The Orphan Queen #0.1 - #0.4 Novellas

The Black Knife Origins more like - I know Jodi Meadows asks us to read these novellas before 'The Mirror King' but I decided to read it after the book. Definitely helped my big post Mirror King hangover. We saw the accomplished and master vigilante Black Knife in The Orphan Queen. We saw that the Skyvale Crown Prince Tobiah is that vigilante ..... And he is very good at what he does.

The Hidden Prince
The Glowing Knight
The Burning Hand
The Black Knife

These novella here show that like everyone else he too had a beginning. Like everyone else he too used to be somebody unaware of the nature of people outside the walls of their home. But he had the most burden of all. He was a Crown Prince, a future King in the making and he was not one to be spoon-fed.

So he endeavor to set out and right the wrongs of his land. And he was totally useless at it at first. Each novella 8 chapters long, gave us a glimpse in Tobiah's life. Being a Prince is not all glimmer and comfort when your every move is dictated by your King and closely dissected and analysed by everyone else. But when the corruption lies in higher places .... well Tobiah takes the initiative to save his kingdom ..... (Green Arrow's line 'You have failed this city' fits here *wink*)

The Orphan Queen & The Mirror King tells much about Wilhemina than Tobiah. Thus these novellas are a boon because not only do they delve into Tobiah's life before he meets Wil but also tells us how & why his need for vigilantism was needed and what all took place on his first major case. As always very well written by Jodi Meadows. As if that was ever called to question.

"The exciting look on Tobiah's life and the rise of the Black Knife"

Genre :     Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, High Fantasy, Dystopia

Publisher: Epic Reads Impulse

Buy:         Amazon (link for all of her books) 

Other Books by the Author(review links):
         Newsoul #1 #2
         The Orphan Queen #1 #2

The Orphan Queen #2 The Mirror King

Presenting The Orphan Queen #2 The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows.

Here is the summary of the book:

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.

Its intense. Its complex. Its intrigue and its magic. It is 'The Mirror King' by Jodi Meadows and the sequel and much coveted finale to the duology of the Orphan Queen. There is satisfaction, the chance of strong attraction, heartbreak & heartache, the contrivance and the conspiracies of court life. The hesitance of leadership, the ever approaching wraith and deadly enemies everywhere. This is a gorgeously detailed masterpiece in a gorgeously attired book.

Picks up right after the heart breaker cliffhanger in the Orphan Queen. The secret is out. Wilhemina must not only evade and overcome corporeal enemies but also battle the demons in herself. Does she what it takes to be Queen? Is she ready for Aecor? Is she ready to set things right. And that tenuous alliance with Tobiah when she know who is truly is. Meadows really left nothing out while she unearthed every other nuances of Wil. She is a strong and kick-ass heroine no doubt but the level of finality she reaches in this book and how she reaches it is what matters. She is definitely resilient throughout the ordeal.

Tobiah too showed much of himself here. Like Wil, he too had come far from the vigilante Crown Prince of Skyvale. Romance of course wasn't the focus but it was there and it was an excruciating slow burn. There are many hurdles in their way, some more heartbreaking than others. I liked the gradual development of his relationship with Wil. Tobiah wasn't only supporter but also her rock. Whenever she doubted her capabilities as monarch, he consoled and set her straight. What she is going through, he already did. Their to and fro bantering sure brought smiles on all of our faces.

 There is much more I want to say but I really don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't yet read it. But James was visibly the sweetest and kindest. And that wraith boy was definitely the creepiest of the lot. Jodi Meadows has created a whole world unto itself. Really you just need to .... no you have to experience this exotic manuscript by yourself too see. My only gripe ... no epilogue. I wanted one .... But loved it and i totally recommend it too.

"A highly satisfying, highly enticing and a breath-taking finale"

Genre :     Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, High Fantasy, Dystopia

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: 5th April, 2016

My Copy: publisher & edelweiss

Rate:             5/5 (It was Awesome)

Other Books by the Author(review links):
         Newsoul #1 #2
         The Orphan Queen #1

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

The Orphan Queen #1 The Orphan Queen

Presenting The Orphan Queen #1 The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows.

Here is the summary of the book:

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.

Fantasy I love, Epic Fantasy I adore and Jodi Meadows' The Orphan Queen had everything to look forward to. There is magic. Mystery. Intrigue. Kingdoms at war/ The approach of the end. Betrayal. Romance and most of all a great cast of characters to boost off. Utter perfection, Meadows'  writing is as usual fantastic. I so wish there were more books in the series instead of it being the first of a duology and another coming soon. But holy hell this book is worth it all.

