Underneath

by Sarah Jamila Stevenson

With New Agey parents and a Pakistani heritage, it might have been difficult for Sunny Pryce-Shah to fit in. Thankfully, she had her older, popular cousin Shiri to talk to-until now. Shiri's shocking suicide brings heart-wrenching pain and grief, and also seems to have triggered a new and disturbing ability in hearing people's thoughts.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary, Teen, Grief

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2013

About the author

Sarah Jamila Stevenson is a writer, artist, graphic designer, introvert, closet geek, enthusiastic eater, struggling blogger, lapsed piano player, household-chore-ignorer and occasional world traveler. Her previous lives include spelling bee nerd, suburban Southern California teenager, Berkeley art student, underappreciated temp, and humor columnist for a video game website. Throughout said lives, she has acquired numerous skills of questionable usefulness, like intaglio printmaking and Welsh language. She lives in Northern California with her husband, who is also an artist, and two cats with astounding sleep-inducing powers.

Reviews

[raya (a little mango) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*This is a review of an uncorrected proof, and quotes/excerpts may therefore differ from the final copy.

I’m in the zone, quiet, just me and the other end of the pool beckoning me, coming inexorably closer with every stroke. My happy place. One of the reasons I swim. Really, the only reason I—

ohgod, ohgod—
NO! no. no. no. no—

It sounds like a scream, and I pop my head up, my legs floundering in the pool. Who’s dead? My hands go reflexively to my ears as I try to block out the sounds threatening to drown me.

The wake of the person in the next lane washes over me, pushing chlorinated water into my nose and mouth. I cough and sputter, my sinuses burning, and take a quick glance around. But I’ve realized by now that nobody was screaming. It was all in my head.

Having odd, New Age parents might, under certain circumstances, interfere with a child’s popularity status, but Sunshine “Sunny” Pryce-Shah is admired and accepted by her peers. Above all, she has her older and well-liked cousin, Shiri, to guide her and confide in. Or she used to, and now Sunny’s world is slowly beginning to fall apart. In the stir of Shiri’s suicide, amongst hurt and heartache, a frightening ability awakens within Sunny: she can hear people’s thoughts, or—as Sunny calls it—“underhearing.”

What I expected from this novel was complete uncertainty, not knowing whether Underneath and I were a destined match. I did, however, find the premise curious enough to not only dip a finger in but take a full-body dive. In the end, what I am left with is a back-and-forth bounce, questioning if I like Stevenson’s novel. I did, in fact, enjoy the story, but do I really like this? Well, yes… and no.

If there is one thing I can say about Sarah Jamila Stevenson, it’s that she knows how to write. Her characters are nothing if not rounded, all in coexistence with quality writing and good humor. Because humor—sometimes subtle and quiet, but always evident when mingled in—can easily overthrow critical aspects, I’m thankful that this is not the case. What I find is a balance between easy-flowing text and important issues. This provides an appropriate mood, acknowledging important issues without side-stepping them. With so many troubling tensions laid down—from death and abuse to more trivial problems—what worried me, then, is how Stevenson would handle each one.

More often than not, I find books with jagged pacing. Either quickened or dragged out, the uneven quality lacks a true sense of closure. When an abundance of conflicts arise, I only hope that the author neatly resolves each one. And so I waited. I waited for Stevenson to whip out the ironing board and work out all these crinkles. As I came closer to the last page, however, I began to doubt Stevenson’s intentions in smoothing the storyline in time for the conclusion. Yet in the moment I read the last page—truly, not realizing it was the last page—relief escaped me.

Dearest Sarah Jamila Stevenson: You did it.

The way Stevenson approaches and handles conflict is what I appreciate most about this novel. Nothing feels unesessarily drawn out or lugged at an erratic speed. Sunny contends each issue separately and with a clear head, or as clearly as possible in light of Shiri’s death. Not to forget, of course, Sunny’s mysterious new talent. Rather than mope or blow matters into a hurricane of melodrama, she often suffers quietly but strives for solutions. One of the obvious challenges Sunny faces is how to move on from Shiri’s death, which has left her scared and feeling alone in the world—emotions that her underhearing amplify.

