Lullaby Scars

Warriors of the Five Realms #0

by Hollee Mands

He’s the only man she’s ever wanted. She’s everything he can never have.

Killian’s scars are all people see, but with his wretched past, he doesn’t want them to look closer. He resigned himself long ago to living as an indentured slave to a powerful and capricious high mage—until a chance meeting with a temptress outside a brothel teaches him to want…

If only he hadn’t asked her price for the night.

Lady Mailin’s escape from her tyrannical father is so close she can taste it. All she has to do is to fake her magical prowess long enough for the high mage to sign a marriage contract and whisk her away. Then she’ll lose him and start a new life. The last thing she needs is a tortured bondsman mistaking her for a woman who works on her back...

If only she could forget his gentle, callused touch.

When a stormy sea strands them together on Prison Island, Mailin and Killian’s illicit desires may prove deadlier than the convicts out for blood, or worse...


Author’s Note: Lullaby Scars is the prequel to the Warriors of the Five Realms fantasy romance series. If you love the works of Laura Thalassa, Sarah J Maas, and CL Wilson, then you will love this.

Lullaby Scars is a standalone (no cliffhangers), with a guaranteed HEA. Mature themes. Intended for readers aged 18+.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Fae, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Romantasy

230 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2021

About the author

Hollee Mands writes her stories in the land called Melbourne, where the weather is as capricious as her imagination. When not stuck in a daydream, writing—or thinking about writing—she's juggling her tiny, spirited tyrant, conquering the demands of her day job, escaping between the pages of a book, exploring new recipes in the kitchen, or embarking on some other epic household adventure... all with a cuppa in hand and a podcast in her ears.

SUBSCRIBE and get an award winning short story FREE: holleemands.com/newsletter

Join me at Hollee Mands Reader Group for new updates, giveaways and more! facebook.com/groups/holleemands

Social media haunts:
Amazon: amazon.com/author/holleemands
Instagram: instagram.com/holleemands/
Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@holleemandsauthor
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorHolleeMands
BookBub: bookbub.com/profile/hollee-mands

Reviews

[Vaishali • [V.L. Book Reviews]]

RATING: 4 stars to Lullaby Scars! ★ ★ ★ ★

But this was Scar— the man who made her feel things no other ever had. His psyche glowed with the brilliance of a burning star, beckoning her like a wayfarer’s beacon. She slunk close enough that the vibrance of his mind warmed the edges of her own, and only then did she notice it. The brutality that marked his psyche echoed the scars on his skin. Fissures of black flowed like deadened rivers across the starlit brightness of his mind . . . but the effect only made him more. More intricate, more complex, more stunning. It was like watching a lightning storm unfurl across midnight skies in all its savage glory.'

"Groydon is the Magerian word for gold. The prisoners haven’t been sent here merely for incarceration . They are here to mine. To the death.”

➜ Epic world-scape
➜ Cutthroat society
➜ Adventurous world-building
➜ Celibate heroine AND hero pair!
➜ Inexorable heroine and a soft/strong hero
➜ Half-blood Oriental heroine on a freedom mission
➜ A penitentiary island habitated by the downright wretched
➜ Warrior protector in servitude; fluent in the mother tongue of self-deprecation

I kick off this review with easy recognition because who knew prequel novels could complete the trifecta of applied imagination, interesting storytelling components and locational adventure? Or perhaps I should dub this a 'quad-fecta' because it effectively frames a setting for a larger standalone series so well too? If the job of a series beginner is to gather notice and garner appeal, consider Lullaby Scars a notice caller and appeal establisher. Hollee Mands imagines a world of crime, savagery, thrall, bias, iniquity and arrant injustice. But one with magic too. Whether ranked with privilege or not, as is the case with both Mailin and Killian, the world is safe for no one. Especially women. The romance is flush with gentle affinity, and it is the cultural condition and oppressive environmental backdrop that occupies a darker tone. Every introduced character is trapped in some way and by something out of their control; whether it be Leisa who - along with women everywhere in great number - pleasure work in Jachuana's brothels to circumvent the more grievous offenses against them. Without the safety of the hedonistic parlours they resort to for safekeeping, their lives would be fair game. Or Mailin, who's still at the mercy of cruel parentage and would likely have been sold like each of her sisters had she been void of her mother's Fae blood. Or dolorous, blighted Killian. This guy. Self-sentenced and collared by a travesty that had made him sink to a life of no life, a life to serve. A life of contrition. I wanted to suck this incarcerated hero dry of his self-sorrow and perceived criminality and give him a gigantic injection of self-worth and a belief in a better life. This guy. But no need because by the end? Mailin is the medicinal nostrum he needs.

