This is a tough one to review without giving up too much information. I had a hard time putting this down.

Ruby is with a group of students in Paris. She has a major crush on Sean. Val is her newer best friend. And her old bff was there too. Ruby does travel videos for YouTube and is hoping to get some sponsorships for traveling so she can see the world. Val has made her more adventurous and Sean helps with editing. What Ruby doesn't really see is that Val is also a bad influence. When Val takes off to a party with a boy she met in Paris, Ruby feels like she needs to save her. Two other girls end up with her and they find Val. But the boy offers a chance to see the catacombs. Not the tourist part, but the real thing. Ruby can't resist getting videos and they all go down there. But things go bad quickly. Not everyone will survive and they are all trapped.

The pacing was good and the book felt suspenseful for a YA. I definitely felt the claustrophobia from being underground. It made me feel panicked at times.

I gave this book 4 1/2 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for my earc.

A totally gripping and scary novel that is intense and fast-paced the entire time. I really cared about the characters and what was going to happen to them.

This was an unputdownable, twisty turny (figuratively and literally) read! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and was invested throughout the whole adventure.

It's not only a story of the survival of Ruby and friends trying the escape the Paris catacombs, but hope and love, with a splash of betrayal and moments that made me gasp out loud.

I loved the relationships that were built throughout the story. There was romance, but also friendships and family relationships. I liked that we got Sean's POV as well to build out the story and make the friends to lovers storyline that much more swoony.

I totally recommend this to anyone looking for a gripping YA thriller with a dash of romance and enough action to keep you invested until the end!

Thank you to Diana Urban and the publisher for the ARC though Netgalley!!!

There are aspects of the story I enjoyed and parts I didn't. The romantic relationships I could take or leave; they didn't really rise to the point of significance. For me, someone who is admittedly picky about romance, they were a distraction from the platonic drama, the chilling subterranean setting, and the heart-pounding story about being lost somewhere the characters might never be found. The author nails the pace of unfolding plot twists while maintaining a claustrophobic, threatening atmosphere. Four stars.

Under the Surface by Diana Urban

A high school trip to Paris leads to a terrifying trip in the catacombs ….

When Ruby and her high school class go to Paris on a week-long trip, Ruby is bound to make the most of it. When her friend, Val, sneaks out to meet a boy and go to a party, Ruby follows to make sure she’s safe and doesn’t end up in more trouble than usual. They never dream they’ll end up beneath the city in the infamous catacombs; there, along with her estranged friend, Selena, and a few others, they become hopelessly lost and to add to that terror, there’s something more perilous than the dark following them.

This is such a dark and atmospheric story, told from Ruby in the catacombs in turn with her love interest, Sean, up above, as each try to puzzle out what’s happened/happening. While there’s so much threat and thrills happening, I couldn’t help but love the themes of friendship lost and found again that came in the face of danger.

I’m a huge fan of survival horror/thrillers and Diana Urban didn’t let me down!

Thrilling, dark, and disturbing!

My thanks to @PenguinTeen for this gifted copy!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. Under the Surface was an absolute RIDE. I loved every minute of the story. The catacombs of Paris have always been one of the creepiest things to me (hello As Above, So Below), so when I saw that there was a book about it? SOLD. Ms. Urban did a great job of weaving together multiple POVs that were easy to follow and equally engaging. I will certainly be adding a copy of this to my shelves!

I have been dying to read this book and it did not disappoint. It had everything!! Romance, angst, suspense and mystery! I can't wait to have a physical copy on my shelf

I was hooked from the cover and glad I got to read this, it had the survival-thriller element that I was hoping for and thought the Paris catacombs element worked overall. The characters were everything that I wanted and I was afraid for them in this book. It was tense and had a great overall feel to it, I hope Diana Urban writes more like this.

A fun, fast-paced, claustrophobic YA thriller.

I'll admit it took a while for me to get into the story, but soon as it gets rolling, it's fabulously intense and creepy. I loved how Diana wrote the catacombs and wove in the history/lore of the cataphiles, and the friendships in this book were really strikingly done. I also really enjoyed seeing both Sean and Ruby's perspectives, and how well they complimented each other plot-wise!

Super grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc--I definitely recommend this for fans of Karen McManus and Jessica Goodman!

A heart-pounding flight in the dark below the City of Light!

Loved the latest by Diana Urban! Another wonderful YA thriller that keeps the reader guessing who to trust and who is next!

What a ride, this book took me through all the emotions. A must read for thriller fans. Told through different POVs, Ruby lost and being hunted in the Paris catacombs and Sean looking for her. The author was able to create a claustrophobic atmosphere on these pages and told one heck of a story. I recommend Under the Surface for anyone looking for a spooky read.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! #UndertheSurface #NetGalley

Sadly, I didn't find this book to be that compelling; rather, it read more like a high school drama than a scary narrative. I did enjoy parts of the catacombs' visuals and the history that went with it, and I wish there had been more of that in addition to the scary atmosphere. It was boring to me after halfway through. I did enjoy the character development though!

<b>3.5 stars, rounded up</b>

I’ve read all of this author’s YA thrillers and this one was very different for her. This book follows four teens trapped in catacombs beneath Paris. Definitely a unique premise for sure!

There’s a sense of urgency the pervades the book, as well as a very claustrophobic feeling throughout. Urban really did a good job bringing the creepy catacombs to life! The characters were interesting and different enough that I didn’t get them confused.