Events that follow Shiri’s funeral prove sour as life takes a plunge. Unable to control her new ability, isolation and worry plague Sunny after discovering what her so-called best friend, Cassie, really thinks of her. This becomes a turning point for Sunny, as the incident ends their friendship. Dejected and booted out from her own herd, tentacles of isolation start to creep and envelope Sunny, but they retreat once she integrates into a new circle. While I feel that such occurrences among friends and “frenemies” prevail in the high school setting, I am left confused.

I wonder why the two former best friends remain fixed in opposition toward each other. It is, after all, a petty tiff in which little—virtually nothing—is said. What is underheard, however, would be a slap to anyone’s face. In this regard, I understand Sunny’s dejection and avoidance, but where does this leave Cassie? Is she simply mean-spirited to use a small argument as enough reason to turn against a friend? I can’t help but toy with the idea of drama here. If more drama about Cassie’s self-absorption, or at least a confrontation, had been added, I think the relationship’s end would have solid ground. As it stands, Cassie might be a complex individual if you peel her ayers, but it is in the way she conducts herself that show shallow character.

Two subject matters that bear heavier weight in Underneath surround not only the aftermath of Shiri’s suicide, but the fragility of family. One of the more resilient characters, notable for her growth, is Auntie Mina: Shiri’s mother. Described as submissive and weak—traits that often frustrated a more independent Shiri—I was happy to watch Mina flourish into independence. Her journey is not an easy one, and the death of her only child is something that will either kill or help push her into a brighter direction. With the support of family, Mina finds an inner-strength and—standing tall with dignity—fights her demons.

Family, in fact, plays an important role in the novel. The Pryce-Shah household thoroughly charmed me, and I haven’t felt as amused and touched by a fictional family in some time. Truly, the Pryce-Shahs sparkle with a kind of refreshing quality that can only make me smile. During a time that must be one of the family’s more difficult periods, I loved seeing each member band together. It’s everything a family is and should be: protective and loving, as well as supportive enough to know when it’s time to let go.

I open the front door.

I sense my mother and Auntie Mina both standing behind me, and my mom grabs my arm, but I pull away. I glance at her; she’s holding a golf umbrella.

“Just in case,” she says, the tiniest wry smile twitching at her lips. “I don’t think we’ll need it, but you never know.” I show her the phone in my hand, the numbers 9-1-1 already punched in. She squeezes my shoulder gently this time.

After all that's been said, why, then, don’t I love this novel? Because while I do enjoy Stevenson’s writing, there are a few aspects that prevent me from feeling enthralled by it. There are some books, while likeable and easy to jump in to, I struggle to find a connection with. Underneath is one of those books. As a character, Sunny’s level-headedness and maturity impress me. At the same time, she does feel overdone in a clean-cut role, especially when it comes to her morals. It’s during such instances—as well as some others—that I feel the writing turns stiff and contributes to my lack of emotional attachment. It’s not that don’t find the characters unrealistic or unrelatable, because I found enjoyment in the time I spent reading Underneath. As much as those small dull moments do little to woo a reader, however, my unattachment is also to blame.

Underneath comes across as a light novel, yet it also grapples with several issues that span from Shiri’s death, Sunny’s underhearing, hopeful romance, betrayals, and domestic abuse. Stevenson conveys the seriousness and discomfort that arises from these conflicts, but through use of humor and steady resolve, she doesn’t allow them to fray the plot. As one can see, Underneath contains a paranormal element, but the novel as a whole comes across as realistic fiction. Although there are times when the story and Sunny’s character fall flat, Underneath is a delightful novel about the pains of loss and relationships. It's a novel that inspires, because despite life’s hardships, there is always a tomorrow.

We’ll always have yesterday… and today, and tomorrow.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flux for providing a free copy of Underneath in exchange for my honest review.

This review and more can be found at midnight coffee monster.

