one boy with nightmares haunting him and a prophecy that nobody but him believes. Another boy with no memories and is in possession of a dangerous helmet.
This book was such a tense read! The whole time the looming threat of Vesuvius erupting had such a powerful impact! I really enjoyed the tension between these two characters as they went from enemies to friends to lovers but then back to friends. If you’re looking for a YA retelling of the story of Pompeii definitely go read this book!

Unfortunately, I just didn't really vibe all too much with this one. I pushed through it because I was truly interested in the premise. I was one of those kids that took Latin in school and became one of those guys that regularly thinks about the Roman empire. I reeeeally wanted to enjoy this. Unfortunately, it just never got me. The pacing felt like a drag, there was what felt like truly so much going on, and the resolution felt both rushed and unfulfilling. I don't want to be a hater, because I do really hope others enjoy this more than me, but alas, not for me.

DNF 55%

I was looking forward to this book because the premise sounds like something I would enjoy, but once I started reading I didn't feel any connection to the story or the characters. Although the stakes seem high (considering the setting of the book), I couldn't feel the sense of urgency from the characters' actions. So much was going on at the same time with many characters getting introduced, but I was unable to feel their emotions. In addition, the love story developed too quickly in my opinion. Maybe this wasn't the right time for me to start this book or maybe this book just isn't for me. Great premise, but the execution didn't really work for me.

A debut LGBT-themed YA romance, with one of my most-intense personal fixations in natural history at its centre?! Yeah, there was no world in which I wasn't desperate to read this story of star-crossed teen-lovers who fatefully met in late August, 79AD... in POMPEII.

When the story opens, we meet Felix, an orphaned thief with a nomad’s mentality, constantly moving from place to place, taking what he needs and stealing what he wants, mostly passing through unobserved, purposefully unattached to anything or anyone. But, barely arrived in the growing city of Pompeii, Felix gets himself into big trouble when he steals the wrong item—a highly coveted and presumably cursed helmet, once belonging to the god Mercury.

With a bullseye on his back and no means to escape the city, Felix finds himself in the company of a fellow teenager named Loren, who is an attendant in a temple, with aspirations in politics and an otherworldly gift no one believes in, which comes in the form of nightmarish premonitions of a disastrous and fatal future for the people of Pompeii, with Felix at the centre of the potential mayhem.

Both boys are hiding vital things, for their own survival and mental well-being, but fate keeps their paths entwined, as Loren scrambles to find a way to prevent the potential devastation to the city he calls home, trying to learn more about Felix’s mysterious past and searching for possible ways to stop his mere presence (and helmet thieving) from ending in a major catastrophe.

The world-building was pretty solid and the reimagining of the fall of Pompeii was clever and engrossing. I very much liked Loren and Felix as our male-teen MCs, both having to grow up well before their time, facing huge moral dilemmas and situations that put a good weighty bit of emotional angst on an already high stakes story.

As a YA romance, this was pretty light on the relationship development, but in a good way, hitting all the right emotional notes that didn’t overshadow the larger plot, which I was ultimately very happy with.

The dialogue was probably the only real complaint I could even attempt to muster up here, with the boys (particularly Felix) using language I just felt was all-too-modern, which led to a few jarring moments that took me out of the historical setting a bit too forcibly.

Besides that, the whole thing played out well. I liked the characters, the conflict, the tension, the deliciously subtle love story, and especially the added element of destiny that shrouded every move these boys made in their mad dash to unveil hidden truths and save an entire city from ruin.

I believe this is a debut work from young adult author Cass Biehn, and if so, big praise for coming out the gate strong and leaving a memorable mark, with a story that will undoubtedly be on my end-of-year best-of reading lists.

Side note: I am OBSESSED with that cover art. It so perfectly captures Felix and Loren the way I envisaged them while reading.


***A special thanks to the publishers (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 80% to keep myself from hating my life.

Here's the thing, as far as demographic goes, I fit all the boxes. Love me some Greco-Roman mythology, I've been so curious about Pompeii and Vesuvius in particular, obviously I want to read about two queer characters of that time figuring out their lives and their relationship, and while I'm not in the age range, that never stopped me from enjoying YA.