While I did find certain aspects predictable, I definitely enjoyed the ride.

Under the Surface is an absolutely amazing book and kept me guessing until the end. Genuinely one of the most stressful books I’ve ever read, and I now must read all of Diana Urban’s work. Her writing style is addicting, and to know that this book was inspired by her own trip to Paris is just the icing on top. Thanks to NetGalley and Diana Urban for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this title. I can safely say that this will be recommended to everyone I cross paths with.

4.5 stars
This book was a wild ride! I went to the Paris catacombs in high school (circa 2007 I think?), and I am obsessed with Paris so reading this book was a no brainer.
It starts out with just a regular school trip to Paris for our main character Ruby. Her 2 best friends Val and Sean are with her, along with her ex-best friend and current nemesis Selena. Ruby has a YouTube channel (Ruby's Hidden Gems) and wants to film cool places around Paris for her channel. Val is a risk taker. She meets a boy who gets her to slip away at night to a party. Ruby goes after her and ends up accidentally taking Selena and another girl Olivia with her so they don't get caught sneaking out. The party ends up being in an illegal part of the catacombs and after a fall down a well, Selena gets spooked and runs before the others can get down to her. Then they are all lost in 300km of an underground maze. Above ground, Sean does everything he can to find the girls.
Once the girls are lost in the catacombs, I literally couldn't breathe while I was reading. I'm not claustrophobic, but having been in the catacombs and imagining being lost with a bunch of bones lining the walls was so terrifying. It was easy to get lost in the story because I had to know if they were going to make it out. Ruby had a much bigger part than Sean, but Sean's part was necessary so we had that knowledge of what was going on above ground which was almost more nerve wracking because we knew where the girls were and they didn't. There were a lot of twists towards the end that I didn't see coming and one thing I kind of did. There were some things that totally shocked me and just made my heart break.
The writing style was great, it kept me interested through every single page. It was action packed and extremely intense. I feel like I really got to know the characters, both underground and above ground. The only thing that threw me off a little was how many times Ruby stated that her mom died in child birth. It was crucial to her growth throughout the book, but it was said so many times that it kind of took me out of the story sometimes.
If you are looking for a travel thriller that has a huge horror aspect, I will 100% be recommending this one!

The way this book played out was beyond my expectations! I’m not sure I’ve read a survivalist type thriller before where a group is stranded and trying to get themselves free but I devoured this one. I loved the way the characters of this book had to work through some personal issues while they tried to find their way out of the catacombs. This felt like something new that I haven’t read before and I think that’s one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much!

This was a 5 star read for so many, but I just couldn’t give this one that type of love. I got bored with it half way through. I struggled to finish this one. I didn’t see this as a horror book or thriller or anything of that nature. It was just a story that started and ended, and I didn’t enjoy it like I wanted to. I appreciate the ARC from NetGalley. I won’t be buying this one. Read it for yourself to find out what you think, but it just wasn’t as good as I thought it would be.

When Ruby goes on a class trip to Paris (so jealous of that class trip), she soon finds herself in trouble when a wrong turn in the catacombs leads to no way out. Ruby was just trying to get her friend back to the hotel safe, but the promise of footage of the catacombs for her YouTube channel proved too appealing and lead to a mistake she'll regret for the rest of her life.

The twists in this book are incredible and caught me off guard nearly every time. I never knew what was coming next, but I was enthralled, strapped in, unable to put it down. This is a book that's easy to give 5 stars to.

After going down a spiral on Tiktok about the Paris catacombs, it feels appropriate that social media plays a big part in the characters lives in this book as well. I was immediately intrigued by the premise and Diana Urban's description of every dark tunnel and bone encased wall is exactly what I pictured these horrifying tombs to look like. This may be some people's idea of a good time, but definitely not me.

I liked the two POV's of Ruby and Sean and their sweet romance is easy to root for. My only gripe is that the drama that our main group of girls decide to air out all of their drama as they're being chased by knife wielding psychos and I kept shouting "NOT THE TIME!"

Ruby is easy to like and seeing her get more of a backbone throughout the book was rewarding. Standing up to friends who are toxic and learning that she doesn't have to keep everything in. The final confrontation had me tapping on my kindle furiously wanting to find out what happened next. As a fellow arachanphobc, the scaries part of this book was THAT scene. Don't miss this one out on 8/13/24.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc.

This is one heck of a rollercoaster ride! I tore through this in a matter of hours. I was nervous at first because I just read two great books, and I didn’t want to break my streak, but this was great! It’s a true thriller, through and through.

Val is, in a word, reckless. This is why she decides to sneak out of the hotel during a school trip to meet up with a hot French guy who promises her a great time at a party in the…catacombs. Wait, what? Let me wrap my head around why someone would voluntarily go down there. They have to go through a previously sealed grate to enter. Um, I don’t know about you, but that boy better be Henry Cavill, and even THEN I’d pass. Can’t Henry and I just go get a strawberry and Nutella crepe, like, aboveground? Is that too much to ask? Ah, well. I’m happily married, anyway.

I digress.

I’m not going to say much more, because the beauty of the story is in its disorienting mysteriousness. It’s highly, deliciously spooky.

Did..anyone else hear that scream? Maybe it’s just your imagination. Keep walking. Aimlessly. You’ll eventually find an exit…right?


My thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.