They can transport you to a different time or place without the need to leave your living room and the most immersive books can make hours pass like minutes.
There are many ways you can choose your next book and one of the more fun and interesting ways is to choose a book with a color in the title.
Colors are all around us and are used in so many different metaphorical ways that it’s no surprise that so many different books use them in their titles.
Choosing a color and then finding a book with that color in its title can help you to find some new books that you may have never considered reading before.
Finding books with colors in the title might not be as easy as you might think, however. This can especially be a trial if you’re looking for one as part of a reading challenge.
Searching for them isn’t as easy as searching by author or genre but that’s why I’ve created this list of the 21 best books with colors in the title.
Whatever type of book you like to read there is sure to be a book here for you.
Redwall is another children’s book but this is a fantasy series written by British author Brian Jacques.
The first novel in the Redwall series was released in 1986 and in total there are 22 books in the series. The final novel The Rogue Crew was released posthumously.
The series is set in Mossflower Wood and focuses on the anthropomorphic animals that inhabit Redwall Abbey.
The story begins with the mice of Mossflower Wood having a joyous celebration that is cut short by a sinister omen.
Rumors begin to swirl that the evil one-eyed rat Cluny will soon mount an attack on Redwall Abbey.
The Abbey’s best chance of surviving the attack lies in finding the lost sword of the legendary mouse warrior, Martin.
This leads Matthias, a novice monk at the abbey, to undertake a dangerous quest to find the sword and defend the Abbey.
Redwall is a fun fantasy series for children that has many good lessons for them to learn.
The chronological order of the series doesn’t line up with the release order but the release order is still the best way to read them.
Pros
A great introduction to the fantasy genre for children
Good moralistic tale of good versus evil
Easy to like the main character
Cons
Characterization can be very simplistic
Themes: Good versus evil, coming of age, heroism, belief, peace
All Systems Red is the first novel in The Murderbot Diaries series.
The book won several awards including the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Novella and was also a New York Times bestseller.
It was published in 2017 by the American author Martha Wells and is a fascinating sci-fi novel.
All Systems Red is set in a future dominated by corporations and where space travel is the norm.
However, any planetary missions need to be not only approved by accompanied by security androids for the safety of those involved.
Many of the companies approving these missions and supplying the androids are not as safety conscious as they should be and this often leads to failed missions.
One security android (known as a SecUnit) sent on a mission saves a crew member from a deadly attack during one such mission.
It has gained sentience and self-awareness and named itself “Murderbot.”
Although Murderbot would prefer to stay at home watching TV, as a previous mission ended in failure, it knows it needs to keep this human alive.
Unfortunately for Murderbot, the problems keep on arising.
Murderbot wants nothing more than to figure out its existence and stay away from humans but gets caught up in a mystery that it has to solve.
Pros
Murderbot is an interesting narrator
Interesting debate about artificial intelligence and acceptance
No fluff as every word is made to count
Cons
The short length leaves little room for character growth
Themes: Acceptance, humanity, community, belonging, existence
The Red Pyramid is the first novel in The Kane Chronicles trilogy.
It is young adult fiction mixed with fantasy and Egyptian mythology and was first released in 2010 by American author Rick Riordan.
Carter and Sadie are siblings but live apart since the death of their mother, Ruby Kane.
Sadie spends her time living with her grandparents in London while Carter travels the world with their father, the Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane.
Dr. Kane brings the pair together at the British Museum to witness as he tries to bring the Egyptian God of the Underworld, Osiris, into the mortal world.
Unfortunately, his scheme summons a variety of Egyptian gods including Set, the god of chaos.
Carter and Sadie discover that they are descended from magicians and Egyptian pharaohs and they have to work together to stop Set and his plans for the world.
The Red Pyramid is an action-adventure fantasy novel with plenty to keep the reader entertained.
It also introduces elements of Egyptian mythology and ties them into a modern setting.
Pros
The fast-paced and action-packed plot
The book has fun side characters that are well-developed
Egyptian mythology is well-researched
Cons
The POVs of Carter and Sadie are not very different from each other despite their different upbringings
Sherlock Holmes is one of the most literary characters ever created and this book, A Study in Scarlet, is his first appearance.
