Thank you to PRH Audio for the ALC and Penguin Teen for the ARC and finished copy of Under the Surface by Diana Urban. All opinions are my own. 

Under the Surface is not something I would typically read because I tend to avoid most thrillers. However, the synopsis really intrigued me, so I decided to give it a try. I am so glad that I did! 

This book sucked me in from the very beginning. I loved how the author used dual points of view to tell the story because it really added to the tension. Ruby’s point of view was filled with not only the issues surrounding the four students trapped in the catacombs, but she was also dealing with friendships and her feelings towards Sean. In Sean’s point of view, I loved getting to see how much he cared for Ruby as well as how he was able to put clues together and get past his need to follow rules in order to try to find Ruby. 

The author did a great job describing the catacombs so that I was able to easily picture them as I listened to the story. They felt so lifelike, and the descriptions added to the intensity of the book. 

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Rebecca Soler (one of my favorite audiobook narrators) and Max Meyers (a new to me narrator). This format of the book was excellent! The narrators really added to the pacing and emotions of the story. I’d definitely recommend this format! 

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone, whether you usually read thrillers or not. Since it’s a young adult thriller, the gore and creepiness is there without being too much for someone like me that gets scared easily. It also would be great for teens that are interested in this genre because it’s age appropriate and deals with some of the social issues that they might be facing.