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Conform #0
Beneath
Not yet published
Expected 26 Mar 26Win a free print copy of this book!
20 days and 03:19:19
25 copies available
U.S. only
Hundreds of years before the Illum ruled supreme, humanity risked everything to rebuild after a devastating war in this explosive dystopian romance and prequel to Conform.
'Ariel Sullivan is a writer to watch' – Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Court of Thorns and Roses
Twenty-three-year-old Sasha Cadell knows time is running out in the underground city, filled with survivors of the nuclear fallout six years ago. She works in tunnel expansion, trying to escape the memories of those she lost. Her bleak existence is upended when Tristian Hayes, a stunningly handsome, frustratingly determined commander of the Force, recruits her to join him. With his elite team of fighters, they are to embark on a secret mission to the surface.
Sasha is thrust into a brutal training with stakes far beyond mere survival. The fate of remaining humankind depends on their success – or failure. As she confronts her own demons, Sasha finds both allies and foes in the training program, as well as a sizzling attraction between her and Tristian that threatens the walls she's built around her heart.
But under the surface, secrets and deception run as rampant as illnesses. And not everyone will survive the rise of a power more terrifying than anything they’ve ever known.
Ariel Sullivan's Beneath is perfect for fans of romantasy and dystopian fiction where Fourth Wing meets The Hunger Games.
'I read it in one sitting' - Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divergent on Conform
'Ariel Sullivan is a writer to watch' – Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Court of Thorns and Roses
Twenty-three-year-old Sasha Cadell knows time is running out in the underground city, filled with survivors of the nuclear fallout six years ago. She works in tunnel expansion, trying to escape the memories of those she lost. Her bleak existence is upended when Tristian Hayes, a stunningly handsome, frustratingly determined commander of the Force, recruits her to join him. With his elite team of fighters, they are to embark on a secret mission to the surface.
Sasha is thrust into a brutal training with stakes far beyond mere survival. The fate of remaining humankind depends on their success – or failure. As she confronts her own demons, Sasha finds both allies and foes in the training program, as well as a sizzling attraction between her and Tristian that threatens the walls she's built around her heart.
But under the surface, secrets and deception run as rampant as illnesses. And not everyone will survive the rise of a power more terrifying than anything they’ve ever known.
Ariel Sullivan's Beneath is perfect for fans of romantasy and dystopian fiction where Fourth Wing meets The Hunger Games.
'I read it in one sitting' - Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divergent on Conform
Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 24, 2026
25912 people want to read
About the author
Ariel Sullivan
3 books898 followersAriel Sullivan lives in Connecticut with her husband and two sons, as well as their two French bulldogs. Growing up a military brat, Ariel moved every two years and was a perpetual new kid; she often observed from the outskirts, where a deep love of reading was born.
When she isn’t writing, Ariel loves to read everything from poetry to psychology, bake with her sons, listen to live music and travel.
When she isn’t writing, Ariel loves to read everything from poetry to psychology, bake with her sons, listen to live music and travel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am so impressed with the world that has been created in both this spinoff prequel series and the Conform series!
Release Day: March 24th, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️.5
Ariel writes some of the most emotionally rich characters I have read! The connection you feel toward them is unreal. The trauma had me in tears 25% in! I loved our FMC in this. A woman who can handle her own with amazing strength, but has such a good heart. And our badass MMC, who thrives on truth, kindness, and justice. These two made such a good pair.
The plot is very addictive! High stakes filled with tension and hidden secrets. Pacing that will keep you on your toes. A romance filled with yearning and genuine chemistry. A heartbreaking betrayal with a great plot twist. A villain to spite! A Justice system to fight, and side characters to fall in love with. ❤️A lot of amazing people to root for in these books, which adds so much more to the story.
I wish we had our MMC perspective in this one. I feel like it would have added a lot to the story and helped the plot come more full circle, since many of the big moments were about his history and the connections he had. It did get a little repetitive towards the end, but man, did we get hit with a plot twist that left me foaming at the mouth for book 2!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC read opportunity. I am so excited to see how this author grows with two fabulous book debuts! 😍
Release Day: March 24th, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️.5
Ariel writes some of the most emotionally rich characters I have read! The connection you feel toward them is unreal. The trauma had me in tears 25% in! I loved our FMC in this. A woman who can handle her own with amazing strength, but has such a good heart. And our badass MMC, who thrives on truth, kindness, and justice. These two made such a good pair.
The plot is very addictive! High stakes filled with tension and hidden secrets. Pacing that will keep you on your toes. A romance filled with yearning and genuine chemistry. A heartbreaking betrayal with a great plot twist. A villain to spite! A Justice system to fight, and side characters to fall in love with. ❤️A lot of amazing people to root for in these books, which adds so much more to the story.
I wish we had our MMC perspective in this one. I feel like it would have added a lot to the story and helped the plot come more full circle, since many of the big moments were about his history and the connections he had. It did get a little repetitive towards the end, but man, did we get hit with a plot twist that left me foaming at the mouth for book 2!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC read opportunity. I am so excited to see how this author grows with two fabulous book debuts! 😍
October 9, 2025
4⭐️
After reading Conform and really enjoying it I was very excited to read Beneath. I loved hearing more about the history of the environment in Conform, as it was such a cool and unique setup. Its so nice to finally have a good dystopian romance, as so many books say that they are dystopian but aren’t. Beneath/Conform definitely are true dystopian books, and the world is so fleshed out and you can really tell the author spent a lot of time putting history and background into where the world is now.
I loved Sasha and was rooting for her the whole time, even when she had a hard time doing so herself. This book definitely kept me intrigued and reading the whole time and I would love to hear more of Sasha’s story in future books. Though this is a prequel, I personally think to understand what’s happening and where it’s going it makes a lot of sense to read Conform first, but that’s definitely my biased opinion since I read the Conform eARC before Beneath. I do really love Ariel Sullivan’s writing though, and for her first debut books she has done a phenomenal job. I’ll be looking forward to reading more in this world, and anything else Ariel Sullivan writes.
Thank you to Ballentine and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
After reading Conform and really enjoying it I was very excited to read Beneath. I loved hearing more about the history of the environment in Conform, as it was such a cool and unique setup. Its so nice to finally have a good dystopian romance, as so many books say that they are dystopian but aren’t. Beneath/Conform definitely are true dystopian books, and the world is so fleshed out and you can really tell the author spent a lot of time putting history and background into where the world is now.
I loved Sasha and was rooting for her the whole time, even when she had a hard time doing so herself. This book definitely kept me intrigued and reading the whole time and I would love to hear more of Sasha’s story in future books. Though this is a prequel, I personally think to understand what’s happening and where it’s going it makes a lot of sense to read Conform first, but that’s definitely my biased opinion since I read the Conform eARC before Beneath. I do really love Ariel Sullivan’s writing though, and for her first debut books she has done a phenomenal job. I’ll be looking forward to reading more in this world, and anything else Ariel Sullivan writes.
