Never Hollowed By The Stare

boys love manga | MM romance | indie music | giveaways and more

Never Hollowed By The Stare
  • Home
  • REVIEWS+RECS
    • MANGA
    • BOOK REVIEW
    • SOUNDTRACK
    • QUOTE
    • TRAILER
    • DESERT ISLAND CASTAWAYS
    • BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
    • Reviews A-Z
    • MINI MOVIE REVIEWS
  • MEMES+TAGS
    • MUSIC MONDAY
    • LAST YEAR I WAS READING
    • FLICKer FADE SUNDAY
    • TAGS
    • MISC POSTS
    • PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
    • FIRST LINES FRIDAY 56
  • TOURS & BLITZES
    • COVER REVEAL
    • GIVEAWAYS
  • About + Ratings
    • ABOUT + RATINGS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • Policy + Contact
  • Home
  • REVIEWS+RECS
    • MANGA
    • BOOK REVIEW
    • SOUNDTRACK
    • QUOTE
    • TRAILER
    • DESERT ISLAND CASTAWAYS
    • BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
    • Reviews A-Z
    • MINI MOVIE REVIEWS
  • MEMES+TAGS
    • MUSIC MONDAY
    • LAST YEAR I WAS READING
    • FLICKer FADE SUNDAY
    • TAGS
    • MISC POSTS
    • PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
    • FIRST LINES FRIDAY 56
  • TOURS & BLITZES
    • COVER REVEAL
    • GIVEAWAYS
  • About + Ratings
    • ABOUT + RATINGS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • Policy + Contact

Archives

  • April 2023 (2)
  • March 2023 (106)
  • February 2023 (104)
  • January 2023 (109)
  • December 2022 (118)
  • November 2022 (128)
  • October 2022 (122)
  • September 2022 (107)
  • August 2022 (118)
  • July 2022 (104)
  • June 2022 (112)
  • May 2022 (114)
  • April 2022 (61)
  • March 2022 (115)
  • February 2022 (88)
  • January 2022 (92)
  • December 2021 (90)
  • November 2021 (114)
  • October 2021 (118)
  • September 2021 (127)
  • August 2021 (84)
  • July 2021 (114)
  • June 2021 (113)
  • May 2021 (119)
  • April 2021 (112)
  • March 2021 (122)
  • February 2021 (101)
  • January 2021 (90)
  • December 2020 (121)
  • November 2020 (127)
  • October 2020 (129)
  • September 2020 (120)
  • August 2020 (131)
  • July 2020 (131)
  • June 2020 (138)
  • May 2020 (118)
  • April 2020 (109)
  • March 2020 (105)
  • February 2020 (99)
  • January 2020 (111)
  • December 2019 (112)
  • November 2019 (94)
  • October 2019 (74)
  • September 2019 (54)
  • August 2019 (51)
  • July 2019 (54)
  • June 2019 (47)
  • May 2019 (43)
  • April 2019 (53)
  • March 2019 (41)
  • February 2019 (41)
  • January 2019 (47)
  • December 2018 (52)
  • November 2018 (51)
  • October 2018 (56)
  • September 2018 (61)
  • August 2018 (55)
  • July 2018 (59)
  • June 2018 (90)
  • May 2018 (60)
  • April 2018 (60)
  • March 2018 (57)
  • February 2018 (51)
  • January 2018 (50)
  • December 2017 (45)
  • November 2017 (50)
  • October 2017 (52)
  • September 2017 (35)
  • August 2017 (50)
  • July 2017 (12)
  • June 2017 (12)
  • May 2017 (21)
  • April 2017 (87)
  • March 2017 (16)
  • January 2017 (5)
  • December 2016 (4)
  • November 2016 (25)
  • October 2014 (67)
  • September 2014 (109)
  • July 2011 (7)
  • June 2011 (14)
  • May 2011 (77)
  • April 2011 (25)
  • March 2011 (5)
  • Uncategorized

    COSPLAY WISHLIST FOR HALLOWEEN 2019

    October 31, 2019 / No Comments

    Happy Halloween, everyone!

