Thank you so so much to Netgalley and Holiday House for the e-arc!!

I wanna say that this is somewhere between a 2 and 2.5 stars

I was really hyped for this book. The cover is stunning, the plot and sci fi elements sounded really cool, and I was really looking forward to becoming invested. I would say this book started out pretty well, the plot was fairly slow but I didn't mind it at first and was actually enjoying it and I was really looking forward for it to build up. And at that time I felt like the characters were interesting, the plot was interesting and the slow pacing was a nice change as opposed to the fast-paced fantasy that I usually tend to read. With that being said around halfway through I realized that the pace wasn't going to pick up and unfortunately that's the point that I stopped enjoying it.

There was this whole mystery that was barely explored and I honestly just think this book could have been better and has so much lost potential. I think the characters are good and I was attached to them but they could have been so much more fleshed out. I did genuinely tear up at certain moments and find certain quotes HIGHLY relatable (which is why I feel even more like that goes into the lost potential of this book). The writing was actually pretty good. The plot is interesting, the Sci-Fi elements were very doctor who-esque and arguably my favorite part of this whole book, but at the end of the day this was just too slow for me to enjoy. And I cannot stress that enough. Over the span of over 300 pages barely anything happens (apart from consistent minor events and minor investigating) and I would have enjoyed the plot and the characters SIGNIFICANTLY more if this book did not sabotage itself with it's pacing.

This book is very character based which would have been fine except the internal dialogue becomes really repetitive and sort of single faceted (hence the lost potential of actual character growth and depth). I understand that this story was about grief and about mental struggle and hardship and loss but because the book was so focused on that we really didn't get much of anything else other than internal dialogue and events that didn't further the plot most of the time. By the end of this book I just was just pushing through to finish it. I did enjoy the ending but WE NEVER FIND OUT HOW ANY OF THE TIME STUFF EVEN HAPPENED? HOW DID THAT EVEN HAPPEN?

HOW WAS IT POSSIBLE?? LOVE??? GRIEF???? I DON'T KNOW *CAUSE IT WAS NEVER EXPLAIIINNEEDD*. Cool concept but SERIOUSLY WHY DID DEWITT NOT EXPLAIN ANY OF IT. LIKE OKAY I GUESS I JUST HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT IT HAPPENED JUST CAUSE.

Anyways, I was really looking forward to this book and had another book by this author on my TBR but unfortunately this was a huge disappointment. Again if you enjoy character-based books I think you would like this more than I did, but the absolute lack of events and lack of the plot actually progressing was incredibly frustrating. And so if you can really get past all of that and only focus on the characters (which in my opinion were not multi-layered and became stunted at a point) or you're just interested in reading a story about grief and a sort of Coming of Age then by all means check this out. But for me personally I started to enjoy it less and less as I read it, and based off of all of the elements that I've mentioned put together and the elements that this book was lacking I can't in good faith truly recommend it as a book that I enjoyed as much as I could have. So overall, this book had so much potential with the plot, characters, and twists, I found it to be super emotional and relatable at times, but it was just too slow for me to enjoy.

And will ultimately go down as a book that I COULD'VE enjoyed more, but one that has so much lost potential and not a good enough execution for me to have done so.

P.s: Despite all of this, I still think I'll think back on this book when I see a cassette tape

First I’d like to start by thanking Netgalley for sending me this copy. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a formatting error and it became really hard to read after about 40% because I felt as though it was distracting me from the story. Sentences were randomly cut off in the middle and continued on the next line, as well as some random spaces that appeared to be separated paragraphs but were actually just large breaks between sentences. Unfortunately it became so disruptive to the point where I wasn’t retaining any of the actual content in the book. I’m not sure if I was the only one experiencing this issue. However, the story up until that point was gripping and I can’t wait for this to get published so I can pick it up again soon. Exactly what I was hoping for and the writing was very immersive without being confusing!

“The Underwood Tapes” by Amanda DeWitt is a genuine, bittersweet exploration of grief. The concept of this book is very intriguing, as it canters around a mystery and a friendship that defies the bounds of time. DeWitt did an excellent job with this book, and I am excited for more people to get to read it!

