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!

Another well written book by this author. Tillie never fails to impress and I thoroughly enjoyed the series.

‘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.’

5 Epic Razing Stars!!!

There are not enough words to describe how much I loved this book!!! It was one hell of an ending to an absolutely epic series!!

I'm kind of sad to see the end of this series and these characters, as I've become so attached to all of them. But all good things have to come to an end, and what an ending it was!!!
I was on constant tender hooks throughout the book, I just had to know how it all ends,if all the characters we know and love would make it out at the end, how they would all finally get their revenge on the man who was responsible for all their pain and suffering.
Tillie absolutely nailed it, there is nothing else I can say really except more gushing about how great this book and this series is! Plus I don't want to spoil anything about the book, so just read it!

In Riot, Tillie Cole shows how love can bloom in the darkests of worlds where people are possessions, known only by number and kept under the worst conditions. Riot is truly a dark romance, so you should be prepared for some difficult scenes, but it does a great job of infusing light into 901 and 152's story.

While there is some "lightning bolt" love aka insta-love, it's so believable that after everything 901 and 152 go through, that they would find each other and feel something so strong. Some love just can never be forbidden.

But love is a weakness in their environment, a liability, and it is certain that the master will use it against them. It's all about the light against the dark (and it can get dark) in this romance and it worked well for me. I loved that even though they are both stripped down to having almost nothing, they still find a way with some help. It's what makes this story compelling. I loved how everything came full circle.

This title works well as a standalone but you're probably going to want to go back and read the rest of the series once you are done.

An ARC was provided for review.

Ever read a book and your turning the pages and its so intense that you can't stop reading ,this is that book. 152 is drugged, raped and a slave for Master in the Blood Pit the only person 152 talks to freely is the chiri who cleans her and feeds her. 902 is the head warrior in the Blood Pit. 902 never has lost a fight for the Master and is determined to never do so. Master is trying to find something that will weak 902 so he follows Masters orders better. 902 will not let a woman weak him but will happen after Master drugs 152 and sends her into 902 cage and won't let her leave? Will 902 let 152 die or will things happen that will change everything? I cried, screamed, smiled and felt for each one of the characters in this book. The ending will have you holding your heart and finally let you breathe. 5/5 riot stars deserves a 10 ****Reviewed for Sweet & Spicy Read provided for a voluntarily Advanced Reader Copy of this book ****

From the moment the Scarred Souls series started Ms. Cole invited readers on a dark and desperate journey, with a few bright spots along the way, that has culminated in an uplifting and powerful conclusion with this fourth installment. Throughout these four books readers have witnessed cruelty and depravities from a world that time forgot, a world that was hidden but ready to erupt with feelings of rage always present, in stories that stayed with me long after I finished them. With this installment readers get greater insight into the Blood Pits and the fighters residing there, along with other castes whose lives are just as dire. From the monebi who are used for sex, to the chiri who are slaves, it's a tale of forgotten people used as entertainment for the entitled. It's a tale too that ultimately pulls at your heartstrings while leaving you on edge from the first page to the last.

Fighter 901 is Champion of the Blood Pits, taken from an orphanage as a child and stripped of his identity and made into a killer through drugs, torture, and an instinct to survive. Seeing his fellow fighters brought down by love has led to a lonely existence as he's turned down every monebi sent to him and kept himself from bonding with other fighters. He doesn't want to give Master a weapon to use against him, but the moment 152 is sent to him his life changes irrevocably. She's sent by Master as a Trojan horse to make the increasingly arrogant 901 vulnerable, but the more time they spend together the more determined he becomes to make a life for themselves outside of the Pits. Along with discovering that his name's Ilya, he also soon discovers a plot that will bring Master to his knees, in an exhilarating conclusion that has his heart driving him towards the light. Ilya's a hard man when we first see him, cold and determined to keep to himself. He's unrivaled when it comes to fighting which has him pushing his boundaries a bit too far when it comes to Master, who sees Ilya as his Pit Bull, making no moves unless he deems it. Wanting to bring him to heel though has Master sending his favorite monebi to crack the hardened warrior but the exact opposite happens as their growing love for each other drives him to finally stand up to Master. Seeing Ilya's evolution, as love reawakened his heart and soul, was both heartwarming and painful as love in their world was in constant peril. Being able to define feelings of love and happiness ultimately empowered him and had him fighting Master's vile manipulations in scenes that had me cheering right along with my heart racing. With each new joy he found, from a simple kiss to a smile, it endeared him to me and had me aching for the lost little boy he once was along with the hardened man he's become.

