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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: Fiction
DART – Dale Renton
(Reviewed by Matt McAvoy) At first sight this sci-fi action fantasy hybrid seems to be similar to many others, but in reality, it is quite better than the average. Set on a terraformed planet, 600 years from now, Dart has … Continue reading
Posted in Sci-Fi/Speculative/Fantasy/Mythology
Tagged Science Fiction & Fantasy
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Golden Monkey- Lance Pototschnik
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Nathan was meant to be the last batch, to use the last of the family dough. All the remaining chocolate chips were dumped into him—he was large, muscular, handsome, and had a charming inexplicable southern drawl. … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Humor & Satire
Tagged humor, memoirs
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The Parlor Girl’s Guide – Steve McCondichie
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “They probably hauled him to the city lockup for the weekend. He ain’t the first busted-ass sharecropper in Scots Station to get run on a rail for stealing and owing money.” November 1926, Central Alabama – … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction
Tagged Alabama, American South, farming, jazz age, Ty Cobb
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Bound by Blood: An Erotic Thriller – Clare Castleberry
(Reviewed by JD Jung) (A recent re-release. This was formerly titled What Lies Within, and was reviewed under that title.) “…I learned how a body could become a beautiful contribution to the power of cosmetics…the most exquisite, deepest shade … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Dark/Sordid/Bizarre, Reviewers' Top Picks
Tagged fiction, horror, New Orleans, psychological thriller, San Francisco, suspense
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In West Mills – De’Shawn Charles Winslow
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “You don’t want to be caught up in other folks’ lies and secrets. Ain’t a good feelin’ to keep stuff in ya.” It’s October 1941 and everyone seems to have secrets in this African American community … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction
Tagged family, friendship, love, North Carolina
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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 Illustrated Guide To Insanity – F. and Violet Mole
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.” – Mark Twain “All art is neurosis” – Sigmund Freud The essence of these quotes is embodied in the single-frame cartoons in … Continue reading
Posted in More fiction
Tagged humor, insanity, psychology, short books, Sigmund Freud
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The Unlikely Occultist: A Biographical Novel of Alice A. Bailey – Isobel Blackthorn
(Reviewed by Jeyran Main) In The Unlikely Occultist the author uses historical references and records in order to write a fictional tale about Alice’s life. A few characters are invented and fabricated in order to produce a beautiful narrative. However … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction
Tagged biographical novel, Historical fiction
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Dark Paradise: A Caribbean Noir Murder Mystery (Boise Montague Book 1) – Gene Desrochers
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “The St. Thomas I knew died long ago, even longer than Roger. Maybe I’d changed so profoundly in California that the whole world felt like a strange land.” After his wife’s untimely death, PI Boise Montague … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged crime fiction, drugs, St. Thomas, USVI
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MAD About the Trump Era – Various (Author, Illustrator)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Are you looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift for the mom who doesn’t think she’ll be able to stand one more day with this corrupt, narcissistic president? Is she depressed that her worst fears have … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, Humor & Satire, Politics and Social Justice
Tagged cartoons, corruption, Donald Trump, MAD Magazine
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