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Magnified #1
Magnified
On her deathbed, Yani's Great Grandmother reveals she has one last story from her past to that of his Great Uncle Yakov, who helped her survive the Nazis. It's a story of vampires and werewolves he can scarcely believe—and in the wake of his Great Grandmother's death, Yani realizes the story is far from over.
The world of vampires and werewolves isn't a safe place for a human, even one with Yani's unusual family history. With danger at his door, the smart thing would be to run, but much like his Great Grandmother Yani has never been very good at running away—especially with his loved ones and the whole world at stake.
The world of vampires and werewolves isn't a safe place for a human, even one with Yani's unusual family history. With danger at his door, the smart thing would be to run, but much like his Great Grandmother Yani has never been very good at running away—especially with his loved ones and the whole world at stake.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 5, 2016
6 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Mell Eight
69 books283 followersWhen Mell Eight was in high school, she discovered dragons. Beautiful, wondrous creatures that took her on epic adventures both to faraway lands and on journeys of the heart. Mell wanted to create dragons of her own, so she put pen to paper. Mell Eight is now known for her own soaring dragons, as well as for other wonderful characters dancing across the pages of her books. While she mostly writes paranormal or fantasy stories, she has been seen exploring the real world once or twice.
For more information on Mell’s stories and future writing plans, visit her website.
For more information on Mell’s stories and future writing plans, visit her website.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 50 reviews
March 1, 2021
This was definitely an interesting book. I don't see it sticking in my mind, but it was a very unique read.
I will admit that part of my surprise was because I didn't read the description for this. Based off the cover, I expected a Snow White retelling, not an urban fantasy with vampires and werewolves.
My main problem with this was that I never really connected with the plot or the characters. I was mildly interested, but never dying to know what came next. Part of this may be because I wanted more about Yakov and Martin, and less about Yani and Aaron. The beginning, which focused on the Holocaust was super interesting to me, but it was over fairly quickly.
I really loved how this book did address the Holocaust and Jewish history. I'm not well versed in either, so it was a super fun way to learn about each event.
Although this wasn't the right book for me, I can definitely see other people enjoying it!
Thanks to Mell Eight and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review
I will admit that part of my surprise was because I didn't read the description for this. Based off the cover, I expected a Snow White retelling, not an urban fantasy with vampires and werewolves.
My main problem with this was that I never really connected with the plot or the characters. I was mildly interested, but never dying to know what came next. Part of this may be because I wanted more about Yakov and Martin, and less about Yani and Aaron. The beginning, which focused on the Holocaust was super interesting to me, but it was over fairly quickly.
I really loved how this book did address the Holocaust and Jewish history. I'm not well versed in either, so it was a super fun way to learn about each event.
Although this wasn't the right book for me, I can definitely see other people enjoying it!
Thanks to Mell Eight and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review
July 2, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Vampires. Werewolves. Incubus. Oh my?
Magnified definitely flew by for me. First off, the cover is absolutely gorgeous and makes me really hungry at the same time. Second, everything within this book was just completely easy to devour. Or maybe it's just me and I connect with books differently. Not sure but I definitely enjoyed the heck out of this beauty.
Now this book has a ton of supernatural characters which can sometimes work with or against the plot. Somehow everything flowed pretty easily for me since I wasn't confused or lost at any certain part within the book. Other than that, I shipped certain characters together and really enjoyed the representation. I do, however, wish I got more from certain characters than others. Just because I really wanted more growth from them.
I also really liked diving into Gramma's Jewish history in the beginning. I just think it really tied things together before the book ended. In the end, I definitely enjoyed and devoured the book but I am hoping to get more from certain characters in the next book.
Vampires. Werewolves. Incubus. Oh my?
Magnified definitely flew by for me. First off, the cover is absolutely gorgeous and makes me really hungry at the same time. Second, everything within this book was just completely easy to devour. Or maybe it's just me and I connect with books differently. Not sure but I definitely enjoyed the heck out of this beauty.
Now this book has a ton of supernatural characters which can sometimes work with or against the plot. Somehow everything flowed pretty easily for me since I wasn't confused or lost at any certain part within the book. Other than that, I shipped certain characters together and really enjoyed the representation. I do, however, wish I got more from certain characters than others. Just because I really wanted more growth from them.
I also really liked diving into Gramma's Jewish history in the beginning. I just think it really tied things together before the book ended. In the end, I definitely enjoyed and devoured the book but I am hoping to get more from certain characters in the next book.
June 25, 2021
This book was SO much more than I had expected! I was lucky and got to read an ARC in exchange for this honest review. Fictional writing is often filled with historical references and cultures. Rarely does the writing include modern Jewish families though. This book not only has a family with it's own stories going back to the Nazi takeover, but it includes my favorite mythic creatures! I can't wait to give this book to my Uncle! I also greatly look forward to book 2!
October 16, 2016
Well wow, this book was kinda unique.
It wasn't perfect (or even close) but it took me by surprise few time, which I liked (it being essentially two novelas/stories in one probably helped >>) .
It was nice and little (very much) silly but probably best I read from Mell Eight until now (but I didn't read that much >>). I have issues with some things, but yeah...from second story on it was cute and easy read. First story not so much and I liked how seriously it was taken. Overall I am happy I read it. Very much. :>
It wasn't perfect (or even close) but it took me by surprise few time, which I liked (it being essentially two novelas/stories in one probably helped >>) .
It was nice and little (very much) silly but probably best I read from Mell Eight until now (but I didn't read that much >>). I have issues with some things, but yeah...from second story on it was cute and easy read. First story not so much and I liked how seriously it was taken. Overall I am happy I read it. Very much. :>
March 4, 2021
Yani is an American Jew descended from Polish Holocaust survivors. On her deathbed, Yani’s beloved great grandmother Chana shares a fantastical tale of how she and her brother Yakov and their four children escaped the Nazi death camps with the aid of a vampire, Martin. Yakov was enamored of the vamp and remained in Poland after the liberation, while Chana relocated to Boston with her three remaining sons, and Yakov’s infant son. They lived a good life in the US, but no one believes Chana’s story except Yani who is sure that he meets both Martin and Yakov at Chana’s funeral.
Fast forward many years and Yani is a college junior. He’s a devout Jew and plagued by his mom’s and auntie’s interest in his love life–hoping he’ll find a nice Jewish man to settle with. He’s never forgotten about his Uncle Yakov, since is seems he’s the only other gay member of their family, if he’s still alive that is. Yani’s most recent boyfriend was Luke who was not only not Jewish, he was a cheater. So, Yani’s a little reticent to meet another blind date arranged by the same friend who introduced him to Luke. Aaron is superficially Jewish, but there seems to be a spark. Unfortunately, all of this is ruined when Aaron’s father, who happens to be a mage and vampire hunter, kidnaps Yani and attempts to murder him. Because he greatly resembles an old photo of…Uncle Yakov that resides in the Hunter’s files.
This is obviously going to hamper a second date with Aaron.
