Sophie Reads YA: Jodi Meadows

Review: Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows

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Incarnate
Series: Newsoul #1
Author: Jodi Meadows
Published January 2nd 2013 by Katherine Tegen

Goodreads Synopsis
New soul

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.

No soul

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 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.
Goodreads

Review
I adored Jodi's Orphan Queen series, but had never read any of her other books, so decided to buy a copy of Incarnate after hearing really good things about it. Ana is strange in this world. She is a new soul, in a world where everyone is reincarnated after death, and her arrival coincides with the permanent disappearance of one of Heart's most beloved citizens. When she appears in the city, she is shunned, as others are afraid of her, and what her being a new soul means. Same is the only one who will help her and stand up for her, and a romance blossoms between them. However, the hatred of a new soul being in the city, especially when it is under attack from dragons and sylph, may lead to them being separated.

This book was strange. I liked the premise, and the world building, but still found something a bit lacking. Ana was very headstrong, and a bit too impulsive at times, but she grew on me, and her and Sam's relationship was sweet. I'm reviewing this over a year after reading it, and being honest, I can't remember too much about the book. I think I have the other books on my shelves somewhere, but am considering whether to offload them, because I don't think I'm invested in the series enough. Disappointing considering how much I love Jodi's other series.

Dates Read:

November 24-25, 2018

Rating
3 Stars

Jodi Meadows

Waiting on Wednesday: When She Reigns (Fallen Isles #3) by Jodi Meadows

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As She Ascends

Waiting on Wednesday: As She Ascends (Fallen Isles Trilogy #2) by Jodi Meadows

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Brodi Ashton

Waiting on Wednesday: My Plain Jane (The Lady Janies #2) by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows & Brodi Ashton

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Before She Ignites

Waiting on Wednesday: Before She Ignites (Fallen Isles Trilogy #1) by Jodi Meadows

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5 Stars

ARC Review: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

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My Lady Jane
Series: None
Author: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Published September 1st 2016 by Walker Books

Goodreads Synopsis
A comical, fantastical and witty re-imagining of the Tudor world, perfect for fans of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Lady Jane Grey, sixteen, is about to be married to a total stranger - and caught up in an insidious plot to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But that's the least of Jane's problems. She's about to become Queen of England. Like that could go wrong.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

I'd heard so much about this book back in April/May time. The US ARC reviews were starting to come in, and every single one loved the book. When I heard that Walker would be publishing the UK edition, I immediately requested a copy, and was overjoyed when I heard I was approved. Literally, as soon as the book dropped through my letter box, I had it open, and didn't put it down until it was finished.

My Lady Jane follows the tumultuous time in which Lady Jane Grey became the nine day Queen of England. However, it's quite a fictionalised account. In reality, Edward VI died, and his chief minister, the Duke of Northumberland, organised for his daughter-in-law, Jane, to become queen, over Edward's sister Mary. Mary, not pleased with this development, organised an army, and took back the throne and Jane was executed in nine days. The true history is quite bleak; not the case in this book. While a lot of the dating, etc., is true, the main change is that there are the presence of a group of people, the Eðians, whom can shape shift into various animals. These Eðians have been persecuted in the past, but when Henry VIII reveals himself to be one, whom becomes a Lion, he breaks with the Verity Church at Rome, and England becomes a land for Eðians. Basically, the protestants of the time are now Eðians, and Catholics are Verities - that's how I looked at it. Lord Dudley, the Duke of Northumberland, orchestrated for the marriage between Jane and his youngest son, Gifford - also known as G - and then began poisoning the king to pave the way for a Dudley succession. The main issues, G was an Eðian, and spent all his time from dawn til dusk as a horse - not the best way to begin a marriage. G and Jane soon become close, even though they began their marriage hating each other, and everything seemed to be going great, until the announcement that Jane was now Queen.

First things first, can we just acknowledge the dedication:

I think I speak on behalf of England, that you are forgiven. If our history was really like this, so many more people would enjoy it. The Tudor period is my favourite era, and I loved this new look into it. BTW, history skims far too much over Jane, when really, more should be done to research her story.

Every single character we met in the book, some I know from history, and others new characters, were exactly like I'd imagine them to be.

