originally i requested this book when i saw it on netgalley days after the thought ‘why doesn’t anyone write yaoi about the vesuvius eruption’ popped up in my head.

i found out it was YA later which i think is the main reason i didn’t really like this book. the general story was alright, but i feel like marketing this as YA wasn’t the best choice to make. i kind of wonder if biehn had originally intended this to be that because it doesn’t really read as something for young adults? and i mean this as a positive thing because their writing’s very rich.

vesuvius is long for a story about two kids on the run who spend a couple of days together, essentially, but at the same time it didn’t feel fleshed out enough to really pull me in. things only started to get excited after the 75% mark and then there was just one fight and it was over. overall a bit of a letdown.

A solid 4-star debut turned into a 3 star read for me because the formatting of the arc given to me was at some points entirely illegible. I tried to see if anyone else has thins issue but it seemed like people only mentioned spelling errors. There were no paragraph indenting which I could have ignored, but sentences would have a paragraph break in the middle, two lines of dialogue were often on the same line, and it seems like every time a word had a double F in it, the Fs were deleted entirely (office, officially, stuffed, all were written as “oce, ocially, stued”). The lack of care given to the formatting of this arc genuinely almost ruined a good book.

Okay. Now that that that’s out of the way.

Vesuvius is a solid debut novel. I really enjoyed the political intrigue and do wish that we could have really leaned into that a bit more than having it as a side plot. I loved how different Loren and Felix were so different and how they interacted when they came together.

There were parts where what was happening was too vaguely described, that I had trouble parsing what was going on until the characters were reflecting on it a couple pages later. But otherwise, the author had a clear vision and clearly had a lot of fun writing it and clearly loved these characters, which showed and made me enjoy it a lot.

I really look forward to giving this a reread once it’s published and see if I have more fun with a properly formatted copy!!

Huge thank you to NetGaley and Peachtree Teen for an advanced digital copy of Vesuvias for a fair and honest review.

Pub Date: Jun 03 2025
Rating: 3 stars

I reall wanted to love this one, but unfortunately Vesuvias fell a little flat for me. I had a hard time connecting to Felix and Loren, and maybe it was because of the dual POVs or maybe because we weren’t given enough about them. I liked the twists in their identities and pasts, but they both came so late it was like I barely knew the protagonists for the whole story. I liked them, sure, but not as much as I should have for the main characters.

Also, I don’t think the romance was the best. They seemed to be at odds until the very end of the book, which wouldn’t be horrible if this wasn’t set up like part-fantasy part-romance. Additionally, none of the conflicts were gripping to me. I didn’t understand their motivations, most antagonists had a very haughty air and not much else, and the biggest conflict of all– the audience knowing Pompeii’s fate– felt SO overlooked.

Like, yes, Loren did see ruin in his visions, but when the eruption happened it didn’t seem to be a big deal since conflict resolution was actively happening as the volcano was spewing magma and ash.

I did enjoy this book a bit, the banter was fun and the action scenes were written well, but I almost DNFed halfway through. If you really like mythology retellings, atmospheric writing, and high action, this would be perfect for you!

First, thanks to NetGalley for sending me an ARC.

From the synopsis, I was HOOKED! Pompeii, YA, action, Percy Jackson vibes—everything sounded perfect. Yet here I am with a 1-star rating… Let me clarify: I loved the characters. That wasn’t the problem (yes, plural) with this book. Felix and Loren were lovable, and their bond developed smoothly throughout the story. That’s actually part of the reason why I gave this book at least one star.

Now, onto the issues:

First: The format. For a digital ARC, I received a PDF... Reading a PDF on the NetGalley app is frustrating—it can’t be personalized. No zoom, no color adjustments. I couldn’t read comfortably at all.

Second: The dialogue felt off. I understand it’s not the final version, but the way they spoke felt too modern for the historical setting.

And lastly: The pacing wasn’t balanced. The story takes place over four days leading up to the big incident. About 80% of the book was focused on relationship building, and when the major moment finally arrived, it felt rushed. Too rushed, in fact.

That said, I think this is a strong starting point, and I’m curious to see what changes will be made in the final version!

