Never Hollowed By The Stare

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

    RELEASE BLITZ: The Lights On Knockbridge Lane by Roan Parrish (Giveaway)

    September 29, 2021 / No Comments
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    COVER REVEAL: Pucked Up by E.M. Lindsey

    June 6, 2025

    BLOG TOUR: On A Midnight Clear by Lily Morton (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    January 6, 2022

    BLOG TOUR: Ice Soul by Mary Rundle (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    May 16, 2021
  • Uncategorized

    LAST YEAR I WAS READING…(September 22, 2021)

    September 22, 2021 / No Comments

    This meme was created by Reading Marie. It’s a great meme because it’s nice and easy to do.

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    FLICKer: Ayaneh (2019)

    July 28, 2022

    THE MUSIC TAG

    January 11, 2020

    COVER REVEAL: Waiting On Forever by E.M. Lindsey (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    March 25, 2022
  • Uncategorized

    LAST YEAR I WAS READING… (February 17, 2021)

    February 17, 2021 / No Comments

    This meme was created by Reading Marie. It’s a great meme because it’s nice and easy to do.

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    You May Also Like

    RELEASE BLITZ: House of Malak by Crea Reitan

    February 15, 2024

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: To Hold A Hidden Pearl by Fearne Hill (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    May 30, 2021

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: A Flash of Golden Fire by A.E. Lister (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    June 5, 2025
  • Uncategorized

    MY TOP 10 READS OF 2020

    December 31, 2020 / 1 Comment
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    RELEASE BLITZ: The Quarterback Keeper by Rheland Richmond & Emerson Beckett (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    June 27, 2022

    FAVORITE COVERS: February 2023

    March 14, 2023

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

    November 25, 2023
  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: Better Than People by Roan Parrish

    September 22, 2020 / 2 Comments
    52739474. sy475

    Garnet Run: Better Than People – Roan Parrish

    It’s not long before their pet-centric arrangement sparks a person-centric desire…

    Simon Burke has always preferred animals to people. When the countdown to adopting his own dog is unexpectedly put on hold, Simon turns to the PetShare app to find the fluffy TLC he’s been missing. Meeting a grumpy children’s book illustrator who needs a dog walker isn’t easy for the man whose persistent anxiety has colored his whole life, but Jack Matheson’s menagerie is just what Simon needs.

    Four dogs, three cats and counting. Jack’s pack of rescue pets is the only company he needs. But when a bad fall leaves him with a broken leg, Jack is forced to admit he needs help. That the help comes in the form of the most beautiful man he’s ever seen is a complicated, glorious surprise.

    Being with Jack—talking, waking, making out—is a game changer for Simon. And Simon’s company certainly…eases the pain of recovery for Jack. But making a real relationship work once Jack’s cast comes off will mean compromise, understanding and lots of love.


    Peopling is something Jack Matheson has no patience for. Social gatherings and small talks were things he particularly avoided. Betrayed by a friend and recently injured by a bad fall, he spent his days moping while his brother, Charlie tried to coax him out of it.

    One day, Jack got on Petshare, an app that matches a pet owner to a person interested in helping out with pets. It matched him with one very intriguing person named Simon Burke.

    Peopling comes hard to Simon Burke. Having crippling anxiety where words stuck in his throat whenever he tries to talk to new people pretty much guarantees a solitary life with his grandmother as his only friend in the world. It took all his courage to knock on Jack’s door so that he could walk the dogs. Little did he know, their grumpy human would change his life.

    As somebody who’s as socially awkward as they come, Jack and Simon are my people so I was immediately drawn to them. Having preference for furry, four-legged creatures over walking, talking two-legged ones is another point in their favor.

    Simon’s condition was difficult. The author really did a good job making you feel his struggle to say something as simple as thank you. While I was reading it, I wondered, how does one even handle that level of anxiety? The amount of courage to push through the fear is extraordinary. Simon Burke is one of the strongest book person I know. I also loved that this shy man who struggles with words has a delightful streak of snark.

    Jack might have anger and trust issues but he is kind. He noticed right away that Simon has words roiling inside that he couldn’t get out. He found ways for them to communicate. He was patient and gentle. He knew how to listen to the unspoken.

    The story has the right amount of slow burn to allow the attraction to blossom into a sweet romance amidst challenging circumstances. They were both fiercely independent individuals who’s trying to make it through life alone. I loved the way they gradually became part of each other’s lives.

    Drawing is a key element in the story. Jack is a children’s book illustrator and Simon is a graphic artist. His friend’s betrayal affected Jack so much he has not drawn for 8 months. It was Simon who helped him get his mojo back.

    One of the heroes of this book is Charlie. He and Jack were orphaned when he was 17. He sacrificed so much to provide for his younger brother. Even as adults, he still selflessly cares for Jack despite Jack’s surly attitude. He was patient with Simon. He understood what it’s like to wake up fearing the day ahead. He is a sweetheart and he deserves his own happy ending.

    I am thrilled that my soft, magical boy, Corbin Wale gets a much deserved homage. Jack is a huge fan of him. The way Jack described his drawings takes me back to his amazing book.

    Better Than People is set in the same world as The Remaking of Corbin Wale. It charms you with the same whimsical writing though less dreamlike. While The Remaking of Corbin Wale has a surreal, magical realism vibe, this book is more realistic and angsty. It is also did not have quite the same intensity. I love this book but I wasn’t as swept away as I was with its predecessor.

