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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.
Category Archives: Modern Literary Fiction
200 Letters – Amy Watkins
(Reviewed by Jeyran Main) 200 Letters is a romance novel written about Angela and Ethan. Angela comes from an abusive relationship that was causing great misery. Ethan is unhappily married, working at the same office as Angela. They meet, and … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Literary Fiction, Romance
Tagged coming-of-age, Contemporary Romance, forgiveness, Romance
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The Patient – Jasper DeWitt
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Patient additionally shows a high propensity toward violence and sadism. Patient has assaulted numerous members of staff and has had to be restrained. Despite relative youth, patient seems intuitively aware of which parts of the human … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Dark/Sordid/Bizarre, Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged contemporary fiction, mental illness, Psychiatry
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Pizza Girl: A Novel – Jean Kyoung Frazier
(reviewed by JD Jung) An eighteen-year-old pregnant pizza delivery girl is lost, with no idea where she is headed in life. Even though she has a loving boyfriend who is excited about the baby, that isn’t enough. She has never … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged coming-of-age, dark humor, Los Angeles
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There Has to Be a Knife – Adnan Khan
(reviewed by JD Jung) < “Those pleasures that I always had access to with her—the tactile, her body, food, her laugh—I knew I would have to keep her away from my darkness to preserve them. I wanted too many shallow, … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged Canada, class conflict, grief, Islam, mysogeny, Toronto
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The Museum of Lost Love – Gary Barker
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “…the normal state of lovers, of couples, is not together. Together is a transient state. The normal state of things is as much about ending and leaving as it is about beginning and staying. The normal … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged Bosnian war, contemporary fiction, Serbia, Zagreb
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The Berlin Woman – Alan Kaufman
(reviewed by JD Jung) “She turns her giving of love available to transact with, as a form of punishment, a torment, an affliction, an act of revenge. She replays overtures of love with suffering and pain.” So why is writer … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged Austria, betrayal, Germany, history, Judaism, psychological drama, San Francisco, Ukraine
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The 6:41 to Paris – Jean-Philippe Blondel, (Translated from the French by Alison Anderson)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “What I feel now is pure hatred. And that surprises me—because I’m not like that, particularly toward someone I haven’t seen in what must be at least twentyfive years…I can’t help but sneak looks at him.” … Continue reading
Posted in French Literature, Modern Literary Fiction, World Literature
Tagged French literature
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Man of the Year – Caroline Louise Walker
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “The lovesick, the betrayed, and the jealous all smell alike.” -Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette Internist, Dr. Robert Hart was named Sag Harbor Citizen of the Year. Everyone seems to be jealous of him and his charismatic wife, Elizabeth. … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged death, family, infidelity, literature
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The Riddle of the Sphinx – Alexandre Montagu
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Eric (Keyvan) fled Iran as a child during the Islamic revolution and grew up in Paris. He later studied Comparative Literature at Princeton. That is one scenario. What would have happened if he was forced … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction, Modern Literary Fiction, Philosophical reads, Reviewers' Top Picks
Tagged identity, Iran, Islamic revolution, LGBT, Shah
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Rejections From a Literary Agent: Discouraging Writers, One Bad Query at a Time – G. Randy Kasten
(Reviewed by Jeyran Main) Rejections From a Literary Agent is a humorous book about literary agent, Marcie Ribbons. She is retired and spends her day responding to query letters. She shares her view on the publishing industry and often expresses … Continue reading
Posted in Humor & Satire, Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged book reviews. fiction, humor, publishing, query letters
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