If you love history, YA and well written character arcs, this is for you.
Felix, a thief who lives on the run, ends up stuck with Loren, an attendant of Isis. The two grow closer during the final days of Pompeii, letting the readed into their wonderful personalities and characterisations.
The historical element is really good, with a touch of fantasy that ties in perfectly.
Beihn’s writing brings pompeii to life and makes for a truly enjoyable read, and proved to me that I haven’t fully grown out of YA.
A brilliant debut.
Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown for the ARC.

I'm a real sucker for a historical novel set in Pompeii and couldn't wait to read this one. Felix, a thief who lives life on the run, ends up being stuck with Loren, a long haired attendant of Isis, who has visions. The two grow closer during the final days of Pompeii. The historical element is done so well and I adored the addition of the fantasy side.
I loved both characters and enjoyed their arcs. Cass did an amazing job of bringing the streets and lives of Pompeii to life. This is a seriously strong debut and I really enjoyed it. I've been in a bit of a reading slump and this really helped pull me out of it.
A brilliant first novel. Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an arc in return for an honest review.

Firstly thank you to Netgalley, Little Brown Book Group and Cass Biehn for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vesuvius is a queer YA novel set in Pompeii shortly before the eruption of Vesuvius. The premise is certainly an intriguing one!

I enjoyed this story, it took me a while to get into it and felt that the pacing (considering the situation) suffered at times but I connected with the two main characters and we got Dual POV which would help when the pacing slowed. I also think there was less action than I expected but that's really on me for making assumptions

The descriptions and side characters boost the story and there is a hopeful tone to the ending. It's not quite 4 stars for me but it's not 3 either! I would also read something by Cass again. I think this book will split people but if you like mythology and YA this would be ideal one for you or young readers in your life.

#bookreview #books #reading #book #bookpost #bookworm #bookish #love #queer #netgalley #ya #magic #mythology #fantasy #lgbtq

I adored this book. When I finished it I started crying, and they were cathartic tears of wonder. This is a special book.

Taking place during such a catastrophically horrifying event in history, the author has managed to give the tragedy justice by humanising the residents of Pompeii and portraying their daily struggles, hopes and dreams. One side character I won’t forget is Elias - Trapped in a cage society pushed him into, he is desperate to leave Pompeii and works as a sxx worker to save money. Elias is one of the most quietly wise characters in the book, and kind to both main characters. Similarly I adored the portrayal of Aurelia, a girl who has become like a sister to Loren. She is incredibly curious and loyal and her stubbornness to help her friends had me smiling. Though Loren’s blood family treated him coldly and like an object that existed to do their bidding, the family he chose in Pompeii are warm and caring. Aurelia, Livia and Nonna are wonderful depictions of strong women, which I love to see in a book with two male main characters.

The two main characters. AAAAA I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!! They were wonderfully written, their personalities so raw in their humanity - desperate to belong somewhere. I could relate to them both in multiple ways ! I really loved that their personalities were so different, and yet they aligned so well together. Two souls that were bound to end up together. Felix brought Loren out of his shell and made him feel comfortable in being himself; reciting stories and legends he loved, and Felix listened. And for the first time in his life, Felix was seen. A lifetime of sneaking between towns at a moments notice and the first sign of trouble, but Loren convinced Felix to stay.

The author was skilled in the way they wrote about difficult topics without revolving the entire plot around it. The topics of religious trauma and SA are so important and these stories are vital. This will be really impactful for teenagers with similar trauma to read.

Something else I found kinda mind-blowing is that despite being flawed characters that made “wrong decisions” at points in the book, I completely understood both Felix and loren’s drivers and why they were doing what they did.

The ending was incredibly powerful, and they also delivered a beautifully hopeful ending. Hence me crying. A LOT.

This book is about finding yourself, being true to who you are, and following your own path and not just what family or even fate expects of you. There is a real importance to tending to your wounds and giving them the proper care so that they can heal. Letting them scar and not forgetting about them, but not letting those past pains define you.

I adored this book so much, one of my new favourite books and authors! I cannot wait to read Cass’ next book!
I am so hoppy this has been published! The world needs special queer books like this right now.

after finished reading this book, i've still thinking what's the rating for this. but the more i think about it, the more that i give a lower rating

the description has a lot potential to be honest. it has a very slow start, but i love the magical system. and the chemistry between felix and loren? IT HAS ANGST!

but i felt uncomfy after i saw a name of one of the priest (who shall not be named). i mean, it's fictional but why is the author named like that? also, felix's actions at the start of the book, especially when he's with loren.

