Author Archives: J D Jung

The Book Censor’s Library – Bothayna Al-Essa , translated from the Arabic by Ranya Abdelrahman and Sawad Hussain

(Reviewed by JD Jung)     This cautionary tale takes place “sometime in the future, in a place that would be pointless to name, since it resembles every other place.” All I know is that it is at a time … Continue reading

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Tenth Commandment: A Cat Caliban Mystery (The Cat Caliban Mysteries) – D. B. Borton

(Reviewed by Pat Luboff)   “I’m too tired. I just want to go to bed with a book.” In Chapter 1, sixty- one -year-old Cat was asked what she was good at. She thinks: “Certainly not marriage or motherhood or … Continue reading

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Happy New Year 2025!

(by JD Jung) We at UnderratedReads wish all our readers a safe and Happy New Year filled with health and love throughout 2025. We have discovered wonderful books during 2024, and since we only post reviews of books that we … Continue reading

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Trust Issues – Katherine Nichols

(Reviewed by JD Jung) From the moment you pick up Trust Issues and are drawn in by its intriguing cover, you might expect a romance or women’s fiction story. But don’t be fooled—this novel packs a crime thriller punch, brimming … Continue reading

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Scale of Time: From the Beginning – Joseph Lanzara

(Reviewed by Pat Luboff) “The underlying mission of this book is to render, with accuracy, unimaginably long lengths of time and incredibly vast distances in space, conceivable at a glance.” You’ll note that instead of listing just the author’s name, … Continue reading

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Coin – Yasmin Zaher

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “…in my family, America was both the key and the curse.” Our narrator, who is from a wealthy Palestinian family moved to New York after her parents died. She was left with an inheritance of which … Continue reading

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Wait- Gabriella Burnham

(Reviewed by JD Jung)   “They threw me out of the country like I was a nothing.” Wait delves into the intricate layers of family, identity, and the harsh realities faced by undocumented immigrants in the United States. Through the … Continue reading

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Black Pill: How I Witnessed the Darkest Corners of the Internet Come to Life, Poison Society, and Capture American Politics – Elle Reeve

(Reviewed by JD Jung) I’ve been amazed how CNN correspondent Elle Reeve has put herself in risky situations to get a story as well as to obtain the perspective of potentially dangerous people. This is even more evident in her … Continue reading

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Selamlik – Khaled Alesmael (translated from the Arabic by Leri Price)

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “I am so glad I was born in Syria and get to be young in Damascus, no matter the fear and danger. I love Damascus even if she is cruel to me.” Our narrator Furat lives … Continue reading

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Curdle Creek – Yvonne Battle-Felton

(Reviewed by JD Jung)   It’s around 1960 and the residents of Curdle Creek never leave for any reason. Black residents have lived there for generations and believe that anywhere outside this small remote town is dangerous. An exception to … Continue reading

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