Whenever I find myself eager for answers, I know I must be in the central hold of a story. There are Fae, there is magic, there are civilians of mageborn ability. Some are gifted and some systems of order are built to dominate, and as thus, the world-building readily applies itself appropriately and discernibly to the critical parts of the story by exposing just enough and never too much. Hypocritically, I did find myself desiring further exploration, so in that respect, the building of the world isn't examined in greater detail. However, the world setting feels big, wide open and amenable to further possibilities; the adventurous terrain is well-imagined enough to host future stories without compromising its creative feasibility. Within this particular story, there were numerous threats, and Mailin is at the receiving end of many in due to her gender. The danger of a large island that inhabits unpardonable and violent offenders was both a really interesting part of the world-building and elevated the level of peril all the same. A world of safety this is not, and the author makes zero attempts in quarrelling this point, but one can't read this and see Mailin as anything other than a young woman who is hellbent on finding her freedom from it. I loved her as a heroine. An interpersonal plot point that didn’t feel fully fleshed out however, was the continued conflict between Vale and Killian. Killian is so morally good and virtuous, Vale is thoroughly and immorally self-serving; there’s so much history here that is inferred to, but what presently manifests as their relationship seemed to lack a more complete depiction. It was half-hearted, because Killian is the sole bearer of all the heart, and Vale did not possess one. I believe the narrative had the potential to probe a little deeper here.

The female populace doesn't have it easy. They're abused, flesh trafficked, sold and violated. Crimes against women are common and normalised, and it's within a misogynistic culture with male-dominated systems that it becomes a choice of lesser evils and familiar ones. No lack of them at all. And that finds Mailin using every bit of gumption, cunning and spunk to scheme her way into marrying a foreign high mage just to escape her father. Because it's only a matter of time before she's trafficked for gain, profit or favour. As such, Vale Teranos was hand chosen by her for a specific set of reasons (not ones quite Liam Neeson style), as she manipulates her way into judiciously earning a high Mage's favour to become his bride. She didn't count on his visibly scarred bondsman to be the man she'd been cornered by in an alley the night before. But as she desperately fumbles to outrun her betrothed as she doggedly determines to never be possessed by a man, Mailin winds up storm-tossed by reckless waters and wakes up to find herself on Prison Island, where only the worst and highly dangerous reprobates are sentenced. Perhaps the worst place a woman can find herself, unless a certain bondsman also happens to have been washed upon that same shore, and becomes the only thing standing between a desperate woman and an island sprawling with Railea's depraved and perverted; men who wouldn't think twice over ruining her.

Killian's backstory made me want to weep. I could feel the damage, vacancy and alienation that materialised from a day that became the existential end of him. He had nobody for the longest time, and it is only when Mailin comes along does this score settle. And only then is he capable of discerning what life could be. There was a part of me that wanted Killian to fight for himself harder. He seemed so readily available to accept what he was given, what he thought he deserved and how Vale mistreated him. It rankled sometimes; knowing this hero had such considerable power but was leashed, for the most part, by his own doing. He refuses any effort to rebel from the cruelty keeping him in place, and while his self abandonment is a form of punishment, I couldn't be absolved of both wanting and needing more for him. And similarly, the span of the power dynamic between Mailin and Killian vs. everybody else felt terribly overpowering. They were more or less powerless against every adversarial force. Additionally, the scene that depicts a realisation as Killian suddenly decides he wants to be with Mailin lacked a clear transition; he seemed to change his mind in the span of a second, and we needed to know why someone who adamantly denies her and any attempts at intimacy, only takes a split second to decide he's all in. I think I would have preferred further elaboration in that moment. But really, Killian I-can't-share-his-last-name-because-of-spoilers doesn't possess a foul bone in his body, and each one sits around a heart so good and gentle that he's never given himself the gift of being free. Like I didn't say it already but, this guy. If Hollee Mands has a secret stock supply of Killians on offer, I'd like to formally make a request for one because, this guy. If Mailin were a temple, Killian would kneel before it daily in prayer position.

