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Rebirth #1
Beneath
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 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 and his elite team of soldiers as they 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.
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 and his elite team of soldiers as they 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.
453 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2026
2462 people are currently reading
54484 people want to read
About the author
Ariel Sullivan
3 books1,719 followersAriel Sullivan is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author who 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 2,448 reviews
March 24, 2026
4.5 rounded up…. Oofffffff loved this !!!! Thoughts to come
March 27, 2026
(4/5, dystopian romance)
Ariel Sullivan brings us another dystopian novel filled with high stakes, high stress, & a high amount of sexy guys!
This is the prequel to Conform, and it's book one of its own trilogy. If you've read Conform, this is about everyone who lived Beneath and how the world of Conform came to be.
This is a totally different cast of characters, and if you're looking for your post-apocalyptic world to be filled with found family and a babe named Tristian, look no further.
This book follows Sasha, whose life, just like everyone who lives beneath the ground in Haven, has been rocked by the devastation and war above. She's filled with rage and distrust, but despite her best efforts, she's a really good person at her core. When she gets drafted to join a tight knit group of warriors going above, it's the last thing she wants, but the thing she most needs.
Found family, training montages, if you love Nesta and all the sparring in Fourth Wing, I think you're going to really enjoy this.
In my Cake with Katie interview with Ariel Sullivan, I asked her for a drink pairing for the book, and she went above and beyond with a pairing for each member of Unit 7 ... Swipe for inspo when you host your own Beneath bookclub!
Ariel Sullivan brings us another dystopian novel filled with high stakes, high stress, & a high amount of sexy guys!
This is the prequel to Conform, and it's book one of its own trilogy. If you've read Conform, this is about everyone who lived Beneath and how the world of Conform came to be.
This is a totally different cast of characters, and if you're looking for your post-apocalyptic world to be filled with found family and a babe named Tristian, look no further.
This book follows Sasha, whose life, just like everyone who lives beneath the ground in Haven, has been rocked by the devastation and war above. She's filled with rage and distrust, but despite her best efforts, she's a really good person at her core. When she gets drafted to join a tight knit group of warriors going above, it's the last thing she wants, but the thing she most needs.
Found family, training montages, if you love Nesta and all the sparring in Fourth Wing, I think you're going to really enjoy this.
In my Cake with Katie interview with Ariel Sullivan, I asked her for a drink pairing for the book, and she went above and beyond with a pairing for each member of Unit 7 ... Swipe for inspo when you host your own Beneath bookclub!
March 31, 2026
5☆ 𝓑𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱 (ᴄᴏɴғᴏʀᴍ #𝟶)
🔫 🐦🔥 🩹 ☕️ 🪽🐍
➵ 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘨𝘰𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘰 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦? 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦? ➴
𝓑𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱 takes place some hundred of years before 𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓶
we follow a medic 𝘚𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢 in this as she navigates life in an underground city, Haven, after a nuclear war wipes the world out aka the “above” 6 years prior
this immediately gave me fallout vibes and i ate it right the hell up! the world Ariel Sullivan built was sooo good 👏🏻
this book had me very emotional. i was not expecting to be crying 20% into this book and get so attached to these character.
“𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎, 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝙸 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕. 𝚃𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝”
𝘚𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢 𖤍𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍𝖘 𝕬𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖑, i fucking love her 🖤 she is so strong. the character development she goes through in this book healed a part of me. quite literally one of my new fav fmcs. and those flashbacks ❤️🩹 ripped my heart out every time
𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯 everything about this man 🙂↕️🙂↕️ his love for his unit. how far he will go to protect them >>>
i love the build up between the two of them 💙 their lore is perfection.
𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵 𝟽 🥺🫶🏻 elite found family incoming!! i love how in depth we get with these characters. learning all of their backstories and seeing them all grow throughout this book absolutely yes. i love every single one of them, they each touched my soul!!
i really enjoyed plot. it had me hooooked 😋 the last 20% and that ending was so dang good! i am so excited for book 2 after all the reveals 🤭
that last line??!! TEAAAAA
“𝙇𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩, 𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍𝖘 𝕬𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖑”
🔫 🐦🔥 🩹 ☕️ 🪽🐍
➵ 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘨𝘰𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘰 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦? 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦? ➴
𝓑𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱 takes place some hundred of years before 𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓶
we follow a medic 𝘚𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢 in this as she navigates life in an underground city, Haven, after a nuclear war wipes the world out aka the “above” 6 years prior
this immediately gave me fallout vibes and i ate it right the hell up! the world Ariel Sullivan built was sooo good 👏🏻
this book had me very emotional. i was not expecting to be crying 20% into this book and get so attached to these character.
“𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎, 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝙸 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕. 𝚃𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝”
𝘚𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢 𖤍𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍𝖘 𝕬𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖑, i fucking love her 🖤 she is so strong. the character development she goes through in this book healed a part of me. quite literally one of my new fav fmcs. and those flashbacks ❤️🩹 ripped my heart out every time
𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯 everything about this man 🙂↕️🙂↕️ his love for his unit. how far he will go to protect them >>>
i love the build up between the two of them 💙 their lore is perfection.
𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵 𝟽 🥺🫶🏻 elite found family incoming!! i love how in depth we get with these characters. learning all of their backstories and seeing them all grow throughout this book absolutely yes. i love every single one of them, they each touched my soul!!
i really enjoyed plot. it had me hooooked 😋 the last 20% and that ending was so dang good! i am so excited for book 2 after all the reveals 🤭
that last line??!! TEAAAAA
“𝙇𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩, 𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍𝖘 𝕬𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖑”
March 8, 2026
5 STARS. ABSOLUTELY SPEECHLESS. Need more ✨immediately✨ this will be haunting my every thought
April 1, 2026
It’s the 20 different names & call signs that pushed me into picking up an axe & staying in Expansion…
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Release Day!!!
I am so impressed with the world that has been created in both this spinoff prequel series and the Conform series!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️.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! 😍
I am so impressed with the world that has been created in both this spinoff prequel series and the Conform series!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️.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! 😍
April 25, 2026
This is not at all what I was expecting with this book. I enjoyed it but I liked Conform so much more. Where were the main characters from that book? Am I losing it?! 😂🫣
February 11, 2026
3 stars! As someone who LOVED Conform, this prequel was so highly anticipated for me.
There is a great story in here but I found it to be lost underneath clunky world building and sometimes convoluted writing. There are a lot of side characters that were hard to keep track of and also a LOT of dialogue in this book. And while I enjoyed the found family and camaraderie this brought, I believe it ultimately took away from world building, individual character development, and plot clarity.
This has the potential to be a great prequel series if refined and focused some more. I need more lore, a deeper understanding of the society, and definitely more character depth.
I will be continuing the Conform series but unsure if I’ll be continuing the prequel trilogy at this time.
There is a great story in here but I found it to be lost underneath clunky world building and sometimes convoluted writing. There are a lot of side characters that were hard to keep track of and also a LOT of dialogue in this book. And while I enjoyed the found family and camaraderie this brought, I believe it ultimately took away from world building, individual character development, and plot clarity.
This has the potential to be a great prequel series if refined and focused some more. I need more lore, a deeper understanding of the society, and definitely more character depth.
I will be continuing the Conform series but unsure if I’ll be continuing the prequel trilogy at this time.
March 29, 2026
This is easily my favorite Dystopian novel I’ve ever read. From the characters, to the post-apocalyptic world building and overall plot, I absolutely loved it and could not put it down.
Sasha may be one of my favorite FMC’s - definitely top 3. I don’t think I’ve ever related to a character more, and I cried several times as we learned about her family history and the burdens laid on her, both past and present. She’s definitely written for the eldest daughters of the world.
One of the strongest aspects of this book was the found family. They were all given enough backstory and character traits that made them unique and easy to care for, without taking away from the two main characters and overall momentum of the plot. Additionally, the romance was beautifully done. Sasha and Tristian have a naturally chemistry and their connection felt authentic.
The dystopian world felt fresh, and the health-score system was especially interesting and really raised the stakes. The concept of a nuclear apocalypse is not unique, but it was executed well.
Do you need to read Conform before reading this? No. I didn’t, and I strongly believe this book can stand on its own. Will I read Conform though? Absolutely.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Sasha may be one of my favorite FMC’s - definitely top 3. I don’t think I’ve ever related to a character more, and I cried several times as we learned about her family history and the burdens laid on her, both past and present. She’s definitely written for the eldest daughters of the world.
One of the strongest aspects of this book was the found family. They were all given enough backstory and character traits that made them unique and easy to care for, without taking away from the two main characters and overall momentum of the plot. Additionally, the romance was beautifully done. Sasha and Tristian have a naturally chemistry and their connection felt authentic.
The dystopian world felt fresh, and the health-score system was especially interesting and really raised the stakes. The concept of a nuclear apocalypse is not unique, but it was executed well.
Do you need to read Conform before reading this? No. I didn’t, and I strongly believe this book can stand on its own. Will I read Conform though? Absolutely.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
April 9, 2026
“Someone always has to sacrifice. The others aren’t like you. You are strong, Sasha. You cannot hesitate.”
I LOVED this! I picked it up and did not put it back down until I was done. Beneath is a prequel to Conform (around 200 years earlier). So it follows an entirely different set of characters and world-building. This story takes place after the war; the remaining civilization lives in underground tunnels and have different roles and sectors as a part of society. Sasha is trained to work in the Ward, as a medical care provider, but everything changes as she is reassigned as a medic for the Force (soldiers) and must help them with their latest mission…
This book reminds me a lot of Hunger Games Mockingjay and, despite being dystopian and not fantasy, it has a very strong Fourth Wing vibe to it as well. Truthfully, I felt pretty neutral starting this because I wasn’t blown away by Conform, but boy was I in for a treat with this one. Manage your expectations, because this book has an entirely different feel than Conform. I loved everything about this. It’s dark & gritty. I loved the female main character, Sasha. What a lovely, stubborn, complex character. Her flashbacks ripped my heart out and really helped me build a connection to her and feel her grief. If you have an avoidant personality in any way, you will deeply understand her. The pain, the rage, the fear, the grief. The fight. The joy. I was rooting for her so deeply. Same goes for most of the characters really! I was extremely invested in them. Tristian…. Incredible. The entire Unit Seven is a friend group you want to be a part of. The slow burn and tension in here works perfectly. There’s moments of pain, moments of joy, and high stakes the entire time. I simply cannot wait to see what happens next.
