Posted on Dark Faerie Tales.There are no words to fully express how I feel about Jodi Meadow’s Asunder. I had the same problem when I was planning to write my review of the series’ first book, Incarnate. As a follow up book, Asunder had tough shoes to fill. I loved Incarnate. I loved how Meadows allowed my imagination to react in a way it hadn’t in such a long time. I anxiously awaited the release of Asunder, and couldn’t wait to turn the pages once I got my hands on it. I couldn’t wait to connect with Asunder as much as I did with Incarnate.Ana is the biggest change to happen to Heart in a really long time. As a new soul with no reincarnated past, she is scrutinized, feared, and hated much more than anything. Ana no longer lives in isolation, but instead lives in the open with Sam. Ana has learned a lot since living in Heart, slowly stepping away from her insecurities and fears, but only to replace them with new ones. There are those in Heart that wish to do harm to her, some on the council, but one dangerous in particular. Janan, the reverend whom the people of Heart worship, has told her she was a mistake. Ana must find out if she truly is a mistake, or if there is another purpose for her new soul.Ana has grown alot since I first met her in Incarnate. She has fought for what she believes in, for those that she cares about, and for her own life. Ana is perceived to be an omen of bad things to come. She is feared and hated, sometimes hurt physically but always hurt emotionally. She struggles to balance living her life without guilt and with enjoying what life has offered her. Ana grows stronger, with a strength that is fierce, brave, and very loyal. I admire Ana, and I love the way she was written. Sam. What can I say about him that I haven’t before? I think I love Sam more. If that’s even a possibility. He has been tested time and time again. For someone who has lived for five thousand years, he has the patience of a saint. But I appreciated how Meadows wrote Sam with flaws. And let’s just say that Sam may be wise from his years, but given his current age, he is still realistically a young man. And Meadows allowed his character to feel and be in the moment of all of his feelings. There’s a rawness to their scenes together, and I couldn’t help but think about their current age, Sam’s history, and everything that brought them to that point.While I loved Asunder, I love Incarnate more. There was a connection with Incarnate that I didn’t feel again with Asunder. Please don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed Asunder and loved every moment about it. But Incarnate spoke to me on an emotional level. Asunder, while continuing my love for the series, connected with me on a different level. I learned about the darkness of life and of people. Meadows allowed me to ask questions about discovery, life, and reincarnation. Meadows brought me to a different place, constantly making me question things and never taking information for granted. Asunder tore my happy Incarnate bubble apart, to allow me to piece it together and appreciate it in a different way. There is pain and betrayal, secrets that hurt, and lies that sacrifice lives. Asunder was hard to get through, only because Meadows brought me to the other side of the emotional spectrum. Meadows knows how to appeal to my reading preferences, my likes, and the little things that tug at my heart. I don’t think I’ve been this interested in a story as much as I am with this. It’s an amazing story and I think you should all read it.
