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Beneath #1
Beneath
An overnight fishing trip on the Atlantic Ocean…
It was Stella Gullaksen’s final break before starting her freshman year at college. Joining her best friend, Jill, and Jill's family aboard the STARKISSED, Stella wakes to a violent storm that capsizes the boat over a hundred miles off the New Jersey shore.
As the waves haul her under Stella knows that she is going to die. Instead, an unusual current drags her deep into the underwater canyons of the Atlantic Ocean. Powerless against the raging waters, she is suddenly sucked into a ventilated cave. One by one, Jill and her family also emerge in the sunken cavern.
With only a faulty diving flashlight to keep oblivion at bay Stella and her best friend's brother, Colin, search the cave in hope of finding a way back to the surface. What they discover, however, is that they are not alone. There are other survivors in this subterranean grotto–survivors spanning decades of maritime disasters.
Will this discovery prove salvation, or have they all been condemned to the same fate? A grim finale at the bottom of the sea?
On an alliance forged by friendship and attraction, Stella and Colin battle to escape the danger that lies beneath.
It was Stella Gullaksen’s final break before starting her freshman year at college. Joining her best friend, Jill, and Jill's family aboard the STARKISSED, Stella wakes to a violent storm that capsizes the boat over a hundred miles off the New Jersey shore.
As the waves haul her under Stella knows that she is going to die. Instead, an unusual current drags her deep into the underwater canyons of the Atlantic Ocean. Powerless against the raging waters, she is suddenly sucked into a ventilated cave. One by one, Jill and her family also emerge in the sunken cavern.
With only a faulty diving flashlight to keep oblivion at bay Stella and her best friend's brother, Colin, search the cave in hope of finding a way back to the surface. What they discover, however, is that they are not alone. There are other survivors in this subterranean grotto–survivors spanning decades of maritime disasters.
Will this discovery prove salvation, or have they all been condemned to the same fate? A grim finale at the bottom of the sea?
On an alliance forged by friendship and attraction, Stella and Colin battle to escape the danger that lies beneath.
353 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2018
471 people are currently reading
2075 people want to read
About the author
Maureen A. Miller
32 books1,276 followersUSA TODAY bestselling author Maureen A. Miller worked in the software industry for fifteen years. She crawled around plant floors in a hard hat and safety glasses, hooking up computers to behemoth manufacturing machines. The job required extensive travel. The best form of escapism during those lengthy airport layovers became writing.
Maureen’s first novel, Widow's TALE, earned her a Golden Heart nomination in Romantic Suspense. After that, she became hooked on the genre. As hooked as she was, childhood fantasies still danced around in her head––little voices calling for her to write the young adult science fiction BEYOND series. To her, it was still romantic suspense…just on another planet!
Maureen is a wife. A mother of a crazy Corgi. A lover of mozzarella. And she truly believes there is a portal to outer space somewhere in her house.
Maureen’s first novel, Widow's TALE, earned her a Golden Heart nomination in Romantic Suspense. After that, she became hooked on the genre. As hooked as she was, childhood fantasies still danced around in her head––little voices calling for her to write the young adult science fiction BEYOND series. To her, it was still romantic suspense…just on another planet!
Maureen is a wife. A mother of a crazy Corgi. A lover of mozzarella. And she truly believes there is a portal to outer space somewhere in her house.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
November 19, 2018
This YA story revolves around Stella, a young girl who goes on a fishing trip with her friend's family. During a violent storm, the boat capsizes and they are all dragged down into the depth. Surprisingly, they find themselves caught up in a water funnel which deposits them into a huge air-bubble cavern deep beneath the ocean. The novel follows the struggles they face to survive and hopefully escape. However, they are not alone, and soon discover they have more to deal with than just survival.
I liked the characters in this novel. The plot moved along at a good pace. Romance is not one of my favourite genres, but there is some in this book and it is done well. (Suitable for those who prefer a "clean" read. I hadn't read any of this author's work before. As this book was enjoyable, I will certainly look out for other books by her.
The narrator did an excellent job of the character voices and story. I found her to be believable in the various roles. I also thought the production was well done. A definite recommend.
I was supplied with a copy of this audiobook by the author for an honest review.
I liked the characters in this novel. The plot moved along at a good pace. Romance is not one of my favourite genres, but there is some in this book and it is done well. (Suitable for those who prefer a "clean" read. I hadn't read any of this author's work before. As this book was enjoyable, I will certainly look out for other books by her.
The narrator did an excellent job of the character voices and story. I found her to be believable in the various roles. I also thought the production was well done. A definite recommend.
I was supplied with a copy of this audiobook by the author for an honest review.
September 29, 2020
The setting kind of reminded me of the mountains and caves that the survivors of the book “The Host” lived in. Scavenging for food. A little oasis. I thought there would be more adventure and problems (maybe that’s what happens in the next book) and I also didn’t know there would be a next book. I hate that.
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March 26, 2018
Thank you to Barclay Publicity for giving me an advanced copy to review. My opinions are my own.
This book was interesting, I'll give it that. I don't read much Fantasy as it is, so for me, I've never read anything like this about a girl who goes on a sailing trip with her best friend's family and they get into an accident that capsizes the boat. And not only that, but every one of them, all five of them, get swept up in some kind of . . . not a whirlpool, but I fail to find the correct word. A channel, maybe? Anyway, they get caught up in it and end up being dragged down to approximately 2,000 feet below the Atlantic Ocean, washing up in some grotto that you soon find out is "affectionately" named the "Underworld" with a river called Styx.
It's not really the Underworld, by the way. They just didn't know what else to call it, and really, the name fits. The only thing it was missing was Hades and Persephone and Cerberus, the three-headed dog. But that's not that kind of a story. This story is more or less an introduction, because this is the first book in a series and the ending is more or less a cliffhanger.
I will admit that this book did take me awhile to really get into, because the setup is kind of slow to start, but at the same time, I get it. I did mention that this is essentially an introduction, so the focus is more on the world-building and the characters and the plot. There is a romance between Stella (the main character) and her best friend's older brother, Colin. I wasn't too impressed with their relationship, however, because I didn't feel the chemistry between them (and Stella, not gonna lie, pissed me off with her constant second-guessing of his feelings. I get being insecure in the face of new love, but damn); their relationship, as slow-burn as it is, fell flat for me. I'm hoping it'll be more fleshed out in the sequel.
