Rainy Day Books

Southern Michigan weather has always been erratic and each year, thanks to climate change, it keeps getting worse. Eighty degrees one day, then later in the week it's 50 and raining. Fortunately for me, I have a cure for the rainy day blues. BOOKS.

There is something inately comforting about curling up with a book and a cup of tea in a cushy chair, listening to the wind and the patter of rain on the windows. The cloudy skies change the colors of the trees and grass, adding a blue tint and brightness to the blades and leaves. With few people venturing outside for walks or runs, it's easy to believe you and your book are alone in the world, unless you have a dog or cat for cuddles and company, which, in my opinion, makes the rainy day reading experience all the better.

So what's best to read on a lazy, rainy day? Everyone has a different opinion, of course. For me, there are two categories. Old favorites, the kind you've read often enough that you're speaking along with the author in your mind, or new books from favorite authors or series.

Here's a few of mine.

• Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes (I have a complete collection, so any story is fine.)
• Jane Austen: Persuasion is my favorite.
• Anything, new or old,by Jayne Anne Krentz/Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle
• Any of Nora Roberts's paranormal trilogies or her JD Robb futuristic mysteries
• Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, particularly the one's featuring the city guard or Death and his granddaughter Susan.
• Anything new or old from Stephanie Laurens
• Rebecca York's Decorah Security or Marshall family werewolf stories.
• Dirk Gently's HolisticDetective Agency and Long, Dark Teatime of the Soul by Douglas Adams
• Christine Feehan's Sea Haven books. I like her Carpathian series as well.
• Roberta Gellis's Roselynde Chronicles

So those are some of mine? What books do you like on a rainy day?