Written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1887, it introduced Holmes and his brilliant approach to crime solving.
As this is the first Holmes novel, the story begins with Dr. John Watson returning to London after sustaining an injury in the war.
He needs a place to live and a friend informs him of a room going spare at 221B Baker Street. Watson moves in with Sherlock and the legendary partnership begins.
The crime at the core of the novel revolves around the death of Enoch Drebber.
Holmes deduces that Drebber was poisoned but the case thickens when a woman’s gold wedding ring is discovered when the body is moved.
The ring becomes a key instrument in Holme’s strategy to solve the mystery and Dr. Watson gets to see the master at work.
The Sherlock Holmes novels are legendary and if you’ve never read them before, then there is no better starting point than A Study in Scarlet.
It’s a reasonably short book so if you’re after a quick read, you should consider this book for that reason as well.
Pros
The introduction of Holmes and Watson is iconic and fun to read
The explanations of Holmes’ deductive reasoning are well-paced and easy to follow
Fun and easy to read
Cons
Some of the descriptions and portrayals in the second half of the book are inaccurate
The Rose Code is a standalone novel that was released in 2021 by American author Kate Quinn.
Quinn is well-known for her historical fiction and The Rose Code is no different as it is set during World War II.
As well as being historical, the novel is a thriller full of mystery and suspense.
In 1940, three very different women arrive at Bletchley Park, a secretive country estate where people learn to crack the military codes used by the Germans.
They are Osla, a debutante fluent in German, Mab, a working-class girl that works the code-breaking machines, and Beth, a shy spinster who is a genius at puzzles.
They work together well and become friends but various events soon rip them apart.
After the war has ended, the three women are reunited when an encrypted letter arrives.
The trio must put the past behind them and try to work together to solve the mystery. However, each step forward brings them closer to a growing danger.
Pros
Three very interesting and different protagonists
The relationship between the three women is brought to life well
An intriguing mystery at the core of the story
Cons
Slow start with more emphasis on fiction than the history
A Clockwork Orange may be more famous as the seminal movie by Stanley Kubrick than the novel, but that doesn’t mean the novel isn’t worth reading.
Originally published in 1962 by British writer Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange is a dystopian novel that mixes satire, black comedy, and science fiction to great effect.
Alex is a teenage gang leader who is equal parts intelligent and sociopathic.
He and his gang like to indulge in “ultra-violence” together and partake in nights of chaotic and random violence.
A dispute within the gang leads to them committing an ultra-violent crime together and Alex being left alone to take the blame when the police arrive.
Alex is imprisoned and subjected to experimental behavior modification treatment.
This treatment conditions Alex to no longer partake in any violent acts at all and he is released early from his sentence.
However, the treatment has its flaws as Alex finds out once he is back out in the world.
A Clockwork Orange is both shocking and profound and uses violence to explore broader themes of order and freedom.
It’s a book of contrasts that will make you both laugh and feel disgusted at the same time.
Pros
Alex is a unique protagonist that is fascinating to read about
The satire is used effectively to explore some major themes
Very thought-provoking
Cons
The characters use a lot of unique slang throughout the book that can be difficult to understand
Themes: Order versus freedom of choice, man versus machine, morality, transformation
Half of a Yellow Sun was written by the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
She has been called one of the most influential and important African and female writers of the modern era and was awarded a MacArthur Genius Grant in 2008.
Half of a Yellow Sun is arguably her most successful novel to date and won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2007. It has also been adapted into a movie.
The novel is set in the 1960s during the Nigerian Civil War.
It focuses on the lives and experiences of five different characters and does this by jumping through the decade to cover the years both before, during, and after the war.
The five characters all lead very different lives from each other despite their lives being intertwined.
Ugwu is a 13-year-old houseboy who works for the university professor Odenigbo. Olanna is Odenigbo’s young lover and Kainene is her strong-willed twin sister.
Finally, Richard is a shy man from England that is in love with Kainene.
