Vesuvius

Vesuvius by Cass Biehn is a stunning queer YA fantasy debut set in ancient Pompeii. Perfect for fans of They Both Die at the End, All That's Left in the World, and Lies We Sing to the Sea. It's a tale where you must give him your heart, grasp your destiny, and get out alive.

Felix is a clever thief who seizes an opportunity to steal a helmet in Pompeii. But as he's chased by a mysterious patrician, he 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. These nightmares include 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.