Never Hollowed By The Stare

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Never Hollowed By The Stare
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  • featured,  Uncategorized

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Turtle Bay by John Patrick (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    July 3, 2022 / No Comments
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    BLOG TOUR: Sagittarius Saves Libra by Anyta Sunday (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    June 25, 2022 / No Comments
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    COVER REVEAL: MIKE BRAVO OPS: ROGUE by Eden Finley (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    June 16, 2022 / No Comments
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    RELEASE BLITZ: Death Of The Moon by S.A. Pavlik (Excerpt & Giveaway)

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    COVER REVEAL: Death Of The Moon by S.A. Pavlik (Giveaway)

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    September 1, 2021
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    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Cold Blood by T. Strange (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    March 9, 2022 / No Comments
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    COVER REVEAL: Dead Draw by Layla Reyne

    March 2, 2022 / No Comments
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    June 17, 2021

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    November 25, 2020
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    BLOG TOUR: The Magnolia Murders by Aimee Nicole Walker (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 28, 2022 / No Comments
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    THE BOOKISH ADVENTURE TAG: London (Kuroshitsuji)

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    June 24, 2022
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    BOOK BLITZ: Audiobook Club by Jessica Frances (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    February 28, 2022 / 4 Comments
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    October 10, 2020

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    February 22, 2021

    RELEASE BLITZ: Heart by Timothy Warren (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    April 25, 2021
  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: Madison Square Murders by C.S. Poe

    February 25, 2022 / 1 Comment
    58079071. sy475

    Memento Mori: Madison Square Murders – C.S. Poe

    Everett Larkin works for the Cold Case Squad: an elite—if understaffed and overworked—group of detectives who solve the forgotten deaths of New York City. Larkin is different from others, but his deduction skills are unmatched and his memory for minute details is unparalleled.

    So when a spring thunderstorm uproots a tree in Madison Square Park, unearthing a crate with human remains inside, the best Cold Case detective is assigned the job. And when a death mask, like those prominent during the Victorian era, is found with the body, Larkin requests assistance from the Forensic Artists Unit and receives it in the form of Detective Ira Doyle, his polar opposite in every way.

    Factual reasoning and facial reconstruction puts Larkin and Doyle on a trail of old homicide cases and a murderer obsessed with casting his victims’ likeness in death. Include some unapologetic flirting from Doyle, and this case just may end up killing Everett Larkin.


    Two things that always make me think of C.S. Poe are New York and neurodiverse detectives. Even before knowing she lives in the city, I always felt a distinct vibe with how she writes about NY. She has also created sleuths who have narcolepsy and color-blindness.

    Madison Square Murders is the first book of Memento Mori, a police procedural that introduces us to Detective Everett Larkin. Larkin has Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM), a condition where his memory works like a Rolodex. It’s useful in investigations but a curse most of the time because he is doomed to recall past traumas in perfect detail.

    The story opens with a skeleton unearthed under an uprooted tree in Madison Square Park. A death mask was found with the remains. This brought Larkin to a forensic artist, Detective Ira Doyle.

    I was a bit hesitant to read this at first because I’m not too keen on reading a romance with the MC already in a relationship with another person, even if it’s a failing marriage. The author had partnered with Gregory Ashe in another series. I felt she took inspiration from some of his works by making Larkin already married and infusing the story with a hefty amount of angst and suffering.

    Larkin is a very compelling character. He took it upon himself to investigate the thousands of cold cases in NY because he wanted the victims to be remembered. He knows exactly how many cases are there.

    “Remembrance is the greatest act of love there is. Because… because no one is truly dead and gone, so long as someone remembers them.”

    The story is told from his 3rd-person POV. His cold and blunt personality was one of the main things that drove the story. I felt empathetic because I could relate to the mental struggles and the lone wolf-ism. I felt sorry for him most of the time. I don’t dislike him, but I couldn’t say I actively liked him either.

    Doyle is Larkin’s complete opposite. Friendly and very flirty, he always has a smile ready. And he’s way smarter than he lets on. He was so into Larkin from the get-go but took a step back when he realized the man was married. I liked how we see Doyle’s obvious attraction through Larkin’s aggressively objective perspective.

