May 24, 2025 â Bumble-AI:
âThe short story Bumble-AI left me wanting more! I need a whole book, a full series, and a movie that dives deep into this dystopian world. Itâs seriously a must-read, but waaay too short đâ - Michaela
May 16, 2025 â Time of the Goddesses:
âWhat a page-turner! Goddess worship, folklore, and changelings. The characters really pulled me in, and the vivid setting made me feel like Iâd traveled back in time. I highly recommend Time of the Goddesses by Annah Nozlin. If youâre into historical novels and folklore, this oneâs for you.â - Lupina Ojala, author on Tiktok
May 1, 2025 â Time of the Goddesses:
âI didnât even start this one until Iâd extended the library loan for the very last time â classic mood reader move. But then I was like, âYeah, I think Iâm in the mood for some fantasy again.â And a few chapters in, I was wondering, why on earth did I wait so long?! (Better late than never, right? đ)
The story totally pulled me in, and I just had to know what was going to happen. I needed to know what would happen to Hildur. And Alfhild. And Linde.
It broke my heart. I felt joy with them. I worried. I got mad. I felt relieved.
I had to set the book down just to breathe â and then I immediately picked it up again to find out what was next⊠Sleep, food, work⊠who needs it?
Then Easter break in the mountains rolled around! But I always leave library books at home (just in case), so thank goodness it was on BookBeat too, so I could keep reading. đ
Highly recommend!!! Go read it! â€ïž And honestly, I wouldnât mind reading more about the people â and trolls â in another bookâŠâ â @parsnip_road on Instagram
April 27, 2025 â Time of the Goddesses:
âHereâs another book Iâve been wanting to review for ages â finally time to say something about Time of the Goddesses: Runes in Ash and Blood by @annahnozlin đ„
Nozlin takes us to BorlĂ€nge in the year 523 â the Iron Age, about 200 years before the Viking Age began. Thereâs no BorlĂ€nge yet, but there are large houses along the Dal River, and the lives on these places weave together into an impressive tapestry of romance, tragedy, murder, and power struggles, both at home and on trading trips and raids.
And the fantasy element? Well, there are trolls who swap changelings with humans, and both trolls and people have access to magic (though for the humans, maybe âreligionâ is a better word).
Itâs definitely worth reading. The pages fly by, and the depiction of Iron Age life feels convincing. The contrast between the different changelings â three men who spent some or much of their childhood on the other side of the species line â is super interesting. One of them is the storyâs antagonist, Aslak, a really nasty guy who still comes across as understandable to the reader.
The only thing that threw me was the subheadings within chapters, telling you exactly when in time you are and which character youâre following. Sure, itâs clear, but to me it felt a bit academic and kind of pulled me out of the reading experience⊠but thatâs probably just personal taste. Either way, I recommend the book!â â @stefan.hogberg, on Instagram
April 7, 2025 â Bumble-AI:
âThanks for the great read. I spent 7 hours in the ER yesterday after our meet up, so I was really glad to have your short story to enjoy while I waited. An unexpected story with lovely character work and a hopeful ending in the middle of all the dystopia.â â Anita
April 2, 2025 â Time of the Goddesses:
âIâm seriously impressed with all the research that mustâve gone into this story. It actually reminded me a bit of The Northman with Alexander SkarsgĂ„rd, even though thatâs super violent and this is more of a relationship-focused novel.
Itâs fantasy, but it shows everyday life as it might have been for people living in Dalarna during the Iron Age â when magical elements were part of life. None of us knows exactly how people thought back then, but the beautiful, vivid language and the research make the story feel believable.
So â why the comparison? The characters believethe gods and goddesses directly influence life and death. Itâs more than just a religion â itâs a worldview where the supernatural is as real as animals, nature, and the people on the farms. Giants and trolls exist; magic, gods, and goddesses are as real as anything, just like for the characters in the movie.
Nozlin switches between present-day chapters and flashbacks, using different verb tenses to make this clear. Clever â it really made the 500s feel like now.
This is an incredibly well-written book for anyone who enjoys slower-paced, relationship-driven stories, more about people than action, dealing with senseless violence, greed, and love in a world very different from ours â but with people who are driven by the same basic emotions as today. I loved traveling back in time; it felt like I was there while reading.
As someone used to Western-style dramatic arcs, I was a bit lost wondering where the plot was going â but Nozlin ties everything together beautifully at the end.