    Nonetheless, I highly recommend reading this after reading Corbin Wale’s story. The two can be read as standalones but Roan Parrish creates wonderful stories of soft boys made of sighs, spice, and steel, it’s always a pleasure to meet them all.

    P.S.

    Read my love for Corbin here.

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

    Soundtrack: Impossible
    Artist: Nothing But Thieves
    Album: Moral Panic


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

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    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Getting To Know You by Jennifer M.D. Cox (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    May 30, 2024

    COVER & EXCERPT REVEAL: Possessive Park Avenue Prince by Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    March 14, 2024

    ABC BOOK CHALLENGE – S

    August 25, 2019
  • Uncategorized

    First Lines Fridays 56: Like Desperation But None Of The Darkness

    August 13, 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.

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    RELEASE BLITZ: A Dashwood Of Sense and Sensibility by Anyta Sunday (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    November 25, 2021

    RELEASE BLITZ: Show Me by Neve Wilder (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    March 24, 2021

    FIRST LINES FRIDAY 56: Love Thy Neighbor

    January 2, 2020
  • Uncategorized

    PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE (July 15, 2020)

    July 15, 2020 / No 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.
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    RELEASE TOUR: When A Man Loves An Alien by Chloe Archer (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    May 26, 2023

    RELEASE BLITZ: Working Stiffs: Thirteen Short Stories by Various Authors (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    May 1, 2020

    RELEASE TOUR: Hopeless For You by Raquel Riley (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    June 6, 2022
  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: The Remaking of Corbin Wale by Roan Parrish

    March 20, 2020 / 7 Comments
    39347033. sy475

    The Remaking of Corbin Wale – Roan Parrish

    Last month, Alex Barrow’s whole life imploded—partner, home, job, all gone in forty-eight hours. But sometimes when everything falls apart, better things appear almost like magic. Now, he’s back in his Michigan hometown, finally opening the bakery he’s always dreamed of. But the pleasure of opening day is nothing compared to the lonely and beautiful man who bewitches Alex before he even orders.
    Corbin Wale is a weirdo. At least, that’s what he’s heard his whole life. He knows he’s often in a fantasy world, but the things he feels are very real. And so is the reason why he can never, ever be with Alex Barrow. Even if Alex is everything he’s always fantasized about. Even if maybe, just maybe, Corbin is Alex’s fantasy too.

    When Corbin begins working at the bakery, he and Alex can’t deny their connection any longer. As the holiday season works its magic, Alex yearns for the man who seems out of reach. But to be with Alex, Corbin will have to challenge every truth he’s ever known. If his holiday risk pays off, two men from different worlds will get the love they’ve always longed for.


    I love soft, magical boys and their amazing inner strength. Soft, magical boys with imaginary friends and a notebook of drawings. Soft, magical boys who can read portents in air, fight curses with delicious bread, understand the language of dogs, live by their own unique terms and see the world with eyes full of wonder.

    I love Corbin Wale.

    I love a person who can truly see. A person who looks beyond walls and silences. Who recognizes the treasure behind the freak. Whose kindness and acceptance spark hope, joy and love.

    I love Alex.

    This is a soft, magical book that charms you with its ethereal quality. A soft, magical book about need, loneliness, the courage to change, of embracing a person’s uniqueness unconditionally. This is a book that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading.

    Let this beautiful book remake you too!

    Rating:
    5 Stars – absolutely perfect

    Soundtrack: Angels
    Artist: The XX
    Album: Angels

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    BLOG TOUR: Prince of L.A. by Patricia Logan (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    September 16, 2022
  • Uncategorized
    March 20, 2020 / No Comments

    “You remake the world a hundred times a day.

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    99c BOOK BLAST: Pretty Policeman by Fifer Rose (Excerpt & Giveaway)

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    November 21, 2021
  • Uncategorized

    END OF THE YEAR BOOK TAG

    December 28, 2019 / No Comments

    The New Year is almost here and it’s time for the End of the Year book tag. I found it @MyBookWorld24.


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    COVER REVEAL: Our First & Last by Becca Seymour (Giveaway)

    April 23, 2021

    BLOG TOUR: Dead Serious by Vawn Cassidy (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    November 19, 2021

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Captain And The Father Of The Bride by Catherine Curzon & Eleanor Harkstead (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    April 20, 2021

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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 ·
10 Jun

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲—𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬.

COVER REVEAL: Shaken and Stirred by Lilly Atlas



https://neverhollowed.com/2025/06/10/cover-reveal-shaken-and-stirred-by-lilly-atlas/

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neverhollowed Never Hollowed By The Stare @neverhollowed ·
10 Jun

NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Spy by Mell Eight (Excerpt & #Giveaway)


https://books2read.com/the-spy

https://neverhollowed.com/2025/06/10/new-release-blitz-the-spy-by-mell-eight-excerpt-giveaway/

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neverhollowed Never Hollowed By The Stare @neverhollowed ·
9 Jun

Unrequited love can make you blind.

COVER REVEAL: Doink by Crea Reitan



https://neverhollowed.com/2025/06/09/cover-reveal-doink-by-crea-reitan/

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neverhollowed Never Hollowed By The Stare @neverhollowed ·
9 Jun

Sometimes growing up means growing apart in this queer take on As You Like It featuring first loves and friend breakups, from award-winning author Julia Drake.

BOOK TOUR: Lovesick Falls by Julia Drake



https://neverhollowed.com/2025/06/09/book-tour-lovesick-falls-by-julia-drake/

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