152's life has been one of loss and numerous heartbreak from the moment she and her brother were taken as children. She was used to keep him under the control of Master's sister until the day they were torn apart and she was chosen to be the High Mona of Master, bound to his bed by drugs and force. She's left with nothing but fragments of that time, dreams of a boy sworn to save her. Being Master's favorite means being at the whim of his constantly changing emotions. He's truly psychotic, obsessed with her, unleashing his rage on her for how he feels. His hatred of 901 is even greater though which is why he's willing to send 152 to his Pit Bull. Her early interactions with 901 leave her fearful of his anger and coldness, but subsequent encounters have them bonding over their ability to talk in Russian and heartfelt talks that have them finding support in one another. As she starts to care for him she becomes stronger, taking more risks to show him how she feels. Discovering that she's named Inessa, along with the appearance of a heavily scarred man, open the floodgates of her heart and soul to give her the strength to finally stand up for herself. It's an act that had me cheering but also fearing what the fallout would be as Master realized what she'd done. Inessa's an unlikely heroine early on as she was completely beaten down, letting things happen around her without taking much notice. Being around her chiri, Maya, opens her eyes to what others in their world experience. It becomes the impetus to finding strength and solidarity with others. As she comes to care for Maya she also starts falling for Ilya. Her choosing him, finding a moment of joy in his arms, has her dreaming of more and holding out hope for HEA just as Master's anger is set to take her life from her.

With each installment in this series I became more and more immersed in this world and the men and women fighting to survive in it. Though you can read this book on its own you'll definitely want to read them all as each story leads readers ever closer to the ultimate HEA. The narrative of this story is made richer by knowing what came before, gives the story a more emotional impact seeing everything Inessa's brother went through before to rescue her now in her most desperate moment. Ms. Cole's depictions of the Pits and the role of the monebi and chiri are vivid and pull at your heart while making you cringe with how bloodthirsty people can be to those they see as lesser. The fight scenes had my pulse racing feeling each blow as it were my own, desperately rooting for 901 and his fellow warriors. Master was a twisted villain whose moods were erratic, leaving readers on edge trying to anticipate how he'd lash out next while rooting for him to get the ending he so richly deserved. The beginning of this story had a very solitary feel to it courtesy of Ilya's emotional wall, a feeling of oppression and desperation as Master reigned supreme. By the end though there was a feeling of brotherhood, an empowerment, and a feeling of solidarity to find freedom which left me full of hope. Everything that came before, every loss and every tear shed in pain, led to this story. Though I'm sad to see it all come to an end, Ms. Cole couldn't have wrapped it up any better as all the previous darkness culminated here with a bright shiny bow.

4,5 Krasivaya" stars

In 2016 I got the opportunity of reading the duo of RAZE and REAP. It was my first book by Tillie Cole. My friends had already talk to me about her, but I didn't know her work yet. Only knew her genere was the one I'm most fascinated in the bookworld of romance: the dark romance. So I read RAZE and felt so much I couldn't believed I didn't know her work. It was love at first read. I kept going with REAP and it only gave me chills and I fell even more to this author's books. After that, I read other books of her and I don't have any complains. Tillie Cole is definity in my favorite author list.

I didn't know there were more books in this series. And then came RAVAGE, which for me, is the author's best book because it made me love a guy that I thought it would be impossible to love. Tillie knows how to create these characters and different stories that make our hearts race and even in the middle of so much conflict and pain, as well as the characters, we find space to love them. Even more than normal. These boys with scarred souls are engraved on me.

