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Never Hollowed By The Stare
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    • MANGA
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    • QUOTE
    • TRAILER
    • DESERT ISLAND CASTAWAYS
    • BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
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    • LAST YEAR I WAS READING
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    • PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
    • FIRST LINES FRIDAY 56
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  • Uncategorized

    OCTOBER 2021 PLAYLIST + WRAP UP

    October 31, 2021 / No Comments
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  • Uncategorized

    RELEASE BLITZ: Dead Serious by Vawn Cassidy (Excerpt & Giveaway)

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  • Uncategorized

    RELEASE BLITZ: Finishing Last by Rob Browatzke (Excerpt)

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  • Uncategorized

    BLOG TOUR: Elliot, Song Of The Soulmate by Anyta Sunday (Excerpt & Giveaway)

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    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Dream Demon by Samantha Cayto (Excerpt & Giveaway)

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    RELEASE BLITZ: The Schoolmaster’s Spy by Ruby Moone (Excerpt)

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  • manga,  Uncategorized

    MANGA: Loveless

    October 29, 2021 / 1 Comment

    Loveless – Penguin Frontier

    Lee is doesn’t feel love. Or so he thought…

    Thirty-something salaryman Lee is living a lonely life, incapable of feeling love since the time his parents died when he was young. He’s roommates with another man, a guy who trusts no one after breaking up with his girlfriend. The two lived together and occasionally sleeps together, all out of convenience. One day, their simple arrangement changes…

    Loveless is a one-shot that will crush your heart into tiny pieces in one short chapter. It’s a very succinct portrait of a life barely lived, of people going through the motions of living. It’s about a relationship that can hardly be called a relationship and how one doesn’t realize what they truly have until it’s gone.

    The manga is very melancholy. The gorgeous colored art really did a good job reflecting that broody, introspective mood. I imagined this would make a great short film. I could already picture the beautiful soft-focused shots of the lonely people in the city at night ala Wong Kai Wai.


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  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: Origin by A.J. Sherwood & Jocelynn Drake

    October 29, 2021 / 2 Comments
    55536981. sy475

    Scales ‘N’ Spells: Origin – A.J. Sherwood & Jocelynn Drake

    Cameron wants to make it clear that he did not go into the festival to find a dragon mate.

    Germany is supposed to be an escape. With a new mechanical engineering degree, a new job looming, and a whole life planned out that isn’t his, Germany seems like the best place to find himself.

    So how does he end up discovering his lost magic heritage, running from bad guys with a secret agenda, and being adopted by the not-so-extinct Fire Dragon clan?

    Cameron blames tall, dark, and sexy Alric, king of the Fire dragons. His fated mate. Because of course he is, and mates are meant to take the blame, right?

    It may take a hot second, but as Cameron learns more about the scarred Alric and the life he’s landed in, Cameron realizes that perhaps this is where he’s meant to be, magic and mates and kidnapping and all.

    Turns out coming to Germany wasn’t an escape but his awakening.

    Tags:

    Not-so-extinct, Shifter dragons, mages, fated mates, secret clans, epic libraries, hurt/comfort, age gap, not that Alric cares, magical heritage, mechanical engineers being BAMF, grumpy dragon kings being protective of their cute mates, really the cuteness is downright criminal, we might need a firehose for these two, or not, sass, so much sass, Ravi and Cameron are no longer allowed to be alone together, for reasons, dragons hoarding, when you live long enough statistics will get you, bats named Cheryl, beheadings, no damsels in distress here, just very unhappy mages, with trigger fingers, anyone have life hacks on how to get rid of kidnappers, Cameron is open to suggestions


    Here be DRAGONS!!!

    If you love them, this series is sure to make your inner fire-breather rumble.

    Those tags up there in the blurb made my day! I think every book should have them.

    A.J. Sherwood teamed up with fave author Jocelynn Drake to deliver us this fantastical series, Scales ‘n’ Spells. This is a world of dragons and mages. They work together to create magic. Mages are also extra precious because they are the dragons’ fated mates. However, there was a Great War that wiped out the mages and dragons became extinct. Or so the world thought…

    The remaining dragons, like the Fire dragon clan, kept their existence a secret. King Alric and his clan have been searching for a mage for 500 years. They finally found one at the Dragon Festival, an American-Korean tourist named Cameron Park. Alric decided to play tour guide to see what the young man knows. Turns out, Cam had no clue he is a mage or that dragons still exist.

    Origin is the first book in the series. It effectively established the Scales ‘n’ Spells world and boy, there was quite a lot to take in. Cam had to learn thousands of years of dragon history, about his own family’s legacy as well as magic spells. There was info-dumping but there was an effort to avoid bogging down the narrative too much. The magic system was explained using simple scientific analogies by Cam as he tried to figure how it worked. I liked this approach because it makes things more straightforward and easier to grasp.

