Rainy days are officially upon us and while the chilly change (the closest we’ll ever get to winter) may disrupt some outdoorsy plans, this sweater weather is perfect for snuggling up with a good book and a warm cuppa. Here are our top picks! 

36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You By Vicki Grant

What it’s about: Rumor has it that you can make someone fall in love with you after asking 36 questions. Putting the hypothesis to the test, Paul and Hildy decide to take on the psychological study. From “What is your most terrible memory?” to “When did you last sing to yourself?”, the two strangers laugh, cry and share their darkest secrets through it all. But the most important question left unanswered: do Paul and Hildy fall in love in the end?
Why it’s good for rainy days: Based off an actual psychological study from the 1990s, this book will keep your mind moving. What better than the wet weather to accompany your active brainwaves?

All The Ways the World Can End By Abby Sher

What it’s about: Eleanor is obsessed with analysing the plausible apocalypse: designer pathogens, blood moon prophecies, alien invasions… she has covered all the possibilities but failed to predict the destruction of her world. Her BFF is ditching her for a faraway school, her father is stricken with terminal cancer, and she starts harboring an unrequited crush for her dad’s doctor. All hope’s not lost however, as a potential love interest may soon come to her rescue.
Why it’s good for rainy days: Dark looming clouds and flashes of lighting are synonymous with the end of the world – need we say more?

The Red Ribbon By Lucy Adlington

Image: Laura Patricia Rose

What it’s about: In Birchwood, Auschwitz, life is determined by your functionality – lucky for 14-year-old Ella, she found work as a dressmaker in a sewing workshop. Surrounded by luxurious silk, buttons and ribbons, Ella can almost forget that she is being held against her will and her survival determined by the quality of the dresses she makes. Will Ella earn her keep and live to tell her horrible tale or is she another lost body added to the pile?
Why it’s good for rainy days: The plot is goosebumps-ridden experience with some of the most iconic scenes set in cold or wet weather; the brooding storm will only intensify your imagination.

Seven Days of You By Cecilia Vinesse

What it’s about: The last time you could call Sophia and Jamie ‘friends’ was right before he left for the States – the last three years of living in separate countries had helped the memory of their painful breakup fade. But now it’s Sophia’s turn to leave and she’s determined to make the best of her last seven days in Tokyo, taking in the sounds and sights with her BFF, her forever crush and his new girlfriend. It was supposed to be a perfect farewell until Jamie’s sudden return… 
Why it’s good for rainy days: If the cover hasn’t already convinced you that rain and romance goes hand in hand, the weather will help bring to life the cliché downpours that the characters will fight, cry and kiss in.

Mirror, Mirror By Cara Delevinge

What it’s about: Red, Rose, Leo and Naomi were brought together by music but held together by their inner demons – drawing strength from one another as they fight through their individual battles. Their support system seemed air tight until the optimist of the crew is found belly up in Thames River. Did they fail to see the warning signs of a suicide attempt or is there more than meets the eye? The band of misfits are on a mission to solve the mystery even without the police.
Why it’s good for rainy days: If you don’t already believe in the chemistry between a profound mystery novel and dark clouds, Mirror, Mirror has a plot that will spur on a series of melancholic thoughts that complement the weather.  

The Language of Thorns By Leigh Bardugo

What it’s about: A genre that positions itself in between the gory Grimm’s Fairytales and their child-friendly renditions, featuring six short stories weaved with dangerous magic and enchantment. Every tale breathes you into a world of lurking evil with helpful river spirits, hungry woods, a man-eating prince, gingerbread girls and mermaids that can sing a garden to life – all of which promises unexpected twists and delicious betrayals. Not to mention the lavish illustrations that morph with the stories.
Why it’s good for rainy days: Fairytales, myths and legends for grown ups – every short story overflows with mystic and the pitter-patter of the rain only enhances its whimsical charm.

Genuine Fraud By E. Lockhart

What it’s about: Jule Williams wears many hats; and wigs, accents, background stories. In fact, aside from her diabolical smarts and that she’s run to ground, we can’t be too sure who ‘Jule’ really is. Her new persona is well camouflaged until she meets Imogen, a millionaire heiress with a secret that soon becomes her closest friend. The murkiness of each character will only be made certain later in the story, but you can count on an intense friendship, a disappearance, couple of murders and bad romance.
Why it’s good for rainy days: The shadow of mystery cast in every page is just like a heavy rain cloud about to blow – you’ll have your head stuck in this story with a fierce anticipation (and hesitation) for the end.

The Complete Short Stories of Earnest Hemmingway

What it’s about: Of the 60 fiction stories, you can expect exciting tales inspired by World War II and spiels of conversations between unassuming people. On top of classics like “Hills Like White Elephants” and “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”, you can expect 21 unpublished stories written in a characteristically Hemingway flair – complex plots with uncluttered sentences that breathes life into every character.
Why it’s good for rainy days: Whether the rain lasts for 15 minutes or 2 hours, this book has you covered with 60 different endings to conquer. More importantly, every story is filled with literary allusion that hints at something deeper for you to ponder over even after you’re done.

We’re always on the hunt for good reads, so share with us your favourite books! 

Related: 9 Books Every Millennial Should Read, 6 YA Books About Mental Health Every Teen Needs To Read, Popular Books To Binge-read