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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
Here We Are: American Dreams, American Nightmares (A Memoir) – Aarti Namdev Shahani
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “The move from Casablanca to Queens was the biggest bet of my parents’ life. It came with wounds: betrayal by loved ones and poverty in the greatest country on earth. There was chaos in the upending … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs
Tagged immigration, India
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The Mexico Diaries: A Sustainable Adventure – Daniel Theodore Gair
(Reviewed by Pat Luboff) There are a few books I’ve read that have had this effect on me. I look forward to my reading time, usually nap time or bedtime, because the book is there waiting for me. And, … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs
Tagged ecology, Mexico, sustainability
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Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty Birdcage – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & Anna Waterhouse
(Reviewed by Don Jung) It surprises me that legendary basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has now written fifteen books since he retired from sports. His fascination with the Arthur Conan Doyle books has him writing his third installment in a series … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged mystery, serial killers, Sherlock Holmes
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Combustible Punch: An enthralling and unnerving probe into the complex mind of a murderer – Paul Michael Peters
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “It’s never the pain at the moment that hurts us. It’s that we are always going to have it, always going to carry it with us. “ Rick Phillips never fully recovered from a high school … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged Crime, murder, serial killers
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An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Italian Lover – Robert Hellenga
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Margo Harrington, an American expatriate living in Italy, is excited to hear that her memoir, The Sixteen Pleasures, will be made into a feature film. The book details her experiences when she first came to Florence. … Continue reading
Two Suspects: A Legal Mystery – Gary Sherbell
(Reviewed by Christopher J. Lynch) It’s said that good things come in small packages and Two Suspects by Gary Sherbell bears this out. At only 107 pages, the book could easily be devoured on a plane flight or on … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged book reviews, legal mystery, short books
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Unwanted: How a Mother Learned to Turn Shame, Grief, and Fear into Purpose, Passion, and Empowerment – Linda Smith
(Reviewed by Heidi A. Swan) Unwanted is the autobiography of a woman with a high school education who harnessed her convictions and life skills to improve the world for the betterment for her son, who has Down’s Syndrome, and for … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction
Tagged diabilities, downs-syndrome
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United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth America (And What We Can Do About It) – Mickey Huff & Nolan Higdon, Foreword by Ralph Nader
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “…commercial media are in the business of marketing the immediate and sensational and have no mandate to serve the public interest.” In fact, the media profited from Trump’s celebrity and candidacy, and continues to do so … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, History, Non-fiction
Tagged commericalism, Donald Trump, free press, media
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Cleaning Up Finn – Sarah M. Chen
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Thirty-two-year-old restaurant manager Finn Roose will be the protagonist you love to hate. He over indulges in booze and women and even takes advantage of his closest friends. Needless to say, ethics and decency are not … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged crime fiction, mysogeny, short books, Southern California
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An UnderratedRead Revisited:The Riddle of the Sphinx – Alexandre Montagu
(Reviewed by JD Jung) 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. How … Continue reading