Unfortunately, this book just didn't work for me. I thought I would like it, but something just wasn't clicking.

I requested this arc thinking it was a new book not just a reprint/release. That is my fault for not doing research on the book before requesting it. Though I can say the new cover is better then the last one.
As for the story I am not sure if it is better or not as I didn't read the original. Thinking of this story though I feel if this is a better version then the first book had to have been very lacking of everything. I felt this book was lacking depth in the story and the world building. I am not a fan of the insta love that happens with the characters in the story either. This could have been a way better book then it turned out to be.

This is just another reprint that fails to get better. It still has a lot of potentials but this one still fails to have a good all-around concept. I felt like the author forgot to add world building and backstory and gave it all to us at the end of the book instead throughout or at the start. Which really hindered my enjoyment of the story. Not having this information at the start and then having it show up at the end was really weird. The other thing that this book had was insta-love which sometimes works but sometimes does not and this time it just didn't. I think with some more tweaking this one could be an amazing story but it just felt way to confusing and not well plotted out.

Vivatera, part of the award-winning YA fantasy series of the same name, was previously published in 2013 to critical acclaim, but I have to admit I found it tough to get through from the very beginning. The worldbuilding and magic system weren't explained enough and left a lot to be desired, and no matter how hard I tried simple couldn't connect with the characters. There desperately needed to be more backstory, and although the premise was a great one with bucketloads of potential it fell flat due to poor execution.

The insta love dropped into the plot out of nowhere felt contrived and superficial adding further issues. The pace needed to be quicker and the whole novel felt bland, and, at times, boring. That said, I didn't see the ending coming which was satisfying. I'm interested to know whether I'd like the second instalment better than this, so I will likely pick it up to see whether anything's changed.

Many thanks to Shadesilk Press for an ARC.

3.5 Stars

Magical. Familiar.

Vivatera follows a girl named Naomi who, after an odd event in the market of her town, is whisked away by the mysterious Reynolds. Reynolds insists that she has to be kept safe and hidden and they begin their journey to a camp of sorts with other people like her. People with magic. Through her adventures, she discovers what power lies inside her and who she truly is.

Though many of the elements in this book are familiar, it was still in intriguing concept with a lot of potential for the author to really put her spin on things. As interested as I was, I was disappointed to find that everything--the characters, the magic, the world, etc.--was all a bit out of focus.

First and foremost, the pacing was kind of odd, which made many scenes a little confusing to read. Things happened quickly, but it felt like it took awhile for the actual story to take off. There were several essential moments in the story that were a bit too glossed over. I also would have liked more build up in the beginning before everything goes to ruins. The prologue was good, though, again, familiar, but the first chapter definitely felt rushed. I didn’t get a good sense of normalcy before Naomi was kidnapped.

Also, random note: the beginning of the first chapter shows two characters, Naomi and Zander, but we don’t learn Naomi’s age (17) until several pages later, while we know Zander is quite a bit younger (12, I think?) and before we’re told her age, there’s nothing to suggest that Naomi isn’t that young as well.

While we’re on the topic of characters, I did, on the surface, like the characters, but as I mentioned earlier, they were also not fully solid. Many of them had great potential to be complex and the root of some good conflict, but they were too two dimensional. I didn’t really connect with any of them, including Naomi, and the hinted at romance between Naomi and Reynolds did not have enough substance for me to really get on board.

The characters that I felt had the most potential were Zander, Bryant, Taren. Zander, while Naomi is off with the magic people, gets taken under the wing of the prince Bryant to work at the castle, where he finds his own adventure. Zander is young, but feels older and I could imagine him playing a much bigger role. Bryant and Taren are out resident morally gray characters, Taren especially. Morally gray characters are always the best. You’re not sure whether to trust them, but they’re still intriguing and you can’t get enough. Unfortunately, even these characters fell a little flat and I can only hope they show up better than before in the rest of the series.

The world and magic were definitely interesting aspects of the story, but again and frustratingly, they were not very clear. I could not get a good grasp of how everything worked. I will enjoy just about any story with magic in it, but I usually like to have an idea of the rules, etc. of the magic system. This book gets a pass, as Naomi is new to all of this, but I still needed just a little bit more.

Overall I did like this story on the surface and my interest was piqued, but without fully understanding the world and magic or being invested in the story and characters, it was difficult for me to really enjoy it. Although, I was left with many questions as the end that I would still like to see answered and I’m still curious about where the story will go from here, so there’s definitely a chance I will go on to read the next books.

Partial review found on Goodreads. Full review found on Write Before Your Eyes.

I honestly am surprised by this book and not in a good way. First when I requested this book I did not know this was a re-release. I wish that had been clearer from NetGalley. This book never hooked me. The premise is interesting but I was bored as people are fighting for their lives. If somebody were to die I would just move on. I never connected to any of the characters. Plus there was all this instant love stuff going on. The best love story, which is still mediocre, is between Landon and Kat. Overall just a bland story.

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.

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.

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.

#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.

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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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!