3.5/5 stars

Vesuvius is a YA Historical Fantasy novel that follows Felix, a thief, and Loren, a temple attendant with political ambitions, in the days leading up to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Pompeii. Loren has been having prophetic dreams of Felix triggering the end of world for years, so when Felix comes into this life with the stolen helmet of Mercury he can hardly believe his eyes.

To start, I think Cass Biehn did a good job of creating two characters that are interesting and contrasting to each other. They both have very different backgrounds, personalities, and motivations. I do think they could have been a bit more developed, but overall they are both intriguing characters and I enjoyed getting to know them over the course of the book. I thought the side characters in the book were interesting too, especially Aurelia and Livia.

My biggest issue with the book was that the description doesn't match the actual story. Based off of the description on NetGalley, I was expecting this to be an action-packed adventure where the two boys try to prevent the destruction of Pompeii with a sweet romance subplot. However, it felt as though Mount Vesuvius's impending eruption was secondary to Loren's burgeoning political career and the inner workings of Pompeii's social elite. Loren was frequently distracted from his prophetic visions by the opportunity to network and further his position in Pompeii. He claimed his top priority was stopping Felix from ending the world, but his actions usually suggested otherwise. Additionally, because Felix wasn't really aware of Loren's visions and that he was going to bring about the end times, his POV chapters were also not focused on the eruption.

Ultimately, I think this book suffered from trying to do too many things at once. Combining an exploration of Pompeii's political and social elite, saving the world from Mount Vesuvius, uncovering Felix's mysterious past, Loren's visions and a romance between the two of them was too much. The portions of the book spent on the politics of Pompeii dragged a bit for me and made it difficult for me to focus on the story. The pacing was off as a result, with the first 15% and 80-90% of the book having a lot of action, and the middle 15-80% and last 10% feeling a bit aimless. I think if less time was spent on Loren's political ambitions, the book would have been much more engaging.

Overall, Vesuvius wasn't a bad book. It just wasn't the book that was advertised to me. I think if you're interested in a story about two boys--one of which is trying to escape his past to build his own life in Pompeii as a politician, while the other is trying to remember who he is, you would enjoy this book.

Vesuvius by Cass Biehn is a queer YA fantasy set in ancient Pompeii, just days before the volcano erupts. It follows Felix, a smooth-talking thief with a magical secret, and Loren, a temple boy haunted by dreams of the coming disaster.
The vibe is part romance, part myth, part race-against-time. Their connection feels real and emotional, and the story blends Roman gods, politics, and slow-burning tension in a really cool way.
It’s not super heavy on the fantasy—more like a historical drama with a magical twist. The eruption scene isn’t huge, but honestly, it’s the characters and their bond that make this book shine.
If you like queer love stories with heart, ancient settings, and a bit of magic, this one’s a great read.

Vesuvius is a queer, YA reimagining of the story of Pompeii. We follow Felix, a thief who has stolen an important artefact, and Loren, a temple assistant who keeps dreaming of Felix destroying Pompeii.

The author did a brilliant job at immersing the reader into the Pompeii setting and I was surprised by how much political intrigue there was in this novel. The characters were complex and each had their flaws and ambitions, which I enjoyed following.

The prose was beautiful and I really liked the juxtaposition of classic influences in the writing with more modern twists. For example, I enjoyed how the author did not make flaws fatal and instead gave characters the room to grow and change.

However, at times the pacing did pull me out of the story and romance, though by the end it did manage to bring me back. The magic and mythology could also have played a bigger role and was a little underwhelming.

But overall, I think Vesuvius is a great debut novel from the author, and I absolutely love the cover!

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

Vesuvius was a glorious read!
I fell in love with the awkward character that made me scream 'just tell him' on more than a few occasions, but these characters kept me rooting for them until the very end.

We all know the story of Pompeii but when pop culture takes it as inspiration; I'm always so intrigued to see the aspect they'll focus on. Biehn chooses the most wonderful human aspects of people attempting to make their way of find their place in the world...with just a little dash of the old gods that remain in people's memories.

This book was full of wonder, mystery, action and yearning - making it a solid read for audiences of all ages.