It’s a heck of a caper, this story, which veers in directions I could not have anticipated. A LOT of folks that surround Yani happen to be paranormals. Not that he could have predicted this. Reaching out for help brings Uncle Martin and Uncle Yakov back to the States, to link up with the Northeast Supernatural Coalition. They want to ensure that Yani won’t be harmed, and he’s so overwhelmed with all the big reveals of his pals that he’s a little down for not being special like them. Aaron turns out to be a decent guy, and the connection grows as they face peril together.
As a first book in a series, I have to say I’m really intrigued about where it’s going. We’ve met incubi, vampires, werewolves, mages, trolls, demons and other paranormals in this book. Yani himself isn’t a paranormal, but he has Sight which affords him some advantages his cadre of companions do not have. And, he’s a fighter, deep down, so he does save his own life, plus those of his friends, in the course of this story. The immediate danger has been managed by the end, though there is a bigger threat awaiting Yani, Aaron, Luke, and Brandon–Yani’s roommate with supernatural abilities. Yani and Aaron are definitely connected, too, but it’s new and the sexytimes are still in the offing. I liked how that developed tentatively, as they are both in the midst of some pretty difficult stuff, so they recognize that romance will wait.
Triggers for brutal Holocaust memories and discussion, however mixed they are with the paranormal experience. My hubs’ German Jewish grandparents were work camp survivors and the story Chana spun of her family’s decimation was quite aligned to those of his family. It was just as gutting in fiction as it was hearing it first-hand. Yani’s modern experience as a Jew in a Christian country likewise mirrored some of my husband’s, so I was really connected to this book and character from the start. I want to thank the author for reflecting these experiences and sensibilities in a realistic and compassionate way. I eagerly await the next book!
Fast forward many years and Yani is a college junior. He’s a devout Jew and plagued by his mom’s and auntie’s interest in his love life–hoping he’ll find a nice Jewish man to settle with. He’s never forgotten about his Uncle Yakov, since is seems he’s the only other gay member of their family, if he’s still alive that is. Yani’s most recent boyfriend was Luke who was not only not Jewish, he was a cheater. So, Yani’s a little reticent to meet another blind date arranged by the same friend who introduced him to Luke. Aaron is superficially Jewish, but there seems to be a spark. Unfortunately, all of this is ruined when Aaron’s father, who happens to be a mage and vampire hunter, kidnaps Yani and attempts to murder him. Because he greatly resembles an old photo of…Uncle Yakov that resides in the Hunter’s files.
This is obviously going to hamper a second date with Aaron.
It’s a heck of a caper, this story, which veers in directions I could not have anticipated. A LOT of folks that surround Yani happen to be paranormals. Not that he could have predicted this. Reaching out for help brings Uncle Martin and Uncle Yakov back to the States, to link up with the Northeast Supernatural Coalition. They want to ensure that Yani won’t be harmed, and he’s so overwhelmed with all the big reveals of his pals that he’s a little down for not being special like them. Aaron turns out to be a decent guy, and the connection grows as they face peril together.
As a first book in a series, I have to say I’m really intrigued about where it’s going. We’ve met incubi, vampires, werewolves, mages, trolls, demons and other paranormals in this book. Yani himself isn’t a paranormal, but he has Sight which affords him some advantages his cadre of companions do not have. And, he’s a fighter, deep down, so he does save his own life, plus those of his friends, in the course of this story. The immediate danger has been managed by the end, though there is a bigger threat awaiting Yani, Aaron, Luke, and Brandon–Yani’s roommate with supernatural abilities. Yani and Aaron are definitely connected, too, but it’s new and the sexytimes are still in the offing. I liked how that developed tentatively, as they are both in the midst of some pretty difficult stuff, so they recognize that romance will wait.
Triggers for brutal Holocaust memories and discussion, however mixed they are with the paranormal experience. My hubs’ German Jewish grandparents were work camp survivors and the story Chana spun of her family’s decimation was quite aligned to those of his family. It was just as gutting in fiction as it was hearing it first-hand. Yani’s modern experience as a Jew in a Christian country likewise mirrored some of my husband’s, so I was really connected to this book and character from the start. I want to thank the author for reflecting these experiences and sensibilities in a realistic and compassionate way. I eagerly await the next book!
September 22, 2016
3.5 Stars ~ Magnified has an interesting take on the paranormal and was thought provoking, specifically with the historical elements. I enjoyed both aspects, for the most part.
The story begins with Yani’s Great Grandmother, Chana, on her deathbed, finally telling the story of what happened when they escaped the train heading for a concentration camp, and ultimately surviving to come to America. I was engrossed in this part of the story, told from third person narrative from Chana’s experience. Because of the supernatural aspects of her story, many of Yani’s family don’t believe what she tells them. Yani, only thirteen, holds no reservations.
Several years later, Yani is a college student studying international law, and events occur that only expand his beliefs in the supernatural. Yani, along with Aaron, Brandon and Luke, are thrown into the middle of something that turns out to be so much deeper and darker than they thought possible. Yani was a very believable character. His insecurities when he is thrown into the supernatural world are understandable, as he was surrounded by all these species that have something “special,” and he appears to be a mere human that was thrust into the world. Through some other perspectives, we also see how the supernatural community regards a human with no ties to the supernatural community which only perpetuates Yani’s insecurities.
This story is steeped in history, mainly the history of Jewish people, not only the Holocaust but also Jewish culture and traditions that I am not very familiar with but found fascinating. Because of Yani’s degree and a paper due, the reader also gets a lot of material regarding different genocides and the political environment at different times. I understood the relevance of the paper and the reason for so much focus on genocide, because it gives insight on Yani’s perspective on certain situations he encounters. Very thought provoking and made me say, “Huh,” several times to ponder the information. But the history and information was also where the story needed work. There were several unnecessary references and random information dumps that didn’t add to the plot in any valuable way, and came off as a little lecture-y; it was a little too much at times.
The story is mainly told from Yani’s perspective, with only a few times the POV changes. POV switches can make or break a book for me; I absolutely loathe trying to figure out where a POV changed and whose POV I am reading from. In this case the switch was easy to follow, it didn’t jump around, and it was clear which characters’ perspective I was reading.
This book’s focus is more on the historical element in the beginning, so it seemed a little slower to start. I got caught in the steady flow of Yani’s life and learning of the Jewish history and traditions and then, all of the sudden, events unfold; there are supernatural creatures coming out of the woodwork, and action, action, action. It was somewhat jarring, going a slow but steady pace, then to non-stop action. Not necessarily a bad thing, just… a difficult transition. There are periods of time between chapters where not much occurs, but since it is all off page, it seems like a non-stop roller coaster of crazy once events start to unfold.
As Yani, Aaron, Brandon, and Luke’s story is continued in the next book, a lot of time is spent on the development of the four college students and what their eventual roles within the supernatural community will be, and that hinges mostly on the mystery unraveling and the parts they play. If you are looking for a lot of on page intimacy and romance at the forefront of the story, this book may not be for you. The romance, while slowly simmering in the background, is definitely not the main focus; it’s extremely slow-burn and the book ends with it just winding up to possibly being more.
I wouldn’t necessarily call the ending a cliffhanger—or, maybe it is. It didn’t make me want to throw my Kindle and scream, “How can you leave me like this?!” There are several unresolved issues, and more that appear to be on the horizon for the four protagonists in book two, Justified, but I was satisfied with where this particular book wrapped up. I will definitely be joining the quartet to see how the events unfold, and what lays ahead for them.
Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach Reviews
The story begins with Yani’s Great Grandmother, Chana, on her deathbed, finally telling the story of what happened when they escaped the train heading for a concentration camp, and ultimately surviving to come to America. I was engrossed in this part of the story, told from third person narrative from Chana’s experience. Because of the supernatural aspects of her story, many of Yani’s family don’t believe what she tells them. Yani, only thirteen, holds no reservations.
Several years later, Yani is a college student studying international law, and events occur that only expand his beliefs in the supernatural. Yani, along with Aaron, Brandon and Luke, are thrown into the middle of something that turns out to be so much deeper and darker than they thought possible. Yani was a very believable character. His insecurities when he is thrown into the supernatural world are understandable, as he was surrounded by all these species that have something “special,” and he appears to be a mere human that was thrust into the world. Through some other perspectives, we also see how the supernatural community regards a human with no ties to the supernatural community which only perpetuates Yani’s insecurities.
This story is steeped in history, mainly the history of Jewish people, not only the Holocaust but also Jewish culture and traditions that I am not very familiar with but found fascinating. Because of Yani’s degree and a paper due, the reader also gets a lot of material regarding different genocides and the political environment at different times. I understood the relevance of the paper and the reason for so much focus on genocide, because it gives insight on Yani’s perspective on certain situations he encounters. Very thought provoking and made me say, “Huh,” several times to ponder the information. But the history and information was also where the story needed work. There were several unnecessary references and random information dumps that didn’t add to the plot in any valuable way, and came off as a little lecture-y; it was a little too much at times.
The story is mainly told from Yani’s perspective, with only a few times the POV changes. POV switches can make or break a book for me; I absolutely loathe trying to figure out where a POV changed and whose POV I am reading from. In this case the switch was easy to follow, it didn’t jump around, and it was clear which characters’ perspective I was reading.
This book’s focus is more on the historical element in the beginning, so it seemed a little slower to start. I got caught in the steady flow of Yani’s life and learning of the Jewish history and traditions and then, all of the sudden, events unfold; there are supernatural creatures coming out of the woodwork, and action, action, action. It was somewhat jarring, going a slow but steady pace, then to non-stop action. Not necessarily a bad thing, just… a difficult transition. There are periods of time between chapters where not much occurs, but since it is all off page, it seems like a non-stop roller coaster of crazy once events start to unfold.
As Yani, Aaron, Brandon, and Luke’s story is continued in the next book, a lot of time is spent on the development of the four college students and what their eventual roles within the supernatural community will be, and that hinges mostly on the mystery unraveling and the parts they play. If you are looking for a lot of on page intimacy and romance at the forefront of the story, this book may not be for you. The romance, while slowly simmering in the background, is definitely not the main focus; it’s extremely slow-burn and the book ends with it just winding up to possibly being more.
I wouldn’t necessarily call the ending a cliffhanger—or, maybe it is. It didn’t make me want to throw my Kindle and scream, “How can you leave me like this?!” There are several unresolved issues, and more that appear to be on the horizon for the four protagonists in book two, Justified, but I was satisfied with where this particular book wrapped up. I will definitely be joining the quartet to see how the events unfold, and what lays ahead for them.
Reviewed by Lindsey for The Novel Approach Reviews
February 28, 2021
Full Review Here: http://www.millennialbeautysisters.co...
Potential Spoilers!
Overall opinions of Magnified by Mell Eight:
I am a sucker for books that feature stories within stories within stories. Nested stories are nothing new, they've been around for as long as we've had stories to tell.
I think another thing that drew me to this story was the inherent tale of loss. We know going in that there's going to be death and I'm not necessarily drawn to that but it's relatable and you need that kernel of connection when dealing with sci-fi and fantasy...at least I do!
The characters were my favorite part of this book. They were rich and flawed and relatable and they are what kept me reading when I wasn't super into the world from time to time.
Overall this was a solid 3-3.5 star read. The plot and world could have been a bit stronger for me but the characters carried it and the shift in stories about 40% in kind of drew me back in enough to make it more enjoyable.
The book did have a few moments where it felt like one story just abruptly ends and another begins, it was odd but it tied in enough that I felt like I could keep reading. Worth noting in case that kind of thing throws you when reading!
Potential Spoilers!
Overall opinions of Magnified by Mell Eight:
I am a sucker for books that feature stories within stories within stories. Nested stories are nothing new, they've been around for as long as we've had stories to tell.
I think another thing that drew me to this story was the inherent tale of loss. We know going in that there's going to be death and I'm not necessarily drawn to that but it's relatable and you need that kernel of connection when dealing with sci-fi and fantasy...at least I do!
The characters were my favorite part of this book. They were rich and flawed and relatable and they are what kept me reading when I wasn't super into the world from time to time.
Overall this was a solid 3-3.5 star read. The plot and world could have been a bit stronger for me but the characters carried it and the shift in stories about 40% in kind of drew me back in enough to make it more enjoyable.
The book did have a few moments where it felt like one story just abruptly ends and another begins, it was odd but it tied in enough that I felt like I could keep reading. Worth noting in case that kind of thing throws you when reading!
March 10, 2021
Admittedly, reading the words “nazi” and “vampires” in the same book description was definitely startling and a little bit unsettling. I truly don’t know what I was expecting going into this, but I do know I did NOT expect to find it so enjoyable.
The initial reason I chose to read this were the queer and jewish aspects; the thing that kept me reading was the unexpectedly riveting story. I became quickly attached to multiple characters and, after finishing, I Need More of them.
The only thing that kind of bothered me was the lack of tolerable female characters. Of course, there was Chana, who was incredible, but Mary and Rachel were both written as incredibly annoying. None of the core four characters were women, which is fine, but I would have liked to see a more prominent female character.
Overall, I really do recommend this book to any twilight/general mythology buffs. It’s a mishmosh of myths from different cultures.
Also recommend to anyone seeking queer jewish representation!
The initial reason I chose to read this were the queer and jewish aspects; the thing that kept me reading was the unexpectedly riveting story. I became quickly attached to multiple characters and, after finishing, I Need More of them.
The only thing that kind of bothered me was the lack of tolerable female characters. Of course, there was Chana, who was incredible, but Mary and Rachel were both written as incredibly annoying. None of the core four characters were women, which is fine, but I would have liked to see a more prominent female character.
Overall, I really do recommend this book to any twilight/general mythology buffs. It’s a mishmosh of myths from different cultures.
Also recommend to anyone seeking queer jewish representation!
March 1, 2021
I received a copy of Magnified by Mell Eight via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review. Magnified is an interesting combination of Jewish history (CW: persecution by Nazis) and paranormal fantasy. I found myself deeply drawn into both of the worlds and fascinated by how the author combined the two. The main character Yani is so sympathetic it is easy to follow his exploits and keep rooting for him to succeed. (Spoiler: he does) The author has gone beyond the usual vampires and werewolves, although they play key roles in the book, and keeps the reader guessing as to the nature of some of the paranormal characters. While it became clear this was the start of a series, I enjoyed the way Yani and his friends became important to the paranormal world and how they will be functioning going forward. I enjoyed the fact the paranormal world has no problem with sexuality beyond the het norm, making it a safe place to be.
