Happy Tuesday, again friends! It’s been a hot two minutes since my last Top 5 Tuesday post, but I am excited to get started with today’s topic because it has two of my favorite things: books, and rain.
That’s right, today’s prompt is about the top 5 rainy day reads or books you want to cozy up with on a rainy day.
For those who don’t know, Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme created by Shanah from The Bionic Bookworm and now being hosted by Meeghan from Meeghan Reads. Meaghan is always coming up with tons of fun topics to write about for this weekly meme, so make sure to check out her blog too!
This week’s prompt is about top 5 rainy day reads, that is, books that you would love to read when it’s pouring outside. Let’s dive in!
~ Top 5 Rainy Day Reads ~
As someone who lives in a tropical climate, rainy days in our culture are seen as a good omen. In fact, we Bangladeshis tend to associate rain with love, rejuvenation, and healing. So it’s not surprising that most of the books in my list of top 5 rainy day reads will have these themes of healing and falling in love. Check them out below!
1. The Mountain Is You by Brianna West
For me personally, a rainy weekend is one when I love to cozy up on the bed, play some soothing music, and journal mindfully. One of the things that I often journal about is observations or reflections about my own growth or things I have learned through reading self-help books.
If you are like me, and you enjoy reading self-help books, then I strongly recommend reading The Mountain Is You by Brianna West on a rainy day. It’s one of those books that makes you pause and reflect on yourself, and there’s no better weather to take a moment to pause and reflect than on a rainy day.
2. Spin The Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
As I said before, in our culture, we associate rain with romance, rejuvenation, and new love. So, of course, I would recommend cozying up with a swoon-worthy romance novel on a rainy day.
While there are tons of great romance novels that I could recommend, off the top of my head I have to mention Spin The Dawn by Elizabeth Lim, partly because of the whimsical storytelling style which really suits the vibe of a rainy day. And also partly because it’s the kind of story that’s impossible to put down–I remember finishing it in one sitting, so it’s definitely a great choice for binge reading on a rainy day.
3. Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen
This one makes its way on this list of top 5 rainy day reads simply for being one of my favorite classics–Pride And Prejudice is such a light, timeless story, that I think anyone looking for a comfort book featuring witty female leads should pick this up, making it one of the perfect rainy reads.
4. Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings
Although I have always grown up associating rain with romance, I will admit that sometimes I do like watching creepy, horror stories on a dark and gloomy rainy night. That’s why I am also including horror/thriller novels in my list of top 5 rainy day reads. If you are like me, and you are looking for something spooky and whimsical, I highly recommend reading Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings. It’s the perfect gothic horror fantasy for anyone looking to get goosebumps on a dark and stormy night.
5. No Matter The Wreckage by Sarah Kay
On the other hand, if you are looking for comfort food for the soul, for books that will make you laugh, cry and heal, then you must read No Matter The Wreckage by Sarah Kay. I have been in love with her poems ever since I first saw her poetry recital on Button Poetry’s Youtube Channel, and her books are just as vividly imaginative and engaging as her on-stage performance.
No Matter The Wreckage has some of my favorite poems by Sarah Kay, including The Toothbrush To The Bicycle Wheel, Evaporating, and Love Letter #137, just to name a few.
And that wraps up my list of the top 5 rainy day reads–feel free to share your thoughts if you have read any of these books, or recommend the books you like to read on a rainy day!
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS LIST!! and tysm for all the amazing recs!! the cover of spin the dawn is literally THE MOST GORGEOUS THING OF EVER AHHHHHH 😍😍 plus, it gives off MAJOR rainy day vibes?? DEFINITELY WAITING FOR THE RAIN TO FALL TO PICK THAT ONE UP!! i don’t read many self help books (look. i try, okay?? but we have like a centuries long enmity that is terribly hard to ignore. so.), but The Mountain Is You sounds beautiful?? ALSO I LOVE THAT COVER FOR PRIDE AND PREJUDICE HOW HAVE I NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE??
Ahhh yes isn’t Spin The Dawn just magical? And I am happy to say that the story inside is just as beautiful and magical as the cover too!
The Mountain Is You has really helped me changed my mindset towards life this year, and I have noticed that this positive mindset has also helped me attract positive things. 2022 did not turn out the way I expected it to, but I gained more for the things that I lost this year. <3
I absolutely love your culture’s view on the rain 🥰 opposed to ours « meh/ depressive » view of it.
Definately agree for romance or Horror/thrillers! 😌
Yeah we are quite romantic at heart lol but also, culturally rain has been associated with blessings and good things (and therefore leading to romance and rejuvenation) since we have a tropical monsoon climate with heavy dependence on agriculture. We need the rain for crops to grow. Even the terrible floods we get after heavy rainfall come with some blessings: the soil the flood waters leave behind are very, very fertile.
Lol all this to say, rains in Bangladesh = good and too much sun = bad XD
I LOVE all of these recommendations , I have to check them out!! I’m currently reading pride and prejudice AND IT’S SO PERFECT FOR RAINY DAYS??? Loved this post and adore your blog as well!!💖💖
Thank you so much! Pride and Prejudice is an absolute favourite of mine 💙 There’s even an iconic, pivotal moment involving Elizabeth, Darcy and the rain, it’s one of my favourites!