RIOT HOUSE is a 137,000-word standalone book in the Crooked Sinners Series and does not end on a cliffhanger. Future books in the series will feature other characters. This book contains dark content that may be considered a trigger for some readers, and as such is recommended for readers 17+
They might be richer than gods, but they’re morally bankrupt.
As far as the boys who run America’s most … run America’s most exclusive international academy are concerned, I’m an unwelcome interloper, an inconvenience, and they’re determined to make my life a living hell.
When Wren Jacobi sets eyes on Wolf Hall Academy’s newest inductee, all he sees is an easy mark. A reserved little girl with a target painted on her back. He knows nothing of my troubled past, though. Nothing of my mother’s suspicious death, or the horrific treatment I’ve had to endure at the hands of my psychotic father. And he has no idea of the lengths that I, unassuming little Elodie Stillwater, will go to in order to break the savage beast who dreams of breaking me first.
There’s a wolf stalking the forests that surround my new school.
Little does he know…
There are far scarier predators lurking out there in the dark.
more
I volunteered to read an advanced copy of “Riot House” and it was fan-freakin-tastic! I didn’t receive my copy until late yesterday afternoon and I read until wee hours of the morning. Every secret unearthed of the Academy and the Riot Boys led to more secrets, I just could not find a good stopping point to sleep. Any hint of a relationship was enough to turn any of the Riot Boys stomach or so it seems. No one can resist their charms even knowing this about them. Wren is the bad boy with a black as night and cold as ice heart yet every girls fantasy dream guy.
Callie Hart captures it all the passion, the suspense, the love, the hate, even the obsessions. It has all the feels, so grab a glass of wine and curl up with Wren, Pax and Dash for an evening of sex appeal overload in “ Riot House”. I highly recommend you pre order your copy now. You won’t be disappointed, I know I wasn’t. Now I’d really like to read more about Dash…and maybe even a little curious about Pax too. Can’t wait….
I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading Riot House. This is an intense book. The characters are strong and their personalities are very well hashed and different to the core.
The storyline itself starts like a bully romance but it slowly changes to form something more thrilling and exciting. The chemistry and the sexual tension was palpable.
Throw in some mysterious disappearance in the school campus and we have an exciting mixture of bullying, passion and thrilling ride of romance to their happily ever after.
Don’t believe me. Go on Read it and you will see.
(3.9 stars)
Elodie Stillwater is the new girl at Wolf Hall Academy after her father ships her off the the states and good or bad (depending who you ask) has caught the eye of bad boy Wren Jacobi. He is gonna have fun breaking this innocent one. Two troubled youths and a whole lot of angsty emotions. Can Wren keep his true feelings in check while trying to break Elodie and why? This is a high school bully romance with a semi darker twist. I enjoyed the characters and how the developed. I did find this one slower speed for me in the beginning until I got into the story more then I enjoyed the secrets Wren and Elodie held. I did find this to be more Dark YA high school romance to me then a mature high school bully romance as some I’ve read prior. So, if you like that then I think you would enjoy this one. Told in dual POV
I don’t normally read high school bully romance. Reading about juveniles having porn star sexy times is creepy. Where do these boys get their skills? Besides all of that we have a predator teacher, murder, extreme child abuse, rape, torture, kidnapping, bullying, military cover-ups, toxic capitalism, a birthday party, and so on. The book was well written but unrealistic. One of the main high school characters owned a dive bar in town.
One of the main high school characters is supposedly the son of a British Lord. The author refers to the father as Lord Lovett Senior. The MC’s name is Lord Dashiell Lovett the fourth. I can’t believe the author couldn’t be bothered to research the proper way to address and refer to a Lord.
I kept reading simply because I wanted to see how it ended and what all of the secrets were all about.
I’m the epilogue, the new teacher is an attractive female whom one of the MCs seems to be very attractive to but not because of her name. This poor woman’s name is Jarvis. NO. JUST NO. That’s an absolutely horrible name. I won’t be reading any more books from this series. I just can’t do it.