Wilhelmina Korte is the Orphan Princess-Queen of Aecor. She and her ragtag Osprey's fight to take back their conquered kingdom and if they have to impersonate dead people to do it then so be it. Getting inside information. Integrating with enemies or anything useful for taking back Aecor. But the vigilante Black Knife and the Wraiths prove more than the requisite hurdles in their paths. And the author has created just the perfect world to set her tale upon as well.

Wil was a great heroine. She is brave, selfless, and intelligent. Knows to be fair to all and has the ingenious ability of thinking on her feet. Most of all she exudes loyalty from those around her. Melanie had questionable loyalty and the Black Knife proved much to curious about Wil and Prince Tobiah was according to Wil 'sour'. Every character bringing something to the table, well written and hidden among so many layers. Romance is there too, won't go into specifics, although it is quite predictable once you have read through to a portion of the book. But i'll only say this - Poor Wil!

Then the author just had to leave us all high and dry with that awful cliffhanger ending. The wait for 'The Mirror King' is definitely gonna be a pain. But in a sense I do appreciate it even if it was heartbreaking. I recommend it guys, try this if you love fantasy or post apocalyptic or just - like to experience a well written book, then definitely give this book a shot.

"A vividly intriguing fantasy in a vividly intriguing world"

Genre :     Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, High Fantasy, Dystopia

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: 10th March, 2015

My Copy: bought (ebook)

Rate:             5/5 (It was Awesome)

Other Books by the Author(review links):
         Newsoul #1 Incarnate 
         Newsoul #2 Asunder

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

Newsoul #2 Asunder

As hard as reviewing the first book but as great as the first book was..... even better. Presenting Newsoul #2 Asunder by Jodi Meadows.

Here is the summary of the book:

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.

Reincarnation had always been a topic that had eluded the best of the best. Nothing is ever concrete about a subject as elusive as this. There are no know-hows when it comes to phenomenon such as these...... But Jodi Meadows brought before us this miraculous event in all its glory saddled with fantasy and sci-fi dystopia in the form of the deliciously exotic first book of the Newsoul series, Incarnate last year.... Again following the same route with the equally exotic book 2, Asunder.

Asunder, now what does this even mean. It means - Apart, divided, into pieces..... Yup kinda sums up what is going on in Heart at the moment.In Incarnate, we saw Ana braving the mean world around her. the city of heart is almost getting used to the newsoul now (aka Ana). She herself is slowly learning to let go of her fears and insecurities, finally in the open with Sam..... but the bad is just around the corner.

Templedark was the reason a lot of old souls were lost indicating the coming birth of a lot of newsouls to replace them. Ana is finally not the only one there. But negative elements within heart pose a grave danger to the existence of these newsouls. The revered entity Janan himself poses the greatest threat imaginable, his motives unsavory. All the while Ana is on a journey of her own to find out the reason of her existence.

Ana and Sam.... What a powerful feeling love is. Our protagonist. Oh they just are truly and utterly in love and made for each other. Ana has come pretty far with this book, she's much stronger now. Fighting against the tough mean world to carve a niche for yourself tends to make you grow a tough skin doesn't it. She struggles to find her worth but there is one thing certain about her. She is loyal.

Sam. Dossam. Whatever we call him, one thing is for certain about him. He is patient as a saint. Reborn with every life, Sam is the perfect guy, with the perfect flaws. You would expect a guy who is a reincarnated soul be perfect in everyway.... but not Meadows' Sam. He is as human as they come. And relatively very young in this life too. Their is an intensity in him whenever he is with Ana and it shows through with the author's perfect penmanship too.... Sam & Ana..... Ana & Sam *blushes profusely*

Asunder had some pretty tough shoes to fill out on, what with the high level of plot structure present in Incarnate but it is safe to say that book 2 doesn't fall short of our expectations at all. And thank God - No second book syndrome at all. Strong characters, a strong plot, and the right twist & turns to keep us readers on ours toes. And that cover doesn't hurt too..... Perfection..... bravo Jodi Meadows...... Brava...... "Infinite" would just be the perfect icing to finish this off.

"Extraordinarily intricate and beautiful, Asunder goes into the depths of the epic fantasy of re-incarnations"

Genre :     Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Dystopia

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: 29th January, 2013

My Copy: bought (ebook)

Rate:             5/5 (It was Awesome)

Books in Series(review links):
         #1 Incarnate

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository |
                Shoppingwish (best prices for India)

Interview with Jodi Meadows

Hey Guys! OMG this is totally fab.

I'd like to present before you guys the author I wanted to interview since I read her book recently....

