Incarnate

Awesome Debut!

I was initially drawn to this book because of the amazing cover, but then when I read the synopsis, I knew I needed to read this book. It is creative, original, and amazing!! The fantasy is fantastic. I mean there's dragons in it! How cool is that? The romance was sweet, and at times a little heartbreaking. The pace of the book was great. It picked up little by little and built up to a tense ending. I found myself gripping my nook in suspense. It touched many of my emotions and kept me hooked from beginning to end.

As you know, Ana is a Newsoul. I won't go into that since you already have the basics of it from the overview. I really liked Ana. She turns eighteen and leaves home to go to Heart. She wants to find out why she has been born, and if she will be reborn again after she dies. Ana has been treated horrible her whole life and told that she has no soul and can't love or feel. Nothing could be further from the truth. She is a very strong, determined, and passionate person. I really loved her character. She goes through a lot, but keeps pushing forward.

Now onto Sam. *sigh* It only took me a few chapters to love Sam. He is the sweetest. He believes in Ana, and never thought of her as a Nosoul the way so many others do. He only wants to help her and protect her. He see's her for who she really is, not as an Oldsoul or Newsoul. I suppose when it's the only person you have never known it's easy to see them for who they are, but he never judges her like others do. Their relationship is sweet and gradual. It made my heart melt. I found myself smiling at many of their interactions.


There were a few things that were unclear to me in the story, but maybe we will learn about them more as the series goes on. I would love to know more about the years. They have fifteen different ones I believe, that are all named different things, like the year of hunger. We didn't really get to know much about any of them, and I would have liked to. And also Soul Night, but I don't think we are supposed to know about it yet. Ana is also wondering what it's about so we probably learn that in the next book. (Hopefully) Also I found the concept a little weird that as you are being reincarnated into different people you could be lovers in one life, and then potentially a parent to them in another life. It's all very strange, but I understand why it works that way. People live and die at different times, so it's inevitable over 5,000 years that it would probably happen at some point. Overall I really loved this book, I am hoping that in the next book we get more information on things that I felt were a little unclear in this one though. This is definitely a fantastic start to a series! 4.5 out of 5 stars

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

5 STARS

I've always been a skeptic about the conceptions of reincarnation. I have even had moments where I wondered if IT IS true, what would be the possibilities of being reincarnated into a person or an animal? And ironically, how it would also be awesome to remember your past lives and carry it on to the next. It would be a great way to never make the same mistake twice, right!

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows is captivating, delightful, and will become an extension of your arm because you won't be able to put it down! I LOVED IT!!

I was so wrapped up in the story that there was barely any moment where I let it go. The story is very unique and you don't often come across books that have reincarnation as its premise.
The characters were easy to remember because each one played a distinctive role and stood out from each other. Some where very easy to fall in love with and befriend where others you just wanted to strangle or hoped to get chewed up by a dragon. When I say this, I'm hinting on Li whom I'm hating with a passion. =) Which goes to show how well Jodi's written words pulls the reader's emotions right into the story!
The romance between Sam and Ana is a kismet that any girl would die for! I was swept off my feet right from the beginning and swooned over its progression. Hearts were a flutter when I got near the end. I'm still giddy way after I've finished reading it.
The society and story-line are intriguing and I really want to know more, I'm hoping to get MORE! I'm really wishing that there will be a sequel. As for the ending, it made me a bit wary of Sam, but I think I'm just being cynical. hahaha
I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND this beautiful 2012 debut!! YOU MUST READ 'INCARNATE' by Jodi Meadows!!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book is going to be one of the best of 2012

In Range for millions of years souls have been reincarnated, everyone knows everybody and they all know one thing for certain, once they die they will come back. Everything is shattered when Ana is born, the little girl that came into this world when everyone was expecting Ciana reincarnation, but she never came back.
No soul, that's what Ana's been called her whole life, she's been told she isn't allowed to love, that the feeling she believes to feel aren't real, that she isn't even worthy of being alive.
That is what Ana has been led to believe her whole life, that because of her Ciana disappeared for ever she is one with out a soul.
Everything changes on Ana's eighteen birthday the day she is finally free from her mother Li and all her horrible cares, Ana embarks on a journey to find out who she is and why she is now part of this world.

