Book Review: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books
Publication date: January 2012
Pages: 384
Source: ARC provided by publisher
For: Review (and the Debut Author Challenge)
Series: Newsoul, Book 1

Ana is unusual, a newsoul, one who has not been reincarnated for thousands of years; she's living her first life.  Even worse, when she was born another old soul disappeared and everyone blames her for it.  Rejected by her mother, left by her father, she has had a cold childhood.  But now she's determined to find out about herself and why she might be here.  Traveling to the city of Heart, she encounters hostility nearly everywhere, except from Sam and a few of his friends.  In Sam, Ana finds someone who might be able to care about her, despite being a newsoul.  But will their kindling relationship have time to smoulder or will it be destroyed by the many forces in place driving them apart?

Things I Liked:
I think what makes this book stand out in my mind is the unique world and details.  I have read a few reincarnation books, though they were more focused on a couple being reincarnated, finding one another, and then being unable to spend even one complete lifetime together.  This is different and in a much better way.  I like Ana; she's a unique, new soul, one who is clearly at a disadvantage when compared with everyone else, but who doesn't dwell much on it.  As the book progresses, she learns new things, develops her own talents and ideas, and becomes even more unique.  I thought the relationship between her and Sam was well done as well, providing sparks and interest and even some doubt.  Admittedly, I got mad at Sam and Ana a few times, but that is inevitable in a realistic relationship.  Interesting concepts, unique book.

Things I Didn't Like:
I was a bit disappointed at the end.  I felt like none of the ideas and mysteries Ana was trying to solve were explained.  It just kind of ended with no resolution, or at least not enough to leave me satisified.  I'll be interested to read the next one, but I wish there had been a little more meat to this one.  There were quite a few incidents that happened in the last couple of chapters that were strange, different, and nearly left unexplained. 

Read-alikes:
Maybe a little like The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller
It also reminded me, for some odd reason, of Pegasus by Robin McKinley

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: ! 
some, not a lot

mrg-factor: X 
it felt sensual, but nothing actually happens

v-factor: ->-> 
there is some fighting action

Overall rating: **** 

What intrigues you about this book?

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