7 Rainy Day Reads

There’s something about the rain that gives me peace. Perhaps it’s because it blurs the outside world into shapeless objects and colors. Or because it brings along the scent of clean air and fresh starts… But it’s probably because I live in an area that doesn’t get a ton of rain usually.

And I don’t think I’m alone in saying that rainy days give way to reading urges. On days such as this I love to brew a cup of tea, wear fuzzy socks, and curl up with a good book. It’s on my list of favorite things ever.

I have no reason why, but rainy days draw me to books that make me think, wonder, and reminisce. While I can read these anytime of the year, I think the rain pulls me to choose these genres of books over any others. And so, in honor of God blessing me with rain today, I would like to share 7 rainy day reads.

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1. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë

If I had to choose just one book to embody the spirit of rainy days it’d be this twisting tale. Just like the rain comes in many forms: fat slow dollops, quick sharp pellets, and calm soothing drops, so does Jane Eyre present a stage of circumstances. It is a classic that’s been popular for a long time (with good reason), and if you haven’t read this book yet then you should definitely pick it up. I also think the characters within this novel are, in their own ways, manifestations of these different types of rain. And whether they are considered good or evil, they are all nonetheless rain.

2. Dreamland – Sarah Dessen

This heart-aching novel by one of my favorite authors is categorized as fiction, but is all too real in its story, characters, and emotions. Dreamland follows a girl named Caitlin who finds relief from family troubles and recognition in her new boyfriend, but soon sees that being with him overshadows everything as he begins to abuse her. While this is not the most pleasant read, or innocent of Dessen’s works, I believe it is a subject that ought not be ignored. Caitlin in is a type of dreamland, unable to see reality as it really is, similar to how the rain clouds our vision at times and alters what is truly there.

3. Night – Elie Wiesel

Oftentimes when I think of rain I picture a calm drizzle, but the rain can be equally as cold and deadly at times. Night is the chilling survivor’s tale of the author as he experienced the Holocaust first-hand. The Jewish author and his family were taken during World War II and subjugated to unimaginable horrors, but the most harrowing effect was the loss of humanity in the victims. Wiesel does not shy away from this hard topic but instead faces it head-on and this makes for an unforgettable read. It is fast-paced, engaging, and very short so it can be easily finished during a rainy afternoon.

4. Vanishing Girls – Lauren Oliver

Typically I am not in the mood for eerie, mysterious, or suspense type books but something about the rain brings out a suppressed need for these. And Vanishing Girls definitely fits the bill. Written by another one of my favorite authors, I listed this one because it was so unexpected, complicated, and thought-provoking. If you’re someone who usually dislikes mysteries, like myself, this may be your perfect cup of tea to sit out a stormy evening.

5. The Madman’s Daughter – Megan Shepherd

Kicking off the last book, The Madman’s Daughter was another unexpected book that I liked. This is a YA fictional twist on scientific endeavors in London in the 1800s, and a girl who struggles with hiding her inner beast. Goodreads describes it as a Gothic thriller and I think this becomes more accurate as the series continues. You may find yourself huddling in some blankets while reading this one.

6. The Snow Child – Eowyn Ivey

I struggled with not listing more books that involve water in some degree. Here I could not resist. The Snow Child is an enchanting and magical story of an barren couple living on the rough Alaskan frontier as they meet an ethereal little girl in the wild and come to love her as a daughter. It is a beautiful, fairy-tale like book and makes your thinking gears turn restlessly. Perfect for a cold drizzling rainy day.

7. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake – Aimee Bender

Purely looking at the title of this book, one may not expect the gravity of this story which follows a girl named Rose as she discovers her ability to detect people’s feeling in the food they make. What an original “power!” But Rose sees this ability as a curse and struggles with finding love from her mother, father, and brother. The ending of this book is still unclear to me – I don’t think it’s meant to be – but the impression of it still remains with me. It’s like the sensation you get from slipping your hand into the rain and letting the water caress your fingers and palm.

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And those are my 7 rainy day reads! I hope my small blurbs about them gives you enough encouragement to pick one up. Or at least make you mark it for down the road.

Now tell me, what are your rainy day reads?

Tiffany

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