    Cam was understandably freaked out upon learning he’s a mage. Still I couldn’t help wishing that maybe MCs can react more like Po from Kung Fu Panda, all gung-ho and fanboy-y about being the chosen one instead of getting hysterical.

    That mini-gripe aside, Cam’s fabulous! Flirty, cheerful, intelligent and so very determined to boost people’s self-esteem through compliments. Especially that of a certain broody, pessimistic king. They say a mate is someone who brings joy. And while Cam’s a bit too much at times, the way he lit up Alric’s world was a palpable energy that shone throughout the story.

    Many will claim Cam is cute, but really, the most adorkable character of all was Alric. Check out his dragon hoard! The man is regal and dominant, very elegant in his suits, very protective of his Clan. But he can be so endearingly awkward and insecure too. Many times, I wanted to give him a hug.

    As the last remaining Burkhart, Alric carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. More so now that they have just found a long-lost mage, someone tried to kidnap their treasured magic user. Alric was always too ready to sacrifice his own happiness for his Clan. The dork even thought he’s unworthy to be anyone’s mate, let alone Cam, because he has a damaged arm. Put this poor king out of his misery, Cam!

    I loved the authors’ take on fated mates. It’s started with insta-attraction but then took things slow. Instead of simply being swept away by fate, the two MCs got to know each other properly. The relationship development was a rollercoaster but it’s definitely worth it.

    The book as a whole felt a tad too long. There’s the training rigmarole to go through, historical events to recount, the big to-do about Cam’s family, and the mystery of who is behind the kidnappings. It could do without some of these parts. It was like things were happening quickly for Cam in a matter of weeks but it also took a while for the story to get to the point.

    The supporting characters though, I loved them! Alric’s friends/courtiers are awesome! Each of them stood out and made me want to know more about them. Baldewin, Ravi, and Gunther each have their own books. I can’t wait for these dragons to find their mates.

    I might have some niggles, but overall, I had a lot of fun with Origin. It’s fast-paced and slow-burn, humorous and angsty. This series opener set the wonderful world of dragons and mages. It introduced us to a lovable Fire Dragon king, his beloved little mage, and a wacky family cheering them on. It’s a story 500 years in the making but it’s only just the beginning.

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

    Soundtrack: I Found You
    Artist: Andy Grammer
    Album: Naïve


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    ORIGIN

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  • song,  Uncategorized

    SOUNDTRACK: I Found You by Andy Grammer

    October 29, 2021 / 1 Comment

    Soundtrack to Scales N’ Spells: Origin by A.J. Sherwood & Jocelynn Drake

    I Found You is a celebration of finding that one person who makes everything worth it. It reflects the dragons finally finding a mage after 500 years of searching. It also speaks for King Alric who not only found mages for his clan but his beloved mate in one young, cheerful American-Korean mage named Cameron Park.

    I’ve lost more than a heart can take
    But I found you on the way
    (On the way)

    This are my favorite lines in the song because they remind me of the great war where the dragons and mages were almost wiped out. And yet they managed to survive and find each other again even if it took many centuries.

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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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🌈boy's love manga | MM romance | music | giveaways and more 🐾

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neverhollowed Never Hollowed By The Stare @neverhollowed ·
6 Feb

#MUSIC MONDAY: I Don’t Know What You See in Me by Belle and Sebastian

https://neverhollowed.com/2023/02/06/music-monday-i-dont-know-what-you-see-in-me-by-belle-and-sebastian/

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neverhollowed Never Hollowed By The Stare @neverhollowed ·
6 Feb

NEW RELEASE: Reaching Reed by Cora Rose & Nicole Dykes

https://amzn.to/3RQF2mZ

https://neverhollowed.com/2023/02/06/new-release-reaching-reed-by-cora-rose-nicole-dykes/

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neverhollowed Never Hollowed By The Stare @neverhollowed ·
6 Feb

We’ll make it our Valentine’s—and the best show on Earth.

NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Our Valentine’s by S.J. Coles (Excerpt & #Giveaway)

https://books2read.com/u/mqX2DQ
https://www.firstforromance.com/book/our-valentines

https://neverhollowed.com/2023/02/06/new-release-blitz-our-valentines-by-s-j-coles-excerpt-giveaway/

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neverhollowed Never Hollowed By The Stare @neverhollowed ·
5 Feb

A shy lighthouse keeper who can talk to ghosts. A lonely ghost mourning the losses of the past and hoping for justice. A love strong enough to transcend death.

RELEASE TOUR: Light My Way by Morgan Brice (#Giveaway)

https://amzn.to/3DJxa0q

https://neverhollowed.com/2023/02/05/release-tour-light-my-way-by-morgan-brice-giveaway/

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