It may be dangerous to go out in the rain…
But it may be even more dangerous to stay inside.

Just after noon on a sunny spring day at Friedkin University, a layer of strange clouds smudges across the sky, and a mysterious rain begins to fall. This isn’t just a surprise spell of rain—this substance is slimy and gelatinous…and it’s not letting up any time soon.
The rain spreads across the country, the hemisphere, and the globe, with growing ripples of panic and paranoia gathering behind it. Is it a natural, undocumented phenomenon? A chemical weapon? Some kind of bacterial contagion? As fear turns theories into conspiracies and no clear answers are given, factions start to form between those who have been exposed to the rain and those who stayed dry. Who is safe? Who is marked? Who is dangerous, and who is not?

The rain keeps falling, and at Friedkin University, the sanctuary of the campus bookstore swiftly becomes a dangerous battlefield. Is it man versus nature? Or man versus man?

So this is my second book/novella by Gunnells and I have to say he didn’t fail to deliver. As an avid reader, and an avid horror reader to boot it is very difficult to find books that not only a) I enjoy and are a testament to the fantastic genre that horror can be but also b) surprise or catch me off guard! But Gunnells manages it with this one.

Without giving too much away Gunnells is the master of the late twist/unexpected turn of events! He draws you into a fall sense of security and familiarity and then BAM!!! Slaps you right up the side of the head with a what the heck just happened/is going on moment!

Not only that but I find that Gunnells has an amazing talent for creating real life characters that you can empathise with, root for, hate, cry over, scream at and generally believe which makes his stories that bit more impactful.

I love his work that I have read so far and can’t wait to check out more!

For some reason I thought this was gonna be a zombie type story and it wasn't but I'm not disappointed that it wasn't at all. I must react to that ending first off....Brilliant just brilliant! Sad but eye opening! Awesome perspective and twist!

This is a story of a mysterious rain that begins to fall all over the world at almost the exact same time covering anybody that got caught in it in a slimy booogery sticky mess. We get to watch everything play out from a small university campus in South Carolina and via news broadcasts the people who become trapped there hear as the paranoia builds over whether this is an apocalyptic event or a possible chemical warfare that's been released or something else entirely.

I enjoyed the story and thought the author did a fine job showcasing how human nature usually is when big things like this that are not easily explained happens. The panic, anxiety, fear, and confusion that gets under our skin and causes us to make rash choices and decisions based on little to no proven facts. My only small issue is I felt I almost had too many characters to keep up with.

I was excited to read a locked room horror, people trapped in a bookstore with potentially toxic rain falling outside? What's not to love about that!
The character development was exceptional! I was rooting for and not rooting for certain characters.

Enjoyment: 5
Total rating: 5

When it rains is a prime example of why horror short stories and novellas are some of the most compelling, visceral stories that linger with you for a long time.

I am a big fan of Suspense, and other old-time radio plays. When it rains gave me some of the same vibes, it blends science fiction with horror, fiction with reality-based facts, and above all, it delivers a raw and accurate portrayal of human nature.

The characters in When It Rains had a considerable impact on me; I felt like I knew them as soon as they showed up on the page - and even though we don't stay with them long, every single character is memorable, cohesive and unique.

The tense atmosphere and suspense gripped me throughout, and nothing about this novella disappointed me! I am excited to look for more books by Gunnells.


Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of When it Rains.

I couldn't care about any of the characters, even when more than halfway done the book. Perhaps this would be better as a tv series. The book is less about the mysterious rain and more about the characters, who are political and absurd.

WHEN IT RAINS - MARK ALLAN GUNNELLS

⭐⭐⭐/5

Thank you to @netgallery & Mark Allan Gunnells for the ARC of this book.

This was a gripping and fast paced read. It exposed how us humans can act in disaster times like those in the book.

It was interesting, easy to read and well written. Overall an enjoyable book!

Wildly imaginative! Wonderful characters. Interesting plot. Vivid descriptions. Simply a GREAT read!

#WhenitRains #NetGalley

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

What a short treat this was! This is the second title I’ve read from this author and honestly, I didn’t even realize it was the same author when I picked this one up based on the intriguing synopsis. And now I can safely say that I’ll definitely be on the lookout for this author in the future.

What’s so good about this story is that the author takes unique and completely unknown circumstances, mixes them up with human psyche and creates a very realistic horror. The scare lies in the people’s reactions in times of crisis. Having been through a pandemic, we’re all too familiar when it comes to how people handle the unknown and the panic. And let me tell you, it was scary. This short story takes all that and makes it into a fun read. Highly recommended!

A normal day at Friedkin University bookstore has begun, & Pamela the manager is working flat out in the cafe as two workers have 'mysteriously' called in sick on a lovely sunny day. Tony works in dispatch & is looking forward to lunch with his husband, Vincent, whilst an older couple take what could be one of their final walks together around the grounds, & a teenager & her parents tour the university facilities. All the above & more are at the bookstore when the heavens open & it starts to rain, but no ordinary rain, this is a gloopy weird kind of rain. Soon news stations start to report that it is raining the same liquid all over the world & that scientists are rushing to find out if it is harmful? Then a report of the first death believed to be caused by the rain is aired.

This was an intriguing premise, & it was a pity that book was a novella as I think it had the potential to be widened out considerably. The ending is left fairly open, & I would have liked to know what the liquid actually was, & where it was supposed to have originated. I also felt that the abrupt turn for two characters into a teacher/student relationship added nothing to the story & felt wrong not least given the power dynamic & the vulnerability of the student.