    In celebration of my favorite holiday and in a serious mood for trick or treating, I put together a list of my dream costumes for this special day. I’m too old to go begging for candies but you’re never too old for costumes so here goes…

    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE TOUR: Gothika by Eli Easton (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 10, 2020

    RELEASE BLITZ: My First by Sky McCoy (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    May 17, 2021

    ASTROLOGICAL BOOK TAG

    April 11, 2019
  • Uncategorized

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Claiming Marcus by Jocelynn Drake (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 31, 2019 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE DAY BLITZ: Take My Breath Away by Ali Ryecart (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    August 1, 2021

    MUSIC MONDAY: I Love You by Fontaines DC

    March 7, 2022

    RELEASE BLITZ: Gravity by Tal Bauer (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    August 12, 2022
  • Uncategorized

    BOOK BLAST: Memoirs of the Human Remains Box Set and Omnibus by F.E. Feeley Jr.

    October 31, 2019 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    COVER REVEAL: Dead Draw by Layla Reyne

    March 2, 2022

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Out For The Holidays and Out for Gold by Lane Hayes (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    August 4, 2021

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Teddy’s Truth by K.D. Ellis (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    January 17, 2021
  • Uncategorized

    SPOOKY QUESTIONS TAG

    October 30, 2019 / 1 Comment

    Eight spooky questions for Halloween.

    This tag was created by RedrumReads. Feel free to tag yourselves. Tag me, too. I’d love to see your answers.

    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: His Haven by Con Riley (Giveaway)

    April 21, 2021

    RELEASE BLITZ: The Wingman by A. Poland (Excerpt & Giveaway)9

    August 14, 2021

    BOOK BLAST: Lillian And The Italians by David Gee (Excerpt)

    October 2, 2021
  • manga,  Uncategorized

    MANGA: Ano Ko To Juliet

    October 29, 2019 / No Comments
    Image result for あの子とジュリエット

    Ano Ko To Juliet – Kojima Lalako

    “Mitsuru and I, we’re Romeo and Juliet.” High school students, Ryousuke and Mitsuru are lovers since childhood. But their fathers are with daggers drawn. They really don’t want to be separated…With this mind, the decision to elope…?! Besides the main title work, this book also contains the love of a popular idol x childhood friend, and the timid love of the one carrying out someone else’s love letters ♥ The sparkling high school loves, a short compilation gem!

    That Boy & Juliet: Madly in love high schoolers go against their father’s wishes and try to elope. Endearing but we can do without the domestic abuse.

    Dramatic Boyfriend+Melancholy Boyfriend: An unexpectedly angsty and also cute story of an idol and his childhood friend turned boyfriend. We can do without pedo sensei.

    The Funeral Ceremony Of Love Letters: Ghostly letter writing connects lonely high schooler to a boy mourning the loss his girlfriend. Full of tears and longing but also hopeful. Best story.

    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    NEW RELEAE BLITZ: A Blind Eye by David Jackson Ambrose (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    April 11, 2021

    BOOK TOUR: Realm Of The Vampire Council by Damian Serbu (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    April 24, 2021
  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: Not Dead Yet by Jenn Burke

    October 29, 2019 / 2 Comments
    41435160

    Not Dead Yet – Jenn Burke

    Dying isn’t what it used to be.

    Wes Cooper was dead. Then he wasn’t—though he’s not exactly alive, either. As an immortal not-ghost, he can transition between this world and the otherplane, which makes him the perfect thief for hire. For seventy years he’s made a “living” returning items to their rightful owners, seeing his fair share of the bizarre in the process. But he’s never witnessed murder. Until now.

    His latest mission brings him more than he bargained for: a very-dead actor who is definitely going to stay that way. It’s just Wes’s luck that his ex-boyfriend, Detective Hudson Rojas, is assigned to the case. Hudson broke Wes’s heart years ago—and could again, given he’s rocking a hot silver-fox look that shouldn’t be legal.

    As they work together to track down the murderer before anyone else gets hurt, it becomes clear Wes and Hudson have unfinished business. And when a secret Hudson’s been keeping threatens more than just their happiness, it might mean the end of their not-life together—permanently.