There's a deviance from Stella's point-of-view twice, to peek in at Jill (the BFF) and her budding relationship with a boy who's been in the "Underworld" for, I think it was 20 years? I can't remember, but he was 13 when fell off a boat and sank, so maybe it was more like five years beneath (see what I did there?). Stella and Jill are college freshman, Colin's a college sophomore. Anyway, I didn't really see the point of focusing at Jill at any point in the story, even if one of her chapters was warranted. She, herself, doesn't really add anything, in my opinion, and I couldn't understand why she and Stella were even friends.
Back to the story as a whole, though. When you're down in this underwater world for an extended period of time, you start to adapt, and if you adapt badly, then you become a kind of beast because of carbon dioxide poisoning. Colin and Stella snoop around this new world every night when everyone's asleep, and each night they discover something different to ask Etienne and Frederic about. Etienne likes to keep things close to the chest, but Frederic is more forthcoming with his answers. Etienne also has a short fuse, and multiple times I got the feeling that he's seconds away from "changing" because of the flashes that Stella saw in his eyes, but I guess somehow he's able to suppress it, so that'll be an interesting angle if that is, in fact, the case.
The cast of characters is small, and I'm still not sure about their part in this story, but I am definitely still interested in seeing where this story goes because with an ending like that, it left me feeling like this:
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
This book was interesting, I'll give it that. I don't read much Fantasy as it is, so for me, I've never read anything like this about a girl who goes on a sailing trip with her best friend's family and they get into an accident that capsizes the boat. And not only that, but every one of them, all five of them, get swept up in some kind of . . . not a whirlpool, but I fail to find the correct word. A channel, maybe? Anyway, they get caught up in it and end up being dragged down to approximately 2,000 feet below the Atlantic Ocean, washing up in some grotto that you soon find out is "affectionately" named the "Underworld" with a river called Styx.
It's not really the Underworld, by the way. They just didn't know what else to call it, and really, the name fits. The only thing it was missing was Hades and Persephone and Cerberus, the three-headed dog. But that's not that kind of a story. This story is more or less an introduction, because this is the first book in a series and the ending is more or less a cliffhanger.
I will admit that this book did take me awhile to really get into, because the setup is kind of slow to start, but at the same time, I get it. I did mention that this is essentially an introduction, so the focus is more on the world-building and the characters and the plot. There is a romance between Stella (the main character) and her best friend's older brother, Colin. I wasn't too impressed with their relationship, however, because I didn't feel the chemistry between them (and Stella, not gonna lie, pissed me off with her constant second-guessing of his feelings. I get being insecure in the face of new love, but damn); their relationship, as slow-burn as it is, fell flat for me. I'm hoping it'll be more fleshed out in the sequel.
There's a deviance from Stella's point-of-view twice, to peek in at Jill (the BFF) and her budding relationship with a boy who's been in the "Underworld" for, I think it was 20 years? I can't remember, but he was 13 when fell off a boat and sank, so maybe it was more like five years beneath (see what I did there?). Stella and Jill are college freshman, Colin's a college sophomore. Anyway, I didn't really see the point of focusing at Jill at any point in the story, even if one of her chapters was warranted. She, herself, doesn't really add anything, in my opinion, and I couldn't understand why she and Stella were even friends.
Back to the story as a whole, though. When you're down in this underwater world for an extended period of time, you start to adapt, and if you adapt badly, then you become a kind of beast because of carbon dioxide poisoning. Colin and Stella snoop around this new world every night when everyone's asleep, and each night they discover something different to ask Etienne and Frederic about. Etienne likes to keep things close to the chest, but Frederic is more forthcoming with his answers. Etienne also has a short fuse, and multiple times I got the feeling that he's seconds away from "changing" because of the flashes that Stella saw in his eyes, but I guess somehow he's able to suppress it, so that'll be an interesting angle if that is, in fact, the case.
The cast of characters is small, and I'm still not sure about their part in this story, but I am definitely still interested in seeing where this story goes because with an ending like that, it left me feeling like this:
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
July 21, 2022
So I waited a few days to write this review because I really couldn’t decide how I felt about this book. Overall I liked it, but it felt unfinished. The ending felt rushed, but maybe that is so as a reader we would feel compelled to read the second book.
This is a random thought, but one of the characters reminded me of the mayor on “The Good Witch” lol. I honestly could not stop picturing Mayor Martha Tinsdale and her husband when I was reading about Margie and Jordan.
This is a random thought, but one of the characters reminded me of the mayor on “The Good Witch” lol. I honestly could not stop picturing Mayor Martha Tinsdale and her husband when I was reading about Margie and Jordan.
October 5, 2018
Audio Book Review: Audio, 3 STARS; Story, 4 STARS. BENEATH by Maureen Miller immediately caught my attention because of the fabulous cover. (Yeah, I’m like that.) Then I read the premise, and there was no way I was going to pass on reading this one with my ears. The book opens with a boat on the sea being battered in the midst of a vicious storm. Within minutes, the boat and all its passengers are sinking. Readers are put into the mind of main character Stella as she descends to what she thinks is her watery grave. Instead of drowning, she surfaces…beneath the ocean.
What makes BENEATH engaging is author Maureen Miller’s wonderfully descriptive passages of this world and its inhabitants. The world building is slow, and the mystique around everything is fascinating. At times, it feels like those old TV shows about the Bermuda Triangle where viewers are given information that points to both scientific and other-worldly (aliens!) explanations. (YOU be the judge.) Miller’s story leans more to scientific but it stays blurry enough to not be conclusive – which is intriguing.
A large cast of characters allows for several sub-plots to be happening, primarily between the five young (or seemingly young) adults in the story. Again, that mystique surrounds the inhabitants of Jackson Canyon (the name for the underworld village) and everyone seems just a little off – like what you see, which is odd enough, isn’t quite what you get. And there are seeeeeeecrets. The story is told primarily from Stella’s point of view, but there are a few awkward chapters that switch and are told from her friend Jill’s perspective. While that story line is high interest, the switches on audio are a bit jarring because it’s not immediately obvious who’s speaking – perhaps the print version indicates it? I would have preferred either a better balance of the two narrators or it to have stuck with just Stella. (Jill isn’t very likable.)
Normally, I am tolerant of teen-love, insta-love, and all the permutations, but in BENEATH, I have a hard time believing Stella’s thinking early in the story. I mean, she and all her friend’s family nearly drowned to death, her friend’s mom is in a coma, they are in all kinds of danger, but she’s lusting after Colin? Perhaps I am so far removed from my teenage-years that I can’t relate any more, but it doesn’t ring true for Stella’s intelligence or character. In any case, after some time, her thoughts and actions seem more natural, and the unfolding of the teen-love from there is perfect.