Read this if you like:
🖤 found family
🪽black cat / golden retriever, specifically if you like Nesta & Cassian
⛓️ military dystopian, teams training for missions
I’m a personal fan of reading books in publishing order, but you could read this before Conform and it would make perfect sense. The entire series will be made up of three trilogies released out of chronological order and to my understanding Beneath is the first book in a different trilogy (the prequel trilogy) but the world is all interconnected.
Thank you to Netgalley, Ariel Sullivan, and Ballantine Books for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
“As long as there’s life-
We defend it with our own.
We go out as one-
We come back as one.”
Content warnings: grief, sexual content, death, violence, injury/injury detail, medical content, death of a parent, sexual harassment, panic attacks, depression/self loathing, vomit, war
I LOVED this! I picked it up and did not put it back down until I was done. Beneath is a prequel to Conform (around 200 years earlier). So it follows an entirely different set of characters and world-building. This story takes place after the war; the remaining civilization lives in underground tunnels and have different roles and sectors as a part of society. Sasha is trained to work in the Ward, as a medical care provider, but everything changes as she is reassigned as a medic for the Force (soldiers) and must help them with their latest mission…
This book reminds me a lot of Hunger Games Mockingjay and, despite being dystopian and not fantasy, it has a very strong Fourth Wing vibe to it as well. Truthfully, I felt pretty neutral starting this because I wasn’t blown away by Conform, but boy was I in for a treat with this one. Manage your expectations, because this book has an entirely different feel than Conform. I loved everything about this. It’s dark & gritty. I loved the female main character, Sasha. What a lovely, stubborn, complex character. Her flashbacks ripped my heart out and really helped me build a connection to her and feel her grief. If you have an avoidant personality in any way, you will deeply understand her. The pain, the rage, the fear, the grief. The fight. The joy. I was rooting for her so deeply. Same goes for most of the characters really! I was extremely invested in them. Tristian…. Incredible. The entire Unit Seven is a friend group you want to be a part of. The slow burn and tension in here works perfectly. There’s moments of pain, moments of joy, and high stakes the entire time. I simply cannot wait to see what happens next.
Read this if you like:
🖤 found family
🪽black cat / golden retriever, specifically if you like Nesta & Cassian
⛓️ military dystopian, teams training for missions
I’m a personal fan of reading books in publishing order, but you could read this before Conform and it would make perfect sense. The entire series will be made up of three trilogies released out of chronological order and to my understanding Beneath is the first book in a different trilogy (the prequel trilogy) but the world is all interconnected.
Thank you to Netgalley, Ariel Sullivan, and Ballantine Books for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
“As long as there’s life-
We defend it with our own.
We go out as one-
We come back as one.”
Content warnings: grief, sexual content, death, violence, injury/injury detail, medical content, death of a parent, sexual harassment, panic attacks, depression/self loathing, vomit, war
March 24, 2026
I am absolutely blown away by this book. I was 100% invested from page one. The pacing, character development and world building were all perfect. I genuinely did not want to put this book down!
This story was heartbreaking. I did not expect to already be crying at 19%—but I was. At the same time, there’s also so much more than just heartbreak. There is healing and love from an incredible found family that will make your heart swell.
&The slow burn between our MMC and FMC!! My heart was racing during every interaction between these two. The tension was so intense I wanted to scream.
This was everything I could want to read in a romance and more! I can’t wait to see what comes next!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Release Date: March 24, 2026
Tropes ✨:
Dystopian world
Forced proximity
Found family
Slow burn
Commander & Cadet
He falls first
Grief/trauma
🖤: “It’s never too late to burn it all down and rise.”
Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
This story was heartbreaking. I did not expect to already be crying at 19%—but I was. At the same time, there’s also so much more than just heartbreak. There is healing and love from an incredible found family that will make your heart swell.
&The slow burn between our MMC and FMC!! My heart was racing during every interaction between these two. The tension was so intense I wanted to scream.
This was everything I could want to read in a romance and more! I can’t wait to see what comes next!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Release Date: March 24, 2026
Tropes ✨:
Dystopian world
Forced proximity
Found family
Slow burn
Commander & Cadet
He falls first
Grief/trauma
🖤: “It’s never too late to burn it all down and rise.”
Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
March 28, 2026
I had SUCH high hopes for this book after loving Conform, but was incredibly disappointed. I have no idea why this has so many positive reviews. The main character was awful and unlikable and the writing was clunky and cringey. Too many extra characters that were hard to keep track of and a lot of forced dialogue that I didn’t buy. Definitely my biggest let down of the year so far.
April 5, 2026
I absolutely loved this book. Beneath completely pulled me in with its dark, emotional atmosphere and kept me hooked the whole way through.
Sasha felt so real and raw, and watching her grow was one of my favourite parts. The slow-burn romance was done beautifully—natural, emotional, and not rushed at all.
Such a powerful, gripping read—I didn’t want it to end.
Sasha felt so real and raw, and watching her grow was one of my favourite parts. The slow-burn romance was done beautifully—natural, emotional, and not rushed at all.
Such a powerful, gripping read—I didn’t want it to end.
December 27, 2025
I was so very excited to have been approved for this ARC right after I finished Conform. I had so much fun with Conform, it felt like it hit that perfect blend of nostalgia and breath-of-fresh-air. Sadly, Beneath just… really didn’t hit the mark for me.
The first 15% or so had me really interested and engaged. The last 15% was also super interesting and engaging. The entire middle? Complete useless filler. There’s barely anything that happens that actually has any effect on the story. All the story happens in that first and last 15%, the rest is just pointless drivel thrown in to pad out the book. Which I honestly found really upsetting, considering how much fun I had with Conform and how much I actually really enjoyed that first and last bit.
I think this likely just suffers from what a lot of books are suffering from at the moment, and that’s a lack of sufficient editing. The plot and pacing issues aside, this was also fairly poorly written compared to Conform. It was full of inconsistencies and errors and repetition, as well as typos and grammar issues galore. It truly felt like reading a rough draft, and I find that so frustrating.
In the middle, the main character gets so extraordinarily insufferable. She does nothing but whine and throw tantrums and treat everyone around her like actual garbage and refuses to communicate or act like an adult. Straight up, she (and others) act like they’re 14-16 the entire book and it’s completely unbelievable that they’re supposed to be late 20’s early 30’s.
There’s also so many problems I had with the actual writing that I didn’t find I had in Conform. For some reason, the author decided to give each character a minimum of 3 names they’re referred to, some with 5. Which could work if it was 1-2 characters, but nope. Every character and side character is randomly called by their first name, last name, call sign, and often nickname. And you’re often not given any context so you have to try and piece it together. Even when you do have context, it’s hard to remember 3-5 names for each character when there’s 10+ characters. That’s 30-50 names to remember. There was also a lot of silly stuff. Like bad science to fit the story. And the cringey over-use of the word “beast” which was written no less than 58 times. And some really, really strange sentence structures that threw me out of the story. Also tons of inconsistencies like incorrect character names during conversations, sentences that just stop in the middle, and info that doesn’t match the info we’ve been given - but not in a mystery way, in a “author forgot who did what and when” kinda way. Also a lot of generalised stuff that just doesn’t make any sense.
In the end, so much of this book had absolutely no bearing on the actual plot and it didn’t really achieve what it set out to achieve. It’s supposed to be a prequel to Conform, supposed to show us how the world ended up the way we see it there. But the only connection it has to the main series is a handful of pages at the very end. This really should’ve had the bulk of the middle removed (where literally nothing happens but Sasha sulking and being an ass), and the ending should’ve been the climax, with a comedown of what I imagine will be the start of book 2.
So yeah, interesting enough. But a lot of issues that made this a much less enjoyable read than Conform.
The first 15% or so had me really interested and engaged. The last 15% was also super interesting and engaging. The entire middle? Complete useless filler. There’s barely anything that happens that actually has any effect on the story. All the story happens in that first and last 15%, the rest is just pointless drivel thrown in to pad out the book. Which I honestly found really upsetting, considering how much fun I had with Conform and how much I actually really enjoyed that first and last bit.
I think this likely just suffers from what a lot of books are suffering from at the moment, and that’s a lack of sufficient editing. The plot and pacing issues aside, this was also fairly poorly written compared to Conform. It was full of inconsistencies and errors and repetition, as well as typos and grammar issues galore. It truly felt like reading a rough draft, and I find that so frustrating.
In the middle, the main character gets so extraordinarily insufferable. She does nothing but whine and throw tantrums and treat everyone around her like actual garbage and refuses to communicate or act like an adult. Straight up, she (and others) act like they’re 14-16 the entire book and it’s completely unbelievable that they’re supposed to be late 20’s early 30’s.
There’s also so many problems I had with the actual writing that I didn’t find I had in Conform. For some reason, the author decided to give each character a minimum of 3 names they’re referred to, some with 5. Which could work if it was 1-2 characters, but nope. Every character and side character is randomly called by their first name, last name, call sign, and often nickname. And you’re often not given any context so you have to try and piece it together. Even when you do have context, it’s hard to remember 3-5 names for each character when there’s 10+ characters. That’s 30-50 names to remember. There was also a lot of silly stuff. Like bad science to fit the story. And the cringey over-use of the word “beast” which was written no less than 58 times. And some really, really strange sentence structures that threw me out of the story. Also tons of inconsistencies like incorrect character names during conversations, sentences that just stop in the middle, and info that doesn’t match the info we’ve been given - but not in a mystery way, in a “author forgot who did what and when” kinda way. Also a lot of generalised stuff that just doesn’t make any sense.
