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Never Hollowed By The Stare
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  • Home
  • REVIEWS+RECS
    • MANGA
    • BOOK REVIEW
    • SOUNDTRACK
    • QUOTE
    • TRAILER
    • FAVORITE BOOK COVERS
    • 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
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  • Uncategorized

    RELEASE BLITZ: His Accidental Valentine’s Omega by Ava Beringer (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 14, 2021 / No Comments
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    You May Also Like

    BLOG TOUR: As Far As I Can Tell by Philip Gambone (Excerpt + Q & A with Author)

    December 3, 2020

    COVER REVEAL: An Unexpected Kind Of Love by Hayden Stone

    July 2, 2021

    RELEASE BLITZ: By The Red Moonlight by Amanda Meuwissen (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 6, 2021
  • Uncategorized

    RELEASE BLITZ: The Case Of The Boy In Blue by Amanda Meuwissen (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 14, 2021 / No Comments
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    You May Also Like

    COVER REVEAL: Captains of Oartheca by James Siewert (Excerpt)

    October 19, 2025

    RELEASE TOUR: Green Ravens by A.E. Via (Excerpt)

    June 20, 2025

    COVER REVEAL: Love According to Liam by V.L. Locey (Giveaway)

    May 20, 2020
  • Uncategorized

    RELEASE BLITZ: Valentine’s Hearts by R.J. Scott & V.L. Locey (Giveaway)

    February 14, 2021 / No Comments
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    You May Also Like

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Getting Off by J.R. Hart (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 13, 2022

    AUDIOBOOK SERIES TOUR: The Midwest Series by Brigham Vaughn

    August 23, 2021

    RELEASE BLITZ: A Silver Fox for Kinkmas by Colette Davison (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    December 20, 2022
  • Uncategorized

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Business And The Beat by Kellum Jeffries (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 13, 2021 / No Comments
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    You May Also Like

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Two for Boarding by S.B. Barnes (Excerpt)

    February 20, 2026

    RELEASE BLITZ: Much Ado About Lady Macbeth by Rebecca Cohen (Giveaway)

    July 21, 2022

    NEW RELEASE: An Impossible Mate by Joy Lynn Fielding (Excerpt)

    January 29, 2026
  • Uncategorized

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Sticks and Stones by Steve Burford (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 13, 2021 / No Comments
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    You May Also Like

    SERIES TOUR: Naughty In Pendleton by Brigham Vaughn (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    May 23, 2021

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Sugar and Ice by Eule Grey (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    November 25, 2023

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Slow Dances Under an Orange Moon by V.L. Locey (Giveaway)

    February 19, 2020
  • Uncategorized

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Rose Man by Cheryl Dragon (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 13, 2021 / No Comments
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    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: Guarded by Lark Taylor

    August 27, 2025

    BOOK TOUR: Cosmic Requiem Circle by Lucinda Wicked (Excerpt + Playlist)

    March 29, 2024

    BLOG TOUR: Foreign Affairs: Male Tales of Lust & Love by Daniel M. Jaffe (Excerpt + Q & A With Author)

    November 1, 2020
  • Uncategorized

    RELEASE BLITZ: Of Scales & Fire by Natalina Reis (Giveaway)

    February 13, 2021 / 2 Comments
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    You May Also Like

    AUDIO TOUR: The Devil You Know by Morgan Brice (Giveaway)

    January 22, 2023

    THE ANIMAL CROSSING BOOK TAG

    September 3, 2019

    12 TOUR DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: A Baby For Christmas by Keira Andrews

    December 16, 2024
  • manga,  Uncategorized

    MANGA: Ginza Neon Paradise

    February 12, 2021 / No Comments

    Ginza Neon Paradise – Unohana

    In 1940’s Japan during the war, long-time friends Aoi and Takahiko part ways as Takahiko is enlisted. For years, Aoi stayed in their hometown with the looming worry that his friend might not come back. He never received word from his friend and so he feared the worst. Now, Takahiko shows up all of a sudden and Aoi is not sure to what to make of this. Anger, relief, paid, all of these emotions overwhelm Aoi as he was certain his friend was gone because he never received a letter or any indication he was alive. Can the two reunite as friends or are they long past the point of friendship?