That's right folks, JODI MEADOWS, the acclaimed author of the NEWSOUL series.

Here are some very good questions she answered for me -

Q: What is the best part of writing for you?

All the parts. I love everything about writing, because each part has its definite perks. First draft? Exciting! Revisions? Getting the story how it's supposed to be!

Q: How to you research for a book before you begin the writing process?

It depends on what I need to know for the book. I have a rule: if I know a little about something I want to write about, I pretend like I don't know anything. That way I don't just make stuff up when it suits me -- I actually look it up to be sure. 

I'll often look up location information, study/buy/print maps, get lists of local wildlife and plants, try to get an idea of weather patterns. I also try to determine what time period the book is set in, or the closest approximation, and get an idea of what level of technology the characters might have at their disposal.

Basically, I research everything I know I will need before I start writing the book. Later, as I'm actually writing the first draft, I know I'll have to look up more information, too.

Q: How did it come to you that you wanted to write something based re-incarnations? In one line how would you describe your book to someone to sell to?

INCARNATE is about the only girl who is new in a world where everyone else is perpetually reincarnated. 

I didn't start my writing career thinking about writing a book about reincarnation. INCARNATE is actually myseventeenth finished manuscript. Yep. I wrote sixteen manuscripts before that, about different characters and worlds. 

The premise behind INCARNATE was a huge challenge for me. I actually had the idea for it three years before I started writing the book, but I tucked my note for it into a file because it looked too hard to write. I wasn't ready. I started writing the book when I was ready for a challenge, and ready to start thinking about my stories in a different way. The idea of INCARNATE had never left me, even when I was working on other stories. 

I didn't expect INCARNATE to be the one that sold (at that point, I didn't expect any of my stories to sell), but I'm pretty darn pleased by the fact that it did, let me tell you!

Q: The cover of the book is really awesome. Did you have any inputs on it while its conception stage?

Thanks, I think it's awesome, too. I didn't have anything to do with it. The closest I came to having input was when my editor called me before the model casting to double check on Ana's appearance. 

and, Lastly,

Q: Something….anything you can tell us about ASUNDER that we don’t know yet?Pretty Please.....

There's something really, really strange happening with the sylph. As for what? You'll just have to wait to find out. 

"OH MY! "

CHECK OUT HER BOOKS HERE(click on the covers to check out their descriptions)

 


Also don't forget to check out my review of INCARNATE here -
Click Here

Newsoul #1 Incarnate

You can be anything and everything you want, regardless of the soul you possess. Presenting Newsoul #1 Incarnate by Jodi Meadows.

Here is the summary of the book:

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.

Regardless of what is inside or how you are born, you can be anything you want to be if you put your hearts and souls into it. This is what Incarnate tells us in its own subtle way. This is the story of Ana as she tackles the world around her, being the only new soul or as the people around her liked to curse nosoul, has known all but contempt, loneliness and anger her whole life. Now at 18 when she finally leaves home to find her origins, Ana comes across a world that does not know what to do with her....it is upto to make a niche for herself....find why she is the only one....and maybe even let friendship and love inside as well.

Incarnate was one of the book that rightly opposes the quote "never judge a book by it cover".... because GOD THE COVER IS SIMPLY HEAVEN .... HEAVENLY and the story was equally such. I definitely loved Ana and Sam....come on what was there not to like! Ana is strong, determined, loyal and somewhat reckless when the moment calls it. She had all but contempt at the hands of those around her so it is but natural for her not to be trusting of others. All she wants to know is 'why?' and 'how?' is she there when all around her everyone is a reincarnated soul. She just wants to belong somewhere and I commend her for that.

Then there is Sam, he finds and rescues her. At first even he doesn't want to do anything with her but that slowly changes. He sees her as what she is ..... not a nosoul but a newsoul ... a person while new but still a person capable of feelings. Their's is a connection and rapport that builds up slowly through time. Sam is Ana's mentor and friend....the burgeoning attraction between these two is a sight for sore eyes. You can definitely see yourself rooting for these two as you skim through the pages.

I am so adding Jodi Meadows to list of favorite authors. Her's is a work of coalition, futuristic as well as fantasy. Incarnate while a little difficult to understand at first with the sci-fi element is a marvelous read. Through the pages you'll find everything you'll need, first experiences, adventure, action, mythology, trust, friendship, wonder and most of all love ...... I want to read ASUNDER NOW .....

"Calm,Serene and Action packed - Incarnate takes the concept of reincarnation to a whole new level"

Genre :       Young Adult,Sci-fi, Fantasy, Dystopia


Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books


Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)