Thank you to Ballentine and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
October 22, 2025
Beneath is just as special as Conform! Ariel Sullivan does a beautiful job of world building, and creates characters that are dynamic and emotional. You are sucked in to their grief and inspired by the hope they somehow maintain. It started a little slow, with Sasha’s constant indecision, but ultimately it felt plausible when the stakes were high and her history was so heavy. I was constantly looking for threads to see how this ties into the future where it meets Conform and that cast of characters. Cannot wait for more from this series, and for more people to read and chat about it!
November 24, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley & Ballentine Books for the Arc for my honest review.
This book is a prequel to "Conform", a whole different story and all new characters. I ate this book up, i did not want to put it down. I dont know what Ariel does with her writing but it completly sucks you in. I just loved Sasha and all the barriers she was trying to overcome with her past. There is romance and a Found Family and every side character was perfect (although i have a soft spot for levi)
If Ariel Sullivan writes it, Im going to devour it. I cannot wait for more to both series.
synopsis: Hundreds of years before the Illum ruled supreme, humanity risked everything to rebuild after a devastating war in this explosive dystopian romance and prequel to Conform.
Twenty-three-year-old Sasha Cadell knows time is running out in the underground city, filled with survivors of the nuclear fallout six years ago. She works in the Expansion Sector, trying to escape the memories of those she lost. Her bleak existence is upended when Tristian Hayes, a stunningly handsome, frustratingly determined commander of the Force, recruits her to join him and his elite team of soldiers as they embark on a secret mission to the surface.
Sasha is thrust into brutal training with stakes far beyond mere survival. The fate of the remaining humankind depends on their success—or failure. As she confronts her own demons, Sasha finds both allies and foes in the training program, as well as a sizzling attraction between her and Tristian that threatens the walls she’s built around her heart.
But under the surface, secrets and deception run as rampant as illnesses. And not everyone will survive the rise of a power more terrifying than anything they’ve ever known.
This book is a prequel to "Conform", a whole different story and all new characters. I ate this book up, i did not want to put it down. I dont know what Ariel does with her writing but it completly sucks you in. I just loved Sasha and all the barriers she was trying to overcome with her past. There is romance and a Found Family and every side character was perfect (although i have a soft spot for levi)
If Ariel Sullivan writes it, Im going to devour it. I cannot wait for more to both series.
synopsis: Hundreds of years before the Illum ruled supreme, humanity risked everything to rebuild after a devastating war in this explosive dystopian romance and prequel to Conform.
Twenty-three-year-old Sasha Cadell knows time is running out in the underground city, filled with survivors of the nuclear fallout six years ago. She works in the Expansion Sector, trying to escape the memories of those she lost. Her bleak existence is upended when Tristian Hayes, a stunningly handsome, frustratingly determined commander of the Force, recruits her to join him and his elite team of soldiers as they embark on a secret mission to the surface.
Sasha is thrust into brutal training with stakes far beyond mere survival. The fate of the remaining humankind depends on their success—or failure. As she confronts her own demons, Sasha finds both allies and foes in the training program, as well as a sizzling attraction between her and Tristian that threatens the walls she’s built around her heart.
But under the surface, secrets and deception run as rampant as illnesses. And not everyone will survive the rise of a power more terrifying than anything they’ve ever known.
November 11, 2025
I’m lost in a radioactive wasteland, and my heart is in pieces, but I’ll risk exposure to stay in this world for as long as I live. 🥺
“𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙.”
𝕍𝕚𝕓𝕖𝕤: Fallout meets Divergent meets the 100
𝐓𝐋;𝐃𝐑 - The world was nuked and a broken girl with nothing left to live for, lives in a bunker full of shady individuals with sketchy motivations and nonexistent empathy, but she’s a badass called deaths angel who gives zero shits about the rules, so the fiercely protective commander hijacks her, forcing her to join his team to venture into the nuclear fallout above. 😮💨
☢️ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿/𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘁
🐦🔥 𝗛𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁
☢️ 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘆
🐦🔥 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆
☢️ 𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲
🐦🔥 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲
☢️ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
🐦🔥 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗰
☢️ 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀
🐦🔥 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀
☢️ 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆
𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭
Ariel managed to fit an entire world underground, but she didn’t stop there. It spreads outwards like roots, growing into something massive, magnificent. I could vividly envision the closed off spaces, the winding tunnels, the large training rooms, the living quarters. It felt small, but large at the same time. It set the mood perfectly. The dynamics between the factions were wonderfully done, and the health score was such an interesting way to sort people. It was the perfect nod to Conform and really helps build the overall world. The motives, the why; all of the pieces are falling into place.
“𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚,”
𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮
Tristian is the perfect man. 🥹 No notes. He’s fiercely loyal, protective, haunted, sexy, perfection. He falls first, and hard. And my girl Sasha does 𝘯𝘰𝘵 make it easy. But she has her reasons. She’s flawed in the way most MC’s aren’t brave enough to be. Strong, broken, and real. And them together? 𝙈𝙚𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩. They’re the strength each other needed, the safe place to call home. I wouldn’t call it a slow burn, but man if it doesn’t seem like it takes 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 for them to get there.
“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚. 𝙄’𝙢 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙨. 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚.”
^ I mean COME ON. 🥹
𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼
Once again Ariel writes an entire cast of unique individuals that wrap you around their little fingers with ease. She’s the only author I write a side characters category for. Every single one of them is complex, with history and emotions unique to them. They are multifaceted and feel incredibly real. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝗔𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝗺𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴. Regardless of how they got there… 👀 I loved them with every beat of my heart. The found family in this, is one of the best I’ve ever seen. The camaraderie between them, the love… 😮💨 𝙏𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣. 🤌🏼
“𝙒𝙚 𝙜𝙤 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚.”
“𝙒𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚.”
While this is the first of a prequel trilogy before Conform (please read btw, it’s EXCELLENT) it holds its own and could easily be read without ever moving past this trilogy. Although, that’s a horrible decision and I will judge you for it. 💁🏼♀️🫶🏼
𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱. 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗜’𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗲, 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘁, 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁… 𝗜’𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 😆
The cliffhanger is a doozy, so grab your PPE and wait for the end of the world with me, because we’ll be fighting for our lives until the next one releases.
🧗🏻♀️
𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙙𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙩.
Thank you to Netgalley, and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
“𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙.”
𝕍𝕚𝕓𝕖𝕤: Fallout meets Divergent meets the 100
𝐓𝐋;𝐃𝐑 - The world was nuked and a broken girl with nothing left to live for, lives in a bunker full of shady individuals with sketchy motivations and nonexistent empathy, but she’s a badass called deaths angel who gives zero shits about the rules, so the fiercely protective commander hijacks her, forcing her to join his team to venture into the nuclear fallout above. 😮💨
☢️ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿/𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘁
🐦🔥 𝗛𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁
☢️ 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘆
🐦🔥 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆
☢️ 𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲
🐦🔥 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲
☢️ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
🐦🔥 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗰
☢️ 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀
🐦🔥 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀
☢️ 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆
𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭
Ariel managed to fit an entire world underground, but she didn’t stop there. It spreads outwards like roots, growing into something massive, magnificent. I could vividly envision the closed off spaces, the winding tunnels, the large training rooms, the living quarters. It felt small, but large at the same time. It set the mood perfectly. The dynamics between the factions were wonderfully done, and the health score was such an interesting way to sort people. It was the perfect nod to Conform and really helps build the overall world. The motives, the why; all of the pieces are falling into place.
“𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚,”
𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮
Tristian is the perfect man. 🥹 No notes. He’s fiercely loyal, protective, haunted, sexy, perfection. He falls first, and hard. And my girl Sasha does 𝘯𝘰𝘵 make it easy. But she has her reasons. She’s flawed in the way most MC’s aren’t brave enough to be. Strong, broken, and real. And them together? 𝙈𝙚𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩. They’re the strength each other needed, the safe place to call home. I wouldn’t call it a slow burn, but man if it doesn’t seem like it takes 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 for them to get there.
“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚. 𝙄’𝙢 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙨. 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚.”
^ I mean COME ON. 🥹
𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼
Once again Ariel writes an entire cast of unique individuals that wrap you around their little fingers with ease. She’s the only author I write a side characters category for. Every single one of them is complex, with history and emotions unique to them. They are multifaceted and feel incredibly real. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝗔𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝗺𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴. Regardless of how they got there… 👀 I loved them with every beat of my heart. The found family in this, is one of the best I’ve ever seen. The camaraderie between them, the love… 😮💨 𝙏𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣. 🤌🏼
“𝙒𝙚 𝙜𝙤 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚.”
“𝙒𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚.”
While this is the first of a prequel trilogy before Conform (please read btw, it’s EXCELLENT) it holds its own and could easily be read without ever moving past this trilogy. Although, that’s a horrible decision and I will judge you for it. 💁🏼♀️🫶🏼
𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱. 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗜’𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗲, 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘁, 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁… 𝗜’𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 😆
The cliffhanger is a doozy, so grab your PPE and wait for the end of the world with me, because we’ll be fighting for our lives until the next one releases.
🧗🏻♀️
𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙙𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙩.
Thank you to Netgalley, and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 11, 2026
4.5 STARS!! So freaking good. Love the world of Conform/Beneath and although this is a prequel, it’s just as good as Conform. It gives a good context to how the world is in Conform and how it came to be. And TABITHA!? Omg this makes so much sense. I need the next book after Conform now. I was rooting for Sasha the entire time and loved the found family aspect. I felt like we really got to know all of the squad and all of the side characters. Obsessed with Tristian and overall really enjoyed the book, it kept me captivated and wanting more. The author does a great job at the world building and really immersing us & painting a picture of the dystopian world. I still have some questions on the end and hope there’s another prequel book to give us a little more context/information?! The end was kind of confusing for me. So was it all a set up, part of the bigger plan, what’s gonna happen next?!
Thank you for the ARC, Thousand Voices!
Thank you for the ARC, Thousand Voices!
December 29, 2025
I was so excited to dive into this one because Conform was hands down one of my favorite reads of 2025—and Ariel Sullivan’s writing once again did not disappoint. Her storytelling completely pulls you in; I instantly feel part of the world and deeply connected to the characters.
It was really special to explore the world before Illum, though I’d still recommend reading Conform first for the full impact of the world-building and perspective. Beneath does start a bit slower, but it unfolds into such a powerful reminder of holding onto hope and the people you love—even in the depths of grief.
I felt the sadness. I felt the loss. But what stayed with me most was the friendship, love, and quiet resilience woven throughout the story. The main character is such a compelling mix of strength, grit, and relentlessness—and I fell for the male main character immediately. And yes… I always appreciate a little spice 🌶️
A beautiful, emotional read that lingers long after the final page.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
It was really special to explore the world before Illum, though I’d still recommend reading Conform first for the full impact of the world-building and perspective. Beneath does start a bit slower, but it unfolds into such a powerful reminder of holding onto hope and the people you love—even in the depths of grief.
I felt the sadness. I felt the loss. But what stayed with me most was the friendship, love, and quiet resilience woven throughout the story. The main character is such a compelling mix of strength, grit, and relentlessness—and I fell for the male main character immediately. And yes… I always appreciate a little spice 🌶️
A beautiful, emotional read that lingers long after the final page.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
December 28, 2025
I’m still thinking about this one.
Okay, can we talk about Beneath by Ariel Sullivan? Because I am officially obsessed.
If you loved the "tough-as-nails" heroines from Divergent but you want a romance that actually has some heat and emotional depth, you need to add this to your TBR immediately.
The Premise: We’re underground. Like, "nuclear-fallout-everyone-is-cramped-in-tunnels" underground. Sasha is a total badass who works in the expansion sector (basically digging tunnels and being grumpy), and she’s just trying to survive her own grief. Then enters Commander Tristian Hayes with a "secret mission" and… well, things get complicated. Fast.
Why I loved it:
The Grumpy x Grumpy dynamic: Sasha and Tristian are both so guarded, and watching their walls slowly crumble while they’re stuck in forced proximity? Chef’s kiss.
The Vibes: It’s super atmospheric. It’s dark, it’s gritty, and it feels a little claustrophobic in the best way possible.
Sasha: She isn’t some perfect, polished MC. She’s messy, she’s grieving, and she’s relatable. I just wanted to give her a hug (and then watch her kick some serious butt).
Final Thoughts: It starts a little slow because there’s a lot of world-building to do, but once it picks up, I couldn't put it down. It’s the perfect prequel—it makes me want to go back and re-read Conform immediately.
Read this if you like: ✅ Dystopian "Underground" worlds ✅ Slow-burn romance (with actual chemistry!) ✅ Secrets, lies, and high-stakes training ✅ Strong, "take-no-crap" female leads
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for this honest review
Okay, can we talk about Beneath by Ariel Sullivan? Because I am officially obsessed.
If you loved the "tough-as-nails" heroines from Divergent but you want a romance that actually has some heat and emotional depth, you need to add this to your TBR immediately.
The Premise: We’re underground. Like, "nuclear-fallout-everyone-is-cramped-in-tunnels" underground. Sasha is a total badass who works in the expansion sector (basically digging tunnels and being grumpy), and she’s just trying to survive her own grief. Then enters Commander Tristian Hayes with a "secret mission" and… well, things get complicated. Fast.
Why I loved it:
The Grumpy x Grumpy dynamic: Sasha and Tristian are both so guarded, and watching their walls slowly crumble while they’re stuck in forced proximity? Chef’s kiss.
The Vibes: It’s super atmospheric. It’s dark, it’s gritty, and it feels a little claustrophobic in the best way possible.
Sasha: She isn’t some perfect, polished MC. She’s messy, she’s grieving, and she’s relatable. I just wanted to give her a hug (and then watch her kick some serious butt).
Final Thoughts: It starts a little slow because there’s a lot of world-building to do, but once it picks up, I couldn't put it down. It’s the perfect prequel—it makes me want to go back and re-read Conform immediately.
