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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
Willie – Rum Running Queen: Based on the true story of Willie Carter Sharpe – Louella Bryant
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Author Louella Bryant has always been fascinated with the illegal bootleg business during the Prohibition era. This has led her to bring the history to life in her captivating historical novel, Willie – Rum Running … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction
Tagged betrayal, depression-era, Prohibition
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The Both of Us: A Psychological Thriller – Dan Lawton
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Mark thought that he and his wife, Rachel, enjoyed a happy marriage. Then one day while channel surfing on his car radio, he hears a caller on a therapist’s show, and he recognizes the voice. Though … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged marriage, suspense
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Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love: A Coffee Travel Guide – Steven P. Unger (Author), Ruth St. Steven (Photographer)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) For those who consider coffee more than just a morning ritual, Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love is a rich and aromatic journey through time, culture, and continents. Blending travel writing with … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Food & Cooking, History, Reviewers' Top Picks, Travel
Tagged coffee, Costa Rica, Cuba, culture, Hawaii, history, Jordan, Miami, New Orleans, San Francisco, travel
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Your Pasta Sucks: A “Cookbook” – Matteo Lane
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “…my romance with pasta has been my longest and best relationship.” What can you expect from a cookbook written by a gay Italian, Irish and Mexican American stand up comedienne from Chicago? Plenty! Matteo Lane writes … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Food & Cooking, Non-fiction
Tagged comedy, humor, Italy, LGBTQ, pasta
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The Sable Cloak – Gail Milissa Grant
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow South, readers are first taken to Greenston, South Carolina, in 1934. We meet Big Will who upon turning eighteen, must join the neighborhood’s vigilante group to keep justice … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction, Reviewers' Top Picks
Tagged African American history, family, Jim Crow, racism, segregation, St. Louis
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The Wind on Her Tongue – Anita Kopacz
(Reviewed by JD Jung) 1872 -Yemaya, who now lives in Cuba, is well known for possessing healing powers inherited from her Nigerian Yoruba Orisha lineage. Her eighteen-year-old daughter, Oya, as the Orisha of storm, wind and weather, also possesses intense … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction
Tagged African-American, class, Historical fiction, New Orleans, racism, San Francisco, voodoo
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Invisible Helix – Keigo Higashino (Author), Giles Murray (Translator)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “ If you’re searching for a crime thriller that grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go, Invisible Helix is the novel for you. When homicide detectives investigate a plausible murder: a man floating … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Far Eastern Literature
Tagged crime thriller, family, homicide, murder, Tokyo
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Second Pocket First – Gregory Grosvenor
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Issey had always been a thief, but not a particularly good one. The thrill of lifting someone’s property was overwhelming since he was a boy stealing mail. Lockpicking was his specialty, but as an adult working … Continue reading
The Book Censor’s Library – Bothayna Al-Essa , translated from the Arabic by Ranya Abdelrahman and Sawad Hussain
(Reviewed by JD Jung) This cautionary tale takes place “sometime in the future, in a place that would be pointless to name, since it resembles every other place.” All I know is that it is at a time … Continue reading
Posted in Middle Eastern Literature, Political fiction, Sci-Fi/Speculative/Fantasy/Mythology, Social Justice
Tagged censorship, freedom, liberty, library, Social satire
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