13 Books for Rainy Days
Hey friends! It is still the rainy season in Kuala Lumpur. What would you want to do if it’s grey, wet, and you have the time to stay inside for some time? If you are like me, I bet you would want to pull up your cozy blanket, snug yourself in your reading chair (probably squeeze in a little with your furry friend next to you), and flip through the pages of a good novel!
There is nothing like a rainy day that you can cuddle up with a book to read. Just loving it!
Any book usually will do for bookworms, but some books seem to be suited for rainy days for that extra coziness. I have gathered a few book lists that you can keep for your “in case it’s rain” bookshelf. Here’s are the 13 books I love to read during rainy days :
#1 Legends & Latte by Travis Baldrea | Cosy, Warm & Coffee
What better on a rainy day than with hot latte and a cozy coffee shop? This book is about an orc who came to a new town and opened a coffee shop. It’s an absolutely delightful book that offers the comforting setting of a coffeehouse. It’s a fantasy story about an orc, Viv, who finds a town to follow her desire in opening a coffee shop. It’s a low stake book and full of the warm hug of a latte. It’s suitable for a decent mood, and if you don’t mind feeling hungry while reading this (Those pastries!).
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon | Kindle e-Book | Audible Audiobook
#2 House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune | Cosy & Breezy, Magical Realism
This book is a lovely one to read. It’s about Linus Baker who loves rules and is pushed out of his comfort zone when he was sent to visit an orphanage for magical children. He was sent on an assignment to visit the place that’s on an island, considered a place for dangerous children. It’s a reflective read to witness Linus's transformative experience as he changes his perspective towards “extraordinary children” in this place. This is definitely a fun contemporary fantasy.
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon | Kindle e-Book | Audible Audiobook
#3 The Forest of Wool & Steel by Natsu Miyashita - Love Letters for Piano Lovers
Just like the cover promises, this book offers a cozy feel with its visual descriptions of beautiful seasons in Japan. Our main character, Tomura, who was in high school, falls in love with pianos, piano tuning, and music. This is a low-stakes story, and is a beautiful love letter for piano lovers out there. I was surprised that I could not put down this book as I find the writings are lyrical and I found myself tagging almost every page that’s full of beautiful and deep meaning quotes on life. It liberated me in some way, flooded me with not just joy but a spirit in believing the best version of me.
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon | Kindle e-Book
#4 Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi- Cosy & Coffee, Emotional
This is one of my old-time favorite books so far. It sets in a real-world located in Japan, this coffee shop offers customers to travel in time to meet their loved ones. It’s a tale of hope and regrets but I promise you, it gets wholesome throughout the book. While you at it, this book also has 3 other sequels that inherit the same theme and offer you coziness on a rainy day.
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon | Kindle e-Book | Audible Audiobook
#5 In The Lives of Puppets by TJ Klunes- Humor, Magical Realism mix Sci-Fi
This is a cute dystopian storybook and it is like Pinocchio meets Wall-E for me. This book is about family, forests, futuristic and fantastical experience, where our main character Victor who is physically different than his other families of robots and machines. He was raised by Gio, his android father deep in the branches of a tree, away from another civilization. Together with them are an anxiety-ridden cleaning vacuum and a sarcastic and self-professed sadist nurse robot (The nurse is so funny with her dry humor!); all living together in their wilderness as a family. This is an adventure of Vic to discover his true identity, and also about calamity that brought its society to extinction. It’s a page-turner, really!
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon | Kindle e-Book | Audible Audiobook
#6 Convenience Store Women by Sayaka Murata - Cosy, Reflective, Magical Realism
If you are into a quick read but still want something that’s reflective, this might be the right one. Our main character Keiko isn’t like anyone else she knows. She doesn’t feel like she fits into the society standard and what is considered as social interaction. This is not an ordinary convenience store worker’s life story, Keiko is far intelligent and very observant person. There’s a series event where Keiko meets different kind people who came to work there, learning from them so that she can sound ‘natural’ like them. It is at times very funny, capturing Keiko’s awkwardness and who is truly comfortable at being herself without much concern if she had a ‘proper’ job. It a reflective short story that makes you realize how society depends on everyone doing things similarly / or in a particular way to be considered acceptable; which is quite disturbing!