And as someone whoâs been wondering why changelings happen and why other beings would even want to do that â this gave a really satisfying explanation! Plus, I kind of loved that being taken by the mountain trolls was seen as almost positive here.â â @elneander on Instagram
March 30, 2025 â Time of the Goddesses:
âAn absolutely amazing book đ„đ„â€ïžâ â @eld.rotter on Instagram
March 29, 2025 â Time of the Goddesses:
âI think itâs a fantastic story, with exciting and vivid descriptions of customs and the power of the goddesses. Iâd love to read more of your books.â â Charlotta
January 23, 2025 â Shattered Shards (second book in Daughter of the Oak series):
âAs mentioned, itâs fantasy, and itâs the classic style â a medieval world. Itâs more grounded than epic. The author stays close to the characters and lets them drive the plot more than the world itself, though of course, major events in the world still act as a catalyst for their growth.â â @hakans.hylla on Instagram
January 12, 2025 â Time of the Goddesses:
âIron Age isnât usually my go-to era, but goddess worship is a favorite theme. Plus, Iâve wanted to read something by Annah Nozlin for a while â and it was so worth it!
Time of the Goddesses is a lovely mix of history, folklore, love, and good old girl power â excuse me, women power! The goddesses have their place in the story, but the focus is on flesh-and-blood women, and I love how they stand strong in their own feminine power.
âWe, women who give life, now have the task of taking life.â How much strength is packed into that line?
Besides getting a glimpse into the womenâs lives, I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Mountain. Sometimes I wonder if Iâm a troll at heart.
Iâd happily read more from Annah Nozlin.â â @micheleglatthard on Instagram
November 30, 2024 â Daughter of the Oak:
âAn incredibly well-written fantasy book. Annah writes in a poetic way about all the settings and characters, and thereâs a lot of humor in the book, which I really appreciated! I definitely recommend this one to anyone who loves Fantasy. 4.5/5 âïžâ â Sara la Fontaine, on TikTok
November 27, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
âI finished it a few weeks ago, and it was really amazing! I loved how you portrayed life on the farms, and the religious aspects were so interesting and different from anything Iâd read before. đâ â @EdlaLowbrink, author on TikTok
November 25, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
âA wonderful mix of excitement, love, history, folklore, trolls, and woman power. I really love how Annah portrays life among the trolls and that thereâs so much love there too. Itâs a well-written book with beautifully crafted language. Annah really managed to deliver a dramatic story that still leaves you with a warm and positive feeling.
This book helped me escape during tough times in a womenâs shelter. Fittingly, on Orange Day today, I finished it. đ§Ąâ â E
November 8, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
âThank you for writing Time of the Goddessesđ What an adventure, what warmth, and so much wisdom you share. Your words really took flight, and the story felt like a part of myself đ„° It was like getting a glimpse into a time Iâd lived but forgotten.
My youngest daughter often asks me at bedtime to tell her stories about when I was a troll living in the mountain near where we live. Itâs usually everyday stories. I always tell her my troll mom traded me for a bucket of lingonberries đ„° When my adult son was little, I also told him stories about how he and his friends lived in the mountain and went on secret magical missions.
I believe everything happens for a reason, and the book I bought from you on a Random Wednesday let me experience so many feelings I hadnât felt in a long time. Thank you for that â„ïžâ â Johan
November 5, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
âThanks for the great read. The book flew by â it was hard to put down đ
â â Robert
November 5, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
âIâve read a lot about gods, worship, and what they were believed to do. Unlike other works Iâve read or heard of, the characters in this book actually question what people believe:
âWhy do we need to sacrifice to make miracles happen? Why offer gifts? Did the gods say this, or is it just something people made up?â
Brilliantly written đ The book has characters who get to live out their full potential, without it feeling like there hasto be a sequel (âŠor is there?). The characters have lives of their own, and we get to follow them through tough and joyful times alike.
Itâs a wonderful book Iâve just finished, and Iâll probably return to this world again at some point.
Thanks for an amazing story and a captivating book â€ïžâ â @guardianoflife91 on Instagram
November 4, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
âItâs so obvious the author put a ton of work into the scope, characters, and settings of this book. The atmosphere and events feel like a Viking saga, with their faith in the gods, their fears of trolls, and the magic both sides possess. Itâs hard not to get swept up in the events â whether brutal, kind, brave, or reckless.
Itâs an enchanting world the author has created, one you want to return to. Creating a sense of calm in the middle of all the action is a rare kind of magic. In the end, itâs a delightful read that makes you forget everything else and focus entirely on the story.
Rating: 5/5â â @rickard_recenserar on Instagram
October 25, 2024 â Daughter of the Oak:
âDaughter of the Oak is so good! I hope even more readers discover it. đâ â @lupinaojala, author on Instagram
October 25, 2024 â Daughter of the Oak:
âWay to go! So cool that it keeps finding new readers! I read it for the first time in 2018 and reread the whole series last year. Love it! đâ â @elinor_wp on Instagram
October 21, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
âTime of the Goddesses is a beautiful story set in a magical world where you follow different people whose stories intertwine. Itâs got love, betrayal, jealousy, longing, suspense, and at times some brutal violence, which adds an extra layer to the story.