    Not much to say about the romance because it is barely a romance at this point. Rightly so, or it would have been outright cheating. They had a thing where Doyle calls Larkin ‘work husband’. It’s cute, but I couldn’t squee yet cuz Larkin has an actual husband.

    I liked how Larkin’s and Doyle’s abilities and personalities complemented each other, especially during the investigation. This book is very much about the mystery. It was super into the nitty-gritty of the police work that there was even a point where I tuned out. The amount of research for this must have been astounding. However, it grabbed me back into focus soon after a breakthrough. I was pretty much riveted after that. The story kept me in the dark right to the point Larkin realized who the killer was.

    Objectively speaking, Madison Square Murders is a strong start to a very promising mystery series. It is a very well-written story with solid police procedural and fully flesh-out characters in complicated relationships. The stellar GR ratings are a testament to that.

    Subjectively though, it’s difficult for me to write this review because I felt a nebulous meh-ness towards the book I’m struggling to articulate. It’s not the lack of romance because this one did a great job laying the groundwork for a future love story. I guess it’s pretty much how I feel about Larkin. Intense, emotional, compelling, intriguing, even magnetic, but not necessarily likable.

    Rating:
    3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked it

    Soundtrack: I Remember
    Artist: Deadmau5 & Kaskade
    Album: Random Album Title


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

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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 ·
4 Jul

#MUSIC MONDAY: Dark Room Dancing by Ry X

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4 Jul

COVER REVEAL: The Dating Disaster by Saxon James (#Giveaway)

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4 Jul

Out Now! Naughty by Nature: A Gay Erotica Anthology #mmromance #erotica https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B35DLVS8 https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6f12da15395/

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3 Jul

NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Turtle Bay by John Patrick (Excerpt & #Giveaway)

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https://neverhollowed.com/2022/07/03/new-release-blitz-turtle-bay-by-john-patrick-excerpt-giveaway/

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Soundtrack to Second Chances: Beautiful Mistakes by Felice Stevens

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Soundtrack to Second Chances: Beautiful Mistakes by Felice Stevens #beautifulmistake #mango #song #lyrics #music #secondchances #beautifulmistakes #felicestevens
8 months ago
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1/10
A story of loneliness and denial that is as gorgeous as it is heartbreaking.

Full review: https://neverhollowed.com/2021/10/29/manga-loveless/

#loveless #frontierpenguin #blmanga #manga #yaoi #shounenai #bookreview #review #neverhollowed #neverhollowedbythestare #bookstagram
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A story of loneliness and denial that is as gorgeous as it is heartbreaking. Full review: https://neverhollowed.com/2021/10/29/manga-loveless/ #loveless #frontierpenguin #blmanga #manga #yaoi #shounenai #bookreview #review #neverhollowed #neverhollowedbythestare #bookstagram
8 months ago
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2/10
A fast-paced and slow-burn, humorous and angsty love story that's 500 years in the making.

4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Full review: https://neverhollowed.com/2021/10/29/review-origin-by-a-j-sherwood-jocelynn-drake/

#scalesnspells #origin #ajsherwood #jocelynndrake #mmromance #gayromance #fatedmates #agegap #shifter #dragon #magic #mage #paranormal #urbanfantasy #mystery #friendship #family #hurtcomfort #disability #review #bookreview #lgbtbook #bookstagram #germany #neverhollowed #neverhollowedbythestare
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A fast-paced and slow-burn, humorous and angsty love story that's 500 years in the making. 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Full review: https://neverhollowed.com/2021/10/29/review-origin-by-a-j-sherwood-jocelynn-drake/ #scalesnspells #origin #ajsherwood #jocelynndrake #mmromance #gayromance #fatedmates #agegap #shifter #dragon #magic #mage #paranormal #urbanfantasy #mystery #friendship #family #hurtcomfort #disability #review #bookreview #lgbtbook #bookstagram #germany #neverhollowed #neverhollowedbythestare
8 months ago
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3/10
Soundtrack to Scales N’ Spells: Origin by A.J. Sherwood & Jocelynn Drake

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Soundtrack to Scales N’ Spells: Origin by A.J. Sherwood & Jocelynn Drake #ifoundyou #andygrammer #naive #song #music #lyrics #scalesnspells #origin #ajsherwood #jocelynndrake
8 months ago
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4/10
A diverse and highly engaging collection of slice-of-life stories, mostly about salarymen and a couple university students.

