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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
KOSTYA – Scott Zimmerman
(Reviewed by Don Jung) This powerful World War II novel delivers a deeply personal and harrowing account of survival, resilience, and the human spirit under unimaginable conditions. Based on a true story, it follows Kostya, a seventeen-year-old Ukrainian boy captured … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction, Reviewers' Top Picks
Tagged WWII
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Good News – Alexa Yasemin Brahme
(Reviewed by JD Jung) If you enjoy character-driven fiction about identity, ambition, and messy personal growth, Good News delivers a captivating and relatable story. Maggie, a woman in her late twenties pursuing her MFA, feels caught between her artistic dreams … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, More fiction, Romance
Tagged artists., emotion, immigration
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The Shy Assassin – Clara Usón, translated by Lily Meyer
(Reviewed by JD Jung) I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading The Shy Assassin by Clara Usón, but it completely surprised me. What begins as a curiosity about the mysterious death of Spanish “erotic” actress Sandra Mozarowsky … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, More fiction, Spanish Literature
Tagged philosophy, suicide
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Salt, Sweat & Steam: The Fiery Education of an Accidental Chef – Brigid Washington
(Reviewed by JD Jung) This heartfelt culinary memoir follows Brigid Ransome, a Trinidad-born writer and cooking aficionado, as she rebuilds her life after heartbreak. Set against the backdrop of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction
Tagged memoir
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Another UnderratedRead Revisited: Affections: A Novel – Rodrigo Hasbún , Translated by Sophie Hughes
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Affections is an intriguing work of historical fiction based on true events following the once- close Ertl family. Hans, the patriarch, was a Nazi propaganda cinematographer, and the family fled Munich and arrived in La Paz, … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction, Latin American Literature
Tagged Historical fiction, Latin American Lit
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The Presence of Men – Francesca Marciano
(Reviewed by JD Jung) This novella immediately drew me in with its quiet emotional depth and evocative Italian setting. Starting over after divorce captures what it really means to rebuild a life. —messy, uncertain, and deeply personal. . Lara used … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Italian Literature, World Literature
Tagged emotional, short books
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Dear Monica Lewinsky – Julia Langbein
(Reviewed by JD Jung) I’ll admit—long before the MeToo movement reframed sexual injustice, I had a soft spot for Monica Lewinsky. I empathized with the twenty-four-year-old intern who was attracted to the most powerful man in the world, and then … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Humor & Satire
Tagged humor, sexism, Social satire
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My Dreadful Body – Egana Djabbarova (Author), Lisa C. Hayden (Translator)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Author Egana Djabbarova shares a story about identity, illness, and cultural expectations in her novel, My Dreadful Body. Set between Russia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, it follows a Muslim woman who feels like she belongs nowhere—not in … Continue reading
Posted in Slavic Literature, World Literature
Tagged culture, Muslim, mysogeny
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Breakthrough – John C. Robinson
(Reviewed by Pat Luboff) I was attracted to this book because it was described as a “fast-paced spiritual contemporary novel.” Intriguing, no? I’m a person on a path of spiritual growth. I think we all are, but some of … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged Spiritual/mystical
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Siphon – A. A. Medina
Reviewed by JD Jung) Hematopathologist Gary Phillips continually pulls all-nighters at the hospital and hates his job. He has no girlfriend or social life, though he has an infatuation with a female co-worker who is at least ten years … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged short books, thrillers
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