Vesuvius is all about the slow burn and moody vibes. The Italian setting is gorgeous, the pining is real, and the writing is super atmospheric. I loved the longing, but the pacing dragged a bit for me in places.

If you’re in the mood for something soft, emotional, and full of yearning—this one’s for you!

As always, thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the eARC of this book.

We find ourselves in Pompeii right as pro thief Felix gets away — or tries to — with stealing an artefact of the gods. When he’s chased by the henchmen of a powerful patrician he stumbles into a temple for shelter and subsequently Loren, right as an earthquake hits the city. Loren has been dreaming about Felix and his inscrutable connection to Pompeii’s destruction for far too long and together they must discover the ties between Felix and the artefact and Pompeii’s incoming doom before it’s too late.

As someone who’d thought she’d outgrown YA, this was an utter delight. The setting is lively and atmospheric, letting you dive right into the streets and happenings of ancient Pompeii. Not once does it feel stiff or unnatural, the characters blend in perfectly.
And speaking of the characters, this story achieves the rare thing of not throwing one character at me, imploring me to like them, when in reality they’re annoying as all hell. It’s been a reoccurring theme in YA (at least for me) over the years and over the course of this book, it hasn’t happened once. Every last character — except for the obviously evil ones, of course — is charming and endearing in their own way, whether it be through humour or kindness or a little mischief. And without giving away the game: Felix and Loren. Oh sweethearts.

Absolutely would recommend this book for a fun read!

I really enjoyed this book and I really did not know how it was going to go well worth a read. The two lead characters. Were interesting.. the mixing in of prophecy was well balanced.. I will definitely look for other books by this author.

VESUVIUS is a fast-paced tale, occurring over about five days, as Felix and Loren dash about Pompeii trying to stay one step ahead of those after the helmet.

There are several parties interested in them, and one had delightfully hard-to-pin-down motives. Julia was so slippery, I didn't trust her but I didn't know why, and that made her the more compelling of the players. She certainly felt like more of a threat because she wasn't acting quite so overtly unfriendly.

I would be really interested to know what a Classicist thought of the book, particularly the setting. It's not a period I know much about so I didn't know what was taken from real life and what was created for the story. Certainly, the tone of the world building is not one where it's trying to show you whether it's accurate or not. That felt like a deliberate choice, not letting the setting intrude on the story's pace or the characters' journeys.,

For much of the book, the more speculative elements - prophecy mostly - felt like it could be read as simply the beliefs of the day. As someone who likes historical novels, I quite enjoyed the fact that it didn't necessarily need to be a fantasy. However, towards the end, the role played by the helmet makes the speculative impossible to ignore and the book veers more towards the fantasy realm.

I did find this speculative shift a little confusing, not quite understanding what the helmet's power was or why it was so important. It meant I struggled to follow the last quarter of the book, unsure at first whether these were hallucinations or real. It was quite a disorientating change in tone.

For a book called VESUVIUS, and with a cover like this, I felt like the volcanic eruption was dealt with rather fast. A few chapters across (with only really one dealing with the deadly part of the eruption) and that was it - and then there was a bunch of stuff afterwards, which also managed to overlook the devastation of such an eruption. It just felt like the eruption had been built up and then didn't quite live up to that promise.

As soon as I saw the cover, I had a feeling that this book would be one I would fall head over heels for. Set in Ancient Pompeii. A young thief. It's YA. It's gay... And you know what? I adored it!

From the very first page, Cass Biehn had me in a complete chokehold that I just could not escape. So much so that I read this in one sitting, barely moving the entire time I was reading, and that hasn't happened to me for a little while now! It was addictive reading. Exhilarating with moments that had my heart practically leaping into my throat. I loved the two main characters, our narrators, Felix and Loren. They felt well fleshed out and believable. The descriptions had me pulled straight back to their time and I was immersed.

Cannot recommend this book enough!

Thank you so much to Atom for the review copy! It is very much appreciated!

DNF at 10%. I just wasn't enjoying it, I didn't really like the writing style, and I wasn't invested at all in the characters or the story.

4.25 stars

This book follows Felix and Loren, two equally lost boys whose destinies are intertwined, as they search Pompeii for answers in the days leading up to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The plot is engaging with lots of secrets and twists, and both boys are very well-written with their own character arcs on top of their chemistry together. The slow-burn romance between them was so lovely to read. I also really loved the chosen family aspect of the book and you can definitely tell that it was written with a lot of heart.