Ana is an incredible character to read, she is strong, curious, loves music and has a thirst for knowledge. Jodi Medows portrays in her book the feeling that she was having fun while she was writing Incarnate and she passes it along to the reader, that is one of the reasons why this book not only gets the top grades, but it also goes up into my favorites shelf in goodreads.
There is something about Ana and her story that is so... pure, she comes into a world that is jaded, while she is full of curiosity and will to learn about this world that she now forms part of she brings freshness into Heart and just the mere fact that she exist starts to shake things up.
The only real weirdness in this book is that Ana is a new soul, she has never lived before or loved, so everything about her is pure and it doesn't matter who the love interest maybe, there will be weirdness because the love interest will be a person with so many lifes of experience ahead of her. Once you get past this awkwardness you get to enjoy this book and see its true potential. And that same awkwardness and other elements of this book gives us not only a story but also something to think about.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Incredible Fantasy, beautifully written

Insanely jealous. That's how I felt after reading Incarnate. How can a writer use words and phrases I've read and heard all my life and put them together so differently to tell a story so mesmerizing that I didn't feel time go by, I didn't eat, I didn't acknowledge anyone. I was immersed in this new world and the people in it and mostly, in the private world of Ana and Sam. To say I liked this novel would be an understatement. Part high fantasy with dragons, centaurs and other monsters, part dystopian with the High Council making decisions about the citizens of Heart and part Science Fiction with drones and lasers it is completely fascinating. The characters are well developed beginning with Ana or NoSoul telling us bits of her early life from her eighteen year old self as she leaves Li the woman that raised her, that gave birth to her, but certainly not the woman that deserves the title of mother. Not as we read further about how she treated Ana and see how undeserving Ana feels of even the smallest kindness. Li festered under my skin like a wound I wanted to cut open and bleed. She was a warrior, yes, but heartless and cruel. And when she sets Ana out for her trip to Heart by herself, she sends her the wrong way with half truths and a broken compass. Sam, who has lived for thousands of years as a man and as a woman has the most compassion and empathy for Ana and seems to understand her almost immediately. When she acts like a frightened deer, he takes more time, never turned away by her harsh words, when she lashes out before he can lash at her. He slowly comes to understand her more, but learns how to treat her, very early on, so she doesn't run away. Music plays a big part in this story. It's always been Ana's comfort and Sam enjoys it too. The way it is developed into the story as more is very interesting. I know the piano a little, but have never written music. I was fascinated at how the description of the music sounded. It's something you'll have to read to discover and enjoy. Heart, is not an accepting place, despite it's name. There is very little acceptance of Ana, but then don't people always fear the unknown, differences. And she is unique, one of a kind. No one knows why she exists. Or how. And more importantly if they will be the next to not reincarnate. They are afraid and place all that fear into anger against her. The world Jodi Meadows paints is slow to be revealed, exactly as I like it. Some of it could be our world. Some of it could be what I've read in history books. Sam describes the time of cave people. And then there are the fantasy elements, the reincarnation, it's not hard to grasp or believe. It's not filled with rules I don't understand or complex societies. It's very basic. And that's Ana and Sam's problem. Jealously, greed, fear. There were elements of danger, romance, violence, war with dragons and sylphs. Ana finds herself in unusual and unlikely places. There are attacks and accusations. A lot of danger in Heart, some place you'd think would be peaceful. The conclusion is satisfying in that there is no cliffhanger, but it definitely leaves you wanting more.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Wonderfully written, beautiful and emotional.

I don't know where to start...maybe OMG will do for now! I really loved Incarnate. Such a fresh and exciting debut that's sure to knocks your socks off! Meadows writing is so unique. The detail is fascinating and it really helped set in stone the world Ana is from. The romance, world building and characters are to die for and I just couldn't get enough.

The world of Range and Heart is so beautiful that I couldn't help but to fall in love with it, just as Ana does. Ana is a tough cookie, although it seems as if she's easily knocked down, she's not afraid to get back up. She has a passion for learning and figuring out why she's the only newsoul and how she replaced another soul. As she ventures to Heart, the main city, she meets the young and good looking Sam who makes her feel worthy of friendship, love, and life.

