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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
Mygale – Thierry Jonquet (Translated from the French by Donald Nicholson-Smith)
Ah, revenge can be so sweet. Now mix it with obsession and a touch of madness, and it turns utterly twisted and bizarre. Such is the case with the intense and fascinating novel, Mygale, written by the late French crime … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged book reviews, dark, fiction, French literature, horror, noir
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How Dare We! Write: A Multicultural Creative Writing Discourse – Sherry Quan Lee
(Reviewed by Jeyran Main) How Dare We! Write is a non-fiction book which caught me by surprise. The work is a collection of writing exercises written by teachers, community leaders, career writers that are bilingual, and multicultural. The editor expresses … Continue reading
Posted in Non-fiction
Tagged culture, identity, race, writing
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That Crazy Perfect Someday – Michael Mazza
(Reviewed by Don Jung) Record- breaking surfer, Mufuri Long, has the goal of winning the Olympics in the future year of 2024. The trials and training that goes into this sport is splattered with her father’s depressive attitude on life … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged book reviews, family dysfunction, fiction, surfing
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Surviving Schizophrenia: My Story of Paranoid Schizophrenia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Depression, Anosognosia, Suicide, and Treatment and Recovery from Severe Mental Illness – Richard Carlson
(Reviewed by Jeyran Main) Surviving Schizophrenia is a memoir written by Richard Carlson, who was twenty one when he was diagnosed with this mental illness. The book revolves around his illness and recovery. It took ten years for the professionals … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs
Tagged book reviews, memoir, mental illness, Schizophrenia, short books
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Affections: A Novel – Rodrigo Hasbún , Translated from the Spanish 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 Bolivia, book reviews, Historical fiction, Latin American Lit, short books
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Only Human (Act One): The Pooka’s Tales: Speak of the Devil – Leigh Hollan
(Reviewed by Jeyran Main) Only Human is a fantasy novel written in a magical realism. The story is about an Irish fairy. He has magical abilities and uses it to fool humans. He has a very funny take on everything. … Continue reading
Posted in Sci-Fi/Speculative/Fantasy/Mythology
Tagged book reviews, fantasy, fiction
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Illegal: a true story of love, revolution and crossing borders – John Dennehy
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “For the first time in my life I know exactly where I want to be. I have found my home in the shadow of an Andean volcano in Ecuador. I’m about to move in with the … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Immigration, World Issues
Tagged book reviews, deportation, immigration, memoirs
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Dennis and Greer: A Love Story – Molly Gould
(Reviewed by Jeyran Main) Dennis and Greer is a nonfiction love story. It contains a collection of love letters and journals saved between two college students during the Vietnam Era. The story is very heartfelt and beautiful, making it feel … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, History, Non-fiction
Tagged book reviews, Romance, Vietnam War
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The Last Girl – Danny Lopez
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Now I was a fucked-up has-been unemployed reporter for a small-town paper. All that hard work, the anger, the resolution, the desire, the accomplishments—it had all been for nothing. I was as good as my dying … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged book reviews, crime fiction, Sarasota
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Russia: History of Russia: Kievan Rus to Vladimir Putin, Tsars and Revolutions – All Shaping Russian Culture and Russian History- Ian Maslow
(Reviewed by JD Jung) I have been requested to review some short non-fiction books, and as promised, I am posting reviews of those that I recommend. History of Russia is such a book. Russia: History of Russia: Kievan Rus to … Continue reading
Posted in History
Tagged Russia, short books, Soviet Union, WWII
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