My one criticism is with the pacing - that is, the pacing feels incredibly slow. This can be a good thing, for example it gives us time to explore the city of Pompeii, a setting which is depicted vibrantly with plenty of colourful characters. However, it did cause the plot to suffer somewhat, to the point where it started to feel a little repetitive. Loren has visions, Felix can’t remember his past, Loren thinks of himself as a burden, Felix runs away before returning two pages later, etc. There are clues peppered throughout which kept me interested in the story, but they were revealed so slowly that I ended up guessing the plot twist correctly about halfway through the book.

However, this didn’t completely spoil my reading experience as I think the positives definitely outweigh the negatives, and since the ending seems to leave room for a sequel, I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more of Felix and Loren in the future!

Set in Pompeii you follow the story of Felix and Loren. The pair are an interesting one, Loren is all too caring, heart on his sleeve and Felix is such a complex character, you can tell he wants people to dislike him, keep them away, but he has that caring side and I really did warm to him. I really enjoyed how Loren had reoccurring dreams of Felix's death and felt responsible for him in the waking world and even though we know what happens to Pompeii you still somehow hold hope for a different outcome.

The imaginative writing is great, you can really set the scene and get an idea of your surroundings; I felt the descriptions were done well. There were some real poetic lines dotted throughout the story which I really enjoyed and found beautiful. I did find the modern slang/swearing to be out of place, but it didn't distract enough to be a real issue.

That being said I did enjoy every other aspect of the book. Loren's prophecy was intriguing and Felix's lost history held my interest, along with the political intrigue.
The lore around the Gods in this was an interesting take as well as the little warning signs of the earthquakes that keep happening and building suspense. I'd say this is a great read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a mythological twist. Cass Biehn did a great job with this and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for their work from now on.

Thank you to Atom Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Clever thief Felix seizes an opportunity to steal a helmet in Pompeii. But as he's chased by a mysterious patrician, Felix discovers the helmet is not only a priceless artefact but a relic of the god Mercury. When Felix touches it, pieces of his forgotten past begin to simmer. Loren, an aspiring councilman and temple attendant, is plagued by nightmares of Pompeii's destruction. Nightmares that feature Felix, who stumbles into Loren's temple as an earthquake rocks the city. Loren knows they have mere days to uncover Felix's ties to the relic and to Loren's own dreams if they have any hope of saving Pompeii from the boiling fury of Mount Vesuvius. But the Ancient Roman world is ruled by bloody politics and unstoppable destinies, with dangerous, desperate people lurking in every shadow.
Felix and Loren will have to piece together their fates - and their growing feelings for one another - to make it out of a burning city alive.

Unfortunately, this book is a DNF for me. I didn’t want to stop reading it because I was so excited when I came across the book on NetGalley. However, come the halfway mark, I just wasn’t getting into it and really struggling to power through. So, at 55%, I stopped.

I think a big issue I had was this is being marketed as a YA novel, but it wasn’t reading as one to me. Which isn’t a bad thing necessarily! There is a lot of rich world building but it just felt like too much for a YA novel. The characters aren’t too bad, but when you’re halfway through and not feeling a connection with them, I think it is a lost cause. And I so wanted to like them! Being queer myself, I am always searching for queer romances out there - especially those not in the “contemporary romance” sphere. The fact this was a queer romance but different drew me in. I just really wish more had happened by now. It may have held my attention more.

Overall, Vesuvius is a book that sounded amazing but fell flat for me.

Thank you again to Atom Books for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be on my blog on 9th June and is available now on Goodreads.

*dnf at 70%*
This unfortunately was not the book for me and I’m really sad about it. I was super excited to read a book based in my country around a topic that I studied well in school, especially since it’s ya, lgbtq and fantasy which I tend to love. However this was extremely slow paced, the characters and their love story felt extremely superficial to me and even by pushing myself to finish it since I got the arc for it, I just was so bored and uninterested in the plot. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

I unfortunately had to DNF this book... or is it DNFed if you stopped on page 1? The text was to small for me to read on my phone on the PDF provided. Will change the review once the book comes out and I listen to it or read it from my local library. So sorry, I am not able to read this at this time.