A YA novel about two queer boys navigating the streets of ancient Pompeii shortly before its collapse? You certainly don't see that premise every day, and it of course caught my attention. (The pretty cover helped too.) And it was indeed a unique and well written story, with two distinct main characters. 17-year-old Felix is a thief and despite his name not very lucky, for he steals himself from place to place and has no attachments to anyone and anything. 16-year-old Loren is a temple worker and a virgin living in a brothel, and he also might be an oracle but hopefully not, because he only ever dreams of death and destruction. The two meet in the first chapter and are somehow stuck together from that point onwards, dealing with a divine object that Felix should rather not have stolen, with Loren's political ambitions, with their growing feelings for each other, and with the more than usual shaking earth beneath Pompeii. What may sound like a lot actually unfolds pretty slowly, and it wasn't clear to me what the main story line was supposed to be. I still don't know, because many plot points wrapped up in an unsatisfying way or didn't play a bigger role in the end. Like, for a book that's literally titled "Vesuvius" there is very little actual volcano-ing here. I never really knew what the story wanted from me, but I did like to follow these characters around. They were explored thoroughly and although they met in the very first chapter, I got a good impression of what their lives were like until then. The Pompeiian setting was nice as well, on the one hand because it was unclear if this story would end in the known tragedy or would rewrite history, on the other because the underlying Roman mythology could never disappoint me. (I am a child of Rick Riordan, after all.) It wasn't too heavy on the fantasy elements and leaned more into the historical fiction genre, though. The ending definitely made room for a sequel, so maybe the Gods could play a bigger part there. I would be interested in returning to these characters, for I don't think that their story is over yet. My actual rating is 3.5 stars, but I'm rounding up on Goodreads.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book, for me, was the definition of *fine*. I didn’t hate it! But I also didn’t love it. I fundamentally don’t think I was the target demographic, and that’s okay.

I want to start positive, because I don’t think this book was wholly bad at all. I think fundamentally it was written well; it was witty, it was funny, and it was emotional at points. I can tell it was well researched and that the author put in a lot of effort. It read pretty well, though the formatting of the ebook was a bit messed up. That is something that can be fixed though, and I assume it be between now and June, when the book is released.

I find it a bit odd that, in a book called Vesuvius, Mount Vesuvius doesn’t erupt, or isn’t really mentioned, until about 71% in. And I fundamentally struggle with the idea that the killer mountain ISNT the bad guy (I think the movie Pompeii, staring Kit Harrington, had this problem as well lmao).

I didn’t go into this book expecting the fantasy element, but that was probably my fault, not doing enough research before reading. I saw the name and the cover and I LEAPT, perhaps prematurely. I was expecting historical fiction, not historical fantasy.

But beyond that, I thought the fantasy element of the story wasn’t as fleshed out as it could’ve been? I don’t think Loren’s oracle abilities were detailed enough and I found it a bit silly that much of the conflict was tied to a magical helmet, and that said magical helmet was just put freely on display in a temple, though I take this as another sign that I wasn’t the target demographic.

Felix being the descendant of a demigod though? Loved that. Saw it coming a mile away, but it made perfect sense. Did a little fist pump i found out because I was RIGHT.

The final issue for me was the characters themselves, mainly the background cast. I didn’t understand their purpose half of the time, and they seemed to just come out of nowhere. Like, I didn’t fully understand WHY Elias was there or what purpose he served. Also, Loren and Felix’s relationship seemed to just develop out of nowhere, with Loren talking about running away together after they’ve known each other for FOUR DAYS. Again, don’t think I’m the target demographic.

So fundamentally this book was fine! I think it was written for a younger audience, and I can see a reader of teen fiction or YA really loving this; that just isn’t me I think, not generally. I look forward to this author’s other project though, that they’ve been talking about on Instagram!

i was obsessed with the roman mysteries series by caroline lawrence when i was a kid, and when i saw this book i was reminded of that obsession all over again - this book delivered. the relationship between loren and felix was delicious, i love the blending of history with the fiction (Isis being a revered goddess, the pomegranates being in season) and the whole story was just gripping, especially when everyone knows what happens to Pompeii. brilliant book, loved it.

I was really impressed with this book! I loved the setting of Pompeii, it gave the narrative a rich depth, combined with a lingering dread, since I assumed it was all going to end in tragedy. I found Felix and Loren so loveable and they only grew on me the more I read. Most books on Ancient Rome are focused on the elite, so it was extremely refreshing to get a glimpse into the world of the working class. I loved the character dynamics and how all the characters had flaws and challenges to overcome, but this just made them more believeable and loveable. I'm most likely going to buy a physical copy of this book when it comes out because I can definitely see myself re-reading in the future.

