I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and PENGUIN Group Penguin Young Readers Group in exchange for an honest review.

I was expecting this book to be really creepy and suspenseful, but I was bored most of the time reading this.

The setting in the Paris catacombs was definitely creepy and claustrophobic so the atmosphere was a plus. However, the main female characters behaved more like 13 year olds than seniors in high school. Ruby was annoying and selfish. Val was manipulative and aggravating. There wasn't much to establish the romance between Ruby and Sean so I was not invested in him finding her. The description of the book made it seem like there was a long simmering tension between the two, but it was written as them not even knowing each other until the beginnging of the school year. The "sinister" something chasing them was lame. I was expecting something supernatural and, while I love a good thriller with real human creeps, these villains were underdeveloped. The most shocking thing that happened was Stefan slamming Val's head into the stone and thinking she wasn't going to die from that.

Overall, I was disappointed, but it seems like I am in the minority and I think a lot of readers will enjoy this book.

Honestly I think this is one of my favorite books of the year. The writing style was done so well I felt like I was down in the catacombs with Ruby fighting for my life. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes mystery and adventure with just a splash of romance.

Finished this book in one day. It’s was captivating and riveting. It pulls you in so much so you quite literally can’t put it down. I loved the personality behind Ruby. And the touching on love between her and Sean. The dramatics between the friend group. And even had my heart strings pulling for Julien. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a whole book in a day. But I would reread this book over and over again. The ending is just phenomenal. I can’t wait for more reads from the author she captured the whole story line so well. It’s almost as if I were there in person. We need this in a movie asap.

I love locked room mystery/thrillers. They are so much fun if done right, and that was the case here. This book was filled with so much suspense and angst, it really had me on the edge of my seat. It’s not often that a book keeps me so engaged that I conjure up ways to listen to it, but that was what happened here; I just needed to know what was happening! The setting was also wonderful and eerie. I felt like I was in the catacombs with Ruby and it was great.

Under the surface
By Diana Urban
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you @netgalley for the e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I saw this book on social media a while ago and thought it sounded really good. I was shocked when I got the arc of this book. I was so excited to read it.

This book is a YA thriller set in the Paris catacombs. It did a good job at having the story of the characters as well as the thrilling aspects. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

This book was right up my alley and it did not disappoint! I wasn't sure was to expect going in--will there be a murderer on the loose? Ghosts? Zombies? Buried treasure? Whatever there could be, I'm here for it because the Paris Catacombs--let's GO!!

Ruby and her friends are on a class trip to Paris. Ruby is an aspiring travel vlogger and her friend, Sean, helps edit her videos while her friend Val is the life of the party. Their uneventful trip takes a dramatic turn when Val meets a charming French college student who invites them to an underground party. Ruby tries to reason with her, but Val sneaks out without her. Concerned for her safety, Ruby follow sonly to run into Selena, her former best friend turned nemesis, and Olivia, the school valedictorian. Their adventure turns perilous when one of them gets injured, and they become lost in the dark tunnels, unable to reach the party they were promised. As they struggle to find their way out, they realize they are not alone in the catacombs and have become prey to dangerous hunters. Meanwhile, we also read Sean's perspective back at the hotel trying to piece together where his best friend could be as he interacts with his classmates, teachers, and the Paris police to find the missing girls. This book had amazing atmosphere describing the claustrophobic catacombs, a twisty ride encountering the villains, emotional and frustrating teenage drama, also a nice message in the end. Overall topping out at a 4.5 rating for me!

I really enjoyed this book! It was super unique, the characters were well-developed, and I loved the setting!

Diana Urban always provides top notch adventure and suspense to her readers, and this book didn't disappoint. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to live on the edge of the seat.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Penguin Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.7 stars

Four high school seniors on a class trip to Paris go into the Catacombs with a young Parisian man and chaos ensues. I toured the Catacombs 10 years ago and I can't imagine being there for a prolonged amount of time and little to no light. Lots of bad decisions made but an enjoyable read.