I've never been short of confessing how much I love the survival scenario; it’s naturally winsome for me. Perhaps because real companionship and only the most authentic bonds are borne from a form of crisis that tests the central characters in almost every capacity. The need to survive often reduces characters to a more primitive engagement, and a mutual desire to survive paired with a high-intensity situation creates an intimacy that cannot be generated in any other predicament. There's no performance, there are no airs and graces, it's all real grit, subsistence, endurance and survivorship - and If I’m lucky, a love born from the intensity of the ordeal. But it could be silenced by something else that taunts my imaginings just as much, as I browse through the division like an amateur sleuth-hound for a needle in a haystack. And that is a celibate hero. I couldn't stop the chain of thought that liked to engage a particular desire: there are many celibate heroines to read from, but where are the celibate heroes in this genre? You may gasp, because It’s a best kept secret to find such precious specimens of the male variety. I have an unofficial inspection in practice, spyglass in hand. This mission isn’t born from a niche fetish. Male celibacy isn’t a commonality of the reading genre, and while I have an understanding of the reasons that support this, I relish reading from male love interests who can exist in a space where abstinence is not the equivalent of a social sin. By MMc who aren’t monopolised by both the fear of real intimacy nor the ego-hedonistic perspective that demands the ownership of the female gaze. What I’m usually regaled with though are overtly masculine and voracious figures whose immaculate and pervasive sex appeal absolves them of a sense of amiability or altruism. When I pick up a novel and read about a hero making leave with a one-night stand already forgotten, files through the many women he’s been with like a rolodex on ice or boasts a fragile ego complex that imperils the heroine, I really do heave a long-suffering sigh. I prefer to read about male characters who know how to have and hold meaningful relationships, and who aren’t threatened by a lack of female partners. Killian (admittedly) has never had the chance to share such a relationship with the fairer sex, and this has something to do with his facial disfigurement. When approached, it's his scars that people see, not he who bears them. But even still, 500+ years of age and he's remained abstinent? I might very well be in love with him. I'd like to benevolently appeal for more male heroes like this please. Let me know if I have to visit a polling station to claim my ballot.

The romantic intrigue did feel a somewhat too immediate for me, but I have mild objections with my first waltz with Hollee Mands fantasy romance. To be more accurate, it was a great time, and I had a great time between the pages. I didn’t feel particularly confident with the sense of zeitgeist, though certain items of clothing and suggestive details seemed to reference an oriental/Asian cultural setting. Like I mentioned earlier, this easily amounts to a fascinating prequel novella, though It is noticeably longer than most in length. Beautiful cover design that also beautifully captures our scarred hero. The fates are unpredictable, divided and based upon those who master them. And then there are those who circumvent them, like Mailin, and those who finally decide to fight against their bindings, like Killian. All in the repute of love and freedom. A gruff, gentle giant and a plucky heroine with an inflexible hankering to take the leap for a better life are destined for more than a late night passing in a darkened alleyway. Like getting shipwrecked in the worst place presently imaginable and defying entitled lords and powerful keepers of power. Lullaby Scars is a gentle, protective romance, laced with threat, fleshed with fantasy and misted with magic. The author did more than a wonderful job with this novella; a strapping standalone (a description that also seamlessly befits Mands' hero) and a world of more adventure unexplored.

Content Warning : Sexual violence/sexual & physical abuse. Mentions rape/attempted rapes. Bodily injuries. Drinking & smoking. Sexual assault. Male privilege and entitlement. Gore, violence. Some swearing (minimal). Describes torture and violence. Death of parents. Tragedy. Human trafficking/selling.

Visit my blog for more reviews: V.L. Book Reviews

Favourite Quotes!

'No one knew him, and no one knew the sins and shame he carried beneath his scars. Until now. Until a woman with dreams larger than her spirit had kissed him with such fervent desire and looked at him as though he were some kind of hero. Only he was no hero. He was a soul so wretched he deserved no name.'

'Mamma had wasted her life on a heartless man. Mailin wouldn’t waste hers wondering what it would be like to be with the man who held her heart.'

'Killian released Vale as though he was a poisonous snake. In that instant, he saw Vale for who he truly was. Over a century had passed, yet Vale remained the boy he’d always been— the second son striving to outshine the first— even though the sun and moon were never meant to shine at the same time.'

'Instead, he bit down on his tongue and told her the truth. “I am not a man you want to be involved with, Mailin. I have nothing to my name. Nothing to offer but a history soaked with blood and pain.” She remained silent, seeming to weigh his words. Good. Killian shifted toward the opening of the tunnel so he didn’t have to see her withdrawal. The rain was slowly coming to a halt, and fog rose from the warmth of the earth, dimming the moon and shrouding them in hazy darkness . She was so quiet he could almost imagine he was completely alone, as he always had been, as he always would be. Then she whispered, “I’m no stranger to blood or pain.”