Read this if you like: ✅ Dystopian "Underground" worlds ✅ Slow-burn romance (with actual chemistry!) ✅ Secrets, lies, and high-stakes training ✅ Strong, "take-no-crap" female leads
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for this honest review
November 4, 2025
I was lucky enough to be an early reader of the first book in this series (Conform), and I was equally as lucky to get my hands on an early copy of Beneath! I wasn’t sure what to expect from a prequel, but I think this was even better than Conform!
This was a fast-paced dystopian adventure with so many heart-pounding moments. I stayed up late reading several nights in a row because I just couldn’t put it down! The world of Beneath is so intense and visceral and emotional. I loved the found family and the love story that develop against all odds. I can tell that there is so much ground work being laid for a truly epic series—I can’t wait for whatever book we get next in this universe!
5 ⭐️
1st person, single POV
Medium 🌶️
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ballantine for gifting me a digital advance reader copy of this amazing book!
This was a fast-paced dystopian adventure with so many heart-pounding moments. I stayed up late reading several nights in a row because I just couldn’t put it down! The world of Beneath is so intense and visceral and emotional. I loved the found family and the love story that develop against all odds. I can tell that there is so much ground work being laid for a truly epic series—I can’t wait for whatever book we get next in this universe!
5 ⭐️
1st person, single POV
Medium 🌶️
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ballantine for gifting me a digital advance reader copy of this amazing book!
December 13, 2025
Beneath is dark, immersive, and emotionally heavy in the best way. Ariel Sullivan creates a tense, claustrophobic atmosphere that pulls you in and doesn’t let go, with morally gray characters who feel deeply flawed and real. The story isn’t afraid to sit in discomfort, which adds depth and weight to the emotional stakes.
The pacing drags slightly in the beginning, but the payoff is strong and satisfying. Overall, Beneath is a compelling, character-driven read that lingers after the final page. I absolutely love this series and can’t wait to see where the story goes next!
Thank you so much NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the ARC in exchange of an honest review
The pacing drags slightly in the beginning, but the payoff is strong and satisfying. Overall, Beneath is a compelling, character-driven read that lingers after the final page. I absolutely love this series and can’t wait to see where the story goes next!
Thank you so much NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the ARC in exchange of an honest review
December 6, 2025
So very thankful getting accepted for an ARC from Net gallery! The book made my sick days go so much better as I read this book!
All I can say is AMAZING without giving any spoilers! Trust me I am very picky about the books I read and read in less than one day! I couldn’t put it down and when I did all I could think of is what happens next and needed to keep reading it asap! Promise it won’t disappoint!
All I can say is AMAZING without giving any spoilers! Trust me I am very picky about the books I read and read in less than one day! I couldn’t put it down and when I did all I could think of is what happens next and needed to keep reading it asap! Promise it won’t disappoint!
November 19, 2025
Loved this even more than Conform!! I had no idea the prequel would be its own trilogy and I kept waiting for answers on how the world came to be in Conform. But instead we got a huge cliffhanger 😅
Six years after the world had a nuclear war everyone surviving is living underground in Haven. They are divided into 5 different units depending on their jobs, medical, sanitation, expansion, kitchens, or the force (like a military). We follow Sasha and her world of grief after losing her entire family to the war, she is alone at Haven like many others. The plot was plotting and I saw some Easter eggs for conform and there was thankfully not a love triangle lol.
Can’t recommend this book enough but definitely would read after Conform, not before!
Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of this book, pub date expected 3/24/26!
Six years after the world had a nuclear war everyone surviving is living underground in Haven. They are divided into 5 different units depending on their jobs, medical, sanitation, expansion, kitchens, or the force (like a military). We follow Sasha and her world of grief after losing her entire family to the war, she is alone at Haven like many others. The plot was plotting and I saw some Easter eggs for conform and there was thankfully not a love triangle lol.
Can’t recommend this book enough but definitely would read after Conform, not before!
Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of this book, pub date expected 3/24/26!
January 24, 2026
4.5-5 ⭐️ I was so excited to get an early copy of Beneath after loving Conform. This was thrilling, fast paced and I may have liked it a tad more than Conform! I felt that her writing took a step up in this book. You can feel how much torment Sasha is putting on herself for the family she has lost and all that she experienced as Death’s Angel.
There are a lot of characters being thrown at you in the beginning and still not sure if I can differentiate between the partners and couples. It would be helpful if there was a chart of the original Unit Seven names, call signs and partners. Despite this, the side characters build such a great found family! Very much looking forward to the next books of hers and how the events in Beneath lead into the world of Conform
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC
There are a lot of characters being thrown at you in the beginning and still not sure if I can differentiate between the partners and couples. It would be helpful if there was a chart of the original Unit Seven names, call signs and partners. Despite this, the side characters build such a great found family! Very much looking forward to the next books of hers and how the events in Beneath lead into the world of Conform
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC
January 6, 2026
This book is Dystopian Romance and is the prequel to Conform. It take place years before the story of Conform where the nuclear war has decimated all above ground life and everyone is forced to live below ground.
The FMC is named Sasha, she starts out working in the hospital ward, but when the constant death she sees working there becomes to much she moves to the expansion team (digging) so she can disconnect and not have to care. She meets Tristian and he pushes her to realize her value and to try. He 'recruits' her to join the force as his medic and the story takes off from there. This story is about survival and overcoming past trauma. My favorite part of the story is the found family. I love that we learned more about each person on her team in the force as the book continues. I really loved that the story was the main focus with the romance as a side story. I thought this piece of it was really well done and made it even more believe-able.
If I could give this book 6 stars I would! I absolutely loved it! I thought I enjoyed Conform, but I liked this story even better. It was beautifully written. I could easily relate to Sasha's emotions and how she was feeling so well in this book that it made everything that happened feel even more impactful and powerful. Plus I loved that while she struggled she was actually strong and she was not a soft FMC. Reading Conform and Beneath back to back was such a cool dynamic to see the after and then the before. It was so fun to start to piece together how the world of Conform was formed. The ending made my jaw drop at what is to come in future books in this series! This world is going to be my new obsession!
I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this ARC and share my review!
The FMC is named Sasha, she starts out working in the hospital ward, but when the constant death she sees working there becomes to much she moves to the expansion team (digging) so she can disconnect and not have to care. She meets Tristian and he pushes her to realize her value and to try. He 'recruits' her to join the force as his medic and the story takes off from there. This story is about survival and overcoming past trauma. My favorite part of the story is the found family. I love that we learned more about each person on her team in the force as the book continues. I really loved that the story was the main focus with the romance as a side story. I thought this piece of it was really well done and made it even more believe-able.
If I could give this book 6 stars I would! I absolutely loved it! I thought I enjoyed Conform, but I liked this story even better. It was beautifully written. I could easily relate to Sasha's emotions and how she was feeling so well in this book that it made everything that happened feel even more impactful and powerful. Plus I loved that while she struggled she was actually strong and she was not a soft FMC. Reading Conform and Beneath back to back was such a cool dynamic to see the after and then the before. It was so fun to start to piece together how the world of Conform was formed. The ending made my jaw drop at what is to come in future books in this series! This world is going to be my new obsession!