Sadly, this book could have easily been five stars if not for the glaring issues. The book was 80% well written, yet unrealistic, there were just a handful of typos, it lacked proper research, and that horrible character name so I can only give this book three stars. Read at your own risk.
I had read a preview of this book in the Bully Me: Class of 2020 Anthology and could not wait for it to release. When Riot House came out it did not disappoint!!!
The hero Wren is a mystery the whole book, his is cold hearted and full of secrets. He controls everyone in the school. Everyone is afraid of the Riot House and the boys who live in the house. Elodie is a transfer and curious about the girl who used to live in the room before her. Elodie is the only one not afraid of Wren, she’s not afraid to push his buttons to find out his secrets. This book has all the normal things you would expect in a boarding school such as the mean girls, and party drama. It also has some pretty dark elements with tragic past for both characters.
This book was full of twist and turns I did not see coming. I have read a lot of bully dark romances, but this was a bit different towards the end. Wren was definitely questionable with his ties to the mystery with a missing girl and a murder on the loose.
I LOVE this dark academia aesthetic I’m so here for it!
Riot House is the first book in the Crooked Sinners series and follows Elodie Stillwater and Wren Jacobi.
I have to admit that I had a few problems in the beginning of the book. Although it was very interesting, the first half was such a slow burn for me, which isn’t negative at all but it took me a while to get hooked. But from the moment I was hooked I couldn’t put the book down. The Wolf Hall Academy has its twisted little secrets and kind of mystery elements which were so thrilling and exciting. You’ll learn a lot about Elodie and Wren throughout the book and very little about the side characters, but they’ll get their own books which I’m so excited for. I really liked Elodie and Wren, they were very unique, well written and perfect for the plot.
The second half kept me on my toes and it did give me everything I wanted: there was romance but also angst and excitement and it was just so good!
I can’t wait to read Dash and Carina’s and hopefully Pax’ story!
Riot House was an emotional and raw book and it consumed me fully.
Whoa, this book was so freaking good!
This was my first read by Callie Hart, and I was pleasantly surprised by how amazing this book was! Riot House is filled with mystery, spice, hot guys, and the dark academia vibes will have you wishing you could run off to Wolf Hall Academy for a semester… or two.
Wren really made this book what it was. While I loved Elodie and thought she was so freaking strong for everything she went through, Wren was just… another level. He was so dark, broody, and mysterious. I spent the entire book with a head full of questions about him and all of the boys of Riot House. The mystery in this book really kept me on my toes and when I thought I had it figured out, Callie gave me whiplash and made my jaw DROP. Honey, I was not expecting THAT.
The reason why I didn’t give this book a 5-star was simply because I wanted and expected more of a bully storyline, yet Riot House had more of an insta-love storyline, if I’m being honest. It worked for this story, but in the end I found myself wishing for a little more angst between Wren and Elodie.
Let me just say, the dirty talk in this
“You are going to be mine, Elodie Stillwater. Of all my sins and misdeeds, making you fall in love with me will be the very worst of them all.”
I went in blind (as I do for most of the books I read and I’m glad I did. When I first started it, I thought it was going to be a bully romance and I’m pleasantly happy I was wrong. The beginning is mostly Wren pulling typical schoolboy shit on his crush.
Stand-alone are sometimes insta-love or fast burn but this was more of a medium burn. Once things heated up? AHEM. Wren’s dirty talk made the damn book for me! & I loved getting his POV during the spicy times! I loved Elodie’s character, but Wren hands down made this book for me. He’s definitely not a character I’ll forget anytime soon. He’s dark, broody, mysterious, protective and possessive. The best part? He pursues Elodie and doesn’t let up, even when she fights it. I love it when the guy puts himself out there with zero regrets.
Wren Jacobi thinks that the new girl will be an easy target, easy prey to get a few tears out of.
“Fuck her.
