Incarnate [Hardcover]

Jodi Meadows (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 31, 2012

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?  

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

Editorial Reviews

Review

INCARNATE has an eerie and intriguing premise and I am looking forward to seeing where Jodi Meadows takes it next. - Robin McKinley, bestselling and Newbery Award winning author of THE HERO AND THE CROWN, SPINDLE'S END, DRAGONHAVEN, and PEGASUS

Lyrical and thought-provoking, INCARNATE is the kind of book that stays with you long after you've turned the last page. I loved it! - Rachel Hawkins, New York Times Bestselling author of HEX HALL and DEMONGLASS

One word: Breathtaking. More words: Heart-melting. Soul-feeding. Mind-blowing. INCARNATE captured all of me and won't let go. - Jeri Smith-Ready, award-winning author of the SHADE trilogy

Meadows has created a complex world but keeps all of the pieces together. The romance is captivating, as are the questions raised by the reincarnations. (School Library Journal )

An absorbing fantasy. (Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) )

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 at jodimeadows.com

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books; First Edition edition (January 31, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062060759
• ISBN-13: 978-0062060754
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (229 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #410,975 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

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great concept, beautifully written with a terrific and breathtaking romance August 18, 2012

By Christina (Ensconced in YA) TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have had this book on my radar for a long time. Many people are very excited for the sequel. After reading this book, I have to agree with them.

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows centers on Ana, a NewSoul or NoSoul, depending on who you ask, a girl who is a brand new soul in a population of reincarnated souls... in essence, everyone has lived many, many lives and she has only lived a few years of her one life. She has a mother who hates her, and sets off on her own at age 18 to travel to the city of Heart. Along the way, she meets Sam, and he is the first friendly person she meets. From there, things develop dramatically, and I don't want to give away any of this book's secrets.

I am so torn when reviewing this book. From about 10% to 80% it is really one of the best books I've read in a while. The relationship between Sam and Ana is wonderful and magical. It's been a long time since I've been so moved by a romantic relationship in a YA book. Most of the time I'm convinced I'm too old and jaded to enjoy such things anymore. But Meadows has changed my mind. Sam is the first love interest that I seriously have a crush on myself-- he is gentle, intelligent, modest, and incredibly talented (and mature by about 5000 years). For the first time, we have a love interest that is NOT the bad boy of the novel. To not reveal too much-- any of the scenes centered on music and the masquerade were my favorites, and I literally gasped out loud at several of them (in a good way).

So you ask, why does this book get four stars. The beginning of the book, the first 10%, is almost not compelling enough to stick around. We get introduced to her hateful mother, with no good characteristics that I see, and watch poor Ana stagger around feeling sorry for herself. Don't be fooled.... The story quickly becomes amazing as I stated above. The end of the story has a bit of an issue too-- lots of action occurs, but I feel that some of the storylines are abruptly cut short in ways that are less than satisfying.

That said, there is so much to love about this wonderful book, and I feel like Jodi Meadows is only just getting started. I have no doubt that the next installment in this trilogy will only be stronger and better, and I have just become one of the throng waiting eagerly for the next installment. Read more ›

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful like a Butterfly January 24, 2013

By Lovely Reader

Format:Paperback

My thoughts on Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
So besides being drawn to the cover Incarnate by far was a dream to read, like a butterfly carried me through the entire book so effortlessly. My best description of the book as I started was sympathizing with Ana to start the first of your life with a feeling of no self worth no love would be hard then to set into a world unknown, being the only one (newsoul or nosoul). Ana surprised me in many ways at first I thought her character to be weak and stubborn and yes she was a stubborn character. Weak she was not, her strength grew just as she came into her own. Ana needed to find herself in a sea of people who found themselves 5000 years ago.

I was instantly drawn into the story line, I felt that author Jodi Meadows kept me on my toes for this book was not predictable at all. No insta love the romance was ongoing with just a touch here and there to keep you wanting the other to go after it. Being a Pride and Prejudice fan myself even though this book had nothing to do with Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy I would say Ana and Sam sure reminded me of them as characters. Ana was stubborn and set in her thoughts sometimes thinking maybe just maybe Sam was not what he really was. Sam was drawn toward Ana wanted to share that with her but his pride was in check I mean what would be said, how would people react, would he lose her. The 2 characters were well written, plus I enjoyed the romance in this book.

Dragons and Sylph now I have to look up exactly what a sylph is but I would not want to meet one in this lifetime or any for that matter. The constant attacks on Ana, Sam and the city are so wonderful. I wanted to grab a laser and get in there to help. Author Jodi Meadows has a wonderful imagination.... Without including spoilers the dragons don't spit fire but something else! Something to check out yourself and look forward too.

I don't want to include spoilers so I will stay away from all parts of being in the city Heart, which I can't clearly grasp a picture of I know the author explained it but I need more to the city. I can see the way the city is but I wish it was more in my mind. More than just white plain more color more awesome or intrigue to the surroundings in Heart. Hopefully that is too come in the next book.

This book was awesome I am onto Asunder. Jodi Meadows writing is wonderful. I am adding her to my favorite author list!! Seeing how I don't read alot of Dystopia and Fantasy after reading Incarnate I will be reading more! Thanks Jodi for a read that I can share with my entire family. Read more ›

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully unique & well-executed February 1, 2012

By ReadingCorner

Format:Hardcover

In Heart, everyone is an old soul--quite literally. Each of the million souls that have existed since the beginning of memory are continually reincarnated after the death of the physical body--until one year the temple goes dark and a soul is lost forever. Ana is born during that time and the people of Heart believe that she "stole" the place of the old soul. Treated as an outcast, Ana grows up in an unloving home and is cast out into the snow on her eighteenth birthday, where she survives only on the kindness of a stranger...

Ana is a broken character at the beginning of the story. Everything that her mother has taught her in her eighteen years of life has been meant to tear her down and make her feel like a nobody. Despite such awful circumstances, Ana has chosen to propser, teaching herself to read and appreciate music (even though she knows her mother will punish her for those things). When Ana is rescued by Sam, she experiences her frst glimpses of what it might feel like to be accepted by others--to have friends. I loved watching Ana develop and grow. So much of her perspective must change in order for this to happen--she has to experience a true shift in her thinking to appreciate that others might accept her more than her parents did. She's easy to connect and sympathize with from the beginning. Her voice has an authentic quality that makes her likeable from page one.

Sam is an unexpected ray of light and hope in Ana's life. He recues her without realizing who she is but continues to treat her well even after he knows--much to Ana's surprise. Once she stops trying to run away from him, he offers her the friendship that she's always longed for (whether she realized it or not). I liked Sam from the moment that he recued Ana.... He is simply fabulous in the way that he doesn't judge her and he forces her to look beyond the things that her mother taught her about herself--strives to convince her that she is not a "nosoul" but a "newsoul."

Ms. Meadows' writing and storytelling simply captivated me. I read this book in the span of one evening--I couldn't put it down. Ana's story really drew me in from page one and I couldn't wait to see where her journey would take her. The story that Incarnate offers readers is beautifully written and refreshingly unique. I loved her take on reincarnation and the implications that it holds for life and love. The story wraps up beautifully without leaving the reader hanging onto a heart-breaking cliffhanger while leaving plenty of room for growth in future installments. I, personally, cannot wait to read more of Ana's story. Read more ›