Readers will get immersed (see what I did there) in BENEATH and will love the somewhat neatly tied-up, but haunting, conclusion to the book. Be prepared for more than a few things that are never fully explained. I don’t mind because the result is that I have thought about this book a lot well after I finished it, and that community beneath the water feels real. I am not sure if this is the start of a series, but there certainly is potential for it. I would definitely pick up the next book.
ABOUT THE NARRATION. Narrator Brandy Skelly has the perfect voice for the protagonists in this story in this story and does a great job with pacing and nailing teen angst, surliness, and enthusiasm. However, the overall audio production needs some polishing. Skelly mispronounced several words (piqued, tumult, supposedly), and there are chapters that are very breathy and several times I heard the narrator swallow. Additionally, there are some sporadic background sounds that should have been edited out. It’s a bit like reading the last draft that needs just one more pass of the proofreading pen. As usual, I increased the listening speed to 1.25x-1.5x because I am impatient.
Thank you to Audiobookworm Productions and the author for providing me a download of this book in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give. This full review and more special features on Hall Ways Blog
What makes BENEATH engaging is author Maureen Miller’s wonderfully descriptive passages of this world and its inhabitants. The world building is slow, and the mystique around everything is fascinating. At times, it feels like those old TV shows about the Bermuda Triangle where viewers are given information that points to both scientific and other-worldly (aliens!) explanations. (YOU be the judge.) Miller’s story leans more to scientific but it stays blurry enough to not be conclusive – which is intriguing.
A large cast of characters allows for several sub-plots to be happening, primarily between the five young (or seemingly young) adults in the story. Again, that mystique surrounds the inhabitants of Jackson Canyon (the name for the underworld village) and everyone seems just a little off – like what you see, which is odd enough, isn’t quite what you get. And there are seeeeeeecrets. The story is told primarily from Stella’s point of view, but there are a few awkward chapters that switch and are told from her friend Jill’s perspective. While that story line is high interest, the switches on audio are a bit jarring because it’s not immediately obvious who’s speaking – perhaps the print version indicates it? I would have preferred either a better balance of the two narrators or it to have stuck with just Stella. (Jill isn’t very likable.)
Normally, I am tolerant of teen-love, insta-love, and all the permutations, but in BENEATH, I have a hard time believing Stella’s thinking early in the story. I mean, she and all her friend’s family nearly drowned to death, her friend’s mom is in a coma, they are in all kinds of danger, but she’s lusting after Colin? Perhaps I am so far removed from my teenage-years that I can’t relate any more, but it doesn’t ring true for Stella’s intelligence or character. In any case, after some time, her thoughts and actions seem more natural, and the unfolding of the teen-love from there is perfect.
Readers will get immersed (see what I did there) in BENEATH and will love the somewhat neatly tied-up, but haunting, conclusion to the book. Be prepared for more than a few things that are never fully explained. I don’t mind because the result is that I have thought about this book a lot well after I finished it, and that community beneath the water feels real. I am not sure if this is the start of a series, but there certainly is potential for it. I would definitely pick up the next book.
ABOUT THE NARRATION. Narrator Brandy Skelly has the perfect voice for the protagonists in this story in this story and does a great job with pacing and nailing teen angst, surliness, and enthusiasm. However, the overall audio production needs some polishing. Skelly mispronounced several words (piqued, tumult, supposedly), and there are chapters that are very breathy and several times I heard the narrator swallow. Additionally, there are some sporadic background sounds that should have been edited out. It’s a bit like reading the last draft that needs just one more pass of the proofreading pen. As usual, I increased the listening speed to 1.25x-1.5x because I am impatient.
Thank you to Audiobookworm Productions and the author for providing me a download of this book in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give. This full review and more special features on Hall Ways Blog
May 24, 2018
Just sit right back, and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip.. Little humor there.. No this isn't Gilligan's Island. But it is a tale of of 5 people who set sail off the New Jersey shore for a family outing, get caught up in a storm which capsizes the boat and a strange powerful current drags them all down to a cave hundreds of miles beneath the Atlantic ocean.
They end up in what's called a submarine cavern and turns out they are not alone. Many people over decades have gotten caught in that same current all ending up in the same cavern.
The main protagonist of this book is 18 year old Stella Gullaksen. She and her best friend Jill Wexler were just about to start their first year of college when Stella joined Jill's family on a weekend fishing trip that would forever change their lives.
Stella, Jill, Colin (Jill's 20 yr old brother), and Don (Jill's dad) all survived the journey down into the cave. Jill's mother was without oxygen to long and slipped into a coma. The group already in shock, cannot believe it when they find other people living in the cavern in a subterranean world they have built under the sea.
Some of the people have been down there for over 40 years but yet haven't aged. Through out the book we find out there are others that have been down there longer and are no longer what you'd call human.
Stella's, who was going for a journalism major in college, curiosity makes her want to find out as much as she can from the other survivors. Some make her wary, one takes a liking to her best friend, and another brings up jealousy as Stella has always had a crush on Colin.
Some of the inhabitants have resign themselves to their fate of never escaping but Stella and Colin refuse to give up hope. This book does end on cliffy – its a hopeful cliffy if there is such a thing but there is still plenty more story that needs to be told.
They end up in what's called a submarine cavern and turns out they are not alone. Many people over decades have gotten caught in that same current all ending up in the same cavern.
The main protagonist of this book is 18 year old Stella Gullaksen. She and her best friend Jill Wexler were just about to start their first year of college when Stella joined Jill's family on a weekend fishing trip that would forever change their lives.
Stella, Jill, Colin (Jill's 20 yr old brother), and Don (Jill's dad) all survived the journey down into the cave. Jill's mother was without oxygen to long and slipped into a coma. The group already in shock, cannot believe it when they find other people living in the cavern in a subterranean world they have built under the sea.
Some of the people have been down there for over 40 years but yet haven't aged. Through out the book we find out there are others that have been down there longer and are no longer what you'd call human.
Stella's, who was going for a journalism major in college, curiosity makes her want to find out as much as she can from the other survivors. Some make her wary, one takes a liking to her best friend, and another brings up jealousy as Stella has always had a crush on Colin.
Some of the inhabitants have resign themselves to their fate of never escaping but Stella and Colin refuse to give up hope. This book does end on cliffy – its a hopeful cliffy if there is such a thing but there is still plenty more story that needs to be told.
