Thank you Peachtree and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Absolutely loved! Grace Cain’s mother just died and she is struggling. She decides to move to her mom’s hometown to feel more connected to her. She gets a job at a museum, she’s transcribing tapes from the 1990s. The tapes were made by Jake Underwood and somehow the two make a connection a crossed time. Together they’ll work to solve a mystery from the 70’s. Can they solve it? How are they able to communicate? This one had me in my feels! I felt for both of them as they processed their grief and helped each other! A unique tale of loss, time travel, mystery, and hope! Highly recommend!

I always find the concept of time bending fascinating, so this book's premise hooked me from the start. It got retro elements, intriguing mystery, and important message about grief. The writing style is fluid, the portion of narrative and dialogue is just right, and the crafted first person POV helps me see Grace's struggle and feelings without feeling overwhelmed. No wonder I could spend an entire evening finishing this book with just little stops.

While the supernatural part is interesting and the emotion portrayal is realistic, I wish the stakes were higher like it was promised, because I was surprised Grace took it rather easily and not being cautious enough. And sometimes when I was engrossed with Grace and Jake's interaction, the next page would tell about something else and it felt like something jerks my shoulders. So did when the investigation was just about to escalate, the next thing would explain about the town or something, and I lost the vibe.

I also wanted more of Jake and Grace! They are definitely best friends but it needs more than Jake's excitement and Grace's voice to make it to "I love you romantically" phase.

I liked the concept, the writing, the cassette tape aspect and how it becomes the 'wormhole' for Jake and Grace. However, I found the ending underwhelming and there are so much stuff going on that it put relationship between Jake and Grace a little behind the focus. If you want to explore YA with a magical twist and/or are currently on reading slump, pick this book.

The Underwood Tapes is a complex book dealing with the loss of a parent, teenage grief, time travel, mystery, and self discovery. Grace Crain is a young woman struggling with the sudden death of her mother. She travels to her mother's home town and works in the small museum where she transcribes cassette tapes from the 1990s. She makes a connection through the tapes with the Jake Underwood, the boy recording the tapes in 1991. Grace and Jake work together to solve a mystery that occurred in 1972.

This book has a little bit of "The Lake House" vibes without the romance. The time travel concept was interesting and unique. Both main characters, Grace and Jake, are struggling to deal with the loss of a parent while trying to find meaning in their lives with that parent gone. Their grief they experience is palpable at time.

I enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to students who are grieving.

Trigger Warning: Excessive use of the F-word, death of a parent, mention of suicide.

3.75 stars. Really close to 4.
I think my main issue with this book is that I’m a few years off of the targeted demographic, and I struggle with connecting to a teen character. However, everything else in this book hit me in a way I wasn’t expecting. Even tho I didn’t had the cathartic cry I was promised, I did got emotional.

the threat of me crying in a brewery as i read this was real enough that im sniffling and pretending its allergies in late October. thankfully no one called me on it because GOD a parent being dead and you not coping well is so relatable

Actual rating: 3.5

Well, that ending was kinda disappointing? I found this book extremely compelling and I loved the timey-wimey elements and the way Grace and Jake were connected across thirty years. I don’t like how it all resolves though. I was also promised a cathartic cry by the synopsis, but it did not deliver. There are some really great emotional moments and great examinations of grief and dealing with the loss of a parent. I also did like the ways Hermitage being such a small, insular town played into the way the secrets of Hurricane Club and Underwood family were buried and kept secret for so long. I had trouble putting this book down and I overall enjoyed the journey that Grace and Jake were on and the mystery was interesting, but the resolution was lackluster for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy!
I'm a sucker for anything time travel related. So, when this popped-up it was an immediate request. I really love the way it is dealt with here. Because it shows that time doesn't change, everything you find out through the story is set in stone. Everything has already happened and now you have to watch it play out with all the grief and tragedy that ensues. If you like everything explained and wrapped up, I wouldn't recommend this one. There are still quite a few questions, I would have answered or I would have liked stretched out a bit more, but this was a good read.

