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
    • 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
  • Policy + Contact
  • 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
  • Policy + Contact

Archives

  • June 2026 (31)
  • May 2026 (72)
  • April 2026 (71)
  • March 2026 (83)
  • February 2026 (71)
  • January 2026 (65)
  • December 2025 (81)
  • November 2025 (76)
  • October 2025 (72)
  • September 2025 (83)
  • August 2025 (49)
  • July 2025 (73)
  • June 2025 (82)
  • May 2025 (84)
  • April 2025 (71)
  • March 2025 (83)
  • February 2025 (72)
  • January 2025 (75)
  • December 2024 (90)
  • November 2024 (82)
  • October 2024 (96)
  • September 2024 (71)
  • August 2024 (99)
  • July 2024 (96)
  • June 2024 (94)
  • May 2024 (94)
  • April 2024 (93)
  • March 2024 (100)
  • February 2024 (94)
  • January 2024 (85)
  • December 2023 (85)
  • November 2023 (84)
  • October 2023 (97)
  • September 2023 (93)
  • August 2023 (100)
  • July 2023 (100)
  • June 2023 (97)
  • May 2023 (100)
  • April 2023 (76)
  • 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

    MINI MOVIE REVIEWS: International Spies, Dating Trials and Vocal Anxieties

    September 12, 2020 / 1 Comment

    I got five new movies this month. Let’s see how they fare…

    For More Mini Movie Reviews, check out this page.


    Walk On Water

    Eyal is a professional hit man for the Mossad, the Israeli Secret Service. His newest mission is to track down the ex-Nazi officer Alfred Himmelman rumoured to be still alive. Eyal spies on Himmelman’s granddaughter, now living out in Israel after turning her back on her family in Germany. Eyal poses as a personal tour guide and takes her visiting brother Axel from the historical sights of Jerusalem to the shores of the Dead Sea. Soon after Axel’s return to Germany, the Mossad suspects that Himmelman could come out of hiding for Axel’s father’s upcoming birthday party. Eyal is sent to Germany, where he must get closer to Axel in order to discover the truth about the notorious family. Uncharacteristically vulnerable since his ex-wife’s recent death, professional killer Eyal will also have to discover certain truths about himself.

    Not a gay movie per se or even romance but more of a movie with a gay major character. This is a movie full of ironies that kind of made sense if only people could be so open minded. It is, above all, a story of peace.

    We find the granddaughter of a Nazi officer finding a home in Israel. An Israeli spy dancing an traditional Israeli dance in the house of a Nazi family. A straight guy having more chemistry with the gay brother than the sister he eventually married. Had this been filmed today, I think they would have added the romantic twist.

    Be it the case, I have no complaints. This is a beautiful, underrated movie you should check out.


    More Than Only

    A young gay man finds how to love himself and accept love from another, despite the disapproval of his father.

    Ridiculously cute! And realistic too.

    A story of a university student who must accomplish three tasks ala Triwizard Tournament in order to win a date with a cute nurse. There are a lot of fluffy moments balanced by more dramatic, angstier scenes wherein the main character has self-destructive tendencies triggered by a homophobic father.

    The scenes where the father suddenly calls are gutwrenching. The mood immediately plummets and you can see the raw hurt. In contrast to that, the scenes between the two MCs are bursting with love and joy. I also love their group of friends, especially their badass best friend who not only helped with the tasks but later on became the surrogate mom to their child.

    This is a movie where you feel a rollercoaster of emotions and grow attached to the characters. And that last line!

    (After saying thing like growing attached to the characters I actually forgot their names…(๑•́ㅿ•̀๑) ᔆᵒʳʳᵞ)


    Happy Endings Sleepover

    American CIA Field Operative, Johnnie Allen, is assigned to Denmark for his first mission. An American spy highly placed in the Kremlin is to be spirited out of Russia, and it is Johnnie’s job to get him safely to Antwerp where the agent will board a freighter.

