With a little more time on your hands this summer, how about indulging in a good book, new show, or venture out for a bit of culture? Whatever your plans, we’ve got you covered.
Paradise Valley Community College’s Librarian Paula Crossman suggests the following summer reads.
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
This "Read with Jenna" book club pick is a terrifying page-turner. All mothers will empathize with the central character, Frida, who loses custody of her child. This story examines how the work of mothers is constantly scrutinized and judged without sympathy for the pressures on them. It also looks at cultural differences in parenting and how those differences can lead to misperceptions of "good" parenting.
Black Cake
by Charmaine Wilkerson
When Byron and Benny's mother dies, she leaves them an unusual inheritance: a traditional Caribbean black cake. She also leaves them an eight-hour audio recording of her true life story. It is filled with revelations about her life that were unknown to them. A riveting story about racism, abandonment, sexuality, and family secrets.
Violeta
by Isabel Allende
Remember when you fell in love with Allende's book, "The House of the Spirits?" Prepare yourself for another historical fiction epic, in this story of Violeta de Valle, who was born in 1920 and lived through the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, and the fight for women's rights.
Ain't Burned All the Bright
by Jason Reynolds with artwork by Jason Griffin
Sometimes you read a book that captures everything that you are feeling in your heart. This is one that does so powerfully. Jason Reynolds is a tour-de-force in the young adult fiction world and writes authentically about the Black experience in America. Jason Griffin is an exceptional contemporary visual artist whose artwork complements Reynolds spare text in this graphic novel. It's a short read, but you'll carry it with you for a long time afterward.
Anatomy: A Love Story
by Dana Schwartz
Hazel is in love with medicine, but unfortunately, she is a woman in the 19th century, so admittance into Edinburgh University is out of the question. This gothic mystery follows a Jack-the-Ripper storyline when Hazel encounters a resurrection man - one who sells corpses for a living - as she tries to do an independent study to qualify to enter the university.
Join PVReads Book Club
PVReads just selected its summer read House of Silk, by Anthony Horowitz. An oldy but goody, the bestselling Sherlock Holmes story is “an intricately woven plot, which begins with a case of an art dealer being followed by a rather strange criminal.” Hosted by PVCC Faculty Michelle Bielick and Kaitlin Southerly, the group will meet virtually this summer four times beginning June 7. It’s a great way to stay connected through the summer months. Interested students, faculty and staff can contact Michelle.bielick@paradisevalley.edu for more information.
Hunker Down in the AC
PVCC’s Buxton Library is a cool and quiet place to take in a good book or stream a new show on your laptop or iPad. Check out the library’s streaming services Kanopy, Docuseek2, and Swank for both feature films and award-winning documentaries. Maricopa County Community College District offers a Culture Pass Program, giving students free access to local museums.