Top Ten Tuesday: Books With Colors in the Title

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week’s challenge is books with colors in the title!

Some of these are favorites, some are…not, but overall there are some fantastic books I’ve read over the years that have colors in the title.

❤️ Red ❤️

Among the Red Stars by Gwen C Katz

A YA historical fiction story of one of the pilots of the Night Witches, the only all-woman combat pilot squadron in WWII. I absolutely loved this story, and I loved all of the historical details of the WWII-era Soviet Union and these women’s struggles and triumphs during the horrors of warfare. Also, Gwen is absolutely fantastic and everyone should follow her on Twitter and support her @gwenckatz

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Look, if you haven’t read any of the Murderbot series and you like science fiction, then this is definitely a book that needs to be placed at the tippy top of your TBR. Do it, and fall in love with the antisocial, incredibly grouchy secunit who hacked its governator so it could half-ass its job and watch soap operas.

🧡 Orange 🧡

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Teen gang leader Alex narrates in fantastically inventive slang that echoes the violent intensity of youth rebelling against society. Dazzling and transgressive, A Clockwork Orange is a frightening fable about good and evil and the meaning of human freedom. That’s all from the Goodreads’ blurb. I read it in 2015, didn’t write a review, and gave this thing four stars more for its relevance in history than my actual enjoyment of the novel.

💛 Yellow 💛

The American Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever, the Epidemic that Shaped Our History by Molly Caldwell Crosby

Slave ships brought it to America as far back as 1648-and over the centuries, yellow fever epidemics plagued the United States. Carried along the mighty Mississippi River, it ravaged towns from New Orleans to St. Louis. New York City lost 2,000 lives in one year alone. It even forced the nation’s capital to relocate from Philadelphia to Washington, DC. Yup, also from the Goodreads’ blurb, because I have not read it yet and it’s been on my TBR since…2015. I’ll get to it. Maybe.

💚 Green 💚

Green Rider by Kristen Britain

I absolutely love this series, and have ever since I first read it in high school. It’s classic high fantasy, with horses, sword fighting, a feisty heroine, fading magic and an unknown evil back from centuries of lickings its wounds. I almost added Jade City, since technically jade is a shade of green, but didn’t. But you should also read Jade City, too, because it is fantastic.

💙 Blue 💙

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Yes, it has its issues. But this book is hilarious, adorable and the side characters are all absolutely phenomenal—and honestly better than the Alex and Henry. Plus, it gave me so much hope and happiness in a time that wasn’t hopeful or happy, and I really, really needed it then.

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

Another book that has its issues, but one that is near and dear to me. Harry (short for some awful name I cannot pronounce) is kidnapped by the King of Damar and trained to become a warrior for ~reasons~. When evil invades Damar, it’s up to Harry to stop it, with the help of a very special sword. Honestly, I kinda like this better than Hero and the Crown, although the two are a close tie—and both are books I desperately need to reread.

💜 Purple 💜

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

I read this book in high school, and I desperately need to reread this one as well since I remember very little other than it has a lovely depiction of queer Black women in a time where it was death to be Black or queer or a woman, much less all three. While Alice Walker has her problems (she’s a noted Anti-Semitic), this book is very much a touchstone in Black literature.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Dani Brown is an associate professor who’s got everything she wants in life. Sure, she’s a workaholic, but whatever. And love? Never heard of her. Until she gets rescued by her friend, pro rugby player turned security guard Zafir, and the rescue goes viral. The two concoct a fake dating scheme to get Zafir’s nonprofit more exposure, and their feelings slowly become reality. This was just too cute and I loved it so much.

🖤 Black 🖤

How Long ‘Til Black Future Month? by NK Jemisin

A collection of science fiction and fantasy short stories, all written at various points in the legendary Jemisin’s career (although she refuses to release her teenage writings and remind us that she is human). I had a lot of favorites, and this showed me what SFF short fiction could be, and just how much can be delicately spun or jam packed into fewer than 10,000 words.

The Black Tides of Heaven by JY Yang

Two twins are born, although only one was ever meant to exist—and both find a way to rebel against their parent, the authoritarian Protector. This was beautiful, thoughtful and thought provoking, and placed magic alongside technology, fate against free will, and gender as something other than a binary. It’s super queer and I loved it, and I really, really need to read the rest in the series.

Have You Read Any of These?