Finally...a book that has a slow paced, realistic romance that buds from a strong friendship. I absolutely loved how Meadows brings Sam and Ana together. They stuck it out together and I have huge hopes for them in future books!!

I've heard some folks were hoping for more out of the characters and the world, like what time period it was. I definitely see where they are coming from, but in Range years are not consecutive numbers, like 2012 and so on. There are years for specific things, such as The Year of the Songs.

Like I *might* have mentioned before, Incarnate is so unique and exciting. It has quickly made its way to the top of my favorites and I can't wait to hear more from Jodi Meadows as well, a very talented writer!!

Review based on ARC

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Incarnate is Fantastic!!!

Incarnate is incredible. I have to give enormous praise to Jodi Meadows on the main character, Ana. I loved this girl. Ana doesn't hold back. I’ve read so many books where the girl has a problem with the guy, but she just keeps her mouth shut, when what they want to do is to ask what’s going on, but they never do. They just hold it all in. But not Ana. She takes the guy by the…Oops can't say that. She takes the bull by the horns and lets it all out. YAY! No melodrama here. I love that Jodi Meadows gives Ana a no nonsense voice. Ana speaks her mind. Oh, yeah, I love this girl. Jodi Meadows also created a fantastic supernatural world where the people of Heart have immortality by being reincarnated. There’re also dragons, too, with a few more supernatural creatures, and plenty of action with beautiful romance that kept me glued to this awesome storyline.

Ana is eighteen and needs answers about her life, like why she’s a newsoul when everyone else has been reliving their life over and over for five thousand years and she hasn't. On her way to the city of Heart where she will find these answers, Ana meets Sam, who ends up taking her to Heart and helping Ana try to find out who or what she is. Sam is five thousand years old, but his body is the body of a eighteen year old. I fell in love with Sam. His love for Ana is beautiful. A mind of a mature, tender man, in a gorgeous eighteen year old body. How much more prefect can it get? And Sam has a thousand ways to show his love for Ana.

Incarnate is a fantastic fantasy adventure into a dystopia world with a beautiful love that will never die. I recommend Incarnate as a must read.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

captivating, beautiful and exciting new trilogy

Jodi Meadows' debut novel Incarnate is the first book in the New Souls trilogy. This fantasy offers a unique world filled with dragons, slyphs and a city called Heart. The tale has danger, battles, suspense, romance, a divine being, mystery and intrigue. Book one centers around the romance of Ana and Sam; as we are spoon-fed details about the world in which they live. While at times I found this frustrating, it was enough to keep me engaged. Protagonist Ana is born on the eve of Ciana¿s expected birth. In Ana¿s world souls are reborn over and over. At her birth it is the first time in recorded history that a new soul is born and an old soul is lost. This causes panic throughout this tightly woven utopia. Her father is embarrassed and quickly leaves town. Li, her mother, reluctantly raises her away from the community of Heart. The first seventeen years of Ana¿s life are bleak, as her mother inflicts her fears and hatred upon her. She calls her a nosoul and convinces Ana she is nothing. Despite this Ana secretly teaches herself to read and develops a passion for music. When Ana is eighteen, she leaves her childhood home to return to Heart. She is determined to find answers and escape her mother. Ana's journey is filled with danger and it is here that she first meets Sam. I love how they meet, and the dance they do trying to figure each other out. It is evident that Ana's upbringing has effected her, but slowly Sam builds Ana's confidence and the real Ana begins to emerge. They travel to the city of Heart and the tale that unfolds is beautiful, captivating and shrouded in mystery. I know some readers will be frustrated by the limited world-building, but because this is a trilogy, I am giving the writer some slack. The main focus of this novel was the relationship between Sam and Ana and it was beautiful done and totally believable. The romance progressed slowly and the way they interacted had me giggling, pulling my hair out and flipping the pages. The author begins to show us the character growth we can expect from Ana as she gains more confidence and validates her existence. I give Meadows kudos for her grasp of the complex psyche an abused soul exhibits. We see insight into Sam's former lives, his loneliness and his regard for Ana. Most of my frustration came in the form of questions involve the world, the city of Heart, Janan and the souls. Meadows gave me just enough details to wet my appetite and equally frustrate me. I blew through Incarnate simply because I could not put it down. The romance was wonderful, but I am really hoping that books two and three give us more detail regarding Heart, Janan, the Tower and Souls. I consider Incarnate (Newsoul #1)to be an appetizer and I am still hungry. Hopefully book two will provide the main course. I am looking forward to the next installment and will be keeping an eye on this talented author. I want to thank netGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!