    Ginza Neon Paradise is a historical, childhood friends to lovers drama set in post-war Japan with flashbacks to the war time period.

    Aoi and Takahiko couldn’t be more different from each other. One was a serious bookworm who later became an interpreter for the American army, the other was a carefree womanizer who was disinherited by his grandfather.

    The two were separated when Takahiko was drafted. After 3 years of radio silence, the solder finally showed his face and was now an actor.

    I called Takahiko carefree but he’s really a callous good-for-nothing who trampled all over his friend. He lives with Aoi and frequently comes home smelling of booze and women’s perfume. He put Aoi through a wringer. The man was one of my least liked seme.

    I preferred the kind-hearted American Lieutenant Walter, Aoi’s boss, to the deadbeat Takahiko but alas, Aoi’s heart was forever loyal to his friend. Takahiko did redeem himself at the end. But barely. There was even a ridiculous fight because he was jealous about Lt. Walter’s attention towards Aoi. Tsk! What an ass.

    Unlikable love interests aside, this manga did a great job rendering a slow-burn, angsty, passionate love story amidst the backdrop of post-war Ginza. There were some liberties taken to eliminate homophobia but it retained most of the historical elements such as the bomb wreckage, poverty, shy interactions with the Americans, the glittering clubs, etc. My favorite part here was them walking around the city in the middle of the night just feeling the vibe. I always wanted to do that

    All in all, this a sepia-tinted homage to a district that never lost its luster.

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    COVER REVEAL: Triple Affinity by Jessamyn Kingley

    May 27, 2021

    RELEASE BLITZ: Boss of Attraction by Kimberly Knight & Rachel Lyn Adams

    March 29, 2024

    PROMO BLITZ: My Swan Prince by Maria Vickers

    April 14, 2025
  • book,  Uncategorized

    SERIES REVIEW: The Elite by Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank

    February 12, 2021 / 3 Comments
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    The Elite: Danger Zone – Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank

    The Elite: Need For Speed – Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank

    The Elite: Classified – Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank

    They train to serve their country.
    They strive to be the best.
    But only a select few can be …
    The Elite

    * * *

    MATTEO MORGAN
    CALL SIGN: SOLO


    Reckless, arrogant, and bold, Solo is as known in the U.S. Navy for his bad-boy reputation as he is for his skills as a fighter pilot. It’s a surprise to his peers, then, when he’s chosen to train and compete at the most prestigious naval aviation academy in the world.

    MISSION RULES:
    1. Kick everyone’s ass.
    2. Do whatever it takes to win.
    3. Do your best to distract the competition.
    4. Especially when that competition is a gorgeous blue-eyed perfectionist who makes your blood run hot.

    * * *

    GRANT HUGHES
    CALL SIGN: PANTHER


    Disciplined, smart, and confident, Panther can’t afford not to play by the rules. As the son of a top Navy commander, all eyes are on him, and being anything less than number one is unacceptable.

    MISSION RULES:
    1. Keep it safe in the air.
    2. Prove you’re more than Commander Hughes’s son.
    3. No distractions. Stay focused.
    4. Don’t fall for your competition—especially not the rebellious heartbreaker with lips made for sinning.

    In the heat of the hot California sun, tempers flare and desires ignite as Solo and Panther try to resist their attraction while fighting to be number one.
    With passion this intense, the question remains:
    Who’s gonna come out on top?


    I was in grade school the last time I watched Top Gun so I never realized how gay it was until I saw the gifs. So gay that even if I couldn’t stand Tom Cruise, I had to ship Maverick and Iceman.

