Broadcast Blues (Clare Carlson Mystery Book 6) – R.G. Belsky

(Reviewed by JD Jung)


Clare Carlson, news director for Channel 10 News in New York City is experiencing a mid-life crisis. She’s about to turn fifty years old, three times married, and still looking for Mr. Right. Let’s also not forget that she is trying to repair a relationship with her adult daughter.

Added to that, the TV station is about to be sold to a media conglomerate, where ratings are king as opposed to responsible reporting. Clare has a close professional relationship with the current owner, who allows her to go after the big stories and appear on the news. She has a terrible relationship with her new boss, Susan Endicott, who backs up the new owners who believe that a news director should just do that—direct and stay out of the weeds.

When the car of a former NYPD officer turned private investigator, Wendy Kyle, is bombed, Clare wants to investigate. Wendy specialized in exposing cheating spouses, mostly high-profile individuals, so there are many who would want her dead. She also had enemies in the NYPD, including top brass, as she would carry on about department wrongdoing, coverups, and corruption.

There appears to be a coverup brewing in this murder case and Clare refuses to let it go. This could get dangerous, as it may not only involve those from the NYPD, and affluent individuals, but even a candidate for governor.

Broadcast Blues will take readers through a wild ride with so many twists and turns that you’ll be in complete suspense as to how the story will end. Add to that, the quirky supporting characters that add depth and humor to the story.  For instance, there are the married co-anchors who bring their personal lives to work and the female sports reporter who really doesn’t care for sports and instead politicizes her stories. Author R. G. Belsky reveals that the newsroom scenes are based on his years of experience working in New York City newsrooms.

This is the sixth installment in the series. Though I enjoyed Broadcast Blues, I don’t think that I’ll read the others. I have a personal preference for dark and gritty crime fiction. I can overlook that if I find myself truly invested in the protagonists, which I was not.

However, for those who don’t share my partialities, but still enjoy a strong plot, this series may just be what you’re looking for.

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Happy 2024

( by JD Jung)

Happy New Year!

 

We at UnderratedReads wish all our readers a safe and Happy New Year filled with health, love, justice, and tolerance throughout 2024 and beyond.

We have discovered so many magnificent books during 2023, and since we only post reviews of books that we recommend, all books on our site are highly recommended.

However, here’s an abbreviated list of books with our highest ratings, that we discovered in 2023:

The Vacation House – Jane Shemilt

All Who Wander – Joe Clifford

The Fitful Sleep of Immigrants – Orlando Ortega-Medina

The Vulture Fund – Jeff Buick

A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice, and Freedom – Brittany K. Barnett (non-fiction)

Keep reading and let us know what you personally have discovered!

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Enjoy Me Among My Ruins – Juniper Fitzgerald

(Reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned

Exceptional
“After a divorce and a doctorate, a global pandemic and a murder, after a smattering of death threats, a lot of books, and even more booze, I found myself offering up my past with a kind of addict’s dissociation. “

Juniper Fitzgerald became pregnant while in graduate school and working as a sex worker in Las Vegas. She expresses her guilt to her daughter,” As I attempt to piece together this book, I am falling apart before your very eyes.” However, even without this confession, her painful feelings are expressed poignantly in this book.

Enjoy Me Among My Ruins takes the memoir genre and turns it on its head. Fitzgerald takes certain admitted liberties that enhance the book. She explains her teenage years growing up in the Midwest in the form of letters to her idol, Gillian Anderson. This non-linear story flashes back and forth between these letters and her life as a sex worker.

Fitzgerald writes in beautiful prose, against the backdrop of explicit gritty realness. She acknowledges the contradictions in life and emotions. While she refuses to be a victim, she exposes the difficult reality of a sex worker’s ability to just simply survive.

Enjoy Me Among My Ruins serves as an eye-opener, exposing readers to a life that they may have not encountered before. This short memoir will keep you engrossed throughout her journey.

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The Vacation House – Jane Shemilt

(Reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommisionsEarned

2003 -Thirteen-year-old Sofie and her family toiled at a vacation house on the island of Paxos, Greece. This house was owned by a wealthy British family and frequented every summer by them and their friends. When Sofie is sexually assaulted by two teenagers from this group, life unravels for her entire family.

Twenty years later we meet thirty-nine-year-old Julia, who lives in London with her daughter and husband, James. James is the headmaster of a prestigious school and must keep up appearances with society. Though she is three years older than her husband, Julia plays the trophy wife. She appreciates that James rescued her and her daughter from a life of poverty, so she is willing to exchange sex and cooking for her daughter’s education and a better life. However, she feels trapped.

Each chapter reveals a great contrast, switching between Sophie in 2003 and Julia in 2023. As I read, I kept wondering how the two stories relate, if at all. Just when I thought I solved part of the mystery, the story took an unexpected turn, revealing a shocking ending.