I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this ARC and share my review!
January 8, 2026
Heavens. This book is so good. Confirm was my favorite book of 2025 and this book will probably be my favorite of 2026. This world that Ariel Sullivan has created is layered, tangible, and emotional. Beneath is less shiny than conform, less glitz, but just as much of a punch. I love so many of the characters so much. Not just Sasha and Tristian-but all of unit 7.
Every character feels real, and reachable.
Bravo. I CANNOT wait to devour every single book inside the world Ariel has created.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC
Every character feels real, and reachable.
Bravo. I CANNOT wait to devour every single book inside the world Ariel has created.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC
January 13, 2026
this book was EVERYTHING😩❤️ it had me feeling alllllll of the emotions… the end left me feeling both hopeless and energized if that’s possible???? the found family in this book was BEAUTIFUL and I’m gonna go cry now🥹
thank you NetGalley for the eARC of this book! I’m so excited for the rest of Ariel Sullivan’s work (like now pls)
also I could’ve read this in 2-3 days EASILY if this wasn’t the busiest last two weeks of my life!!
I was slightly annoyed with her Sasha’s nonstop doubt and back-and-forth though. it went on too long!
thank you NetGalley for the eARC of this book! I’m so excited for the rest of Ariel Sullivan’s work (like now pls)
also I could’ve read this in 2-3 days EASILY if this wasn’t the busiest last two weeks of my life!!
I was slightly annoyed with her Sasha’s nonstop doubt and back-and-forth though. it went on too long!
January 16, 2026
This was so good! I loved the characters (much more than in Conform). Just mad that I have to wait forever to figure out how all the pieces fit together.
January 2, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Ariel Sullivan has delivered another beautifully written story. That cliffhanger?? I need the next book immediately!
I really liked how Sasha’s flashbacks were used to slowly provide context without ever feeling confusing or out of place. Sasha is a very complex main character, but at times she’s extremely hard on herself, and the constant self blame started to feel a bit repetitive for me. On the other hand, I absolutely loved Tristen as a character and found myself drawn to him whenever he was on the page. I’m obsessed with how protective and unwaveringly loyal he is to Sasha and the rest of Unit Seven. Speaking of which, I really enjoyed the found family we see within the unit. It added so much heart and balance to an otherwise dark story.
I did notice a few minor typos throughout, but they didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.
Overall, this was a darker, character driven read that really stuck with me, and that ending alone has me counting down until the next book in the trilogy.
💌 Thank you to NetGalley for (my first!!) ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ariel Sullivan has delivered another beautifully written story. That cliffhanger?? I need the next book immediately!
I really liked how Sasha’s flashbacks were used to slowly provide context without ever feeling confusing or out of place. Sasha is a very complex main character, but at times she’s extremely hard on herself, and the constant self blame started to feel a bit repetitive for me. On the other hand, I absolutely loved Tristen as a character and found myself drawn to him whenever he was on the page. I’m obsessed with how protective and unwaveringly loyal he is to Sasha and the rest of Unit Seven. Speaking of which, I really enjoyed the found family we see within the unit. It added so much heart and balance to an otherwise dark story.
I did notice a few minor typos throughout, but they didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.
Overall, this was a darker, character driven read that really stuck with me, and that ending alone has me counting down until the next book in the trilogy.
💌 Thank you to NetGalley for (my first!!) ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 2, 2025
Beneath is the gripping next installment in Ariel Sullivan’s breakout series, Conform. Set before the rise of the Elites, this prequel plunges us into the Below—a fractured world clawing its way back after nuclear fallout.
At the heart of the story is Sasha, a survivor who’s lost everything and is barely hanging on. When she meets the indomitable Hayes, her life takes a sharp turn as she becomes a medic for a daring above-ground task force. The stakes are high, the world-building is intense, and Sullivan’s storytelling keeps you on edge.
While the unconventional structure might frustrate readers craving a linear plot or tidy resolutions, it also adds to the tension and urgency. Every chapter leaves you wanting more. I didn’t want to put this down. Early ARC from NetGalley.
At the heart of the story is Sasha, a survivor who’s lost everything and is barely hanging on. When she meets the indomitable Hayes, her life takes a sharp turn as she becomes a medic for a daring above-ground task force. The stakes are high, the world-building is intense, and Sullivan’s storytelling keeps you on edge.
While the unconventional structure might frustrate readers craving a linear plot or tidy resolutions, it also adds to the tension and urgency. Every chapter leaves you wanting more. I didn’t want to put this down. Early ARC from NetGalley.
December 15, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. What a ride! I loved Conform and was so bummed to find out the second book was going to be a prequel. That being said, this book did not disappoint!! I could not put it down and thoroughly enjoyed being immersed into the underground world and how it all began. I felt every emotion while reading this.. some characters made me laugh, some chapters made me tear up, and some scenes just had me on the edge of my seat. I loved the depth to all of the characters and their development throughout the story. That being said, death, grief, and depression are some heavy topics covered in this book, so check your triggers. I also love a good slow burn.. and this one burns. Ariel truly knows how to leave you wanting more and I can’t wait for the next!
October 11, 2025
5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Obsessed. This is a prequel to a book I haven’t read but will definitely be picking up. I loved everything about this. It reminds me of Six of Crows and Fallout (the game/show) mixed together. I leftover the writing style to the character relationships I was hooked. When I wasn’t reading this book I was busy thinking about it. It’s got everything from romance to found family to post-apocalyptic rebuilding and mutiny. Everything about this was just so good.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Obsessed. This is a prequel to a book I haven’t read but will definitely be picking up. I loved everything about this. It reminds me of Six of Crows and Fallout (the game/show) mixed together. I leftover the writing style to the character relationships I was hooked. When I wasn’t reading this book I was busy thinking about it. It’s got everything from romance to found family to post-apocalyptic rebuilding and mutiny. Everything about this was just so good.
November 11, 2025
When I first started this book or “prequel” to Conform I was under the impression that this was a standalone prequel an would have all these answers to how we got to the world in Conform… however through reading the book I was getting confused how the world in Beneath was getting us to Conform. I saw a few Easter Eggs but nothing really solid. When I got to the authors note - I had NO clue that this was going to be its own trilogy. That makes a lot more sense… but I’m not sure exactly how I feel about the two dueling trilogies thing. But I’m interested to see how Sullivan pulls it off.
I did enjoy this book and give it a 3.5, however the final act of the book felt a bit clunky - especially with all of the betraying, backstabbing and multiple names and call signs for everyone. It was becoming difficult to keep things straight in those final 4-5 chapters. But I will definitely keep reading this series!
I did enjoy this book and give it a 3.5, however the final act of the book felt a bit clunky - especially with all of the betraying, backstabbing and multiple names and call signs for everyone. It was becoming difficult to keep things straight in those final 4-5 chapters. But I will definitely keep reading this series!
