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!

AHHHH. What a wild ride! Cass Biehn is about to be a trailblazer in YA historical fiction (volcano pun totally intended).

This book felt expansive yet not quite big enough at the same time. Literally everything I could’ve asked for in a debut, and Biehn has been so transparent and engaging about the process on their Twitter that I’m already such a fan of theirs. More of them, please!! They’re absolutely an author you want to keep an eye out for. Catch me first in line for TTBM (expected in 2027!!!).

I preordered VESUVIUS as soon as I heard about it and once I got my hands on the ARC I was so excited to dive in, and WOW Biehn did not disappoint — they have such a lush but accessible writing style, and the metaphors are so beautiful (a thumb flipping through Felix’s mind like it’s papyrus? That’s so cool helloooo?!)

I can’t understate how much this is written like literary fiction, but without being flowery or inaccessible for a YA audience. I can’t stress that this is SUCH a gorgeous debut and everything I want my work to be when I eventually publish: the world, the intimacy, the passion that’s poured into each page, the staying power. They blew it out of the water.

I loved the allusions to Ancient Greece and modern society, with themes such as wealth disparity, access to education, and even the mention of graffiti (which reminded me that the word originated in the times of the SPQR). If not for the beautiful descriptions of Grecian architecture and the Aegean Sea landscape, it would be very plausible for this to be contemporary. Such little things really sell the story, such as Felix’s rules of theft coincide with the rules of how not to get your heart broken without ever being explicitly stated, and THAT’S the kind of thing that I love to see in YA/crossover fiction. There is no handholding (from a figurative standpoint lol — spoiler alert but yes, the boys do hold hands, and yes it’s everything I could’ve ever asked for). Both of the boys’ introductory scenes were SO GOOD and so impactful, Biehn is absolutely excellent at show-don’t-tell, I literally could not think of a better introduction to their characters. I do think the boys got along a little too quickly, but that’s not a complaint lol I adore that we got to see their easy banter right off the bat. And I’m such a hypocrite because I also wish that we had more time with the boys during the climax!

I keep discovering new things to adore about this book — another review mentioned that Felix is fixated on the past and Loren is fixated on the future; how did I not catch onto that?!! — but this is really something that you have to read for yourself. Experience it. Marinate in the world. Or you can eat it up in one sitting like I did bahahahah :]

An absolute pleasure! Can’t wait to see more from Biehn!

Thank you to NetGalley/Peachtree Teen for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review :]

I loved both Felix and Loren! And Pompeii historical setting was so interesting for their story. This was such a strong debut, and I am looking forward to what Cass Biehn has in store in the future!

Thank you PeachTree and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC!

When you get halfway through an ARC copy before you go preorder the book, that's how you know the debut you're reading is about to become a new autobuy author. I cannot sing this book's praises enough. I am hype. You should be hype. Become hype.

I am a well known tragedy lover, and I have always said the mark of a great book is one where you know the end and you are still at the edge of your seat. Vesuvius absolutely manages this. I actually started ugly crying at some point, so there’s that. Loren and Felix I want to hug and hold for one million years and never let go. The rest of the cast is brilliant as well- fully fleshed out side characters that really invite you into the world, that make you start to worry about the fate of not just the protagonists but the entire city and how alive Biehn has made it feel.

It's about two boys at the end of their world. It’s ghosts, trauma, running from your past till it catches up to you, absolute stubborn refusal to budge on your beliefs, trying to change what cannot be changed. Between the romance and the tension of knowing the volcano is about to explode, there’s also plenty about the socio-economic inequality of 79 CE Pompeii, because it’s also about power and who has it and what you do with it.

Lastly, and this part is mild spoilers - the construction of these characters is fucking air tight. I feel like I kept having these jaw dropping “of COURSE you would do that” moments. Felix is a cynic, and the moment he decides he would rather believe Loren alone is capable of magic than bend his whole belief system to include the possibility of magic, that was like. THE moment to me. Like yes!!! Give me stubborn characters! Give me that kind of logic people get when they are stuck in their ways, the kind that doesn’t make sense to an outsider! Give me Loren, who knows he shouldn’t mess with fate but spends the whole book thinking he’s gonna be able to circumvent it if he just thinks about it hard enough or looks more. Ugh, I love that ambitious boy and I love this thief. I love it all.

