Last week we gave you our best movie recommendations. This week, we’ve got our favorite books. The Liv Ahwatukee is encouraging our residents to stay in and read a good book this summer. Visit your local library in Phoenix, AZ to find these titles.
The lives of the townspeople of Middlemarch intersect in George Eliot’s classic novel. Dorothea Brooke has made a mistake in marriage; her husband tries to exercise control over her even in death. Tertius Lydgate is in deep debt trying to please his wife, and his brother-in-law Fred is desperately trying to woo the kind Mary. Nicholas Bulstrode has a dark past that threatens to destroy his life and the lives of those closest to him. Middlemarch is a dark and funny exploration of small town life.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling
Harry Potter discovers that he’s a wizard and his whole life changes. He’s no longer living with his cruel Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and cousin Dudley — instead, he lives at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He and his friends Ron and Hermione try to solve the mystery of the Sorcerer’s Stone during their first year at Hogwarts.
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
Benedick and Beatrice engage in a battle of the wits before falling in love. Benedick’s friends are waiting for their friend Claudio’s wedding to Beatrice’s cousin Hero. Bored, they decide to set up the sparring Benedick and Beatrice for their own amusement. Mistaken identities, scheming brothers, and torn loyalties complicate the whole affair.
Matilda is a brilliant girl who isn’t getting much encouragement — not from her TV-watching parents, her bully older brother, or her tyrannical principal, Miss Trunchbull. The only person who believes in Matilda is her kind teacher, Miss Honey. Matilda develops telekinetic powers and decides to use them to change her life.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Boy meets girl and falls in love. Girl meets boy and thinks he’s a pompous rich guy with no personality. Jane Austen’s classic novel has served as the basis for several movie adaptations and almost every romantic comedy in the last twenty years. The plot sizzles under her searing wit.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our book recommendations? What are you planning on reading this summer? Give us the title of your favorite book and a short review in the comments!