    This is based on the novel of Cade Jay Hathaway. I haven’t read it yet but I love this movie! It’s a slow-burn, friends to lovers, roadtrip story with danger and espionage thrown in.

    The roadtrip part of the movie comes from the the part where Johnnie had to deliver a car and transport a spy across the boarder. His friend Sander tags along.

    Normally, I’m not a fan of roadtrip stories but this one has a lot going for it, from mistaken identities, scenic pitstops, kissing a friend to piss off a homophobic asshole then kissing him again because you realized he has feelings for you too. Let’s not forget antagonizing the royal guards, shooting bad guys and getting shot back.

    The MC is an American who speaks with a Curacao-an accent because he grew up in a cult in Curacao until he was 14. The main actor who is Dane pulled it off really well. The two MCs had great chemistry and the lead actors were good together.


    Do I Sound Gay?

    After a break-up with his boyfriend, journalist David Thorpe embarks on a hilarious and touching journey of self-discovery, confronting his anxiety about “sounding gay.” Enlisting acting coaches, linguists, friends, family, total strangers, and celebrities, he quickly learns that many people — both gay and straight — often wish for a different voice. In Thorpe’s feature-length documentary debut DO I SOUND GAY?, what starts as a personal journey becomes a chance to unpack layers of cultural baggage concerning sexuality, identity, and self-esteem.

    Journalist David Thorpe tackles the gay sound. And yes, I agree, some people really do sound gay. I think it’s perfectly fine. One of the persons interviewed even said, he only needs to say hello and then everybody would know. No need to come out and say it.

    This is particularly interesting to me because I have a bit of a thing with voices. Like I notice that people from different countries could have a certain voice quality. For example, some Asian women have a distinctive voice that I would immediately recognize as Asian even if they are speaking with an American accent.

    I found interesting tidbits regarding Hollywood and gay culture. While it’s not surprising that there are many gay actors, I didn’t realize they had to work hard not to sound gay. There is apparently a voice coach who specializes in removing the “gay sound” in their speech.

    This documentary features luminaries such as George Takei, Margaret Cho, David Sedaris and Tim Gunn. Random people on the streets all over the world were also interviewed.

    This is a good film to watch if your interested in one man’s quest to change the way he sounds.


    The 10-Year Plan

    Myles and Brody are best friends and total opposites. Myles is an idealistic romantic looking for a husband. Brody joyfully bounces from bed to bed and revels in being single. Fearing what will become of them when they get older, the two friends make a pact to be a couple in ten years if neither has found true love. Ten years later, not much has changed. But now that their arrangement is almost due, both friends will do whatever it takes to avoid becoming each other’s last resort.

    My first thought here, wasn’t there a Kate Hudson rom-com with a similar storyline?

    Personally, I’m not convinced Brody is the best guy for Myles. He’s too much of a player. He is a great friend though because he’s always there when Myles needs cheering up.

    There’s not much surprises here. It’s pretty obvious how things will play out. The highlight for me here is the friendship between the MCs. The movie also did well in capturing their gradual transition from friends to romantic interest.

    Anyway, this is an okay movie, good enough to pass the time.


    Hope you enjoyed today’s Mini Movie Reviews! Have a great weekend!

    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    FLICKer: 12 Points

    September 30, 2021

    RELEASE BLITZ: Fallen Stars by Persephone Autumn

    June 27, 2024

    FLICKer: Planted

    June 1, 2023
  • Uncategorized

    BLOG TOUR: Sin Bin Series by Dahlia Donovan (Giveaway)

    September 12, 2020 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: Gideon by R.J. Scott & Meredith Russell (Giveaway)

    November 8, 2020

    COVER REVEAL: Rivaled by Nicole Dykes

    August 11, 2023

    FAVORITE COVERS: October 2024

    November 5, 2024
  • Uncategorized

    BOOK TOUR: Jacqui the Cat Mysteries by Alexis Duran (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    September 11, 2020 / 5 Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    FAVORITE COVERS: July 2020

    August 1, 2020

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Belega by Dianne Hartsock (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    March 16, 2024

    RELEASE BLITZ: Playing Dirty by Beth Bolden (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    January 12, 2023
  • Uncategorized

    FIRST LINES FRIDAY 56: Do Memories Count As Magic?

