What's the April weather like in your neck of the woods? In my corner of the Sonoran Desert, it's HOT, like in the 90s and above. We've had some overcast skies in the last week, but no rain, sadly. None is predicted in the forseeable future either. Boo hoo. Maybe this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic—April Showers—will act as a rain dance to bring our parched desert some much needed moisture. A girl can dream! 

For my list today, I'm going to keep things simple and highlight ten books on my TBR list that feature rain in some way or another. I've had a long day, so I'm not going to include plot summaries, but I will link the book titles to Goodreads. How's that?

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

1. Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt 

2. Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon

3. The Colors of the Rain by R.L. Toalson

4. Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie

5. Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson

6. In the Days of Rain: A Daughter, a Father, a Cult by Rebecca Stott

7. Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff

8. In Times of Rain and War by Camron Wright

9. The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan

10. Rainy Day Sisters by Kate Hewitt

There you go, ten books on my TBR list that feature rain in some way or another. Have you read any of them? What are your favorite "rain" books? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

I'm rubbish when it comes to the really creative Top Ten Tuesday prompts, so today's is just impossible for me: Top Ten Book Titles That Sound Like Crayola Crayon Colors.  Seriously, I got nothin'.  The idea of color did get the cogs in my brain turning, though.  Since I did a list of specific colors found in book titles not too long ago, I decided to look at titles with the word "color" in them.  I found quite a few, which I'll talk about in a sec.

Before we do that, though, take a minute to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl.  Jana has all the deets on how to participate in TTT.  It's a fun weekly event (even when the topic du jour is a toughie)—don't miss out!

Top Ten Books With "Color" in Their Titles  

1.  The Color Purple by Alice Walker—Not surprisingly, this is the first book that came to my mind.  It's been ages since I read this one, so I don't remember much about it except that it deals with two Black sisters in Georgia who stay connected through letters.  I recall it being a tough read with heavy subject matter (domestic and sexual abuse).

2.  Color Me Beautiful: Discover Your Natural Beauty Through the Colors That Make You Look Great and Feel Fabulous by Carole Jackson—I remember devouring this book as a kid, convinced that I'd look like a supermodel if I just found the right colors to make my drab brown hair and eyes come alive through the magic of colorful clothes!  If you've ever had your colors done to determine which "season" you are, you'll know what I'm talking about.  Oh, the '80s!

I haven't read any of these, but they all sound interesting to me:

3.  The Color of Lightning by Paulette Jiles—This historical novel takes place during the American Civil War and features a former slave who heads out West hoping to find freedom and safety for his family.  When a violent raid steals away everything he loves, he vows to get it back no matter the cost.

4.  True Colors by Kristin Hannah—I'm a big Hannah fan, so I'm down for this novel which revolves around three sisters and the shocking crime that rocks their world, revealing all their secrets along the way.

5.  The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride—When he was a child, McBride found his "light-skinned" mother embarrassing with her fiery, demanding ways and confusing in her evasiveness about her past.  It was only as an adult that he began to look into her background, which yielded shocking revelations about an enigmatic woman with a fascinating story.

6.  Color Me Dark by Patricia C. McKissack—I've talked about my love for the Dear America series before, I'm sure.  They're middle-grade books that bring historical events to life through the fictionalized diaries of young girls.  I've read a number of them as well as a few hist-fic titles by McKissack, but I'd never heard of this one until today.  Set in 1919, it's about the migration of Black people out of the American South to escape racism. 

7.  The Color of Bee Larkham's Murder by Sarah J. Harris—Intriguing title, no?  This one concerns a 13-year-old boy with synesthesia who's desperate to find out who killed his beloved neighbor.

8.  The Colors of the Rain by R.L. Toalson—I love historical middle-grade novels, so I'm surprised this one has never come across my radar before.  Written in verse, the book is about the tension and violence surrounding desegregation that took place in Houston, Texas, in 1972.

9.  Color Me Murder by Krista Davis—This series opener introduces Florrie Fox, a bookstore manager and adult coloring book creator, who becomes an amateur sleuth when she finds a dead body hidden in her shop.

10.  The Color of Water in July by Nora Carroll—Books about people inheriting family homes full of secrets always appeal to me.  This one is about a woman who returns to her ancestral cottage in Michigan, where she discovers letters and photos that reveal hidden secrets.

There you have it, ten "colorful" books that I've either read or want to read.  Have you read any of them?  Can you think of any others that fit the prompt?  Were you creative enough to come up with any Crayola color titles?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.