Underrated Reads

Willie – Rum Running Queen: Based on the true story of Willie Carter Sharpe – Louella Bryant

Posted on May 6, 2025 by J D Jung

(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 Queen, which is based on the true story of Willie Carter Sharpe. Willie, who was…

Posted in Historical Fiction | Tagged betrayal, depression-era, Prohibition | Comments Off

The Both of Us: A Psychological Thriller – Dan Lawton

Posted on May 3, 2025 by J D Jung

(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 she is going by the name of “Mindy from Indy”, it’s actually Rachel’s voice and…

Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers | Tagged marriage, suspense | Comments Off

A Timely UnderratedRead Revisited: Wait – Gabriella Burnham

Posted on April 30, 2025 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “They threw me out of the country like I was a nothing.” Wait delves into the intricate layers of family, identity, and the harsh realities faced by undocumented immigrants in the United States. Through the lens of protagonist Elise, who is American, we are drawn into a world where the…

Posted in Revisited | Tagged Brazil, class, immigration, undocumented, United States | Comments Off

A Timely UnderratedRead Revisited: Hold the Line: The Insurrection and One Cop’s Battle for America’s Soul – Michael Fanone and John Shiffman

Posted on April 27, 2025 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “What sort of American tries to overthrow democracy? What kind of man becomes so consumed by a false belief that he drives across the country, storms the Capitol, and assaults police officers?” Those are pressing questions from Metropolitan Police Dept. (MPD) Officer Michael Fanone, who was almost killed by rioters as…

Posted in Revisited | Tagged American politics, Crime, January 6, law enforcement, memoirs, police, PTSD | Comments Off

A Billion Butterflies: A Life in Climate and Chaos Theory -Dr. Jagadish Shukla

Posted on April 22, 2025 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Meteorologist and climate scientist Dr. Jagadish Shukla was a climate-change skeptic for years. What led him to change his mind? He recalls this and his life in his autobiography, A Billion Butterflies: A Life in Climate and Chaos Theory. His interest in weather forecasting stemmed from a practical need. Growing up…

Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction, World Issues | Tagged climat4e science, climate change, India | Comments Off

An UnderratedRead Revisited: From Savagery – Alejandra Banca, Katie Brown (Translator)

Posted on April 19, 2025 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Being a migrant means feeding yourself on loss, on what could have been, the infinite possible nuances of that history which will forever remain hidden but present.” Seven million Venezuelan’s left their country since the mid-2010s due to violence, scarcity and desperation. The twelve fictional stories in From Savagery, remind us…

Posted in Revisited | Tagged Barcelona, class, immigration, political history, refugees, short stories | Comments Off

Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love: A Coffee Travel Guide – Steven P. Unger (Author), Ruth St. Steven (Photographer)

Posted on April 15, 2025 by J D Jung

(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 photography, history, and a deep love for coffee, author Steven P. Unger and photographer Ruth…

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

Earth Angel – Madeline Cash

Posted on April 11, 2025 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) I’m still trying to figure out why I enjoyed Earth Angel so much, and I suspect that might be part of my fascination with this offbeat collection. Seventeen weird, dark stories that seem to pull you in with a subtle yet undeniable grip. There’s something compelling about how these bizarre, often…

Posted in Dark/Sordid/Bizarre | Tagged dark humor, irreverent, short stories, weird | Comments Off

Your Pasta Sucks: A “Cookbook” – Matteo Lane

Posted on April 4, 2025 by J D Jung

(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 about his love for pasta in a personal and humorous manner in his cookbook, Your…

Posted in Culture, Food & Cooking, Non-fiction | Tagged comedy, humor, Italy, LGBTQ, pasta | Comments Off

A Carnival of Atrocities – by Natalia García Freire, Translated from the Spanish by Victor Meadowcroft

Posted on April 1, 2025 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Cocuán, a small town in Ecuador is doomed by a curse. Upon the death of Mildred Capa’s mother and the subsequent abandonment by her father, Mildred was intent on maintaining and working the farm. However, the parish priest and townspeople had other ideas, not to help sick Mildred, but to…

Posted in Latin American Literature | Tagged abuse, Ecuador, literature, Religion | Comments Off