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon | Kindle e-Book | Audible Audiobook
#7 Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa - Cosy, Spring Weather, Hot Sweet Bean Bun
Who doesn’t love confectionery! I specifically love sweet bean and this book at times makes me crave sweet bean mantou bun for some reason. This book is about baggage from the past and the friendship of two persons who are unlikely to be friends but turning into close friends. It’s a touching story about how Tokue transforms Sukegawa (who always complains about his life!) and Wakana (school kid) while she works at the confectionery shop. There’s a glimpse of Hansen’s disease (leprosy), where you’ll get insight into how people who had this disease were treated in Japan. There’s heartache, there’s heartwarming and all pack together in this short story. You will be left with a reminder of the importance of compassion.
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon | Kindle e-Book | Audible Audiobook
#8 Piranesi by Susana Clarke - Cosy, Reflective, Oceanic View
There’s an amount of emotions wrapped in this book. It takes place in a fantasy world, an otherworldly house that consists of different situations either it’s a flood, waves, and oceans pool. There’s also a bird flying, a great marble statue in this house. Our main character Piranesi is described as innocence, a scientist, and live together with The Other. This is like an imaginary prison where you will learn how The Other so clearly considers Piranesi his slave and limiting Piranesi’s curiosity. It’s a meditative pace story, very reflective and takes you on a journey of a man’s discovery of himself. You will find yourself having lots of questions as you move through the story.
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon Paperback | Kindle e-Book | Audible Audiobook
#9 The Cat Who Taught Zen by James Norbury- Reflective, Poems
Definitely a cozy book, an adult fable about a cat who was on a journey to an ancient tree to look for peace and seeking his life purpose. He encountered different kinds of animals who he shares wisdom and changed their life, which ultimately will make you reflect and also inspire you. The illustration is beautiful and the message is a true treasure. It’s definitely will make your rainy reads feel warm and breezy. Although it can be a fast read, I took my time to re-read and reflect on each page.
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon Hardcover | Kindle e-Book | Audio CD
#10 The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley - Story about life
A book about a book. It sets in our real world and it’s definitely an uplifting book that offers an unforgettable experience. It started with Julian who leaves an exercise book in a cafe with the title The Authenticity Project where he described his life experience and he closes his writing with the challenge to whoever picks up the book to tell their truth. The book was passed around and even traveled overseas once; make its turn back to the city while connecting strangers (not so strangers) who eventually become friends. It’s entertaining to see how this book brought all these people together, allowing us to see their lives through their own words and how they try to help others. It’s a low-stakes storyline, feel-good kind of read and which I consider as cozy to read on rainy days!
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon Paperback | Kindle e-Book | Audible Audiobook
#11 Harry Potter & The Philosopher Stone - Cosy, Magic, Witchy
This may not need an introduction to you if you grew up as a Potter Head! This book is the first book of the series and it’s about a boy who grew up in a miserable life. His parents are dead, and he lives with his heartless relatives who put him in a tiny room under the staircase. He then was brought home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is where his real adventure started and finally feels like a normal kid. He discovers true friendship with another two characters Hermione (she’s bloody cute!) and Ron (he’s the funny one!) at this school; together they found a great adventure in their first year being a wizard. No matter how old you are, this book can bring you so much joy!
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon Paperback | Kindle e-Book | Audible Audiobook
#12 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - Cosy, Countryside
My mother used to read this to my sister and me during rainy afternoons when we were growing up. For some reason, the weather suits the location of this book, which is set in the countryside that started with the winterish season. It’s a story set in the 1860s, of 4 sisters who make a transition to womanhood and struggle to conform to society’s strict rules and expectations. Their father who left for war and their loving mother has always encouraged them to be the best version of themselves at all times. This book will leave you with a sense of how it’s like being a normal family in the 1800s, definitely bring out the slow living vibe through out the cosy rains.
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon Paperback | Kindle e-Book | Audible Audiobook
#13 The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai
A restaurant in a quaint backstreet of Kyoto. A story of everyday life brimming with wholesomeness, offering beautiful descriptions of Japanese seasons and nature, along with an abundance of mouth-watering native dishes. The main characters are a father-daughter duo who run a detective agency (together with their resident cat, Drowsy ~ who sleeps alot!) specializing in recreating people’s favorite meals. Nagare, the food detective and a loving father figure, with his daughter Koishi, a brilliant cook who enjoys teasing her father. Their art of recreating food goes beyond the culinary realm; it makes a big difference in people's lives, bringing back cherished memories or offering a glimmer of hope to those seeking to move forward. Don’t be surprise you’ll crave for hot and delicious Japanese food later! Read my booknotes
🛒 Order : Kinokuniya Malaysia | Amazon Paperback | Kindle e-Book | Audible Audiobook
Well, that’s my personally curated book list for a rainy day. What do you reckon is the best book for a rainy day? I’d love to know your favorite!
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