[John Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sunshine Pryce-Shah, AKA Sunny, is in her zone, about to win her race at a swimming meet when it happens for the first time. She hears voices and they so disconcert her that she loses the heat. Little does she know her life has just changed forever. What she heard were thoughts emanating from her mom who was up in the bleachers on her cell phone with Sunny's aunt, learning that Shiri, Sunny's older cousin away at college killed herself.. The girls had been close and the news is devastating, particularly after Sunny receives a journal Shiri sent before dying. The accompanying note is cryptic and something Sunny returns to numerous times as the story unfolds because it leads her to believe that Shiri might also have experienced what Sunny comes to call 'underhearing'.
When Sunny starts 'underhearing' her friends at unexpected moments, she freaks because it becomes almost impossible to remain cool when their thoughts are hurtful and make her question whether they really like her. She quits the swim team and has to find a new place to eat lunch while at school because sitting with her old crowd when she has no way to know when her new gift will kick in is the ultimate wait for the other shoe to drop. Her new lunch hangout is a table behind the school where the goth crowd eats, something she discovers the second day she retreats to it. Hostile at first, the new group relents, tolerating her presence.
Needing to have someone she can call a friend, Sunny starts to melt a little at the same time that Mikaela and Cody let their walls down a bit. Even though she continues to get freaked out when underhearing their thoughts, Sunny realizes that Mikaela really does like her and considers her a friend. Cody, on the other hand, is more of an enigma. She's attracted to him, but something tells her he's not to be trusted. Complicating her life even more is a growing awareness that her aunt is being abused by her husband, something Shiri's diary hinted at pretty strongly.
This is a nicely deceptive book. You start out thinking the story will take you and Sunny on some big metaphysical mystery ride as she figures out how her underhearing will help her do good things or cause her to go totally psycho. Instead, it's a coming of age story built on a unique premise. Sunny has to take a look at how she fits in the world and whether the people and activities that form her social structure are as real as she assumed. When she discovers they aren't, she has to venture into new and scary territory, learning in the process, how to survive with an unexpected psychic ability. Sarah Jamila Stevenson does a nice job carrying readers along as Sunny makes her way, sometimes painfully, sometimes joyfully to a new way of looking at her life.

[Just a person]

What I liked:
-Showing the importance of friendship, especially with family.
-The fact that Sunny was good at swimming and the part of her life the sport played.
-The intro of when she started hearing others thoughts. Her reactions finally connected me with her character and made things believeable.
-The connection that Shiri was probably going through something similar because of what Sunny reads in her journal
-The way the author, Sarah Stevenson handled the topic of depression and suicide. Through Shiri's journal we see her descent into depression and from Sunny's looking back seeing the light flicker on and off with Shiri's emotions and moods. It was handled with realism and tact.
-Sunny's anger as a stage of grief. This is a very important and normal stage in grieving a suicide. I know this personally.
-The "emoville" group, they were nice and welcoming if crude at times
-I really connected with Sunny in her insecurities, even if they are founded... I dread what others think about me, and nightmare that they are negative.
-It showed that everyone has imperfections and that you had to learn to accept that as well as your own
-The focus on family, that it was so important.
-That Sunny dropped swimming along with old friends, which was something she loved.

The So-so
-While the premise drew me in and made me want to read it, the beginning of the book doesn't suck me in. I skimmed quite a bit until 10% then after about 60% it slowed again.

What I didn't like:
-That I didn't get to know Shiri personally and I had to hear it all from being told in flashbacks or stream of thought from Sunny felt like if there would have been a few chapters with them together, that the book would have had more of an emotional punch, because as was, I felt disconnected from her grief.

Other aspects:
-The love story: It was subtle, because other plot lines were driving. I was good with that.
-World building: not quite sure. sometimes it is okay for supernatural stuff to happen and not be explained, just the way it is. I feel like I wanted more answers as to why she heard others' thoughts.
-The ending: a little messy but it wrapped things up okay

Bottom Line: Great premise, good main character, disconnect with emotions but lots of positive family focus.

[Christal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Underneath just did not work for me as a whole. It was a very quick and compelling read, but I felt like there was no point to the story in the end. There was too much pointless drama and the paranormal aspect just felt tacked on unnecessarily. I do think the writer has a wonderful way with words, but this story just wasn’t the best showcase for Sarah Jamila Stevenson.

Sunny is the main character and she is a rather stereotypical, preppy girl. She has popular friends, is on the swim team, and seems to have everything she could want. One day, she finds out that her cousin Shiri has committed suicide and, through her journal entries, Sunny learns that it might have been because Shiri could hear people’s thoughts. Now Sunny thinks she has inherited the “underhearing” and is worried that is might drive her crazy as well.

Almost all of the younger characters in Underneath were shallow, selfish, and a bit vindictive… even Sunny herself. When Sunny starts hearing other people’s thoughts (which is not really explained…), she learns that her friends aren’t truly sympathetic to her and ends up falling in the “emo/goth” crowd. She feels she fits in better here, but to me it just seemed like she found a different group to follow. I never felt like Sunny was her own character; she just tagged along on the coattails of others. The emo/Goths really weren’t any better, especially Cody and Mikaela. Multiple times they just used Sunny and her “power” to get what they wanted and didn’t really care for how she felt. Even though Mikaela would apologize, it never seemed sincere.