2.5*

I loved the concept behind this book, but the execution for me was just not quite there.

For a debut novel, this was brilliant. The writing style was personally not for me, as I don't really like the blunt, choppy line structure, but you can see clearly that Cass Biehn has immense writing talent! I really liked Felix's character and I thought the concept crossed well between the historical fiction genre and very light fantasy elements, which is perfect for YA reader.

However, there were a few bits that felt a bit off. The book felt really modern when reading it, which kind of pulled me out of the story a bit. I also think it was a bit confusing about what its target audience was - the plot, the characters, and the characters' ages felt appropriate for a YA story, but the dynamics and the language didn't feel YA, nor NA. This disconnect was a bit jarring.

I also would've liked to have seen more historically accurate research. I have read a series set in Pompeii in the lead up to the Vesuvius tragedy, and it was much more historically accurate - it was clear how much research had gone into writing the book. This book, on the other hand, felt like Vesuvius was a backstory (despite being the name of the book). This might be ok for younger readers, maybe young teens, but it means that older readers who have picked this up will notice this.

Everything about this book piqued my interest. The premise was phenomenal. Queer rep and historical fiction with a mythological twist? Sign me up. Biehn did a wonderful job bringing Pompeii to life. Loren and Felix were instantly compelling characters and I enjoyed their dynamic. I would absolutely recommend this book to young readers. A rare gem and an exciting new premise!

Queer historical fiction? Sign me up. I love the premise of this book and I went in with high hopes. I have a hyperfixation on ancient Pompeii and I was not at all disappointed. I really appreciated the tone of the author's writing and how natural the love felt.

this queer, young adult fantasy was a read in one sitting for me. set in the ancient land of Pompeii, following Felix, a thief, and Loren—a temple attendant.

two things really drew me in:

Loren’s prophetic nightmares of the city’s destruction. I found myself enthralled with how this was executed on the page.

AND

the immersive historical details that make the land feel vivid and urgent even as the city is ruled by ruthless politics (and inevitable doom).

i loved watching Loren and Felix’s dynamic shift from distrust and secrets to a slow shift toward understanding.

5/5 for me on this one.

Vesuvius is a queer young adult fantasy set in ancient Pompeii, featuring a cunning thief, a temple attendant, and a burning city. After Felix seizes an opportunity to steal a helmet in Pompeii, he discovers that it is not only a priceless artefact but a relic of the god Mercury. Pieces of his forgotten past begin to simmer when he touches it. Loren is plagued by nightmares of Pompeii's destruction which grow clearer as the danger grows closer, and he knows they have days to uncover Felix's ties to the relic and his own dreams if they have any hope of saving the city from the fury of Mount Vesuvius. But the city is ruled by bloody politics and unstoppable destinies, with dangerous, desperate people lurking in every shadow. Felix and Loren have to piece together their fates—and their growing feelings for one another—to make it out of the burning city alive.

There's something about retellings and re-imaginings that I'm immensely fond of—these stories inspired by mythology and folklore and fairytales that litter my bookshelves—and it's the fact that I often know how they'll end. I enjoy the comfort of structure and routine, and I am someone who reads every spoiler about a film that I can find before I watch it, so the thing it takes to impress me in these books is the writing being so enthralling that I forget I already know about the ending. As readers, we know that Vesuvius will erupt, but we don't know about the final days leading up to that inevitable moment, and I want those days to sweep me away from the tragedy.

I was captivated from Felix and Loren's first meeting—broken and lonely boys bound to find each other through fate. Their relationship is built over only four days, but their distinct personalities—complete opposites in every way—and similar need to search for something to rediscover a missing part of themselves made the brief moment in time feel complex and fully developed. They're not fast friends or star-crossed lovers when they meet. They're not the Patroclus and Achilles dynamic that I was tentatively expecting, and I am glad about that, but I do love how the myth ties into the plot, and how history continues to be rewritten through Felix and Loren's relationship. They don't get along for the majority of their time together, and Loren's visions make it difficult for him to trust the Felix that stands before him instead of the one he's been seeing in his prophecies, and Felix is a flighty thief who has spent his life fearing the consequences of attachment. Their hidden secrets create this intense rift of distrust between them, but it's these secrets that ultimately bring them closer to each other, and the dynamic shifts from something necessary to something they want, and this evolution towards trust is satisfying.