When RIOT showed up at my kindle, I dropped everything I was doing to read it. Is there someone that read the other books and was not crazy about this? The expectation was high. However, I confess that I found the pace of the book - at least in the beginning - very slow. I was afraid it wouldn't have time to be created a fantastic story and it could have a rushed end. But after about 30 or 40% the story got to where I wanted and from there I could not put it down.
Only keep reading this review if you have already read the previous 3 books in the series

The prisoner 901 - his real name is beautiful, but, like in the other books, I'm not gonna tell - he is like the other characters, strong, the best fighter, but as he spent almost his intire life practically imprisoned he's also innocent in many ways. For being the best fighter of the place he had some privileges. By having this "freedom" he ends up been a bigmouth, too sharp for the master Arziani. And after the death of the master's sister, the prisoner 152 - Valentin's sister - is sent to the master to be exclusively his. However, for a moment, Master Aziani sees in her an opportunity to break the barriers and resistance to obedience of the prisoner 901, and then the master offers her to him.

Precisely what 901 didn't want to, become his weakness. Between two people trapped and without control over their bodies, yet, even with the situation they had to live with, a beautiful love story is born. For me, it was the most innocent love of the four books, mainly because of the conditions in which they found themselves.

As in the other books, the story focuses not only on the new couple. The highlight this time, also stayed with the boys. Luka, Zaal, and Valentin came together to help save the prisoner and end this cruel world to which they were forced to grow. For me, these parts left me in a surreal excitement, because since Raze I wait for the moment that the chaos would be set.

My hatred for the so-called masters and their Wraiths only increased. It's so cruel. And because it was a dark book, my heart was beating so fast for fear of something that would make me cry. And I actually cried with the love of these characters and I cried because I was nervous. Urgh! Tillie knows how to trap us in the story and make us feel everything. We get too involved. So much that I consider them my boys. And I won't let anyone mess with them! Hmm!

Of all Tillie's books, this series is special to me. It is the type of reading that I seek, that I love and I only have to thank her for letting me meet these boys with scarred souls. It was a wonderful closure to a perfect series. I'll miss everyone.

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

4.5 of 5

ARC provided for an honest review through NetGalley.

WOW. This book is dark, emotional and so CAPTIVATING. It’s the final book in the Scarred Souls series. The other books are Raze, Reap, and Ravage.

Tillie Cole has done it again. She created and continued the story of a dark, intense and detailed world. This is a world where children are stolen from orphanages and their families to become servants/slaves to the Master and his Blood Pit. Men and women are drugged to be subservient and subdued. They forget their pasts and become nameless except for the numbers branded on them. The drugs they take make them act as sex slaves and brutal fighters for the Master’s entertainment. Just like the past books, this is a difficult read but so worth it! It made me uncomfortable at times but never lost my attention. Tillie creates yet another dark yet beautiful love story between two broken individuals who learn to love and grow through their experiences in this dark world. So amazing!

152 and 901’s love story is so interesting and alluring. They are two broken individuals who find each other when they need help the most. They have a forbidden love that made me root for them from the very beginning to the very end. Per usual, Tillie has created well-developed and complex characters that are unique and have great stories to tell. She creates them to be relatable (although it may be hard to see) and real, allowing the reader to empathize with their situations. I did. I became lost in their stories and wanted them to win, to succeed.

Overall, I loved this final story of the Scarred Souls series. Tillie Cole never disappoints and I knew this was going to be an emotional ride I wouldn’t forget. Now I feel like I need to reread the series over again – that’s how you know they are so good!

Looking for a captivating, dark and intense read!? Check out the Scarred Souls series and this final installment, Riot.

The Scarred Souls series has been a roller coaster ride of emotions. Riot introduces a new set of main characters expertly interconnected with all the characters from the past books. It's an excellent compilation bringing this series full circle while also creating space in your heart for two new members of the Scarred Souls crew. Told from the alternating first person points of view of 901, 152, and Luka from Raze readers get a birds eye view into the conclusion of this series.