I didn’t have a chance to read this before it got archived!! So sorry but super excited to read it when it comes out(:

The one and only reason that lessened my enjoyment of the book and made me bump it down from a 5-star to a 4-star: the formatting is absolute shit. The publisher only lets you download this as a pdf or to the netgalley app, so I could only read it on my phone. The screen is small enough but the font is minuscule. I had to zoom in for every individual page. At one point I connected my phone to my laptop screen and read from there. This was an unnecessary hassle as the book doesn't even have any illustrations, which is the only reason I could think of to not let me send it directly to my kindle. What the fuck, publisher.

Everything else I loved. This is set in a small town, and by uncovering a mystery with the main character you end up knowing lots of people who live there, and it doesn't feel overwhelming at all. There are many characters to keep track of, but it's only one POV and you discover the family trees of everyone along with the main character, so it was never confusing to me.

The speculative aspect was well thought out, and made sense within the story. I like that, when I thought "hey what if she did this?" to circumvent the rules of the time travel, the main character did in fact try to do that and it was showed why it would or wouldn't work. It wasn't afraid to explore the limits of the timey wimey wibbly wobbly stuff, so it didn't feel dumbed down, like oh the reader would never wonder this so I'm not going to include it. It also didn't try to overexplain it, so it sits comfortably in the speculative side of fantasy.

The mystery kept my attention the whole time, and every time I put down the book I was like "wait, I read THIS much???". There are a couple subplots and themes thrown in there for when the main plot needs a rest, and they're all well-woven together, which is a must if you're setting your story in a small town.

Overall I really recommend this book, even if you're not into YA. I will be pestering my favorite booktubers so they read it once it comes out lol.

When i saw the "If you liked You've reached sam, than this book is unskippable" i immediately decided to read it. The idea was amazing. LIke Youve reached sam, we got characters talking to each other through tapes. At some point the book was at its peak for me, i was very interested, kindle in the hand curled up in the bed but then it took a full 180 degree turn. I think storyline and the writing just fell plat and unnecesary details?
But all in all i am satisfied with the storyline and o.m.g the cover looks damn good? YES>>>>>>

I don't think this book could've made me cry harder if it tried, and that's saying something. It is so beautifully written, and I very much loved it.

This book swept me up in it so so fast, from the slight mystery or intrigue surrounding the main character to the tapes to the everything of it all. I was hesitant on the ending, but after reflection I think that I actually liked how it ended. But in general the novel sweeps you up in its twisting and lovely mystery that I read in one sitting.

After I read and enjoyed "Wren Martin Ruins It All" last year I was excited for the new book by Amanda DeWitt, especially since "The Underwood Tapes" goes into a completely different direction than her last book and is promising a grief-filled, time-bending mystery. After the death of her mother, eighteen-year-old Grace comes to the small town of Hermitage to work a summer job in the town's archive room. Her main task is to listen to and transcribe some old cassette tapes, but what starts as blissfully mind-numbing work is soon taking up Grace's entire life. Jake Underwood, the boy who recorded the tapes thirty years ago, left some additional messages that no one has ever heard before, and soon he and Grace form an impossible connection. As a result, Grace is trying to figure out what happened to Jake all these years ago, but in a town where everyone knows everyone, no one wants to talk about Jake's family. This is where the mystery part comes into play, but I have to say that I was disappointed by it. Grace barely does any investigating. She is trying to speak to people but most of them don't want to say anything, and then she always stumbles upon photographs or newspaper clippings from decades ago that help her understand the past. However, I did enjoy Grace's and Jake's relationship through the tapes and the little magical aspect that came along with it. And another strong part of the book, maybe even the strongest, is the portrayal of grief. Especially the description of Grace keeping herself busy and doing fine until she is suddenly not fine anymore and everything bursts out. That was very well done in my opinion and it made this book a good read in the end, even though the mystery didn't deliver.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

One of the best books of 2025 to be sure. It's moving, impactful and rips your heart out but in the best way. I don't think I ever cried as much as I did while reading this book. It's one of those books you cannot help but remember forever. A catharsis packed in form of a book.

Thank you to Peachtree Teen and NetGalley for the chance to review this book, all opinions are my own.