October 9, 2018
The Story:
Beneath intrigued me from the get go, and it is a eerie story for sure. When Stella is out on a boat trip with her best friend Jill and her family it is just like every other time they go out to sea, only this time they get caught up in a storm and the boat capsizes. You think the worst by Stella wakes up in a underwater cavern thousands of feet under the sea. Are they dead? Have the entered some strange parallel universe through the storm? One things for sure she is not alone down there and when she see Jill and her brother Colin, they begin to explore only to find more "survivors". It is clear that something very strange is going on, and there is still so many things unanswered.
This story is a build up of more to come, and whilst it was slow in parts, I was drawn to the story and the mysterious others living under the sea. How will they get out, and is that even possible? I really cant wait to read more!
The Narrator:
Brandy Skelly did an excellent job of pulling me into the story, making the story flow and the change of characters flawless.
Overall:
This was a great story and the audio was perfect ( there was one chapter where you could hear background noise, but not enough to distract me from the story)
Beneath intrigued me from the get go, and it is a eerie story for sure. When Stella is out on a boat trip with her best friend Jill and her family it is just like every other time they go out to sea, only this time they get caught up in a storm and the boat capsizes. You think the worst by Stella wakes up in a underwater cavern thousands of feet under the sea. Are they dead? Have the entered some strange parallel universe through the storm? One things for sure she is not alone down there and when she see Jill and her brother Colin, they begin to explore only to find more "survivors". It is clear that something very strange is going on, and there is still so many things unanswered.
This story is a build up of more to come, and whilst it was slow in parts, I was drawn to the story and the mysterious others living under the sea. How will they get out, and is that even possible? I really cant wait to read more!
The Narrator:
Brandy Skelly did an excellent job of pulling me into the story, making the story flow and the change of characters flawless.
Overall:
This was a great story and the audio was perfect ( there was one chapter where you could hear background noise, but not enough to distract me from the story)
September 9, 2019
I REALLY liked this series and it's stuck with me for a long time. I was so engrossed in the story I didn't make any notes or highlights and I immediately got the next book! LOL! It's Deep Sea Quest meets Swamp Creature meets your favorite mystery show!
Highly recommend for youth and YA readers and those that like YA stuff!
Highly recommend for youth and YA readers and those that like YA stuff!
October 5, 2018
Great story told in a plausible way.
Stella goes sailing with her best friend and her family, a sail which has happened so many times over the years. Unfortunately they encounter a strange weather condition, and they capsize and the next thing Stella knows is she comes up into a strange pool of water in a cave.
Beneath is a frightening tale of what happens to a family that is lost at sea, and instead of dying they end up in an underwater cavern. Where nothing is as it seems. They meet people from different eras and you don’t seem to have aged very much.
What they discover when Colin and Stella go investigating is both frightening and encouraging. They have to try to merge into the community to stay alive.
This was such a gripping and eerie story, and everything seemed so real. A great spooky read, and I loved it. I can’t recommend this enough as everything seemed so real, I know I was there.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Maureen A. Miller. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Stella goes sailing with her best friend and her family, a sail which has happened so many times over the years. Unfortunately they encounter a strange weather condition, and they capsize and the next thing Stella knows is she comes up into a strange pool of water in a cave.
Beneath is a frightening tale of what happens to a family that is lost at sea, and instead of dying they end up in an underwater cavern. Where nothing is as it seems. They meet people from different eras and you don’t seem to have aged very much.
What they discover when Colin and Stella go investigating is both frightening and encouraging. They have to try to merge into the community to stay alive.
This was such a gripping and eerie story, and everything seemed so real. A great spooky read, and I loved it. I can’t recommend this enough as everything seemed so real, I know I was there.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Maureen A. Miller. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
February 9, 2022
A very interesting story.
July 18, 2019
3 star read
I don't think this one worked for me. Not because of concrete stuff wrong with it. I just didn't click with it. It happens. Chalk it up to personal taste.
I don't think this one worked for me. Not because of concrete stuff wrong with it. I just didn't click with it. It happens. Chalk it up to personal taste.
April 5, 2018
I will begin by saying that if you had to pick just three books to read then this is definitely one that you need to add to the list as it was so amazing that I read it in one sitting. The author takes us into the deep and murky ocean and keeps you underwater until the bitter end with a well-written story line that is breathtaking and unique. The characters are strong and well-developed and the twists, turns and revelations keep you on your toes. I look forward to what comes next and reading more of this author's books and I highly recommend this read to one and all. -YA/NA Book Divas
{I requested a copy for reviewing purposes and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own.}
{I requested a copy for reviewing purposes and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own.}
June 13, 2018
Noteworthy experiences while reading this book: I thought this was going to be based on something like Atlantis but what I was got was something way different!
Check out author's other books? Yes
Recommend this book? Yes
Notes and Opinions:
This one was really good! We get this epic ship wreck and Stella knowing she’s going to drown. Then she doesn’t and all these things happen!! I do with that we would have gotten more of the area they went to because after finishing this book and thinking about this review this story feels like a surface story. I think that it could have been way deeper!! But what we get is a very creepy mystery with creatures and a revelation that was WAY freaky.
The creatures in this one reminds me of a book by Demetria Lunetta called In the End. These creatures were somewhat similar. But also way different. (I know that doesn’t even sound right). But there it is.
The characters in this one were wonderful. You have the going crazy father, the lost mother, the little sister, the big brother, and the family friend with a crush on the big brother. As well as some other characters that I won’t talk about so as not to spoil you.
If you are afraid of the dark make sure you have lights on while reading this. I could see this becoming a movie daily easy. This would be an amazing Halloween movie that would scare the pants off of everyone who watched it. I remember parts of this I was laying on my bed reading with my legs having over and I would need to pull my legs up because it was freaking me out to no end.
This book is another one with all the feels!! I can not wait for book two and really hope that we get even more story than what we did in this one. All in all I think this could have been a little shorter and it would have been even faster paced. But it was still an amazing read!
Go Into This One Knowing: Good pacing, Romance, Determination, CREEPY!!
Check out author's other books? Yes
Recommend this book? Yes
Notes and Opinions:
This one was really good! We get this epic ship wreck and Stella knowing she’s going to drown. Then she doesn’t and all these things happen!! I do with that we would have gotten more of the area they went to because after finishing this book and thinking about this review this story feels like a surface story. I think that it could have been way deeper!! But what we get is a very creepy mystery with creatures and a revelation that was WAY freaky.
The creatures in this one reminds me of a book by Demetria Lunetta called In the End. These creatures were somewhat similar. But also way different. (I know that doesn’t even sound right). But there it is.
The characters in this one were wonderful. You have the going crazy father, the lost mother, the little sister, the big brother, and the family friend with a crush on the big brother. As well as some other characters that I won’t talk about so as not to spoil you.