I have to admit that it took me some time to get into this story. Grace was constantly listening to those tapes, and I was waiting until something would happen. But when she sent Jake a message, and he sent one back, the good part began!

I’m always a sucker for sadder books, and I loved how Amanda DeWitt gave grief a place in this book without referring to it directly. It just lurks in the background but is always there. But this story is not only about grief. It is about healing, too.

What I love is that this story is so different from her previous books. I still love Wren Martin Ruins it All the most, but this one is also great!

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in February next year. I cannot express how much this book had me in a chokehold. It's so fucking good. Excuse me while I go sit with my emotions.

Grace escapes her grief by transcribing old cassette tapes, only to discover an unexpected connection with Jake Underwood—a voice from the past—unraveling mysteries of loss and silence in her small town. As their conversation deepens, Grace confronts the haunting secrets of Hermitage and her own heart.

I really enjoyed this one. It was hard to put it down once Jake responds to Grace. After that - I was a goner. I guessed who the central players in the mystery were, but that didn’t stop the journey getting to the end from being satisfying.

There are so many wonderful passages about grief, love, and trying to move forward. Grace’s struggle with her grief and letting herself feel was so relatable. I thought the writing was really beautiful and I was moved at the end.

*I received a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own.*

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for providing me with an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review!

I am OBSESSED with this book!!! It was so well written and I couldn’t put it down. The characters were excellent, the story was expertly crafted, and I’m such a sucker for a good “doomed by the narrative” novel. I will be recommending this title to everyone I know— I loved DeWitt’s previous novels but “The Underwood Tapes” is on a whole other level.

thanks to netgalley & peachtree for the free earc in exchange for a fair and honest review!

fair warning, the author lives in the same county as me so i am very biased. this book being based on a rural town in central florida was really silly for me because i've grown up around so much of that stuff, and it struck me as really accurate, which i was genuinely impressed by.
i read an arc of wren martin last year and really loved it — it was one of my top 10 reads of the year i think. so i was really excited when i saw a new book by the same author.
in general, emotional draws need to be a lot stronger to work on me if there's no overt queer romantic themes, which i think explains why this book didn't hit me quite as hard as wren martin did, but i adore stories exploring grief and different emotional phenomena via fantastical mechanisms, a clear slam-dunk from this book.
grace is interesting to me in her relationship with her family, which is basically never explored. the idea of being unable to make eye contact with her grandfather due to his dementia really intrigued me, and is an idea i found myself wondering about for hours after finishing the book (i study psychology, for some context lol).
i feel that if this book were about 100 pages longer with more detail about the characters it could have hit about 50% harder, but that might be primarily due to my preference in character-driven stories. i totally believe writing is for the author and not the reader, so that's more of a personal preference.
anyways ms. dewitt i love ur books so much !

4⭐️

First, thank you Netgalley and Holiday House for the ARC

The Underwood Tapes by Amanda DeWitt is a mystery novel with hints of supernatural elements.

This was one of my most anticipated 2025 releases since Amanda DeWitt became a must-read author for me.

I liked Grace as a protagonist, and the author portrayed her grief with care and realism.

In addition, I was really glad that there was no romantic subplot for the MC, which felt refreshing for a YA novel.

I also found the mystery pretty intriguing and the concept of the book was really interesting.

I feel like Amanda Dewitt’s worldbuilding signature is a more idyllic presentation of the dingy Floridian coastal towns. All of the small-town that’s falling apart, the sunburns and the Salt Life, without any of the bigotry (I noticed this more in her last book, but the theme still stays). And honestly, it made me homesick, which was not something that I thought could happen, because I am not the biggest fan of Florida. Also I could talk for a while about how much I loved this book because of that– I did make a list of things that reminded me a lot of home– the fact that me and Grace, the main character would have grown up a few hours and maybe two years at most apart from each other made me like her character a lot more( me and her were both in middle school when Hurricane Irma hit, with a mom that had just graduated high school during Hurricane Andrew). Of course, that’s not the only reason that I loved the book, and I think it’s a fantastically done genre shift on the author’s part. It’s not as childish as a lot of YA is, and the portrait of grief was done very well, and it was shown to the reader and not just told, which made it a lot easier to empathize because often that is hard. Most of the rest of what I want to say massively spoils the book itself, so I am not going to talk about that.
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