Riot takes the dark and depraved parts of the series and drives them a little bit deeper for 901 and 152. Both victims of this horrible travesty of an underground circle these main characters are thrust together in the ashes. While this coupling is met with much resistance both 901 and 152 eventually find a dark solace within each other. Both of these characters are tortured in their captivity to the worst degree. Tillie Cole once again doesn't shy away from making readers completely uncomfortable with her words and storytelling. The themes of this book raise the bar of emotions through the discomfort. Each of them are held in the highest regard of the the Blood Pit yet their still very much prisoners stripped of choice. When the chance at choice for themselves arrives for 901 and 152 the two of them soar.

These books are not for the faint of heart. You must really go in with the understanding that Tillie Cole wants to make you squirm and she does so brilliantly. I appreciated the thoughtfulness and care she provides for her characters in the most tragic of situations. And in Riot I loved the combining of all the past characters and how the ultimate force and conflict of the Blood Pit goes down because of their strength, fortitude, and the love they've found. Cole's writing reflects that of someone who's heart remains open no matter a person's circumstance; something I think we can all take away a piece of in our own lives. For mature, dark romance lovers who don't mind feeling vulnerable at the expense of characters. A rise from ashes kind of conclusion that satisfies.

4.5 Stars

Stolen from an orphanage as a child, 901 was taught from a young age that the only way to survive the Blood Pit was to kill anyone in his path. He was now the Master’s champion, however never totally obedient. When he is gifted Master’s High Mona he refuses to have anything to do with her. He does not want to be involved with anything that could make him look weak to Master. When 152 is left in his cell he tries to ignore her, has never had any contact with a Mona before. To each others surprise they find comfort in their time spent together. This comfort turns into much more including future plans and the thoughts of one day being free of the hell they are living. With the help of new friends, their dreams might come true.

I have enjoyed the Scarred Souls series and will be checking out some more Tillie Cole writing.

*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***

This is definitely not a cosy, easy read. It is a story of a Master controlling men, women and children for his own ends. They are his slaves, he decides what to do with them, whether they will live or die, suffer or prosper are all at his whim - and he can and does change his mind. The slaves are known only by numbers, their master endeavouring to eradicate their knowledge of their own names, families and relationships so they will strive to fulfil his wishes and always please him. Physical, mental and emotional abuse, using drugs to promote required behaviours, battles to the death, sexual violence, all are key elements in this very dark, horrific story, so you have been warned!

The characters are well developed and many of their points of view shared, making them easy to relate to and empathise with. It is also a story of love in the most brutal of circumstances actually conquering all in the end. This includes love of siblings determined to rescue each other as well as romance. For me it was just too violently abusive though I thought the scene setting was superbly written however some people will love this action packed plot. The ending is such a relief after such a traumatic, horrendous story!

Many thanks to the publishers for gifting me a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review.

This is an unforgettable series! All four stories have come together for a fabulous finale. You must read all the books in order for it to make sense. Children taken from orphanages, families separated and new families united. Luka and Kisa, Zaal and Talia, Valentin and Zoya, and now Ilya and Inessa belong to each other despite their troubled pasts and unknown futures. Luka and Talia are siblings, as are Zaal and Zoya and Valentin and Inessa. They have found each other and made new families and a new life above ground. Their stories are brutal with blood, and unforgivable sexual acts. Not for the faint of heart this series will shock the most prepared person and give them chills. Amazing and crazy to say this but this will be ranked among my favorites. I was given an advanced copy through Netgalley and have written my review voluntarily.

I have read this entire series. It has me hooked. Every book gets better. This one crushed me so much in the beginning. I hated the evil master more than anyone before.
Gah. I love how Tillie wires you around these characters.

