Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish, and is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. It’s all about books, lists and sharing the love we have of both with our bookish friends. This week, I’ve been inspired by the prompt rather than answering it (yes, that’s a polite way of saying I’m off-topic. Again).

This week‘s prompt invited us to find book titles that sound like Crayola colours. A survey of my shelves did not turn up many books that fitted the bill (however fun Crayola names can be, they’re still very colour-focused)… but did get me thinking about nail varnish. You know where this is going, right?

Damn right.

Sure, nail varnish can be colour-focused, but it gets a lot more leeway for just dropping a mood – so book titles are perfect.

Okay, so I do have a few candidates that are all about a colour: All Systems Red is clearly not only red but very bright, yelling OH FUCK HERE WE GO from every fingertip. Fool’s Gold technically isn’t gold, but it’s shiny and if you call it yellow you’ll regret it. Shadowblack and Sweet Black Waves are absolutely distinct – one isn’t really black at all, as shadows aren’t, and the other feels kind of warm somehow, even though it’s, well, black. White Tears is technically white, if a bit grubby; and I haven’t a clue what colour Nophek Gloss is, but it’s shiny as anything. Shiny.

Then there’s the books that don’t explicitly reference a colour but are definitely suggestive (at least if you’ve read the books in question). Phoenix Extravagant is – as you’ll know if you’ve read it – extremely hard to get hold of, but that’s magical pigments for you (although frankly you should think at least twice and probably two hundred times about putting this on your nails). Certain Dark Things and Rawblood are clearly from a fabulously Gothic line, whereas Mexican Gothic is almost certainly yellow (and you should probably think twice about putting that on your nails, either, or at least double-check the ingredients list. Just to be sure). Unconquerable Sun and Light of Impossible Stars are both far less risky choices – as far as your mental and physical health are concerned – and unapologetically bright. Fireheart Tiger is one of those varnishes that looks a different colour depending on how the light catches it, flickering gloriously.

I’m not entirely sure what colour some of this last batch are, but I know I’m curious. I suspect I wouldn’t be a big fan of Sweet Harmony (it suggests pastel shades, which aren’t my favourite), but I might admire – if not wear – Foxglove Summer (neither pink nor violet are really my thing either). I do think I’d be drawn to Wychwood (perhaps a brooding green?) and to Tiamat’s Wrath (…I don’t know what colour angry it is, but I’m sure it’s the right sort of bold). Rogue Protocol makes me think urban camouflage and industrial, something stylishly matte that you’d have to pry from my tight-grasped hands.

Oops, was it meant to be a top ten? Sorry, I was having way too much fun.