It would have been easy for the author to have taken this story in a zombie/monster direction, but I liked the fact that instead the reactions of those who were 'clean' towards those who had been caught out in the rain & possibly 'infected', showed that fear & anger can turn humans into the monsters they fear.

My thanks To NetGalley & publishers, BooksGoSocial, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

his was a fast and entertaining novella! When It Rains Mark Allan Gunnells is about several strangers who are stuck together in a campus bookstore cafe in the middle of a Deluge - a weird rainstorm that pelted those unfortunate enough to be stuck outside when it started with a weird slimy substance that was anything but rain. Pretty soon, the crowds inside start to turn against each other, those that were caught in the rain (and in one case a guy who just stuck his hand out due to curiosity) and those that remained dry at all times.

The story is the perfect example of just how crazy and vile humans will get due to fear. There's always one loudmouth who rallies everyone else and even the good will have no choice but to give in to the masses. It will make you angry and get your heart pounding, but the ending will come quick and satisfying.

As the story itself mentions, it will remind readers of Stephen King's The Mist and a Twilight Zone episode where a small neighborhood goes crazy when their electricity is inexplicably turned off. It even reminded me a little of Shirley Jackson's writing, like The Lottery.

I did wonder, while I read, how I would react in such a scenario. I think it’s great when a book can make the reader try to put themselves in the character’s shoes. Would you be prone to fear-monger? Or would you stand up for those who are essentially being bullied? Although we are currently living in times where many unfair things are happening to others so I guess however we react to oppression now is how we’d be in such an exaggerated scenario such as this novella. Something to think about.

Enjoyed this book by Mark Allan Gunnells. This was a fast paced novella, with characters that were great. Interesting concept for the plot/story also. Can't wait to read more from Mark Allan Gunnells. #WhenitRains #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this advance reader copy.

Description from NetGalley:
When the rains started to fall, those who took shelter in the Friedkin University bookstore had no idea what awaited them.
The mysterious, slimy rain fell on the entire world at once, and a fear quickly spread that it contained a toxin that would make those who touched it sick. Inside the bookstore, tensions arose between those who had been caught out in the rain and those who had not, finally culminating in a shocking ending that will surprise and disturb readers.
With everything that has happened in the past 2 years surrounding COVID, the book both scared me and made me so mad. It’s a great novella. It is well written, but I think maybe too many POVs for the length. I feel like it describes how people react to the unknown very well. I don’t want to say too much for fear of giving too much away.
Overall: 3.5/5

I recommend all books to my students. You never know what books you might like. I advise to take reviews with a grain of salt. With that said, take my review with a grain of salt. I found it hard to get into this book. I wanted to like it. The premise is great in my opinion. I think the book need a bit more buffing. Still, it is a good book and I truly believe many people will love it.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

The book was not for me. I personally do not enjoy multiple POVs. The pace was really slow for me. I did not feel the danger. And there was nothing going on (action & plot). There was a lot of bantering and if you're into people turning on each other, you might like this. I did not get the answer I wanted at the end.

Well written novella about mankind and the fear of the unknown.

Characters were well written and included the typical nice guy and bully in the ensemble. The plot was quite clever, and I loved how the author turned the tables, so to speak. The author did a slow build up that contributed to the outrage the reader will feel while reading this story. The author’s style of writing was easy to read. The author knew how to tell a story and the ending was quite satisfying. My only complaint, I wish it had been longer with more details about the ensemble of characters and the mystery of the rain.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions expressed are
my own.

It’s a beautiful day that everyone is enjoying. Suddenly, people see dark clouds that tells them it is going to rain. The people are soaked with a rain that feels like slime and sticks sticks to them. Even with umbrellas, people still get the mysterious rain on them. They run into a bookstore of the Friedkin University. No one knows what this rain is. Is it good or bad? On tv, it is announced that this strange rain is raining at the same time over the whole world. The people become fearful of those who have been rained on. Should they be afraid? What will they do?

The author has written a novella that is suspenseful. I experience the horror of what people will do when an unknown crisis happens. It’s not a simple story, the relationships between people who are together and those by themselves discover they aren’t sure what to do. The ending was unusual for me as I didn’t expect it. I did enjoy how I got to know the majority of characters. It was realistic as humans are unpredictable in what they will or won’t do. This is an excellent horror novel that horror fans will enjoy.

~ 2.5 Stars ~
The premise for this novella was interesting to me and the book itself had some interesting points. It gave a good perspective of how people can react in such stressful and uncertain times, some good and some not so good. With a 'stella' ending in basically saying fuck you to the arseholes with no morality and killing them off instead of the 'suspectedly ill'.

However, there is only so many ways you can describe the description off goo, and this novella used all of them just in multiple POV's.

I also felt the relationship between the student and the teacher was intelligent and gave nothing to the story whatsoever, just making me feel uncomfy.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in return for an honest review.

The rain is falling, we are stuck in a library, what on earth is happening, who to trust?
Go buy this book now and you will find out!
Thank you to Netgalley & Mark for the advanced copy of this book.

When It Rains by Mark Allan Gunnells is an interesting read. The plot picks its pace right from the beginning. But, I felt it slowed down a little bit in the middle. While reading, the plot gives us a vibe of the days when we were in lockdown due to Corona. Although, I was not much impressed as I like the author's previous work more. But, if you are searching for a book which you can read within a day, then pick it up.

I would like to give the book 4 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and Crystal Lake Publishing for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.

This was a great read. I really wished it was longer because there was so much I wanted to know but it wasn't there.