving me a massive rush as I read with my hand to my mouth, feeling like I barely took a breath. And the feels! OMG, the feels are intense and I had tears streaming down my face more than once. But what a ride!

Through tragedy, we were both stronger.
And through distance, our love was stronger.
She was mine.
I was hers.
Her, the girl, whose soul matched mine.
And I, the boy, who was made perfectly for her.

This is a wonderfully written story. I’m sure I felt everything that Tillie Cole intended, and it’s one of those books that I wish I could experience all over again. It’s an exciting, brutal, action-packed, suspenseful and romantic story all on its own, but the characters from the previous book all play a part and not only did I love catching up with them, but the way that the series story arc all ties up is absolutely fantastic. Again, there were tears, and that epilogue left me with a massive grin on my face as all four of the stories are finished off beautifully.

I’ve loved this series. Dark, gritty and emotional, it’s not always an easy read, but it’s so well done, and definitely one that I’ll be rereading in the future.

5 stars.

An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.