Hurt her.
Soothe her.
Ruin her.”
Elodie Stillwater had seen worse and be through worse than whatever Wren had in store for her. She won’t let him be the one who breaks her.
“I’m not afraid of him.
Maybe I should be.”
Wren might come off as a cold jerk at first but you’ll change your mind about him later on. Just like Elodie changed his. He’s not someone who enjoys someone’s pain. You’ll get to see how he slowly changes his mind, how his feelings change and how he fights for love.
“He’s the bad guy. The monster that crawls out of the shadows to hurt and maim those around him. Nothing good can come out of him.”
Elodie’s past made me angry. Her life with her father is one hell of a horror. But she’s a badass who won’t allow a rich guy to break her. She was surrounded by secrets, kept in the dark about the shocking history of the girl who used her room before her and these secrets were coming out to hurt her.
“I will not be the one to wreck Elodie.
She’ll be the one to wreck me.”
Such an epic read! I enjoyed every sinfully delicious moment of this story. Wren and Elodie are absolutely perfect for each other. All the characters were fantastically written and the pacing of the story was perfect. There was plenty of intrigue, smexy moments, and heartbreaking revelations. I am sure I’ll be re-reading this again soon!
OMG I relished this story from the beginning to the very end.
It was super sexy,dark ,delicious, mysterious and totally addicting.
Elodie and Wren had me on the edge of my seat,because there is so much depth and content in the story of their romance and their back stories.They both have had tough upbringings,with military backgrounds,so that is one thing they have in common.
Elodie is the new girl at Wolf Hall and Wren is part of a trio of bad boys that rule the school and he sets his sights on Elodie.
This book was not what I expected and Callie Hart surprised me in the best way,as I couldn’t get enough.
I Absolutely LOVED reading it and I cannot wait to read the other two bad boys Dash and Pax’s books,I am so intrigued what Callie has in store for us with their books.
I highly recommend it
5 star brilliant
Wow! What a read from Callie Hart! What’s not to love about Riot House? It has all the ingredients that made me fall in love with a good book….a sexy love story, danger, suspense, and a boarding school in the middle of the woods that holds so many secrets!
Elodie is the new student at Wolf Hall. New beginnings can be daunting, but this is a bit of a respite for her, knowing the situation she is leaving…almost a taste of freedom. Little does she know, the boy, Wren, she meets in the dark upon arriving will be a whole other brand of trouble!
Wren is one of the three Riot House boys who rule the school. People are just pawns for them to enjoy until they get bored with their target. Unfortunately, Elodie is on Wren’s radar. She has been even before she arrived, thanks to her file being open where he could see it. In her picture, she emits innocence which attracts Wren, but not for good reasons, he wants to squash it. When he sets his mind to a task, he completes it!
However, Wren has underestimated his target. Elodie might be small, and she emits light to his darkness, but this girl has more strength in that small body than Wren and the other two other Riot House boys, Pax and Dash, could even think about having. She refuses to back down to Wren. She challenges him. Somewhere in their dark dance with one another, they begin to develop feelings for one another. She definitely doesn’t want to give her heart to Wren, but it’s getting harder to resist him.
“He’s the bad guy. The monster that crawls out of the shadows to hurt and maim those around him. Nothing good can come of him. But fighting this attraction I feel for him seems so futile and pointless that my will no longer feels like my own.” ~Elodie~
It isn’t long before Wren begins falling for her. She isn’t a game to him anymore. Her strength and resilience just keep reeling Wren in. These two are broken, but together they are whole!
“She’s everything good and light in this world and being in her presence is like emerging from a prison cell after so many long, dark years and finally feeling the sun on my face.” ~Wren~
Not only is this a beautiful, yet dark love story. There is a great deal of suspense as well. It’s a bit of a subplot you could say, but it doesn’t overshadow who and what this book is about. The setting reminds me of the gothic romances I have always loved.
