RIOT (A Scarred Souls Novel #4) by TILLIE COLE :: REVIEW

 ‘The male with the cruel eyes. The infallible killer. The Pit Bull of the Arziani Empire. Master’s living god among men.’

Wow, what a compelling way to finish this fabulously dark and highly emotional series. It’s been quite the horrific but brilliantly written ride, with each book giving us a new tormented hero and heroine all with a harrowing and tragic past and present.  All with the fighting pit at its centre. It’s been a tearful and upsetting journey but a journey that’s been lit up by a beacon of shining bright love.

“Our names are part of our path to freedom.”

In this series finale we hear the voice of 152, the lost sister of Valentin, and 901, the king of the fighting pit. The master’s favourite but for how long? This series has always had a flair for the dramatic and over the top, but it’s worked for us. We’ve been gripped, addicted and invested in every single book and Riot was no different. We loved it.

‘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 – Inessa, the lost one, the beloved sister. She stole our hearts and they bled for her fate. She was a fighter a survivor and her story broke our hearts. She’s the chosen one for Master Arziani, who runs an evil and inhumane empire set to break the human spirit for his own gains and desires. Using her as bait to get final control of 901 who isn’t running the line of commands. This catalyst sparks a series of events that ultimately sets in motion a revolt that could see freedom at the end of a very long imprisonment under an evil reign of punishment.

“You became my heart. He made me want you like I have never wanted anything else. Even my freedom does not compare. If I had to fight every day for the rest of my life here in this pit, I would do it gladly to have you with me.”

901 and 152 are thrown together as part of a concluding plan for Arziani’s final blood lusting glory. However, where the evil intent succeeds the strength of love, protection and human spirit was ultimately underestimated. There’s such a vulnerable almost innocent essence to 901 and 152’s relationship. Considering the gruesome circumstances, this was such a beauty to read because of this. For two people so deeply embedded in the sadistic and brutal side of life there was such a beauty to their characters.

‘901 thought me beautiful. And he told me in Russian. In the language of our hearts. The language of our home.’

What we absolutely loved about Riot was being back with everyone and everything coming full circle, seeing vengeance and redemption. Finding happiness and love. We loved how it played out, how after such a long time being spent in virtual hell with our hero and heroine we saw a culmination of the previous books through Luka, Zaal and Valentin. We loved the final climax and what a fabulous ending to what has been a crazy good suspenseful, dark and passionate series.

‘We had been thrust back into hell. But this time the only way out was to burn it in our wake.’

‘We would maim. We would slaughter. We would kill. Together, we would fucking raze hell.’