This book is awsome!!!!!! I love Ana and Dossam together are so sweet and their first kiss is awsome!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

How pretty is the cover?! *stares* I enjoyed this story and hav

How pretty is the cover?! *stares*

I enjoyed this story and have read it more than once now, each time falling more in *hearts* with Ana and Sam (especially Sam).

Ana's spent her short eighteen years living in seclusion and fear. She's had to decipher almost everything on her own whether it be learning to read or the natural changes taking place in her body. Her own mother, Li (who reminds me of the evil step-mother from Cinderella save for the fact that Li was a man in her previous life) resents Ana for living what she feels should be someone else's life even though Ana had no control over her own birth. She views her as completely useless and makes sure Ana is aware that everyone else shares her opinion. Once Ana gets to Heart she sees for herself that even reincarnated infants come back into the world with enough knowledge to communicate their needs effectively with their parents.

Being treated as an outsider from birth has put Ana on the defensive thus making it difficult for her to accept help from others, even those trying to save her life. When she first meets Sam she doesn't know what to make of him. Physically, he looks like a teenager but it becomes pretty obvious he's lived a lifetime or two before. (Or thirty but whose counting?) He throws her off by doing what no one else has ever dared to do before - he talks to her. Not only that but he shows her kindness and continues to even after he realizes who, or what she is. (She expected him to run screaming into the night, but it didn't happen.) He also insists she not refer to herself as a "Nosoul" but a "Newsoul". In his eyes, she's a new life, a person capable of feelings and opinions, definitely someone worth knowing. *Begins work on my TEAM SAM shirt*

Sam believes Ana is a gift not only for the people of Heart but his life as well. *swoons* He does whatever he can to help her as she delves into her past, trying to discover why she was allowed to be born and what purpose she might serve. He introduces her to his friends, explains how Heart's customs work and the jobs get assigned. He answers all of her questions, including those about Janan and attempts to explain the soul joining ceremony that they witness. He tells her that for some, the love two people share is so deep it reaches each person's soul, giving them both a kind of knowledge...that they would "know" each other anywhere regardless of what age, gender or physical condition their body is in when they are reborn. As their relationship continues to grow beyond friendship Ana begins to hear whispers that Sam is just using her. Sam does his best to reassure her of his feelings and she longs to trust her heart which tells her he would never hurt her but there are many who will do whatever necessary to keep them apart.

When the city of Heart falls under attack and Sam goes missing, Ana will be in the fight of her life. In the midst of the battle and chaos no one knows for certain what will happen if Ana is killed. Will she die? Will she be reborn? No matter the outcome, she tries to focus on the only thing she knows for sure; how she feels about Sam and that she'd know "him" anywhere.

With Incarnate, Jodi Meadows, gives us an action packed, love story with interesting characters where danger and fantasy abound. She also drives home the message that every soul, every life has worth regardless of how long it's lived.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Incarnate is a beautifully compelling story about reincarnation,

Incarnate is a beautifully compelling story about reincarnation, theology and so much more. This is definitely the most unique story I have read in a very long time.

Jodi Meadows has created a new world where only a million souls exist and they have been reincarnated over and over again. The souls retain their memories and experiences from all of their previous lifetimes. Then Ana is born, a no soul, and an old soul vanishes. This is the just the beginning of Ana's story.

Ana is a strong female character with a unique story. She struggles with finding her worth in a world that she knows nothing about and has no need for her. The narration, told through Ana's eyes, is vivid in detail and at times painful to read. Ana is abused by her `mother' and decides to look for answers to her existence in Heart, the capital city. Ana's journey is filled with dangerous terrain and creatures luckily she meets Sam to help her through it. Ana and Sam's journey to Heart shows the growth of the two characters as they learn more about each other. Incarnate is a true story of friendship and discovery.

