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
Review: The History of Mischief by Rebecca Higgie, by Dylan Dartnell
Title: The History of Mischief Author: Rebecca Higgie Publisher: Fremantle Press Winner, Fremantle Press, The Fogarty Literary Award 2019 Introducing Rebecca Higgie and her
“I had to do justice to this story”: An interview with Danielle Binks, by Max Vos
Danielle Binks is a Melbourne-based author and agent, who recently published her debut novel The Year the Maps Changed with Hachette Australia.
Reviews: ‘under/Limelight’ and ‘Kindred: 12 Queer Stories’, by Jess Rae
Reading has been a tricky task for many during isolation. We think that because we have way more free time we should use
Upcoming New Releases We’re Looking Forward To, by Jemimah Halbert Brewster
Here at Underground we’re always hearing about new and exciting books being released in Australia. There’s always a delightful and relevant combination of
Review: Siarad by Caroline Reid, by Dylan Dartnell
Title: Siarad: Poetry & Prose Publisher: ES-Press, an imprint of Spineless Wonders Published: 2020 ‘Siarad [sha-rad] is a Welsh word meaning to talk,
Interview: Charmaine Ledden-Lewis, illustrator of Bruce Pascoe’s ‘Found’, by Ebony Bryant
Illustrator Charmaine Ledden-Lewis Charmaine Ledden-Lewis makes her debut into the illustration world, capturing the vivid beauty of the Australian Outback, in Bruce Pascoe’s
Review: Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff, by Jess Gately
Title: Aurora Rising Authors: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff Genre: YA/Sci-Fi Publisher: Allen & Unwin This review was first published in the Underground
Review: How to be Australian by Ashley Kalagian Blunt, by Jemimah Halbert Brewster
Title: How to be Australian Author: Ashley Kalagian Blunt Publisher: Affirm Press Favourite quote: “I couldn’t do the PR application, and more urgently,
Review: Fire Front poetry anthology, by Shelley Timms
Title: Fire Front: First Nations Poetry and Power Today Editor: Alison Whittaker Genre: Anthology/Poetry collection Publisher: UQP “Our legacies become futures, written from