There are lots of strong characters, and while itâs easy to mix them up, the author helpfully included a list of all the characters, making it easy to keep track (and check back if needed). Thereâs also a list of Old Norse words to help the reader follow along.
The women play key roles in the story (as you might guess from the title), and even though theyâre sometimes forced into submission by the men, they turn out to be incredibly strong and capable.
There are some hidden playful touches where you can almost sense the authorâs own experiences in the landscape around the Dal River (DalĂ€lven in BorlĂ€nge), which adds a fun, personal feel.
The book beautifully describes nature, surroundings, emotions, and sensations, really drawing the reader in. The plot is exciting and keeps your curiosity hooked from start to finish. Itâs a book I warmly recommend!â â @rosendahl.t on Instagram
October 1, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
âIâve just finished Time of the Goddesses. Wow, so exciting!!!
I have to admit, I almost stopped reading when it got to the worst parts with violence and abuse. But I trusted it would work out in the end. And it did â€ïžđ„°đ€
The story leaves you with such a warm feeling đ„°đ€ The part that touched me the most was the healing deep in the mountain, the beautiful relationships, the nature descriptions, the spirituality, the sense of history, and your writing style. So goodâŁïžâ â Annika
September 24, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"I read Time of the Goddesses earlier this summer. Totally devoured it, it was that good. It helps that Iâm really into the historical era the bookâs set in, and the historical fantasy parts feel super authentic and well-researched. The conflict between the new gods and the old goddesses is always interesting â most people probably think of when Christianity pushed out Norse paganism here in the north. But this has happened many times before, and Time of the Goddesses really captures that kind of turning point well." â Anna Hallander, author
September 24, 2024 â Found again & More afraid/Savior (the Swedish title of the second book can be both translations):
"Magical realism and young adult that flows really well. Thereâs romance, nicely balanced with the rest of the plot. Predestined fates and soulmates crossing paths through multiple lifetimes are key to the story, and even though Iâm usually skeptical of those themes, I really enjoyed these books. Ella is such a fun character with a great mix of boldness and vulnerability." â Anna Hallander, author
September 19, 2024: More afraid/Savior (the Swedish title can be both translations):
"Hi again! I got the sequel More afraid/Savior on Friday and Iâve been totally glued to it. I just finished it, and it was insanely exciting! It really hit me emotionally, and Iâm so frustrated Iâm already done. I just want more! đđ" â Emelie
September 13, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"Absolutely amazing book that I got signed by you â I gave the signed copy to my daughter-in-law whoâs just as crazy about these kinds of books as I am. Really hoping for a sequel to this story; you left plenty of openings for it. Fingers crossed! đđâ€ïžâ€ïž" â Raymond
September 5, 2024 â Found again:
"I bought your book Found again on Saturday, and Iâm almost done reading it. So insanely exciting đ â Iâm definitely going to check out your other books!" â Emelie
September 3, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"Oh wow, what a book! I usually read pretty fast, but I just had to slow down and savor your writing. It was pure joy and gave me such a rare sense of calm. Just a line like âThe longing for Svanhildr lives in the whole bodyâ is absolutely brilliant. Addictive. The book was almost impossible to put down, but like all good things, it sadly had to end. Your research really gives the story depth." â Gunnar
September 3, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"You really nailed it đ€© I was completely hooked đ
So exciting, and I also learned a lot that I want to explore more." â Annica
August 17, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"Iâve just read Time of the Goddesses â it was sooo good đ I love the trolls đ Weâre already waiting for the next book âșïž" â Elisabeth
August 4, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"In Time of the Goddesses, I traveled back 1,500 years to the place where I live today. In my time, the goddesses and trolls are gone, but everything else is the same. Thereâs something special about reading how the river bends at the same spot as today, and how the rapids thunder where thereâs now a power station. Where my house stands in Ăvre TjĂ€rna, maybe there was once a settlement? People are also the same. Thereâs murder just like today â itâs a real thriller â and people are forced into war and awful acts, but the righteous restore humanity. Itâs comforting to think weâre fundamentally the same as hundreds or thousands of years ago. Fantasy is probably just another way of expressing that.
I also canât help but think what an incredible project it mustâve been to write this book. What an achievement!
Thanks for this beautiful and exciting story!" â Ingemar
July 26, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"Iâve already read it twice and Iâm definitely going to read it again.