All in all, I think this story was just too surface-level for me. None of the characters were very deeply explored, all the high school drama felt forced and unnecessary, and the “underhearing” wasn’t very exciting. I never really connected with Sunny or found myself liking her very much. I do think Ms. Stevenson has great talent, but Underneath just did not work for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flux for providing an ARC copy of this book!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Flux Books for granting my request for a copy of this book on NetGalley!

Let it be known that a lengthier version of this review is posted at http://bookeatingbeast.tumblr.com.


I really enjoyed this book. I liked its originality, the fluidity, the attention to the more important issues -- everything, really. Well, I tend to shy away from books that deal with high school life and drama, but that's often unavoidable in YA.

The basic premise of this book hinges on the semi-supernatural, which I really enjoyed. Things don't get vampires-and-werewolves-ridiculous, but there's definitely a fantasy element going on here.

Sunny is an average girl with a safe and comfortable life until the day she finds out her cousin Shiri has killed herself. Soon Sunny begins to hear voices, undercurrents of other peoples' thoughts, and she gets an inkling as to why Shiri might not have felt strong enough to live with the power and burden any longer.

Excellent read. All kinds of ethical questions arise and are dealt with beautifully. This is definitely a great book to inspire girls to stand up for themselves in so many ways.

[Zee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from 3.5

Ironically, it was the paranormal aspect of the blurb that made me decide to read Underneath and yet throughout the novel I found myself thinking that the paranormal was the least interesting part of the story. Stevenson could've easily rewritten Sunny's ability so that she simply became a lot more aware of people than she had or left it out altogether and the story wouldn't have been weakened a bit.

It's not that Sunny's new found ability to read minds sometimes is badly written or anything - it's just not terribly necessary and especially as the book progresses it often feels as if Stevenson realizes this as well and by the end it mostly seems symbolic.

What makes the story strong is Sunny herself, as a whole. She is a likable girl whose good and bad qualities are well written and well balanced. Sunny's never too perfect to be real but her flaws aren't monstrous behaviors dismissed as quirks - in fact, her flaws are all realistic and relatable. She loses her temper sometimes when maybe she shouldn't. She rushes to judgement sometimes when she would be better off waiting for more details. She isn't nearly the good judge of character she'd like to think she is. She learns from her mistakes, though, even if it takes her a few attempts and even at her "worst" she always comes across as someone you want to root for.

The plot of Underneath centers around Sunny suddenly gaining the ability to sometimes read people's minds right around the same time her family learns that Sunny's bright, beautiful cousin, Sunny's favorite person in the whole wide world, has killed herself. What the story is actually about is Sunny learning to manage the complicated feelings anyone might have in that situation while she is also learning to find strength in being her own true self. These are themes that can come off either preachy or treacly (or both) but Stevenson manages to keep the story heartfelt instead of hokey.

[Simi Sunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find it interesting to read, when I first heard about it. Good thing I gave it a try. Although, the beginning left me by suprise. I wanted to know more of what was Sunny like before she had the gift, and what about her friends? But I do see that the author wanted us to see that Sunny made friends with the first group of friends because of Shiri.

I do see some character development from, not only from Sunny, but also her Aunt and maybe her friend. And there were some interesting scenes that can be suspenseful, but I feel like the rest were meh. But this the first timenI'm reading a Young Adult fiction with a hint of Fantasy.

Well, I'm still glad I've read it anyway. :)

[bubbles · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Dayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Sarah Jamila Stevenson’s Underneath is a unique contemporary novel that flirts with the idea of the paranormal, but still keeps things relatable by remaining a mostly contemporary story. Though the tone is darkened by a sad revelation, there is a glimmer of hope and redemption. We learn that sometimes, in order to save ourselves, we need to relinquish our hold on what we once thought made us who we are; sometimes we need to start anew in order to save ourselves.

Sunny, the protagonist, was once the kind of girl one would imagine to have a name like Sunshine. But after her cousin’s suicide, Sunny realizes something unique, and terrifying, about herself: she can hear people’s thoughts.