If you are afraid of the dark make sure you have lights on while reading this. I could see this becoming a movie daily easy. This would be an amazing Halloween movie that would scare the pants off of everyone who watched it. I remember parts of this I was laying on my bed reading with my legs having over and I would need to pull my legs up because it was freaking me out to no end.
This book is another one with all the feels!! I can not wait for book two and really hope that we get even more story than what we did in this one. All in all I think this could have been a little shorter and it would have been even faster paced. But it was still an amazing read!
Go Into This One Knowing: Good pacing, Romance, Determination, CREEPY!!
March 22, 2024
I have mixed feelings about this book. The premise was amazing and that is what sucked me in. I liked that the action started pretty quickly in the book. But it felt unfinished, like a first draft. maybe like someone was writing an outline for a story and forgot to go in and add the details. There's a WHOLE NEW WORLD under the ocean, populated by very odd people, some of whom are a little bit shady. But there's no details. Why are they shady? are they trying to prevent people from escaping? or are they really trying to keep people safe? Who knows? because it wasn't really explored. The focus seemed to be more on the characters falling in love, and everything else was just a vehicle to move the love story along. And it's the "i've talked to you for like 6 hours, I'm going to give up my entire normal life for you" sort of love. Maybe there are more details in the next book, but I don't think I want to actually buy it to find out.
August 28, 2019
So much set up with so little pay off.
September 4, 2019
I loved the idea of this book. Stella and her best friends family are deep sea fishing when a storm capsizes their boat. They are dragged by a current into the deep where they find themselves in an underwater cave miles beneath the ocean which is populated by people who have suffered the same fate.
I’m not sure what I expected but I found myself disappointed...
The characters were not my favourite and I found the Stella/Colin relationship cringy... dragged under the ocean with no escape and all Stella has on her mind is how good Colin is looking 🤔
I didn’t connect with anybody within the story and didn’t really care what happened to them.
I’m not sure what I expected but I found myself disappointed...
The characters were not my favourite and I found the Stella/Colin relationship cringy... dragged under the ocean with no escape and all Stella has on her mind is how good Colin is looking 🤔
I didn’t connect with anybody within the story and didn’t really care what happened to them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2021
Got this free through BookBub. Didn't know it was a romance, but that was clear in the first few pages. I liked the idea of the story so I gave it a shot.
The story's actually not too bad, and the setting/atmosphere is delivered well, but most of the writing is painful to read. This book is like a compendium of every dialogue tag in the dictionary. I don't think I saw a single said in the entire book. Not one. Everybody, urged, murmured, instructed, probed, asserted, calculated, observed, accused, suggested, reasoned, affirmed, assured, interrupted, declared, offered, beamed, fumed, demanded, hedged, jibed, beckoned, ad infinitum...
But I'm clearly not the target audience.
The story's actually not too bad, and the setting/atmosphere is delivered well, but most of the writing is painful to read. This book is like a compendium of every dialogue tag in the dictionary. I don't think I saw a single said in the entire book. Not one. Everybody, urged, murmured, instructed, probed, asserted, calculated, observed, accused, suggested, reasoned, affirmed, assured, interrupted, declared, offered, beamed, fumed, demanded, hedged, jibed, beckoned, ad infinitum...
But I'm clearly not the target audience.
April 6, 2023
I can’t say, I like this book and gave it five or six chapters, but it just felt contrived and blocky. The main character, Stella, shewas rather flippant and immature, and maybe as a girl going off to college that was what she should be, but I just didn’t feel it was genuine.
I feel disconnected from the characters because the story didn’t have any pizzazz. You can be a real storyteller or you can be a learned storyteller, and there is a difference that you can tell in the writing. This book should have been edited a bit more.
It’s my first book by this author I don’t think I would read anymore of the series or of the authors booklist .
I feel disconnected from the characters because the story didn’t have any pizzazz. You can be a real storyteller or you can be a learned storyteller, and there is a difference that you can tell in the writing. This book should have been edited a bit more.
It’s my first book by this author I don’t think I would read anymore of the series or of the authors booklist .
October 12, 2022
Interesting plot but depressing story. Not even going to try the sequel.
October 6, 2018
Stella used to go often with her friend Jill and Jill's family on their boat. This was a time like many others until a sudden storm capsized their boat and a strong current pulled them to the bottom of the ocean. They awoke inside a cave in the depths of the sea, a cave where no one seemed to be able to escape from.
This story had me so intrigued that I listened to it almost in one go. The unique setting and conditions the characters were in made me want to continue just to know more. The book is well written and the two main characters are well depicted. I would have liked some more character development on some secondary characters, but it was fine nonetheless. I had troubles understanding Jill's father's actions and words, but it's also true that some people may react in unpredictable ways under stress.
There are several moments of tension and many unanswered questions that had me on the edge of my seat. I think what attracted me the most from the story was the strange place they arrive in, and the secrets that its inhabitants kept from the new arrivals. I think I'm just a sucker for weird locations.
There is also some romance in this book, as in any YA story, but it didn't bother me since the plot is mainly centered on the place and the people living there.
Now, after all these good comments, why am I not giving 5 stars to this book? There were some things that bothered me a bit. One one hand: evolution! I'm not going to give any spoilers, but to anyone who has read the book, this must mean something. The other thing that bothered me was the 'easy' way out and how indolent the people living in the Underworld were. It just didn't sit very well with me, especially those who knew more.
Brandy Skelly's voice and style were the perfect match for this story. She did a great job interpreting the characters and voicing them with subtle differences. The audio production could have been better though, and it's what prevented me from getting into the story from the start. There were several background noises all throughout the book, and her breathing and swallowing were also audible. The 'sh' sounds also bothered me a bit at first, but I think I got used after a while. Checking Audible, this is the only book I see narrated by Skelly, so I'm impressed at her narration skills, and I would just advise her to polish her audio production or at least have it edited by someone with experience.
All in all, I loved this book, even though I felt there was a lot of building up and it seemed deflated when we reached the end. I also know how difficult is to finish a story that was very original and different to begin with.
I've just discovered that this is meant to be a series, so I definitely want to know what happens next! I guess I'm hooked.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Maureen A. Miller. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
This story had me so intrigued that I listened to it almost in one go. The unique setting and conditions the characters were in made me want to continue just to know more. The book is well written and the two main characters are well depicted. I would have liked some more character development on some secondary characters, but it was fine nonetheless. I had troubles understanding Jill's father's actions and words, but it's also true that some people may react in unpredictable ways under stress.