'She had made a fanatic out of him, the soul-stirring temptress with her tender touches and lusty kisses. Never had he wanted a woman with such reckless zest , only to be welcomed with such wanton zeal. She might have spent most the night beneath him, but it felt as though she’d lifted rocks from his shoulders. He might never fully atone for his sins, but she had given him a taste of what life could be, and he wanted so desperately to live.'

'She swallowed. Make me yours, she’d said. His. All her life Mailin had yearned to escape possession— from societal expectations of her halfbreed abilities, from her father’s oppression, from a possible life at the Keep. Now she wanted nothing more than to belong to this one man.'

'Though the moon barely breached the tunnel , it seemed every sliver of light sought to tease the edges of his profile and highlight the angles of his face. He faced her where the light illuminated only the part of him untouched by violence, leaving the scarred side in the dark. In this angle, he was undeniably attractive even with his unkempt hair and scruffy beard. Handsome, in a rough and rugged kind of way. Yet she itched to turn his face so she could see his scarred side. To her healer’s eyes, his scar was shocking and savage and brutal— yet strangely beautiful . It was silent evidence of a survivor’s tale. A survivor who possessed a wild beauty that was the tempest of the sea before it swallowed her whole.'

'They were not so different after all. Her dreams were as unattainable as his own, and somehow, that stung him more than his own abandoned wants. Compared to the verve and vim of her dreams, his aspirations were prosaic and pale. She was a restless soul. A little reckless, a little rash, but filled with vivacity bright enough to blot out the sun. Killian wanted her to see the brilliance of the starlit skies from Amereen’s rugged coastline. He wanted to see her skip through the frigid riverbanks of Flen lit only by the shine of the moon , and dance upon the rolling dunes of Teti Unas beneath the glorious flare of the setting sun. He wanted to place the world at her fingertips, yet he was nothing but a helpless bondsman with nothing to give.'

'Any man fortunate enough to call her his had to see beyond her beauty and her bloodline to the stunning rarity of her spirit.'

'He could only stare, baffled by the beguiling blend of blushing cheeks and brazen will. Suddenly, it no longer seemed egregious that she’d jumped off a ship in the height of a storm. A woman audacious enough to lure a high mage into an engagement contract seemed precisely like the reckless sort who had no qualms tempting fate. Or him, for that matter.'

'Goddess of mercy, the rough bass of his voice was even deeper than she remembered, filling her ears like low thunder in a summer storm.'

“Know this, my lady. Vale did not send me. I jumped in after you because there was no other way.”
Her heart skipped, but her lips pinched. “Fool. If you had left me to my fate, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”
His smile was pensive. “Your life is worth a hundred of mine.”
Mailin frowned. She had spent all her life scrap-healing for the poor, and if there was one thing she’d never questioned, it was the immeasurable worth of life—all life. “You can’t possibly believe that.”
“Of course I do.”“That’s absurd. Even the goddess herself doesn’t value life that way.”
One side of his lips quirked in a half smile, lifting his scar and lighting his face in a way that made her heart rollick in her chest. “I don’t need Railea’s judgment to see true value for myself. You have the power to save a life, while my worth lies in how quickly I can end one.”

'Mailin might be a lady born, but she was not a lady bred. She was little more than a liar and a cheat.'

'Regardless of his off-putting scar, there was an undeniable savage beauty about him. A wildness contained within the civil facade of this man kept her paralyzed like a deer staring into the face of a lion.'

[Lady Raven RAVE!]

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Style: Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Story: 4/5
Enjoyment: 3.85/5
Dark Level: 1.5/5
Sexual Level: GOOD
Triggers: No
Violence: Yes (Mild to Medium)
Male: Scared
Series: Prequel Book 0.5
Pages: 200
Audio: N/A
Kindle Unlimited: No


STORY:
I enjoy the plot of this book. It took me on an adventure that came to life as I was reading and picturing the action and story in my mind. I got a little of everything, romance, magic, mageborn, fae and action. The story of Mailin and Killian reminds me a tiny bit of Beauty and the Beast, though I don’t think that’s what the author intended. Killian was physically scarred and came off as scary to most with the way he looks. His past has scared him emotionally as well. Mailin was a beauty, not pure but half fae who is looking for a particular out to freedom from her father, with a unique ability that helps her get what she needed, or so she thought. Once Killian’s and Mailin’s paths crossed it was engaging, even more so once they are fighting for their lives on The Isle of Groydon.


CHEMISTRY:
So for me personally, I consider Mailin’s and Killian’s romance light in the sense of it not being intense. It was sweet watching their love story blossomed from the moment Killian saw Mailin. Although this was a prequel, their physical chemistry was short and would have loved to have seen more because I really enjoyed their chemistry together. Regardless, this did not take away from it being a really good story.