In the end, so much of this book had absolutely no bearing on the actual plot and it didn’t really achieve what it set out to achieve. It’s supposed to be a prequel to Conform, supposed to show us how the world ended up the way we see it there. But the only connection it has to the main series is a handful of pages at the very end. This really should’ve had the bulk of the middle removed (where literally nothing happens but Sasha sulking and being an ass), and the ending should’ve been the climax, with a comedown of what I imagine will be the start of book 2.
So yeah, interesting enough. But a lot of issues that made this a much less enjoyable read than Conform.
April 15, 2026
4.5 stars. I LOVED this! I could rave for days about it. The atmosphere, world, plot, all of it was amazing. It sucked me in from the first page. The writing was so emotive, I felt everything the characters were going through on page (which drove me to tears more than once).
The characters were truly where this book shined for me. The found-family in this was impeccably done and for quite a large cast, and in a book written in single pov, each one felt fully fleshed-out, distinct, and lived-in. Their presence on page mattered.
Sasha, our traumatised, heart-broken, prickly girl had my heart from the beginning. Her pain felt so real and understandable, and though she's her own worst enemy at times, the growth she had in this book was so well-earned. I'm behind her the whole way.
Tristian. TRISTIAN. what an elite fictional man. A new top book boyfriend. The way he saw Sasha, gave her safe space, but also challenged her? Swoon. I ate up every second of the romance between the two of them. The wait for the next book feels impossible; I need it immediately! In the meantime i'll be screaming for everyone to pick this up and read it.
“What if I want to understand every horrible thing that happened to you and every horrible thing you had to do? What if I want to see the sides of you that you think you have to hide? I’m not scared of what you did or who you had to become to survive.”
Thank you so much Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the earc!
The characters were truly where this book shined for me. The found-family in this was impeccably done and for quite a large cast, and in a book written in single pov, each one felt fully fleshed-out, distinct, and lived-in. Their presence on page mattered.
Sasha, our traumatised, heart-broken, prickly girl had my heart from the beginning. Her pain felt so real and understandable, and though she's her own worst enemy at times, the growth she had in this book was so well-earned. I'm behind her the whole way.
Tristian. TRISTIAN. what an elite fictional man. A new top book boyfriend. The way he saw Sasha, gave her safe space, but also challenged her? Swoon. I ate up every second of the romance between the two of them. The wait for the next book feels impossible; I need it immediately! In the meantime i'll be screaming for everyone to pick this up and read it.
“What if I want to understand every horrible thing that happened to you and every horrible thing you had to do? What if I want to see the sides of you that you think you have to hide? I’m not scared of what you did or who you had to become to survive.”
Thank you so much Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the earc!
April 18, 2026
Wow, what an amazing book. I cannot wait for the next novel. This post apocalyptic novel occurs several hundred years before "Conform." These are to be 2 intertwined trilogies and I cannot wait to see how they will be connected. I want to see Unit Seven rise again.
March 31, 2026
i wish the characters weren’t so annoying so i could’ve at least somewhat enjoyed the 15 hours of audiobook but i guess we can’t have everything in life
April 16, 2026
GUYS…I have officially found my favorite book of the year (so far). DYSTOPIAN ROMANCE IS SO BACK!! I read an early copy of Beneath a month ago and genuinely have not stopped thinking about it since. I was a big fan of Conform when it released last year but Beneath exceeded EVERY expectation!! Thank you so much to @thousandvoicesmedia @ballantinebooks for the free early copy 🤍 Beneath is going to be THE dystopian romance of the year and I’m begging everyone to run to get a copy when it releases on March 24th!!
Beneath is a prequel to Conform, set in the same world, but before the characters and time of Conform. It kicks off a prequel trilogy that explains what happened thousands of years before the Illum took over in Conform, when the humans risked everything to try and rebuild after a devastating war. Sasha lives in the underground city, working as a medic when Tristian, the commander of the Force recruits her to his Unit. Suddenly, Sasha’s life is flipped upside down as she is thrown into training and missions that could be humankinds last chance for survival.
Everything about this book I’m OBSESSED with. The worldbuilding is lush, working through the history of this world and explaining what happened with the war and the human politics. My favorite part is Sasha’s character!! Sasha is a woman suffering from intense grief and trauma. She greatly struggles with her mental health, feeling worthless and all alone in the world. I could relate so much to Sasha’s character and the way Ariel wrote her made me feel so seen.
AND THE ROMANCE!?! Tristian and Sasha are EVERYTHING!! Literally my favorite scenes were them aboveground on missions, cuddling together 🥺 The tension, the angst, the pull between them, I could not stop reading!! I am so scared and so excited for the next book 😭😭 THE ENDING DEVASTATED ME (why Ariel)!!!