There are several moments of tension and many unanswered questions that had me on the edge of my seat. I think what attracted me the most from the story was the strange place they arrive in, and the secrets that its inhabitants kept from the new arrivals. I think I'm just a sucker for weird locations.
There is also some romance in this book, as in any YA story, but it didn't bother me since the plot is mainly centered on the place and the people living there.
Now, after all these good comments, why am I not giving 5 stars to this book? There were some things that bothered me a bit. One one hand: evolution! I'm not going to give any spoilers, but to anyone who has read the book, this must mean something. The other thing that bothered me was the 'easy' way out and how indolent the people living in the Underworld were. It just didn't sit very well with me, especially those who knew more.
Brandy Skelly's voice and style were the perfect match for this story. She did a great job interpreting the characters and voicing them with subtle differences. The audio production could have been better though, and it's what prevented me from getting into the story from the start. There were several background noises all throughout the book, and her breathing and swallowing were also audible. The 'sh' sounds also bothered me a bit at first, but I think I got used after a while. Checking Audible, this is the only book I see narrated by Skelly, so I'm impressed at her narration skills, and I would just advise her to polish her audio production or at least have it edited by someone with experience.
All in all, I loved this book, even though I felt there was a lot of building up and it seemed deflated when we reached the end. I also know how difficult is to finish a story that was very original and different to begin with.
I've just discovered that this is meant to be a series, so I definitely want to know what happens next! I guess I'm hooked.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Maureen A. Miller. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
April 5, 2018
My actual rating is a 4.5.
Beneath was a book I chose to grab up and read as soon as I saw the cover and the tagline...
"An accident in the Atlantic Ocean. A fate no one could imagine."
Then, I read the blurb. I was hooked and HAD to know what would happen. Beneath is considered a young adult mystery and/or adventure. I like that definition. It leans on the side of almost fantasy/dystopian at some points just because it is sooooo different. Also, that cover is amazing! I would purchase this one on that alone.
I started this book yesterday morning (because I'm always behind on the ARC's I need to read), and I was hooked from the start. Chapter one literally dumps us right in the middle of the Atlanta Ocean - on a boat, at the start of what sounded like a pretty nasty storm. From there, so much happened that blew my mind, I didn't know what to think or believe. This book is so different from anything I've read before, and I've read a lot over the years.
I was able to be surprised, captured in the moments where these characters weren't sure if they would ever survive, or get out of their dire situation. There was so much going on, that I wasn't sure how easy it would be to follow, but since the book is written in third person, it helped me get a pretty rounded out view of everything, the character development and the science seemed to be there - although I am not sure if the science is all correct. That is not my forte.
I did find some moments between Colin and Stella to be a bit awkward and misplaced, but honestly, I am not sure I would act any better given their circumstances. I would of been doing all I can not to think about where we were as well. There was some light-hearted romance there, but nothing really resolved by the end. This is said to be first in the series though, so I look forward to what comes next. I still have so many questions.
Beneath was a book I chose to grab up and read as soon as I saw the cover and the tagline...
"An accident in the Atlantic Ocean. A fate no one could imagine."
Then, I read the blurb. I was hooked and HAD to know what would happen. Beneath is considered a young adult mystery and/or adventure. I like that definition. It leans on the side of almost fantasy/dystopian at some points just because it is sooooo different. Also, that cover is amazing! I would purchase this one on that alone.
I started this book yesterday morning (because I'm always behind on the ARC's I need to read), and I was hooked from the start. Chapter one literally dumps us right in the middle of the Atlanta Ocean - on a boat, at the start of what sounded like a pretty nasty storm. From there, so much happened that blew my mind, I didn't know what to think or believe. This book is so different from anything I've read before, and I've read a lot over the years.
I was able to be surprised, captured in the moments where these characters weren't sure if they would ever survive, or get out of their dire situation. There was so much going on, that I wasn't sure how easy it would be to follow, but since the book is written in third person, it helped me get a pretty rounded out view of everything, the character development and the science seemed to be there - although I am not sure if the science is all correct. That is not my forte.
I did find some moments between Colin and Stella to be a bit awkward and misplaced, but honestly, I am not sure I would act any better given their circumstances. I would of been doing all I can not to think about where we were as well. There was some light-hearted romance there, but nothing really resolved by the end. This is said to be first in the series though, so I look forward to what comes next. I still have so many questions.
March 28, 2018
Review originally posted on The Calico Books.
*I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to the author and Barclay Publicity!*
Going into this book, I didn’t know what to expect. I haven’t read Maureen Miller’s other books, and so I had no idea what I would think of her writing style. However, I was very intrigued by the plot, and that absolutely gorgeous cover, so I gave it a chance. I’m so glad I did!
The first couple of chapters, I admit, I was confused what was happening. Beneath wastes no time getting to the the actual plot. I did appreciate that this book didn’t drag on before the story started. However, it almost happened too fast. The very first page floods you with action, and so, I didn’t even know who anyone was, and yet, everything was already happening. Once I got a couple chapters in though, I was able to figure out who was who, and what actually happened, and I was able to get into the story more and really enjoy it.
I found all of the characters really interesting, too. Stella made a great protagonist, and I loved the slow-burn romance between her and a certain someone! The characters in “the Underworld,” as they call it, were all really interesting, but left me wanting a little bit more. There were a few, especially, that left me wondering are they good? Are they bad? I’m not sure yet! This book is not scary, but there were actually times where I felt a bit spooked, because I just didn’t know what to expect or who to trust.
The whole setting was well done, and the descriptions of the cave really made me feel like I was there. The explanations of how they were able to live under the ocean seemed logical and well-explained enough for me, too!
I didn’t realize Beneath was going to be a series, until I finished the book. That ending totally hooked me, and now I cannot wait to read the sequel!
Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable book. There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered, and things I’d like to see expanded upon, but hopefully, book two will help with that! I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun and mysterious YA adventure book.
*I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to the author and Barclay Publicity!*
Going into this book, I didn’t know what to expect. I haven’t read Maureen Miller’s other books, and so I had no idea what I would think of her writing style. However, I was very intrigued by the plot, and that absolutely gorgeous cover, so I gave it a chance. I’m so glad I did!
The first couple of chapters, I admit, I was confused what was happening. Beneath wastes no time getting to the the actual plot. I did appreciate that this book didn’t drag on before the story started. However, it almost happened too fast. The very first page floods you with action, and so, I didn’t even know who anyone was, and yet, everything was already happening. Once I got a couple chapters in though, I was able to figure out who was who, and what actually happened, and I was able to get into the story more and really enjoy it.