The author paints a vivid image of Pompeii, a city that is on the brink of falling apart physically and politically, but Loren can't leave because it's his home. He feels a loyalty to it, that he can fix it. There are a few equally vivid side characters that help bring the story to life. Sweet little girls with the urge to do the right thing, no matter how scary it is, and women who care for stray children as if they are their own, and guards with unfaltering loyalty, and Elias. Like other readers, I want to know more about Elias and his history with Loren, especially how their relationship seems to have broken down over time. I demand infinite short story spinoffs about these characters.

My one flaw with this book was the pacing—it just wasn't working for me at later points in the book. The story takes place over four days, and so many things happened in those four days that I had to suspend my disbelief for a while when I thought about the timeline. I was having such a good time with the characters that I wasn't thinking about the days. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the fleeing of the city (which is a prominent part of the book description) takes up one chapter? two chapters? of the story, and this makes the event feel almost insignificant in comparison to other moments in the plot. But, really, this is a book about two boys coming to terms with and escaping from their pasts, not the destruction of Pompeii, so maybe I can forgive the disaster taking a backseat.

Other reviewers also pointed out a few moments in which the language felt too modern, but this didn't affect my immersion personally. I'm not expecting a young adult novel with a conversational tone to commit to inventing historical swear words.

Overall, Vesuvius is an atmospherically stunning debut for fans of immersive mythology reimaginings, tragedies where the characters spend the entire time trying to rewrite the ending, and broken boys trying to put themselves back together again.

3.5/5 This book was so beautiful and so intricately written. I felt like I was taken back in time to an era hundreds of years before I was even born. Cass has put in a great attention to detail and it's evident she's done a lot of research in order to ensure that her depiction of Pompeii was as accurate as possible. Her description of silver chalices, clay walls and urns really painted a beautiful picture of what Pompeii was like before Mt Vesuvius erupted. However, I did find at time the writing paid more attention to detail than the actual story, at times making things feel a bit slow and over descriptive The relationship between Loren and Felix was so good, they had incredible chemistry and though their interactions were a bit frustrating at times, I felt that they complimented each other really well. Overall this was a decent read and I feel like this would be a great read for all ages.

Thanks to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I liked this book!

The secondary characters were very fun to read. Elias, Aurelia, Livia...lots of variety and I think it made for a compelling cast. As for the main characters, I was endeared to Felix pretty much upon the first chapter. Rogue types with quick tongues are often enjoyable for me, and the added element of a past he can't remember made me want to know more. Loren was harder to like at first, and initially I had a difficult time adjusting to his narration since the elements of his prophetic power I think are wielded a tad heavy-handed.

Honestly, the political subplot was boring for me. On top of two backstories to parse out between Loren and Felix (although arguably what intrigued me most), the helmet, and the eruption itself I think there were a couple too many threads and an uneven distribution of screen time for them all.

The prose was okay. I don't feel very passionate about it but it's serviceable. It started off very nice, in fact, but the deeper you got into the first act I thought the dialogue, and even bits of character introspection felt very anachronistic against the backdrop of ancient Pompeii.

I was looking forward to seeing how the romance would pan out through this book! I will say that I find it harder to fully connect with a relationship arc when the book's timeline is only a few days. This was the case with Sydney and Victor in Vicious and remains the case with Loren and Felix in Vesuvius. Here, there was a decent amount of hot-then-cold but I can sort of attribute it to teenage angst and both of them dealing with a lot of shit. However, I did ultimately enjoy their dynamic and their ending was bittersweet. Overall, there were great moments that shone through for me and although the product isn't fully cohesive, I still enjoyed it enough to make it through. 3.5 rounded up.

Vesuvius is the story of Felix, a thief by trade with a past he can't remember, and Loren, a bit lost in this world and haunted by visions that he can't hope to forget. And when they meet, its fate and destiny and tragedy all colliding at once.

I really, really enjoyed this... more than I expected. The book is witty, and charming and downright unsettling in some places. Cass Biehn employs an incredible voice, in both of the POVs, that genuinely hooked me by page 1.

The author's profile bio describes them as writing messy queer characters in messier situations; and I couldn't agree more. The thing is; both Felix and Loren are trying so hard. For the first time since he can remember Felix has something and someone he wants to hold on to. Loren, faced with impossible choices, has genuine intentions to do the most good. And yet the forboding destiny of Pompeii looms and neither one of them were ever meant to be strong enough to change that.