November 25, 2025
Conform is my favorite book of 2025, so when I saw that Beneath, the first book in Ariel Sullivan’s next trilogy of trilogies (whew!) was on NetGalley, I was so excited to read it. It did not disappoint! Once again Ariel Sullivan created a vivid world with full characters. The plot was well-paced, I could not put this down. And of course, the romance was steamy. I seriously can’t wait for the rest of her books.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for letting me read and review!
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for letting me read and review!
January 21, 2026
I 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥 this book. 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐒𝐘, this was even 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 than 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮, which I truly did not think was possible. And yet. Here I am. 𝘜𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘺 obsessed. 😍😍
This has all the ingredients of elite dystopian goodness: 𝑫𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕-style military training, 𝑭𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒕-level apocalyptic radiation and controlled destruction, and 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒐𝒏 vibes with illness spreading through a fragile world. The setting is 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘭, 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦, and 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 in a way that makes you forget you’re safe on your couch. I didn’t want it to end, and when I realized I was getting close, I 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 just to savor it longer. 😉✨
Now let’s talk about 𝙎𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙖 and 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣 because 𝐖𝐎𝐖. This is the 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘵 of slow burns, and I was on my knees by the end. The yearning. The restraint. The tension. I was fully screaming, “𝘑𝘜𝘚𝘛 𝘒𝘐𝘚𝘚 𝘈𝘓𝘙𝘌𝘈𝘋𝘠.” The payoff? 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. Everything I want in a romance; 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, and 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘥.😮💨🔥💕
The 𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴?? 𝗨𝗻𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 (𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺). When the betrayals hit, they 𝐇𝐈𝐓. I was spiraling. I literally had to pause and say out loud, “𝘞𝘈𝘐𝘛! 𝘞𝘏𝘈𝘛 𝘑𝘜𝘚𝘛 𝘏𝘈𝘗𝘗𝘌𝘕𝘌𝘋?” The kind of twist that makes you want to flip back pages just to confirm the 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙮. 🤯😵💫
One thing Ariel Sullivan does beautifully, and with so much care, is how she handles 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩, especially PTSD and grief. It’s tender, realistic, and deeply human. You see how trauma shapes thought patterns, trust, friendships, and love. It added so much 𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 weight to the story without ever feeling heavy-handed. ❤️🩹🥹
And the 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴?? There are a lot, and somehow, I cared about every 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚. That is no small feat. Each character had 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩, 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚, and 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜. I was rooting for them all, which only made the stakes hurt more. 😭🙏🏼
The way Ariel is 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 is actually 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗲. The breadcrumbs she’s leaving? 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹. The fact that this prequel and Conform are part of a 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮?? I don’t know how she’s going to pull it off, but I trust her completely. Take my money. All of it. Because those cliffhanger endings are 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝗮𝗶𝗹. 𝙉𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙡. 💸👩🏼⚖️
I am counting down to October like it’s a life event. Ariel Sullivan is absolutely on her way to becoming a 𝙝𝙪𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧, and honestly? Her storytelling here might be even 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 than in Conform. That’s saying something. 👏🏼👏🏼
𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 ✨
⚔️ Dystopian military training
☢️ Apocalyptic world/radiation fallout
🦠 Illness spreading through society
🏛️ Oppressive government / controlled destruction
⏳ Interconnected timelines / layered world-building
🔥 Ultra slow-burn romance
🧠 PTSD & grief handled with care
🤝🏻 Found family/ensemble cast
⏰ Cliffhanger ending (CRIMINAL)
📍𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐼𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑝, 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑚𝑒): 𝟐𝟕, 𝟑𝟎, 𝟑𝟏, 𝟑𝟒.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲, 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬, & 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐞-𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰! 💕
This has all the ingredients of elite dystopian goodness: 𝑫𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕-style military training, 𝑭𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒕-level apocalyptic radiation and controlled destruction, and 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒐𝒏 vibes with illness spreading through a fragile world. The setting is 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘭, 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦, and 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 in a way that makes you forget you’re safe on your couch. I didn’t want it to end, and when I realized I was getting close, I 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 just to savor it longer. 😉✨
Now let’s talk about 𝙎𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙖 and 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣 because 𝐖𝐎𝐖. This is the 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘵 of slow burns, and I was on my knees by the end. The yearning. The restraint. The tension. I was fully screaming, “𝘑𝘜𝘚𝘛 𝘒𝘐𝘚𝘚 𝘈𝘓𝘙𝘌𝘈𝘋𝘠.” The payoff? 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. Everything I want in a romance; 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, and 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘥.😮💨🔥💕
The 𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴?? 𝗨𝗻𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 (𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺). When the betrayals hit, they 𝐇𝐈𝐓. I was spiraling. I literally had to pause and say out loud, “𝘞𝘈𝘐𝘛! 𝘞𝘏𝘈𝘛 𝘑𝘜𝘚𝘛 𝘏𝘈𝘗𝘗𝘌𝘕𝘌𝘋?” The kind of twist that makes you want to flip back pages just to confirm the 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙮. 🤯😵💫
One thing Ariel Sullivan does beautifully, and with so much care, is how she handles 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩, especially PTSD and grief. It’s tender, realistic, and deeply human. You see how trauma shapes thought patterns, trust, friendships, and love. It added so much 𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 weight to the story without ever feeling heavy-handed. ❤️🩹🥹
And the 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴?? There are a lot, and somehow, I cared about every 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚. That is no small feat. Each character had 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩, 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚, and 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜. I was rooting for them all, which only made the stakes hurt more. 😭🙏🏼
The way Ariel is 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 is actually 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗲. The breadcrumbs she’s leaving? 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹. The fact that this prequel and Conform are part of a 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮?? I don’t know how she’s going to pull it off, but I trust her completely. Take my money. All of it. Because those cliffhanger endings are 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝗮𝗶𝗹. 𝙉𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙡. 💸👩🏼⚖️
I am counting down to October like it’s a life event. Ariel Sullivan is absolutely on her way to becoming a 𝙝𝙪𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧, and honestly? Her storytelling here might be even 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 than in Conform. That’s saying something. 👏🏼👏🏼
𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 ✨
⚔️ Dystopian military training
☢️ Apocalyptic world/radiation fallout
🦠 Illness spreading through society
🏛️ Oppressive government / controlled destruction
⏳ Interconnected timelines / layered world-building
🔥 Ultra slow-burn romance
🧠 PTSD & grief handled with care
🤝🏻 Found family/ensemble cast
⏰ Cliffhanger ending (CRIMINAL)
📍𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐼𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑝, 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑚𝑒): 𝟐𝟕, 𝟑𝟎, 𝟑𝟏, 𝟑𝟒.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲, 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬, & 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐞-𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰! 💕
January 11, 2026
4.5⭐️s rounded up!
When I first heard there was a prequel to Conform coming out, I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. I honestly expected to be given the backstory all in one book that we would connect easily to Conform. But that wasn’t this. And that’s ok, because I was still blown away by this book. I also knew going into this world that these books would be, as Ariel put it, a trilogy of trilogies. And then realized Beneath is actually the start of its own trilogy. We have a whole new story with all new characters who are full of depth and extremely well developed. Within the first 20-30% I could tell this is really setting up for an epic backstory to Conforms world. This is a book you absolutely need to read after Conform I think to truly appreciate it. This one is slightly more character driven and a much slower pace. And those are two elements that typically make it harder for me to be fully engaged in a book, especially when combined, but because I read it after Conform I didn’t really feel that way.
