"Remember Pompeii by Kika Emers offers a unique premise with its exploration of immortality and reincarnation, centered around protagonist Kali Brewster. The story delves into the complexities of identity, family bonds, and the consequences of past actions. While the concept is intriguing, the execution falls short in fully engaging the reader. The pacing feels uneven at times, and character development could be more nuanced. However, the novel still manages to captivate with its thought-provoking themes and a suspenseful narrative, making it a worthwhile read for fans of supernatural fiction."

This was a decent fantasy, and it reminded me a bit of Fallen by Lauren Kate, so naturally I did like this story. It was well done, and entertaining. I just found the first half was a little slow, but it did pick up in the second half. I also thought that the high school drama was well written and not cringy or annoying. I liked Kali as a character. She had good growth, and after finishing this book, it makes me want to read the next one in the series. Overall, well done!

Thank you NetGalley and Beckett Publishing Group for the ARC!

So much fantasy! You have to have the right headspace for understanding this, so many similar names and things involved in the book. I love the love between Kali and Hunter: they are soulmates to the ends of the Earth.

The family dynamics were so manipulative. In the end, the only ones who made Kali feel loved were who she truly cared for.

Three and a half
This was an entertaining idea with an Immortal society that could reincarnate as anything being involved in what happened all those years ago in Pompeii. Kali was found guilty of the devastating eruption and punished to be reborn alongside her parents until she can reach her seventeenth birthday. Having felt unloved by her parents in her first life Kali contrives to always die before that milestone but those with her are beyond desperate for the punishment to be over.
I couldn’t quite get over how immature Kali felt in spite of many lifetimes to evolve and mature so sadly that did colour my thoughts of this story. There’s not a lot particularly going on during the first half of this book but a whole lot of explaining occurs as things hurtle to the end. It appears Kali has enemies and when flashbacks come they are truly horrendous. These Immortals can be vile but it looks like a very powerful one is missing so hmm I’m imagining all sorts of things but my lips are sealed. Final thoughts are this was very different and the last third definitely had me sitting up and paying attention !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

3.75 stars rounded up to 4 Stars. “Remember Pompeii" by Kika Emers is an exciting beginning of a new series. It opens up with our main girl Kali hurrying home to appease her grandparents and mother and morphs into an intriguing fantasy adventure. Kali is growing up in our modern world, but it isn't her first life, she has lived several, and yet never makes it past 17. She is cursed to continue cycling through life as a human with her parents and grandparents until she can control her magic to make it past 17.

As readers we get to journey along with Kali as she navigates her upcoming birthday and if she will make it to 17 or even if she actually wants to. This writer weaves a complex story with a unique magic system and slowly opens up the story of political intrigue going on in the background that is affected by Kali's choices. We get to watch Kali grow and learn and make utterly human mistakes as she tries to navigate her own desires and what is best for those around her.

If you love modern fantasy's with complicated romantic relationships and intriguing plotlines I would highly recommend you picking this up. It was a great start to a new series and I will definitely be reading book two when it comes out.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Good book to read if you want to kill time. Very see through plot that leaves nothing to the imagination.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC reader. This is a young adult book that has a roller coaster of emotions throughout the book. Kali is a complicated with complicated family issues and secrets. I found it an enjoyable read and can't wait to see what comes next from this triology. If you love fantasy and history with mythology then this book is for you. #KikiEmers #Netgalley #rememberpompeii

Pretty good book, finished it pretty quickly and the story was very well written. I am not sure if its my cup of tea if that makes sense, but I am happy I gave it a chance.

I absolutely loved this book! I can't wait to read more by Kika. I was immediately pulled right into the story. I found the plot fascinating, and the characters interesting. The set up of the plot was intriguing, All around great fantasy novel, with a premise I haven't seen before.

I have not read a book like this in a long time. The high school drama was on point. The other worldly stuff was very worldly. It really gives what family means. The not forgiving unforgivable people was amazing. Her parents could have done better. I was I could read it again for the first time.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

If you take a little from Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Greek and Roman mythology and combine that with significant natural disasters that have afflicted humans but attribute them to eternal beings, you get this book. I spent much of the first 50% asking what happened at Pompeii to the main character. It took a long time to get an answer to this. I think because this story is a first in a series, this was more world building to set up the action and left me asking more questions about the plot than getting them. This is best suited for a younger high school student.

Remember Pompeii
Kika Emers
****

This was a great surpise! I read this ebook via #netgalley and I have to say that it was a great read. The writing sucked me in and the story was a rollercoaster with a lot of twists and turns I did not see coming. I love Kali and her humanness in a sort of mythical world. Which I really liked, never read anything like it! I'm rooting for Kali and really would like to know how the story continues in the next book!

#rememberpompeii #netgalley

This book was a pretty good start of this new debut series, though I think there are definitely some points to work on for the author.

It started really slow, absolutely nothing interesting happens in the first 100 pages and nothing was explained. The MC kept saying “before Pompeii” or “after Pompeii” but if you don’t know what happens in Pompeii (both in real life and in the book) it’s hard to understand. Only after those initial 100 pages we got the explanation of what happend and how, which was honestly a little frustrating.

This book uses mandarin mythology, which was interesting, but again; confusing. Certain terms were not at all explained, leaving me to either Google it or just roll with it.