I had heard good things about this book, so I was interested in reading it. Sadly, it took me much longer to get into it than I expected. It became repetitive with the characters making bad choices time and time again. However, partway through it, Ruby did start to grow on me. I never really connected with the writing, in general, but it did improve as the story went on. The pacing was a bit uneven. The book is right on the line between YA/NA, though there are some part that felt very immature and petty. I don't think the romance between Ruby and Sean did much for the overall storyline. I really enjoyed the unique setting of the Paris catacombs.

This little YA Survival Thiller packed a punch! I did not expect it to be so dark. It had me uneasy from start to finish—i had to put this book down a few times lol. Im talking arachnophobia, claustrophobia, fear of drowning—it was unsettling! Also, as an asthmatic, i was STRESSED! This was so immersive and brought out so many emotions. I highly recommend.

I was given an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
I had been wanting to read this book ever since I saw Diana reveal the cover on Tiktok and then read a brief synopsis of the plot. And let me tell you, this book did NOT disappoint. I have already pre-ordered the audio version for my hubby and the hardcover version for myself, I loved this book that much.
It's got a great amount of suspense, a little bit of romance, and the perfect amount of twists and moments that will make you go 😱

Under the Surface was a gripping page turner of a novel. Set in the macabre Paris Catacombs, this dark, claustrophobic thriller had me invested from the very beginning. One of those novels that make you forget that you’re reading, you blink, and you’re halfway through the book. I will say that I saw the revelation at the end coming early on –but won’t say what it is because of spoilers. For that I will give it 4 stars. Had I been blindsided by the twist, I would have rated this EASILY 5 stars. It was a genuine joy to read, and if you enjoy thrillers – read this one.

Tremendous thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Will definitely be picking up a finished copy on release!

First I would like to thank the publisher, Penguin Young Readers group and to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A YA book set in Paris in which a group of teens are stuck in the Catacombs? You had me at Paris! I was very excited to read Under the Surface from a cursory glance at the description alone.

When Ruby's newish best friend Val sneaks off from their class trip to Paris to meet a strange Parisian boy who promises her a good time at an exclusive party in the Catacombs, Ruby and two other classmates Olivia and Serena tag along for safety. However, once they climb into the gates and shimmy down into the Catacombs, they quickly realize there is no party as promised, something/one keeps chasing them and they are lost, without a signal or hope.

Things are not all as they seem down in the Catacombs and with each other as secrets are revealed and life or death situations occur. Will the girls ever get rescued and make it out alive?

Meanwhile, the other pov comes from Sean, Ruby's crush who likes her back and is determined to find Ruby and the other girls however he can.

Urban's writing style made me disoriented as if I were there with the four girls. It was a fast paced, no holds barred thriller with shocking twists and turns I did not see coming.

This is a must read for all those who enjoy YA thrillers!

Absolutely fantastic read! As a huge fan of the Paris catacombs, Under the Surface more than delivered! Ruby, Sean, and Val have the instant Trio dynamic that draws the reader in from the very beginning. The spooky shadows of underground Paris and the undeniable spark between Ruby and Sean are balanced beautifully by the narrative and witty banter. I'll definitely be buying a physical copy when it comes out so I can enjoy an inevitable reread!

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for the eGalley to review!

Phew! What a ride. If you like thrillers and Parisian history with a large focus on the famous catacombs, this is right up your alley. However, if you hate teenagers making horrible decisions or are triggered by violent deaths and cults, I think you should probably pass on this one.

Ultimately this is a story about love, friendship, and repairing relationships of all kinds while also standing up for yourself and confronting issues head-on. The four girls who get trapped in the Paris catacombs are classmates and our main character, Ruby, is best friends with the quite frankly awful Val, and ex-best friends with Selena. Poor Olivia got into this mess by complete circumstance and I hated that for her. The only one who hardly grew as a person or worked towards fixing their relationship with Ruby was Val, who was the absolute worst right up to the end, though she had a tiny moment of self-awareness and responsibility by at least apologizing for her messes and recognizing why she's, well, the way she is. A shame it happened so late, but I appreciate how realistic that is.