SECONDARY CHARACTERS:
Vale - Killian was linked to him as he wore his collar. Vale was an interesting character. He definitely added a bit of darkness to this book.

Leisa - She is linked to Mailin. She does not have that much of a big role in the prequel, but in the epilogue I wanted a few more pages because I wanted to know what she decided.


OVERALL, I think the author laid out all the necessary foundation to start this series and I will be looking at for book 1, now that I am familiar with this world.


✰✰TRIGGERS:

****I don’t equate these stories to real life. It’s about personal taste and what you would or want to tolerate with the books you read. I know we all have different opinions and preferences with what we read. I based my book reviews on my preferences and what I like, and while these preferences may not be the same for others, I hope this review was still helpful.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm)]

This is the prequel to a new series it’s a romantic fantasy which Is one of my favourite genres,
It’s also by a debut author. It’s a well written imaginative quick easy read.
The story itself is quite fast-paced and it’s dual POV which is my favourite.

Mailin needs to escape her ruthless father before he sells her like he has done all her sisters prior.
She’s a half breed with Seelie blood and she has a gift for healing.
Knowing the only way out of her predicament is to arrange an alternative Mailin brokers a betrothal to a neighbouring high mage planning to abscond on her own as soon as possible.

Killian is a bondsman in service to high mage Vale from the instant he encounters Mailin he knows he wants her for his own.
Killian has his own secrets and personal penances to endure but Mailin’s arrival in his life changes everything for him including his priority’s and when he is forced to make a choice going against Vales orders he doesn’t think twice and blindly follows her.
The two find themselves on prison island and Kiliian or Scar as Vale call’s him is the only thing that stands between Mailin and the violent inmates this island houses.

This world is a realm of magic and this story sets the background and scene for the upcoming series and it does it well.
The story itself isn’t incredibly complicated and things here do resolve themselves a bit too easily but the fast pace this story set still kept me engaged in the unfolding drama.

This isn’t a dark read it's a sweet love story and Killian is incredibly protective and loving.
Mailin herself could be a bit naive and Killian a bit of a martyr but overall I did like them.
This was also a touch instalove but that’s going to be more down to personal taste I myself do prefer it if there are some challenges to overcome but being an action novel it didn’t bother me as much.

Taken as a whole this was an easy read with some good and imaginative world-building it will be interesting to see where this series goes next.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

[Elena Rodríguez]

“Come along, scarlet swam. Time to fly”.

Una saga que, aunque no esté traducida al español, si lo fuese tendría éxito. Sin lugar a dudas.

Esta novela en concreto es la precuela-novela ligera de esta saga Warriors of the Five realms. Aunque no sea indispensable para leer la saga principal, yo igualmente la recomiendo porque nos relata la historia de dos personajes luego vuelven a aparecer, pero en calidad de secundarios además está bien conocer su trasfondo.

Al tratarse de una precuela corta, la historia no tiene tanta profundización, sin embargo, tengo bastantes cosas buenas que decir:

• En primer lugar, la historia engancha, al menos así fue en mi caso.
• Los personajes son carismáticos y se les coge cariño.
• Está bien escrito.
• El final te da ganas de seguir con la historia principal.

Antes de acabar sí que me gustaría decir algo, cuando leí esta novela no le di tanta importancia como le estoy dando ahora, sin embargo, una vez me puse a reflexionar desde un punto objetivo me di cuenta que no podía quedarme callada.

[Denali Day]

This over-sized prequel novella kicks off an epic new series for a whole world of romance, adventure, exotic locations, and the kind of magic that will speak to your inner child. You don't want to miss this!

[Sam | Haus of Fables]

4.25 ⭐️ 2 🌶️
Loved this! For a novella the story didn’t feel rushed at all. I loved getting to see the back story / romance of these two characters. Makes me want to dive back into this authors work

[Lit]

Very intriguing start to a new series! Fantastic world building, steamy times, great chemistry...

Life hasn’t been kind to our two main characters, but things are about to change. I’m really looking forward to the next book!

[Stacie]

4 +"Mages and Mehem!" Stars!

More, more, more! I want more! This was such a good introduction into a whole new world for me. Killian was so super sweet and swooney but deadly. I ADORED HIM! Milan was not a girl to sit around and be rescued. I adored her too. Hope we see them again.

I cannot wait to learn more about the Five Realmes and how all these abilities along with arrogant corruption play together. The reason this wasn't 5 stars for me is because I wanted more information about the Mage hierachy and what abilities there are. And where do these abilities come from. Details! I will definitely be reading book 1. Happy reading!