What was interesting about Underneath was how sporadically Sunny heard the voices. As she slowly reclaims control of her paranormally impaired life, we start to witness the transformation of a wilted protagonist, to a powerful and new character. Granted, we never truly get to see what Sunny was like before she received the news, but we can only assume that it wasn’t as empowering as her new life.

Sunny’s experiences teach us to be wary of those around us if our gut makes us pause. We are always told not to judge a book by its cover, but this is especially true in Underneath. We need to learn to trust our instincts and make the right choices--Stevenson’s novel is a great example of how difficult it is to make the right choice, thanks to peer pressure, love, family, curiosity, and our own well-being.

One of the most important topics that is brought up in Underneath is that of abuse and its destructive power. The issue of physical, mental, and emotional abuse is parallel to that of what the “curse” does to Sunny. She is assaulted by the emotions and thoughts of others, just like Sunny’s aunt is being tormented by her uncle. If the reader does not fully understand the strain Sunny’s curse has on her, Stevenson showcases the abusive relationship as a comparison to the issue at hand--placing what we know with what we can hardly fathom.

The romantic aspect of Underneath is powerful in that it helps the storyline move towards the conclusion. It also acts as a growing experience for Sunny, because like I previously mentioned, her character growth comes from learning not to judge a book by its cover. What I liked about Stevenson’s use of romance in Underneath is that it does not overtake Sunny’s road to discovery. It helps her, sure, but the story stays true to the most important theme of the novel: Sunny’s survival and growth.

The conclusion, while a burst of sunlight in a stormy story, feels incomplete--there is more to Sunny’s story, and while I understand the importance of just letting a story end, I feel almost cheated. What happens now? How does Sunny survive any further discoveries? I want to know more!

If you enjoy powerful protagonists, novels that explore complex and dangerous family issues, story lines that have great diversity (not just your typical blond, blue-eyed protagonist), and tough but empowering situations, then Underneath is the book for you. It has enough supernatural aspects to keep the reader intrigued, but it is the difficulties that Sunny encounters that make this a relatable and eye-opening read.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not entirely sure why this book called to me when I was browsing on Netgalley but I think I got more of a contemporary vibe from it, which is always highly appealing to me. I couldn't read only contemporary titles but that is the genre to which I always return.

Although this book is set in the present, it does have a paranormal twist. Main character Sunny suddenly finds herself with the ability to hear people's intense thoughts and emotions, something that completely discombobulates her in the wake of her beloved older cousin's suicide. Especially unnerving is that, upon reading the cousin's journal, it seems as if this cousin had the same ability. Can Sunny navigate the treachery waters of high school and balance her new talents?

Basically Sunny's first reaction to this new discovery is to drop her old jock friends and start hanging with a more emo crowd, composed of those who actually value her. Turns out her former friends were really shallow and judgmental and not worthy of her. This, combined with Sunny's sadness over her cousin's death and the ensuing problems for her aunt and uncle, gave the book a pretty melancholy tone. It was appropriate but be warned if you're hoping for a happier read.

The real strength of this novel to me was just the unpredictable plot points. I anticipated certain events would occur as have in other YA novels but they didn't pan out quite the same way. Especially of interest was the romance subplot, which did not go at all the way I expected. I was very pleased with that. I also liked that Sunny is of Pakistani descent with very New Agey parents-a nice addition to the very white bread upper middle class heroines who permeate YA.

Admittedly this book's pace is a bit on the slower side as seems to be pretty typical for contemporary novels. It doesn't have the big epic feel of fantasies or dystopias. That's something I like and appreciate-its quieter virtues were very pleasing to me.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sunny's best friend and cousin Shiri commits suicide. Her family does not know how to cope with it. Sunny's hippy parents seem lost and the tension between her Aunt Miri and Uncle Raymond just keeps getting worse. In the wake of the tragedy, Sunny starts experiencing weird flashes where she hears voices. It turns out she is hearing the thoughts of others and she learns Shiri had the same power/affliction from her journal. With this power, Sunny learns what her friends really think of her and that her Uncle Raymond is abusive. She finds a new group of friends but they just seem to want to exploit her powers. It doesn't seem like anyone is on Sunny's side.

