Review: Eating With My Mouth Open by Sam van Zweden, by Shelley Timms
Title: Eating With My Mouth OpenAuthor: Sam van ZwedenPublisher: NewSouth PublishingGenre: MemoirPublished: February 2021 Eating With My Mouth Open is a deeply personal
Review: Like Mother by Cassandra Austin, by Kate Lomas Glendenning
Title: Like MotherAuthor: Cassandra AustinGenre: Fiction; ThrillerPublisher: Penguin Random House AustraliaPublished: March 2021 Favourite quote: “Secrets, lies and crying babies, everyone has a
Review: Emotional Female by Yumiko Kadota, by Lauren Pratt
Title: Emotional FemaleAuthor: Yumiko KadotaGenre: MemoirPublisher: Penguin Books AustraliaPublished: March 2021 Emotional Female is a debut memoir by former-surgeon Yumiko Kadota. It is
Review: Shanghai Acrobat by Jingjing Xue, by Kate Lomas Glendenning
Title: Shanghai AcrobatAuthor: Jingjing XueGenre: MemoirPublisher: Black Inc. When I heard that readers of Mao’s Last Dancer would enjoy Shanghai Acrobat, I knew
Review: Growing Up Disabled in Australia, Ed. Carly Findlay, by Kate Lomas Glendenning
Title: Growing Up Disabled in AustraliaEdited by: Carly FindlayGenre: AnthologyPublisher: Black Inc.Published: June 2020 “I thought disability looked a certain way. And I
Review: The Farm at Peppertree Crossing by Leonie Kelsall, Jemimah Halbert Brewster
Title: The Farm at Peppertree CrossingAuthor: Leonie KelsallGenre: Rural RomancePublisher: Allen & UnwinPublished: February 2020 TW: Mention of past trauma triggered Roni (short
Review: The Mistake by Katie McMahon, by Jemimah Halbert Brewster
Title: The MistakeAuthor: Katie McMahonGenre: Literary Fiction/ThrillerPublisher: Echo PublishingPublished: March 2021 The Mistake is a debut work from Katie McMahon told from the
Review: How to be an Author by Georgia Richter & Deborah Hunn, by Kate Lomas Glendenning
Title: How to be an Author: The Business of being a Writer in AustraliaAuthor: Georgia Richter & Deborah HunnGenre: Non-fiction / Creative WritingPublisher:
Review: The Edward Street Baby Farm by Stella Budrikis, by Shelley Timms
Title: The Edward Street Baby FarmAuthor: Stella BudrikisGenre: True crimePublisher: Fremantle PressPublished: October 2020 TW: Child abuse, child death, neglect The Edward Street
Review: Everyday Madness by Susan Midalia, by Lauren Pratt
Title: Everyday MadnessAuthor: Susan MidaliaGenre: Contemporary FictionPublisher: Fremantle PressPublished: March 2021 Everyday Madness is a gripping and stunning novel by Susan Midalia that
Review: Dropbear by Evelyn Araluen, by Lauren Pratt
Title: DropbearAuthor: Evelyn AraluenGenre: Verse/Poetry collectionPublisher: University of Queensland Press ‘The trope once had long hair and spoke of liberation, but now votes
Review: Waking Romeo by Kathryn Barker, by Ebony Bryant
Title: Waking RomeoAuthor: Kathryn BarkerGenre: Young Adult, Sci-fiPublisher: Allen & Unwin Favourite Quote:‘There is nothing either perfect or imperfect, but thinking makes it
Review: With My Little Eye by Sandra Hogan, by Grace Wholley
Title: With My Little EyeAuthor: Sandra HoganGenre: Non-fictionPublisher: Allen & UnwinRelease: February 2021 Over a decade ago, Sue-Ellen Doherty connected with Queensland-based journalist,
Interview: Sandra Hogan, author of With My Little Eye, by Grace Wholley
Over a decade ago, Sue-Ellen Doherty connected with Queensland-based journalist, reviewer and business-writing teacher Sandra Hogan to assist her in publishing the story
Review: No Small Shame by Christine Bell, by Shelley Timms
This review was first published in issue 33: Historical Fiction Title: No Small ShameAuthor: Christine BellGenre: Historical FictionPublisher: Impact Press No Small Shame
Review: The Pronoun Lowdown by Nevo Zisin, by Lauren Pratt
Title: The Pronoun LowdownAuthor: Nevo ZisinGenre: Non-Fiction; LGBTQIA+ literaturePublisher: Smith Street Books If you have no idea where to start with educating yourself
Review: Eye of a Rook by Josephine Taylor, by Kate Lomas Glendenning
Title: Eye of a RookAuthor: Josephine TaylorGenre: Historical FictionPublisher: Fremantle Press Josephine Taylor’s debut novel Eye of a Rook is a gripping read
Review: Over My Dead Body by Dave Warner, by Shelley Timms
Title: Over My Dead BodyAuthor: Dave WarnerGenre: Mystery/ThrillerPublisher: Fremantle Press Dave Warner’s latest thriller is an ambitious mixture of past and present; combing
Our Favourite Aussie Historical Fiction Books
Photo by JJ Jordan from Pexels With our Historical Fiction issue out in February, the Underground team wants to share our favourite historical
