supporting and promoting australian emerging writers
Title: Before You Knew My NameAuthor: Jacqueline BublitzGenre: Mystery; FeminismPublisher: Allen & UnwinPublished: May 2021 TW: murder; sexual assault; gendered violence What neither
Title: Women of a Certain RageEditor: Liz ByrskiGenre: Essay collectionPublisher: Fremantle PressPublished: February 2021 I can vividly remember the last time I was
Title: The Little Boat on Trusting LaneAuthor: Mel HallGenre: FictionPublisher: Fremantle PressPublished: May 2021 The Little Boat on Trusting Lane by Mel Hall
Title: A Glasshouse of StarsAuthor: Shirley MarrPublisher: Simon & SchusterGenre: Middle Grade; Magical RealismPublication Date: May 2021 “You feel nervous, upside down, inside
Title: The Girl RemainsAuthor: Katherine FirkinGenre: Crime & MysteryPublisher: Penguin Random House AustraliaPublished: May 2021 If, like me, you are on a crime
Title: The BreakingAuthor: Irma GoldGenre: FictionPublisher: MidnightSun PublishingPublished: March 2021 Irma Gold’s debut novel is a confronting and emotionally gripping work of literature.
Title: Snow White Rose RedAuthor: Kate ForsythIllustrator: Lorena CarringtonGenre: Fairytales; RetellingsPublisher: Serenity PressPublished: May 2020 This review was first published in issue 34:
Genre: Children’s picture booksPublisher: Magabala BooksAuthors: Ambelin Kwaymullina; Helen Milroy; and Sally MorganPublished: February, March, and April 2021 Magabala Books have recently published
Title: Eating With My Mouth OpenAuthor: Sam van ZwedenPublisher: NewSouth PublishingGenre: MemoirPublished: February 2021 Eating With My Mouth Open is a deeply personal
Title: Like MotherAuthor: Cassandra AustinGenre: Fiction; ThrillerPublisher: Penguin Random House AustraliaPublished: March 2021 Favourite quote: “Secrets, lies and crying babies, everyone has a
Title: Emotional FemaleAuthor: Yumiko KadotaGenre: MemoirPublisher: Penguin Books AustraliaPublished: March 2021 Emotional Female is a debut memoir by former-surgeon Yumiko Kadota. It is
Title: The Farm at Peppertree CrossingAuthor: Leonie KelsallGenre: Rural RomancePublisher: Allen & UnwinPublished: February 2020 TW: Mention of past trauma triggered Roni (short
Title: The MistakeAuthor: Katie McMahonGenre: Literary Fiction/ThrillerPublisher: Echo PublishingPublished: March 2021 The Mistake is a debut work from Katie McMahon told from the
Title: How to be an Author: The Business of being a Writer in AustraliaAuthor: Georgia Richter & Deborah HunnGenre: Non-fiction / Creative WritingPublisher:
Title: The Edward Street Baby FarmAuthor: Stella BudrikisGenre: True crimePublisher: Fremantle PressPublished: October 2020 TW: Child abuse, child death, neglect The Edward Street
Title: Everyday MadnessAuthor: Susan MidaliaGenre: Contemporary FictionPublisher: Fremantle PressPublished: March 2021 Everyday Madness is a gripping and stunning novel by Susan Midalia that
Title: DropbearAuthor: Evelyn AraluenGenre: Verse/Poetry collectionPublisher: University of Queensland Press ‘The trope once had long hair and spoke of liberation, but now votes
Title: Waking RomeoAuthor: Kathryn BarkerGenre: Young Adult, Sci-fiPublisher: Allen & Unwin Favourite Quote:‘There is nothing either perfect or imperfect, but thinking makes it
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,
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
Title: Eye of a RookAuthor: Josephine TaylorGenre: Historical FictionPublisher: Fremantle PressPublished: February 2021 Josephine Taylor’s debut novel Eye of a Rook is a
Title: The Last BookshopAuthor: Emma YoungGenre: Contemporary RomancePublisher: Fremantle Press Emma Young’s debut novel The Last Bookshop could not have come at a
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
Last year the Underground team took on the Australian Women Writers Challenge, committing to the Franklin level challenge to read at least ten
Title: BindiAuthor: Kirli SaundersIllustrator: Dub LefflerPublished: November 2020Publisher: Magabala Books To read and consume the verse novel Bindi is a gift—especially for children
In January the Underground Team took up the Australian Women Writers Challenge for 2020, pledging the Franklin-level challenge where we committed to read
Title: Hysteria Author: Katerina Bryant Publisher: NewSouth Publishing Katerina Bryant’s Hysteria does not fall comfortably into a familiar literary category: it is not
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
Title: Skyglow Author: Leslie Thiele Released: October 2020 Publisher: Margaret River Press ‘A woman adjusts to her new urban landscape. A slaughterman comes
Title: Fauna Author: Donna Mazza Publisher: Allen & Unwin Fauna is Donna Mazza’s tribute to an unsettling future that seems as near as
Title: The History of Mischief Author: Rebecca Higgie Publisher: Fremantle Press Winner, Fremantle Press, The Fogarty Literary Award 2019 Introducing Rebecca Higgie and her
Title: How to be Australian Author: Ashley Kalagian Blunt Publisher: Affirm Press Favourite quote: “I couldn’t do the PR application, and more urgently,
Title: The Coconut Children Author: Vivian Pham Genre: YA, coming-of-age, urban fiction Favourite quote: ‘The coconut children on the trees need to drop
Title: Inheritance of Secrets Author: Sonya Bates Genre: Historical Thriller Publisher: HarperCollins Australia (2020) After the horrific death of her Oma and Opa,
Title: The Salt Madonna Author: Catherine Noske Publisher: Picador Australia Genre: Thriller, literary fiction This review was first published in the Underground zine, issue
Title: In the Dark Spaces Author: Cally Black Genre: YA Sci-fi Thriller Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont Cally Black’s debut YA novel, In the Dark
Title: The Year the Maps Changed Author: Danielle Binks Publisher: Hachette Australia Fred has to get used to a lot in 1999—her family
The Fragments by Toni Jordan is a brilliant novel incorporating themes of coming of age, taking charge of one’s destiny, and learning to
Title: The Daughter of Victory Lights Author: Kerri Turner Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: HQ Fiction, HarperCollins Australia imprint, (2020) After serving her country proudly
Theresa Smith is the Team Coordinator and Historical Fiction Editor for the Australian Women Writers Challenge, which Underground is participating in this year.