Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows


Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows
Published: January 31, 2012 by Harper Collins
Received: review copy from NetGalley
NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all? {goodreads.com}

This debut novel written by Jodi Meadows is a well balanced mixture of dystopian meets paranormal, with a sizzling dose of romance poured in.  The action starts from the first few pages and doesn't let up until you've closed the final chapter, yet leaving you with a burning for more.

In the beginning we learn that Ana is considered a newsoul, meaning she is the first of her kind.  In a world full of people who have been reincarnated for thousands of years, Ana is on a mission to discover the whereabouts of her origin and what it all means.  Along this journey she meets Sam, a boy who appears to be her age, yet has the experience of a soul who has lived hundreds of decades.  Though Ana is reluctant, with her guard held high, something inside her tells her to trust Sam and accept his help in her quest.  The two take on the city of Heart, the birthing grounds for where this all began.  Inside the walls of Heart Ana begins to uncover the truth about newsouls and the harshness of what it feels like to be considered different from every other living soul.

This world that Jodi Meadows created about reincarnation fascinated me.  The ability to live multiple lives over and over again, and still remembering your past life, was very intriguing.  I loved the bit about soulmates as well; how true love would find each other in every new life, regardless of what body you inhabited.  The relationship that slowly simmered between Ana and Sam was another favorite aspect of the story.  Their connection was prominent from their first meeting, but the bond they slowly formed through trusting one another is what won me over.  Sam's way with music and how he taught Ana the beauty of it captured my attention.  The soft moments of almost touching, stealing glances, and heavy tension that hung in the air kept me turning the pages, eager to find that climatic moment.

I am very impressed with the writing in this debut novel.  I have high hopes for this author's future work and am eager to continue this series.  Though the story ended with questions hanging in the air, it does not pose a cliffhanger threat.  Jodi Meadows fed my hunger just enough to be satisfied, yet left my stomach grumbling for just one more bite.




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20 comments:

  1. I'm a little concerned about the whole Sam romance since he's like a bajillion years old but hopefully I'll be able to look past it since otherwise it sounds AMAZING. :)

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  2. I love it when books are just good enough to leave you wanting for more, but not so desperate that you're dying inside for the next installment. This looks like a good investment to put on my new NOOK when I get it next month.

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  3. I Have this one waiting for me and really need to read it NOW! The reincarnation aspect really intrigues me.

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  4. I've hear some good things about this book. Will check it out.

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  5. I love that you can put a fresh spin on this book that I've read at least 15 reviews on. Your closing sentence is divine. The end.

    GET WRITING.

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  6. Jessi @ Auntie Spinelli ReadsFebruary 1, 2012 at 7:41 PM

    Great review!! I've been really wanting to read this, I pre-ordered it. It's my Waiting on Wednesday for this week  :)

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  7. I just read the synopsis for this the other day and I thought it held promise. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

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  8. So interesting - this is the first review I've read of Incarnate, although the cover seems to be EVERYwhere! Reincarnation? That's a new twist. Lingo like "newsoul," "nosoul" and the city of "heart" brings out my inner snark... but Incarnate has received such fabulous reviews, I'm itching to read it anyway :)

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  9. This book sounds really good, and I love the cover!

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  10. Sounds like a great debut! The only thing I'm worried about is the romance. Call me a bitter cynic, but the idea of soul mates isn't really my thing. Still, I have to admit Incarnate intrigues me! 

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  11. It sounds very interesting and unique.
    I'm a bit iffy about buying it 'cause I'm very iffy about butterflies - childhood scares... - but I think I might just buy the kindle version so I don't have to deal with the cover.

    Anyway, thanks for the review. I had passed on this book but now it's back on the shopping list.

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  12. I'm still loving that we picked the same steamy quote :)

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  13. I'm really excited about getting the opportunity to read this one, because it just sounds SO good. And the cover is absolutely gorgeous!

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  14. Reincarnation books have never really been my thing, but I keep seeing a lot of positive reviews  for this book. I think your review may have just cinched it for me, I'm adding it to my TBR list:)

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  15. SAAAAAAAAM SAM SAM SAM SAM!!!

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  16. Great review!! I am so excited for this book. I have it pre-ordered and can't wait to read it.

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  17. Great review! I can't wait to get my hands on this book, everything from the cover to the synopsis is amazing, and it sounds like the inside is just as amazing! :)

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  18. I have an eARC of this on my Kindle and whenever I read a review for this, I want to start reading it immediately. It sounds like such a unique story and since I love everything reincarnation-themed, I'm sure I'll like this, too.

    Thanks for sharing your opinion with us. Great review!

    Carina
    Fictional Distraction

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  19. I really enjoyed this one as well! The writing was really good and the romance between Sam and Ana was sweet. I'm interested to see what happens in the next book. Great review!

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