Edward was a bit sexist, and couldn't really do much for himself, but considering he'd been king since he was 9, and raised like a god simply because he had a XY chromosome, instead of XX.
Mary was stuck up, and totally against the Eðians - just like the real life Mary I, known as Bloody Mary, who relished in the executions and burning of so-called Protestant heretics.
Bess was carefree and kind, who loved her siblings, even if they didn't like her back. She was snarky, and had her own free will - exactly like she was when she was the Virgin Queen. I've just finished a module all about Elizabeth, and she's my favourite monarch we've ever had, so I'll always have a bit of a soft spot for her, but the authors did her justice, I think.
Jane and G, I didn't know much about, but they worked, perfectly. Jane was bookish, and well learnt - she knew she would have to marry eventually, being the great granddaughter of Henry VII, and all. Her previous engagements had all fallen apart, and she expected this one to be no different. However, they still married, without ever seeing each other before. She only discovered G was a horse Eðian the day after the wedding, when he suddenly change in front of her. G never thought he'd marry, due to the whole horse thing, but his and Jane's marriage began rough, but grew better as the time past. Their romance was a gradual one, but very swoony, and even when it seemed like everything was against them, they overcame all the odds, and won.

Really, I didn't know much about this book going in, but now, I wish I had it earlier. I finished it in just a few hours, and I already want to re-read it again. Of the three authors, I've only read books by one of them, but I'll be rectifying this soon enough. The Lady Janies have such a way with words, and the amount of references - Game of Thrones, Princess Bride, Monty Python, etc. - and 4th wall made the reading experience even better - if that's possible. They've announced they'll be writing more 'Jane' stories in the future, this time about Jane Eyre and Calamity Jane, and I can't wait to read them.

Tl;dr, it was amazing, buy it!

Dates Read:
August 1, 2016

Rating
5 Stars

5 Stars

Review: The Mirror King (The Orphan Queen #2) by Jodi Meadows

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The Mirror King
Series: The Orphan Queen #2
Author: Jodi Meadows
Published April 5th 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books

Goodreads Synopsis
Wilhelmina has a hundred enemies.

HER FRIENDS HAVE TURNED. After her identity is revealed during the Inundation, Princess Wilhelmina is kept prisoner by the Indigo Kingdom, with the Ospreys lost somewhere in the devastated city. When the Ospreys’ leader emerges at the worst possible moment, leaving Wil’s biggest ally on his deathbed, she must become Black Knife to set things right.

HER MAGIC IS UNCONTROLLABLE. Wil’s power is to animate, not to give true life, but in the wraithland she commanded a cloud of wraith mist to save herself, and later ordered it solid. Now there is a living boy made of wraith—destructive and deadly, and willing to do anything for her.

HER HEART IS TORN. Though she’s ready for her crown, declaring herself queen means war. Caught between what she wants and what is right, Wilhelmina realizes the throne might not even matter. Everyone thought the wraith was years off, but already it’s destroying Indigo Kingdom villages. If she can’t protect both kingdoms, soon there won’t be a land to rule.

In this stunning conclusion to THE ORPHAN QUEEN, Jodi Meadows follows Wilhelmina’s breathtaking and brave journey from orphaned criminal on the streets to magic-wielding queen.
Goodreads

Review
See my review of book 1, The Orphan Queen.

I adored The Orphan Queen, and have been waiting, somewhat impatiently, until the library copy I had on hold became available. And, the wait was worth it! I devoured the book in less than a day, and even when I was finished, I immediately went back and reread my favourite parts - which was most of the book.

Now that everyone knows exactly who Wil is - namely, the lost princess - Wil's life is in a bit of turmoil. Tobiah was shot at the end of The Orphan Queen, by the traitorous Patrick, and Wil will do anything to heal him, including using forbidden magic. She continues to become Black Knife and is determined to find Patrick and make him suffer for using her name to destroy. No matter how hard Wil tries to do right, her magic, and the unintentional creation of a wraith boy, ends up destroying more and more, and causes a rift between herself and Tobiah. When they discover Patrick has fled to Aecor, and is gathering people under her banner, she immediately leaves, trying to get some space between herself, and her feelings for Tobiah - and maybe, she left at just the right time.

I love Wil, I really do. She even got better in this book, which I didn't think was possible. Now that it's all out in the open about who she is, she is under more scrutiny, and the restrictions placed on her are chaffing. Even though she is the lost princess, she is still the leader of the Ospreys, and it's in her blood to be out there, helping and protecting, not being locked away in a tower, all 'safe'.