Those two points aside, I think it was a really enjoyable and short read. The writing style felt like reading a diary or journal, and helped connecting to the main character, and after the halfway mark it definitely got more interesting; things finally got explained or cleared up, and finally things started happening.

Overall, I enjoyed it, but wouldn’t recommend if you’re still dipping your toes into fantasy for the first time.
~3⭐️

kali must die to protect her family and has many lifetimes over. During her most recent life a betrayal makes her think things could be different. She also has human friends she want to protect she about to take the biggest chance of her 3600+ lives.
Interesting read. I was intrigued by the multiple lifetimes and hope that as the series goes on we’ll learn more about them.

Thank you #NetGalley #BeckettPublishingGroup #RememberPompeii for this ARC

Kali's story isn't normal by any definition. This book draws the reader in with learning of Kali's past and, hopefully, her future.

Personally, I thought it was a great adventure; at times it was a little slow, but still easy to push through to the end. I laughed, I cried, and I was angry right along Kali. There are some great twists and turns, but still feels like a connected story. Thankfully the first book had a Sneak Peek of book 2; the ending is a great conclusion to this story, but there are so many parts of the story that needs to be expanded. I will definitely be looking forward to the next book.

I’m having trouble with evaluating this book, because it seems like a large part of the story is missing. It’s starting out in the middle of something and just assumes the reader is all fine with that. Then the unraveling of the story happens and yet I don’t know what is happening. It is not that it’s too difficult to understand, it isn’t. It’s rather a bit pointless and unnecessary. The character development is nonexistent, even though they seem to have been around for centuries. They are childish, and their drama stems from lack of communication. For which they should have had centuries to develop.

From the positive is like to acknowledge the language and writing style. Kika is quite talented, with great potential, and this book is not showing it well.

2,5/5 rounded down

I just finished this book after starting it in 2023. The only negative thing I have to say about Remember Pompeii is that it did take me awhile to finish it because I did end up losing interest about halfway through but I pushed on and was glad that I did. I'm now looking forward to reading the sequel. The story around our protaginist is a sad and compelling story. It talks of betrayl, heartache and determination to fix something broken so long ago. I wish the story was a little faster paced but overall it was a great read and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

As an elder millennial (birth year 19xx 😳), I didn’t identify as the target reader for this YA fantasy book - BUT I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a very unique story with many relatable undercurrents despite my being decades older than this protagonist. 

The story was well paced, written with beautiful imagery and easy to follow. It’s a fun coincidence that it’s set in San Diego, CA where I reside. The first half was foundational for the subsequent action.

There were universal themes which facilitated empathy with the main character, Kali, as an immortal teen destined to reincarnate as human until she learns to control her powers – But of course, there’s more to the story. A millennia of mind games, secrets, and alliances are exposed. 

Her duality and fear of change as she comes of age really resonated with me as a newish mother. She fears experiencing change, an uncertain future, and becoming like her parents. Same girl, same.



I was delighted the lore of this world deviated from overworked Eurocentric mythology. This is the first book in a series and I look forward to reading more. 



💫Themes I enjoyed:

✏Duality of the female main character (human and eternal)

✏Longing for a loving family bond

✏Conquering your emotions (anger, anxiety, love, fear) 

✏Ignoring Generational trauma maintaining it irresolvable 

✏Conflict within relationships (parents, friends, SO)

✏Trust issues

✏Fear of life changes/uncertain future



Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

(Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this work.)

Spoilers after synopsis.

Kali is an eternal being punished to living a human life to age 17 so she can atone for the tragedy that is the eruption of Mt Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii. Her parents and grandparents are serving the punishment with her. The only problem is, for reasons she can’t reveal, Kali doesn’t want the punishment to end. She makes sure to die before age 17 every lifetime forcing her family to wait for her to be reborn and start the 17 year cycle all over again.

I’d rate it a 3.5 to solid 4. The story was entertaining and I was invested in the outcome. I read most of this in one sitting. I see a lot of opportunity for amazing storytelling in the subsequent books in the series.

The reasons I didn’t give a 5 was mainly due to character development. Mandy fell flat to me. I understand she was a side character, but she felt one-dimensional. I wanted more than she was a nice cheerleader. I also couldn’t get past Mandy making it out of a burning building moments before numerous people were burned alive and it seemed to not phase her whatsoever.

And Bess having a single dream and just accepting Kali was eternal was like, “Wait. What?” Feels like she would need more than that to just accept there are eternal beings that can put cancer in remission and her son’s new friend happens to be one.

I did love Gram & Gramps. Low-key wanted her with Tav over Hunter. Tav just felt more real. Maybe I just identify with humans more.

All in all, I’d gladly read the rest of the series.

I had an incredible time reading this book. The plot itself was so fresh and unique and the magic/power system was so unlike any others that I’ve read before. I also really enjoyed the way Kika described emotions - it was visceral and I could perfectly picture and understand the emotions she was trying to convey.

I particularly liked Kali. She is a very well written character who has such a bleeding heart for her loved ones and will do anything to keep them safe. At the same time, she is able to make very difficult decisions without a care for the impact it has on her own soul.

I am very excited to read the next book as I can’t wait to see where this story goes! I am especially excited to see what this means for Kali and Tav’s relationship (as I honestly had a big soft spot for him) and what that means for Kali and Hunter’s relationship, this may actually be one of the first times in a while I’m a bit excited for a love triangle.

*Thank you to NetGalley who made it possible for me
to read and review an ARC of this book!