[Review] Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Title: Incarnate
Series:  Newsoul Series
Author:  Jodi Meadows
Genre:  ya, reincarnation, dragons, souls, fantasy
Format:  Ebook, 384 pages
Publication Date:  January 31, 2012
Published By:  Katherine Tegen Books, HarperCollins Publishers
Source:  NetGalley ARC received from publisher for review.

Synopsis from Goodreads

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? 

My Thoughts

I haven't done a review for a while. Most of you are probably aware of the reviewer/author drama that was ongoing at the beginning of this year, and if you have no idea what I am talking about, be thankful, because I am not going to rehash it all over again. But needless to say, it put me in a cruddy and miserable place and I honestly had no urge to review anything for anyone...I read a lot of books, I just didn't feel like sharing my opinions with anyone while everyone was still sensitive.

But Jodi Meadows and her debut novel Incarnate changed all that for me. It was the first time in quite a while that I had so thoroughly enjoyed a book that I felt I just had to share it with anyone willing to listen. Not since Divergent by Veronica Roth has a story captured my attention with such unique ideas and vivid characterization. And not since The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater has a love story felt so true and realistic, and sometimes heart-breaking. (Does anyone else find it odd that Sam is the name of the two male characters I absolutely adore now?)

Incarnate has this wonderful world where dragons attack cities made of seemingly living walls with acidic breath and sylphs can literally burn the flesh from your body with the briefest of touches. Everything is new and exciting and you feel like the proverbial kid in a candy store as you turn around slowly in circles trying to take everything in. It took me less than 24 hours to devour this book. The only sad part is now it will feel like forever as I wait for part two...

My only minor complaint with the events near the end of the book. I won't spoil anything at all but I just have to share that it felt so rushed and confusing I'm still not actually sure of everything that happened. Perhaps that was done on purpose as more things unravel in future books. Once I pick up my physical copy on release date I will most likely re-read at least the end to see if it makes more sense to me. But it made me very happy to not have to be subjected to a horrible cliffhanger of doom that often accompanies most series books in ya right now.

I suggest every single one of you rush out and buy this as soon as your local book store opens tomorrow. No excuses!

My rating?