The emotions are so intense in this book. It’s so much heavier than Conform as it’s kind of ripping open the dark past that set the stage for why Conform’s world is how it is hundreds of years later. I was worried that the amount of self-hatred that coming out of Sasha almost immediately would make me hate her. It did not, and honestly I ended up loving her character so much. I felt that she was an incredibly strong FMC who just struggled immensely with everything she went through - rightfully so, her past is so dark. There’s almost no way I could be annoyed with this given her life experiences. She felt raw and real and very much reflected her age accurately. The characters truly were so well written. They were messy but real feeling. You can’t help but grow to love them and feel for every single one of them. The found family vibes in this book are perfection.
I will say the pacing did feel kind of strange at times. With such an incredibly slow start, and then the ending had a lot going on. I wish it had been a little more evenly paced throughout. I also found keeping up with who everyone was, was at times slightly difficult. First names, Last names, and also call signs that they were referred to as, made it a bit confusing. But it wasn’t terrible, at least for me.
Lastly, did anyone else make the connection between someone mentioned in Conform, and in this book? When we got to that moment my jaw dropped. This is truly the start of something big and I am so excited to see it all come together through these multiple trilogies.
When I first heard there was a prequel to Conform coming out, I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. I honestly expected to be given the backstory all in one book that we would connect easily to Conform. But that wasn’t this. And that’s ok, because I was still blown away by this book. I also knew going into this world that these books would be, as Ariel put it, a trilogy of trilogies. And then realized Beneath is actually the start of its own trilogy. We have a whole new story with all new characters who are full of depth and extremely well developed. Within the first 20-30% I could tell this is really setting up for an epic backstory to Conforms world. This is a book you absolutely need to read after Conform I think to truly appreciate it. This one is slightly more character driven and a much slower pace. And those are two elements that typically make it harder for me to be fully engaged in a book, especially when combined, but because I read it after Conform I didn’t really feel that way.
The emotions are so intense in this book. It’s so much heavier than Conform as it’s kind of ripping open the dark past that set the stage for why Conform’s world is how it is hundreds of years later. I was worried that the amount of self-hatred that coming out of Sasha almost immediately would make me hate her. It did not, and honestly I ended up loving her character so much. I felt that she was an incredibly strong FMC who just struggled immensely with everything she went through - rightfully so, her past is so dark. There’s almost no way I could be annoyed with this given her life experiences. She felt raw and real and very much reflected her age accurately. The characters truly were so well written. They were messy but real feeling. You can’t help but grow to love them and feel for every single one of them. The found family vibes in this book are perfection.
I will say the pacing did feel kind of strange at times. With such an incredibly slow start, and then the ending had a lot going on. I wish it had been a little more evenly paced throughout. I also found keeping up with who everyone was, was at times slightly difficult. First names, Last names, and also call signs that they were referred to as, made it a bit confusing. But it wasn’t terrible, at least for me.
Lastly, did anyone else make the connection between someone mentioned in Conform, and in this book? When we got to that moment my jaw dropped. This is truly the start of something big and I am so excited to see it all come together through these multiple trilogies.
December 10, 2025
4.5⭐️ 🌶️🌶️
Liked this one even more than Conform.
Set 6 years after a global nuclear war sent survivors under ground and 100s of years before Conform. The remaining human population has formed themselves in to 4 groups to try and keep some level of civility and survive as they wait out radiation levels above.
Sasha has been through absolute hell in the last 6 years. She has lost anyone and everyone who meant something to her and has put the weight and guilt of that responsibility firmly on her shoulders. She is torn between the fight to survive and help others and the guilt and torment losing everyone she loves has put her through.
Sasha is thrown against her will in to the group that acts as the military/police of sorts with the hot, epically bad ass and most loyal of remaining humans as the group’s commander - Tristian. She has to navigate her inner torment with her ever growing feelings all while discovering things are very much not what they seem on the surface and stakes are high.
Full of twists and discoveries, this was a great dystopian story build up - world building was clear, plot was well executed and timed, keeping me hooked and not wanting to put the book down. Character development was solid and the side characters were also well developed.
Really enjoyed this one and am excited for this whole world and trilogy of trilogies to play out.
Liked this one even more than Conform.
Set 6 years after a global nuclear war sent survivors under ground and 100s of years before Conform. The remaining human population has formed themselves in to 4 groups to try and keep some level of civility and survive as they wait out radiation levels above.
Sasha has been through absolute hell in the last 6 years. She has lost anyone and everyone who meant something to her and has put the weight and guilt of that responsibility firmly on her shoulders. She is torn between the fight to survive and help others and the guilt and torment losing everyone she loves has put her through.
Sasha is thrown against her will in to the group that acts as the military/police of sorts with the hot, epically bad ass and most loyal of remaining humans as the group’s commander - Tristian. She has to navigate her inner torment with her ever growing feelings all while discovering things are very much not what they seem on the surface and stakes are high.
Full of twists and discoveries, this was a great dystopian story build up - world building was clear, plot was well executed and timed, keeping me hooked and not wanting to put the book down. Character development was solid and the side characters were also well developed.
Really enjoyed this one and am excited for this whole world and trilogy of trilogies to play out.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In a world beneath a nuclear wasteland, twisted power games expose the undeniable truth... humans are their own worst enemy.
Sasha, aka Death's Angel, has lost everything and everyone she cares for and condemns herself to a life of hard labor. But Tristian, the man she once fought for, is now determined to save her, even against her will. Sasha is dragged into his world as he dares her to care and embrace hope once more.
After reading Conform, I couldn't wait to read more about the horrific dystopia society had devolved into after nuclear war had ravaged humanity. Beneath, a prequel, provides insight into how humans struggled to survive after the war. It shines a light on the toxicity of those who pursue power at all costs, stepping on the less fortunate for their own selfish desires. The theme hits painfully hard as it reveals the worst of humanity.
Tristian is a light in the story's darkness. He is a symbol of hope, the rare human who fights for others rather than himself. His desire to save Sasha as she once saved him is a devastating allegory for the overarching conflict, the attempt to save humanity from itself.
As Beneath barreled toward its chilling cliffhanger ending, I delved into a myriad of suffocating emotions. I am left devastated, terrified, and utterly compelled to follow these characters into the abyss.
I received an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
Sasha, aka Death's Angel, has lost everything and everyone she cares for and condemns herself to a life of hard labor. But Tristian, the man she once fought for, is now determined to save her, even against her will. Sasha is dragged into his world as he dares her to care and embrace hope once more.
After reading Conform, I couldn't wait to read more about the horrific dystopia society had devolved into after nuclear war had ravaged humanity. Beneath, a prequel, provides insight into how humans struggled to survive after the war. It shines a light on the toxicity of those who pursue power at all costs, stepping on the less fortunate for their own selfish desires. The theme hits painfully hard as it reveals the worst of humanity.
