Beautiful world building but the romance was too fast and some parts of the book sped along at a confusing pace.

The author did a wonderful job with this novel. I was drawn into the story rather quickly and it became immediately apparent that the plot was thought-out carefully. In fact, there were times that the complexities of the plot became so complicated that it was somewhat dizzying. This is the kind of book you definitely have to go back through a second time to fully understand and appreciate. The Vivatera is an amazing creation, especially as a debut novel. I'll be watching for book 2.

This was a really fun and interesting book, although I am not sure it appealed to me as much as other readers. The worldbuilding was beautiful, but many of the events moved along quite fast. The characters of Zander and Naomi were well-done, but Naomi’s romance with Reynolds seemed to move a bit too fast for me to keep up. Overall, I can see why this is a well-loved series. Many of the events and details stood out enough for me to remember well and I may pick up the second book in the future. Readers of young adult fantasy, especially of Graceling, may find interest in these pages.

This book just wasn’t for me. I stopped reading 100 pages in. I was left wanting by the characters and the plot was confusing. 1/5.

This was a great book despite my average star rating. The story was well-plotted and the pace was great, but I can't help but feel that it was aimed at a younger audience. The characters were alright, but I would've preferred a little more world-building. Nonetheless, I'm glad I read it!

Recommended!!

Overall this book was good.
I would have like a little bit more information & description as I read. It was a lot of surface reading & it didn't dig deep & capture my attention like I would have liked it to. I think that if there was more "meat" to the story that this would have been a really good, can't put down until the end kind of YA novel that I enjoy.
I think that a younger reader would enjoy reading this book & would recommend for students/kids who enjoy this.

I gave this one a try, but I know already after 20% of the book that it's not my kind of read. I leve fantasy YA, but this book is made for Younger readers for sure. The writing style and the characters are just simply described in a way that does not suit me. I am sure youger reader will enjoy it.

Naomi is a survivor. She never knew her parents. Doesn’t know why she has a scar on her neck, or why she has to hide it. Or why the dreams she suffers from occasionally come true. Until one day she crossed paths with someone who pulls her away from her normal life with the promise of all the answers, despite the fact that he doesn’t seem to want to share any of them with her.

I liked Vivatera, it’s not a complicated read, but it was a fun one. And sometimes, that’s all you’re really looking for. The writing style is quite simple, and easy to read, although, action sequences did seem a bit messy, and it sometimes didn’t flow that well. For example, this is a fantsasy novel, which usually pertains to a more “historical” setting, and yet, sometimes in conversations, characters would use phrases like “no worries” which just felt a little off given the setting. But overall, it flowed pretty well.
One thing I did really appreciate was the writing of Naomi’s dreams, it was chaotic and out of order and a little messy, and felt like the closest thing to an actual dream as I’ve ever read. They weren't play-by-plays, but more singular scenes threaded together, and Naomi was left to figure out what they mean.

Disappointingly, the biggest downfall of Vivatera are the characters. We have Naomi, who is 100% a Mary-Sue; she’s beautiful, powerful, sweet and all the male characters are “drawn to her” plus, she’s The Chosen One. Then we have Renoylds, who’s only real role is as the strong Male Love Interest, despite the potential for his to be a very complicated and interesting character. We also have the Sweet Male Best Friend, and The Jerk, to name a few extras. Honestly, there’s nothing special about any of them, which isn’t to say they’re poorly written- just that they’re very stereotypical YA book characters, with all the associated tropes.

It was well paced, and things kept happening with regards to plot, although it did follow a very predictable plot sequence. Conceptually it’s actually a fairly interesting story, despite a certain lack of believablity (even in regards to a fantasy novel) and it probably could've have ended up being a lot MORE than what it was- the ending for example, was a LOT more dramatic than I’d anticipated, and was very easily the best part of the book.

All in all, Vivetera was a fun, simple read. Nothing really happens, but it’s interesting enough to provide some entertainment.

This book just dives straight in - I love that, rather than slowly building up the info needed. However, it then feels like it fails to ever make the information fully complete - there isn’t a whole lot of explanation that goes on, but I suppose that could be seen as reflective of the main character's, Naomi, lack of knowledge of both her past and the magic she possesses.