From the moment they met their connection was so intense. Messy, broken boys, each trying to stick to their own convictions. It was lovely reading them become exceptions for each other, and then frustrating whenever their edges splintered against one another. There was a brief, suspended moment of peace - the calm before the storm. Then the inevitable chasm of everything going wrong.

I do like that we get to see the aftermath, rushed as it feels. It's not just a happy ending. It's a sliver of a glimpse at how they can come to heal and love in the other's presence; and a hopeful ending for a hopeful future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 !! this is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that combines the tension of natural disaster with the intricacies of human survival. the writing is immersive, pulling you into the chaos and urgency of the eruption. though the characters could use more depth, the suspense and action keep you hooked throughout. it's a quick, entertaining read for fans of disaster fiction and tense survival stories.

not bad for a debut novel <3

Rep: achillean main relationship (one bi male main character, one gay male main character)

Summary: Felix is a thief, roaming throughout the Roman empire, nabbing just enough small items and treasures to keep himself alive and moving. When he enters the city of Pompeii, he hits the jackpot - the helmet of Mercury, which he nabs easily from the temple. However, things are not all as they seem: an unknown nobleman kidnaps Felix off the street and demands the helmet. After escaping, Felix finds himself in the company of Loren, who has been having visions of Felix and the city of Pompeii being destroyed... can the two of them overcome their flaws and work together to figure out the mystery of the helmet?

Review:
Unfortunately, I wanted things from this book that it didn't give me. For starters, I was disappointed that for a book literally named after a famous volcano, the volcano and eruption itself had little to no time in the book. The eruption was given approximately two paragraphs, all told. There were almost no descriptions of the eruption, or its aftermath, which would have been much greater than described here. I wanted more volcano. This could have been set in any town that experienced a horrific natural disaster - a flood, a tsunami, something. Nothing about it screamed, "This is in Pompeii!" In the meantime, what was actually happening, you might ask? Biehn was trying to balance two different overarching plots: a complex political scheme about the political balance within Pompeii and the Roman Empire, as well as a fantasy plot about how gods and magic are real. While I have seen some books pull off this combination, I wish this book had picked one or the other. The result was two different plots that didn't feel well-connected and that vied for screen time, leaving neither one satisfying me. I also wasn't that attached to Loren. As a queer woman reading this at the beginning of the 47th President's second term, Loren's insistence that he could do good in politics and that people would listen to him felt off putting, especially because the book repeatedly proved him wrong time and time again. He felt ignorantly naive, rather than an inspiring optimist.

What I did like? I loved Felix. I thought his character made sense for his backstory, and I liked his "voice" and his thoughts. I also liked all of the side characters. They had variety and added to the depth of the story.

Felix is a theif on the run, anticipating the next score to put a roof over his head and food in his belly. Loten is an initiate of the Temple of Isis, one who has been having visions of fire and doom for months. When their paths meet after Felix manages to steal the Healm of Mercury the boys find themselves battling senators, priests, and their growijg affection for each other while Vesuvius spells doom for Pompeii.

I love historical romances so I was really happy to see this one. As a historical setting though, it didn’t feel much like Ancient Rome. A lot of the language, especially the dialogue, was a little too modern and kept jarring me out of the setting.

Even though the boys only know each other for four days—90% of the book—it feels like a lot longer. We get to see them open up to and eventually fall for each other, even if the actual romance was a little bit lacking.

I had guessed Felix’s heritage pretty early on so that wasn’t a big shock to me. The context clues about Loren—he could read and write, talked about his tutors, had run away from a home where he never worried about money—let me guess his secret early on as well. His character arc could have used a little bit more work since he spent most of his time trying to convince others about the upcoming doom when revealing himself would have made them actually stop and listen (unfortunately money and power speak, especially in ancient settings). I wanted him to own his heritage and use it to his advantage.

Overall it was a good debut. There were lots of fun side characters.

Thank you to Cass Biehn, Peachtree House, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis and lovely book cover art really drew me in. I love Historical Fiction and couldn’t wait to read a queer romance with an ancient roman setting. Beautiful setting, and the characters were great (although sometimes a little annoying). I really struggled with how modern the prose was though. I understand it’s written for teens, but it can be a bit jarring when reading. Also needs another couple rounds of editing because the spelling and grammar mistakes were very bad. I think a solid 3.5 when it’s finished. A 2.5 as it stands.