Another element of Incarnate is the music. Ana discovers her love for music and it becomes another character adding depth to the story. The music in the story is timeless. I love the idea that the music is the one constant in the revolving world of the reincarnation.

Incarnate is a definite read. It weaves a very compelling story-line, with a well-developed plot featuring strong themes and strong characters. Jodi Meadows has created a story that doesn't fit into a category and fuels the imagination.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Review From Gypsy Book Reviews

Incarnate is a refreshing utopian-romance in the sea of dystopians, one whose words match the pretty cover, and will leave you wishing for a time machine to go into the future for the sequels. But in the meantime, I will be rereading the masquerade scene, thankyouverymuch. FAVORITE EVER!

So I’ve heard good and bad things about Incarnate, to the point where I was terrified to read it. I really wanted to like it! JUST LOOK AT THAT COVER. It begs to be a likeable book! And for me, it was. I think what a lot of people didn’t realize was it wasn’t just a story of Ana learning why she is a “nosoul” as Li calls her, but is also a story of Ana feeling emotions—falling in love—when Li says nosouls don’t have emotions. Those people hadn’t realized it was a romance story and expected so much more out of Incarnate.

Meadows’ prose is delicate and subtle. I loved it. I had an image of Range in my head as soon as I read the first paragraph, and it only grew from there. The worldbuilding is amazing. The subtlety of it is, too. Ana doesn’t ask questions, or even a simple “Huh?” when she doesn’t understand. No info-dumps. Just a relief and an amazing break from books that do the info-dump so readers understand the world.

I hinted above about a masquerade scene. Oh, man. OH MAN. That scene killed me. I’m not alive anymore, just typing from the beyond. What happens after that scene… oh my lanta. It was scary and amazing. But, a little hint as to why I loved the masquerade scene: there’s kissing involved, but you already guessed that, didn’t you? I LOVE KISSING SCENES. And this one is hot, hot, hot. And did I mention hot?? *G*

Incarnate is full of twists and turns, and I loved every bit of it. There is a scene in the book that made me squeal out loud because I HADN’T realized it was coming and it was so, so amazing and I felt so happy for Ana. (if you’ve read it, it’s the scene where her and Sam are in his house in Heart and Ana’s uncovering everything downstairs.) And the ending; wow, that ending. Amazing and I hadn’t expected it.

This is a book you WANT to read. Put it on your wishlist and toss your schedule around when you get it, because once you dive in, there’s no turning back.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Amazing

This book was soooo good. The thought of souls reincarnating for over 5000 years and retaining their memories just blew my mind. Will there be a sequel?

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Beautiful from the first page!

What I Liked: 1) Completely and utterly unique. All books are unique, in their own way, I think. But Incarnate, with its Souls who are reincarnated after death into new bodies with the same memories and experiences from their previous lives was definitely a creative new story. 2) Ana. Ana, unlike the rest of the souls is a newsoul. Some call her a nosoul, and treat her basically like a pariah. It was interesting to experience her life alongside her, with everyone else already knowing so much about the world, and she is learning everything new for the first time. And to watch her come out of her shell of who everyone has told her she's supposed to be and who she isn't, and instead embrace who she wants to be. 3) Sam. Sam is kind of a mystery throughout the whole book. He seems kind of calm and collected throughout the whole book, but you can't help but wonder what's behind that facade! I also thought he was a really sweet guy and I kept begging for more emotion from him. 4) Descriptions. This entire book is full of beautiful descriptions that make the book really come alive. My imagination was just exploding with all the colors and scenes that I was seeing as I read. 5) The party scene. This was probably my favorite scene of the whole book. There is so much going on, and so much mystery with all the costumes and masks that I really wanted to be right there with Ana and Sam and the rest of the characters.

What I Didn't Like: Nothing!

Overall thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed Incarnate, and thought that Jodi Meadows' writing was refreshingly creative and fun! The characters are lively and well-developed, and the imagery is astounding. Incarnate is one of those not-to-be-missed novels this year, and I'm already looking forward to book 2!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Loved It

You wouldn’t think from the cover of this book that it has dragons. Lots of awesome dragons. But it does, my friends, it does. Oh yes. What else do you need?



