Incarnate

Pros: interesting characters, great premise, highly passionate characters

Cons: minimal world-building, highly passionate characters

The people of Heart have been reincarnated hundreds of times, some believe by the will of Janan. When Li and Menehem's child was not the reincarnation of Ciana, people feared what it meant for them. Eighteen years later, Ana wants to leave the cottage she was raised as a nosoul by her hateful mother and find answers regarding her birth in Heart. After a terrible night, she's rescued by Sam, who becomes her friend with the possibility of more.

I really liked Ana. I liked how conflicted she was, uncertain of the world after the physical and mental abuse she suffered under her mother. I liked that she constantly questioned Sam's motivations, constantly waiting for things to go bad. It showed real, persistent, trauma. I also liked that Sam's previous deaths bring their own form of trauma for him to overcome later in the book.

The premise, of people who all know each other because they've been reborn together over and over again, was great. Throw in the possibility that they could die and not return, and their fear of Ana and what she represents is understandable.

The characters - Ana in particular - were often very passionate about life. Towards the end this got to be a bit much for me. It's understandable in Ana, but the others are all old enough to be past the vagaries of first youth. While Sam's age (and subsequent hormones) could account for some of his issues, he should have had an easier time coming to a decision about what sort of relationship he wanted with Ana.

The world was pretty interesting, but not developed very much. The author lists several creatures that live in the world, but you only actually see two of them. And the way they're mentioned, always as a list, makes them feel more like window dressing than actual inhabitants of the world. Having said that, I greatly enjoyed what I learned but hope the later books explain more of the wider world.

This was a very quick read that kept me turning pages. And while the book ended up going in wildly different directions from what I'd expected, I really enjoyed it.

This book had definite potential but failed on many levels to live up to it. Overall I enjoyed it, but most of the time I was waiting for something to happen - things to be revealed/started and then...it ended.

The lack of any kind of clear plot line was aggravating because I went in expecting something interesting, some kind of research/quest/secrets/religion based mystery and then when everything was revealed I was disappointed at how last minute it all felt. Most of the book is based on Ana having this super frustrating drawn out romance with this Sam guy, and even that was bland.

The population concept of 1 million souls, constantly being reborn into new bodies was interesting but raised some awkward questions. Also, it seemed like we were supposed to believe that pretty much everyone lived in the main city but....why? Why not have more cities? There was one mention of a bird that lived on the other city of the world - and I mean really, if you have unlimited lives, why the hell would you spend all of them in the same place?? I really really wanted some more information about the world, there were a ton of cool details like dragons and mysterious white walls in the woods, a temple with a heartbeat and then in the end it was again - flat. I mean come on! You're apparently born fully formed, fully conscious and functioning, and trek across the world to find a completely built city waiting for you, BUT NO - lets not focus on the one really interesting item, lets instead learn about how Ana is writing a song but the melodies don't match up. Yeah, sure.

I guess we'll learn more in the other books but what I wouldn't give for writers nowadays to make each book interesting on its own - instead of needing the other two to complete it.

The idea about reincarnation is beyond awesome and adding such things as dragons and other creatures drew me in easily; let alone that cover sigh! Oh graphic designer of HarperCollins, you have gone above and beyond with it! Kudos to whoever you are haha. Anyway, this book was interesting. It left me uninterested at some points and other times excited to keep reading. Less the latter for a good chunk of the book sadly. This was one of those highly anticipated reads I had on my list for 2012. One of 5 books I had expectations for this year. I didn't really start to connect with this book till about Chapter 15, which for myself alone, is a bad sign. I felt like the protagonist was just there, not there “there” in the world (I know tongue twister). She felt more as a background voice to the story than a leading lady is suppose to for a novel. But don't think I hate the character, I loved Ana, just that she didn't find her voice in the world till the end of the book, so that was a relief.

So by Chapter 26, that's when I felt the book finally took a hold of me! Ahhh gotta love surprises that sneak up on you. I love how things progressed by this point. It felt more fluid with the writing, the emotions of the characters, and the plot overall. It was too drawn out early on with the details of how it arrived here, which is okay because there are some stories I've had to read for class in college that were super drawn out (thankfully I haven't seen anything like that in YA literature yet lol). But I felt some thing should of just been wrapped up early on and resolved or something to that extent. Felt like I was going in circles, which isn't enjoyable at times.

As I reached the last three chapters of the book, I was blown away! This is the most important part, because so much is finally answered, well not every big secret, but the ones that needed to fill in blanks about Ana, about Janan, and Menehem. I'm glad this was left to the end of the book, because it wouldn't have worked as well if it was in the middle. I'm not a fan when authors do that because it takes away the suspense and that curiosity of a good unraveling of a mystery.

Now about the characters....

I was drawn in by Sam than anything else. He is compelling and made me want to know him increasingly more than the main character, which I also find as a bad sign too. I wish this wasn't the case.

Anyway, the connection between Sam and Ana seemed to lack in certain ways the first 15 chapters in. I just felt like that spark that unites two people together, whether forbidden or not, in literature is something that lingers in the air to let you know it's fueled with passion. Not so much for these two. I could understand with the position Sam is in, but the way they both handled it really didn't sit well with me. I just feel like with how “old” Sam is, wouldn't he at least have one really good romantic bone in his body at this point? That's all I'm asking and that's all I'm lacking.

Also it was are tug and pull on the romance too. Do they kiss, do they not kiss? This was silly. I can understand since Ana had no experience whatsoever with the opposite sex in that manner, but jeez! Sam was such a tease to her. Yet in light of the situation they were both in, I could also understand. I just hope in the sequel this doesn't happen too much.

I do have to say that I enjoyed the creatures of this world, A LOT! They were some of my favorite parts, especially the Dragons. Hands down, really cool in how the author put her own unique spin on them (i.e. they spew acid, which kills people and eats through everything!)

Now for the sylph, good character to add, but I felt they were too flat. Either they should have been way more evil or some twist should of happened to make it a more rounded creature. I wanted to go further into such a malevolent situations when Ana came across them. I actually craved for something more intense. But couldn't find it with these. That was my only real let down of the book. It needs more incriminating versions in the sequel.

Overall, I've enjoyed this book. It may not be entirely for me, but I do feel others may enjoy it more. I will however read the sequel, because I've got this BIG feeling that it'll go deeper, give us more action, and a more passionate romantic scenes that the characters deserve. I also sense maybe something way more cool brewing. I can't wait to see what Jodi Meadow brings to the table and what's in store for Ana and her friends.