So what was the problem? Just that I didn't care and was bored out of my mind for most of this. I felt... nothing. My fault for pushing through, really, but I don’t like DNF-ing arcs. I'll allow that my mood hasn't been the best, so this story could have suffered a bit from it. Aside from that, the formatting was not properly adapted to Kindle, so having to decode some words due to letters missing was not fun and I switched to audio halfway through. None of this helped, none of this would have been a big issue were I enjoying the story.

All in all, we spent so much time hinting at *the past* and lost memories and true identities that the reader is basically kept at arms’ length and not allowed into the characters’ minds beyond surface level. And we kept dangling the carrot for way too long after it became obvious what the answers were. It was frustrating to read. I also don’t believe they feel all that after 3 days, sorry.

I love multiple POV books, so I was shocked to find I would've rather kept this book to a single POV, Felix's. But that isn't necessarily the solution. Loren's POV could have been better utilized. One of the issues of having it (or having it so early on) is that any urgency we might feel due to the looming event immediately evaporates when the characters don't act it. Sure, going into this we know what's about to happen to Pompeii. This is why the stakes cannot be tethered to the event itself, but rather to the individual impact on the characters. And I was a whole lot more interested in Aurelia and Lydia than the main duo, sadly.

Here's another issue in case you were wondering—the anachronisms, specifically in language and religious belief. I’m not going to harp on about this because the first is something I can tolerate, especially given the genre. But piled on top of everything else, it didn’t endear me to this story.

There are other things I could add, but I won't due to spoilers and the fact that I feel like this is enough criticism. Absolutely do read this if the premise sounds interesting to you, just be mindful of going in with a slower, uneven pace in mind and everything else I mentioned.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Cass Biehn and Peachtree Teen for the chance to read and review this book.

Vesuvius is a YA fantasy novel that will grab your attention from the beginning and never let go. The story follows Felix, a thief who comes to Pompeii with the goal to steal something, and then get the hell out of dodge. Loren is a temple attendant who aspires to be more than he currently is, but is haunted by dreams of the end of Pompeii, that all seemingly have Felix at the center. After Felix unknowingly steals the Helm of Mercury, a sacred item in the city of Pompeii, his and Lorens lives are thrown together with a bang…(literally) and together they they must figure out what is happening to the city, all while keeping secrets that may ruin their blossoming relationship.

Vesuvius was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and considering it is a debut release, I am beyond impressed. The characters were dynamic and filled their roles, the story was clear and the romance was cute! I was interesting to see the boys work through their issues and not just magically have everything fixed, which was something that I really appreciated, and it added complexities to the characters that I wasn’t expecting. The only thing that was keeping me from rating this 5 stars was I felt that the story dragged in the middle, and I really wasn’t feeling the intensity of the situation that they were in until right at the end of the novel. But otherwise it was a gorgeous debut and I really can’t wait to see what Cass Biehn has for us in the future!

Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for the eARC.

This is a book that has me torn between what I expected and wanted and what actually happened and is still a good ending. Though, I’m still leaning towards what I wanted to happen. Which I’ll be honest will make me a bit unreliable.

A lot of my disappointment is that Vesuvius and what happened to Pompeii was but a passing moment and then nothing. This was a devastating event and I felt that the writing didn’t get the atmosphere right. My sister and I are so fascinated with Pompeii and I was very excited about this book but it just didn’t deliver.
I actually didn’t care for Loren’s POV other than his premonitions. Their relationship development was well done but then the ending kinda gave me a bad taste.

