The INCARNATE Trilogy
Incarnate
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.
Asunder
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 Incarnate 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.
Infinite
DESTRUCTION
The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk.
FLIGHT
Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach.
CHOICE
The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all.
With gorgeous romance and thrilling action, the final book in the Incarnate trilogy offers a brilliant conclusion to the compelling questions of this fascinating world, where one new girl is the key to the lives of millions.
Select Praise for the Incarnate Trilogy
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
Selected by Indie Booksellers for the Winter 2012 Kids’ Next List
“Ana lives in a society where everyone is reincarnated and remembers all of their past lives. As the first new soul in 5,000 years, Ana is alone and regarded as something between a child and a mayfly. On her 18th birthday, Ana sets off on a mission to discover her origins. But, in order to gain access to the information she needs, Ana must prove that even a short-lived soul is worth loving.”
— Kristen Eaton, Phoenix Books, Essex, VT
School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up—In Range, the same souls have been reincarnated as long as anyone can remember. They may have different bodies, but the wisdom and experience of the person remains, along with memories. One million souls have done this for thousands of years until the night a baby who is not the expected reincarnation is born. Is this child a nosoul? What happened to the other soul? When Ana turns 18, she leaves her home and her cruel mother to look for answers to her very existence in the city, Heart. On her way she meets Sam, who is about her age physically. He helps her get to Heart, where problems arise immediately. Many fear this nosoul. If one soul can vanish to be replaced by a new one, could it happen again? As she searches for answers, Ana finds herself drawn to Sam, but doubts his feelings for her. 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. Can two souls be perfect for each other? This is the first book in a planned trilogy, and many questions, issues, and problems need answers. Incarnate cannot stand alone, but rereading will surely take place while fans wait for the next installment. This would be a thought-provoking choice for anyone who is looking to move beyond vampires, werewolves, and angels.
—Genevieve Gallagher, Charlottesville High School, VA
VOYA
In the Range, there are a million souls who are reincarnated again and again, creating a community where memories and experiences are shared and familiar. Into this community a new soul, Ana, is born. Not only that, but another soul, Ciana, disappears. Ana’s mother, Li, who despises Ana, raises her isolated, away from the city of Heart where most people live. When she turns eighteen, Ana decides to trek to the city to see if she can find out more about why she is a new soul, but Li’s treachery lands Ana in a fight for her life. When Ana is rescued by a young man named Sam, she is stunned that he seems to want to help her. The two of them find themselves in a series of perils as they work to uncover the secret behind Ana’s birth in the strange city of Heart.
This is the first in a planned trilogy by Meadows, and teens who enjoy a good fantasy replete with romance, dragons, and intrigue will find themselves hooked on book one. Ana is an engaging protagonist, made suspicious by her early years with Li, and now trying to learn trust with Sam. The ramifications of reincarnation are explored in an interesting manner, and the story moves at a good pace. This is a terrific addition to junior and senior high libraries and can be handed to fans of Robin McKinley or Tamora Pierce or anyone looking for an absorbing fantasy.
—Mary Ann Darby
School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up–This novel picks up right where Incarnate (HarperCollins, 2012) leaves off. The citizens of Heart are still reeling from the terror of Templedark, and Ana’s future in the community is uncertain to say the least. She is living with Sam, and they are learning to harmonize both in their lives and in their music. Ana’s flute playing seems to have an effect on more than just Sam; a frightening and dangerous sylph seems to be drawn to and hypnotized by it. Once again, the innovation in the world-building is impressive; Meadows has sustained the mythology of Heart and delves deeper into the questions of human existence, foundations of worship, and the dangers of groupthink. It sounds like more than one would expect from a dystopian/othernormal romance, but it’s a perfect match to its predecessor. While not a stand-alone novel, Asunder is definitely more meaty than many follow-up books. Teens looking for more than surface-level romances will appreciate it.
–Genevieve Gallagher, Charlottesville High School, VA
School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up–In this final installment of the trilogy, Ana must decide what to do with the truth regarding reincarnation. Unbeknownst to her friends and love interest, Sam, Janan the Destroyer has been consuming new souls so that his followers from thousands of years ago may continue to be reborn. If he is freed from the temple and “ascends,” his supporters will become immortal while the land will be destroyed by catastrophic earthquakes—a plot point Meadows reiterates. As a “nosoul,” Ana has been exiled from the city of Heart. Her loyal friends have decided to leave with her, as well as the ethereal sylph who also wishes to see Janan’s downfall. The group’s journey is challenging, as they must face a mixed bag of interesting (mythological) creatures while trying to figure out how to hinder Janan’s plan. Ana and Sam’s relationship is strained when he learns she has not been completely truthful with him, but they have a steamy reconciliation once he realizes her motives. The final scenes are action packed and intense. Fans of the series should find the conclusion satisfactory, though it’s a long journey getting there.
–Sherry J. Mills, Hazelwood East High School, St. Louis, MO