That was the main thing that brought Wil and Black Knife together, and now that Wil knows exactly who Black Knife is - namely, Tobiah - she's conflicted. She loves Black Knife, but loathes Tobiah. How does she reconcile one with the other? And, once she does, she's faced by the fact that Tobiah is getting married, and Meredith is a wonderful person, who doesn't deserve to be hurt.

The plot and action were amazing. It started somewhat slow, dealing with the shooting of Tobiah, but once it started, it all started. Everything seemed to come all at once, and there were times I didn't know how to feel, my emotions were just all over the place. This book is definitely one for the feels, and the romance was extremely swoon-worthy, especially when it comes to a certain list. I'm sort of gutted that it's only a duology, but everything was wrapped up - I just want some more ;). I'd definitely recommend this!

Dates Read:
July 12, 2016

Rating
5 Stars

Brodi Ashton

Waiting on Wednesday: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows

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Jodi Meadows

Waiting on Wednesday: The Mirror King (The Orphan Queen #2) by Jodi Meadows

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5 Stars

Review: The Orphan Queen (The Orphan Queen #1) by Jodi Meadows

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The Orphan Queen
Series: The Orphan Queen #1
Author: Jodi Meadows
Published March 10th 2015 by Katherine Tegen Books

Goodreads Synopsis
Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.
She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, -Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.
She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.
She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others.
Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world.
Goodreads

Review
My god, this book was utter perfection! Ever since ARC reviews began to appear in the blogosphere there has been a ton of hype surrounding this book, hype that was not misplaced. For some reason, I was still hesitant to read it. Perhaps I thought the hype would ruin the reading experience, or something like that. However, this was not the case at all.

In The Orphan Queen, we follow our heroine, Wil, as she tries to infiltrate the main palace of the Indigo Kingdom, whom had conquered her kingdom of Aecor nearly ten years earlier. Her motive for the infiltration is simple: to discover vital information which will help her to retake her throne. However, not all is as it seems. For the past 100 years, the Indigo Kingdom had banned the use of magic, as the industrialisation of magic had brought wraith to the land, destroying everything in its wake. Wil's use of magic in emergencies catches causes problems that have major consequences. On top of all of this, she has to deal with her conflicting emotions about Black Knife, the so-called vigilante who, rather than capture her for using magic, enlists her help in ridding the city from the wraith problem. Though he could lead to her ruin, she grows more and more attached to him, an attachment that nothing good can come from, especially when she discovers his identity.

Having a wonderful protagonist makes any book special, and this was no exception. Wilhelmina was a spunky, fierce princess, who'd faced major hardship since the assassination of her parents and the loss of her kingdom. Through all of this, she has remained strong, and does everything in her power to reclaim her lost throne. I loved everything about Wil, and kind of wish she was my best friend. She is fiercely loyal her fellow orphans, the Ospreys, and is reclaiming Aecor as much for them as she is for herself. Even when faced with solutions that could make everything easier in the long run, she stands her ground, and sticks by her morals. She goes after what she thinks is right, and isn't shy about stating her disapproval.

To make this book even better, if possible, the love interest was someone who helped to make Wil better. Black Knife was mysterious, though I had guessed who he was, but then talked myself out of it. Whereas he knew stuff about Wil that could have hurt her, and her chances of reclaiming Aecor, he never told on her. He went so far as to help her at every possible opportunity, following her as far as he could when she went into the wraith lands. Their relationship was also slow-burning, just the right amount of longing so that it didn't turn into a complete angst-fest. I was extremely glad with how the big reveal occurred, though I'm apprehensive with the amount of angst and suffering will be in book 2, The Mirror King, considering the cliffhanger-y ending.

Out of all the characters, the only one I disliked was Patrick, who, to me, was a condescending SoB, who deserved a good slap. He was presumptive, and rash, and even though he said he was loyal to his princess, his queen, his actions were not in her best interests. When more is discovered about his father, the old General, he seemed more and more like him, and his actions could be the ruin of Wil. Hopefully, he'll get his comeuppance in The Mirror King.

This book is a wonderful new addition of the high fantasy genre, and lovers of that will adore this book. From The Orphan Queen I have a ton of new fave's: a new favourite heroine, a new favourite world, and a new OTP. The wait to April seems far too long, but luckily there is the #OQsupportgroup to help. Quite frankly, you should just go out, buy this book, and read it ASAP - you will not be disappointed!

Dates Read:
July 19-20, 2015

Rating
5 Stars