This isn’t your typical NA bully, dark romance. It is a very well-written book, full of description. Hart really places her readers in the setting to make us a part of the story! Can’t wait to read more from her and more of this series!!!!
One of The BEST Dark Romances!
5+ stars!
I will not be the one to wreck Elodie. She’ll be the one to wreck me.
And this book completely wrecked me! Riot House is by far one of the best dark romance reads I have ever come across. I was immediately awe-struck by the cover of this book. One look at it, and you know for a fact it’s gonna pull you right in. Right off the bat, you’re sucked into the world of Wolf Hall Academy and one of the main ‘Riot House’ boys: the bad boy that is Wren Jacobi and his enigma Elodie Stillwater.
To say I fell in love with Wren is nothing short but the truth. He’s the complicated bad boy with dark hair, black clothes, and chipped fingernail polish. He’s got that attitude problem that can’t be tamed, except when it comes to his girl. But despite all of that, the way his heart beats for Elodie is just precious. At first, you don’t know what to expect of him, but you soon realize just how entranced he is with Elodie, and there’s nothing he can do about it, and he just allows fate to handle his cards.
Elodie. Oh my god, I love her. The sass and the her genuine bada*ssery is one of my favorite things about this book. Elodie has a tragic past, and I mean an absolutely heartbreaking past. It explains a lot about her, how she comes across a little judgy at times, but also completely understands a situation once she has all the facts. She’s protective of herself and her heart, so I never took it as a complete fault on her part.
I loved how passionate Wren was for Elodie. They had this push and pull dynamic. Wren always made sure that Elodie spoke the truth about her feelings, cause Wren wasn’t shy about his AT ALL. The electricity between them was insane, being in the same room as one another and sparks would be flying. I loved how natural their love was. They didn’t fall right away, you know it wasn’t love at first sight, but rather a connection that just couldn’t be denied any longer. They have this bond and this protectiveness with each other that makes it nothing but swoon-worthy.
I will never get over that freaking plot twist! Like, you knew something was there, you knew there was this sketchy feeling in the air, but you couldn’t ever pinpoint it, yet, every time you did, you second guessed. Callie Hart had me entrapped with her writing and storytelling, I was left reeling over every little thing. No one was perfect in this story, and the way the other characters were so well written just like the main characters, is absolutely amazing. I just can’t wait to read more about everyone else! Callie Hart is a phenomenal writer, and Riot House will forever be one of my top reads by her!
“You’re going to be mine, Elodie Stillwater. Of all my sins and misdeeds, making you fall in love with me will be the very worst of them all.”
Oh my goodness, this series has me absolutely hooked! I was recommended this series by a dear friend and I’m so obsessed.
POV: Dual perspectives
Setting: Wolf Hall Academy (dark academia in the mountains aesthetic)
Trigger warnings: rape, sexual assault, pedophilia
Our heroine Elodie is uprooted from her life in Israel and is forced to transfer to Wolf Hall Academy which is located in a small dead town in New Hampshire. Wolf Hall Academy isn’t just any special school but rather a prestigious institution where well-bred, rich families and military kids are shipped off to. The school is ruled by three arrogant popular rich boys: Wren Jacobi, Dash Lovett, and Pax Davis. Wren has been interested in Elodie before even meeting her. He’s excited for a new change of scenery, to toy with her and make her fall in love with him but she has dark secrets of her own.
Elodie Stillwater is the definition of misunderstood. The death of her mother and her horrific upbringing has left her traumatized and protective. But she’s strong enough to survive the hell that these boys bring and she can play their game a lot better than them. I loved her as a character. I thought she was so strong-willed and badass. She’s definitely an overlooked and underappreciated character in my opinion.
Wren Jacobi a cold and moody recluse. He’s disobedient, rich af, but extremely intelligent. Did I forget to mention that he’s also an artist? What more could you want from a sexy rebel. Wren is such an intense and possessive character but he still finds ways to be so endearing and gentle with Elodie like (I want him please!)
