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7 of the Best Fiction Books for Rainy Days
Here, a mix of classics and new releases you can consider adding to your shelf
As convenient as it might be to spend downtime with a movie or series marathon, there are moments that seem better spent curling up with a new book. The gloomier weather seems to call for these moments, too. But what makes a book perfect for rainy days and cozy nights? As far as novels go, fiction can strike a nice balance between entertaining and illuminating, between a light, leisurely read and a riveting plot that will stay with you for a lifetime.
Add this to your agenda the next time you have a weekend spent indoors. Ahead, a roundup of the rainy day-perfect novels you can take with you.
Violeta by Isabel Allende (2022)
This incredible 100-year saga tells the story of an extraordinary woman named Violeta, born in 1920 and fated to witness impactful moments in history as these, in turn, shape her life. The novel encompasses Violeta’s youth, the loves in her life, and her losses. This is a piece of literature by Chilean author Isabel Allende (the same mind behind The House of the Spirits and A Long Petal of the Sea) that once again offers up an engrossing tale about family and familial duty. From wealth and passion to heartbreak and loss, Violeta will take you through the journey of one extraordinary woman’s life.
Experience the life of Violeta, a South American woman who lived through some of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu (2022)
In How High We Go in the Dark, Sequoia Nagamatsu weaves a tapestry of tales that take readers on an adventure that spans places, years, and even outer space. In his new science fiction novel, the year is 2030. An archaeologist arrives at the Arctic Circle to continue the work of his recently deceased daughter, studying secrets buried in the snow, including the preserved remains of a girl who may have died from an ancient virus. The virus is released, and the world is never the same again.
Nagamatsu tells a story about the strength of the human spirit.
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (1938)
A sure delight for gothic fiction readers, Rebecca has it all: tension, romance, thriller, and mystery. While this classic has been adapted by the great Alfred Hitchcock and has recently been given its own Netflix movie, the experience of watching this gothic romance unfold, page by page, through the telling of Daphne Du Maurier herself is incomparable.
Rebecca begins when an unnamed woman impulsively marries the rich and dashing Max DeWinter. Arriving as the new bride at Max’s estate, the woman soon begins to realize that those living in its confines are still under the spell of Rebecca, the first Mrs. DeWinter.
“Last night, I dreamt I went to Manderley again.”
Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan (2002)
Widely regarded as the first Filipino crime fiction book, this Philippine National Book Award winner tells the tale of two Catholic priests hunting down a serial killer in Manila. When the eviscerated bodies of preteen boys begin to appear in Payatas, a 50-acre dumpsite in Quezon City, the two Jesuits take matters into their own hands and track the evil that has been preying on the local boys.
Here, F.H. Batacan creates harrowing scenes juxtaposed with the sights, sounds, and smells of one side of Manila that only the poorest inhabit.
This harrowing mystery follows two Catholic priests on their hunt throughout Manila for a brutal serial killer.
Why Didn’t They Ask Evans by Agatha Christie (1934)
A young golf caddy discovers a dying man who, in his state, appears to have jumped off a cliff. Before passing away, the man asks, “Why didn’t they ask Evans?” The single question proceeds to launch a thousand inquiries—with golf caddy Bobby and toff Frankie leading the way. Will they find an answer to the question before it’s too late? A question that fans of the mystery genre ought to find out.
Another page turner from the queen of murder and mystery books.
Totally Engaged by Mina Esguerra (2021)
Rose Alban lives alone in Manila. Though happily single, her US-based family is dead set on finding her a match (for one practical reason, in particular: securing a green card). Rose, in an attempt to thwart her family’s plans without causing them grief, invents a fiancé in order for them to stop meddling in her love life. She soon enough ropes in the MBA professor renting her garage-turned-studio apartment, which ultimately derails more than one scheme for those in Rose’s family.
Happily single Rose concocts a plan to thwart her family’s matchmaking.
Assembling Alice by Mookie Katigbak Lacuesta (2021)
A novel based on real events, Assembling Alice follows the life of Alice Feria, who becomes one of the first female journalists in the Philippines. It is a portrait of a life lived in the shadows of the Japanese occupation in World War II. In the aftermath of such harrowing events, she begins to write about her experiences and what these mean to her as a Filipino contending with a new reality. Here, a small magazine called The Filipino Home Companion becomes her refuge.
Another page turner from the queen of murder and mystery books.
These stories are clearly not alone in proving that literary fiction serves as a wonderful world to escape to—and there’s definitely more where this came from. Whether you choose to treat yourself to a great new read or another way to spend your downtime, Globe Rewards can liven up the experience. Convert your rewards points to e-gift vouchers when you get the new GlobeOne app (available on Google Play for Android, the App Store for Apple, and the AppGallery for Huawei).
