Underrated Reads

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…

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…

Posted in Fiction, Italian Literature, World Literature | Tagged emotional, short books | Comments Off

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…

Posted in Slavic Literature, World Literature | Tagged culture, Muslim, mysogeny | Comments Off

An UnderratedRead Revisited: Breakthrough – John C. Robinson

Posted on April 12, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Pat Luboff) I was attracted to this book because it was described as a “fast-paced spiritual contemporary novel.” Intriguing, no? I’m a person on a path of spiritual growth. I think we all are, but some of us are more intentional than others. So, I was looking to this book to help…

Posted in Revisited | Tagged Spiritual/mystical | Comments Off

An UnderratedRead Revisited: Siphon – A. A. Medina

Posted on April 7, 2026 by J D Jung

Reviewed by JD Jung) Hematopathologist Gary Phillips continually pulls all-nighters at the hospital and hates his job. He has no girlfriend or social life, though he has an infatuation with a female co-worker who is at least ten years his junior. Yes, part of the problem is due to his work schedule, but the…

Posted in Revisited | Tagged short books, thrillers | Comments Off

Colored Pebbles – Del Staecker

Posted on April 1, 2026 by J D Jung

Reviewed by JD Jung) Every once in a while, I come across a memoir that doesn’t try to impress—it simply asks you to slow down and reflect. Colored Pebbles by Del Staecker is that kind of book. Told through a series of stand-alone stories, this memoir highlights the people, lessons, and events that shaped…

Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Non-fiction | Tagged memoir | Comments Off

An UnderratedRead Revisited – Job 2.0: God and Lucifer battle again for a single soul – Del Staecker

Posted on March 25, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “God really liked Lucifer, despite the bad jokes, the rancorous departure, all the efforts to misdirect humankind, and even his plan to take over Heaven. But God did not want to encourage Lucifer’s bad behavior. God still had hopes for Lucifer. “ Still, God accepted his challenge. Lucifer would …

Posted in Fiction, Humor & Satire, Revisited | Tagged humor, inspirational, short books | Comments Off

The Other Auntie (The Auntie Diaries) – Valencia G Wallace

Posted on March 20, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) If you’re searching for a fast-paced psychological thriller about addiction, manipulation, family secrets, and trauma, this short but powerful novel completely delivers. Initially I didn’t know what to expect with The Other Auntie but ended up finishing it in one sitting, which almost never happens to me. It just pulled me in…

Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers | Tagged dark fiction, family dysfunction, short books | Comments Off

Cleaner – Jess Shannon

Posted on March 17, 2026 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) If you enjoy dark humor and offbeat protagonists, Cleaner delivers a bizarre ride. The unnamed narrator—a master’s in fine arts graduate who drops out of her PhD program due to financial strain—returns home unable to find an appropriate job. Her obsession with cleaning lands her a job at an art gallery,…

Posted in More fiction | Tagged dark humor, LGBTQ | Comments Off