March 2, 2021
Yani learns his family’s secrets from his dying grandmother. Dark images of a frightening past. He doesn’t realize these secrets will change the course of his life.
This was a story of many parts. Possibly too many which was my issue with it. I loved the supernatural aspect. All the different beings were so intriguing and a few were particularly nasty. I believe there’s a fine point between creating a truly evil character or a caricature and the author did a good job of just writing plain evil.
I also really liked the interactions between Yani, Aaron, Luke, and Brandon. Their futures are bound together nicely.
This author has been a favorite of mine and I realize this book is a setup for those that follow so I’ve given some leeway in my review. I liked it.
This book was provided by the author via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review. Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
This was a story of many parts. Possibly too many which was my issue with it. I loved the supernatural aspect. All the different beings were so intriguing and a few were particularly nasty. I believe there’s a fine point between creating a truly evil character or a caricature and the author did a good job of just writing plain evil.
I also really liked the interactions between Yani, Aaron, Luke, and Brandon. Their futures are bound together nicely.
This author has been a favorite of mine and I realize this book is a setup for those that follow so I’ve given some leeway in my review. I liked it.
This book was provided by the author via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review. Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
April 21, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
3 stars
Magnified is a unique book that attempts to combine a major historical genocide with contemporary characters and the supernatural in a compelling way that for me didn’t completely succeed. There are parts I enjoyed, concepts that have potential, and choosing to introduce the reader (via the MC) to the supernatural world through a deathbed story is well done (and hands down my favorite component). Unfortunately, the separate parts didn’t come together as a fluid, captivating whole. The narrative establishes some story elements/concepts as being integral to the story, but then makes them virtually irrelevant, creating a weird tonal discordance in the narrative that isn’t helped by the sometimes stilted prose, nor the fact that I didn’t find the main character engaging. The only character I connected with was Chana, who dies before the first chapter, which kind of exemplifies my reading experience.
Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.
3 stars
Magnified is a unique book that attempts to combine a major historical genocide with contemporary characters and the supernatural in a compelling way that for me didn’t completely succeed. There are parts I enjoyed, concepts that have potential, and choosing to introduce the reader (via the MC) to the supernatural world through a deathbed story is well done (and hands down my favorite component). Unfortunately, the separate parts didn’t come together as a fluid, captivating whole. The narrative establishes some story elements/concepts as being integral to the story, but then makes them virtually irrelevant, creating a weird tonal discordance in the narrative that isn’t helped by the sometimes stilted prose, nor the fact that I didn’t find the main character engaging. The only character I connected with was Chana, who dies before the first chapter, which kind of exemplifies my reading experience.
Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.
February 26, 2021
This book was pretty good. Very well written. It was an interesting dive into mixing Jewish culture and the supernatural. The love story was sweet, which one doesn't see much these days. Aaron and Yani were cute together and it was a mature relationship that I really appreciated. It dealt with the Holocaust as well and mixed that with the supernatural. Overall, different than other vampire books I have read and definitely in a good way.
A copy of this book was provided to me by netgalley.com for the purpose of this review. #netgalley #magnified
A copy of this book was provided to me by netgalley.com for the purpose of this review. #netgalley #magnified
August 8, 2021
Unfortunately this book was not for me. The first part of the book set in Nazi Germany was actually very engaging. Unfortunately the rest of the book was too slow and boring, and I quickly lost interest.
The story felt slow. There was so much info about the religious worship and traditions, and this information should have been part of the story instead of a set of facts. I was quite surprised that I didnt like it, because I have read other books by this author and really enjoyed them. This one was simply not for me.
Copy provided by Nine Star Press in exchange for an unbiased review.
The story felt slow. There was so much info about the religious worship and traditions, and this information should have been part of the story instead of a set of facts. I was quite surprised that I didnt like it, because I have read other books by this author and really enjoyed them. This one was simply not for me.
Copy provided by Nine Star Press in exchange for an unbiased review.
February 28, 2021
With the help of vampires, werewolves, incubus and many other supernatural creatures mixed with Jewish history and three m / m relationships, the author has created a fantastic story. The plot itself was weak in some places but the characters elevate the plot.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
March 4, 2021
I really enjoyed this read and hope there will be more to come from Yani, Aaron, Brandon & Luke in their new position with the coalition! I loved the beginning which explained the history of the family & explained how it all came about to involve Uncle Yakov & Martin. I’ll be keeping an eye out for more!
Did Not Finish
February 27, 2021Thanks Netgalley for the eArc of this book.
I thought it would be nice to read something else but I was wrong. I'm just not in a mood to read about how Nazis treated Jews so I'm not going to force me self.
I thought it would be nice to read something else but I was wrong. I'm just not in a mood to read about how Nazis treated Jews so I'm not going to force me self.
March 2, 2021
Great start to a new series. I love this twisted tale with Yani tying in his history. He has some great friends at his side as they discover all that is going on. Can't wait for the next. This book was provided by the author via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2021
I loved how we were given the history of Yuri's family and how it become important to know. There are so many different paranormals in this story. I can't wait for the next one.
April 27, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
2.5
At 13, Yani thought he had heard all his Gramma Chana’s stories and history. However, on her deathbed, she tells the family the only story she never told—of her brother, Yakov, and how his falling in love with a vampire saved them from Nazis. Eight years later, when Yani finds the means to contact the great-uncle he met at his great-grandmother’s graveside, he can’t help but want to reach out. After all, even if Yakov is a vampire, he’s still family, right? Besides, having a supernatural being in the family is cool, and Yani is excited at the prospect of learning more about this hidden world.
However, Yani is in much closer contact with that world than he knows and when he suddenly finds himself surrounded by hunters, shifters, demons, and every supernat in between (some of them friends and lovers), his connection to and the danger within that world is made painfully clear. Deeply aware of his standing as a lowly human, Yani doesn’t know why he’s included when he and his friends are asked to examine an unknown text, but wanting to support his friends and family, he tags along. In doing so, Yani is pulled into an unimaginably dangerous mystery, and in the end, Yani may be the only one who can save them.
"Magnified" is a unique book that attempts to combine a major historical genocide with contemporary characters and the supernatural in a compelling way that for me didn’t completely succeed. There are parts I enjoyed, concepts that have potential, and choosing to introduce the reader (via the MC) to the supernatural world through a deathbed story is well done (and hands down my favorite component). Unfortunately, the separate parts didn’t come together as a fluid, captivating whole. The narrative establishes some story elements/concepts as being integral to the story, but then makes them virtually irrelevant, creating a weird tonal discordance in the narrative that isn’t helped by the sometimes stilted prose, nor the fact that I didn’t find the main character engaging. The only character I connected with was Chana, who dies before the first chapter, which kind of exemplifies my reading experience.