Tristian is a light in the story's darkness. He is a symbol of hope, the rare human who fights for others rather than himself. His desire to save Sasha as she once saved him is a devastating allegory for the overarching conflict, the attempt to save humanity from itself.
As Beneath barreled toward its chilling cliffhanger ending, I delved into a myriad of suffocating emotions. I am left devastated, terrified, and utterly compelled to follow these characters into the abyss.
I received an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
December 26, 2025
i absolutely fleeeew through this book! it was genuinely so good that i couldn't put it down.
i read "conform" a few weeks ago and was so excited to get to read "beneath" so soon after. while it wasn't the immediate sequel i originally wanted after "conform," it was perfect. i loved getting to see some of the history before the happenings of current day in book one. while i was expecting a prequel that would have bits and pieces directly connecting to the "conform" story and leading us right to where that one started, it was different than that. yes, it connects, but it's also it's own story with different struggles and new characters.
one of the strongest parts of this book was the characters. they were so well-developed and you grow to care about so many of them. you were excited for their wins and heartbroken for their losses. even sasha, who had the potential to get really annoying with her self-hatred, was someone that i truly loved, understood, and rooted for. getting to see her growth throughout the story was beautiful and the romance with tristian (swoon!) didn't hurt either.
after reading her first two books, i can honestly say that i will 100% be reading absolutely anything that ariel sullivan writes. i'll also be over here begging her to write more books about sasha and co. either way, i can't wait to see what's next!
thank you to ballantine books for the eARC via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
i read "conform" a few weeks ago and was so excited to get to read "beneath" so soon after. while it wasn't the immediate sequel i originally wanted after "conform," it was perfect. i loved getting to see some of the history before the happenings of current day in book one. while i was expecting a prequel that would have bits and pieces directly connecting to the "conform" story and leading us right to where that one started, it was different than that. yes, it connects, but it's also it's own story with different struggles and new characters.
one of the strongest parts of this book was the characters. they were so well-developed and you grow to care about so many of them. you were excited for their wins and heartbroken for their losses. even sasha, who had the potential to get really annoying with her self-hatred, was someone that i truly loved, understood, and rooted for. getting to see her growth throughout the story was beautiful and the romance with tristian (swoon!) didn't hurt either.
after reading her first two books, i can honestly say that i will 100% be reading absolutely anything that ariel sullivan writes. i'll also be over here begging her to write more books about sasha and co. either way, i can't wait to see what's next!
thank you to ballantine books for the eARC via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2026
Wow. Beneath is a true dystopian romance that, for better or for worse, forces you to think about the current state of our world. Sasha lives in an underground facility known as Haven made during the nuclear apocalypse to save people from the radiation above. When she is recruited by a super hot Force commander (loved him!) to be a field medic in aboveground missions, she is forced to reckon with her past in hopes of guaranteeing a future. The characters were complex and super well-written and the plot was a true dystopian romance. However, there was too much filler at times and I think it really could’ve benefitted from some tightening up.
The political commentary in Beneath is laced throughout and deals with a world at war that led to nuclear fallout; it’s not unrealistic so that can be troubling at times. Beneath also deals with grief, loss, anger, and depression. Also, there is one point where two characters hook up in the dumbest location and time… why????
While Beneath is part of a prequel trilogy to Conform, it’s important to think of it as just set in the same universe not something that is going to directly give you answers to Conform (at least yet).
Will 100% be buying this when it comes out and recommending to others!
Read if…
- you liked Silver Elite and Conform (this is a bit heavier/darker)
- you like a strong, loyal, “I don’t care if you’re damaged” MMC
- you like complex characters with flaws
Skip if…
- you want pure escapism (serious war/political references)
- you prefer clean, linear narratives
- you’re looking for the full explanation for Conform
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Violence: 🗡️🗡️
*Thank you Ballentine and NetGalley for this ARC!*
The political commentary in Beneath is laced throughout and deals with a world at war that led to nuclear fallout; it’s not unrealistic so that can be troubling at times. Beneath also deals with grief, loss, anger, and depression. Also, there is one point where two characters hook up in the dumbest location and time… why????
While Beneath is part of a prequel trilogy to Conform, it’s important to think of it as just set in the same universe not something that is going to directly give you answers to Conform (at least yet).
Will 100% be buying this when it comes out and recommending to others!
Read if…
- you liked Silver Elite and Conform (this is a bit heavier/darker)
- you like a strong, loyal, “I don’t care if you’re damaged” MMC
- you like complex characters with flaws
Skip if…
- you want pure escapism (serious war/political references)
- you prefer clean, linear narratives
- you’re looking for the full explanation for Conform
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Violence: 🗡️🗡️
*Thank you Ballentine and NetGalley for this ARC!*
January 16, 2026
Beneath (Prequel to Conform series)
Pub date 3/24/26
Publisher - Ballantine
Rating - 4⭐️
Wow!
Ariel Sullivan knows how to write an immersive novel!
This is a story of survival beneath the earth in a post apocalyptic world of tunnels, treachery and hope. It’s wholly character driven with incredible world building.The atmosphere is palpable. The faithful and the disloyal aren’t always so recognizable. But one thing is for sure, found family is certain.
For me, the use of multiple names for each character was at times, difficult to sort out having to pause, reread the line, and figure out who was who.
My only warning for you is to check your trigger about major depressive disorder because damn, this is where it’s at. Beneath, digs deep into the dark and depressive, emotional demons of the FMC, Sasha. Stemming from trauma endured when her family was killed. I believe showing how her grief, self-blame, and not being able to trust is imperative to the story, but I also found it suffocating with the continual telling of her “brokenness” on repeat. However, she’s got some kick ass survival and sniper skills that her father, who was a Special Forces officer taught her.
* Special thanks to Ballentine via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Beneath by Ariel Sullivan.
#bookreview #arcreader #booklife #mustread #arielsullivan
Pub date 3/24/26
Publisher - Ballantine
Rating - 4⭐️
Wow!
Ariel Sullivan knows how to write an immersive novel!
This is a story of survival beneath the earth in a post apocalyptic world of tunnels, treachery and hope. It’s wholly character driven with incredible world building.The atmosphere is palpable. The faithful and the disloyal aren’t always so recognizable. But one thing is for sure, found family is certain.
For me, the use of multiple names for each character was at times, difficult to sort out having to pause, reread the line, and figure out who was who.
My only warning for you is to check your trigger about major depressive disorder because damn, this is where it’s at. Beneath, digs deep into the dark and depressive, emotional demons of the FMC, Sasha. Stemming from trauma endured when her family was killed. I believe showing how her grief, self-blame, and not being able to trust is imperative to the story, but I also found it suffocating with the continual telling of her “brokenness” on repeat. However, she’s got some kick ass survival and sniper skills that her father, who was a Special Forces officer taught her.
* Special thanks to Ballentine via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Beneath by Ariel Sullivan.
#bookreview #arcreader #booklife #mustread #arielsullivan
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