Infinite - Jodi Meadows

[This is the third book in the Newsoul series, but I've done my best to ensure there are no spoilers in my review. If you're interested in learning more about the series, check out my reviews for Incarnate (Book 1) and Asunder (Book 2).]

Infinite by Jodi Meadows
Series: Newsoul #3
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source/Publisher: Borrowed from Jamie (Thank you!) || ARC

[I received this book for review from the publisher. This in no way affects the thoughts expressed in my review.]

The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk.

Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach.

The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all. (from Goodreads)

Infinite was, quite simply, amazing. It broke my heart, but it also put the shattered pieces back together again (and this happened multiple times over). But the best part? It enticed me into falling completely in love with this series and these characters all over again. That's certainly no small feat, so I've got to hand it to Jodi Meadows for writing what appears to be the right ending for her story.

There are so many wonderful things about the way Jodi tells the rest of Ana's story in Infinite. There are nuances in every decision, emotions wrapped up in all these choices the characters face. With the stakes so high and time so short, it truly becomes a question of life or death for Ana, her friends and even her enemies.

This, in fact, is what makes the series so meaningful to me. It's not just a story about a newsoul named Ana, who discovers friendship, romance and how she fits into this world she's in. It's also a reflection on the importance of what's happened in the past, the power of the choices being made in the present and the uncertainty (and hope) that can lie in the future. This where the Newsoul series is most effective at being engaging, as it touches on concepts we've all reflected on at some point.

Readers are reunited with Ana, Sam and many other characters. Their experiences are a mix of happy and sweet, hard and hurtful, but it feels good to be able to make this important journey with them up until the end. With Incarnate and Asunder, Jodi succeeded in carving a place in my heart for the characters I fell in love with; in Infinite, these characters friends simply settle in and make themselves more at home.

Jodi also triumphs at her introduction of the wider world surrounding Range and Heart. It's filled with strange territory, including fantastical creatures (like centuars, trolls, sylph and dragons) which we've heard much about but have never seen for long periods of time. The descriptions, the experiences and the sheer necessity of Ana's journey out of Range are extremely well-done so as to blend seamlessly with the previous parts of Ana's story.

In fact, this is one of the best things about Infinite - the juxtaposing of the familiar (like Ana, Sam, and other characters or creatures we know) with the unfamiliar (like the area outside of Range, the uncertainty of what will happen on Soul Night, etc). It's a theme that's surfaced in all three novels, and also a clever tip of the hat to Ana herself. 

Jodi does an impressive job of keeping her readers in the dark until things are about to go down, filling Infinite with unexpected twists. Plus, she keeps her characters and their emotional experiences feeling authentic. After having read all three novels (and the novella), it's safe to conclude that this is a series I'd highly recommend.

If you've yet to start, consider this your polite invitation to do that right now. And if you have, consider this your reassurance that Jodi Meadows will end this series in a way that you're going to appreciate.

There's still time to join the Incarnate Series Read-a-Thon if you want to binge read the series!