DISCUSSION GUIDES

True biz (adj./exclamation; American Sign Language): really, seriously, definitely, real-talk

True biz? The students at the River Valley School for the Deaf just want to hook up, pass their history finals, and have politicians, doctors, and their parents stop telling them what to do with their bodies. This revelatory novel plunges readers into the halls of a residential school for the deaf, where they’ll meet Charlie, a rebellious transfer student who’s never met another deaf person before; Austin, the school’s golden boy, whose world is rocked when his baby sister is born hearing; and February, the hearing headmistress, a CODA (child of deaf adult(s)) who is fighting to keep her school open and her marriage intact, but might not be able to do both. As a series of crises both personal and political threaten to unravel each of them, Charlie, Austin, and February find their lives inextricable from one another—and changed forever.

This is a story of sign language and lip-reading, disability and civil rights, isolation and injustice, first love and loss, and, above all, great persistence, daring, and joy. Absorbing and assured, idiosyncratic and relatable, this is an unforgettable journey into the Deaf community and a universal celebration of human connection.

“A wise, beautiful novel featuring a woman facing the eternal challenge: how to create an authentic self.” —JOAN STEINAU LESTER, award-winning author of Loving Before Loving: A Marriage in Black and White

A freak car crash in 1960s rural North Carolina puts in motion moments of grace that bring redemption to two generations of women and the lives they touch.

An immersive story about family secrets and the power of forgiveness from the bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick Honor

In this wildly addictive novel, three overlooked women take on the charming, manipulative tech CEO who wrote them out of his startup’s history.

A heartfelt look at taking second chances in life and in love, Tady’s uplifting debut will have readers rooting for Joan on every page—as well as laughing out loud at her one-of-a-kind wit.

While untangling the web of her most painful memories, Brittany crafts a tale of self-preservation, resilience, and hope with a unique narrative style―a sparkling example of the human ability to withstand the most horrific experiences and still thrive.

An emotionally charged, richly observed novel about a woman balancing the demands of motherhood and marriage with her own needs.

“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” ―Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College―Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits―and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College―and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

The Empyrean series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order:

• Book #1 Fourth Wing
• Book #2 Iron Flame
• Book #3 Onyx Storm

An intoxicating escape into the cutthroat world of wine and the complicated terrain of women’s friendship.