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.

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.
Was this review helpful?

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.

"It’s a dumping ground for residual magic. It has mutated the animals that live inside into hideous creatures and other things. I’d rather not have them following us." - Reynolds to Naomi

Magic, adventure, and something dark are all things one might expect to follow reading such a quotation. Sure enough, Candace J. Thomas does not disappoint, and readers are left scurrying after Naomi Bucklingdown, the protagonist of Vivatera, as kicks it off with her running for her life.

However, we are not only following Naomi’s story, Vivatera recounts the harrowing adventures of Reynolds Fairborne, Zander, and several other characters - all experiencing their own struggles in different parts of Parbraven, the magical world Thomas has created. Chapters are written from a third person point of view and at times several chapters can follow one character’s travels before switching over to a different character elsewhere. This type of gradual change is very beneficial – especially in a book that is setting up for readers to read future books in the series.

This fact, that Vivatera is the first in the series, is important to keep in mind because many of the critiques about this book stem from the time spent setting up the world, characters, and other background information.

Several times I found myself wondering who a referenced character was and/or if I was supposed to know that individual or if it would be revealed later on. This was because Thomas repeatedly introduces historical figures, other characters or mythical creatures in the world of Parbraven without any follow-up. Sometimes this technique of waiting to reveal more works out, but this was happening so often, it distracted from the main story.

Typically, I am engrossed by the main character of a book simply because that is who the author reveals the most about, making it easy to form either a love or hate relationship with and for that character. Unfortunately, Naomi did not stand out in either a positive or a negative manner for me, neither did Reynolds – though, I will admit his anguished background gave him more depth.

Speaking of Naomi and Reynolds, one has to wonder about their relationship. It is hinted at the back of the book, it is hinted from the first chapter and it is something that lurks over the entirety of the story. Now, I love a good mystery, but while reading Vivatera this relationship began to feel forced – especially because it is just THERE in your face right from the get-go. Of course, by the end of the book, it is established that there is a proper reason for their connection. Nevertheless, when first reading the book I almost felt like this was making a farce of the cliché, “love at first sight”. I believe Thomas could have spent more time exploring Naomi and Reynolds relationship and connection without making it feel forced or simply as a means to keep the plot moving.

Despite these critiques, Vivatera is a book I would recommend to anyone interested in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Young Adult books.

Why?

Firstly, look at the title Vivatera, which can be broken down to Viva and Tera. Viva is used typically as an utterance of spontaneous feeling in the Romance languages, such as Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian expressing one’s desire for someone, or something else to live. Tera is similar to Terra which is Latin for country, region or even earth. Now I cannot tell for certain what Candance J. Thomas meant, but I interpreted the title Vivatera as a shout out for the world Thomas is creating to live and flourish.

And quite simply put, Candance J. Thomas did an amazing job with the world building in Vivatera. Readers will be transported into a magical world where nothing can be expected because everything is fresh and unique. In many ways, it feels like watching the beginning of the universe itself, which I suppose is true in this case since it’s the first book in the series.

Thomas also does a superb job on exploring how magic can exist in her universe and how it can be utilized by creatures and humans alike, this left me wanting to see what will come next in the series simply to see how things will progress further.

I mentioned character depth and development as a critique earlier, but I must also mention it as a positive in regards to the side characters.

Candance J. Thomas deserves credit for making me fall in love with several of the side characters, such as Zander and Ferra. Ferra's wild and quirky nature really made her likable, while other characters were relatable and more realistic, providing a depth to their backgrounds and personalities that made me want to learn more about them or follow them.

"Mischief was printed all over Ferra’s face. ‘Remember, not all is what it seems.'" - Ferra to Naomi

Maybe that should be the summary of Vivatera because more of often than not readers will find themselves discovering twists that are not always predictable and this, dear readers, is the real power behind the intricacy with which Candance J. Thomas weaves her story.

Overall, I give Vivatera 3 / 5 STARS.

I did not end Vivatera with a million and one unanswered questions – something I am eternally grateful for - nor did I end the book with a burning need to immediately go out and buy the next book in the series. However, Thomas’s ending provides closure to the majority of the questions that popped into my head during my reading and it does so in a way that feels like a natural conclusion to this current chapter in the lives of the characters we met. I genuinely want to pick up the next book just to know what will happen to Naomi, Reynolds, and the rest of the gang in the future – it makes me want to read until the last star, the brightest of all, finishes its journey across Parbraven!

I was really looking forward to reading this book. The plot sounded exciting and different to anything I'd read before, however it just didn't live up to the expectations I had.