"The Underwood Tapes" is a young adult mystery by Amanda DeWitt. Grace is a teenager whose mother died in a car crash last year. To try and make a change in her life, she decides to visit her uncle (her mom's twin brother) and grandfather in her mom's old hometow for a summer job. She is helping out the historical society in Hermitage, Florida with transcribing some older cassette tapes. While listening to the tapes, she learns about a "hurricane club" that some local teenagers formed until the accidental (?) death occurred. Grace starts to feel connected to Jake Underwood, the teen who recorded these tapes back in the 1990s (and probably knew her mother). On the spur of the moment, Grace records a message to Jake on the unrecorded side of the tape, just to feel connected. Amazingly, Jake hears her message and leaves her another one. They start corresponding.
The mystery of the hurricane club death and how Jake and Grace are able to leave messages across time makes this a page turner. Readers will enjoy watching Grace finding clues while also forming a friendship with Jake. A must buy for young adult fiction collections.

thank you to netgalley and holiday house for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

this was such a delight to read. i will admit i was first drawn to the book because of its title! i'm a podcast fan, and so i couldn't help noticing the similarities of the plot/title to popular podcasts, such as the black tapes or even the magnus archives, and i was not disappointed for getting my hopes up, something i always try not to do, just in case! now, looking at the tags, i wouldn't go as far as to categorise this book as 'horror'? it falls more in the mystery-thriller realm, in my opinion– it's not scary, it's painfully human, at its very core. we follow our main character, grace, in 2022, as she tries to outrun the loss of her mom by spending her summer in hermitage, her mom's hometown. there, she has to transcribe some old tapes so the history of hermitage isn't lost (and this may just be me, but i would love to gain some extra money by transcribing old tapes. i mean, it sounds like a darn cozy job)– and in those tapes she stumbles upon jake, the one whose voice trickles through the dark tapes, a boy from 1992. and i won't say anymore bc spoilers!! nobody likes spoilers!!

the representation of grief in this book is phenomenal. i wouldn't say it's the main focus of this book, but it's constantly lurking, constantly looming over our heads, biding its time until it slips under grace's skin and poisons her from within, because grief behaves exactly like that, does it not? you can be fine one minute, walking around your house, thinking about all the chores you have yet to get to, and then you stumble and stub your toe and everything comes crashing back, all those things you'd thought you'd managed to separate yourself from, those feelings you'd thought you'd moved past. it was a wave you couldn't swim away from, and i loved seeing its different manifestations, in grace, in jake, in other characters such as uncle aaron.

it was... beautiful, and so true to life, and so were grace and jake's characters. i appreciate the fact the author didn't turn these teenagers into a caricature, like most authors tend to do as i suspect a lot of people don't actually know how teenagers behave– they felt like actual teenagers who have gone through the ring, and that was such a breath of fresh air. the writing was also really enjoyable, knowing exactly when to be lyrical and when to get to the point. the secondary characters too, especially lara and griffin, were so good, because even if we didn't get to spend much time with them, the author still took the time to develop them enough so that we understand them, understand why they do the things they do and say the things they say.

i can't recommend it enough, i think it's more than fitting for the fall season!

this was so good!!! i loved the speculative element to this and how it felt so nostalgic, and the setting was truly one of the strongest aspects of this book. i loved how much heart this book had, and it's the perfect blend of mystery, atmosphere, and excellent writing.

I have read Dewitt's previous titles, and was excited for a new genre from them. This did not disappoint! The magical realism aspect was strong, and fell into that thin margin of not being explained to the finest detail, but still being believable. It helped that there was a mystery that went along with it, which further pulled you in.
The writing style was fantastic, with careful attention paid to the setting. If I hadn't known from previous reads, the author is a Florida native, and it really shines in this book. The small town of Hermitage even acted as its own character, this oppressive place you want to escape yet feel that you cannot.
The only weakness of this story was the mystery, as the protagonist connected dots I didn't feel were obvious enough to readers, which took me out a bit. Overall, it is a really strong read, and continues to prove this author's strengths in the YA genre. I look forward to future reads from DeWitt!