Love the take on the historical city of Pompeii. The atmosphere really felt like it was in that time period. Loren and Felix are great characters and just work so well. Felix is a person that grew up on the streets, believes in making his own fate and works with facts. Loren believes in the gods, works at the Temple of Isis and has been having prophetic dreams for years showing the destruction of Pompeii. After finding out Felix stole the helmet of Mercury from the god of war’s temple, Loren is more determined than ever to see that all the prophecies he’s had does not come true.

Knowing the tragic history of the real Pompeii, I had to get my hands on this. This is such a good reach and fits well in the teen category as both main characters are in their teens. The things they faced were definitely of the time so I wasn’t bothered at all at the mention of gory details or locations like brothels because that’s what was there in cities like Pompeii. Truly enjoyed reading this for the story and the historical references that were used.

Vesuvius is a queer historical fantasy set amidst the eruption of Mount Vesuvius following the tragic love story of Felix and Loren.

Right, first things first: I’m staking my claim now as an OG Vesuvius stan because I see this thing erupting in popularity as soon as it’s published (yes that erupting line was a pun and no there won’t be any more of them in this post). Secondly, yes I did get a lot of gender euphoria from one of the male main characters being called Loren (a homophone of my own name). Thirdly, yes I did cry hard enough after finishing it that I had to sleep with a fan pointed directly at me in my tiny cold flat because I got overheated with autistic overwhelm. With all that out of the way, onto the review proper:

When Felix, the boy who has been haunting Loren’s nightmarish visions for years shows up on his doorstep, it spells disaster. In every prophetic dream Loren has, Felix’s presence portends the end of Pompeii, a splitting of the universe, a rending of worlds. But the boy before him, clutching a stolen helmet that no mortal should have the power to hold, intrigues Loren. Hiding from his true identity, working in a temple by day and renting a spare room in a brothel by night, all Loren wants is a chance to make his name in the political sphere. At least, that’s all he wanted until Felix blazed into his life.

But Loren isn’t the only one with a past. Felix is running – from the law, from his feelings, and from the memories of his childhood that seem to slip away from him whenever he gets too close. He has rules to stay alive, and they’ve worked so far:

Keep moving forward
Don’t get attached
Hurt them before they hurt you
And never, ever, believe in anything – you’ll only get taken advantage of.

The rules have served him well. Until Loren.
Now, with a stolen relic burning a hole in his satchel and a bloodthirsty guard on his tail, Felix might have to believe in something, something bigger than himself, bigger even than the gods:
A boy with a pretty braid, a propensity for fainting spells, and an ambition to become one of the politicians that cut the hands off of thieves like Felix.
Great.

There are so, so many things I loved about this book, so I’ll try and break them down.
Firstly, these boys are messy; they’re traumatised and mentally ill and hurt. They make mistakes, and lash out, and cry. And they’re allowed to. For me, that was incredibly powerful. I’m slightly sick of main characters who are miraculously healed through the power of love or friendship or whatever other bollocks. Anyone who has experienced trauma will understand that love can’t heal something like that, that it takes time and work and ugliness. Without spoiling anything, both Felix and Loren have been through Some Shit, and I suspect others – like I did – may pick up on the hints to some of those traumas before they’re revealed. I’m a sucker for a story where characters are allowed to hurt – the Hunger Games, Baldur’s Gate, Percy Jackson, those narratives where characters can scream and flail and survive. Always survive.

I’ve seen a lot of people compare this to Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, and I totally see why. From the title alone, you know what’s going to go down. You know the story of Vesuvius, and that dread creeps throughout the book, tainting sweet moments but making them feel all the more precious because of the knowledge of that ticking clock. I was rooting for Loren and Felix at least partly because I was rooting for the ultimate underdogs – I mean, who can win against the eruption of Vesuvius? However, I think Biehn’s novel is vitally different from Miller’s in some really fascinating and positive ways:

Firstly, it’s very accessible. Achilles is definitely not impenetrable, but there’s a lot of stuff that requires at least a base understanding of the Iliad to really appreciate. Vesuvius doesn’t do that. It’s very readable, very grounded, and incredibly fast-paced. Plus, because everyone knows the tale of Vesuvius, that dread really drives home from page 1 in a way some major character deaths might not in Achilles if you’re not fully up on your Homeric myth.