I felt like the I'd been thrown into the middle of the book as soon as I started. The characters were all vague with no real backstory. There was no world building, no depth. I didn't particularly enjoy the writing style either. It was as if there were a million ideas and all noted down in the order events were due to take place, but no time taken to blend them together, absolutely nothing for your imagination to thrive off, as well as far too many brief, boring introductions to characters.. I found myself lose interest in this book from 10% in and it was honestly a struggle to continue.

Vivatera is a really interesting concept. It was an enjoyable read, but the story felt kind of disjointed in places, and I was left wanting more information about the world of Vivatera and its rules that just wasn’t there. It almost felt like the reader was expected to have some background knowledge, like a second or third book in a series rather than the first. One aspect in particular that I think would’ve benefitted from more explanation is the presence of magic in that world - I’m still not sure of how it works or what it’s rules are. It’s entirely possible that this will be addressed in further books, and maybe the “mysteriousness” is part of the overall plot - it just didn’t work for me personally. I’m also not sure I connected enough with Naomi or the other characters to continue the series. However, again I really liked the concept of Vivatera, and I think readers who enjoy high fantasy should give this series a chance.

I requested Vivatera based on the intriguing plot of a fallen king and his daughters protecting elements as well as the cover looking a LOT like Caraval/Legendary covers so I thought it was a missing Novella from that series 🤦 PS. It's obviously not.

The beginning of Vivatera is almost too fast paced. Suddenly everything changes and we aren't given background. We're thrown into action with very minimal explanation or illucidation.

I did like the gradual introduction of different viewpoints throughout the book but it does jump around a lot between characters and this sometimes makes things feel disjointed.

The plot is VERY slow building and juxtaposed with fast paced action it's an interesting combo. The action keeps you reading but you don't really know what is happening or why a lot of the time. 😩

It feels like lots of little bits are missing and the plot isn't fully fleshed out and it's being rushed or forced into a word count and this is my main issue with the book. 😢 Need to show not tell. Lots of potentially emotional moments but they all missed the mark because we were told by characters dialogue and assumed we'd just accept it but never by showing us with actions and reactions and building emotions and connections 🤷

My other issue is that the main "couple" if you'd call it that, is pretty much insta-love except there isn't even any interaction. She gets kidnapped, then abandoned, and suddenly she's in love with someone she's never met, hardly interacted with and has no reason to give a shit about to be honest but suddenly she's risking her life for him... 🙄

Overall, it was a huge let down. I was really excited for this and there is still so much potential in the plot and thats why I kept reading in case a twist put everything together but ultimately it fell flat 😭

I really appreciated the world building and secondary character arcs; however, I found that some aspects of the plot felt disjointed or rushed. Obviously some plot points are obscurred for a future reveal,, but it sometimes felt too vague or not well planned. Additionally, I was waiting for more character growth. There is a lot of potential in this series— I hope to read more!

The Vivatera is the story of a girl named Naomi discovering the mystery that is herself in a mythical world full of people and creatures which may or may not be trying to help her. She is a mystery to herself and most others with an unfortunate past, a shaky present and a very unknown future. The story truly was amazing, it could have benefited from a little extra editing but it was so multidimensional that I have really high hopes for the story and especially the character development in the book(s) to come.

I really enjoyed this book, an intriguing story.
I was held from the get go, very well written, and a very good take on magic.
I will be looking for the second in this series ASAP.

Vivatera had an intriguing synopsis. The actual story, however, fell flat. The story is the death of the king and his daughters have magic that could save the kingdom. The character Naomi meets this guy for ten minutes then takes off with him and falls for him and etc. Yes, I completely trust any man I've spoken to for at least ten minutes. Seriously? Just not believable enough for me. The story could have been great if it were more put together. Unfortunately, I had no connection with this story. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not a huge fantasy fan (and I'm way beyond YA age), but this was a fun quest story thoughtfully told. Good writing and plenty of action with solid character building. I recommend this imaginative book to people that like a story.

This book’s synopsis says something about the King dying with each of his daughters possessing a magical element to keep the world’s balance…but I just didn’t get that. From the start, readers are put into the shoes of Naomi, who has a matching birthmark with one of the princesses. On her way to the royal, she gets kidnapped by a mysterious stranger, and they journey together because apparently he knows the truth about her and a danger she would bring if her identity was discovered by anyone else.

I felt like Vivatera had so much potential to me, but it just fell short of my expectations. I would’ve wanted more of an introductory scene with the king and the other princesses before diving into Naomi being kidnapped and immediately trusting a stranger after knowing him for five minutes and then falling for him without much development. I felt little-to-no attachment to the characters, and I had to stop reading the book at around 25% because I just felt so bored. The writing wasn’t bad though, it just felt very rushed.