I already am so excited to reread this book (gonna listen to the audio) and can’t wait to see everyone reading it and their reactions!! 🤍
Beneath is a prequel to Conform, set in the same world, but before the characters and time of Conform. It kicks off a prequel trilogy that explains what happened thousands of years before the Illum took over in Conform, when the humans risked everything to try and rebuild after a devastating war. Sasha lives in the underground city, working as a medic when Tristian, the commander of the Force recruits her to his Unit. Suddenly, Sasha’s life is flipped upside down as she is thrown into training and missions that could be humankinds last chance for survival.
Everything about this book I’m OBSESSED with. The worldbuilding is lush, working through the history of this world and explaining what happened with the war and the human politics. My favorite part is Sasha’s character!! Sasha is a woman suffering from intense grief and trauma. She greatly struggles with her mental health, feeling worthless and all alone in the world. I could relate so much to Sasha’s character and the way Ariel wrote her made me feel so seen.
AND THE ROMANCE!?! Tristian and Sasha are EVERYTHING!! Literally my favorite scenes were them aboveground on missions, cuddling together 🥺 The tension, the angst, the pull between them, I could not stop reading!! I am so scared and so excited for the next book 😭😭 THE ENDING DEVASTATED ME (why Ariel)!!!
I already am so excited to reread this book (gonna listen to the audio) and can’t wait to see everyone reading it and their reactions!! 🤍
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!
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!
April 12, 2026
4⭐️ I read Conform,the first in this series, and really liked it. This book, Beneath is a prequel with an entirely different group of characters and a different setting. While I was hoping for a continuation of the storyline in Conform, Beneath was a different world and drew me in from the beginning pages!
There has been a world ending war and a look large group has taken shelter in underground, tunnels, and rooms, and made a life there. Sasha Caddel lost her family in the war and aftermath and has spent time as a medic in her new home, they call Haven. Jobs are divided by skill into the kitchen, environmental, medical, and a group led by Tristian Hayes that is tasked with suiting up and going on above ground expeditions to hunt for supplies desperately needed by Haven. I did find Sasha a bit irritating at times, but understand her motives.
There is grief, loss, intrigue, betrayal, a shady leader, and of course, love. Quite a bit of spice between Sasha and Tristian.
A lot of the novel is spent on world building. I’m hoping that the next book will pick up where this one left off. It did end on quite a cliffhanger, but so did Conform. Can’t wait for book 3!
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC in exchange for my
There has been a world ending war and a look large group has taken shelter in underground, tunnels, and rooms, and made a life there. Sasha Caddel lost her family in the war and aftermath and has spent time as a medic in her new home, they call Haven. Jobs are divided by skill into the kitchen, environmental, medical, and a group led by Tristian Hayes that is tasked with suiting up and going on above ground expeditions to hunt for supplies desperately needed by Haven. I did find Sasha a bit irritating at times, but understand her motives.
There is grief, loss, intrigue, betrayal, a shady leader, and of course, love. Quite a bit of spice between Sasha and Tristian.
A lot of the novel is spent on world building. I’m hoping that the next book will pick up where this one left off. It did end on quite a cliffhanger, but so did Conform. Can’t wait for book 3!
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC in exchange for my
March 20, 2026
4.5⭐️ Prequel to Conform
Military meets underground dystopian? Sign me up. This was so addicting in every way.
A humanity living underground in caves as the earth above is inhabitable from the radiation. The beneath is split into sectors (similar to divergent) the military, kitchens etc. FMC Sasha, has a wicked past, her walls are up and doesn’t rely on anyone. She is a nurse and nicknamed ‘Deaths Angel’.
Until one day, she’s forced to join the military and become apart of Unit 7. The military beneath has its missions and one of them is to ascend to the above - she is part of that mission. If you like training, fighting and gunfire then you’ll love this, it’s so heavy on the action and plot, I devoured it.
The angst and passion was there with the MMC, and it was STEAMY. However there’s more than this, the underlying journey of Sasha’s self discovery. What happened to her story to make her so cold to then transforming to this unit. The character development was an amazing journey to read.
“I am telling you to fight them. You’re here. Fucking fight like that means something.”
“I couldn’t breathe. There were dents all along the steel doors, the only memory of those who had been too late - a battered tombstone.”
“You’re fucking beautiful when you come undone,”
Things I loved
Dystopian world
Forced proximity
Grief/ trauma
He falls first
Commander / Cadet
Slow burn
Spice 🌶️🌶️.5
Military meets underground dystopian? Sign me up. This was so addicting in every way.
A humanity living underground in caves as the earth above is inhabitable from the radiation. The beneath is split into sectors (similar to divergent) the military, kitchens etc. FMC Sasha, has a wicked past, her walls are up and doesn’t rely on anyone. She is a nurse and nicknamed ‘Deaths Angel’.