Amanda DeWitt wrote one of my favorite books of 2023 (Wren Martin Ruins It All) and I was so excited to see that she was writing a new YA speculative fiction. I think fans of Amanda’s previous books as well as readers seeking YA stories that focus on grief and heavy emotion, mysteries in small towns, and books that focus on family and friendship rather than romance, will really enjoy this one.

The Underwood Tapes is a story about Grace, an 18 year old who recently lost her mother in a car accident, who decides to spend her summer before college in her mother’s hometown. A place she has never visited as her mother never returned after she left 30 years ago. While working as an intern at the local history museum, Grace comes across a box of cassette tapes from the early 90’s and discovers that she is able to communicate with the person who originally recorded the tapes, Jake. This leads to a deep friendship that helps both characters come to terms with the loss in their lives and also uncovers several town mysteries that have been covered up for 50 years.

The biggest thing I appreciated about this book is that it is not a flashy, fast-paced story. It is subtle and nuanced and you have to be ready to go on the journey with these characters. It is less about the outcome and more about the emotions. Grief is a big focus of the story (and how generational trauma manifests in different ways). You will likely not escape without a few tears!

This is speculative fiction so it is important not to get too hung up on the “how” of how Grace and Jake are able to communicate. Also, there is no central romance in this book! It is about friendship and the bond that develops between two people who are helping each other heal and feel seen.

I don’t think this book is going to be for everyone but I was incredibly moved by it and I think anyone who wants to read a beautiful story about healing and friendship with a speculative twist will definitely enjoy this one.

4.5, rounded up to 5 stars

Okay, wow, this was so vastly different from Wren Martin, Amanda's only other book I've read so far; (Though that will change very quickly), and I loved every single second of it.

Grace was a brilliant main character to follow along with, as she did her damnedest to solve all the mysteries this small Florida town presented her with. And Jake, my heart hurts for and because of him, the way he followed in his father's footprints.

I won't be okay for a good while after this book, a usual sign when the writing really grabs a hold of me. Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree for the e-arc!

This was so lovely. The engaging premise drew me in, and I found the prose very easy to read, with some brilliantly thoughtful moments about moving through grief. This is one I will think about long after finishing, and I will absolutely keep an eye out for DeWitt’s other works.

I received an ARC of this ebook for review from Peachtree Teen via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

DeWitt has created an nuanced exploration of grief set in small-town Florida in the style of the 2000 movie, Frequency. Grace is spending the summer before collage with her Uncle just months after her mother's death. Her temporary job at the local historical society involves transcribing tapes created during the 1990's, and through those tapes she will begin to understand her own trauma while also exploring the secrets of the insular town her mother left behind her.

This is my third book from DeWitt and I love her work. I found this a fast, page turning read. It is not about he mystery plot - but how the mystery affects Grace. I suspect the ending may frustrate some readers. However, to me the story was about Grace's journey and I appreciate the ending for it's emphasis on accepting the things you cannot change. I highly recommend this one!

4/5 ☆

Wow. I am so glad I pushed through the beginning 10% where I wasn't really vibing with the book because the rest of it was so good. This felt different than Amanda's other novels and I appreciated the tonal change here. At its heart, this story is about grief and dealing with the aftermath of loss. Trying to find hope at the end of the da.

The time travel aspect kinda surprised me, at least, the way it was done here. I definitely had already guessed what happened in the past, sorta, but it was still beautiful to read.

Thanks again to Netgalley & the publisher for sending me an eARC.

The Underwood Tapes explores grief and trauma, connecting the lives of two teenagers from different eras through a stack of cassette tapes discovered in a small-town historical society.

Despite being decades apart, the bond they develop is heartwarming and beautifully tender. Jake, in particular, is such a charming and likable character. I couldn’t help but root for him so fiercely, even as the story kept me on edge, knowing his fate was already sealed. The author masterfully threads this tension throughout the novel, unraveling the town’s hidden truths piece by piece—cassette tape by cassette tape.

The older secondary characters were intriguing as well, though I wish they’d had more of the spotlight.

As for the ending... it completely wrecked me. It was painful and heartfelt in the most cathartic way. I cried—a lot. It was beautiful, realistic, and felt like the only conclusion that truly fit the story. Still, a part of me couldn’t help but wish for an alternate, happier ending where Jake could live and continue his friendship with Grace—even if it was impossible.