Full review: https://neverhollowed.com/2021/10/22/manga-only-mine/

#onlymine #setsukokatoh #blmanga #shounenai #yaoi #manga #bookreview #review #bookstagram #neverhollowed #neverhollowedbythestare
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A diverse and highly engaging collection of slice-of-life stories, mostly about salarymen and a couple university students. Full review: https://neverhollowed.com/2021/10/22/manga-only-mine/ #onlymine #setsukokatoh #blmanga #shounenai #yaoi #manga #bookreview #review #bookstagram #neverhollowed #neverhollowedbythestare
8 months ago
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5/10
A sometimes devastating, often funny, many times swoony, always crazy good story of a psychopathic killer finding love (maybe) in the arms of his victim's son.

4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Full review: https://neverhollowed.com/2021/10/22/review-unhinged-by-onley-james/

#necessaryevils #unhinged #onleyjames #mmromance #gayromance #mystery #childabuse #crime #bdsm #serialkiller #serialkilling #foundfamily #fostercare #dark #familysecrets #review #bookreview #lgbtbook #neverhollowed #neverhollowedbythestare #bookstagram
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A sometimes devastating, often funny, many times swoony, always crazy good story of a psychopathic killer finding love (maybe) in the arms of his victim's son. 4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2 Full review: https://neverhollowed.com/2021/10/22/review-unhinged-by-onley-james/ #necessaryevils #unhinged #onleyjames #mmromance #gayromance #mystery #childabuse #crime #bdsm #serialkiller #serialkilling #foundfamily #fostercare #dark #familysecrets #review #bookreview #lgbtbook #neverhollowed #neverhollowedbythestare #bookstagram
8 months ago
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6/10
Soundtrack to Necessary Evils: Unhinged by Onley James

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Soundtrack to Necessary Evils: Unhinged by Onley James #unhinged #lydiakaye #seventhsense #song #music #lyrics #onleyjames #necessaryevils
8 months ago
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7/10
An utterly adorable date me! date me! date me please! story of a sunshiny human and a broody tengu.

Full review: https://neverhollowed.com/2021/10/15/manga-inoue-kun-hajimemasen-ka/

#InouekunHajimemasenka #fujitobi #blmanga #shounenai #yaoi #manga #bookreview #review #neverhollowed #neverhollowedbythestare #bookstagram
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An utterly adorable date me! date me! date me please! story of a sunshiny human and a broody tengu. Full review: https://neverhollowed.com/2021/10/15/manga-inoue-kun-hajimemasen-ka/ #InouekunHajimemasenka #fujitobi #blmanga #shounenai #yaoi #manga #bookreview #review #neverhollowed #neverhollowedbythestare #bookstagram
8 months ago
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8/10
A much-anticipated coming together of the stubborn and the persistent that is so worth the wait!

4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Full review: https://neverhollowed.com/2021/10/15/review-swat-ed-fox-bull-by-a-e-via/

#nothingspecial #fox&bull #foxandbull #swated #aevia #mmromance #gayromance #lawenforcement #cowboy #slowburn #action #mystery #review #bookreview @bookstagram #lgbtbook #neverhollowed #neverhollowedbythestare
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A much-anticipated coming together of the stubborn and the persistent that is so worth the wait! 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Full review: https://neverhollowed.com/2021/10/15/review-swat-ed-fox-bull-by-a-e-via/ #nothingspecial #fox&bull #foxandbull #swated #aevia #mmromance #gayromance #lawenforcement #cowboy #slowburn #action #mystery #review #bookreview @bookstagram #lgbtbook #neverhollowed #neverhollowedbythestare
8 months ago
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9/10
Soundtrack to Nothing Special VIII: Swat Ed: Fox & Bull by A.E. Via

#juststay #mauve #song #music #lyrics #nothingspecial #fox&bull #foxandbull #aevia
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Soundtrack to Nothing Special VIII: Swat Ed: Fox & Bull by A.E. Via #juststay #mauve #song #music #lyrics #nothingspecial #fox&bull #foxandbull #aevia
8 months ago
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10/10
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