So, basically, I loved this book beyond the telling of it. Ana suffered so much in her early life I couldn’t help but cheer for her and need good things to happen to her. Good things, preferably carried out by Sam.

I do not know how to describe the love that I have for these two characters. Their bonding over music, the way their relationship builds and is quiet and loud at the same time. That scene through the window of the jail cell. I just loved these two.

But, I will say, the REAL star of this book is the world building. Not just the setting, or the idea, or the mythical beasts, but all of these things smooshed together into this fantastic, detailed world. There were just so many little things that I never would have thought of when imagining a world of people who get reincarnated over and over again.

Two things of particular note stood out to me. The first was when Ana was born not being able to read and her mother thought she was stupid. This just touched a place inside me. This race of people being born over and over again with all their memories intact. So, they’re basically adults born in the helpless body of a baby, forced to be dependent on people who may have been friends or lovers in past lives. It’s so very strange. And the fact that Ana’s stupid b****face of a mother (I really, REALLY hate her) couldn’t even take the time to care for her daughter, or to teach her daughter, well, it was just disgusting.

The second thing was when Ana is at Sam’s house and she sees his cemetery. All these graves that belong to him. All these past lives buried in the ground beside your house and you with the responsibility of taking care of them. There is something so very morbid and disturbing about this. And the fact that there is no escape in their world. The problems and pain of your past lives will always be with you, just piling on top of one another.

Mostly due to the way Ana was treated by her awful mother (I’m doing my best to not call her some truly despicable names) I cried through the first half of the book. But, I’m a crier, so, that isn’t necessarily a bar you want to set for this book. I’m simply saying there was some big emotions at the beginning of the book, and because of this, despite their being a properly climatic ending (WITH DRAGONS!) it felt like it was missing something. Or something. I don’t know. I felt much more strongly about the beginning of the book than I did about the end of the book. Which has it’s pros and cons, I guess.

Anything else I can think to talk about is spoiler-y. Lets just say I want Ana and Sam all happy and together and happy. With a pet dragon. Pet dragons are the best.

Also, look at that gorgeous cover! I want it all hardcover and sparkly on my shelves!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Simply Irresistible and Stunning!!!

Simply irresistible!!! That are the two words I would use to describe this incredible book. The world that our main characters live in is so amazingly developed that I felt as if I was living there with them.

Our main character in this story, is Ana and she is pretty much an outcast in this incredibly developed world. She lives in a place where everyone around her has known each other for thousands of years, each soul has been reincarnated, but when Ana is born she isn't a soul everyone knows. She is brand new and that freaks everyone out, well almost everyone.

I loved reading every page of this book and as Sam's and Ana's Relationship grows, I found myself smiling while reading every sentence. Sam sticks up for Ana, saves her life, and...well falls her the beautiful Ana. He also teachers her so much and shares the love of music.

So much comes up against Ana and Sam in this story. Sylphs, dragons, people angry about Ana being in the city, the council, Ana's Mom, and so much more. Plus, they aren't sure, if she dies if she will actually come back. She might die and never be reincarnated, she could be gone forever! That's something they both fear.

Another big problem is that everyone in the city is so scared of her, yeah she starts to make some friends, but some of the people wont even give her a chance. Even Ana's Mom is so terrible to her in this story, so bad that I was yelling at her while I was reading. I wanted to jump in there and deck her myself.

All in all this was a beautiful and amazing story. Very original! Very different! The great thing is Incarnate is only the first book of this series. We get more of this great world, story and characters.

I loved how the author, Jodi Meadows, kept the reader (me) on my toes the whole time. I asked so many questions reading this book and throughout it she answered some of them and some she didn't, when she did it wasn't the answer I was expecting.

Incarnate is defiantly one of my favorite books of this year! Jodi Meadows, created a well thought-out world and brought it to life through her words and her characters were so lovable that I wanted to reach out and hug Ana. I so wanted to tell her that her mother was so wrong and she isn't a Nosoul she is a beautiful soul.