I felt like this book had two different personalities. On one hand it was a moving story about a family coming to terms with a tragedy. How do you cope with your loved one taking their own life? You start questioning everything and you discover things you never knew. On the other hand it is about a girl with a secret power to hear thoughts. She has to learn to handle her power and she has to figure out who she can trust with the knowledge. I really thought the suicide storyline was the stronger story. I am intrigued by how the family copes with the tragedy and everything that came about because of it. I thought the underhearing, as Sunny calls it, was a bit of a stretch. We are given no reason for Sunny getting this power. Did she inherit it from Shiri when she died? How did Shiri get it? Why did it seem to come about during the late teens? Why does no one else have secret powers? If this was a world where the paranormal was more normal I think this part of the story might have been more believable. As it is, it seems like the author kind of thought "hey paranormal is really hot right now, I should throw it in my book". I really liked the realistic aspects of the story and I think the author should have stuck to that.

I received a copy of this book from the publishers on Netgalley.com.

[Jezebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love YA contemporary, especially when it’s a drama. As much as I hate how cliche it can be at times, there are rare gems amidst the typical teenage angst, boy drama, and parents divorcing.

Underneath is one of those gems. I read it in a few hours, I just couldn’t put it down. Sunshine is a girl dealing with the after effects of the death of a loved one. As the synopsis already states, a family tragedy gives her the power of being able to hear other’s thoughts. That whole plot point was very interesting and intriguing to read about. The book wouldn’t have been the same without it.

However, that isn’t the only thing Underneath has going for it. The issue of suicide and abuse are touched on in this book, but I felt that they were really realistically portrayed. It wasn’t glorified or sugar coated and I appreciated that. At times I found myself tearing up several times during the story, it was just so well done.

Sunshine was a brilliant main character. Her story was emotionally heart wrenching to read at times. Her depression, the betrayal of those close to her, and struggling to find herself and figure out what was happening to her was just so real. I connected with her character so much. Her struggles didn’t come across as forced or fake to me.

The writing itself was so beautiful and poetic. I was highlighting sections in my e-reader so I could easily find them again to re-read later on. Kelsey got to hear me screaming about how much I loved the story via text every ten minutes. I really don’t know how she puts up with me. Still. This was such a good book. It was more emotionally driven than plot driven, but I enjoyed that.

[Lillie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very boring. I didn't like this plot and it was just so confusing. This book was not interesting in any way and I did not enjoy it at all.

It is basically about a girl named Sunny and her cousin commits suicide at the beginning of the book. Sunny enters a huge state of depression and drifts away from her bitchy mean friends at school and becomes friends with the "emo" crowd (that is literally the word that is used).

Now I read this book awhile ago so I don't really remember much, but I know that Sunny somehow attracts the ability to hear other peoples' thoughts and feel their emotions and this ability is apparently one her cousin and her aunt had? And Sunny becomes friends with this kid named Cody along with another girl named Mikaela. These two kids seem nice, and they happily let Sunny join the "emo" table at lunchtime. Mikaela becomes Sunny's best friend and Cody seems like a jerk at first and then is nicer to Sunny.

Sunny finally tells Cody and Mikaela about her special "gift" and Mikaela is all cool with it and Cody tries to help Sunny get better at hearing other peoples' thoughts and emotions. At first, Cody just seems like he is trying to help but in the end he turns out to be a complete asshole and ends up backstabbing her in the end.

This novel has a really horrible ending as well.

I hated this book for several reasons.
1. Boring
2. Sunny seems like such a weak character
3. Extremely cliche
4. Horrible ending.

[Jen Minkman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this book when I was granted the right to read an ARC from NetGalley. The author sure knows how to write; I liked her writing style (she has humour!) and the way she described the characters. I especially liked the fact that the protagonist was of mixed heritage.
However, there was an unexpected amount of drama in the book. Somehow, I was expecting an exciting tale of a girl discovering she has telepathic powers, but it wasn't exciting, it was just plain sad. The first 40% of the book was so sad (and the main character Sunny so heart-broken over the suicide of her counsin and best friend Shiri) that I almost stopped reading. Maybe that's why the beginning of the book felt really slow to me - because I expected something more to happen, but there were just lots of grieving people. When I was half-way through, the book started to pick up pace. Still, if you are looking for a light read, you shouldn't pick up this book. If you are into family dramas, I can really recommend this book, however. It wasn't a bad book, not at all, but it just wasn't really my thing.
One thing though, I absolutely ADORE the cover! And the fact that this was a stand-alone, because I am getting a bit fed up with all those series in the YA fiction department.