“I will not be the one to wreck Elodie. She’ll be the one to wreck me.”
These two are absolutely perfect for each other. This book was so steamy and dangerous. Whew, I was flushed reading their scenes. I also love how obsessed Wren was with Elodie. He was sweet and gentle with her. Everything he ever did for her made my heart A C H E. He would rather hurt himself than have her face any sort of pain… like MY HEART CAN’T HANDLE THEM.
THIS IS A DEFINITE MUST-READ. I couldn’t stop turning the page. The writing is absolutely marvelous. I’m so consumed by this world with all its dark twists and secrets. Callie Hart’s author craft is truly something special. It has left me captivated by the unique and compelling characters! I’ve found my new favorite series! I’m genuinely obsessed. It’s all I think about now. I cannot wait to dive into the rest of the series!
I love a good enemies to romance book. I’m an addict. Wren and Elodie are the perfect combination too. The beginning of a series, this story had me hooked right from the beginning. I wanted more. I couldn’t put it down and I raged when it was over. It’s not your normal bully romance, because there are so many aspects to this story, that I literally couldn’t keep up. So many plot twists, secrets and lies, I was consumed. The writing flowed beautifully and the plot was amazing. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
This book had everything! Suspense, thrill, steam, angst, all of it! I will admit this is another book I decided to read based on the cover alone, I mean COME ON, look at it! It was my wallpaper forever.
I loved Elodie from go, female characters have grown on me over time and I think it started with her. She’s a heavy handed force. Wren had his work cut out for him. The plot was so much more than your typical bully/enemy scenario. There was a much darker element to this book and I was hooked!
ALL-CONSUMING, TORTURED SOULS, ANGSTY AND FATED LOVERS 2020 BEST BOOK!!
Callie Hart has slayed me with this book. I am totally wrecked and not gonna lie I am now down on my knees bowing at Callie. I started this book in the Bully Me anthology and it ended on a cliffhanger. I was extremely engrossed in the story and was sitting on pins and needles waiting on the novel to release. Luckily for me I received an ARC of it and let me tell you, this story between Wren and Elodie is supremely phenomenal!!
Elodie looks like she is this tiny fragile innocent girl who needs all the protection; however do not let the package fool you. This girl has been through hell and back and is one of the strongest female heroines I’ve ever read! She has a tortured and ugly past that she longs to get away from but has pretty much resigned herself to the fact that she will always be under her father’s thumb.
And then there is Wren. WOW, I’m not even sure what to say about him. He has the body of an Adonis, black silkly hair you just want to run your fingers through, the hard face of a warrior, a sharp and cutting tongue, and a singular obsessive thought to make Elodie Stillwater his, so he can break her apart. Wren has his own troubled past and I believe he knew they would be like two magnets pulling towards each from their similar military backgrounds. This all-consuming need to bring Elodie to her knees is what starts you into this journey between the two that only gets more twisted and bizarre the more you read.
This story has absolutely every emotion you want in a book and then some, which is why you need to make sure you have plenty of time set aside to read it and yes it is a long book.
Riot House will suck you into its black hole of angsty intensity and never loosen its grip!
This book will definitely leave you wanting more even though it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger. Callie has said that Pax and Dash will get their own stories and all I can say is HURRY!!!! These books will definitely be ordered on paperback because this is the type of book you will want to have in your grabby little hands to read and read again!! 5 stars is nowhere near enough for this book but the highest I can give it. So for my description of this book – PHENOMENAL, INTENSE, MAJOR TWISTS AND UNPUTDOWNABLE!!! Callie Hart you are the Queen of Angst and now you have another life long admirer!
