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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.
Tag Archives: short books
Two Suspects: A Legal Mystery – Gary Sherbell
(Reviewed by Christopher J. Lynch) It’s said that good things come in small packages and Two Suspects by Gary Sherbell bears this out. At only 107 pages, the book could easily be devoured on a plane flight or on … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged book reviews, legal mystery, short books
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Cleaning Up Finn – Sarah M. Chen
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Thirty-two-year-old restaurant manager Finn Roose will be the protagonist you love to hate. He over indulges in booze and women and even takes advantage of his closest friends. Needless to say, ethics and decency are not … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged crime fiction, mysogeny, short books, Southern California
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Sleepless Night – Margriet de Moor (Translated from the Dutch by David Doherty)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “The love, the hatred, the fascination with everything he had or had not done, fascination that spiraled into fervid curiosity. Into obsession. Into madness.” A teacher combats her insomnia by baking cakes in the middle of … Continue reading
Posted in World Literature
Tagged death, Dutch literature, marriage, short books
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Job 2.0: God and Lucifer battle again for a single soul – Del Staecker
(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 … Continue reading
Posted in Revisited
Tagged Book of Job, God, humor, inspirational, Lucifer, philosophy, short books
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The Illustrated Guide To Insanity – F. and Violet Mole
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.” – Mark Twain “All art is neurosis” – Sigmund Freud The essence of these quotes is embodied in the single-frame cartoons in … Continue reading
Posted in More fiction
Tagged humor, insanity, psychology, short books, Sigmund Freud
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Exile On Second Avenue – James P. Walsh
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “What was I waiting for, it would be so freeing to slide so gently from the pain of this place, into the quiet comfort of the unknown, just like him. With every passing moment my grip … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged depression, mental illness, short books, suicide
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Hôtel Inspiré – Douglas Warren
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Without realizing it at the time he would be unable to crawl back into his former ‘safe’ life. He had emerged like a butterfly, le papillon. Now he would learn to fly, in fact soar.” Though … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged France, Paris, short books
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Torment: A Novella – H.D. Hunter
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “I wish I could tell them how hard it was. How hard it still is. I wish I could tell them that just because a person doesn’t understand what it means to be broken doesn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Modern Literary Fiction
Tagged coming-of-age, mental illness, short books
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Mother Of – Lauren Coffin
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Meredith Mayes is facing the unthinkable. Her husband and son died in a car crash ten years ago. Now, her other son Percy has been penned with the nicknames “The Minor Street Monster”, “The Ann Arbor … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Dark/Sordid/Bizarre
Tagged mass murders, psychology, serial killers, short books
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The Garbage Times/White Ibis: Two Novellas- Sam Pink
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “By closing, I’d carried a drunk woman out, separated two fights, stood in the doorway to block someone from coming in after she pissed/puked herself out front…scooped puke out of a urinal with stunning accuracy, and … Continue reading
Posted in More fiction
Tagged Chicago, dark humor, Florida, short books
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