"Magnified" is written in the third-person, limited to one character’s perspective, which is usually Yani, and so what the reader learns about the majority of the characters is limited to what Yani sees (which became hilariously ironic to me later on), but mostly a problem because Yani is kind of judgmental and prone to making snap assumptions about people (whether he’s met them or not), and his inner monologue has him swinging from put upon selfless know-it all to self-righteous, indignant know-it-all. There are glimpses of his warmer side in some scenes with his family, but they can’t compete with his more common critical thoughts, such as wondering if he’s gay because “he has no patience for women” or other judgy gems such as:
“He tried to stay away from programs touting working hand in hand with Jesus. He couldn’t uphold the values the organization was trying to promote to the children, nor could he understand it.”
“Her friend Aaron who worked at a Christian Services organization sounded like a good guy, but Yani already had doubts that their beliefs and values would align closely enough to have something in common.”
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not comfortable with charitable organizations that make the services they offer contingent upon people following their religion’s creeds, but not all Christian organization do that. What harmful values and beliefs are being promoted to children? What values and beliefs does Yani think Aaron must have that are so dissimilar to his? The narrative does its best to hammer home the point that at the heart of the various atrocities that humans keep perpetuating against one another, particularly genocides, is unquestioned indoctrination of an “us vs them” mindset and sweeping judgements about people. Yet Yani traffics in stereotypes like it’s his job and he’s up for promotion. It’s hard for me to not see Yani as somewhat hypocritical, and unfortunately, two of my biggest pet peeves are judgmental and hypocritical people, which kept me from connecting with the main entry person into the world.
The limited POV also hinders the story when it comes to fleshing out the other characters. Yani is a bit of a supernatural Gary Stu, except instead of his milkshake bringing all the boys to the yard to form love triangles/quadrangles with him, he serves as the glue to form THE SUPER SQUAD: Next Generation™ that the narrative is clumsily shoehorning in. I felt I didn’t get to know any members, even the love interest, outside of whatever narrative function they were serving at the time. Brandon (Yani’s roommate) and Luke (Yani’s ex) are the group’s running joke as they spend all their time snogging or shagging (when they’re not tapped for supernat exposition 101 or to randomly mention that one thing that totally won’t be crucial to the story later on). And then there’s Aaron, the Giles of this Scooby gang who, when he isn’t displaying his encyclopedic knowledge of what the story needs to know, is sharing longing looks with Yani—Yani, the team’s AVERAGE GUY™, the non-powered mortal amongst the superpowered, who spends his time bemoaning his lack of specialness but is, of course, the heart/savior of the group and more special than he knows.
Yani’s BFF, Mary, isn’t that fleshed out either. Maybe I’m just tired of the “pushy BFF” trope, there only to be a bossy foil for the more staid MC and move her specific plot beats, but in this story it just really annoyed me. Who else but the know-it-all friend will push Yani to see Aaron again while admitting that she doesn’t know what happened, but just that he’s REALLY sorry, so go make nice. I’ve always had a problem with this kind of intermediary meddling—the person doesn’t have all the facts, but since they like/are friends with whoever made the mistake and they KNOW they’re a good person whose actions can’t possibly have been that bad, they push someone to talk to/see a person they’d rather avoid. Having seen domestic/emotional abuse victims constantly manipulated into staying with their abusers like this by people who don’t know/don’t believe the abused, I hate seeing it in stories, and with that being Mary’s main purpose, I was predisposed to disliking her.
However, even though Yani rubbed me the wrong way at times, I actually like him as a central character. He’s unflappable and pretty logical (for the most part), and there’s a reason the Average Guy is a favored entry-person into the paranormal realm; they tend to be more relatable and their discomfort and ignorance usually creates tension. I also liked Yani’s teammates. Even though what personality they show are archetypal traits related to what creature they are, they still work for the budding team dynamics and may have been better developed if the story structure was cleaner. There’s almost two stories going on and the interplay between them is clunky and uneven. For example, there’s this whole “passing the torch” set up shown when the POV switches to Yakov or other older characters, but there isn’t enough groundwork done to warrant it, making it feel clumsy, unearned, and like it’s from a different story. It’s done in a “they’ll either sink or swim” type conversation, with only a cursory nod to world building and history. The way it comes across makes as much sense as taking a kid who can’t swim or ride a horse, dubbing them the next Swimming and Equestrian Olympic gold-medalist, saying there’s only one way they’ll learn, and then throwing them on the back of a wild mustang and pointing them towards the ocean.
This feeling of separate stories is amplified by the uneven incorporation of Yani’s Jewish ancestry and faith, the thematic cruelty of genocide, and the paranormal elements together. Yani’s family history is interesting and clearly meant to be extremely important to the story, yet for all its presence and page time, it isn’t. This lack of narrative importance is exemplified by Yakov and his partner Martin; their characters and history are given a lot of page time and the impression of being integral to the main plot/Yani, but once they serve their narrative function, they are sidelined. This is also seen in the caricature of a villain, who manages to say “pathetic human” way too many times during his mmwhuuuhawhawing, and from his name and how he marks Yani to him being the ultimate in genocidal loonies, the character is so on the nose it’s painful. This powerful baddy, the reason the whole world is at stake and the tie-in to the theme of the evils of genocide is handled by the story in a way that makes him seem more funny and tacked on than vital to the tale.
I really wanted to love "Magnified"; the blurb caught my eye and the beginning was full of potential, but by the end, it was like being given the outlines for two great stories—one a history, the other a paranormal—that were accidentally combined into one book. Given the story was originally published in 2016 and this is the second edition, I feel the missed potential even more keenly. I can’t unequivocally recommend it, but it may be worth a read for those looking for paranormal stories with a unique historical setup.
2.5
At 13, Yani thought he had heard all his Gramma Chana’s stories and history. However, on her deathbed, she tells the family the only story she never told—of her brother, Yakov, and how his falling in love with a vampire saved them from Nazis. Eight years later, when Yani finds the means to contact the great-uncle he met at his great-grandmother’s graveside, he can’t help but want to reach out. After all, even if Yakov is a vampire, he’s still family, right? Besides, having a supernatural being in the family is cool, and Yani is excited at the prospect of learning more about this hidden world.
However, Yani is in much closer contact with that world than he knows and when he suddenly finds himself surrounded by hunters, shifters, demons, and every supernat in between (some of them friends and lovers), his connection to and the danger within that world is made painfully clear. Deeply aware of his standing as a lowly human, Yani doesn’t know why he’s included when he and his friends are asked to examine an unknown text, but wanting to support his friends and family, he tags along. In doing so, Yani is pulled into an unimaginably dangerous mystery, and in the end, Yani may be the only one who can save them.
"Magnified" is a unique book that attempts to combine a major historical genocide with contemporary characters and the supernatural in a compelling way that for me didn’t completely succeed. There are parts I enjoyed, concepts that have potential, and choosing to introduce the reader (via the MC) to the supernatural world through a deathbed story is well done (and hands down my favorite component). Unfortunately, the separate parts didn’t come together as a fluid, captivating whole. The narrative establishes some story elements/concepts as being integral to the story, but then makes them virtually irrelevant, creating a weird tonal discordance in the narrative that isn’t helped by the sometimes stilted prose, nor the fact that I didn’t find the main character engaging. The only character I connected with was Chana, who dies before the first chapter, which kind of exemplifies my reading experience.