This book was absolutely EVERYTHING!!! It starts with our lovely Elodie Stillwater being shipped to New Hampshire by her father the colonial. Upon arrival she meets wow what can I say about Wren?? He’s mysterious and I fell in love with him right away. After meeting their story begins. Its a roller coaster ride with twists and turns you can not predict. Parts of this story will leave your jaw hanging on the floor. I discovered Callie Hart and Riot House in the Bully Me Anthology. After I had to read more from her. She truly is amazing! Riot House was by far one of my favorites and Elodie and Wren are on my all time favorite characters list. You won’t be disappointed with this one. Here’s to you Callie on another fantastic story!! Now… how long until the next?
OMG, I loved this book! It was sexy, steamy and suspenseful all wrapped up into one great read! Wren was kind of creepy at first, but he totally redeemed himself, and Elodie didn’t take any crap, which I absolutely loved! I definitely recommend this book, and I will definitely be ready when the other Crooked Sinners books come out. 5 stars, for sure!
Riot House is by far my favorite dark romance read for 2020.
Callie Hart is a new author to me, however I’m now fully entrenched in her Riot House boys.
Riot House is the first in a series featuring three boys attending a strict and private academy deep in the woods of New Hampshire. Wren, Dashiel, and Pax make for a tortured and devious trio. Living in their house down the hill from Wolf Hall Academy the gentlemen steep in their depravity while to come of an age where they can separate themselves from their parents.
Riot House is Wren Jacobi’s story. The lanky, artistic one with a bent to the malicious and cruel. His attention is drawn to Wolf Hall’s newest addition.
Elodie Stillwater may look like a jewelry box ballerina with her petite figure and porcelain colored skin, however Elodie shares more in common with highly skilled assassins and prisoners of war. Brought up under the strict and cruel parenting of her Army Colonel father, she is on edge, private, and far from trusting.
When her father suddenly pulls her from her private school in Tel Aviv to ship her back to the US she’s confused, but unwilling to bend to her father. Not even the intriguingly bullish student waiting for her at the school’s doors can derail her plan to muster through this new hell the Colonel has sent her to.
Elodie’s first experiences with Wolf Hall foreshadow the secrets the academy holds. The student lurking in the shadows of the school’s entrance is said to be intimately involved with many of those secrets.
Settling into her new home, Elodie is forcibly befriended by Carina, the school appointed guide, Elodie is quickly brought up to speed regarding the boys down the hill, their control of the school, and the emptiness that fills them all. Added to this are whispered bits regarding a missing student, questions surrounding the last party at Riot House, and the role Wren Jacobi played in both.
Elodie and Wren find themselves drawn to each other. For Wren it began when he found Elodie’s student file in the headmistress’ office. Something about her student picture piqued his eye. He then decides that Elodie “belongs” to him. While not a traditional start to a relationship, Elodie finds herself opening up to Wren – against the strong discouragement from her friends.
As Wren and Elodie circle each other, Wren’s twin sister makes an unannounced return to Wolf Hall. Disrupting her brother’s life and sparking Elodie to question what she does and does not know about the boy.
Through the twists of the banter, emotional pulls, and tissue thin trusts that begin to build, secrets of belonging to both Wren and Elodie are revealed.
Wren digs up information on Elodie’s life overseas and her father. Elodie finds the missing student’s journal, Wren’s sweater and a token that Wren likes to leave as a marker of his presence.
Carina and Elodie grapple with who and what to believe. For all that Carina avoids the boys in Riot House it appears she’s keeping secrets with Dashiel.
Tensions and secrets build to a final gut ripping twist that changes the landscape of Wolf Hall as well as two of the Riot House boys.
A very well written suspense mystery wrapped in a dark romance, this book was one I hated to put down. I wanted to devour it. Ms. Hart reveals just enough information from her characters to move you from scene to scene. While some edge pieces of the story are placed together by the midpoint of the book, the true betrayal and twist occur right at the very end.
This book does NOT end on a cliff hanger. Wren and Elodie do receive a satisfactory ending to their story. Their shades of dark blend into shades of grey with hints of light when they are together. The other Riot House boys though … their stories are just at the first steps. Both Dashiel’s and Pax’s stories are started just as you say goodbye to Wren and Elodie.