RIOT: Scarred Souls #4 by Tillie Cole
2.5 Stars
Reviewed by Rachel & Sharon Thérèse
We both love this author’s writing; however, we’ve had to give her latest read careful thought before giving it our star rating. Taking into consideration the complexity of the plot, we both found Riot, the fourth book in the Scarred Souls series, a tad difficult to get our heads round. It’s quite a bit darker than what we’re used to reading by Ms Cole, and we’d even go as far as saying that some of the scenes were either disturbing or left us with a feeling of frustration. Chapter three is bursting with names from previous stories and caused some confusion, too. One of us was led to believe it could be read as a standalone; nonetheless, her buddy reader warned her that it would most probably be an uneasy ride.
We made no mistake in thinking this story wouldn’t be overflowing with raw grittiness. It was made apparent from the very first chapter where the male protagonist is, what he’s up against, why he’s there and who’s been holding him in a hellhole with no escape. More importantly, the reason he’s still alive is clearly described. The reader discovers 901 is an invincible killing machine, has no recollection of his past or even his real name. His persona is moulded through no fault of his own, and here we have to say that his character development is par excellent. Regardless of the awfully harsh conditions he’s under; a couple of scenarios involving his self-felt thoughts and actions troubled us! That being said, we gave him the benefit of the doubt. As the story progressed, he showed us he was mentally capable of overcoming the worst and our opinion of him changed one hell of a lot. Watching him mellow in no man’s land touched our hearts, worried us, and in our eyes, the lesser of two evils had to win a game of twisted dimensions.
“901 is my prized champion. The undefeated ‘Pit Bull’ of the Arziani pits. No one can touch him. He’s infallible.”
Number 152. Her master commands and if she wants to see the light of day, she has no option but to obey which she does up to a certain point. This poor girl’s situation is horrendous, but as hard as we tried to imagine the bleak scenario offered to us, we couldn’t. It was too much, too extreme, too everything. Hope is inexistent in her world of horror and slavery. Vague memories of the past haunt her dreams, and just when we needed it, we were given a parallel story. This made a whole lot of sense seeing others had been where she is and hadn’t forgotten her or Arziani’s deviousness. Right, we don’t want to divert too much but quite honestly, the only definition we’d use for this individual who makes her and 901 suffer inexplicably is a ‘despicable despot’. He controls his black-market business down to the smallest detail—ruthlessness, lack of compunction and brutality on all levels sickened us. Clients demand, Ariziani’s gives them what they want. Blood!
“I knew you were born to be mine.”
Revenge! Actually, the most interesting part of this story was how the goodies would confront the baddy. We did feel their quest verged on the impossible. For those of you who have read the series, this story sums up a Russian Mafia saga woven in unimaginable scenes in a crudely imaginable setting. We do love a dark, extreme read and that’s exactly what we got but sadly, this book just wasn’t for us. This series doesn’t pull any punches and as usual Ms Cole’s excellent writing skills certainly draw the reader in giving them a truly authentic experience. However, we found the story a tad repetitive and although we do realise this is fiction, we thought the story was in parts very far-fetched. The series is well worth reading but in our opinion, felt this story was the weaker than previously released books.

Wowzers that's one heck of a dramatic series finale!!

For the purpose of this review I'm going to presume you're up to date with Tillie Cole's Scarred Souls series. This time the focus is on 152 and 901 - no I'm not giving you their names because it's a big part of the story and the reveal is something of a spoiler!

The Arziani blood pit is a horrifically dangerous place for warriors and slaves alike, but things take a dramatic turn when 152 finds herself as High Mona (chief sex slave) to the awful Master.

901 is the pit's prize fighter - he's a deadly champion whom Master struggles to control, until 901 notices Master's new High Mona...

The story is dark and pretty hard to read at times but I really liked the sweet relationship between 152 and 901. Their friendship almost develops in reverse, where they go from fear to friendship.

There are lots of dark naughty scenes, some of which I couldn't quite get my head around but others are awkwardly sweet.

RIOT is brutal and surprising, yet hopeful and surprisingly endearing. It is worth noting that due to the adult nature of the book and the dark themes, certain parts may be a trigger.