The writing is atmospheric, and I love how the dream sequences are written. But the characters themselves don’t seem to be very fleshed out - for example the love interest just is that, the love interest. There's no build up to it - Naomi sees him and decides yep, that’s it, we cannot be parted now, he is my one. The others are also just kind of there, we get glimpses of their dynamic but it's mainly all about Naomi and how they love her. There's nothing much of their history or their personalities without Naomi - who can do no wrong, is very trusting, and feels like her head is just in the clouds all the time.

The premise and actual story line is interesting, and the world sounds like it is full of lots of magical and mysterious things. But as I say, I just feel like I needed more - to delve deeper and get further fleshing out of it.

I'm interested to read more of the series, with the hope of finding some answers and to see where Naomi and her friends go.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadesilk Press for providing me a free ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

I received this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest book review.
The world and character building were too slow for me for this book. I am tossed up between liking and not liking this book maybe because some parts of the book weren’t explained thoroughly leading me to confusion. I feel like the book wanted to start off fast but ended but becoming slow. Overall, I like the story because it kept me wondering what is really going on, there’s that mystery to it. This could probably what the author is trying to aim for, who knows. In the end, this is worth reading.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my review in any way and the thoughts expressed are my own.

A new fantasy world set to take a unique look at magic. Naomi, a young girl with beautiful blonde hair, has always been different and not just because of her hair colour. Everyone is captivated by her and long to be close to her but her only friend is Zander. When Naomi sees another girl with the same star scar on her neck, she launches into a royal parade in hopes of talking to her. When the guards stop her and capture Zander, a mysterious boy appears and whisks her away.

Reynolds, the stranger, seems familiar to Naomi and reveals that he has been watching over her and knew her late guardian Malindra. Desperate to save Zander, and curious about the new man, Naomi agrees to go with Reynold in exchange for him rescuing her friend. Now the pair must travel to a safe haven without being captured by those that hunt them.

Meanwhile, Zander wakes to the horrors of the palace dungeon. He is imprisoned there for days until Prince Bryant offers him a job. Zander must serve the Prince and help him care for his love who he has hidden away within the palace. Sworn to keep the secret from everyone, even the King, Zander meets a charming woman with the same scar as Naomi.

I loved the characters in this book, especially Naomi and Zander. Watching Zander trying to overcome his stutter whilst struggling with world-altering dangers and trying to protect those he cares for. He is a kind-hearted and trusting boy even after everything he’s been through and really shows the goodness of everyday people, not just the epic heroes.

Many female protagonists, especially those in love triangles, enthral men with only a look. While Naomi does do this, her ‘charm’ is greatly attributed to the magic within her. It calls to others, makes them happy and makes people strive to be the best versions of themselves. I loved how the author took the concept of love at first sight and turned it into a complex form of magic. Throughout the entire book, I longed to know more about Naomi, who she was, why she had magic and what her magic was exactly. When it was finally revealed, I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed.

The love bubbling between Naomi and Reynolds was clear from the start and grew as their adventure continued. At first, I was uncomfortable with it since I thought Naomi was around thirteen (the same age as Zander) since she was described as being a small, young girl while Reynolds was referred to as a young man. However, it’s clarified when it states that she was invited to live with Zander’s father so that she could care for his young son plus it was revealed that there’s a nine-year age gap between Reynolds and Naomi (while large for teens, it’s better when you think of Naomi as being seventeen making Reynolds twenty-six). The author was great at displaying how you can have such deep and indescribable feelings for someone with little logic or reason.

In many fantasy novels, magic has always been a natural part of the world but not in this story. Instead of being a part of you like your soul, this magic feeds on people like a parasite within a host. This world didn’t originally have magic, but something years ago brought it forth for it to infect numerous people. From the prologue, it’s obvious Reynolds was the cause of infecting at least one person, Taren who still hates him for it. Taren has a unique perspective on others’ magic since he was able to look inside them and understand the very core of their magic. This was a great technique at really showing the reader what each type of magic, each person, was about.

This was a surprisingly great book with a unique magic system and interesting characters. The climax was exciting with plenty of twists, turns and reveals to keep everyone happy. I give it 5/5, it has become one of my favourites and am eagerly awaiting the next instalment in the series.

