Wet, Wet, Wet

I am sure you know or have heard, but Chicago is very wet today.  We have had around 5-7 inches of rain in the last 48 hours on already soggy ground.  Many libraries in the area are closed due to flooding in the building or flooding in the streets.  Major highways are closed due to standing water.  The zoo even closed for only the 3rd time in its history.

I talked to the head of our local park district today and asked how the parks were doing.  He said great if you need to go for a swim. This is taking the whole "April Showers" thing a bit too far.

We have one more round of storms to come (right about when the kiddos get out of school) and then we will be able to dry out a bit.

So of course, all regular plans for posts today have been usurped by thoughts of rain and water. So I figured, why not make a list of stormy reads.  Problem is, all the ones I can think of off the top of my head are horror novels.  I guess that makes sense since a truly terrible storm is horrific on its own, and then, if you set a monster on the loose, it gets even worse.

My favorite book that takes place almost entirely during a storm is Castaways by Brian Keene.  Click here for a full review.  Castaways is an homage to the late, great horror author Richard Laymon.  Laymon's One Rainy Night is a terrifying tale of a strange precipitation that is turning people into violent killers.

There are many more stormy horror tales, but I want to offer a wider range of reading options.  Try The Rainy Season by James Blaylock.  I really like Blaylock's fantasy and steampunk and have had great luck giving his books out to readers. He is an author that sometimes gets lost in the shuffle though. Not today though.

There are also the popular thrillers by Barry Eisler featuring the half Japanese, half American assassin turned secret agent John Rain.  Rain Fall is the first in the series. Not about rain at all, I know. The series is a great choice for fans of Lee Child's Jack Reacher series.

For those looking for brighter skies, there are rainbows.  Rainbows are used in the titles of many romance novels because they invoke the idea of a fresh start after a horrible storm.  The romantic suspense tale, Annie's Rainbow by Fern Michaels is quite popular at our library. What about women's lives? Those titles also often deal with a new beginning.  Chasing Rainbows by Kathleen Long a well reviewed choice.

Finally, don't forget movies-- a great suggestion if the whole family is holed up due to rain.  Why not watch Monsoon Wedding?  It's not about rain, but its title is in the right spirit of this list and it is a great movie.

I hope you are all staying safe and dry. Feel free to leave a rainy read in the comments.