The novel allows the reader to follow each character and their interactions with the others through a series of events and flashbacks.
This is all set against the backdrop of a civil war and the effects it can have on a country.
Pros
A unique insight into the Nigerian/Biafra conflict
Well-constructed characters that all have their own personalities and perspectives
Vivid descriptions of the setting and time
Cons
The slow pace and the time jumps can be confusing
Themes: Colonialism, politics, loyalty, war, race, love
Although technically a children’s novel, Anne of Green Gables has entertained readers of all ages since it was first published in 1908.
Written by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, it is one of the best-selling novels of all time and has been adapted into numerous movies and TV series.
The book is set in the late 19th century and tells the story of Anne Shirley, a young orphan who is mistakenly sent to a family instead of the orphan boy they requested.
Anne is bright, inquisitive, and headstrong and quickly takes a liking to the farming village she now lives in.
The reader is taken on a journey with Anne as she attends school, makes friends, and harbors ambitions of what her life will become.
Anne of Green Gables is partly biographical as the author drew on her own experiences of life in a rural setting and several of the characters are based on people she knew in her own life.
The novel is also inspired by the many other books about orphans that were popular at the time.
There are several other books written by Montgomery about Anne as well if you wish to read more.
Pros
Lovable characters that are easy to warm to
Interesting look back at life during that time period
Heartwarming story and moral tale
Cons
Several archaic words and phrases might be difficult to understand for younger readers
Themes: Friendship, home, appearances, coming of age, duty, appearances
The Greenhouse was originally written in Icelandic by the Icelandic author Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir.
The English translation by Brian Fitzgibbon was released in 2011 and became one of the more popular Icelandic novels in English-speaking countries.
The main character is a young man named Lobbi. He has recently lost his mother and her death encourages him to change his life.
Lobbi and his mother shared a passion for tending to the roses in her greenhouse and this led Lobbi to leave school and take a position at a remote monastery where he will tend to and restore the gardens.
While at the monastery, Lobbi is surprised when an old acquaintance and ex-lover of his, Anna, visits and introduces him to his daughter.
Lobbi now finds himself a father with responsibilities he didn’t expect to have.
He must find a way to balance his different roles and responsibilities and become a man he can be proud of.
Pros
The narrator, Lobbi, is very likable and easy to root for
Great attention to detail draws the reader into the world
A very beautiful and heartwarming story
Cons
Very slow and deliberate pace without much of a dramatic plot
Themes: Family, responsibility, death, grief, finding yourself, personal growth
TJ Klune is an American author who has written a number of fantasy and romantic fiction novels.
One of his most successful standalone novels is The House in the Cerulean Sea which was released in 2020 and was a New York Times bestseller.
It’s a charming fantasy novel that is suitable for readers of all ages.
The main character is Linus Baker, a 40-year-old man who lives a simple life.
He works for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth as a case worker and is given a secret assignment to visit the Marsyas Island Orphanage.
The orphanage is home to six very different and potentially dangerous magic children and it is Linus’s task to determine exactly how dangerous they might be.
However, the children aren’t the only curious thing about the island.
The caretaker Arthur Parnassus is determined to look after the children and keep them safe and as Arthur and Linus start to work together and grow closer, they discover some devastating secrets that lead to Linus having to make an impossible choice.
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a story of acceptance and love. Linus grows to accept the children for who they are and falls in love with Arthur as the plot unfolds.
Pros
Full of positive messages of acceptance and love
Well-developed and complex characters
The central romance is sweet and dealt with respectfully
Cons
Some of the plotlines and messages are too simplistic
Themes: Belonging, family, nature and nurture, inclusion, acceptance
Black Beauty is one of the highest-selling novels of all time.
It was the first and only novel released by British writer Anna Sewell, who wrote the book while she was seriously ill and bedridden.
Sewell passed away only five months after the book was published in 1877. Although a children’s novel, it can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.
The book is written in the first-person perspective of the titular character, a horse named Black Beauty.
He began his life as a happy foal on a farm with his mother and each chapter in the book recalls a different incident in Black Beauty’s life.