Really enjoyed this book! Definitely a slow burn with each working through their issues and coming to trust one another in ancient Pompeii and Roman society. While there are some darker undertones with the abuse, lupanares (brothel) and related relationships, it is not explicit and, as a reader, I felt like it was treated or considered normal in that society through mentions but but not quite explaining or focusing on it which helped with the narrative of that time. The elements of magic helped tie everything together, both enjoying it as a fictional story (considering the deaths in Pompeii over two thousand years ago) and still keep the awe, oracle visions, spiritualness throughout.
Having been to Pompeii recently, it was fun to pull up the map of the places mentioned in the book and tracing the story’s paths and descriptions, along with what buildings described may have looked like. I highly recommend taking a look at a map of Pompeii or a bit of those online walking tour videos. Anyways, it definitely added to the immersion when reading this book.

Unfortunately just didn’t get to it in time. I do appreciate being approved! I will be giving five stars as it is not the authors fault I didn’t review in time and I don’t want their book to suffer.

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and PeachTree Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the beginning of this book. It gave me what I was looking for in terms of a mythology feel. I didn’t previously know anything about the story of Vesuvius so I didn’t know how this book was going to end.

Felix is a thief and a wanderer. He falls into the background. He’s no one. Loren has had visions that have haunted him for a long time, and is doing what he can to prevent them from coming into fruition. He is a temple attendant that has aspirations of being a politician.

Somewhere along the way I got a little less invested. There’s a few storylines going on and there were some I liked more than others.

There’s a little bit of romance, but it’s moreso little moments that compile over time.

By the time the climax hit, the story became more faster paced than I wanted.

I did get a few messages out of this book though, about fate and choice. I felt like there were a few gems and great one- or two-liners in here. At times it felt poetic.

Read this for:
🗻 Queer Leads
🗻 Mythology/ Historical Fiction
🗻 Visions to decipher
🗻 Secret identities
🗻 A stolen relic
🗻 Power struggles

OVERALL

Overall, I give this a 4 out of 5 stars. I’m glad I read it and if there is another book added I would probably read it. I think mythology/history lovers may enjoy this most.

This book and I just didn’t click — and I’m honestly bummed about it, because it had all the ingredients for something I could’ve absolutely loved.

But a few things kept pulling me out of the story and made it hard to really connect with the main characters, Felix and Loren. First off, there were some inconsistencies with the historical setting. I’m talking about small stuff, like the language sounding way too modern and teen-ish, and other things that just didn’t feel believable (hemp smoking, really?).

There were also some awkward uses of Italian — like “pappa” instead of “papà” (which, in Italian, means something very different), plus the fact that Italian as a language didn’t even exist back then, so Latin would’ve made more sense.

And then there were all these political subplots that never really got developed, and character motivations that felt a bit unclear or underexplored.

They’re all little things, but they added up and gradually chipped away at my enjoyment. It’s a shame, really.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me a digital advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was already so intrigued by just the cover alone, but the premise of this book really sold me. This is a really interesting and angsty queer historical fiction debut revolving around two teen boys around the time of the eruption of Vesuvius in Pompeii. Our main boys are Felix and Loren, with a plethora of interesting side characters that have varying effects on their lives. I know we can probably infer what happened to many of the side characters, but I just really liked some of them and wished to have more time with them. Felix and Loren are very different from each other which makes it easy for them to contradict as well as complement one another. I liked that the story was told through both of their POVs, revealing both of their ambitions and backstories. The build up to the eruption of Vesuvius was a large portion of the story, but then I felt the action part once it hit the climax wasn't really long enough, it was very short-lived.
There was a lot of side stories in the building up portion such as the Temple of Isis that Loren was apart of and political schemes going on in the background of the city. I was expecting there to be more focus on the actual chaos during the eruption, which was not the case as it more so focused on the events leading up to it. I just felt like the climax was rushed a bit, the whole story takes place over a matter of days which is fine, the pacing just felt a bit off. The actual romance was introduced around halfway through and was very cute. Their relationship was very back and forth though, like do you want to be together or not. The writing itself was good, there is use of modern language but I don't think it was to the point that it bothered me too much. I really loved both Felix and Loren and I’m glad they had a happy ending. Ultimately, I was really impressed with the way the characters were written but just wish the story was paced out a bit better.

