The Royal We – Roddy Bottum

Posted on May 15, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) It’s the early 1980’s and San Francisco is a city of non-conformity, tolerance, and acceptance in contrast to Los Angeles, where most try to conform. That along with the abundance of drugs is part of what attracted film student and musician Roddy Bottum to the city. Bottum captures the chaotic energy…

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The Promise of America: Reflections On Our Enduring Ideals – National Constitution Center

Posted on May 12, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) For readers interested in American history, and the ongoing debate over the meaning of the founding documents, this collection of essays from the National Constitution Center offers an insightful and balanced examination of the principles behind the United States Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Written by constitutional scholars, the essays explore…

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KOSTYA – Scott Zimmerman

Posted on May 8, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Don Jung) This powerful World War II novel delivers a deeply personal and harrowing account of survival, resilience, and the human spirit under unimaginable conditions. Based on a true story, it follows Kostya, a seventeen-year-old Ukrainian boy captured by the Nazis and sent to a brutal coal mining labor camp in Germany. From…

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Good News – Alexa Yasemin Brahme

Posted on May 5, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) If you enjoy character-driven fiction about identity, ambition, and messy personal growth, Good News delivers a captivating and relatable story. Maggie, a woman in her late twenties pursuing her MFA, feels caught between her artistic dreams and the expectations of her Turkish immigrant family. With a successful brother and a “perfect…

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The Shy Assassin – Clara Usón, translated by Lily Meyer

Posted on May 1, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) I didn't know what to expect when I started reading The Shy Assassin by Clara Usón, but it completely surprised me. What begins as a curiosity about the mysterious death of Spanish “erotic” actress Sandra Mozarowsky quickly unfolds into something far more layered and introspective. The novel follows Clara, an ex-lawyer…

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Salt, Sweat & Steam: The Fiery Education of an Accidental Chef – Brigid Washington

Posted on April 28, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) This heartfelt culinary memoir follows Brigid Ransome, a Trinidad-born writer and cooking aficionado, as she rebuilds her life after heartbreak. Set against the backdrop of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, this story blends personal growth, cultural identity, and a deep love of food and cooking…

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Another UnderratedRead Revisited: Affections: A Novel – Rodrigo Hasbún , Translated by Sophie Hughes

Posted on April 23, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Affections is an intriguing work of historical fiction based on true events following the once- close Ertl family. Hans, the patriarch, was a Nazi propaganda cinematographer, and the family fled Munich and arrived in La Paz, Bolivia in 1955 to start a new life. Hans, who was also a mountaineer in…

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The Presence of Men – Francesca Marciano

Posted on April 20, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) This novella immediately drew me in with its quiet emotional depth and evocative Italian setting. Starting over after divorce captures what it really means to rebuild a life. —messy, uncertain, and deeply personal. . Lara used almost all her settlement money to renovate a house in a little-known village in southern…

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Dear Monica Lewinsky – Julia Langbein

Posted on April 17, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) I’ll admit—long before the MeToo movement reframed sexual injustice, I had a soft spot for Monica Lewinsky. I empathized with the twenty-four-year-old intern who was attracted to the most powerful man in the world, and then subsequently demonized. Dear Monica Lewinsky takes that cultural moment and spins it into something surprisingly…

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My Dreadful Body – Egana Djabbarova (Author), Lisa C. Hayden (Translator)

Posted on April 14, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Author Egana Djabbarova shares a story about identity, illness, and cultural expectations in her novel, My Dreadful Body. Set between Russia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, it follows a Muslim woman who feels like she belongs nowhere—not in her country, not in her culture, and not even within her own family. From a…

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