Black Beauty spent many years pulling cabs in London and he recalls the difficult conditions of this throughout the novel.
Eventually, Black Beauty retires to a peaceful life in the country.
Black Beauty is one of the first novels to write from an animal’s perspective and it gives the reader a unique insight into the relationship between man and animal.
Readers are shown incidents from the perspective of a horse and are able to see the affection and cruelty of humans in a different light.
Pros
The book includes several important lessons
An interesting look at how animals were treated during the time period of the novel
Perfect novel for animal lovers
Cons
No real plot, just individual incidents from Black Beauty’s life
Themes: Animal care, suffering, principles, compassion, courage
Wilkie Collins was a British novelist and playwright. His most famous work is The Woman in White which was released in 1859 and is an example of early Victorian gothic literature.
It’s a mystery novel that is full of suspense and will keep any reader interested until the last page.
The story begins with Walter Hartright, a young man who meets a distressed woman on the streets of London.
The woman is dressed entirely in white and he later learns that she has escaped from an asylum.
Walter leaves London for the English countryside and takes a job as a teacher.
While there, he meets and falls in love with a young woman that has a startling resemblance to the woman in white that he met in London.
There are many mysteries for Walter to discover about his new love and the various circumstances that surround both of them.
The Woman in White takes a critical look at the position of women in society during the time period and especially how married women were treated under the law.
It is also critical of the asylums of the time and how they were weaponized against women.
Pros
Skillfully plotted and executed
An interesting villain that is fascinating to read about and hate
White Oleander was published in 1999 and was selected for Oprah’s Book Club. This made the book a bestseller and it was later adapted as a movie as well.
It was written by American author Janet Fitch and is the most successful of her novels.
The main character is 12-year-old Astrid Magnussen.
Astrid’s biological father left when she was a child and she lives with her mother, Ingrid, an eccentric but brilliant poet.
When Ingrid discovers that her boyfriend Barry is cheating on her, Ingrid decides to get revenge by poisoning him, leading to his death. Ingrid is arrested and Astrid is taken in by the foster care system.
The rest of the book details the tough years Astrid faces in the foster system as she is sent from foster home to foster home.
Astrid faces many challenges and troubles during her teen years and this also leads to her feeling more anger and resentment toward her mother.
The events that happen to Astrid are often dark and harrowing.
Although she meets friends along the way, she is never able to stay in one place long enough to build any lasting relationships.
Pros
A very moving but shocking story of a young girl
The writing will make you emotional and contemplative
Astrid’s journey is difficult but no less fascinating
Cons
The plot is slow and at times very dark and depressing
The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of the most famous works of gothic literature and philosophical fiction.
It was written by Irish writer Oscar Wilde and the novel-length version of the story was first published in 1891.
The book has been adapted several times for the big screen.
Dorian Gray is a handsome and hedonistic young man who is captured in an exquisite portrait by the great artist Basil Hallward.
Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton and thanks to Henry’s loud opinions on life, Dorian starts to believe that all that matters in life is beauty.
However, Dorian is very aware that all beauty must fade and wishes that instead of his own beauty fading, it would be the beauty in Basil’s painting that fades.
Dorian’s wish comes true. No matter how debauched Dorian’s behavior is, he remains beautiful while the painting becomes more twisted and corrupted.
Eventually, Dorian has to face up to his corrupt soul.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a Faustian tale that shows how sin and hedonism take their toll on those who pursue a worthless life.
Pros
Dorian is a very complex and well-realized character
Well written and full of Wilde’s characteristic wit
The morality of the book is easy to understand and still relevant
Cons
The slow pace and many of Dorian’s sins are inferred instead of clarified
Silver Sparrow was published in 2011 and is the third novel by American author Tayari Jones.
She won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2019 for her previous novel, An American Marriage. Silver Sparrow is considered domestic fiction that deals with complicated family issues.
The story revolves around two families in Atlanta in the 1980s. These two families are intrinsically linked as the patriarch of both is James Witherspoon.
James is a bigamist and he keeps one family in public and one family in secret.
James’ secret family is aware of the arrangement.