[Bèbè ✦ RANT ✦ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Underneath is a cliché YA Contemporary story about boy drama, teenage insecurities and parents divorcing. But it is also has that special something which makes this book stand out from every other YA story out there.

It is a story that makes you forget about the times and feel connected to the character. Feeling their feelings, thinking their thoughts, and living their life on the edge.

Sunny Pryce-Shah always wanted to fit in and even though it was difficult, her cousin Shiri was popular and easy to talk to. After Shiri’s suicide, Sunny was devastated and because of her state of mind, discovered a disturbing ability – she could now hear other people’s thoughts.

After finding out what her friends really thought of her, she feels more comfortable with the Emo crowd who, surprisingly, have true feelings and actually like her. But when she reveals her gift to Cody, he might have other intentions and Sunny will have to decide for herself what the truth really is.

The author did an amazing job and I really loved the writing. I was slightly surprised by how sad the first half of the book was and really felt for Sunny and the way her life was. I’m glad this was a stand alone because I don’t think I could have handled a cliff hanger on this one!!

[Su · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay but I didn't like it very much. I thought it was very slow and dragging.

Sunny's cousin Shirin committed suicide and Sunny started to hear other people's thoughts. She also received Shirin's diary on the day she learned about Shirin's suicide, and it turned out Shirin had the same gift (even though she didn't take it that way) for over nine years. It was as though Shirin's ability to hear other people's thoughts were passed on to Sunny after her death.

Normally, I like books about supernatural powers, especially the psychic abilities or hearing thoughts, like no others, but this was nothing what I expected. What I expected was something more exciting, or some mysteries behind Shirin's suicide. But it turned out the story was told in a very slow pace and I just wanted to skip the pages ahead because I couldn't take it any longer.

The stories in this book sounded very real as I have seen or heard a lot that had happened in real life but strangely, I couldn't relate to any of it or the characters in it. I'm sorry to be giving this book 2 stars which I rarely do as I'm usually very generous with stars, but I can't seem to "like" this book at all. It was an okay book, and it wasn't bad but it was just my personal preference that I didn't enjoy it very much.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunny finds it difficult to fit in. Her parents are new age and she has a Pakistanian background. Sunny admired her older, popular, well-liked cousin and looked up to her. Suddenly, Sunny's cousin commits sucide, and Sunny is overcome with grief. With this tragic comes a new ability: suddenly, Sunny can hear the thoughts of other people. Sunny, who was already unsure of herself and lacked confidence, now has no friends. She can hear what her friends really thing of her and finds out that they aren't really her friends, after all. Once Sunny begins to adjust to her new ability, she begins to use it to help Cody, a troubled boy.

Although this book is paranormal, I felt like the book was very real. Although Sunny's super power helps her solve her problems, and sometimes creates more problems, she deals with serious, real-life issues that many teens face today. This was a brilliant and compelling read. I was hooked from the start and I couldn't put it down. Throughout the read, I cheered for Sunny and hoped that she would find her way.

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was rather boring. It failed as a generic YA novel and was far too scattered to make much of a supernatural story with Sunny's "under"hearing. Basically it felt like a poorly done YA love story meshed with a Lifetime Movie that someone tried to cram mind-reading aspects into.

The characters were very flat and uninteresting throughout the story despite the rather interesting potential plot points: Sunny can randomly hear people's thoughts and feel their emotions, her cousin seems to have had the same ability if her journal (sent to Sunny just prior to the girl killed herself) is anything to judge by, hearing your friends' thoughts and loved ones' thoughts can lead to despair and hurtful truths....but the story really just limped along and didn't carry any of the powerful messages or plot points to any dramatic moments or anything.

[Crystal ✬ Lost in Storyland · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't conenct with Sunny. It may be in part due to Shiri's death and Sunny's emotional disconnection from everything. Nevertheless, it felt as if Sunny was telling the story instead of living it. She also dwells a lot on the past and details that I don't care about.

Did not finish.

[Collyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of pointless drama while the big issues are glossed over.

[Natasja · Rating 2 out of 5]

I realy didn't enjoy this book that much. It seems like it tried to immitate 13 Reasons Why and failed miserably. Sorry for the negative review though, I don't like reviewing books negatively.

[Adam Duclos · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like this book. The main character was weak, the plot was weak, their motivations were weak, the whole thing was like a lame lifetime movie, and 'underneath' is a stupid name for telepathy.