    September 10, 2020 / No Comments

    First Line Fridays” is by Hoarding Books and is all about the first line of a current/upcoming read. Friday 56 is a meme hosted by Freda’s Voice, where you turn to page 56 (or 56%) in what you’re reading a find a snippet that jumps out at you. The idea to combine the two came from Kat @ Here There Be Dragons“

    I found this meme on The Writerly Way. And I’m doing this on a Thursday just to be difficult.

    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    FLICKer: Karaoke (2020)

    May 18, 2023

    RELEASE TOUR: Leonidas Nightshade and the Amethyst School for Spellcasters by Dion Marc (Giveaway)

    June 3, 2023

    COVER REVEAL: Rivaled by Nicole Dykes

    August 11, 2023
  • Uncategorized

    RELEASE BLITZ: Matched To His Bear by Lorelei M. Hart & Colbie Dunbar (Excerpt)

    September 10, 2020 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: Baby Queen by Charlie Novak (Giveaway)

    May 23, 2024

    AUDIO BLITZ: A Way With Series by Lane Hayes (Giveaway)

    June 10, 2020

    BLOG TOUR: The Scars That Bind Us by Michele Notaro (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    March 7, 2022
  • Uncategorized

    RELEASE BLITZ + BLOG TOUR: Soothe Me, Daddy by Elouise East (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    September 10, 2020 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: Warlord of the Titans by J.K. Jones (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    November 26, 2022

    DESERT ISLAND CASTAWAYS: J.K. Jones

    March 8, 2022

    RELEASE TOUR: This Guy by Lane Hayes (Excerpt)

    April 13, 2026
  • Uncategorized

    RELEASE BLITZ: Talos by A.G. Carothers (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    September 10, 2020 / 1 Comment
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: Imposing Saint by Jess Bryant (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    August 26, 2021

    RELEASE BLITZ: Keeping Hope by Alexandria Redding (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    July 20, 2021

    RELEASE BLITZ: Suddenly You by Cora Rose

    May 31, 2024
  • Uncategorized

    PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE (September 9, 2020)

    September 9, 2020 / 2 Comments

    Found this tag on Chelle’s Book Ramblings . It’s simple and fun. I thought I would put my own spin on it and make it a weekly thing.

    Original Rules

    • Find a book published 10+ years ago.
    • Find a book that will be published THIS year.
    • Find a book that will be published NEXT year.

    Some slight revision of the rules:

    • Find a book published 10+ years ago
    • Find a book that will be published THIS month.
    • Find a book that will be published NEXT month.
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    FAVORITE COVERS: November 2023

    December 5, 2023

    BLOG TOUR: Foxy Tails by Natalina Reis (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    May 15, 2023

    RELEASE BLITZ: Studious by Leslie McAdam (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 11, 2022
  • Uncategorized

    COVER REVEAL: Turning Tide by Bryce Winters (Giveaway)

    September 9, 2020 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    NEW RELEASE AND SERIES TOUR: The Vampire Guard by Elizabeth Noble (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    May 4, 2022

    NEW RELEASE: Rogue Royal by Elouise East (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    September 10, 2021

    PROMO BLITZ: All’s Fair In Love And Pizza by Lane Hayes

    May 13, 2026
  • Uncategorized

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Forbidden Need by Lee Colgin (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    September 9, 2020 / No Comments
    Read More
    neverhollowed

    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: A Fatal Autumnal Stew by Dahlia Donovan (Giveaway)

    November 28, 2024

    RELEASE BLITZ: Zephyr by Louisa Masters

    November 14, 2024

    BOOK BLITZ: Handle With Care by Hayden Stone (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    October 20, 2025
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

June 2026
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930  
« May    

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.

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
2026©Never Hollowed By The Stare