    This book is approximately 91,000 words


    Not Dead Yet by Jenn Burke has one of the most unique premises I’ve encountered for a while, putting a fresh spin on the ghost lover trope.

    First, it’s set in Toronto and I can’t even remember the last time I’ve read a book with a Canadian setting. So that’s a big plus. Also, Wesley Cooper is a not-ghost. He’s 110 years old, killed by a lover in 1933 and brought back to life by his lover’s sister who was a witch.

    Wes works as a ‘recovery specialist’ aka glorified thief who retrieves certain items per client request. He can become a ghost and go to the other plane at will, which is a very useful ability for his job because ‘no breaking, just entering‘. He has not aged in a century and forever looks in his 20s.

    The other MC is Detective Hudson Rojas, Wes’ ex-boyfriend, with whom he parted in not so good terms. They met in the 80s when people were not open to gay relationships especially in the police force. They met again when Wes was involved in a murder case. Hud turned out to be quite the silver fox at 58. Interestingly, he stopped aging in his 30s (he turned grey early) because, well, you’ll see.

    These established the backbones of a highly entertaining paranormal mystery. The world-building came naturally. Nothing too complicated on the surface, very magical realism feels. But as I get deeper into the story, it became obvious that there’s more to this than merely witches and ghosts. There’s so many fun things you can do with this set-up and different avenues to explore.

    The story is told in Wes’ POV. I loved his ‘voice’. Wes is very open with his feelings. He could be a tad dramatic sometimes but his thoughts never failed to be funny.

    Hudson is the opposite of Wes. He’s grumpy and blunt. He was an asshole to Wes many times. As in, downright insulting at some instances. Then just like that, he turns on the charm. The hot and cold treatment should have been a turn off but Jenn Burke pulled it off really well and I can’t even dislike Hudson that much. He had his reasons.

    I really enjoyed the slow-burn, second chance romantic subplot. It was integrated nicely to the story. It’s pretty obvious that the spark was still strong which was highlighted by how easily they traded zingers as if they never parted. And since slow-burn is my jam, I get a thrill out of the whole process of catching up, dancing around barely suppressed feelings and hashing it out.

    It’s not just the romantic chemistry between them. I liked how the the contract thief and the police detective worked together in the case. Their shared history and complimenting abilities was put to good use in the investigation. Their partnership came together through necessity but they just clicked on many levels.

    Very likable supporting cast too, with Lexi, Wesley’s witch bestfriend and the great grandaughter of the witch who brought Wes to life. There’s also Evan, somebody they adopted because Hudson accidentally killed him when Wes appeared out of nowhere. I appreciated the found family thing forming for these people who always end up alone as their loved ones come and go through the decades.

    The book also has a good ace rep. Wes is demisexual and Hudson is one of the rare few who did it for him. Appropriately, it’s a low heat book with only one sex scene. Low heat or no heat makes reading more convenient for me because it usually means less pages to skip.

    The mystery was a well-written one. For one of his jobs, Wes had to retrieved an item from the house of an actress, only to walk in on her being strangled by a shadowy being. Who suddenly looked directly at Wes while he was still in his ghostly form. That should have been impossible!

    Not Dead Yet effectively blended police procedural and paranormal. It kept me engage all throughout the story and kept me in the dark until the big reveal. I had a few suspects but then there were more mysterious agendas from mysterious masterminds in action. And with this, things unraveled fast. The two men were in a whole world of trouble!

    The story ended with a great jumping off point for the next book. Wes and Hudson came to an agreement. Major career changes were planned. Something is happening to Wes and he doesn’t know what. I need to find out more ASAP!

    Overall, Not Dead Yet is shaping up to be a very promising series. It’s heavy on humor, light on spook, with a just the right balance of romance, mystery and paranormal that really worked for me. Recommended if you like your ghosts sassy, your detectives gruff and your stories twisty.

