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UnderratedReads is devoted to discovering underrated books and under-represented authors. We highlight hidden gems from around the world–honest reviews only, never pay-to-play.
Author Archives: J D Jung
Good Lookin’ – T L Bequette
(Reviewed by JD Jung) I’m always drawn to crime thrillers that combine a captivating murder case with characters who feel like real people, and Good Lookin’ certainly kept me turning the pages. Oakland attorney Joe Turner has never lost a … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Fiction
Tagged abuse, crime fiction
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The Eye of Goliath – Diego Muzzio (Author), Rahul Bery (Translator)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) When I started reading The Eye of Goliath, I was immediately intrigued by Dr. Edward Pierce, a physician running a sanatorium outside Edinburgh who uses hypnosis and other controversial methods to treat soldiers suffering from the … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction, Latin American Literature
Tagged insanity, psychological thriller, WWI
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Within the Walls: A Dark Romance – V. S. Maxon
(Reviewed by JD Jung) When I started reading Within the Walls, I expected a story about a kidnapping, but it turned out to be much more psychologically complex. Actress Sophie Hartnet is abducted on her way back to her Paris … Continue reading
Posted in Dark/Sordid/Bizarre, Romance
Tagged dark fiction
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An UnderratedRead Revisited- American Refuge: True Stories of the Refugee Experience – Diya Abdo
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “When refugees leave, it is rarely, if ever, happy. And it is never something they choose to do. Their bodies, finding no other way to survive, split themselves from their souls, wave goodbye to them, on … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged immigration
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Sign of the Cross: A Religious Conspiracy Thriller – Glenn Cooper
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Sign of the Cross is a gripping religious thriller that blends suspense, historical conspiracy, and theological intrigue. Calvin Donovan, a Harvard Divinity School professor who wrote a book on the history of Stigmata, was asked by … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged Nazism, religious thriller, Vatican
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Pereira Maintains – Antonio Tabucchi, translated by Patrick Creagh
(Reviewed by JD Jung) When I picked up Pereira Maintains at Paperback Exchange in Florence, Italy, I had no idea how relevant this novel would feel today. Set in Portugal in the summer of 1938, during the rise of fascism … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction, Italian Literature
Tagged fascism, Italian literature, political fiction, Portugal
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The Ingredients of Emotional Maturity: How to become more self-aware and resilient -The School of Life
What I appreciate about The Ingredients of Emotional Maturity is its emphasis on understanding ourselves rather than constantly trying to “fix” ourselves. The authors explain how much of our behavior, reactions, and inner dialogue can be traced back to childhood. … Continue reading
Posted in Non-fiction, Your Best Self
Tagged psychology, self-help
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Joan of the Arcane – Alexandra Fleder
(Reviewed by JD Jung) What happens when a former punk-rock singer reaches her forties, her children have left home for college, and suburban life suddenly feels like a cage? That’s where Joan finds herself in this wonderfully original and often … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged humor
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Almost Blue -Carlo Lucarelli (Author) , Oonagh Stransky (Translator)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “That’s why I’m listening to the city tonight, with Chet Baker playing softly in the background.” Another book I picked up while visiting Bologna, Italy, was Almost Blue by Carlo Lucarelli at Feltrinelli Librerie. … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Italian Literature
Tagged crime fiction, Italian literature, noir
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