I found all of the characters really interesting, too. Stella made a great protagonist, and I loved the slow-burn romance between her and a certain someone! The characters in “the Underworld,” as they call it, were all really interesting, but left me wanting a little bit more. There were a few, especially, that left me wondering are they good? Are they bad? I’m not sure yet! This book is not scary, but there were actually times where I felt a bit spooked, because I just didn’t know what to expect or who to trust.
The whole setting was well done, and the descriptions of the cave really made me feel like I was there. The explanations of how they were able to live under the ocean seemed logical and well-explained enough for me, too!
I didn’t realize Beneath was going to be a series, until I finished the book. That ending totally hooked me, and now I cannot wait to read the sequel!
Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable book. There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered, and things I’d like to see expanded upon, but hopefully, book two will help with that! I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun and mysterious YA adventure book.
March 30, 2018
“Beneath” is one interesting story! It took me by surprise more than once and it left me wanting for much more, not only because of the ending, but as well because I just want to see more of that world and more of the characters.
Since it is just the beginning, we see a lot of world building and character development, but it is not at all boring or at a slow pace. On the contrary, we get to discover bits and pieces of the Underworld and the mysterious people that live there. At every turn there is something new and unique. While I liked it very much, sometimes I felt as if the author even lost herself when preparing the set. I could feel her need to put on paper her images of the ocean depths. This is the part that I enjoyed most.
I could not insist that much on the Romance as it was not one of my favorite points in this first book. The couples are not solid enough yet and I would like to think that in the following parts they will be stronger together. We have Stella with her best friend’s brother and then Jill with one of the guys from the new world. But same as the world, we have characters with different personalities. And that is a bonus point!
Now, I would have liked to give more than 3.5 stars but I think that the beginning was a little rushed. I would have liked to explore more the relationship between Stella and Colin’s family before the accident. As well, I would have liked more from Romance perspective. I know this is not a romance intended book, but the couples were kind of sudden.
All in all, this was a great lecture and I am very interested to find more. I hope you’ll give it a shot, as this world is something else entirely! You will not be disappointed. I cannot wait for the next book in the series. Enjoy
Since it is just the beginning, we see a lot of world building and character development, but it is not at all boring or at a slow pace. On the contrary, we get to discover bits and pieces of the Underworld and the mysterious people that live there. At every turn there is something new and unique. While I liked it very much, sometimes I felt as if the author even lost herself when preparing the set. I could feel her need to put on paper her images of the ocean depths. This is the part that I enjoyed most.
I could not insist that much on the Romance as it was not one of my favorite points in this first book. The couples are not solid enough yet and I would like to think that in the following parts they will be stronger together. We have Stella with her best friend’s brother and then Jill with one of the guys from the new world. But same as the world, we have characters with different personalities. And that is a bonus point!
Now, I would have liked to give more than 3.5 stars but I think that the beginning was a little rushed. I would have liked to explore more the relationship between Stella and Colin’s family before the accident. As well, I would have liked more from Romance perspective. I know this is not a romance intended book, but the couples were kind of sudden.
All in all, this was a great lecture and I am very interested to find more. I hope you’ll give it a shot, as this world is something else entirely! You will not be disappointed. I cannot wait for the next book in the series. Enjoy
June 27, 2025
This was a free download from Amazon for my Kindle. Often, the free download book choices are riddled with editing mistakes but I'm happy to say this was not the case. The story was well put together and the two main characters are fully developed. This is young-adult romantasy/science fiction. I would even say it has a dash of magical realism. The book is marketed as a kind of modern YA romance with Jules Vernes vibes and I would have to agree. Plus, I found the cover with the girl swimming up in her white dress with a cave in the background to be quite stunning.
I would give this book 3.5 stars. It is a dystopian story that involves attempting to get back to the world above at any cost. The supporting characters are not quite as fleshed out, and I found that to be a weakness in the book. It does add to the air of mystery, however. Also, this book supposedly takes place approximately 100 miles off the Jersey Shore. At one point, it is supposed that a victim from the Lusitania may have also inhabited the underwater caves that are found. I found that prospect quite unlikely as the Lusitania was sunk in Europe, off the coast of Ireland. If shipwrecks are your thing, I would suggest picking up Erik Larson's book on that boat's history and inevitable demise.
I really liked the unique-ness of this story, but the romance is a young-love, first-love type thing and not my favorite part of the story.
The book comes in at approximately 315 pages and has a sequel that's just under 300 pages. I think it may have been better to contain the entire story to one book. I would like to read the second story because the story of Beneath feels quite unfinished.
Overall, I enjoyed this book but but it was not without it's flaws.
I would give this book 3.5 stars. It is a dystopian story that involves attempting to get back to the world above at any cost. The supporting characters are not quite as fleshed out, and I found that to be a weakness in the book. It does add to the air of mystery, however. Also, this book supposedly takes place approximately 100 miles off the Jersey Shore. At one point, it is supposed that a victim from the Lusitania may have also inhabited the underwater caves that are found. I found that prospect quite unlikely as the Lusitania was sunk in Europe, off the coast of Ireland. If shipwrecks are your thing, I would suggest picking up Erik Larson's book on that boat's history and inevitable demise.
I really liked the unique-ness of this story, but the romance is a young-love, first-love type thing and not my favorite part of the story.
The book comes in at approximately 315 pages and has a sequel that's just under 300 pages. I think it may have been better to contain the entire story to one book. I would like to read the second story because the story of Beneath feels quite unfinished.
Overall, I enjoyed this book but but it was not without it's flaws.
October 7, 2018
I’ve always been fascinated by the Bermuda Triangle; is the phenomenon pure fantasy or science fiction or perhaps even real? No one has the definitive answer but there is no question that a lot of boats and planes have been found on the bottom of the Atlantic and disappearances continue to happen. The premise that Ms. Miller suggests in Beneath is not all that bizarre considering the oddities of the Triangle, is it?
Now, just suppose such a thing happened to you and you found yourself in a vast undersea cave system with other people who had been “saved” over a period of many years. You’d be filled with questions as are Stella and Jill’s brother, Colin, and no one would be surprised when they act on their curiosity, going in search of answers. They find some of those answers, leading to even more, but perhaps the biggest is, are they condemned to remain here until…
Stella is a likeable character—as is Colin but he’s less vibrant—and I had no trouble believing in her personality, her attitudes and her determination to brave the unknown. I’m glad, actually, that her story isn’t over yet and that a sequel is coming.
Brandy Skelly brought Stella to life for me even though there were moments when her narration wasn’t entirely successful. Between Ms. Miller’s intriguing story and Ms. Skelly’s telling of that story, Beneath is a tale worth hearing.