    When this series flew in my radar, halle-fucking-luyah!

    The Elite are the best of the best fighter pilots gunning for the number 1 spot. They compete for several grueling weeks. Top of the leaderboard are the reckless daredevil Matteo Morgan aka Solo, and by-the-book golden boy Grant Hughes aka Panther.

    To their fellow pilots, these two very different men were bitter rivals. Unbeknownst to all, Solo was doing his damnedest to get into Panther’s pants.

    Solo locked on to Panther the moment the other man walked into a bar right before their training began. Both were unaware of who the other was. The attraction was mutual but the closeted Panther turned him down. And continued to turn him down as their training progressed. Solo couldn’t be deterred.

    This is the part where Solo was annoying. I almost dropped the book because Panther had said no several times. Even if somebody was obviously interested, it’s still not cool to harass them when they already said no. I even expected him to get punched through his teeth. But the thing with Solo, he could be the most annoying bastard ever existed, you’ll still feel drawn to him (as Panther no doubt felt). And he was funny.

    Panther, on the other hand, exudes a tall, dark, commanding presence much like his namesake. He’s keeping cool under pressure but a certain relentless, out and proud pilot is making him to break all the rules.

    Panther and Solo, they are fire and kerosene. It’s like the authors took those palpable USTs from the movie and ignited them, bringing to life all those subtexts Hollywood was too cowardly to show explicitly. The tension continued to be intense from start to finish, fueled by the combustible energy between the MCs.

    There are three books in the series. It’s really one long story story chopped into cliffhangers. This style is a hit or miss in my experience. There’s the issue of lack of substance for the installments. Happily, each book in The Elite held solid weight, chronicling the evolution of Panther and Solo’s relationship and highlighting several conflicts and milestones.

    The Elite might primarily be romance but it definitely didn’t slack off on the action. It gave us all the breathtaking jet plane maneuvers, all the cocky attitudes, the smack talk, the constant one-up-manship, the homoerotic volleyball games, the sun, the beach, the adrenaline in land and air. Everything we loved about the movie but way, way better because these fighter pilots ride each other’s tail.

    This Top-Gun homage is a dream come true. Thank you Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank for making it happened.

    Rating:
    4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step away

    Soundtrack: Dangerous Animals
    Artist: Arctic Monkeys
    Album: Humbug

    Soundtrack: High Speed
    Artist: Coldplay
    Album: Parachutes

    Soundtrack: Cool With You
    Artist: Hers
    Album: Songs of Hers


    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to get your copy of The Elite. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

    You can also use my Bookshop affiliate links to buy paperbacks and MP3 CD audiobooks and help support independent bookstores.

    DANGER ZONE | NEED FOR SPEED | CLASSIFIED

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    BLOG TOUR: Stolen Dream by Oliver Takely (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    March 10, 2025

    FLICKer: Steam

    June 24, 2021

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Painted Phoenix by Sarah Kay Moll (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    July 21, 2020
  • song,  Uncategorized

    SOUNDTRACK: Dangerous Animals by Arctic Monkeys, High Speed by Coldplay & Cool With You by Hers

    February 12, 2021 / 1 Comment

    Soundtrack to The Elite: Danger Zone by Brooke Blake & Ella Frank

    Soundtrack to The Elite: Need for Speed by Brooke Blake & Ella Frank

    Soundtrack to The Elite: Classified by Brooke Blake & Ella Frank

    Dangerous Animals is the pursuit between Panther and Solo. High Speed is them going fast and relishing every minute of it. Cool With You is them settling comfortably into a nice pace.

    Read More
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    BLOG TOUR: Head Over Feels by Bix Barrow (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    July 8, 2023

    BOOK TOUR: Lord of the Fly Fest by Goldy Moldavsky

    September 22, 2022

    BLOG TOUR: Once Upon A Goth Dog Solstice by R.L. Merrill (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    December 11, 2024
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If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links 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.

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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.

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