zarlina

[zarlina]

Shared by the Vikings by Taylor Wolfe

⭐⭐

This one didn't hit the mark for me. The main character felt a bit too unrealistic and the amount of times some words were repeated got a bit too much. It wasn't a bad read, but the writing style wasn't my cup of tea.

[zarlina]

[zarlina]

As a writer, I can guarantee we don't know what we want half of the time.

Some days we want people to obsess unhealthily and make fan art of our characters and make Pinterest pins on quotes and create those fake twitter posts and then at the same time I would rather burn my house down before showing anyone my work.

Who created such a mentally damaging hobby and can they give me my sanity back???

[zarlina]

if it's good enough for you, then it deserves to be made. don't let anyone else decide if your story is worth it or not.

[zarlina]

[zarlina]

Yikes

[zarlina]

After a bad break-up, Aksel's friends decide to take him on a vacation across the Atlantic, to help him move on.

There, on the other side of the world, he meets Jeremy.

And Jeremy is nothing like anyone he's ever met before.

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

Rebound by Zarlina Josefsson, available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited

[zarlina]

These Thoughts Are Not Your Own by Layla Moran

⭐⭐⭐

Quick and spicy. Unfortunately I didn't connect with the characters so I didn't care for them in the way I need to enjoy the story, but the spice itself was good for what it was, so if you like quick, steamy, gay awakening stories, then this one's for you. I personally would have liked the characters to have a bit more personality, but it wasn't in any way a bad read.

[zarlina]

"That wouldn't be fatal!" It would."They couldn't survive that!" They could.

If my time as an EMT and instructor taught me anything it is that the body is both impossibly resilient and impossibly fragile, and almost any traumatic injury you can think of could either be fine or fatal depending on the whims of the universe.

So use that crap as liberally as you want to serve whatever narrative you're writing.

[zarlina]

A Kiss for the Holidays by C.S. Autumn

⭐⭐

So this is going to be a really difficult review to write, because at first I thought I would absolutely love this little novella, but then it went downhill, and it went downhill fast.

*spoilers ahead*

So the first half of the book is sweet mixed with stunning angst. We have the cute gay guy being in love with his best friend, the trope we all love and that never gets old no matter how many times we read about it. Sweet Asher is madly in love with his best friend, Dalton, and Dalton is the cute golden retriever friend who is a bit too clingy and is making life hard for Asher just by being himself. Then there's the dare, the declining of a kiss, and it's perfectly angsty and gives Asher a reason to push Dalton away, hurting them both in the process.

All that is just like you'd want from a story like this, all down to the moment when they get stuck in a cabin in a snow storm, with only each other (and a dog) as company, and only a fire and a shared bed to keep them warm.

A fight, harsh words, and finally the truth coming out. Asher is in love with his best friend, and Dalton is now left with wondering if what he feels for his friend might also be more than just the platonic love he's been convinced is what they share this whole time.

Still perfect. Adorable. Exactly how this kind of story should go.

If only the author hadn't rushed what happened next. It might have ended up being a 4-5 star read. But just the morning after they are suddenly rubbing off on each other. Dalton, who's never had any thought of possibly being into guys before, is there jacking his best friend off, and out of absolute nowhere he's calling Asher "love". Ugh. Too soon.

The rest is also rushed. It almost felt like the author got bored of writing a plot and wanted to turn the story into porn instead, and the charm of the story was gone. I almost DNF'd it there after their strange morning together, but I hoped the sweetness would return. Sadly it didn't.

So hadn't it been for the rush to turn it dirty, and the need to always put as much spice as you possibly can on as few pages as possible, as so many authors seem to turn to nowadays, it would have gotten a much higher rating. Now instead it's a 2 star, and an almost DNF.

[zarlina]

hyperfixation please stay with me long enough to complete the project. hyperfixation do not fade. hyperfixation finish what you started for the love of god

[zarlina]

A secluded cabin in the woods provides a perfect escape for two young men—in perfectly different ways.

Cal needs somewhere to lie low after a job well done and finds himself a ride. Jasper just wants peace and quiet; instead he finds himself as the getaway driver. Neither of them was looking for a roommate, but as they get to know each other, they realize how well their plans fit together…

...or do they?

🌲🏳️‍🌈🌲🏳️‍🌈🌲🏳️‍🌈🌲🏳️‍🌈🌲🏳️‍🌈🌲

The Cabin by Zarlina Josefsson, available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited

[zarlina]

The Time Guardian by Ryver Knight

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm not good at writing reviews for short stories, so I apologise in advance for how my words probably won't do this one justice.

This was such a beautiful way to be introduced to this universe. We get to meet the two sisters and get a taste of what the future might hold, and while I first couldn't understand what would make sweet Lilith take the turn the future said she would I quickly changed my mind as I saw how her situation was handled by her family, and I now feel for her and want to know how her life will unfold.

This took me a lot longer to finish than it should have, and I apologise to the author for requesting your book and then making you wait this long for my review. Life got in the way, but when I finally had the time to sit down and read it I instantly became invested and I now can't wait to see what will happen next.

Lovely introduction to the universe.

[zarlina]

Narrator by Landon Beach

⭐⭐⭐

The premise is interesting, the story good, and parts of the writing is really good. However, it's hard to feel any sympathy with the main character as it feels like all he does is complaining. And while the story is good enough, it just never ends. You think you're getting close to the ending over and over but each time you still have hours left. There are so many parts that I as a reader just don't care about. I don't want to read books within the book, having to get through the main character narrating parts of books quickly gets boring and once again, makes it feel like the book will simply never end.

The twists were also over the top and not really impressive. The main villain was dull and the final scene with them just, once again, never ended.

The book could probably have been cut in half and then been twice as good.

I enjoyed the writing style though so I might give this author another chance, but this book wasn't it for me.

[zarlina]

Devil to Pay by Jeaniene Frost

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Despite being short there was enough time to get to know the characters enough to feel for them, and I was so rooting for a happy ending for the two broken souls who met on such a desperate quest. A quick read that has me intrigued about the universe this short story comes from, so now I think I might have to check the rest of the books out.

[zarlina]

Love Me by Annie Mikkelsen

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cute and gay. A quick, sweet story and the perfect read to help you catch up on your goodreads goal.

[zarlina]

Can I ask how you post the pictures with so much quality? Cuz mine never, ever turns out like that.. 😭🙃

I'm not actually sure, I've never reflected on it. I use PS and save them in size 1080x1080 pix / 300ppi, and then I just upload them 😅