An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Folly of Realism: How the West Deceived Itself About Russia and Betrayed Ukraine – Alexander Vindman

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Without Ukraine, Russia is a country; with Ukraine, it’s an empire.” Without an independent Ukraine we will see an acceleration of authoritarianism. (more…)

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Happy New Year 2026

(by JD Jung) We at UnderratedReads wish all our readers a safe and happy New Year filled with health and love throughout 2026. Personally, I want to emphasize the importance of continuing to stand against fascism and authoritarianism. There is an existential threat to Democracy and protecting it —no matter where you live—is essential! We…

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The Boy – Reno Bachman

(Reviewed by JD Jung) A boy watched from the neighboring woods as crosses burned while a white mob gathered and killed his father, a black man who had a reputation of being an excellent marksman. They then proceeded to destroy his home. These were sights that no child should ever have to witness or experience.…

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The Silver Book – Olivia Laing

(Reviewed by JD Jung) It’s September 17, 1974, and twenty-two-year-old art student Nicolas flees London after the death of his older lover, Alan, sensing that staying would invite suspicion he cannot afford. Venice seems like the perfect place to begin again. Instead, it becomes the gateway to a far more complicated emotional journey. In Venice,…

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Grime – Thea Matthews

(Reviewed by JD Jung) I usually don’t read or appreciate this genre, but this collection completely disarmed me. From the opening pages, the poetry and poetic prose captivated me, pulling me into voices and lives that linger long after the final poem. Poet Thea Matthews writes with a rare lyrical precision, inhabiting multiple identities—male and…

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The Quiet War: Canadian Front – Michael J. Lalonde

(Reviewed by JD Jung) This debut espionage thriller introduces readers to an often-overlooked corner of military fiction: Canadian special operations. In The Quiet War, the immediate threat is Al-Najm al-Saghir, who isn’t just a terrorist; his long-term plan is to bring down western civilization. His co-conspirators include wealthy men from the West selling their services…

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A Timely UnderratedRead Revisited: Taking Down Backpage: Fighting the World’s Largest Sex Trafficker – Maggy Krell

(Reviewed by JD Jung)   “While a commercial sex transaction may seem consensual on the surface, the lopsided power dynamic, the history of trauma and abuse, and the lack of options often make the consent illusory. And sex without consent is rape. The exchange of money doesn’t change that."  By 2012, human trafficking was the…

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COLLECTED WITH SMILE: A Comedy Anthology for the Slightly Twisted – Rahul Bhandari

(Reviewed by JD Jung) While author Rahul Bhandari sees humor as transformative, this collection of eight short stories provides a well needed escape from the dire events taking place in the United States and throughout the world. In these stories, he shows human emotions and frailties through humor. My favorites are: “Jugaad Inc.”, where we…

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Rat Town Blues: Slag Ferguson, Book One – Brian Kaufman

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Mark “Slag” Ferguson, an unlicensed private investigator and part-time bartender is always trying to make ends meet. However now in his mid-thirties, he finds himself thrust into a pair of cases that quickly spin beyond his control. In his primary case, the gorgeous Kelly Mason is certain that her wealthy husband…

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Who Knows You by Heart – C. J. Farley

(Reviewed by JD Jung) In this multilayered and gripping novel, we are introduced to Octavia Crenshaw—a thirty-year-old Jamaican American software engineer whose journey is as compelling as the technological world that she navigates. A Columbia graduate and New Yorker, Octavia finds a sense of control in coding, especially when her romantic life and personal circumstances…

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