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

Vivatera started off on a shaky-note with the lack of world-building and slow-paced beginning. I found that as the book progressed, I did not receive the character development I was hoping for. I will say that I was a fan of our heroine, Naomi, She was quick on her feet and very likable, even though she falls directly into the "Chosen One" trope featured in many YA fantasy novels. Her journey of self-discovery intrigued me, and I loved watching her navigate her magic. My favourite part of this novel were the dreams. Thomas' writing in these scenes was perfection and drew me into the dream itself.
I am normally not bothered by "insta-love" but in this story I was. The insta-love led me to drop the rating by a whole star because I felt nothing for their relationship. Naomi fell head-over-heels in such a short time-span and I felt that she was a strong enough character on her own to not require a love interest.

Overall, I will not be continuing this series but will consider picking up other novels by this author.

While an okay novel, the insta love watered down the book greatly. The pace was slow and the novel as a whole felt bland. I would consider continuing the series for the ending. The characters were a joy to read, so this alone makes me inclined to give it 3 stars.

Thank you to publisher for the releases of this book through NetGalley for review.

First, lets look at the cover. I loved it. That I why I clicked on the book to read the synopsis. It sounded very interesting so I had to give it a shot. But however, there was just something missing for me. The concept was good but I was just bored with the story. It just fell flat for me. I ended up laying the book down about half way though. I tried to keep pushing myself but I just wasn't connecting to the story or to the plot.

I do thank the publisher and NetGalley for the release of this but I did want to post my honest review.

This book follows the main character Naomi who unbeknownst to herself has magical abilities. Ripped apart from an adoptive mother, Malindra, she lives on a pig farm and is close to the abusive farmer's son, Zander, who is plagued by a stutter. Early on, Naomi is whisked away by a secretive Reynold while she is watching a royal procession where the prince and a woman with the same matching scar are paraded through the streets of the city. Guards take Zander and Naomi is "saved" by Reynold. Reynold and Naomi make their way to a camp where on their trek they face various dangers and a female who is following Reynold who is only identified as "brown eyes." I have a feeling that this book will be about Naomi developing her magical abilities, the Prince wanting something to do with her powers, Reynold falling in love with her + a possible additional love interest, and Zander being either brainwashed by the Prince or will be held as leverage.

I cannot tell you the rest because I did not finish the book @ 31% for the following reasons, but FIRST, the pros:

PROS:
1. The book has an interesting-enough plot with a world that is expansive enough to keep the reader entertained. I desperately wanted to become immersed in the book.

CONS:
1. To get to the bottom of it all? The book lacks heart. There are plenty of adventure-filled situations where characters are in dire straights but I do not get any emotion out of them. I get an understanding that they are scared or nervous, but it is superficial. I cannot FEEL what they feel, if that makes any sense. This point leads to the next one-
2. The dialogue feels flat and when the teens in the book interact with each other, the way they communicate is rather childish and more suitable for JFIC books.
3. Sloppy writing- For one, I caught a lot of grammatical errors. Two, the way in which some of the characters responded to situations was not believable. For example, Naomi has spent 31% of the book without ADAMANTLY getting to the bottom of who her saviors are or where she is being taken. Furthermore, she has been trusting the word of her captors that they will go back and save Zander. She gives him about 1-2 thoughts then forgets all about him.

Interesting plot line and world, but I just didn't feel like I could connect to the characters like I have been able to in other books...

DNF @30%
After chapter five, I decided to dnf this book for many reasons. The story was losing my interest and I had to keep rereading the pages to keep track of what was happening. And I don't care for the characters. Naomi wasn't anything special to me and I didn't care for the mystery of her life. It felt that the story was using her magic as an excuse for an insta love romance. Then Reyn just seemed kind of dumb.

What a delightful read! I was captivating from the first chapter in. Vivatera is an amazing book. Naomi dealt with an unimaginable journey. Well-written and lovely storyline. I loved it!

An amazing fantasy story! The magic system is captivating and made for a highly enjoyable read. Although I did find it a little hard to get into in the beginning, it was worth persevering. Highly recommend this book for any YA fantasy reader.

Over all I liked this book, hopefully they fixed the grammar part of Audra description, where it’s her waist being cinched and not her waste cinched!

Oh boy. I don’t even know where to start with this one. I guess the only thing I can say is that this genre is not for me. But that should not deter YOU from checking it out!