In fact, I appreciate the realistic subversion in a lot of areas in this book. It genuinely kept me guessing and unsure of where things were going to go, as there were no holds barred when it came to many of the situations the girls found themselves in (oof). And even though they weren't subversive, the above-ground search and rescue sequences were also quite realistic and had a lot of commentary on how and when the world mobilizes to find the missing. There was nothing out of the realm of possibility in this book and I greatly appreciated that, because it's a story that acts as a warning for those who are prone to doing foolish things like following a guy into the Paris catacombs to get exclusive footage for your YouTube channel at a cataphile party. There are even morally grey characters, something so deeply human to reckon with. Ruby even points out at the end that nothing good that happened just happened by a miracle--it was due to skills, wisdom, and solid relationships that they happened.

There is some cheese in this story, however, in the form of Ruby constantly blaming herself for things going wrong because her mom died when she gave birth to her and her dad has been grieving that for her whole life--ergo anything bad that happens to Ruby is something she "deserves". It gave her attachment issues and also romantic relationship issues and it's the messier side of the story, but hey, she and Sean are cute so I'll give it some pass. The messages about life and love are worth that bit of cheese.

Also shout-out for the character of Selena being bi and even being called "bi"--and not dying. No burying your gays in these catacombs! Thank you, Diana Urban!

A thrilling adventure set in the Paris catacombs, Urban delivers teen drama and chilling suspense in hefty doses.

Ruby is thrilled to be on her class's field trip to Paris. As a travel vlogger, she's excited to share hidden gems from Paris. So when the opportunity to go to a secret party in the catacombs arises, she can't turn it down - even though every instinct tells her not to go. Soon, Ruby, her three other classmates, and their French guide are lost. And something is chasing after them. On the surface, Ruby's crush Sean is desperate to find where she's gone, and works with the police to track her down.

Ruby's chapters are fast-paced and exciting; full of adventure, danger, and introspection. As the group becomes more lost, truths about each of them come to light - and not all of them are good. Unfortunately, Sean's chapters were distracting compared to Ruby's. I found myself rushing through them to get back to the group lost in the catacombs. Overall, a good purchase for libraries looking to bolster their thriller and adventure collections.

I loved the setting in this one. The catacombs is the perfect place for a horror and the setting was perfectly used. This is my favorite Diana Urban book yet. It is definitely a mystery thriller but it has more horror elements than her previous books. The cast of characters all having different motivations and getting ready to move into different stages of life added some wonderful character interactions.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for an eARC of this book.

Tropes/Themes: Lost in the Catacombs, School Field Trip, Friend Drama, Cult

This was a wild ride, from the first line I was hooked. I was creeped out, and I NEVER want to go into the catacombs after this one.

Ruby wants to explore and learn about the history of Paris while she and her classmates are across the ocean in Paris. Val likes a little more adventure than what might be considered safe when you are in a different country, and a teenager. Sean just wants Ruby and to not do what his father has planned for his life.

When Val meets a stranger near the Eiffel Tower, everything is thrown into a tailspin. Ruby feels the need to go get Val and bring her back to the hotel, but in doing that ... well lets just say no one saw these consequences happening.

I was so creeped out for most of this book, I didn't know when something was going to pop-up, if everyone was going to make it out, or if Sean would be stupid and go look for the missing girls himself.

There were some very intense parts of this book that were emotional and I am not sure how the girls will ever be the same after their experiences, but a book that keeps me on the edge of my seat is always enjoyable.

I think Diana Urban might become one of my favorite YA thriller authors- she definitely knows how to make you not want to put a book down.

Such a fun, creepy book to read!

Ruby and her classmates and friends are on a school trip to Paris. This trip is just the boost Ruby needs to really rocket her YouTube channel to the top. When presented with the chance to secretly go underground to visit the catacombs, Ruby knows this is her chance to get the footage she needs. Unfortunately, things do not go as planned and her and her friends find themselves lost under Paris in the twisting and winding tunnels of the catacombs. If that wasn’t bad enough, someone else seems to following them and wants them out now! Ruby and her friends must quickly navigate their way through the tunnels in hips of finding a way out before the strangers catch up with them.