Going into this book, I felt so great about it! The first 30% had me engaged and ready for more. I think the last half dragged a bit. The pacing, however, was very good throughout the book and nothing felt too rushed (maybe a bit too slow at times) 

My issues would include the lack of world building. I needed more information about the world to be able to understand it better. 
But I loved the relationships between our main characters, you could really see the chemistry between them!

First off let me say that this book had such beautiful cover art! Ok, now onto the real review. I thought the writing style of the author was amazing! It reminds me of several other books which are some of my favorites. This book is similar to the Red Queen, the Young Elites, and Midnight Thief. If you have read any of these I think you will love this book.

An e-ARC was provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First of all I'd like to say the blurb and the actual story are very different from each other. The blurb describes the premise of the book, the actual story has many more elements to it. Over all it thought the story was entertaining, with an easy to read writing style. The first 25% I thought was promising, 25-50% was a lot of anticipation which made me impatient and once I was at 50% the action really started. I think the idea of this magic is interesting, but I think a little more world building would've been an addition to the book. There's still a lot of gaps it seems in the story, the World and the magic, but since this is a trilogy, I guess the author gave herself some space and options to expand on in the second book.
I think this book isn't the best within its genre that I've read so far, but I do see a lot of potential and it could very well be that the rest of the trilogy shows development in the author's writing, making this a great trilogy over all.

Overall I really enjoyed the story idea. Anything to do with magic and self-discovery is always right up my alley. However I also require a lot of depth to my characters, which I feel was a little lacking. Especially as this story is told from multiple view points.  

At times there was a lot of detail about the surrounding areas, and then nothing at all about the people. Some of the scenes appeared a little skimmed over, and I feel that they could have been perfect opportunities for more character interactions and relationship building. 

The world itself sounds vast and there are so many different culture's and races that I felt needed to be experienced a little bit more. I really wanted to connect deeply with the world and the characters, as a lot of them had the makings of really interesting, in depth people. I just felt that there was something missing.

And one slightly picky view (again I'm not sure if this is different in the finished book) is that all of the characters have great, well thought out names, except for a character named 'Browneyes' - I feel for such a mysterious, badass, villain - she deserved a better name than just Browneyes. All the other characters have great names, and I was just disappointed. She seems like she should be an important character, although not much was revealed about her past, and how she connects to everything. 

Great story premise - I just wanted a bit more from the characters so I could really root for them.

This book had me hooked from the first few pages. The characters are interesting and complex which made the entire story more engaging. The story moves at a good pace and there weren't any wasted words or pages. The mystery surrounding Naomi is sure to keep readers interested; it also helps that she seems to be a genuinely good person, so she's easy to root for. It was also nice to see Zander grow as a character - he starts out scared and alone and by the end is willing to put himself at risk to save others.  I'm not sure how I feel about Reynolds. For starters, the age difference between him and Naomi makes a romantic relationship between them a little unsettling (assuming that she is a teenager - her actual age is not clear). Also, he did a terrible thing to Taren as a child and takes no responsibility for it and acts as though Taren is wrong or out of line to hate him the way he does. I also wish there had been more about the reason for Taren's actions at the end of the book, it doesn't make a lot of sense and he's gone before an explanation is given. I hope this is something covered in book 2. I also got frustrated every time a male character told Naomi that they couldn't tell her about her own past and abilities - she has every right to know her history.

I thought this was a good premise.  The cover is definitely very very interesting, hence the reason I picked it up. The books got better as I read, but still I had trouble finishing it. The pace is a little slow for my liking, but the setting is good. More than halfway through the book, I still wasnt sure about the magic concept that were spoken about in the book and that definitely put me off. 

I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Confusing and slow paced, it picked up occasionally but mostly really slow going. I found it hard to connect to the main character and although I enjoyed parts I was largely disinterest. A real shame as sounded wonderful but not for me

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest review

3.5/5
This was a slow-paced read that kept you just interested enough to turn the page. Some parts were faster than others but overall it was a slow pace. The characters are almost fleshed out so you dont really get enough out of them to be invested, which is a major let down when reading a book but that is something that could be improved. I’m am looking forward to reading more from this author.

An interesting premise. The story itself could be better but I am not complaining. I am looking for lesser-known fantasy books to talk about magic systems and the way they relate to real-life concepts. Vivatera offers a beautiful world and I hope that sequels will deliver even more. 

Not a perfect book by any means but it has its charm.