"Magnified" is written in the third-person, limited to one character’s perspective, which is usually Yani, and so what the reader learns about the majority of the characters is limited to what Yani sees (which became hilariously ironic to me later on), but mostly a problem because Yani is kind of judgmental and prone to making snap assumptions about people (whether he’s met them or not), and his inner monologue has him swinging from put upon selfless know-it all to self-righteous, indignant know-it-all. There are glimpses of his warmer side in some scenes with his family, but they can’t compete with his more common critical thoughts, such as wondering if he’s gay because “he has no patience for women” or other judgy gems such as:
“He tried to stay away from programs touting working hand in hand with Jesus. He couldn’t uphold the values the organization was trying to promote to the children, nor could he understand it.”
“Her friend Aaron who worked at a Christian Services organization sounded like a good guy, but Yani already had doubts that their beliefs and values would align closely enough to have something in common.”
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not comfortable with charitable organizations that make the services they offer contingent upon people following their religion’s creeds, but not all Christian organization do that. What harmful values and beliefs are being promoted to children? What values and beliefs does Yani think Aaron must have that are so dissimilar to his? The narrative does its best to hammer home the point that at the heart of the various atrocities that humans keep perpetuating against one another, particularly genocides, is unquestioned indoctrination of an “us vs them” mindset and sweeping judgements about people. Yet Yani traffics in stereotypes like it’s his job and he’s up for promotion. It’s hard for me to not see Yani as somewhat hypocritical, and unfortunately, two of my biggest pet peeves are judgmental and hypocritical people, which kept me from connecting with the main entry person into the world.
The limited POV also hinders the story when it comes to fleshing out the other characters. Yani is a bit of a supernatural Gary Stu, except instead of his milkshake bringing all the boys to the yard to form love triangles/quadrangles with him, he serves as the glue to form THE SUPER SQUAD: Next Generation™ that the narrative is clumsily shoehorning in. I felt I didn’t get to know any members, even the love interest, outside of whatever narrative function they were serving at the time. Brandon (Yani’s roommate) and Luke (Yani’s ex) are the group’s running joke as they spend all their time snogging or shagging (when they’re not tapped for supernat exposition 101 or to randomly mention that one thing that totally won’t be crucial to the story later on). And then there’s Aaron, the Giles of this Scooby gang who, when he isn’t displaying his encyclopedic knowledge of what the story needs to know, is sharing longing looks with Yani—Yani, the team’s AVERAGE GUY™, the non-powered mortal amongst the superpowered, who spends his time bemoaning his lack of specialness but is, of course, the heart/savior of the group and more special than he knows.
Yani’s BFF, Mary, isn’t that fleshed out either. Maybe I’m just tired of the “pushy BFF” trope, there only to be a bossy foil for the more staid MC and move her specific plot beats, but in this story it just really annoyed me. Who else but the know-it-all friend will push Yani to see Aaron again while admitting that she doesn’t know what happened, but just that he’s REALLY sorry, so go make nice. I’ve always had a problem with this kind of intermediary meddling—the person doesn’t have all the facts, but since they like/are friends with whoever made the mistake and they KNOW they’re a good person whose actions can’t possibly have been that bad, they push someone to talk to/see a person they’d rather avoid. Having seen domestic/emotional abuse victims constantly manipulated into staying with their abusers like this by people who don’t know/don’t believe the abused, I hate seeing it in stories, and with that being Mary’s main purpose, I was predisposed to disliking her.
However, even though Yani rubbed me the wrong way at times, I actually like him as a central character. He’s unflappable and pretty logical (for the most part), and there’s a reason the Average Guy is a favored entry-person into the paranormal realm; they tend to be more relatable and their discomfort and ignorance usually creates tension. I also liked Yani’s teammates. Even though what personality they show are archetypal traits related to what creature they are, they still work for the budding team dynamics and may have been better developed if the story structure was cleaner. There’s almost two stories going on and the interplay between them is clunky and uneven. For example, there’s this whole “passing the torch” set up shown when the POV switches to Yakov or other older characters, but there isn’t enough groundwork done to warrant it, making it feel clumsy, unearned, and like it’s from a different story. It’s done in a “they’ll either sink or swim” type conversation, with only a cursory nod to world building and history. The way it comes across makes as much sense as taking a kid who can’t swim or ride a horse, dubbing them the next Swimming and Equestrian Olympic gold-medalist, saying there’s only one way they’ll learn, and then throwing them on the back of a wild mustang and pointing them towards the ocean.
This feeling of separate stories is amplified by the uneven incorporation of Yani’s Jewish ancestry and faith, the thematic cruelty of genocide, and the paranormal elements together. Yani’s family history is interesting and clearly meant to be extremely important to the story, yet for all its presence and page time, it isn’t. This lack of narrative importance is exemplified by Yakov and his partner Martin; their characters and history are given a lot of page time and the impression of being integral to the main plot/Yani, but once they serve their narrative function, they are sidelined. This is also seen in the caricature of a villain, who manages to say “pathetic human” way too many times during his mmwhuuuhawhawing, and from his name and how he marks Yani to him being the ultimate in genocidal loonies, the character is so on the nose it’s painful. This powerful baddy, the reason the whole world is at stake and the tie-in to the theme of the evils of genocide is handled by the story in a way that makes him seem more funny and tacked on than vital to the tale.
I really wanted to love "Magnified"; the blurb caught my eye and the beginning was full of potential, but by the end, it was like being given the outlines for two great stories—one a history, the other a paranormal—that were accidentally combined into one book. Given the story was originally published in 2016 and this is the second edition, I feel the missed potential even more keenly. I can’t unequivocally recommend it, but it may be worth a read for those looking for paranormal stories with a unique historical setup.
April 12, 2021
I’m becoming quite the Mell Eight fan lately. Other than the fact that I like her writing style, I think a lot of that has to do with the variety of stories she’s written. From her adorable dragons in her Supernatural Consultant series to the mysterious and sometimes dangerous Fae in her Out of Underhill series, I know I’m always going to find a unique and entertaining story. The Magnified series is off to a good start and promises more of the same.
I’ve always been moved by stories of the Holocaust. It’s such a dark part of world history and it’s hard to believe it happened not so long ago. That was enough to draw me into Yani’s story. Add to that the paranormal aspect and I found Magnified hard to put down.
Readers were swept into the past as they learned about Yani’s family history, both their time surviving the Holocaust and the paranormal link that they shared. Honestly, their family history would have been intriguing enough without their tie to vampires, but it made their story even more interesting. Eventually Yani’s past caught up with his present and the mystery and danger continued. It soon became clear that nothing was exactly as it seemed and reality changed. It also became clear that Yani was more tied to that supernatural aspect than he ever expected.
Yani and his friends’ story is far from over by the end of Magnified, although the first book does come to a satisfying end. The next book in the series is Justified, which will hopefully be re-released soon because I can’t wait to find out how the story continues.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Magnified. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’ve always been moved by stories of the Holocaust. It’s such a dark part of world history and it’s hard to believe it happened not so long ago. That was enough to draw me into Yani’s story. Add to that the paranormal aspect and I found Magnified hard to put down.