First and foremost, this is a story about grief, and all the little unexpected ways it can trip you up. It follows the main character processing the loss of her mum, and coming to terms with what it means to lose someone. It isn’t the obvious focus of the book, the plot doesn’t centre around the main character coming to terms with the loss. Instead, it is ever present in the characters life, woven into the plot in a way that makes it almost a character itself.

The main plot focuses on the relationship of Grace in 2022, and Jake in 1992, as they communicate through tape recorders. Through Jake, we learn about the Hurricane Club, how Jake lost his uncle and father, and how things might be more connected in the small town of Hermitage than it seems. The past wants the truth to come to light, and Grace slowly uncovers the town’s secrets during her stay. She builds relationships with others in the town, namely her cousins Lara and Griffin.

While the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff might be a little confusing for some, I found it was fairly simple in its rules and explanations, and the how isn’t a major focus. It’s a very cool concept and done well.

I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down. I got into it because I’m a fan of The Magnus Archives and analog media, and this has some of those vibes (minus the horror), with some small town mystery thrown in. The cover is absolutely amazing and only went to further fuel my excitement. The characters in this are interesting and extremely relatable, I, thankfully, haven’t lost someone as close as my mum, but I could still empathise with Grace on an emotional level.

This book left me in tears and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a thrilling read with a touch of analog academia thrown in the mix. If you love the thrill of hurricanes and storms, this is also for you.

Thank you Netgalley and Holiday House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“The Underwood Tapes” by Amanda DeWitt is a beautifully crafted YA book that deftly combines grief and mystery with a touch of supernatural intrigue through time shifts (similar to the movie “Your Name.” The story follows Grace, who is seeking refuge from the loss of her mother by spending the summer in the small town of Hermitage, Florida. Tasked with transcribing old cassette tapes for the local historical society, she stumbles upon a voice from the past—Jake Underwood, a boy who recorded the tapes thirty years earlier. What starts as a mundane job quickly transforms into something extraordinary when Grace discovers she can communicate with Jake across time through the recordings.

The book's premise is captivating, and the relationship that forms between Grace and Jake is both touching and bittersweet. While this isn’t a romance, it is a profound connection, with both characters helping each other navigate their grief and unresolved traumas. I loved the way that DeWitt wrote the supernatural elements in the story where time plays a pivotal role in bringing people together, even across decades.

At its heart, “The Underwood Tapes” is an emotional exploration of grief and healing. Grace’s journey is deeply relatable, particularly for anyone who has experienced loss. The portrayal of her grief following her mother’s death is heart-wrenching, and her slow path toward healing is beautifully depicted. The small town of Hermitage serves as a fitting backdrop, with its mysterious atmosphere, quiet beaches, and long-buried secrets about a tragic hurricane and the enigmatic Hurricane Club.

Though the book takes some time to get going, by around the 30% mark, the mystery surrounding Hermitage and Jake's family really takes hold. The story has an air of suspense, especially as Grace begins to unravel the truth about the hurricane that claimed the life of Jake’s uncle, Charley. While the mystery itself is fairly straightforward and lacks the shocking twists one might expect, it’s still compelling enough to keep you invested.

DeWitt’s writing is both lyrical and thoughtful, making the emotional moments land with significant impact. The book’s ending, in particular, is a tear-jerker, offering a powerful and hopeful conclusion to Grace and Jake's story. It wraps everything up neatly while leaving you with a sense of peace and closure. In addition to the central relationship between Grace and Jake, the book also highlights the importance of found family. Grace’s growing bond with her cousins adds warmth to the story and reinforces the theme of connection in times of loss.

Overall, “The Underwood Tapes” is a moving, magical realism-infused novel that will resonate with readers looking for a cathartic, emotional read. Its blend of mystery, supernatural elements, and exploration of grief make it a standout in the YA genre. I definitely can’t wait to read more from DeWitt.