PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Goodbye, sunshine — hello, overcast skies. The Pacific Northwest’s rainy season is back with a vengeance this weekend, with a downpour expected as early as Friday afternoon.
A change in weather might also mean a change in plans, but there are still ways to enjoy the weekend that don’t require being caught in the rain. Here is a list of recent rainy-day reads from PNW authors.
“The Invention of Sound” by Chuck Palahniuk (2020)
Chuck Palahniuk made a name for himself with the classic novel “Fight Club” which was later adapted into the popular film of the same name, but his newer work is just as worthy of a read.
The Washington-raised, Oregon-educated author’s latest work “The Invention of Sound” is a dual-narrative thriller following a father who is finally making headway in the search for his missing daughter, and a Foley artist who goes to extreme lengths to capture the chilling sounds heard in horror movies.
“One Two Three” by Laurie Frankel (2021)
New York Times bestselling author Laurie Frankel may write full-time in Seattle, but her novel “One Two Three” takes readers on a trip to the small town of Bourne. There, they will meet the Mitchell triplets Mirabel, Monday and Mab.
They have hardly seen any excitement in their 16 years of small-town living, but that all changes when Bourne finally gets new residents and the sisters take the fight for justice into their own hands.
“Love is A Revolution” by Renee Watson (2021)
“Love is a Revolution” is a young adult novel that subverts the cliche tropes typically depicted in romance novels. Written by Portland-bred author, educator and activist Renee Watson, the book centers on Nala Robertson: a plus-sized Black girl who has trouble keeping up with all of the lies she told to impress the guy she likes.
Through Robertson, Watson teaches readers about self-love’s role in finding true platonic and romantic love.
“I Only Cry with Emoticons” by Yuvi Zalkow (2022)
Portland writer Yuvi Zalkow captures today’s simultaneously awkward and endearing digital age with “I Only Cry With Emoticons.” The novel’s protagonist Saul is so device-obsessed that he can’t seem to connect with his son, his almost-ex-wife, the boss at his cushy high-tech job, the new woman he’s dating — or anyone, for that matter.
Read the book to follow Saul’s path to bettering his communication skills, even though he might cause secondhand embarrassment along the way.
“Patricia Wants to Cuddle” by Samantha Allen (2022)
After years of being recognized for her work as a journalist and editor, Seattle-based writer Samantha Allen published her debut horror-comedy novel “Patricia Wants to Cuddle” just this year.
The horror-comedy is set on an island in the Pacific Northwest where the fictitious dating competition show “The Catch” is filmed. On the last few days of filming, the show’s cast and crew interact with forces so horrifying and so unexpected that they couldn’t have been scripted.
“Passersthrough” by Peter Rock (2022)
Reed College professor and novelist Peter Rock’s most recent book “Passersthrough” shares the story of father-daughter duo Benjamin and Helen. Twenty-five years after Helen went missing in the Mount Rainier National Park for a week, she and her father reconnect in Portland to make sense of what really happened.
Their personal investigation ends up being more than they bargained for when they encounter ghosts, a murder house and the scary Sad Clown Lake.