Readers were swept into the past as they learned about Yani’s family history, both their time surviving the Holocaust and the paranormal link that they shared. Honestly, their family history would have been intriguing enough without their tie to vampires, but it made their story even more interesting. Eventually Yani’s past caught up with his present and the mystery and danger continued. It soon became clear that nothing was exactly as it seemed and reality changed. It also became clear that Yani was more tied to that supernatural aspect than he ever expected.
Yani and his friends’ story is far from over by the end of Magnified, although the first book does come to a satisfying end. The next book in the series is Justified, which will hopefully be re-released soon because I can’t wait to find out how the story continues.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Magnified. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 5, 2017
Title: Magnified
Author: Mell Eight
Publisher: Less Than three Press
ISBN: 9781620048535
Buy Link: https://lessthanthreepress.com/books/...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Magnified 1
On her deathbed, Yani's Great Grandmother reveals she has one last story from her past to tell: that of his Great Uncle Yakov, who helped her survive the Nazis. It's a story of vampires and werewolves he can scarcely believe—and in the wake of his Great Grandmother's death, Yani realizes the story is far from over.
The world of vampires and werewolves isn't a safe place for a human, even one with Yani's unusual family history. With danger at his door, the smart thing would be to run, but much like his Great Grandmother Yani has never been very good at running away—especially with his loved ones and the whole world at stake.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
Yani's world was turned upside down the day his grandmother revealed that his Great Uncle Yakov fell in love with a vampire while they were hiding form the Nazis during WWII. Yani was the only one who was listening so the day of her funeral he recognized who he was. Now Yani was a regular college student who got along well with his roommate Brandon and spent his time fending off the unwanted attentions of Rachel, a girl in one of his classes, and his ex-boyfriend Luke things seem ordinary indeed, but looks can be deceiving. Yani is set up with the blind date from hell, Aaron, where he ends up chained in a prison failed with the ashes of dead vampires. That is Yani's initiation into the paranormal world where he quickly learns that many of his friends are not exactly what he thought, including Aaron whose own father was a vampire slayer. From incubuses, werewolves, demons, and witches this story was filling with surprising twists and intense characters who hold the reader spellbound. I will be waiting for the next book in the Magnified series.
Author: Mell Eight
Publisher: Less Than three Press
ISBN: 9781620048535
Buy Link: https://lessthanthreepress.com/books/...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Magnified 1
On her deathbed, Yani's Great Grandmother reveals she has one last story from her past to tell: that of his Great Uncle Yakov, who helped her survive the Nazis. It's a story of vampires and werewolves he can scarcely believe—and in the wake of his Great Grandmother's death, Yani realizes the story is far from over.
The world of vampires and werewolves isn't a safe place for a human, even one with Yani's unusual family history. With danger at his door, the smart thing would be to run, but much like his Great Grandmother Yani has never been very good at running away—especially with his loved ones and the whole world at stake.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
Yani's world was turned upside down the day his grandmother revealed that his Great Uncle Yakov fell in love with a vampire while they were hiding form the Nazis during WWII. Yani was the only one who was listening so the day of her funeral he recognized who he was. Now Yani was a regular college student who got along well with his roommate Brandon and spent his time fending off the unwanted attentions of Rachel, a girl in one of his classes, and his ex-boyfriend Luke things seem ordinary indeed, but looks can be deceiving. Yani is set up with the blind date from hell, Aaron, where he ends up chained in a prison failed with the ashes of dead vampires. That is Yani's initiation into the paranormal world where he quickly learns that many of his friends are not exactly what he thought, including Aaron whose own father was a vampire slayer. From incubuses, werewolves, demons, and witches this story was filling with surprising twists and intense characters who hold the reader spellbound. I will be waiting for the next book in the Magnified series.
February 19, 2017
Okay. So...okay. This is not a bad story. The actual story itself is kinda interesting - vampires and werewolves and magic and a "normal" human banding together in a sort of college-age elite team thing. Here's the thing, though - it's two separate novellas, loosely connected by secondary characters, and the transition between the two is...well, kinda boring. Now that the world is built, I would try another related story, but I don't think this particular one is one that I would recommend. I'd say go read the Dragon Detective series instead.
June 27, 2021
This was an okay book for me. i loved some aspects of the book but a lot of it also kept me bored.
With the things i liked, i loved the references of Jewish history and the part about the holocoast, while brief, was an intriguing aspect to learn about. Ill be honest i had no expectations nor any info about the book before i went in, so the urban fantasy aspect was a delightful surprise. In regards to characters, i adored Yakov and Martin and i wished we got more from them!!
in terms of the actual plot, there really wasnt much tension for me to be invested in following the characters nor were the characters well developed. Yani as a character stayed flat in terms of growth so i wasnt that invested in him as a character either. i also wished we got more about the politics within the supernatural factions because it was hinted at, just not explored as much as id have hoped.
note: I received an arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley
With the things i liked, i loved the references of Jewish history and the part about the holocoast, while brief, was an intriguing aspect to learn about. Ill be honest i had no expectations nor any info about the book before i went in, so the urban fantasy aspect was a delightful surprise. In regards to characters, i adored Yakov and Martin and i wished we got more from them!!
in terms of the actual plot, there really wasnt much tension for me to be invested in following the characters nor were the characters well developed. Yani as a character stayed flat in terms of growth so i wasnt that invested in him as a character either. i also wished we got more about the politics within the supernatural factions because it was hinted at, just not explored as much as id have hoped.
note: I received an arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley
August 29, 2017
Good
3.25 Stars
I liked this one. It wasn’t perfect and had a few plot holes, but I still enjoyed it.
I enjoyed going back into the past for Yanov and Martin’s story at the start of the book but felt that the momentum of the story suffered a little when we transitioned to the present and continued with Yani’s story, understandable because the new characters, Yani and his friends and family, all had to be introduced for the story to continue. Once I got past this lag in the storyline the story continued on well and kept me entertained. I liked that Yanov and Martin returned and that they were both still protective of Yanov’s descendants.
Looking forward to the continuation of Yani’s storyline in the next book
3.25 Stars
I liked this one. It wasn’t perfect and had a few plot holes, but I still enjoyed it.
I enjoyed going back into the past for Yanov and Martin’s story at the start of the book but felt that the momentum of the story suffered a little when we transitioned to the present and continued with Yani’s story, understandable because the new characters, Yani and his friends and family, all had to be introduced for the story to continue. Once I got past this lag in the storyline the story continued on well and kept me entertained. I liked that Yanov and Martin returned and that they were both still protective of Yanov’s descendants.
Looking forward to the continuation of Yani’s storyline in the next book
September 1, 2017
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review
For the full review visit http://wp.me/p220KL-85B
From that review: "Magnified is the first in a new series by Mell Eight and a most unusual series its starting out to be. A supernatural tale, it has all the typical elements one expects to find such as vampires, werewolves, succubi and more but one of its main characters and an important secondary character are Eastern European Jews, one of whom barely escaped the trains and gas chambers of WWII. How they did it and their Jewish traditions they carry with them always as part of who they are is a central element to this story and I expect of this series."