Secondly, because it isn’t based on an epic poem, author Cass Biehn has the complete freedom to weave a fully realised and fleshed out world of their own, a chance they have seized. Biehn’s Pompeii feels relatable yet distant, a world you can imagine yourself in whilst still very much grounded in the historical context.

There’s a lot about this book that really hit home for me personally, and I’m so glad it exists. I’ll be following Cass on their publishing journey (especially since their next book is a Hamlet reimagining and anyone who knows me knows I’m a slut for Hamlet) and cannot wait for the world to meet Felix and Loren. You’re in for such a treat. If you’re looking for a YA Song of Achilles fated lovers story, get to pre-ordering Vesuvius. You’ll lava it (sorry, couldn’t resist one last pun).

Vesuvius by Cass Biehn is a thrilling historical romance fantasy, set days before Mount Vesuvius destroys Pompeii.

We have the clever thief Felix, who slips from city to city to survive the present and escape a past he cannot remember. Then there is Loren, an ambitious temple attendant, who has seen Felix in his apocalyptic nightmares for years. The last thing Loren expects is for his dream to stumble headfirst through his temple doors moments after an earthquake rocks the city. When Felix shows Loren the helmet, Loren sees the world coming to an end. He knows they have mere days to uncover Felix’s ties to the relic and to Loren’s visions if they have any hope of saving the city.

I just know this book will destroy me in the most beautiful way. 😍

Thank you to, @coloredpagesbt @peachtreeteen @cassbeewrites for the physical copy of this book.

I greatly enjoyed this book, and it has gotten me excited to study Roman history soon. Pompeii has always been an area of interest of mine, and I was very excited to find a book taking place in this setting - especially knowing the cause of the quakes, but unsure whether there would be a happy ending, or a tragedy. I will admit I was a little unsure going in about the idea that the eruption could be caused by godly intervention rather than being a natural phenomenon, but the way it was done was handled well that this wasn't an issue.

The characters were extremely well written, and their actions made sense. The book did well to establish who they were and their motivations early on, and switching perspectives helped to allow the reader the full picture while still keeping the characters in the dark. Even with the full picture, however, it was still a mystery that wasn't fully solved until the end - at least for me - and you could feel the characters confusion even knowing what they don't. And in cases where you could see the end, it had the pain of tragedy that comes from knowing how things are going - how they'll end - that as you watch the characters try to escape their fate, you know certain things won't work.

The pacing felt very good, jumping straight into the action and keeping up the momentum through a clear deadline that the book consistently reminded you of. I do feel a few side characters could've been explored a bit more - particularly their relationship with Loren - but this wasn't a major issue. If anything, it may simply be too large a cast of secondary characters that Loren has relationships with that was the downfall. Elias felt the most fleshed out of them all, and I definitely had him as a favourite. Not enough of a major flaw to lose a star though.

I highly recommend this to anyone who has an interest in mythology and ancient history. The two are entwinned well within the book, and feel like how people at the time may have viewed their world and connection to the gods. A good, entertaining read with a happy and hopeful ending. Definitely promotes discussions around class, privilege, fate and power. Also awesome to see this released in June. Happy Pride Month!!

The premise for this sounded great, but I found the execution pretty painful, and ultimately decided not to finish this. I was a Classics major, and I found the descriptions utterly lacking in atmosphere and sensory immersion. The linguistic anachronisms annoyed me (probably more than they would the average YA reader) and I found the characters flat and uninteresting. Since I don’t like posting negative reviews for LGBTQIA+ books, I elected to DNF and confine my review to NetGalley.

Book review: 3/5 ⭐️
Genre: YA historical fantasy
Themes: fate, queer romance, imperfect characters, gods, disaster

We all know the legendary eruption of Vesuvius that fossilized the city of Pompei, destroying an entire population in ash. Yet, what may have unfolded in the days preceding the disaster is a wildly imagined tale of scrying, politicking council members and corrupt smugglers, gods playing with men and a fate that cannot be avoided. It as much a love story, as it is a great saga. It was a story I haven’t heard before and as an ancient civilization aficionado I very much enjoyed this interpretation.