Rereleased first book of a series, this is overall a good fantasy YA. There were parts that dragged for me. There were some good characters but in trying to build yo the big reveal, some characters were left a bit flat. I have a feeling book 2 will be better since we now have the more full backgrounds. Enjoyable and I will likely read the ne t book to find out what happens to Naomi, Reynolds and crew next.

DNF @ 37% - via Netgalley 

I feel at this point I should know exactly what this book is about but I don't. Nothing is explained. I'm confused about the world, magic system, character motivations, basically everything. The main character, Naomi, is thus far being treated like special fragile glass...and all I really know about her is the fact that she doesn't like wearing shoes for some reason. 

There is potential here. It's just not the story for me.

When I requested this book, I thought it was a stand alone novel.
It was an ok read, but it didn't make me feel anything special. 
I took longer than I expected to finish it. 
I have no plans of reading the next volumes, I'm sorry. 
Thanks for the ARC.

I was sent an eARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not change my view in any shape or form.

There were a lot of things I really appreciated about Vivatera, but there were also a lot of things that I just wasn't altogether keen on about the novel. It was just one of those novels that I can rate pretty in favor but that I wasn't super into? We all have those moments in literature. It happens. It's one of those things about being a reader that is just... complicated.

I can't decide if it was merely my mood, and in turn it wasn't the right time for me and this book. I was coming down off of the high of some books that truly blew me away, after all. Or if it was just that the execution of Vivatera that just wasn't my cup of tea?

Before we get too deep into this review, I want to make it clear that I didn't hate this book or even dislike it, it just wasn't a standout for me (and my personal preference as a reader) and that's okay. I kind of straddled the line about it when it came down to my thoughts on it and it really just is what it is. Vivatera wasn't my favourite but it also wasn't my least favourite. This doesn't reflect Candace J. Thomas' ability as a writer.

I had issues with the beginning of Vivatera which ultimately stuck with me throughout the book, even in the moments that it improved. It started off quite slow and didn't really live up to the synopsis. I'm not sure what I expected from it but it wasn't really what I ended up receiving in the end. Which was disappointing and definitely lent itself into what my rating process would be.

Vivatera is the first book in a series and we all know that the first book is crucial to both the writer and the reader. Ultimately it was shaky in terms of hooking me into the books that are to come and there's no going around that fact.

I enjoyed it well enough but I can't say that I'm all that intrigued on a sequel. I don't know, I have a lot of mixed feelings on it, but there's still that chance that either I'll (a) reread it in the future to see if it really wasn't my time for Vivatera or (b) just dive into the sequel on a whim.

Ending my review on a positive note, there were still some elements to Vivatera that are important to note. Again, I didn't hate this book! There were a lot of things I really did enjoy or appreciate. I liked the premise and the characters, and the way that certain characters were portrayed. I thought the way that magic and reality were combined and really liked Naomi as a character.

In-fact, she is exactly the sort of main character that I often will connect with. There was something to her that just had the it-factor and I really think Thomas is onto something when it comes to her as a character. She is, ultimately, what kept me reading in the weaker points of Vivatera.

Another thing I liked about it was Thomas' prose. I just really found myself easing into the way that Thomas tells a story and think that this is something that will truly be showcased in any sequels in the future. While there were some tropes within her plotlines that I wasn't terribly keen on, she did make the reading experience all the more pleasant.

Ultimately, my feelings on Vivatera are a mixed bag and I think I'd have to return to it in the future to give it a fuller rating. I do think that it's worth the read and will gather up a pretty solidly loyal group of fans. And, of course, I don't regret reading it.

#Vivatera #NetGalley
Thank you to publisher for E-Arc copy and to NetGalley. Vivatera has a great premise and I can tell a lot of thought went into it. It just missed the mark for me, but I think it will find an audience with younger teens.

This book is something that could potentially become great but I honestly think that this book lacked chemistry and passion in the storytelling. There was a plot but the characters seemed scattered. The multiple characters confused me in a way especially because of how the third person point of view switched from one scene to the next. The plot was revealed later on but it could have been better because at the end, I was like whose plot is whose and whose story is this? Typically, I would enjoy multiple characters in a fantasy book but I didn't really fully grasp the persona the author was trying to project. I know that Naomi's story is quite good so I kind of disregarded the rest and didn't think much about them. I did enjoy the mysteriousness that the author achieved in this book. I also enjoyed that the book was fast paced and it had a good plot background but it was not fully developed as the book progressed. 