    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Ghost
    Artist: Parachute
    Album: Losing Sleep

    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: The Viking And The Drag Queen by V.L. Locey (Giveaway)

    January 5, 2022

    SERIES TOUR: The Alphabet Of Desire by Colette Davison (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    June 30, 2021

    COVER REVEAL: Forever Again by Skylar M. Cates (Giveaway)

    March 2, 2022
  • song,  Uncategorized

    SOUNDTRACK: Ghost by Parachute

    October 29, 2019 / No Comments

    Soundtrack to Not Dead Yet by Jenn Burke

    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Skeletal Equation by A.E. Lister (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 27, 2021

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Love’s Bloom Collection: Garden of Cupid by Elizabeth Hollows & Love Next Door by Megan Slayer (Giveaway)

    April 8, 2021

    RELEASE BLITZ: Benny From The Block by K.C. Kassidy (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    December 6, 2021
  • Uncategorized
    October 29, 2019 / No Comments

    Look behind you
    Avoid the shadows
    Watch your back now
    Make your breathing shallow

    Keep your room locked
    And leave the blinds closed
    I’m right there staring at your window

    And all I need is you
    And all I need is you

    I’m in the background
    On the radio
    I’m in your car
    In your house
    Waiting at your door
    Under your footsteps
    I’m everything you know
    Just let me haunt
    Let me haunt
    Let me be your ghost

    You had your chance love
    You tried to stay strong
    You tried to let go
    Tell yourself you moved on

    But then it comes back
    That feeling in your bones
    Like I’m right there

    And all I need is you
    And all I need is you

    I’m in the background
    On the radio
    I’m in your car
    In your house
    Waiting at your door
    Under your footsteps
    I’m everything you know
    Just let me haunt
    Let me haunt
    Let me be your ghost
    Let me be your ghost
    Just let me be your ghost

    I’m in the background
    On the radio
    I’m in your car
    In your house
    Waiting at your door
    Under your footsteps
    I’m everything you know
    Just let me haunt
    Let me haunt
    Let me be your ghost

    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    NEW RELEASE BLLITZ: Voice by Sean Ian O’Meidhi & Connal Braginsky (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    December 25, 2021

    COVER REVEAL: Guarded by Nicole Dykes

    December 16, 2022

    RELEAE BLITZ: Avarice by Rebecca Cohen (Giveaway)

    November 4, 2021
  • trailer,  Uncategorized

    MOVIE FEATURE: Jayson Bend: Queen and Country

    October 29, 2019 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    MUSIC MONDAY: Whatever Possessed You by Care

    March 2, 2020

    BOOK BLAST: Trans Deus by Paul Vander Spiegel (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    July 28, 2022

    MINI MOVIE REVIEWS: Charming Hometown Holiday Treats and an Epic Love Affair At The End Of The World

    December 27, 2020
  • Uncategorized

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Sons of Rome by Karrie Roman (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 29, 2019 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: We Go Together by Abigail De Niverville (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    August 10, 2020

    MUSIC MONDAY: Histrionics by Popsicle

    November 11, 2019

    COVER REVEAL: The Life Mage Trilogy, Book 1: Twin Mages by G.E. Mayberry (Excerpt)

    January 27, 2020
Load More

You can never have too much MM romance or indie music. Welcome and enjoy your stay!

FOLLOW NEVER HOLLOWED BY THE STARE

Follow Never Hollowed By The Stare on WordPress.com

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow Me

October 2019
M T W T F S S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031  
« Sep   Nov »

If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to get a copy of your favorite MM romance & yaoi manga. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

As a more ethical alternative, you can also use Bookshop.org to buy paperbacks and MP3 CD audiobooks and help support independent bookstores.

Rakuten Kobo UK
Alibris: Books, Music, & Movies

DISCLAIMER

Book images and promotional materials are from Goodreads or media kits provided for blog tours, cover reveals and release blitzes. Manga covers and other images are sourced through Google image search. The two dorks in the header image is from a manga by TogaQ & Kikuchi Neko. The cat logo is my own design. Reviews and other writings found in the blog are mine unless otherwise stated. All Buy Links to Amazon and Bookshop in my posts contain affiliate links.

Support This Site

If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!

Rakuten Kobo UK
SEARCH NOW:
by title
by author

Instagram

…
2023©Never Hollowed By The Stare