For all our reviews, author interviews, and such, visit us at http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
For the full review visit http://wp.me/p220KL-85B
From that review: "Magnified is the first in a new series by Mell Eight and a most unusual series its starting out to be. A supernatural tale, it has all the typical elements one expects to find such as vampires, werewolves, succubi and more but one of its main characters and an important secondary character are Eastern European Jews, one of whom barely escaped the trains and gas chambers of WWII. How they did it and their Jewish traditions they carry with them always as part of who they are is a central element to this story and I expect of this series."
For all our reviews, author interviews, and such, visit us at http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
August 31, 2016
I received this book through Net Galley as an ARC and I can honestly say after a strange and slow start it really picked up pace.
Yani was a great character so clear headed, bringing in his roommate Brandon, his ex lover Luke and his new love interest Aaron was entertaining and offering multiple supernatural entities together fighting for one cause was well worked.
I'm thoroughly looking forward to book 2 Justified.
Yani was a great character so clear headed, bringing in his roommate Brandon, his ex lover Luke and his new love interest Aaron was entertaining and offering multiple supernatural entities together fighting for one cause was well worked.
I'm thoroughly looking forward to book 2 Justified.
September 25, 2016
3.75 stars
March 4, 2021
While reading this book, I realized that I have conflicting opinions about it, and now that I have finished it I can confirm this feeling. It's not that I didn't like it ... but I didn't exactly love it either.
Let's start from the plot: the protagonist, Yani, is a Jewish boy who on his great-grandmother's deathbed learns about the woman's story: she tells her family how she and her children fled from the Nazis during World War II thanks to the help of a vampire, who gave them refuge and helped them escape to America when the conflict was over. The story, from the beginning, appears quite original. It mixes heartbreaking real historical facts seen from the perspective of a Jewish family in Poland, with supernatural elements that, contrary to what one might imagine, are not at odds with the highly sensitive context.
Chana took her own bath. She emerged, feeling human again.
This type of quote, however short and simple, strongly describes the horrors of war and has a great impact on the reader.
All too often in fantasy and literature, Hebrew and the Jewish Star were used in evil spells to summon the devil or to hurt people. Whether it was ignorance or anti-Semitism on the part of the author and artist was irrelevant because either way it was wrong and hurtful.
I was very interested in all the references to Jewish culture and traditions, and Yani's personal point of view regarding political and cultural factors got me thinking several times during the reading. Also, I found the family ties portrayed in the book very tender, with the beautiful and warm atmosphere of unity that reigns in Yani's large family, which made their scenes special and fascinating.
Continuing with the aspects that I liked, I appreciated the time jump in the first part of the book, where Grandma Chana shares her personal story to her family. However, I admit that I would also have preferred to have Yakov's point of view to better understand how the bond between him and Martin developed; it would have made the birth of their relationship more complex. Being everything from Chana's point of view, the relationship appears rather impersonal: it is not known how Yakov met Martin, and all in all it seems a very lucky love at first sight.
Let us now turn to the rest of the novel. Again, it's not that it's bad, it's that I would have appreciated it more if there had been a deeper insight into the characters (at least of Yani and Martin, which is the two points of view of the story - the random changes in the pov; it would have been better to divide the chapters in a more proportionate way and dedicate one each, perhaps expanding the amount of events and descriptions for each scene from their pov). Instead, from chapter two everything becomes too hasty, the events are told very quickly, without great attention to the more emotional and psychological aspects. Even Yani's acceptance of the many supernatural beings around him is all too quiet. It certainly helped that he had been aware of vampires since he was 13, thanks to Chana's telling, but in general I was expecting a more skeptical - or at least less impassive - reaction. The only doubt he has, at a certain point of the story, is that since he is a simple human, he does not feel that he belongs to the group of supernatural beings in which he found himself, but even here the doubts are eliminated all too quickly. .
All in all, I think the biggest problem with this book is the rather simple and poor writing style, which makes everything too hasty and minimalist. Descriptions are lacking, introspection is lacking, true feelings and sensations are lacking. I probably would have loved this book if I had been younger, but right now I expect more from storytelling. It's a shame, because the plot elements really have the potential to build a great story. The mystery of the ifrit and the appearance of Cain are quite interesting and kept me in suspense, curious to know what would happen, which still makes me want to read the sequel to find out how the story will proceed.
I received a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NineStar Press, LLC. and Mell Eight!
Let's start from the plot: the protagonist, Yani, is a Jewish boy who on his great-grandmother's deathbed learns about the woman's story: she tells her family how she and her children fled from the Nazis during World War II thanks to the help of a vampire, who gave them refuge and helped them escape to America when the conflict was over. The story, from the beginning, appears quite original. It mixes heartbreaking real historical facts seen from the perspective of a Jewish family in Poland, with supernatural elements that, contrary to what one might imagine, are not at odds with the highly sensitive context.
Chana took her own bath. She emerged, feeling human again.
This type of quote, however short and simple, strongly describes the horrors of war and has a great impact on the reader.
All too often in fantasy and literature, Hebrew and the Jewish Star were used in evil spells to summon the devil or to hurt people. Whether it was ignorance or anti-Semitism on the part of the author and artist was irrelevant because either way it was wrong and hurtful.
I was very interested in all the references to Jewish culture and traditions, and Yani's personal point of view regarding political and cultural factors got me thinking several times during the reading. Also, I found the family ties portrayed in the book very tender, with the beautiful and warm atmosphere of unity that reigns in Yani's large family, which made their scenes special and fascinating.
Continuing with the aspects that I liked, I appreciated the time jump in the first part of the book, where Grandma Chana shares her personal story to her family. However, I admit that I would also have preferred to have Yakov's point of view to better understand how the bond between him and Martin developed; it would have made the birth of their relationship more complex. Being everything from Chana's point of view, the relationship appears rather impersonal: it is not known how Yakov met Martin, and all in all it seems a very lucky love at first sight.
Let us now turn to the rest of the novel. Again, it's not that it's bad, it's that I would have appreciated it more if there had been a deeper insight into the characters (at least of Yani and Martin, which is the two points of view of the story - the random changes in the pov; it would have been better to divide the chapters in a more proportionate way and dedicate one each, perhaps expanding the amount of events and descriptions for each scene from their pov). Instead, from chapter two everything becomes too hasty, the events are told very quickly, without great attention to the more emotional and psychological aspects. Even Yani's acceptance of the many supernatural beings around him is all too quiet. It certainly helped that he had been aware of vampires since he was 13, thanks to Chana's telling, but in general I was expecting a more skeptical - or at least less impassive - reaction. The only doubt he has, at a certain point of the story, is that since he is a simple human, he does not feel that he belongs to the group of supernatural beings in which he found himself, but even here the doubts are eliminated all too quickly. .
All in all, I think the biggest problem with this book is the rather simple and poor writing style, which makes everything too hasty and minimalist. Descriptions are lacking, introspection is lacking, true feelings and sensations are lacking. I probably would have loved this book if I had been younger, but right now I expect more from storytelling. It's a shame, because the plot elements really have the potential to build a great story. The mystery of the ifrit and the appearance of Cain are quite interesting and kept me in suspense, curious to know what would happen, which still makes me want to read the sequel to find out how the story will proceed.
I received a free copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NineStar Press, LLC. and Mell Eight!
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