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Author Talk: Carol Davis, author of Restoration

Sep 30, 2026

RESTORATION is an evocative work of fiction about an American architect who travels to rural England to restore a centuries-old barn --- and finds herself rebuilding the fractured story of her own family. In this interview, Carol Davis talks about her inspiration for her debut novel and the research she conducted for it; how her attitude towards complex relationships, as well as her understanding of grief and love, evolved throughout the writing process; and what she hopes readers will take away from the book.

Come Closer: Childhood Wounds, Adult Love, and the Secrets of Emotional Intimacy by Dr. Galit Atlas

What is the secret of emotional intimacy? How can understanding our childhood experiences give us the insights we need to be close to others in a truly satisfying, longer lasting and more meaningful way? 

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WYBGR September 2026

Links to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Sept2026RGG.

September 19, 2026

I think that I have used this headline in the past to describe September. Where I live, we always went back to school in September. I know that the schedule varies around the country (I think July is the only month where everyone is off from school), but for me September has always taken on a tone of returning to schedules. For many, that means back to their book group.

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Hank Phillippi Ryan, author of Mother Daughter Sister Stranger

The sole survivors of the fiery plane crash that killed their parents, Eliza Ramsey and her sister, Bea, share an unbreakable bond. But now, on the 11th anniversary of the tragedy, Bea fails to retrieve her preteen daughter from a sleepover at Eliza’s. Eliza knows her sister would never leave her precious Piper behind, and she fears the worst. But did Bea plan her own disappearance? The Ramseys’ lives have already crashed and burned once. Now, Eliza discovers she's the only one who can protect her niece from the horrifying legacy of her family’s sinister history. Together, the two must prevent their lives from going up in flames once again.

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Amanda Peters, author of The Birthing Tree

Born under the shadow of a birthing tree sacred to generations of Mi’kmaq women, Aliet Paul grows up outside a small Nova Scotia town with her fierce, loving grandmother, Kiju. Her mother died bringing her into the world under that very tree. Her father remains a mystery no one will name. As Aliet comes of age, she navigates love, loss and a personal tragedy that veers her from the path her grandmother wanted for her. She becomes a nurse trained in modern medicine, yet she carries Kiju’s teachings close. Years later, when the call comes that Kiju has died, Aliet returns home to a crumbling house. As she digs to uncover who her family really is, each revelation pulls her deeper into a web of long-guarded silences, dangerous loyalties and generational wounds that refuse to stay buried.

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Chloe Benjamin, author of Under Story

At the edge of the world, biologist Laurel Salter is hiding from everything she’s ever known. For 10 hours a day, six days per week, she works as a dishwasher at McMurdo Station, an isolated research base in Antarctica. She tells no one that before she arrived, she was a renowned young scientist with a promising career and a family. But even in this remote outpost, Laurel can’t escape her past. When a strange light appears across the ice --- and draws a group of physicists to McMurdo --- her former husband, Eli, won't be far behind. Laurel is captivated by the Arc: its surreal glow; the way it seems almost alive. And though Eli is reluctant to test her wildest theory, Laurel is convinced that the Arc leads down a rabbit hole and into a world they can barely imagine.

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Ariel Lawhon, author of The Pirate Queen

As the only daughter of a powerful chieftain, Grace O’Malley’s role is to secure a strong alliance and bear children. But when she’s sent to foster with a nearby clan, she falls for a clever and open-minded second son --- a man she cannot have. Married off against her will to a brutal warrior, Grace performs her duty, all the while gathering followers loyal to her, and consolidating her husband’s power, only to be ousted from his lands. But this betrayal offers Grace the opportunity to return to sea, finally leading clan O’Malley’s mighty fleet. Just as Grace finds true independence, Queen Elizabeth’s incursions into Ireland grow bolder. She must fight to defend her land, her ships, and the people she loves most against the cruel and power-hungry English deputies.

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Alice Hoffman, author of The Witches of Cambridge

By the 1950s, Cambridge, Massachusetts feels far removed from the legendary witch trials that marked its early days as a colony. Ava, a bright young woman from a small town in Maine, arrives for her first year at Radcliffe College. There, she meets Lauren, and both are recruited by the Lilith Society, a secret organization of witches at Radcliffe dating back to colonial times. They form a close bond that is put to the test as they learn to navigate their new power, friendship and love. While Radcliffe seems like a safe haven, the shadow of McCarthyism looms large. And as girls from the Lilith Society begin to go missing, Ava and Lauren realize that the witch trials of the past may not be as deeply buried as they once believed.

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Liane Moriarty, author of Big Little Truths

The last time we saw the women of BIG LITTLE LIES, their children were five years old. Now they’re teenagers. When the high school principal receives a threatening package in the mail, word quickly spreads throughout the community. But Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata and Bonnie have other things to worry about. Celeste’s mother-in-law is behaving oddly. Madeline is facing perhaps the biggest challenge of her life. Jane is at a dangerous fork in her marriage. Bonnie has realized there’s only so much solace in yoga. And Renata is living her best life --- revenge is sweet. When a stranger begins lurking around the school asking supposedly innocent questions, this tightly connected group of women finally must face the full repercussions of the big little truths they have and haven’t shared with their kids.

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