There are so many layers to The Vacation House that will stay in your mind long after you’ve reached the final page. How much of oneself does a person have to give up in order to acquire justice, or even to be able to survive? From generational and class abuse to entitlement and denial, it’s all embedded within a fascinating story. Add the vivid geographical settings and complex supporting characters, this novel will engage the reader throughout.

Ultimately, The Vacation House is a gripping tale that keeps readers spellbound, unraveling its multifaceted plot until the very end. A must read!

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Visualize Yourself: Designing the Outcome of Your Life, One Issue at a Time – Aileen Nealie

(Reviewed by Pat Luboff)


#CommissionsEarned

“This is you breaking free from your current reality. Dare to expand. Dare to grow. Design your path. You have a say in everything.”

Reading Visualize Yourself by Aileen Nealie is like giving your mind a long, cool drink of the purest water on a blazing hot day. In our current world, where we are constantly assaulted by negative and violent images and anxiety-producing advertisements, it’s a great relief to spend some time in the world of light and love that Ms. Nealie creates in her book.

And it’s in this world where she gives you easy, accessible instructions on how to create for yourself through the process of visualization.  With that groundwork laid in the first section of the book, you are ready to use the technique to address specific needs for healing in your life. There are visualizations to reduce anxiety, break free from depression, release fears, and more in the “Mental Health” section. Some of the other areas covered are life transitions, relationships, food, abundance, love, and spirituality.

For a book of less than 150 pages, it packs a big bunch of positive and useful ways to use your mind to enhance your life. Indulge! Everyone needs this book!

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Vices -Lawrence Douglas

(Reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned

“It would be years before I would be prepared to accept his self-assessment [as a sick person], and even then, not fully. …he was handsome, wealthy, the youngest tenured professor at one of the nation’s most prestigious colleges, and already internationally known for his work; many people would have happily traded up to that level of sickness.”

Add art collector and ladies’ man to the many attributes of Oliver Vice.

Yes, our unnamed narrator, a visiting novelist at Harkness College, became fascinated with philosophy professor Oliver Vice. This would soon turn in to an obsession –not sexually– but in a way and extent that would destroy his marriage and take over a large part of his life. He would even spend many a Christmas Day with Oliver and his family, which included his obtuse brother who had a fascination with Winston Churchill and Adolph Hitler, as well as his rigid but attractive Polish mother. Regarding their first Christmas gathering he comments, “Whether I’d enjoyed myself was entirely irrelevant. I’d been drawn in. That was the point.”

At age forty-one, Oliver fell overboard from an ocean liner in an apparent suicide. This prompted the narrator to research Oliver’s life, and the secrets and lies of his family’s past. He takes us back to his initial meeting with Oliver Vice and through their years of friendship and female relationships. After Oliver’s death, he flew to Europe to search for his biological father’s family with whom Oliver had no relationship with.  However, through all of this we learn that our narrator may be trying to grasp on to something of himself.

He is not the only person drawn into the life of the Vices; the reader is sucked in also. It wasn’t just my quest to understand Oliver Vice, but the anticipation of each event and how he reacts to it.

Even so, what I particularly liked was that The Vices is full of contradictions. It’s not just in the complex characters–who are contradictions in themselves– but in the way the story is told. Though it is not a mystery, the plot is full of intrigue. It’s not particularly funny but laced with dark humor. Though many personal issues highlight the story–such as religion, personal identification, lies and guilt–nothing hits you in the face. It’s the subtleties that make the story. Then again, Author Lawrence Douglas seduces us with vivid imagery and sharp tone. Let’s just say that I couldn’t put the book down.

Were all of my questions answered? Maybe not, but that’s unrealistic anyway. Life isn’t that tidy.

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Many People Die Like You – Lina Wolff, translated by Saskia Vogel

(reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned


Those who enjoy eclectic short stories that explore human nature are sure to relish the stories in Many People Die Like You. From bizarre relationships to unexpected power dynamics, this collection of fourteen stories takes readers on a journey through unconventional narratives that readers will not expect.

The book opens with “No Man’s Land,” a story that immediately sets the tone for the entire collection. The author ingeniously crafts endings that leave readers pleasantly surprised, a trait echoed in the title story, “Many People Die Like You,” where a professor taking his advantage is fooled in the end.

Set predominantly in Madrid and Valencia, Spain, with a standout tale “Misery Porn” rooted in Sweden, the stories offer a unique blend of settings that enhance the plot. Swedish author Lina Wolff, who use to live in Spain, does a magnificent job of exploring the weirdness of human relationships. While many stories feature misogynistic male characters grappling with the limits of their power over women, Wolff adeptly flips these power dynamics, revealing deeper truths about control and influence. This is often accomplished using dark humor. This is not to say that either gender always winds up the victor in these stories.