Buy it and you can travel into a world of imagination đ" â Tina
July 18, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"One of the best books Iâve ever read đđđ"
"Hi âïžâïž I just finished the book and wow, it was so good. Iâm definitely going to reread it soon đ€©đ€©" â @forrestown, on Instagram
July 16, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"Hi! Itâs your fault Iâve got a sore back and arms â I sat for hours binge-reading!! đ This is hands down the best book youâve written so far! I was totally sucked in! Gave me the same vibe as Margit Sandemoâs beloved The Legend of the Ice People! â€â€â€" â Tanja
June 27, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"A truly wonderful book, hard to put down and at the same time I didnât want it to end. Fingers crossed thereâll be more books in this series." â Yllisar, on Instagram
June 26, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"This, @annahnozlin, is the best book youâve written!! It reminds me of Johanne Hildebrandtâs The Saga of Valhalla with its depictions of magic, goddesses, creatures, and strong women.
The many parallel storylines make the pace a little slow at first, but they really help us get to know the characters, build suspense, and keep the story alive throughout. Even though this story came to an end, Iâm really hoping for a sequel in the same style. Maybe we could follow MĂ„rd and Lin? Iâm definitely not ready to let go of this world!" â @miffoelastolpe, on Instagram
June 19, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"A book I highly recommend." â @forrestown, on Instagram
June 18, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses.
"Such a good book, I binge-read it. đđ»đđ»" â Raymond
June 18, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"With a sure hand, Iâm led 1,500 years back in time. I get to see people in love and in hate, in peace and in war, in life and in death. Trolls and gods arenât always what youâd expect. A captivating reading experience." â Anita
June 8, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"By the way, I finished Time of the Goddesses this morning. Flew through it. Really great book đ" â Anna Hallander, author
May 23, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"Annah Nozlin is amazing at creating enchanting stories in the fantasy and magical realism genres. If you havenât read her earlier books, youâve got a real treasure chest of reading ahead!
The authorâs switch to historical fiction also shows sheâs just as skilled at bringing to life tales where folklore and goddess worship come alive. Lots of emotional drama!
The book is vividly told with short chapters where trolls and changelings play a big role. Itâs also an exciting story set in Dalarna đ§Ą, inspired by local history and turned into a personal, heartfelt interpretation. Itâs impressive to create such a believable, period-authentic cast of characters đđ
Time of the Goddesses has been a hit as a read-aloud at home in the evenings â and weâd love a sequel. Any chance of that?
Thanks, Annah, once again for writing and sharing đ€đ€ Always looking forward to whatâs next! đ€©" â @rositasoderstrom, on Instagram
May 21, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"Your books are absolutely amazing, and Time of the Goddesses is pure magic." â @forrestown, on Instagram
May 19, 2024 â Daughter of the Oak:
"Review of Daughter of the Oak by the brilliant @annahnozlin
A gripping story about a strong protagonist who goes through countless twists and challenges over her long life, and we get to follow her from a young age. Itâs a colorful tale with eccentric characters, a clear antagonist, and a big dose of love.
The author brings this story to life in a way that draws you in effortlessly. Itâs engaging, and the plot just keeps getting better. The way the world is detailed, and how the atmosphereâs sweet scents come through, lets the reader really sink into the story, experience the dialogues and settings without feeling intrusive. This is a powerful book more people should read.
Thanks, @annahnozlin, for an awesome read!
Rating: 5/5" â @metalguy91, on Instagram
April 29, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"I just got this beautiful book! I already know itâs super exciting and well-written! Top-notch historical fantasyâŁïžđ€© Highly recommend it⊠đ" â @astrid.w.ahlberg, on Instagram
April 25, 2024 â Daughter of the Oak:
"You probably donât remember me, but I bought Daughter of the Oak from you at the library in Falun and told you Iâd never read Fantasy, though Iâve always loved fairy tales. You wanted me to let you know what I thought: WONDERFUL â an absolutely fantastic book!" â Britt-Marie
April 9, 2024 â Daughter of the Oak:
"Iâve read her earlier books several times and theyâre beloved favorites. [âŠ] And if you havenât read Annahâs earlier books, youâve got some magically delightful reading ahead! [âŠ] Daughter of the Oak is an enchantingly beautiful story, a gentle fantasy thatâs just absolutely lovely. Now Iâm tempted to reread the whole series!" â @midnattsord, on Instagram
February 29, 2024 â Daughter of the Oak:
"I just finished it, and I think itâs one of the best books Iâve ever read! I wouldâve loved another book about Kel and her world. The worst part was that [âŠ] died â I didnât like that! Iâm thinking about reading the books about Mira, but Iâm not sure because Iâm worried it wonât be the same as Daughter of the Oak. What do you think I should do? Thanks for writing such great books!" â Tage
February 21, 2024 â Time of the Goddesses:
"Got hooked on the story right away and couldnât stop reading." â Anna, test reader of the proof copy