[Athanasia ♥︎]

Raw as a scar and soft as a lullaby

Lullaby scars has the beautiful writing of a fairytale or a rhapsoody.Full of fallen soldiers, heartbroken women, and a unique magic system that can bewitch any reader.

However, the story seemed to be more about adventuring that loving, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but 2 chapters of continues fighting did feel too much. Moreover, I picked this up without reading the rest of the series, which was obviously the wrong thing to do, since many terms were explained only briefly, or overlooked.

The characters also lacked a certain depth, and left me feeling that I did not know the characters but solely their life's journey.

Regarless, it was an intriguing and beautifully told story.

Tags:
Virgin FMC 🌮💦👅
Virgin MMC 🌮💦👅
Paranormal FMC🧛‍♂️🧞‍♂️ 🧜‍♂️
Sexual assault💥🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Physical abuse🪓 🔪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Domestic abuse🩸🩸🩸
Angst😐😑😬
Death💀☠️🏴
Character deaths💀🪔⚰️
Murder 🧨🧫 🧪
Violence 🩸👁🦴
Parental death(mentioned)❤️‍🩹 💔
HEA🔔🤵🏼👰🏼
Novella📖📙 📚

[Liv Arnold]

A sweet and spicy book of a wounded hero in Killian and a strong heroine who goes to extreme lengths for her freedom. They are perfect for each other. Unique world building and full of adventure, steamy scenes and intricate characters.

[Alexys]

This was amazing!!! It was almost all my favorite tropes rolled into one story.
Tortured, overly protective hero with scars
Ambitious heroine
Prison island
And the side characters all felt so real
I'm so excited to see what happens with the frosty archmage

[Corneliareads]

I’m normally not a fan of prequels, but I actually enjoyed this one. Loved Mailin. I honestly thought I’d like Killian more 😅 he was not what I expected given how much I liked him in Little fire and Winter sun.
It was a bit too Insta love for me, but overall it was a nice read.

[Kristiej]

***Note*** I just started rereading the second book and Lullaby Scars is actually the prequel book to the Warriors of the Five Realms series.

4.5 out of 5

I said review to come and it never came. Good thing I just reread it so I can finally review this book. I’m pretty sure it’s only Holly Mands third book so I am very impressed. This is a Fantasy Romance and I love it. It’s only loosely related to her previous two books so they don’t need to be read, though it does help a bit with the world the author is creating.

Mailin is the heroine. She is a half-breed, half human and half mage. Her special talent is healing. She’s visiting her sister in a pleasure house as the story opens, trying to convince her sister to escape with her but her sister isn’t interested. She lives with her father, a very cruel and uncaring man and she has a plan to become engaged to a mage, someone with magic powers. She has a brief run in with a stranger on her way home and though their interaction is brief it leaves an impression.

She meets with the mage she’s targeted to marry and he agrees. But he is a very cruel and sadistic man. She also meets his bondsman Scar, who happens to be the same man she ran into previously. There is a strong attraction but he is only a bondsman and doesn’t believe he’s good enough, not to mention she’s now betrothed.

But things aren’t always the way they seem and when her betrothed assaults her on the journey to his home, Scar saves her and they end up having adventures where secrets are revealed.

I love both Scar and Mailin. The author creates such a sense of longing and hopelessness, we really care about how can they make it work. This is a shorter book but Hollee Mands does a great job of world building. I’m very excited and looking forward to more of her stories. In fact her newest book, Blood Song is next up.

Lullaby Scars isn’t available on Amazon, but it is free through her website for free and I highly recommend this book.


Review to come.

[Hollee Mands]

* A shipwreck
* An island filled with cannibals
* A heroine with a penchant for lullabies
* A broody hero with a wretched past
If you enjoy the tropes mentioned, you might want to give this a taste.... I can promise you the action is hot, and the hero is even hotter. 😉


Lullaby Scars is a standalone prequel to the Warriors of the Five Realms, an epic new fantasy romance series. Full-length, with a guaranteed HEA. No cliffhangers.

Download free here: https://bookhip.com/KJJGBVQ

[Michelle]

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

Absolutely amazing!

All Mailin has ever wanted was to escape her cruel father and start a new life. She is very close to accomplishing her goal but an unexpected encounter with a scarred bondsman has her feeling things she has never experienced before. Killian has resigned himself to a life of indenture and misery, but when a storm leaves him stranded on an island with Mailin, he finds his life worth living for the first time.

