Jemma

This was THE book I was waiting for this year, and it lived up to my anticipation. The FMC's arc is beautiful. The characters feel real. The references to contemporary archeological discoveries within the context of the story are subtle and delightful. There's something special about the way Harper manages to actually put you in Pompeii's strict social hierarchy with Amara, feeling her struggle as if its your own. I can't recommend this series enough.

There are books you read because you can't put them down, and books you read because you feel a connection to the characters despite... everything. This was one of those books for me. The writing is clunky. The whole thing is poorly paced and edited. And yet, I finished it - because Violet is infuriatingly relatable, and I just wanted to see what happens next. So that counts for something.