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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
An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Riddle of the Sphinx – Alexandre Montagu
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned How do I begin a review of a novel that kept me captive from page one and didn’t release me until the very end? I didn’t want to break for work, family, friends, or anything. … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged Iran, Islamic revolution, LGBTQ, Shah
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The Man in the Corduroy Suit (The Discipline Files Book 3) – James Wolff
(reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned Retired British intelligence officer Willa Karlsson was rushed to the hospital due to an apparent poisoning. Though the exact toxin cannot be verified, the methods look similar to those previously executed by Russian intelligence. Why … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged British literature, espionage, Russia
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A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice, and Freedom – Brittany K. Barnett
(Reviewed by Ann Onymous ) “Listening to King’s voice ringing out from the pulpit, i felt warmth begin to flow where only a wrung-out feeling had been. King’s tenor lifted me from within. His words were a balm for my … Continue reading
Posted in Non-fiction, Reviewers' Top Picks, Social Justice
Tagged criminal justice, Martin Luther King, prison, social justice
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Antiman: A Hybrid Memoir – Rajiv Mohabir
(reviewed by JD Jung) “I wanted to stop hiding. I wanted to tell them that I was queer. Queer sexually, queer religiously, queer by caste, and queer countried.” Rajiv Mohabir never felt that he belonged. As a resident of Central … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged class, culture, Guyanese, immigrants, immigration, India, LGBTQ, political activism, race, sexuality
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Your Turn – Lavelle Andrew Miller
(reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned Why was a well-respected detective with the Metro Nashville Police Department framed for a murder he did not commit, and worse, the crime of killing a fellow police officer? After serving ten years, that former … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged murder, Nashville, police, prison
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Pancakes in Paris: Living the American Dream in France (Culinary LGBTQ+ Memoir Book for Francophiles and Foodies) – Craig Carlson
(Reviewed by J.D. Jung) “I spoke of my favorite city and how beautiful it was…How all it needed was an American breakfast joint, and then it would be perfect!” Former Hollywood screenwriter, Craig Carlson, wanted to live his dream and … Continue reading
Maximum Taxi – Douglas Bales
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “As I come out of the tunnels on my way home, the city lies below me with its lights sparkling. I think about Misty and Mickey and all of the screwed-up people running around the … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged dark humor, drugs, society
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Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility – Rebecca Solnit & Thelma Young-Lutunatabua
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Nothing is inevitable, and that’s crucial to remember in this fight.” Personally, I have felt both hopeless and helpless when it comes to preserving our planet and fighting climate change. Not Too Late convinced … Continue reading
Posted in History, Non-fiction, Politics and Social Justice, Social Justice
Tagged climate change, colonization, ecology, Indigenous peoples
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Who is bombing Kyiv?! – Marina Alova
(Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “It was disheartening and revolting to witness the country repeating the same mistakes and going around in circles. Slava believed that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it would be impossible to make the … Continue reading
Posted in Slavic Literature, World Issues, World Literature
Tagged propaganda, Putin, Russia, Russian literature, Ukraine, war
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