REVIEW: ASUNDER BY JODI MEADOWS.

Title: Asunder
Author: Jodi Meadows
Series: Newsoul #2
Edition: Hardbound/Paperback
Publication: January 29, 2013 by HarperTeen
Pages: 406
Source: Hardbound copy bought from Fully Booked; ARC Paperback copy sent by the publisher
Category: Romance, Fantasy

Synopsis:

DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.

SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.

In this second book in the Newsoul trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.

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Asunder is luscious!

Honestly, my finished copy has been sitting on my shelf since the first week of February. I unfortunately unable to read it due to blog tours. However, the publisher sent me an ARC by surprise and since I wanted to finish all my review copies first, the time to read Asunder has arrived. Good thing though it took a while for me to read it because I was able to enjoy it thoroughly.

Ana is still being treated violently: people still curse at her and throw stones at her. She still isn't accepted by most people in Heart thinking that her existence alone is dangerous. Most especially after Templedark. People still blames her and assumes that she would recreate it. However, since Dossam is very willing to be with her and help her accomplish her research about Janan, sylph and newsouls, Ana doesn't want to stop proving that she's worth a shot. They still struggle so much but the world is changing drastically. She is no longer the only newsoul and sylph followers her.

True enough, Meadows proven that there is so much more in Asunder. I had some issues with Incarnate and when I interviewed her, she promised answers in the sequel. I loved Asunder! Not only the fabulous cover but the entire adventure I experienced reading it. The world building may have not changed at all but the existence of things in it made perfect sense. It is much stronger as opposed to Incarnate. I was expecting more dragons and what I would like to highlight is the truth behind sylphs, it just pinched my heart and I want to take them all home and take care of them no matter how painful their touch can be. The unraveling of the heartless reality behind Janan made the plot so much thrilling because it wasn't really what I expected. It was beyond what I expected. I also appreciated how the story grew with fantastic twists. Basically, my understanding for Asunder expanded and my hidden love for the series surfaced with such intensity I couldn't even handle.

The romance though surprised me. I didn't anticipate that there would be such twirl between Ana and Dossam. Which made me feel a little dubious about it. Cris and Stef reincarnated over and over, doesn't matter what gender, but the feelings they have is still intact? I find it a little odd. But I didn't doubt Dossam's feelings for Ana. At all. Though Ana's feelings were sometimes weird. I both love them though. Their relationship is an icon of true love despite hardships.

Asunder doesn't only flow with flowers, cute swirls, dragons and butterflies but it exudes love like no other. It announces true meaning of friendship and benevolence in amid of brokenness and loss. It is bitter sweet and the perfect sequel to Incarnate!

Thank you so much Sarah of HarperCollins for sending in an ARC!

"I've lived long enough to know there are things worth regretting, but there's nothing you can do to change the past. And yet, sometimes it works out anyway, in ways you don't expect."

REVIEW: INCARNATE BY JODI MEADOWS.

Title: Incarnate
Author: Jodi Meadows
Series: Newsoul #1
Edition: Hardbound
Publication: January 31, 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Bought from FullyBooked
Pages: 374
Genre: Utopia, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis:

New soul - 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.

No soul - 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 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?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

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First, look at its lovely cover. Second, read its fresh synopsis. Then think of its sweet and beautiful author. Who wouldn't be captured by this book? It took me months to get hold of a copy and I could say that after finishing it in a day, it was all worth the wait and money.

Ana is the only Nosoul/Newsoul ever existed in the history of Heart, a place where souls have been reincarnated over the last thousands of years. She came instead of Ciana's soul. Since she is an anomaly, her mother Li, raised her outside Heart in a place called Range and abused her tremendously. On her eighteenth birthday, she decides to leave her mother and go into a quest to discover who she is and what went amiss. And on her way to Heart, she is rescued by Sam and becomes her friend. Now they both have to face the truth about what lies ahead.

I asked Jodi on Twitter when did Incarnate happen and she said it was in the 331st Year of the Hunger. I really didn't get that at all because obviously, I had issues understanding the time when it took place but the world she built for Incarnate was very mythical and fanciful. At some point, I was actually waiting for a Unicorn to appear. There were dragons then laser blasts so I got confused. It was old yet new and according to Jodi, the era when these all happened would be explained further in Incarnate 3.

There are moments when I sympathized with Ana. The pain she had to go through all her life isn't something one can correct and heal in a day and I definitely couldn't blame her if she have trust issues. There are moments as well that I completely disagree with her especially when she's being stubborn but just let it go for I think the entirety of her character makes justice to it. Sam on the other hand is very unpredictable. One moment he's gentle and caring the next he's lost and secretive. Though I loved all of the things he have done for Ana especially his music which is something I didn't really see coming, maybe I may have hoped for a romance a little bit aggressive than what he'd shown in this book. Their friendship slowly turned to something refreshingly sweet and funny and just when I was about to get complacent, Li's character really added spice to the story. The way I almost threw the book because I was so pissed off at her means that it did affect me. Without the hate I guess, the story would be a little blunt because the romance almost took forever to progress and the action part took the last hundred pages of the book.

Truly, the last hundred pages answered some of the questions Ana and I had. The transition from its slow-paced romance to its fast-paced fight scenes was drastic that I felt like I was left behind. A lot of things happened at the same time and honestly, there are some points there that was left unanswered and a lot didn't make sense to me. I felt sad after.

The gravity of my confusion is heavy that my expectations failed me. I want to love Incarnate so much but I know I have to get books two and three to completely comprehend the consistency and secrets in it. No, I didn't hate it, I actually fell in love with the characters, that fantastic world, humor, freshness of the plot and the lovely cover. And I don't want to stop there.

"There's always the option of deciding for yourself who you are and what you'll become."

"I'm not going to waste time being angry about things I can't control. If I only have one life, I should make the most of it."