Waiting On Wednesday: Curses and Smoke: A Novel of Pompeii by Vicky Alvear Shecter

Posted January 29, 2014 by Stephanie in Waiting On Wednesday / 5 Comments

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.




Curses and Smoke: A Novel of Pompeii by Vicky Alvear Shecter
Hardcover, 336 pages
Expected publication: May 27th 2014 by Arthur A. Levine Books


When your world blows apart, what will you hold onto?

TAG is a medical slave, doomed to spend his life healing his master’s injured gladiators. But his warrior’s heart yearns to fight in the gladiator ring himself and earn enough money to win his freedom.

LUCIA is the daughter of Tag’s owner, doomed by her father’s greed to marry a much older Roman man. But she loves studying the natural world around her home in Pompeii, and lately she’s been noticing some odd occurrences in the landscape: small lakes disappearing; a sulfurous smell in the air. . . .

When the two childhood friends reconnect, each with their own longings, they fall passionately in love. But as they plot their escape from the city, a patrician fighter reveals his own plans for them — to Lucia’s father, who imprisons Tag as punishment. Then an earthquake shakes Pompeii, in the first sign of the chaos to come. Will they be able to find each other again before the volcano destroys their whole world?


I can’t wait to get my hands on this book. It sounds absolutely amazing and I love how it’s set in Pompeii. I never before actually seen a book like this around and look at that gorgeous cover! <3




What’s your WOW pick of the week?
Leave me links to your post in the comment section!

5 responses to “Waiting On Wednesday: Curses and Smoke: A Novel of Pompeii by Vicky Alvear Shecter

  1. Oh my gosh! I've never read a book about Pompeii either, and this looks amazing! The cover is so pretty, and a ROMANCE?! I'll die! I'm kind of weirdly obsessed with the idea of Pompeii anyway. My dad thinks it's morbid, LOL. (It probably is!) Awesome pick, Steph! I hadn't seen this one before, but it's on my TBR now! 🙂

Leave a Reply

(Enter your URL then click here to include a link to one of your blog posts.)