Until one day, she’s forced to join the military and become apart of Unit 7. The military beneath has its missions and one of them is to ascend to the above - she is part of that mission. If you like training, fighting and gunfire then you’ll love this, it’s so heavy on the action and plot, I devoured it.
The angst and passion was there with the MMC, and it was STEAMY. However there’s more than this, the underlying journey of Sasha’s self discovery. What happened to her story to make her so cold to then transforming to this unit. The character development was an amazing journey to read.
“I am telling you to fight them. You’re here. Fucking fight like that means something.”
“I couldn’t breathe. There were dents all along the steel doors, the only memory of those who had been too late - a battered tombstone.”
“You’re fucking beautiful when you come undone,”
Things I loved
Dystopian world
Forced proximity
Grief/ trauma
He falls first
Commander / Cadet
Slow burn
Spice 🌶️🌶️.5
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.
March 10, 2026
⋆˙⟡ ── ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ 4⭐️
ⓘ 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.
Just when I thought I had it all figured out..there was another twist. This was such an incredible prequel and background to Conform! It was nothing like I expected. We meet a host of new characters, storyline, and get a bit of history as to how things are they way they are set up in Conform. Even though I liked Conform, I actually enjoyed this book more! Our FMC Sasha’s is so fragile, but she’s far from weak. She’s thrust into this journey of figuring out her purpose with the cards she’s dealt, and seeing it all unfold was fun, sometimes frustrating, and even a little sad. I can’t wait for everyone to read this!
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 •𖥔 ݁
✧ Found family
✧ ACTION!
✧ High risk, high reward
✧ Grieve, trauma, and loss
✧ Survival
✧ 🌶️🌶️
ⓘ 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.
Just when I thought I had it all figured out..there was another twist. This was such an incredible prequel and background to Conform! It was nothing like I expected. We meet a host of new characters, storyline, and get a bit of history as to how things are they way they are set up in Conform. Even though I liked Conform, I actually enjoyed this book more! Our FMC Sasha’s is so fragile, but she’s far from weak. She’s thrust into this journey of figuring out her purpose with the cards she’s dealt, and seeing it all unfold was fun, sometimes frustrating, and even a little sad. I can’t wait for everyone to read this!
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 •𖥔 ݁
✧ Found family
✧ ACTION!
✧ High risk, high reward
✧ Grieve, trauma, and loss
✧ Survival
✧ 🌶️🌶️
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.
April 19, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- I really enjoyed BENEFIT! The character development was done so well. The writing allow you to truly see the growth and depth of each person, which made the story feel real and engaging.
The found family element was one of my favorite parts. It added so much warmth and connection, and it balanced beautifully with the love story, which felt genuine and meaningful without being overdone.
And the plot twists!!!!!! 😳 I did not see some of them coming, which made it even more enjoyable. They kept the story interesting and pulled everything together in a way that felt satisfying.
Overall, such a great read. Definitely one I’d recommend.
The found family element was one of my favorite parts. It added so much warmth and connection, and it balanced beautifully with the love story, which felt genuine and meaningful without being overdone.
And the plot twists!!!!!! 😳 I did not see some of them coming, which made it even more enjoyable. They kept the story interesting and pulled everything together in a way that felt satisfying.
Overall, such a great read. Definitely one I’d recommend.
March 20, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
I read Conform a few months ago and really enjoyed it, but was a little hesitant to read a prequel instead of the next book in the series, if i’m honest. While it took me a few chapters to get into, consider me so wrong. By the end, I was in a book hangover and I can say that I loved Beneath even more than Conform!
The found family trope is hit or miss for me, and wow did it HIT here. These characters became so near and dear to my heart that I truly fear the next books because if anything happens to my babies I will never forgive Ariel. 😤 (Kidding, kinda) The slow burn is sloooow, but mostly because of the FMC’s depression, self doubt, and other mental health struggles. It’s so realistically executed and I’m v glad the author didn’t have Sasha “get better” once she gets attention from a man she cares for. She instead leans into the discomfort depression causes everyone in its vicinity, readers included, and the result was a situation and relationship that felt REAL and forged through the fire. Once Sasha gives in, though, that slow burn was burninnnn.
And I mean, Tristian. 🥵 I don’t know what I could say that would do that man justice but goodness 🔥🔥🔥
The plot was everything I wanted and more. I felt like I never knew where the story was going and there were parts at the end that SHOCKED me. I’m very upset I have to wait so long to find out what happens because this book really feels like it only skims the surface (no pun intended) of what is coming and I NEED answers.
𝘿𝙤 𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩?
Nope!! Very little of this story pertains to Conform at all, but I will say that there is a part in Beneath that hits harder and feels so satisfying if you’ve read Conform first. But mostly the stories feel separate even though they take place in the same world.
My only hang up is I think the writing felt rushed and I struggled with parts sounding juvenile. This would probably not have been the case if I listened to it, so take that as you will.