We get a sneaky catchup with some of our previous favourites as the series comes to a fierce and savage end. Oh the messed up and glorious angst!

3.5 - 4 Stars in my Sky!

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Wow! I have loved every book in this series & this one is no exception. Each story grabs hold & doesn't let go, your heart us beating out of your chest & you pray for a happy ever after.

One of the best series I have read & a very fitting final book

I have been following this series and have waited for 152’s story to be told and I wasn’t let down. You just have to make sure you are ok with some darkness but this book is all that but a whole lot more. Everyone has a weakness even though in this book it took a lot of underhandedness of the Russian mafia to pull that from a warrior like 901. The Master was pure evil and he took what he wanted when he wanted it as in the case of 152. This may be dark but the love story was one that grabs your heart and doesn’t let go. I am a true fan of this series and each and every book was a definite 5 star read.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for a freely given honest review.

2.5 Stars: Reviewed by Rachel & Sharon Thérèse

We both love this author’s writing; however, we’ve had to give her latest read careful thought before giving it our star rating. Taking into consideration the complexity of the plot, we both found Riot, the fourth book in the Scarred Souls series, a tad difficult to get our heads round. It’s quite a bit darker than what we’re used to reading by Ms Cole, and we’d even go as far as saying that some of the scenes were either disturbing or left us with a feeling of frustration. Chapter three is bursting with names from previous stories and caused some confusion, too. One of us was led to believe it could be read as a standalone; nonetheless, her buddy reader warned her that it would most probably be an uneasy ride.

We made no mistake in thinking this story wouldn’t be overflowing with raw grittiness. It was made apparent from the very first chapter where the male protagonist is, what he’s up against, why he’s there and who’s been holding him in a hellhole with no escape. More importantly, the reason he’s still alive is clearly described. The reader discovers 901 is an invincible killing machine, has no recollection of his past or even his real name. His persona is moulded through no fault of his own, and here we have to say that his character development is par excellent. Regardless of the awfully harsh conditions he’s under; a couple of scenarios involving his self-felt thoughts and actions troubled us! That being said, we gave him the benefit of the doubt. As the story progressed, he showed us he was mentally capable of overcoming the worst and our opinion of him changed one hell of a lot. Watching him mellow in no man’s land touched our hearts, worried us, and in our eyes, the lesser of two evils had to win a game of twisted dimensions.

“901 is my prized champion. The undefeated ‘Pit Bull’ of the Arziani pits. No one can touch him. He’s infallible.”

Number 152. Her master commands and if she wants to see the light of day, she has no option but to obey which she does up to a certain point. This poor girl’s situation is horrendous, but as hard as we tried to imagine the bleak scenario offered to us, we couldn’t. It was too much, too extreme, too everything. Hope is inexistent in her world of horror and slavery. Vague memories of the past haunt her dreams, and just when we needed it, we were given a parallel story. This made a whole lot of sense seeing others had been where she is and hadn’t forgotten her or Arziani’s deviousness. Right, we don’t want to divert too much but quite honestly, the only definition we’d use for this individual who makes her and 901 suffer inexplicably is a ‘despicable despot’. He controls his black-market business down to the smallest detail—ruthlessness, lack of compunction and brutality on all levels sickened us. Clients demand, Ariziani’s gives them what they want. Blood!

“I knew you were born to be mine.”

Revenge! Actually, the most interesting part of this story was how the goodies would confront the baddy. We did feel their quest verged on the impossible. For those of you who have read the series, this story sums up a Russian Mafia saga woven in unimaginable scenes in a crudely imaginable setting. We do love a dark, extreme read and that’s exactly what we got but sadly, this book just wasn’t for us. This series doesn’t pull any punches and as usual Ms Cole’s excellent writing skills certainly draw the reader in giving them a truly authentic experience. However, we found the story a tad repetitive and although we do realise this is fiction, we thought the story was in parts very far-fetched. The series is well worth reading but in our opinion, felt this story was the weaker than previously released books.