It is interesting to have a complex and fairly unlikeable character as an MC. Loren is both ambitious and idealistic, self-righteous and privileged, too serious and foolish, keeping secrets yet wanting honesty. He is full of contradictions and is determined to make a name for himself, claiming it is for the greater good, but a large part is validation. He can be at once self-conscious and wear his heart on his sleeve, selfish and caring. Someone who likes to play morality, yet is unaware of the privilege from where his judgement comes from. His visions and general appearance of madness did make him akin to Cassandra, Princess of Troy. All in all, I didn’t particularly like him, but I thought he made a very real, somewhat unreliable character. Genuinely struggling with his task to avoid catastrophe made him right for this story, even if his need for control set things into motion.

On the other side of this story we have Felix. A thief who has been living hard and with no memories of his former life, nor how they may have led him to Pompei. He is street smart, wicked fast with nimble fingers, yet like a wounded animal avoids human contact. He unknowingly lifts a most coveted prize, the helmet of Mercury, setting off a chain reaction to a much greater mystery and possible calamity. A lonely boy who avoids connections suddenly finds himself also needing to protect Loren and possibly much more through him.

A classic opposites attract on every level. Felix is likeable, steadfast in his attitude, poor and downtrodden, but clever as a fox. His ambition does not exceed past self preservation, that is until now. I didn’t really understand why Felix entered the lion’s maw when he didn’t have to. This bit forced the plot into a necessary direction and for some truths to be revealed, but it seemed odd. I also found myself wanting for him to be made whole again, and not always having to support Loren and his fragility.

There is a sort of inevitability to this story, but I enjoyed the journey and the rather tender search for another lost soul to find solace in. Messy characters, and especially those that lie are not always easy to like, but Felix was a gem. The epic story and the subplots were well imagined, but the romance fluctuated between youthful infatuation to more mature in a matter of days. Can you really love someone if you take away their choice, keep secrets you have no right to?

It was an ambitious and complex debut! Thank you to Colored Pages book tour Peach Tree Teen and the author for letting me feature this book today.

dnf @ 42%. i just can't do it anymore lol i have no interest in the story or the characters which is so sad because i was so excited for this based on the description. also the arc formatting was so horrible it made it difficult to read and definitely affected my enjoyment of the book even more. i may give the final copy another try eventually but for now, this just isn't for me.

(thank you to the peachtree teen and netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!)

I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would.
The angst and the romance were so gut-wrenching. My friends know I can count on one hand the amount of romances that actually make me feel something, and this one join the ranks on finger number 5 (yay!)

It also gets bonus point for sending me down a rabbit hole of Pompeii eruption recreations and maps.
The prose was concise and satisfying, with a wonderful, disney-animated quality to it.
I will say that I found the first 60% to be a bit muddled in its plot, like it didn't know really where it was going, walking in circles until something happened.

However, I read the last 40% in one sitting trying not to kms so! Isn't that the feeling you want when reading angst anyway?

Pleasantly surprised and needing whatever the hell Loren and Felix are on.

Felix is the man from Loren’s dreams in Vesuvius. Literally. Loren’s been having dreams about the destruction of Pompeii, his home, and they’ve all starred this thief. Unable to flee Pompeii with his most recent prize, Felix strikes a deal with Loren to try to help him uncover the truth of his visions.

I was really drawn to both Felix and Loren as characters. They’re running in almost opposite directions, Felix unwilling to stay anywhere for more than a day and Loren desperate to engrain himself in the political council of Pompeii. Their relationships between one another and the other residents of Pompeii were the beating heart of the story for me. I couldn’t have cared less about the capital p plot, I was deeply invested in how these two were coming to terms with finding their place in the world and how they felt about the people who’d shaped them.

I’m not totally in love with how this was structured. It starts out really strong in the days leading up to what we all know is coming, but the aftermath almost ruined the whole book for me with how rushed the ending felt. This isn’t the first time an ending in a new release YA has felt very strange to me, and I can’t tell if it’s due to authors and publishers testing the waters for a potential series or whatever, but I do think the last couple pages were able to salvage the book for me.

I saw Beihnn mention on Twitter that a lot of the swearing has been removed for US editions. A line they posted is in the review copy I have, so I’m assuming I read the sweary version. It’s a shame, because while Felix’s foul mouth might not be vital to the plot, I thought it was a really good bit of characterization that gave me assumptions about Felix I ended up being right about.

I think this is a strong debut. I’m looking forward to whatever messy characters Beihnn comes up with in the future. It’s a very easy rec for anyone who was a little too into mythology as a kid.

Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree for the eARC.