Review: Asunder by Jodi Meadows

Book: Asunder by Jodi Meadows
Publication Date: January 29, 2013
Series: Newsoul, #2
Rating: 4.5 out of 5







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 Newsoul 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.


WHAT I LIKED

• The writing was absolutely beautiful. Meadows describes everything so detailed that you can picture everything right in your head. The beautiful words that she wrote were raw and perfect. Even the way Meadows described the sylph, I was able to picture exactly how she described it! I felt a deep connection with Ana because her attention to detail really got to me. I felt so horrible for Ana with the way she was treated towards almost everyone. They treated her as if she were a pariah when really she was just like them.
• It was so good that I had an emotional roller coaster with this book. I had to read it in sections because if I didn't I was going to hurl the book at the wall! The people in the book were so cruel to Ana. They threw rocks at her, hit her, called her terrible names you couldn't fathom. They acted so inhumane to her that they acted more like the monsters they claimed she was. I wanted to go in the book, protect Ana, and do the same to those people what they did to her!
• I loved Ana in this book even more so than the first book, Incarnate. Here she is coming to terms that she is a Newsoul. With the horrible deaths of some of the old souls in Templedark, now there are Newsouls being born like Ana. Ana feels in her heart she has to protect them because no one else will. With courage, she began to form alliances with her friends to make laws to protect the Newsouls. She may be new, yet she had a strong, determined personality that made me root for her. She knew how and when to stand up for herself with out arguing, and I believe that made her a confident main character.
• In Asunder, we get more answers from the first book. It answered questions as to who and what Janan is. He is a really bad thing/person! Asunder answered the question as to why the Old Souls kept reincarnating, and why there weren't any New Souls being born. I'm so glad that many questions were being answered because I think that would have left me more frustrated had they not been answered.
• The friendships that Ana made and kept was a breath of fresh air. Although most of the people hate her, there were some friendships that remained, and some new ones that she encountered. I liked that she made a friendship with the new boy Cris because the pages did not feel with so much hatred. Cris is different, odd, but very wise and friendly. He played a huge role in this book. It was a bit awkward at first since he used to be Sam's ex-girlfriend, but that didn't make him hostile toward Ana in the least. I also enjoyed the friendship that blossomed more when Lidea had a New Soul baby named Anid. Since she had a new baby, they were able to become closer, forming a bond to help protect the innocent ones.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

• I absolutely hated with a passion the men, Merton and Deborl! They were evil, sinister human beings that didn't care who got killed as long as Ana was dead in the process. They got me so enraged at times that I had to stop and take a break from reading, or else I was seriously going to scream. I know it was the mother instincts in me that got me mad, but they were seriously some hurtful, spiteful people. Along with hurting Ana, they also hurt other people in the process just to prove a point that Ana did not belong in their city. I really hope they get what's coming to them!
• Ana and Sam's relationship took a back burner in this book. It's not a bad thing since they are concentrating on fighting a war. I just felt that he should have been there for her more, or listened to her better. Like all relationships, we hit a stale mate, and that's what happened to them. I felt Sam needed to grow more of a back bone to help support Ana. He didn't seem as understanding of her as he was in the first book, and I missed that from them. Their chemistry fizzled slightly, but I still felt their love for each other. I hope they are able to work things out in the final book.

FINAL VERDICT
Would I recommend this book? Definitely! This book was a really good follow up to Incarnate and I really recommend this series. It's a very different fantasy series compared to most out there, yet I still loved it! The second book takes on more of a serious role, therefore leaving less of the romance out. I still enjoyed it with its magical lyrics despite all the hatred that consumed this book. However, if you do not like books about reincarnation, then this series is not for you. The ending left off with a cliffhanger that leads to the last novel. Plus, there are still many questions that need to be answered. I really hope Ana finds a way to stay with Sam. They are one of my favorite couples in the Young Adult world. I also really want to see more peace between the Old Souls and the New Souls. Not everything must stay the same. Sometimes change is good. I can't wait to finish the series with Infinite! Jodi Meadows is one of my favorite authors so I have to cross my fingers that she delivers lol.