Ugh, my heart. Cannot wait for the next book.oooo
I read Conform a few months ago and really enjoyed it, but was a little hesitant to read a prequel instead of the next book in the series, if i’m honest. While it took me a few chapters to get into, consider me so wrong. By the end, I was in a book hangover and I can say that I loved Beneath even more than Conform!
The found family trope is hit or miss for me, and wow did it HIT here. These characters became so near and dear to my heart that I truly fear the next books because if anything happens to my babies I will never forgive Ariel. 😤 (Kidding, kinda) The slow burn is sloooow, but mostly because of the FMC’s depression, self doubt, and other mental health struggles. It’s so realistically executed and I’m v glad the author didn’t have Sasha “get better” once she gets attention from a man she cares for. She instead leans into the discomfort depression causes everyone in its vicinity, readers included, and the result was a situation and relationship that felt REAL and forged through the fire. Once Sasha gives in, though, that slow burn was burninnnn.
And I mean, Tristian. 🥵 I don’t know what I could say that would do that man justice but goodness 🔥🔥🔥
The plot was everything I wanted and more. I felt like I never knew where the story was going and there were parts at the end that SHOCKED me. I’m very upset I have to wait so long to find out what happens because this book really feels like it only skims the surface (no pun intended) of what is coming and I NEED answers.
𝘿𝙤 𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩?
Nope!! Very little of this story pertains to Conform at all, but I will say that there is a part in Beneath that hits harder and feels so satisfying if you’ve read Conform first. But mostly the stories feel separate even though they take place in the same world.
My only hang up is I think the writing felt rushed and I struggled with parts sounding juvenile. This would probably not have been the case if I listened to it, so take that as you will.
Ugh, my heart. Cannot wait for the next book.oooo
March 27, 2026
I’m sitting somewhere in the middle with this one, landing at about 3.75 stars.
Overall, it was good, but I kept waiting for more to happen. The story felt like it was building toward something bigger, and I honestly thought it would connect us more directly to book one. Instead, it ends on a cliffhanger, which makes me think there’s more context in a prequel series (??)
I also struggled at times with the names…..between first names, last names, and call signs, it got confusing, especially since the usage didn’t always feel consistent. Because of that, there were moments where I had to pause and figure out who was who. The plot itself had some interesting elements, but it occasionally felt hard to follow, and I found myself wishing for more clarity and more depth in certain moments. There’s definitely potential here, and I didn’t dislike it, I just wanted it to go further.
This wasn’t necessarily bad by any means, but I went in expecting more, and it didn’t quite hit that level. Hoping there’s a lot more to come with this prequel stuff.
Overall, it was good, but I kept waiting for more to happen. The story felt like it was building toward something bigger, and I honestly thought it would connect us more directly to book one. Instead, it ends on a cliffhanger, which makes me think there’s more context in a prequel series (??)
I also struggled at times with the names…..between first names, last names, and call signs, it got confusing, especially since the usage didn’t always feel consistent. Because of that, there were moments where I had to pause and figure out who was who. The plot itself had some interesting elements, but it occasionally felt hard to follow, and I found myself wishing for more clarity and more depth in certain moments. There’s definitely potential here, and I didn’t dislike it, I just wanted it to go further.
This wasn’t necessarily bad by any means, but I went in expecting more, and it didn’t quite hit that level. Hoping there’s a lot more to come with this prequel stuff.
February 13, 2026
This was really good and simultaneously underwhelming. I think it’s because I’m OBSESSED with Conform and read it twice within 3 months.
So my understanding is that Beneath is a prequel to Conform. I went in with the expectation that this would build the world more for us and explain to us how we got to that breeding, dystopian world and I really didn’t see any of that here.
I also felt like the pacing was sort of slow and the FMC was slightly insufferable. I would’ve personally liked for her development to move along a little more. I did enjoy the MMC although he was moderately basic. There were a lot of aspects of his personality I appreciated, but nothing OUTSTANDING.
And just a random thing, there are A LOT of names/characters and on top of meeting like 8 characters at once, they all have nicknames (call signs for missions) so you’re trying to keep like 20 names and their very complicated relationships straight it took away from the story a little bit for me.
Overall, as a prequel I felt underwhelmed but if it were a standalone it would’ve been 3.5-4 stars easily!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
So my understanding is that Beneath is a prequel to Conform. I went in with the expectation that this would build the world more for us and explain to us how we got to that breeding, dystopian world and I really didn’t see any of that here.
I also felt like the pacing was sort of slow and the FMC was slightly insufferable. I would’ve personally liked for her development to move along a little more. I did enjoy the MMC although he was moderately basic. There were a lot of aspects of his personality I appreciated, but nothing OUTSTANDING.
And just a random thing, there are A LOT of names/characters and on top of meeting like 8 characters at once, they all have nicknames (call signs for missions) so you’re trying to keep like 20 names and their very complicated relationships straight it took away from the story a little bit for me.
Overall, as a prequel I felt underwhelmed but if it were a standalone it would’ve been 3.5-4 stars easily!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC 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!
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