As for the Cover, it only takes me one word to describe it: Breathtaking! It fit the book perfectly.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

An Adult Perspective of Incarnate

Oh, no! If you could see me, you'd see a very puzzled look on my face right now. I wish I could tell you this is a book to rush out and get for a good read, but I can't. I can't because it's such a spin-up of things. On the one hand, it's a deeply moving and poignant story of love and redemption. But, on the other, it's a fantasy tale that has so many loose ends it just doesn't add up! This is one that you'll just have to be the judge of yourself after reading my thoughts below.

Granted, this is YA fiction, but we've read a good deal of excellent fiction in this category that can stand up to anything in the general fiction genre. I'm reviewing this book from the perspective of whether an adult would enjoy reading it.

Jodi Meadows has real promise as an author. There are sparks of brilliance in her writing. Very magical and emotionally touching segments of this book that are exceptional and alive with feeling and truth. They are the very best qualities I found in reading "Incarnation," and they are found in the sections having to do with the direct relationship between the two main characters, Ana and Sam. The way Sam coaxed and loved Ana from an abused and unloved child to a young woman who is guided out of that darkness into being strong enough to find herself and find love, is an amazingly beautiful story. There is a depth of tenderness written here that matches any I've read.

What didn't work, and what leaves me scratching my head wondering why it was even a part of such a wonderful novel is all the falderall over dragons, sylphs and other fantastic evil creatures (which we didn't even meet!). I understand this was possibly written as a fantasy novel and there were some lovely Chinese fairytale quality passages to the book, especially early on, but this degenerated quite a bit to a sort of strange side-story that interfered with the better story of Ana and Sam. The time settings were strange, as well. I kept wondering if it actually was a fantasy or a dystopian/futuristic society...there were hints of both. Then, I felt there were hints of Hinduism because of the reincarnation theme, but that didn't mesh with the Christ-like figure of J. who was supposed to have built the City, Heart, and acted as a savior to their world. Nor did it fit with Ana's scientist, gene-bending father who had a part in creating her as a newsoul. Confusion reigned in the book. Just too many unanswered questions and too many non-directions to give the book unity.

I ran through to the end because I wanted to confirm that this was either a strange novel, or that Ms Meadows was going to ultimately enlighten us so that I could report to you my findings. And, of course, I did want to know what happened between Ana and Sam...sort of. I won't say this was a waste of my day, altogether. But, I can't recommend you buy this book right now. You may want to wait for it to come out in paperback, or to check with your local library. Sorry, it's not one of the best in YA fiction this year. Since I'm supposing there may be a sequel, I'll be thinking about the paperback/library copy of that, too, if I have time in my book stacks for the read.

3 1/2 stars because of its brighter love story parts

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great example of YA fantasy

Jodi Meadows debut novel, Incarnate, is everything that's *right* with current the YA trend. It brims with passion, discovery, angst, danger and romance. And there be dragons! Dragons, I tell you!

If you enjoy fantasy in general, this is a good read. If you love YA in general, this is a good read. Imagine being the only "newsoul" in a world of reincarnated humans...that's Ana's predicament. Her mother hates her, her father abandoned her, and she knows almost no one else in Range. Yet Ana never loses her humanity or curiosity, and the scenes where she discovers music are some of the most poignant. Then there's the awkwardness of realizing that everyone Ana meets has lived five thousand years--even the youngest children have histories that span beyond anything she can comprehend.

The world is fully formed, with plenty of mysteries to solve in later books (this is a trilogy). The city of Heart is both majestic and creepy at the same time, while the creatures (Sylph, dragons--did I say there were dragons, yet?--and other horrors) make live outside Heart treacherous. Meadows' prose is a combination of teen and sublime, with simple, yet poetic descriptions.

All in all, I very much enjoyed this read and highly recommend it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Enthralling

What a fabulous New World that Jodi has created. As I continue my explorations into new authors & genres, I can honestly say I was NOT disapointed with this book. Ana is an amazing character that was dealt a crappy hand by being born into a "new" life that she had no control over. You'll learn to love her & the friends she makes on her journey while you come to hate her mother with a passion. You'll find you come to trust some & wonder about others.....definitely worth reading.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Interesting premise, well written, great read

Highly recommend!

Abyssalstar

Is anyone here? I said that i wanted to join