The best part about the book was its characters. Despite her circumstances, Mailin refused to give up and accept her fate. I liked her determination and decisiveness. Killian was a gentle giant and one of the best male leads I've come across. I think I have my new book boyfriend. Together they made a wonderful couple.

The plot was well developed and the book had me hooked from the first page itself. I couldn't put it down and I was desperate for more. I was disappointed when I found out that the next book wasn't out yet.

The world-building was wonderful and had the right amount of details to paint a picture. I don't like overly descriptive books, so I was very satisfied with the way this one was written.

I went through a whole lot of emotions while reading the book, from anger to joy to mild annoyance and sadness.

Overall, I'm very happy with the way the story turned out and I highly recommend this book to all romantic fantasy lovers.

[Tairen]

Lullaby Scars.
{ Warriors of the Five Realms, #0.5 }

This book has easily become one of my all-time favorite books. Lullaby Scars is a prequel novella to what I can already tell is going to be an epic fantasy series. The story and the way the author writes to bring the realm and characters to life is just as stunning as the cover { which is definitively a favorite } and is filled with everything a reader could want in a book including - romance { that doesn’t take over the entire book }, fae, a strong female lead, and a magic wielding warrior with a tragic past.

I loved every page of Lullaby Scars and could easily pick it up and read it again. Hollee Mands is a new author but one whose books I definitively feel you do not want to miss out on. I cannot wait to read Little Fire which is book one of The Warriors of the Five Realms. I already know it’s going to be a favorite.

[Lana]

I do believe that I have just discovered a new author, but one who will be joining my very favourite authors list! Hollee Mands has written a prequel to her new series the Warriors of the Five Realms which if she can maintain the tension building and continue with a cast of characters as strong as the once she had in this book we readers can look forward to some more captivating nail biting novels. In this book we get to meet Mailin, a young woman who would do anything to escape the life she was living and who had the courage to follow her dreams. As well as Killian, a bondsman wearing a collar around his neck and numerous scars all over his body, who believed in doing penance for his wrongdoings and thus stayed in the situation of slavery even though he did not need to. These two so different to one another fall in love at first sight and he knew he would do anything to protect her from the evil and deprived world she was entering into, whilst she filled him up with the self confidence he lacked as she showed him he was worth loving. Through her love she ignited the spark he lacked in order to break the shackles that bound him. Together they fight depraved criminals on the isle of Groydon as well as powerful mages in order to secure a future together in safety. This is a tale not only of great love but also one of great fear and edge of the seat tension building which at times made me feel I had to take a break from reading on yet could not stop reading at the same time, this very compulsive and romantic tale. For readers who enjoy a strong hero who on the outside looks scary but who has a heart of gold inside and a heroine who was woman enough to be able to see this. Roll on book 1!

[Jennifer]

The writing and editing of the ARC version of the manuscript was clean, with no typos that I found and lush, beautifully written sentences. The world building was vibrant, with the culture and eniquities therein coming to life. The characterization was okay, with both hero and heroine being sympathetic individuals with strengths and weaknesses. The development of the romantic relationship was natural and sweet, with the hero thinking He is Unworthy of the heroine, which is a trope I have a weakness for. The heat level was three chili peppers. The plot was tight and exciting, though the main driver of conflict in the plot fell a little flat for me. The hero’s decision to forfeit all of his power and agency to his younger brother would have worked much better for me as the reader if the hero’s brother had been remotely sympathetic or nuanced. The pacing was quite quick, and I flew through reading this story. There was a medium amount of well justified angst and high stakes throughout, which tends to be one of my preferred narrative structures for a romance novel. This novel contained the I (Hero) am Unworthy trope, the Prison Island trope, and the Evil Sibling trope. The world building, plot, and pacing were all five stars. The characterization of the hero and heroine were three stars. The characterization of the villain was two stars. The development of the romantic relationship was four stars. I therefore gave this novel a combined rating of four stars. The novel ended on a Happy Ever After ending instead of a cliffhanger ending, which was a big plus. I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy fantasy romances with lush world building and plenty of chemistry between the protagonists. I look forward to reading the next book in this series when it releases. I will wait to buy myself a keeper copy of this book until I read the next novel in this series, but I may end up buying the whole series.

I received a free advance review copy, and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian)]

LULLABY SCARS is the prequel novel to the Warriors of the Five Realms series, and as such, there is world-building involved, which I absolutely loved. It's not very often that things are explained without it being obvious, but how it was done here was all integrated into the story, making it very easy to understand and build a picture in my mind.