This book deserves all the recognition when it hits shelves in February—it’s an absolute gem!

Pub Date: 4 Feb 25

The Underwood Tapes- 4.5⭐:
The writing style had me immediately absorbed into the story even though the first pages are just Grace doing mundane tasks during the exposition. The mystery doesn’t have high stakes; however, Grace’s passion for solving it kept me hooked. I love Grace as a character. She feels very authentic. While I was disappointed that there were no chapters from Jake’s POV/time period, I still got a sense of his personality from his tapes. Overall, even though it wasn’t as mystery-ey as I thought it would be, The Underwood Tapes is written amazingly and it truly does dive into the idea of solving a mystery for one’s own sake.

The review is posted on my Instagram.

I am simply a sucker for some time foolery. You tell me that the main character is conversing with someone from thirty years ago through a set of cassette tapes and you have my undivided attention from start to end (assuming that I don't get distracted spiraling and thinking about the actual mechanics of such time bending conversations but I digress). I was immediately invested. What I also found in this novel however was a stunning portrayal of grief and loss. It was entirely embedded in the foundation of it. It wasn't overwhelming or the main focus of the story. It was just... there. Haunting the characters and motivating them to action in the past and present in irreversible ways.

It all starts with that grief. Grace is dealing with the traumatic loss of her mother when she decides to escape for the summer by staying with her Uncle for the summer in the small town that her mother grew up in. While there she gets a job transcribing the history of the town from cassette tapes that were recorded back in the 90's. That is how she meets Jake. A teenage boy that she soon finds can also hear her recordings on those very same tapes and the two of them quickly find themselves developing a beautiful and touching friendship while also bonding over the mystery of what really happened to his missing Uncle and how people in the town may know more than what they are saying.

There is just honestly so much to gush about here. Their friendship was a definite highlight in the book for me. It was so warm and sweet and despite being decades apart they managed to form such a great bond. Jake was honestly so charming and likeable as a character. I wanted nothing but the best for him and the entire time I was so anxious to learn what his fate was, knowing that whatever became of this vibrant young man was already done. The author just did an excellent job of threading this tension all throughout the novel as piece by piece or cassette tape by cassette tape you unravel the hidden truths in this little town.

I think my largest critique is that the mystery ended up being rather predictable. It felt very formulaic. The pieces were laid out and the very obvious conclusions were the culprits. I wouldn't necessarily say that this takes away from the enjoyment of the story as the simple answer is often the one that works but that part of the story admittedly didn't wow me. However the characters, lyrical writing and time foolery made up for it.

The end I must admit emotionally wrecked me. It was painful and heartfelt in the best of cathartic ways. Honestly it was just beautiful and felt like the most realistic and satisfying kind of conclusion you could expect. It was a strong finish to this incredible book. Amanda DeWitt continues to wow me with her novels and the utter range that writes with and I cannot wait to see what else she writes.

If you're looking for a fast-paced, mysterious young adult book, The Underwood Tapes is a relentless, exciting ride!

Grief pulls together two teenagers from different decades through a stack of cassettes at a small town historical society. I couldn't put it down, and the stakes continued to rise as the story went on.

A must-read for fans of mystery books!

Free copy provided by Netgalley.

"The Underwood Tapes" follows the story of Grace, who decided to spend the summer in her mother's hometown, Hermitage, after her fatal accident. While working in the Hermitage Historical Society, she is asked to transcribe cassette tapes. And that's where she meets Jake, the boy from 1992 who is recording the tapes.
Grace's story is full of love, grief, and a deep desire to know why things happened the way they did. While reading this book, I kept thinking to myself just how amazingly her character is written. Amanda DeWitt did a phenomenal job.
The friends Grace meets while she is working in the Historical Society are my favorite part of the book for sure. They are so understanding and sweet to her, I thought it was very touching.
The only negative thing I can find about "The Underwood Tapes" is the mystery. I went into this book thinking I would find a detective type of investigation, and I didn't (which is my fault for assuming that). However, I understand that the main focus of the book was dealing with grief and how things the older generations do can affect us, which I found really well-written and relatable.
Overall, I recommend this book to those who enjoy mysterious, emotional reads, with a taste of paranormal.
Thank you to Netgalley and Holiday House for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.