Felix is no one, a ghost. With no past, no connections, and only living in the moment, he zips through towns stealing for survival. Snatching a prized silver helmet from Apollos’ temple in Pompeii is all in a night’s work… until it isn’t. On the run from an exiled but powerful Roman senator, Felix runs into a temple for sanctuary, only to be knocked unconscious by a beautiful boy with long hair and recognition in his eyes.

For four years, Loren has been haunted by nightmares of Felix—a cruel, angry specter surrounded by the violent destruction of Pompeii. Deemed mad by his parents, Loren escapes to Pompeii and becomes an attendant in the temple of Isis. With his nightmare corporealized, his terror crashes down—so he crashes a bowl on Felix’s head. Learning Felix has stolen Mercury’s helmet, an artifact no one has been able to touch in 300 years, Loren knows he has very little time to discover Felix’s connection to Mercury and stop Felix’s destruction of the city.

Felix has no interest in gods, oracles, or magic, nor in Loren’s insistence that he’s important to the gods. However, Felix feels a pull toward the helmet and Loren. Spending time together tempts him with thoughts of a home, an identity, and a future. As much as Felix wants to resist their nascent connection and run, he can’t leave the infuriating boy to his own quixotic devices, especially when Loren becomes ensnared in a political web by the allure of fulfilling his dreams. Given a glimpse of all he wants, Loren is determined to save the day, but can he untangle his desires from the visions’ truths, or will he lose his city and the thief that stole his heart?

Vesuvius Is an enjoyable YA novel about self-discovery, self-determination, and hope in the face of hardship. Loren loves Pompeii and wants to help its people via his visions and influence as a respected priest and councilman. He’s desperate to be proven right in his prophetic gifts and political capability, so he typically leaps without thought. When he doesn’t, he still fails to stop and truly see or listen. His guilelessness, impetuousness, ambitions, and insecurities make him credulous and incautious. While Loren is constantly searching for a home, Felix is afraid to find one. A part of Felix is dead to him; his memory blocked except intangible echoes. His only clear memory is his father’s murder and last words—run. So, he ran and lost himself in the running. However, Loren sees past the lies and sharp edges. He unlocks a tangle of emotions and longing inside Felix, but Felix knows Loren has an agenda, is keeping secrets, and that attachment and belief create an exploitable vulnerability he can’t afford.

While both have demons to face, Felix alone has a proper arc. He begins as a disconnected boy led by fear and grows to one who’s ready to embrace love and his past. Loren’s arc is less developed. He learns some hard truths, but their comprehension is abrupt and almost counterproductive. They magnify his deep-seated belief that he is a vapid, useless burden, and he wallows more than learns. That incompleteness is reasonable, since he’s only then taking ownership of his life. However, the lack of catharsis from his rise from the ashes of his emotional turmoil like Felix is disappointing.

Though surrounding an apocalyptic event, the tone is light. It’s slice of life/coming-of-age style doesn’t always convey the appropriate immediacy for the stakes and four-day timeline. The pacing, repetition, and subplots for a 16-year-old boy flitting about for answers hinder the momentum. The contemporary language is expected, but there are extreme anachronisms like “sex scenes” and “at his job”/”jobless.” Some of the emotional and character beats are only marginally effective because the text doesn’t match the context. There are also many details that impede the suspension of disbelief, contradict, or don’t make sense.

Yet, the writing style is clean and immersive, and the boys’ personalities and dynamic are portrayed well. All the characters feel alive and important; even the antagonist with one singular goal is menacing and not one note. The city’s bustling energy and resilience is captured well, as is Loren’s adoration of it. Despite Vesuvian trembles and Roman economic pressure, the residents are survivors who never want to give up on their home. Vesuvius is an entertaining tale of love, perseverance, and making the impossible possible.

