Asunder (Incarnate) [Hardcover]

Jodi Meadows (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 29, 2013 | Series: Incarnate

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

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jodi Meadows lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a cat, and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (January 29, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062060783
• ISBN-13: 978-0062060785
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #330,432 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jodi Meadows lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a cat, and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict, and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut.

Visit her website: www.jodimeadows.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Follow Up To Incarnate! January 31, 2013

By Step Into Fiction

Format:Hardcover

I fell in love with Incarnate. I wasn't sure what to expect from that book and I got sucked in. I just remember some of the things I was tweeting to the author, Jodi Meadows, who I didn't even know at the time, while reading the book. That's the first time I've ever tweeted an author while reading their book, with my reactions to things, it was entertaining. Especially a specific part of the book... Now, going in to Asunder, I knew this world, these characters and I couldn't wait to get more. I am satisfied. I am happy. I am sad.

The beginning of Asunder is the people of Heart trying to move on and cope from Templedark, where they lost many of their friends of 5,000 years. Not easy to do. If you've lost someone, you know how hard that can be but we didn't have the pleasure of knowing that person for nearly as long as these people have. Dealing with this kind of permanent loss is impossible. However, they have to deal because no matter what, they won't be getting those souls back. It's a very sad time but also an awkward time for Ana because a lot of these people blame her when it was never her fault. But when in doubt, blame the Newsoul/nosoul, right?

This book is filled with love, pain, betrayal, sacrifice, violence and healing all mixed in to one. Ana goes through a lot of hardship in this book, more than the first book, I think. What makes it worse is she's made plenty of friendships and now she has so much to lose whereas she only had things to gain in Incarnate. The birth of a Newsoul is almost enough to cause a riot in the birthing room and if it's a sign of things to come, it's going to be a dangerous path for all newsouls.

One person that Ana can always count on is Sam. He's never judged her for being a Newsoul even from the very first time he met her. He found her unique and intriguing. It's easy to misjudge a situation and think the worst of someone. Just keep that in mind...

I really liked Ana from Incarnate. For being so judged and hated on just for whom she is, not someone she could control, she is incredibly strong both in mind and will. I didn't think I could like her much more but alas, I have been proven wrong. She is a force to be reckoned with. There is so much growth throughout Asunder that I'm in awe. I sit here wondering, is this really the same Ana we met jumping off a cliff in Incarnate? Truly, it's really her? I love her (in a totally platonic way). Seriously. You've Incarnate, right? So there's no reason you shouldn't read this. I do love it a lot and the ending...that ending. *sigh* Plus, look at those covers. Aren't they just breathtakingly beautiful? Butterflies and roses...very important to the story...

Reviewed by Jessica @ Step Into Fiction

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than the first book! January 29, 2013

By Ashley Evans

Format:Kindle Edition

I was a little bit nervous going into Asunder because I had some issues with Incarnate, but I ended up liking Asunder even more than the first book!

My biggest gripe in Incarnate was the romance. I didn't feel it at all. To be honest, I still wasn't a huge fan of it in Asunder, but since it was already established, I think it was easier for me to accept. It also felt like it had a smaller role in the story. There were still some awkward moments in the book (for example, when Ana and Sam discuss the inappropriateness of their relationship and the 5,000 year age difference), but overall I just kind of tuned it out and that allowed me to enjoy the fantasy and story elements much more.

Ana was a much stronger character in Asunder. There were still a few times when I didn't like her--mostly when she talked about her "inability to love"--but overall she was much better; she was a character fighting for an important cause. She took action and stood up for herself. She had big dreams and aimed to make monumental changes in the society. She wasn't perfect, but it was nice to see her out there fighting rather than lurking in the shadows.

What I liked most about Asunder was the mystery element. Ana was very clearly working towards a goal: she aimed to make change and uncover truths. Her goal was much more focused in this book than in Incarnate, where she simply wanted to learn about her origins. In Asunder, Ana works towards forming alliances, doing research, gathering information, and uncovering mysteries. This clear focus made the story really intense and quick to read!

I think the pacing was better in this book as well. There weren't any long, drawn out periods if inaction, or long periods where Ana was doing nothing but attending lessons and learning music. There were a few, but they were mostly short and fit in with the story. For most of the book, important things are happening--things that will keep you interested and engaged in the plot! It's really fun to sit there and speculate because Jodi arranges it in a way that you have no idea who to trust. I do have to admit that the end wasn't really as big of a twist as I was hoping for. I kind of wanted to be caught off guard with the big reveal of who was behind everything. Normally I expect it to be the unexpected, but in this case it ended up being the expected.. if that makes sense. But even so, the action, mysteries, and reveals are interesting and engaging!

One complaint: I wanted more dragons! They didn't make an appearance in Asunder, which was kind of a let down for me. I feel like there's an interesting story there (as introduced in Incarnate), but we don't learn anything new about them. Hopefully we'll find out more in the third book!

Asunder wasn't a perfect book, but I do think it was much better than Incarnate. The writing is beautiful, the plot was interesting, and most importantly, this book felt necessary. It wasn't an empty `filler' book and didn't suffer from the second-book-in-a-series syndrome. The plot develops nicely and Jodi Meadows sets the stage for what will probably be a very interesting third book!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A GREAT follow up for Incarnate! May 13, 2013

By Gretchen @ My Life is a Notebook

Format:Hardcover

There was no way I could love this book as much as I loved Incarnate. I just had to accept that fact before I cracked the spine. The second books in series' have a hard time measuring up as a rule. There was also no way that anything could replicate the absolute gush of emotions that Incarnate stirred up in me. With that in mind, I was ready to accept Asunder as it came. Honestly, it came pretty darn close to Incarnate.

The shining light in these books is Ana, and that stayed true for the entirety of Asunder. In a world of books where I can tell the main character is the imagination of the author, I always feel like she is a real person. She isn't perfect, and she is always growing. I am constantly amazed that Meadows can show just how young she is compared to all the other souls in Heart, yet it never seems like a bad thing. Every other time authors have tried to make young adult characters act young, they tend to end up whiny and annoying. Ana's inexperience and ignorance keeps her real, and can sometimes be a strength. Her relationship with Sam sometimes verges on being clichéd true love, but every time Meadows reins it in and reminds us of the age gap or another obstacle that they have to work through.

Sam, on the other hand, I'm a little bit frustrated with, though I can't tell if that's the reaction I'm supposed to have or not. I say that because he's obviously frustrated with himself, and what he wants from his and Ana's relationship and what the societal conventions are telling him. Hopefully, his choice at the end of the book is going to clear this up. What choice you ask? Don't be ridiculous, that's a spoiler.

The plot of this book was overall really amazing. I didn't get the same amount of wow factors as I did in Incarnate until the end of the book, but that also may because I was more familiar with the book. Some very interesting characters were introduced, which kept subtly playing with the themes of love and relationships that I gushed over in the first book--and were also just awesome. I will say that I saw almost every plot twist coming, or at least figured it out early enough into the device that it felt that way. I'm still really conflicted about how the book ended as well, but I can't talk about that because SPOILERS. If you felt the same, give me a shout out on social media or something and we can chat about it!

All in all, Meadows continues to delight me with every page, and this series is definitely one of my new favorites. I never usually have a huge connection to main characters, but I so wish Ana was real so we could be best friends--she certainly feels real! I respect every decision Meadows has made with Ana, Ana and Sam's relationship and the general themes about love that run throughout the book. In multiple reviews I have asked authors to write a believable teen character and a real romance that doesn't need a love triangle to thrive, and Meadows has gone over and above my wildest dreams. My heart may be rent asunder when I get to the end of the final book.