I wish I could say that every story is breathtaking, but unfortunately that is not the case. Some are so exceptional that they overshadow a few that are lackluster. This creates a contrast in the overall impact of the book. Despite this, Wolff’s skill in unraveling the peculiarities of human relationships remains consistently impressive.

Though Many People Die Like You features stories of strange lovers in even stranger relationships, I think that most readers will be able to relate to this collection on some level. After all, life and relationships can be complicated.

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Violets – Kyung-Sook Shin, translated by Anton Hur

(reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned

“San’s attraction did not originate this summer. But rather it has lain in wait for millennia before bursting forth all at once. “

San was no stranger to abandonment. Her father left right after she was born, which made her mother the first divorcee in the village. In turn, her mother left before San was an adult. San was also abandoned by her only friend when she was of school age.

Now at twenty-three, she is navigating a new life in her own apartment in Seoul, working in a flower shop. San has always felt insignificant, and the bustling capital in 1990’s Korea doesn’t change that. Though a co-worker befriends her, the loneliness of the past still haunts her, and it is difficult for her to get close to anyone, or should I say to the people who truly care about her.

San’s attraction mentioned above, becomes an all-consuming obsession with a womanizing magazine photographer. Thoughts about him flood her mind whether she is asleep or awake. She even hallucinates that he is constantly with her. Unfortunately, when she is forced to face the truth, she engages in self-destructive behavior to try and erase her insecurities.

We, the readers, wonder if she will try and face the origination of her insecurities and feelings of abandonment. Will she find the courage for self-reflection?

As the story unfolds, we meet engaging and often quirky supporting characters. However, there is so much more to this skillfully written story. Violets unveils not only personal struggles but a broader exploration of societal themes such as loneliness, misogyny, and beauty standards. This is all in the context of a country’s evolving societal norms.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: My Part of Her – Javad Djavahery, Preface by Dina Nayeri, Translated by Emma Ramadan

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

Exceptional

“For what reason did the people take to the streets to demand the Shah’s departure? I assure you that if we asked the question today, the majority of Iranians wouldn’t know how to respond. For liberty? I don’t think so. For a better life? I don’t think that’s it either. Because starting in 1979, they have been far less free, their lives more difficult than before, and yet they don’t rise up. So why was this country handed over to mullahs? In exchange for what? No one knows.”

Our narrator fondly remembers life in his seaside village the summer he was thirteen years old. He always awaited the arrival of his older distant cousin, with whom he was quite infatuated with. We enjoy the summer along with him, as he describes his youthful scheming, friends, family, and the colorful scenery along the Caspian coast. Though he was from a working-class family, life was good.

He is later tormented by his decision to become a left-wing activist, trying to free his country from the Shah and Western imperialism. “We wanted to defend the country against an enemy that we had invented ourselves. We were persisting in a revolution that was leading the country to chaos. “

He became a political fugitive, constantly on the run, as many of his friends had already died. He felt like a fraud. The once vibrant seaside town became empty, dark, and dreary.

Through this fictional story, My Part of Her sheds light on many questions I had regarding the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. The author, who has been in exile since the age of twenty, explains this conundrum in a very personal way with captivating characters, graphic events and a spellbinding story. This is all enhanced with his (and the translator’s) artistry of language.

Do not skip over the book’s preface as it gives insight to the events, characters, and their motivations. Dina Nayeri, who was a small child during that time and subsequently fled the country with her family, gives her perspective on the errors students and activists made in their protests against the Shah.

My Part of Her is an engrossing story along with essential lessons from the past that we must not forget. Studying History enables us to learn from our mistakes as to n

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Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience – Raj Tawney

(reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned


In Raj Tawney’s captivating memoir, Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience, readers are treated to a poignant exploration of identity, family, and cultural diversity. Set against the backdrop of suburban New York, Raj’s narrative paints a vivid picture of his coming-of-age journey.

Raj was envious of those who were of just one ethnicity. They seemed to know “who” they were. His father immigrated from India and his mother was from the Bronx, of Puerto Rican and Italian heritage. Even his mother had problems integrating into his father’s family.

Despite that, he realized the importance of family and the food that brings them together. Any of the cultures in his upbringing could appear at mealtimes. Through heartfelt anecdotes, he unveils the significance of family bonds and the pivotal role that food plays in connecting generations. Each chapter is followed by a recipe which plays an integral part in the story. He learned much of the family history by helping his maternal grandmother in the kitchen. She related stories of growing up in the Bronx where people were segregated by national origin. She also lost part of her cultural connection upon moving to the suburbs.

One of the most compelling aspects of the narrative is Raj’s unlikely friendship with an elderly woman navigating her own challenges in a rapidly changing world that she felt less engaged in, while he was still trying to figure out who he was.

Even though I haven’t tried any of the recipes in the book yet, I consider Colorful Palate to be a celebration of diversity and resilience that I believe readers will appreciate.

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