Review: Born Into This by Adam Thompson, by Lauren Pratt
Title: Born Into ThisAuthor: Adam ThompsonGenre: Literary Fiction; Short story collectionPublisher: UQP Adam Thompson’s debut book Born Into This is a thought-provoking short
Review: The Last Bookshop by Emma Young, by Ebony Bryant
Title: The Last BookshopAuthor: Emma YoungGenre: Contemporary RomancePublisher: Fremantle Press Emma Young’s debut novel The Last Bookshop could not have come at a
Review: The Freedom Circus by Sue Smethurst, by Grace Wholley
Sue Smethurst’s The Freedom Circus is not only a well-written novel but one that perfectly exemplifies the power of people. While it is
Interview: Sue Smethurst, author of The Freedom Circus, by Grace Wholley
The Freedom Circus,written by journalist and author Sue Smethurst, is an extraordinary story that follows the Horowitz family and their brave escape from Poland during
UW Does AWWC 2021
Last year the Underground team took on the Australian Women Writers Challenge, committing to the Franklin level challenge to read at least ten
Interview: Dub Leffler, illustrator of Bindi, by Lauren Pratt
Following on from her review of Bindi, Lauren interviewed illustrator Dub Leffler about what it was like to create the illustrations for this
Interview: Kirli Saunders, author of Bindi, by Lauren Pratt
Author photo by Salty Dingo Media Kirli Saunders is a proud Gunai woman who has released a new children’s verse novel titled Bindi.
Review: Bindi by Kirli Saunders, by Lauren Pratt
Title: BindiAuthor: Kirli SaundersIllustrator: Dub LefflerPublished: November 2020Publisher: Magabala Books To read and consume the verse novel Bindi is a gift—especially for children
AWWC Wrap-Up for 2020
In January the Underground Team took up the Australian Women Writers Challenge for 2020, pledging the Franklin-level challenge where we committed to read
Review: Windfall by Ketan Joshi, by Jess Gately
Title: Windfall: Unlocking a fossil-free future Author: Ketan Joshi Publisher: NewSouth Books ‘Australia’s new decade has opened with the static anxiety of helplessness
Review: Hysteria by Katerina Bryant, by Grace Wholley
Title: Hysteria Author: Katerina Bryant Publisher: NewSouth Publishing Katerina Bryant’s Hysteria does not fall comfortably into a familiar literary category: it is not
Interview: Dr Anne Ryden, Danish-English translator, by Shelley Timms
Dr Anne Ryden Dr Anne Ryden is a Danish-English translator, and a senior lecturer in Professional Writing and Publishing at Curtin University where
Review: Where The Fruit Falls by Karen Wyld, by Lauren Pratt
Title: Where The Fruit Falls Author: Karen Wyld Publisher: UWAP Where The Fruit Falls is Karen Wyld’s debut award-winning novel which delves into
Books to Get You in the Mood for Summer, by Kate Lomas Glendenning
Cover photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels Since we’ve all spent nearly the entire year stuck indoors because of You Know What, it
Review: Skyglow by Leslie Thiele, by Dylan Dartnell
Title: Skyglow Author: Leslie Thiele Released: October 2020 Publisher: Margaret River Press ‘A woman adjusts to her new urban landscape. A slaughterman comes
Review: Little Jiang by Shirley Marr, by Jess Gately
Title: Little Jiang Author: Shirley Marr Illustrator: Katy Jiang Publisher: Fremantle Press Published: 1st October 2020 This review was first published in the Underground
Interview: Laura Elvery by Lauren Pratt
Underground Junior Editor Lauren Pratt speaks with Laura Elvery about women in science, inspiration, and her new short story collection Ordinary Matter. Congratulations
5 Aussie book-to-screen adaptations you’ll want to watch
Book-to-screen adaptations are a controversial art. The limitations of special effects and other behind the scenes factors can make it difficult to accurately
An interview with Maria Papas, winner of the 2020 TAG Hungerford Award, by Shelley Timms
Maria Papas is the winner of the City of Fremantle 2020 TAG Hungerford Award, announced on Thursday 22nd October at an awards ceremony
Review: Fauna by Donna Mazza, by Dylan Dartnell
Title: Fauna Author: Donna Mazza Publisher: Allen & Unwin Fauna is Donna Mazza’s tribute to an unsettling future that seems as near as
Review: Return Ticket by John Doust, by Kate Lomas Glendenning
Title: Return Ticket Author: Jon Doust review Publisher: Fremantle Press Genre: Historical fiction Favourite quote: “Perhaps I wash the dishes the way I