Now, just suppose such a thing happened to you and you found yourself in a vast undersea cave system with other people who had been “saved” over a period of many years. You’d be filled with questions as are Stella and Jill’s brother, Colin, and no one would be surprised when they act on their curiosity, going in search of answers. They find some of those answers, leading to even more, but perhaps the biggest is, are they condemned to remain here until…
Stella is a likeable character—as is Colin but he’s less vibrant—and I had no trouble believing in her personality, her attitudes and her determination to brave the unknown. I’m glad, actually, that her story isn’t over yet and that a sequel is coming.
Brandy Skelly brought Stella to life for me even though there were moments when her narration wasn’t entirely successful. Between Ms. Miller’s intriguing story and Ms. Skelly’s telling of that story, Beneath is a tale worth hearing.
August 22, 2021
Stella and her best friend Jill go on a overnight fishing trip on the Atlantic Ocean with Jills family. Stella has secretly had a crush on Jills older brother Colin, but he has a girlfriend in college so she knows it will never happen between them, he looks at her like a little sister.
As they are starting to fall asleep astorm comes up out of no where and capsizes their boat, the current pulls them down to a underwater canyon, one so deep they should have never survived. Colin and Stella start exploring the caves to find something to help them survive when they come across other humans living down here.
Everyone down here has their own story of how they got there and they have made a little city from wreckage that washes into the canyon, but no one has made any attempts to try and get back on top, thats about to change with Colin and Stella are making the leaders of this little community unhappy with their determination to get out of there.
Stella comes across a tall dark creature with glowing green eyes and scaley skin like a fish but its walking and grabs her arm and pushes her. [ Stellas description of this creature reminded me of THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON].
This was a great story, I would like to find out more about this creature and find out how all these people go on. Will they get help or will they live here forever?
As they are starting to fall asleep astorm comes up out of no where and capsizes their boat, the current pulls them down to a underwater canyon, one so deep they should have never survived. Colin and Stella start exploring the caves to find something to help them survive when they come across other humans living down here.
Everyone down here has their own story of how they got there and they have made a little city from wreckage that washes into the canyon, but no one has made any attempts to try and get back on top, thats about to change with Colin and Stella are making the leaders of this little community unhappy with their determination to get out of there.
Stella comes across a tall dark creature with glowing green eyes and scaley skin like a fish but its walking and grabs her arm and pushes her. [ Stellas description of this creature reminded me of THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON].
This was a great story, I would like to find out more about this creature and find out how all these people go on. Will they get help or will they live here forever?
March 29, 2018
3,5 stars
When I thought of words to describe the book the first words that came to my mind were weird, unique and something that I haven't read before. My genre is romance and this book is closer to fantasy than romance. Fantasy is not my genre because there is something about it that doesn't click for me. I did enjoy the book though. I plan to read the next one since the story doesn't end in this book and it will continue for at least one more. Maybe I will be able to dive into this world and actually understand what is going on in book two. The underwater world Stella, our heroine, finds herself in is still a mystery to me (and to her). Since I am not familiar with this author, I can only hope that the answers we will get will be satisfying. I will also be looking forward to some character development and some heat of the romance department. Colin and Stella have a thing going on between them, but sometimes I felt like they were just two friends who were exploring. The book created more questions than it answered and I have high hopes for the second book. Beath felt like the first chapter in a long story. I am not saying that in a bad way.
When I thought of words to describe the book the first words that came to my mind were weird, unique and something that I haven't read before. My genre is romance and this book is closer to fantasy than romance. Fantasy is not my genre because there is something about it that doesn't click for me. I did enjoy the book though. I plan to read the next one since the story doesn't end in this book and it will continue for at least one more. Maybe I will be able to dive into this world and actually understand what is going on in book two. The underwater world Stella, our heroine, finds herself in is still a mystery to me (and to her). Since I am not familiar with this author, I can only hope that the answers we will get will be satisfying. I will also be looking forward to some character development and some heat of the romance department. Colin and Stella have a thing going on between them, but sometimes I felt like they were just two friends who were exploring. The book created more questions than it answered and I have high hopes for the second book. Beath felt like the first chapter in a long story. I am not saying that in a bad way.
October 11, 2018
Maureen A. Miller knows how to spin a tale. Coming from a reading that loves the ocean and has always wondered about the deep beneath this book had my attention. This gripped me and didn’t let go. It certainly felt real to me. Beneath is a realistic and frightening story of being lost at sea, with a twist. They end up capsize in an underwater cavern fighting for their life on a sunken cavern they realize they are not alone, they have to learn to survive together, and try to escape. I was completely immersed in this underwater world. Beneath adds so many unexpected aspects there are surprises everywhere.
Brandy Skelly’s was perfect for Beneath. I do think the audio quality could have been a little better as if it missed a final editing some noises and sounds could have been removed to improve the overall performance.
I look forward to what comes next from author Maureen A. Miller
https://writersnauthors.com/book-revi...
Brandy Skelly’s was perfect for Beneath. I do think the audio quality could have been a little better as if it missed a final editing some noises and sounds could have been removed to improve the overall performance.
I look forward to what comes next from author Maureen A. Miller
https://writersnauthors.com/book-revi...
March 16, 2023
I loved the cover and the blurb for this sounded really interesting. I just expected so much more than what I got.
For two people who are supposedly lifelong best friends Stella and Jill barely exchange more than a few words, let alone spend any time together.
For a place with "survivors from decades of maritime disasters" I was expecting more than 7 people! Especially reading the description of Underworld when they first saw it - makeshift dwellings and buildings all over the place - all for just 7 people?!
They're told "these cabins are free, they're yours now" implying they previously belonged to someone else. But they never ask who? or what happened to them?
It was obvious from the start what the monsters were but when we got a full description the scope of the changes was just laughable.
None of the characters had any depth, we never find out why any of them are the way they are.
And then the ending began and it was all over without feeling like it had really begun.
For two people who are supposedly lifelong best friends Stella and Jill barely exchange more than a few words, let alone spend any time together.
For a place with "survivors from decades of maritime disasters" I was expecting more than 7 people! Especially reading the description of Underworld when they first saw it - makeshift dwellings and buildings all over the place - all for just 7 people?!
They're told "these cabins are free, they're yours now" implying they previously belonged to someone else. But they never ask who? or what happened to them?
It was obvious from the start what the monsters were but when we got a full description the scope of the changes was just laughable.
None of the characters had any depth, we never find out why any of them are the way they are.
And then the ending began and it was all over without feeling like it had really begun.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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