-
-
About
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
Red Lily – Janice Graham
(Reviewed by JD Jung) If you’re a fan of novels where nothing is as it seems—where every character harbors a secret and the truth lies buried beneath layers of deception, then Red Lily is for you. What begins as an … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged communism, cozy mystery, espionage, Paris, Soviet Union
Comments Off on Red Lily – Janice Graham
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
Comments Off on Willie – Rum Running Queen: Based on the true story of Willie Carter Sharpe – Louella Bryant
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
Comments Off on The Both of Us: A Psychological Thriller – Dan Lawton
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
Comments Off on Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love: A Coffee Travel Guide – Steven P. Unger (Author), Ruth St. Steven (Photographer)
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
Comments Off on Your Pasta Sucks: A “Cookbook” – Matteo Lane
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
Comments Off on The Sable Cloak – Gail Milissa Grant
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
Comments Off on The Wind on Her Tongue – Anita Kopacz
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
Comments Off on Invisible Helix – Keigo Higashino (Author), Giles Murray (Translator)
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