I was really excited for this book - I love the concept, and couldn't wait to read it. It took me a lot longer than normal to really feel connected with and invested in the characters. Usually I can connect with at least one of the main characters, but for the first half or so of the book both of the characters just fell a little flat for me. I did eventually feel more invested in them, but it took a while. The story is slower than I expected, which isn't a bad thing, but it is different than what I expected. The character development is worth sticking with, and I really enjoyed the world that Cass Biehn built for the characters in Pompeii. Overall, once I got through the beginning, I really enjoyed the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Peachtree Teen and Colored Pages Book Tour for access to the e-ARC and physical book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not usually a big historical fiction person, but I'm very glad I read this book! It brought the history of Vesuvius and added a fantasy twist to it that I really enjoyed. I loved that the author decided to make this book dual POV. I loved the chemistry between Loren and Felix. This book kept me on my toes until the very end. The mystery behind it all truly had me guessing until the last page. And we love a gay and bi+ relationship! Overall I highly recommend this book!

I was very drawn in by the concept of Vesuvius - two queer boys on the streets of Pompeii days before the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius that would destroy their city? Wow. Sign me up! It promised a lot, and certainly delivered in some ways. I enjoyed the exploration of various versions of daily life across Roman class ranks, and found following Loren and Felix around more engaging than I thought I would. That said, I didn't connect with either character. Despite receiving the ARC a few months ago, it took me a long while to feel invested enough into the story or characters to finish it up. I echo other reviewers' sentiments that the ending came too abruptly and too late, though I do think the lead-up was interesting. Overall, I enjoyed the read, but didn't connect with the characters enough to love it.

3.5/5 stars, rounded up

I'm not sure why this one didn't hit for me. I liked the prose and the concept was cool, but I don't think the characters ever really came alive for me. And I didn't quite feel the tension of the impending eruption as much as I was expecting. The stakes were elsewhere the whole story and I wasn't very invested in the characters, so I didn't feel much concern or dread.

Overall, it wasn't bad, but not amazing, either. I did like the author's writing, though, and would give their books another chance if they release more. And I can see other folks enjoying this one more than I did so I may recommend it to those looking for queer historical YA.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for the ARC. All thoughts shared are my honest opinion.

Vesuvius is a young adult novel about two queer boys navigating the streets of ancient Pompeii shortly before its collapse. The character development was amazing, dual pov and such an amazing queer love story.

From the first few pages, I was in. Cass Biehn throws you straight into Pompeii, where fate feels less like a path and more like a trap, and the setting speaks just as much as the characters. This is a queer YA historical fantasy that blends political intrigue, mystery, and a complicated romance into something truly special.

Felix is boyishly charming, layered, mischievous, and reckless, but undeniably sincere. His amnesia adds an extra layer of mystery, and he steals every scene he's in. Must be because he is a thief? Loren, his quieter counterpart, brings a different kind of tension. He's devout, introspective, and burdened by prophetic nightmares. Their meet-cute is amazing. Their relationship is a messy and emotional one, especially with the secrets they keep. The arc they go through together is my favorite part of the book.

What really impressed me is how Biehn plays with historical inevitability. We know where this is headed—this is Pompeii, after all—and that ticking clock adds a heavy, almost suffocating tension to even the quietest scenes. Every moment feels borrowed, every joy tinged with dread. And while the prose itself is accessible, the emotional and thematic layers go deep.

That said, this is a slower, more contemplative story than I expected. A lot of the tension comes from the reader’s knowledge of what's coming, not from explosive action or plot twists. The pacing meanders a bit, leaning into the rhythm of daily life and politics more than disaster. Personally, I found that fascinating; it gave weight to the characters’ choices, but I can see it feeling too slow or too low-stakes for some readers who expect more external conflict from a Pompeii setting.

Thank you to Colored Pages Book Tours, Peach Tree Teen, and the author for the complimentary beautiful copy! There’s a hidden naked hardcover underneath and it is gorgeous. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

I was so excited for this book, and after reading it, I was not disappointed! It was such a great read, and I devoured it in a couple of days. I adore books set in Ancient Greece/Ancient Rome/that time period, and the fact that it's a queer story only makes that better. I kept seeing a lot of hype around it on Twitter, so I was super happy when I got approved for an ARC and was able to read it before it officially hit shelves. I will be continuing to seek out future books by Cass Biehn!