There are different breeds of people, and our main female (Mailin) is a half-breed of Seelie and Mage, both being very long-lived races. Desperate to get out from under her father's thumb before he sells her, she sneakily arranges a marriage which she has no intention of following through.

Killian is our main male - scarred and big, enough to put people off before they know him. However, the attraction between these two is instantaneous and burns brightly.

I am hoping Mailin's sister appears in later books as I really want to know what her decision was! Killian's brother deserved everything he got, although I would like to know just what it was he thought he had suffered.

A brilliant start to a series that I highly recommend.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

[Never]

I was happy to see that this story avoids the "misunderstanding" trope that seems to always crop up. I tend to lose interest in those stories pretty quickly, when easily a third of a book is just there because of some unrealistic misunderstanding.

This story was a happy change. Not only was there no silly misunderstanding, but each both Killian and Mailin were strong enough personalities to know what they wanted when they wanted it.

This book is great for a quick, light hearted read. That's not to say that there aren't moments of darkness in it, but that one thing that is never in doubt is how the two main characters feel about each other.

I must admit, Mailin's encounter with the Archmage at the end of the story has left me fascinated and wanting to know more about that character!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jean Stillman]

This is a delightful read for those readers who enjoy fantasy romance that centers around the fae and mages. I am not really into that genre, but still adored the love story between a broken, scared, and bound warrior hero and the feisty, determined and pure young women who wants to get away from her father. The character of this prequel to the new series are just so lovable and there are so steamy bits as well. It is action packed to keep you reading into the night, because you won't want to wait to see what happens next.

[Gina *loves sunshine*]

Here's me trying another fantasy...when I know I don't usually love fantasy. This was shorter, 7 hours on audio - a prequel to the 4 book series. I thought it was fairly engaging but when it really came to the end I thought what was the story?!??! Like I just didn't get it. The in-between good little bits of building a romance or a relationship were just not there. The characters were pretty 1 dimensional.

[Vedece Barnes]

I really liked this book. I was torn between 3 1/2 and 4 star rating simply because it's not the paranormal kind of book i'm use to but
it's an action-packed romance.
Mailin is a strong and determined woman and she has a plan. One that will help her escape from a home, a father and a life that she hates.
Killian is a bondsman who sees the woman of his dreams, the only woman who has ever made him feel desire. Only to find out she's meant
to marry another. His abusive taskmaster.
When Mailin's plan goes awry, she's forced to flee and when Killian goes to save her, they both end up stranded and in a battle for their lives.
As they grow to trust and depend on each other, dark secrets from both of their past bring them even closer together.
With everything on the line, Killian makes one final move against the evil that would take away the woman he loves
and keep him in eternal servitude!
While both the H/h are strong likable characters, I felt Killian was a bit trusting and naive at some points.
Vale, is disgustingly spoiled and brutish, karma!
Action-packed. Romance. HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicole]

Wow!!
Like seriously...WOW!!
Brand new author and this is her first book?! Awesome!! Definitely following her and one clicking the rest of this series.
Tons of adventure, fights, magic, a romance that blooms into steam and betrayals on the utmost heartbreaking level.
Brother vs brother.
Honor vs strength.
Love conquers all!!

[Katie Holem]

3.75 stars rounded to 4 stars. For only a 230 page fantasy romance, it was really good and enjoyable! I loved the stranded on an island trope, when I read that in the synopsis, I was hooked! I love Mailin as a character, she has such fight in her and its great seeing a strong female character in general. Loved the magic system and would have loved to know more about it along with more interaction between Killian and the high mage. Will definitely read the next book in the series!

[Luna Lovesbooks]

You had me at “stranded on Prison Island” and kept me hooked to the heart-wrenchingly delicious end! Lovely, flowing prose, perfectly broken characters, and the hard-won happily ever after of a lifetime!

[Pat]

What an interesting read this was.she needs an escape and he thinks she is a woman who works on her back. Once they touch magic happens but they ended up stranded together. Characters were great and the storyline was tops

[Melodie De bruyn]

The characters were interesting and had depth, I loved the chemistry between them. It was an awesome introduction to a new series.

[Janet Smith McHardy]

I love this story. The characters grabbed my attention from the very start, read this book in a day. Mailin has arranged a marriage for herself to escape her crewel father. he has sold all her sisters as they had no magic. She has healer magic. Scar (Killian) is bondsman to her future husband. The plot is excellent and held my attention to the very end. I look forward to reading more books in this series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marianne]

I was very impressed with this paranormal/fantasy romance.. I really liked it! Tons of drama and action, with truly immersive scenes.. Emotional and unputdownable!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.