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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
The Shining – Dorothea Lasky
(reviewed by JD Jung) The Shining, a collection of over thirty poems, takes us to places similar to those that the Overlook Hotel made famous through Stephen King’s novel and Stanley Kubrick’s film of the same name. Though just as … Continue reading
Posted in Dark/Sordid/Bizarre, Poetry
Tagged artists., identity, poetry, relationships, self-destruction
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Forgottenness – Tanja Maljartschuk, translated by Zenia Tompkins
(reviewed by JD Jung) “I was an inconsequential being who had suddenly become deathly afraid of life.” Our present-day narrator suffers from mental/psychological disorders: frequent panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder, substance abuse, and changing levels of agoraphobia. Eventually she breaks … Continue reading
Posted in Historical Fiction, Slavic Literature, World Literature
Tagged history, mental illness, political activism, politics, Ukraine
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Ilium: A novel – Lea Carpenter
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “The game of espionage, at its essence, is observation, seduction, patience. And a fluid relationship with your sense of self. To commit espionage at the highest levels you have to be willing to forget who you … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Reviewers' Top Picks
Tagged CIA, espionage, M16, Mossad
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Broadcast Blues (Clare Carlson Mystery Book 6) – R.G. Belsky
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Clare Carlson, news director for Channel 10 News in New York City is experiencing a mid-life crisis. She’s about to turn fifty years old, three times married, and still looking for Mr. Right. Let’s also not … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged crime fiction, murder, New York City
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The Vacation House – Jane Shemilt
(Reviewed by JD Jung) 2003 -Thirteen-year-old Sofie and her family toiled at a vacation house on the island of Paxos, Greece. This house was owned by a wealthy British family and frequented every summer by them and their friends. When … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Reviewers' Top Picks
Tagged class, Greece, London, Sexual abuse
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Violets – Kyung-Sook Shin, translated by Anton Hur
(reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned “San’s attraction did not originate this summer. But rather it has lain in wait for millennia before bursting forth all at once. “ San was no stranger to abandonment. Her father left right after she … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Far Eastern Literature, World Literature
Tagged culture, Korea, mysogeny, Seoul
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Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience – Raj Tawney
(reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned In Raj Tawney’s captivating memoir, Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience, readers are treated to a poignant exploration of identity, family, and cultural diversity. Set against the backdrop of suburban New … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Culture, Food & Cooking
Tagged diversity, family, India, multiculture, New York City
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Dogboy v Catfish – Luke Gracias
Reviewed by JD Jung) #CommissionsEarned When I first read the title, Dogboy v Catfish, I thought that it sounded silly, and was skeptical as to whether I would enjoy the book. I hope others are not turned off by it, … Continue reading
Posted in Australian Literature, Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged Australian fiction, Crime, deception, divorce, drugs, murder
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January – Sara Gallardo, translated by Frances Riddle
(reviewed by JD Jung) January (Enero) first published in Spanish in 1958, follows the daily life and thoughts of sixteen-year-old Nefer, who finds she is pregnant after a rape. Nefer works on the family farm, and lives in the shadow … Continue reading
Posted in Latin American Literature, Lost and almost forgotten
Tagged abortion, Argentina, class, culture, rape, short books
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