His daughter, Dana, knows that her father is married to another woman and has other children and her life is ruled by keeping this secret.
She is banned from attending certain schools and events just to protect the lie.
However, a random event means that the two families collide and Dana is caught in the middle of her father’s lies.
This is a story of how one man’s deception can have long-lasting effects on those around him.
The lives of both Dana and James’ legitimate daughter Chaurisse have been dictated by their father’s choices but ultimately, this book is a coming-of-age story for both of them.
Pros
The dual narrators help you get immersed in the story
The viewpoints of the daughter who knows and the daughter who doesn’t are interesting
A very emotional story and book
Cons
The slow pace and lack of repercussions can be off-putting
Red, White & Royal Blue is the debut novel by American author Casey McQuiston.
It is a new adult, LGBTQ, romance novel and was a New York Times bestseller when it was released in 2019.
Alex Claremont-Diaz is the son of the President of the United States. He became an instant favorite with the American public thanks to his good looks and charm.
However, when Alex meets Britain’s Prince Henry at a royal wedding, the two men do not get along and their altercation was captured on camera.
In an effort to smooth over relationships between the two countries and to calm the media and public circus that has erupted, Alex and Prince Henry are forced into pretending to be friends.
It starts out easy enough as they create a fake social media friendship, but the pair soon find that they have more in common than they expected and begin a secret romance.
Unfortunately, Alex’s mother is up for reelection as President and a genuine relationship between the two men could cause her campaign problems.
Pros
Great premise and central idea
A fun story that also touches on some serious issues and politics
Interesting and well-written characters
Cons
The plot is very convenient at times and ignores real protocol
Before you make a choice and pick the best book with a color in the title for you, there are some factors you should take into consideration.
Series Or Standalone
Many books are written as standalone stories that have a complete beginning, middle, and end.
The whole story is contained within one book and there is no need to read anything else.
However, many books are part of a series and to get the entire story, you may need to read the entire series.
Book series can differ greatly in length with some being a simple duology and others stretching into 20 or 30 books.
If you decide to pick up a book with a color in the title and its part of a series, you will need to consider if you have the time to read the rest of the series.
If it’s not the first book in the series you may not be able to fully understand the story and if it’s the first you may not get a good ending.
Genre
Books can vary greatly in their themes, styles, and genres.
Even the most dedicated book readers usually have certain genres that they don’t like so you can very quickly reduce your choices by only concentrating on the books in the genre that you like.
Many books can have themes that don’t appeal to everyone.
They can tackle some heavy issues that can be triggering for readers or are simply too close to real life when the reader only wants an easy read.
I would always recommend looking at a few reviews to see what other readers have to say before you take a chance on a new writer or genre.
Final Thoughts
In this article, I listed the 21 best books with colors in their titles.
If you’re completing a book club or reading challenge that requires you to read books with a certain color in their title, then hopefully, there was a book here for you!
Finding books with colors in their titles isn’t always an easy task and even the most popular books can easily slip your mind.
The books included in this list cover a wide variety of genres and lengths.
There is romance, science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, and every other genre represented.
Some books are quick standalone reads and others are parts of lengthy series.
Books with colors in the title can be any type of book as I hope this article has demonstrated.
Many of the books on this list are personal favorites of mine and it was a joy to recommend them.
Colors make for wonderful titles due to their literal and metaphorical meanings and there are many fascinating titles on this list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s finish by answering some commonly asked questions about books with colors in their titles.
How Long Does It Take To Read The Average Book?
For the average reader, reading 100 pages will take around three hours.
This means that the average book will take around 9 to 12 hours but this can differ depending on how quickly you can read and how difficult the book is to read.
What Color Is The Most Popular For A Title?
When researching the books to include in this list, I found more books that use the color red (or a shade of it) than any other color.
Red is not only a primary color and very common in the world but it’s used in many metaphors so it is no surprise that it is so popular.
Hi, my name is Anna Davis and I have been working with books for five years now. I got a job at my local library, so I could be closer to all of the books! I created this website in the hopes of inspiring others to start reading again. Who knows, maybe you’ll find your new favorite book from my site!
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