To explain:

There was a gradual introduction at first and then suddenly everything changed and that's where the fast paced plot began. But what happened was that it was too fast paced that I didn't really fully understand everything. Despite all the fast and action scenes that didn't quite lead to anything, the plot had a slow build. It wasn't fully developed and I don't really know what happened. I would recommend this book if you're interested in a fantasy and magic infused YA book. It also included a bit of mystery with the magic and the spirits plot. It's fast paced and you would probably read it very fast in one sitting. 

Rating: 3.5/5

I had such high hopes for this novel. The description had me wanting to read this novel immediately, however the pacing and disjointed sentences and descriptions left me disappointed and upset. Thomas does a relatively good job with characterization and setting descriptions, but after reading the main character described as having a “tiny frame” four times on one page, I almost didn’t want to finish the book. I grudgingly continued on and finished the book, but I definitely won’t be reading the sequels. Only one star for this novel, sorry Candace.

Good read! I enjoyed the plot and characters were greatly represented. I fell right into the book! The storyline was easy to follow. I especially enjoyed the main character and how she is a truly wonderful person, even through her struggle. The mix of good and evil was good.

Vivatera is a young adult fantasy about Naomi, a young orphaned girl with no insight to who she truly is, her self-discovery, her magic and her importance to the world.

The premise is so, so promising.

And in some respects, it pays off. The magic is interesting, somewhat unique and beautifully described at times. Almost sentient, playful or moody things inside the wielders. The world building in places is full and interesting as well. There are a lot of intriguing mysteries laid out that pull you along.

However, the book just wasn’t what I’d expected.

The pacing is rushed rather than fast. So rushed it’s jarring and the story becomes entirely unbelievable and confusing.

The romance was lack lustre. No intensity, no build up. We are told they are in love but not shown. There’s no discovery or growth to it. No chemistry.

And unfortunately, while the characters were likeable and interesting at points, I just could not feel invested in any of them. It might have been the rushed, sometimes confusing amounts of characters pushed into the small amount of story or the fact that it was often difficult to picture them, get a sense of their age, their stakes in anything that happens around them. I left the book feeling like the characters were strangers and that, for me, is the worst part since I put a lot of weight on character and relationships – more so than plot oftentimes.

The story could have benefited better with some build up and increasing pace rather than jumping immediately into the thick of things, especially with the scale of the story and world Thomas seemed to be reaching for.

I have received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

– 1/5 Interesting premise and some beautifully written qualities let down by overly rushed yet overly full plot and unbelievable romance.

Book – Vivatera
Author  – Candace J. Thomas
Series  – Vivatera
Publication Date  –
Genre  – Fantasy
Type  – Part of Series

Rating  – 4 out of 5 Stars

Complimentary copy generously provided by the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts - Story 

I have to be honest and share that this was difficult starting out. I felt like I was lost in the beginning and then started to feel confused on what was going on and what the back story was (especially with Reynolds and Taren).

But, I trudged on and was gifted with complete knowledge by the time the story was done, so overall I believe this 1st book was a beginning to the actual story. The book introduces you to all the characters that will play a major role in the books to come in the series.

I did like Naomi's character and how she was portrayed as a strong, smart girl that got thrown into a major whirlwind of problems as soon as her magic started to appear (and was recognized as someone important)

I also enjoyed Zander's character especially with how young he really is - he really stepped up in this book and became the voice of reason between the prince and Silexa.

There really wasn't a heart-stopping cliffhanger but just sets you up for more to come!

Re-Cap 

Naomi is an orphan who finds out that the birthmark she has means more than she ever thought. She gets into a bit of trouble with the guards during the prince's parade and ends up in the hands of her protector, Reynolds.

Reynolds takes Naomi on an adventure to safety but it ends up that Naomi is in more danger than Reynolds thought while he ends up with problems of his own.

Naomi must learn her magic and figure out what part she will play in the kingdom and who she really is.

Reason for Reading  –  Requested title through NetGalley

Story  – 4 out of 5 Stars
Steam  – 3 out of 5 Stars
Angst  – 4 out of 5 Stars
Writing  – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow  – 4 out of 5 Stars

Would Read More from Author?    Yes

Recommend To  – Readers who love books about YA magic and fantasy with a bit of romance tied in.

Let me start by saying I was really excited to read this book, the story had such potential! But it didn't live up to my expectations.

For the first half of the book I was really confused with what was happening and the second half I was slightly less confused but only because everything was overly explained. I just felt that the story was jumped into way to quickly like I started reading the book halfway through.

This book was okay, not good but also not bad. Just wished it had lived up to the story I expected more.
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