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Read Your Color: Discover Your Reading Type and Build a Life-Changing Love of Books
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Get more out of reading with this radical guide to shelf-improvement, which reveals your core preferences and helps you choose books based on why you read, not what you’ve read before. Includes the viral Read Your Color quiz taken by more than two million people!
“A fun and insightful approach to cultivating both a habit of reading and a love of reading.”—Karen Swallow Prior, author of On Reading Well
Read Your Color introduces a six-type system that identifies the essential desires you have as a reader and builds a personalized plan from there. Are you a Red reader who craves intensity and stakes? A Blue reader seeking emotional resonance and truth? A Green reader looking for clarity and real-world application? Whoever you are, this framework gives you a vocabulary for your reading impulses and a map for reading well.
The book isn’t just a diagnostic manual; it’s a step-by-step guide to transformation designed to help you fall (or fall back) in love with books. Think of it as a personal trainer for your reading life. In Read Your Color, you'll
learn how to break free from algorithmic and genre-based reading habitsexpand your literary range without losing your core preferencesbuild a sustainable rhythm that makes reading feel less like a chore and more like a reward
With honest cultural observations, tested psychological insights, and a practical 120-day plan, Read Your Color meets you where you are—scrolling, burned out, distracted—and shows you what’s possible on the other side of a truly meaningful reading life. Read Your Color doesn't ask you to try harder. It gives you the tools to fall in love with reading, and with who you become when you read the right way.
“A fun and insightful approach to cultivating both a habit of reading and a love of reading.”—Karen Swallow Prior, author of On Reading Well
Read Your Color introduces a six-type system that identifies the essential desires you have as a reader and builds a personalized plan from there. Are you a Red reader who craves intensity and stakes? A Blue reader seeking emotional resonance and truth? A Green reader looking for clarity and real-world application? Whoever you are, this framework gives you a vocabulary for your reading impulses and a map for reading well.
The book isn’t just a diagnostic manual; it’s a step-by-step guide to transformation designed to help you fall (or fall back) in love with books. Think of it as a personal trainer for your reading life. In Read Your Color, you'll
learn how to break free from algorithmic and genre-based reading habitsexpand your literary range without losing your core preferencesbuild a sustainable rhythm that makes reading feel less like a chore and more like a reward
With honest cultural observations, tested psychological insights, and a practical 120-day plan, Read Your Color meets you where you are—scrolling, burned out, distracted—and shows you what’s possible on the other side of a truly meaningful reading life. Read Your Color doesn't ask you to try harder. It gives you the tools to fall in love with reading, and with who you become when you read the right way.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 3, 2026
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July 19, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A few disclaimers before taking in my review: I’m not the target audience for this book. I LOVE to read. I read 178 books in 2025 (side eye me all you want Mr. Reese. I consume books by hardback, paperback, ereader, and audiobook formats, and I do prioritize that over all other forms of entertainment). I also did not follow the timeline for the process for review purposes. Given I’m fully aware of what type of reader I am, I did read through it all and have thoughts.
That being said, I went into this like reading a horoscope: open minded but not seeing it as scientific fact, here for the fun of it. After having finished this book, spoiler alert, science or not, Steven J. Reese makes some valid points and has really broke down reading processes in a way I think would really help guide someone.
I am a yellow reader. I read to feel versus to think MOST of the time. I like to be rooted in reality than have “wings” on what I recognize to be true (almost always). If I don’t feel attached to a character I have a more difficult time enjoying my time with the book. I have immersive yellow (leaning red) and even sometimes analytical yellow (leaning green) tendencies. Probably more of the latter because I also resonate with the Grounded Red a lot. I have read a lot of the suggested books for multiple colors of the reading spectrum and could relate to what he was saying about every reader based on my experience either being that color, leaning that color, or not that color at all.
I have two qualms and they’re relatively minor. The first being more personal, maybe it’s the empathetic yellow reader in me, but I hate labeling anyone as a good or bad reader. It really comes down to the labeling of it - there are performative readers, people who only read Stephen King, people who only read nonfiction, people who only read magazines, they’re reading - mind your business. People who don’t read, yes, you’re kind of a bad reader but not really, you just haven’t figured out what works for you. I think there can be good and bad books, like with anything else, but not bad readers. It’s subjective. Putting labels on it may continue to discourage those who have a hard time reading at all. The second is, going along with Reese’s practice of being a “good” reader by balancing what you read, even stepping into your “reach” color - that category you have nothing to relate to how you enjoy books. That’s a good way to get yourself into a reading slump and that’s a big NO THANK YOU from me. There’s nothing wrong with liking what you like, life is short and book selection options are endless. Sure, try it but don’t make yourself read anything for the sake of reading something. I am pro-DNF.
I never heard of the viral quiz Steven J. Reese created (the rock I live under is better known as my bookshelf) and would recommend his method for those who want to find out how to direct themselves to read more. I hope this book does well, because the approach is simple and I do think effective. I have my concerns that it may just be read by readers who want validation in their reading, understanding the almost psychology of it all. A book for people who have a hard time reading… I have my fingers crossed for you Mr. Reese.
A few disclaimers before taking in my review: I’m not the target audience for this book. I LOVE to read. I read 178 books in 2025 (side eye me all you want Mr. Reese. I consume books by hardback, paperback, ereader, and audiobook formats, and I do prioritize that over all other forms of entertainment). I also did not follow the timeline for the process for review purposes. Given I’m fully aware of what type of reader I am, I did read through it all and have thoughts.
That being said, I went into this like reading a horoscope: open minded but not seeing it as scientific fact, here for the fun of it. After having finished this book, spoiler alert, science or not, Steven J. Reese makes some valid points and has really broke down reading processes in a way I think would really help guide someone.
I am a yellow reader. I read to feel versus to think MOST of the time. I like to be rooted in reality than have “wings” on what I recognize to be true (almost always). If I don’t feel attached to a character I have a more difficult time enjoying my time with the book. I have immersive yellow (leaning red) and even sometimes analytical yellow (leaning green) tendencies. Probably more of the latter because I also resonate with the Grounded Red a lot. I have read a lot of the suggested books for multiple colors of the reading spectrum and could relate to what he was saying about every reader based on my experience either being that color, leaning that color, or not that color at all.
I have two qualms and they’re relatively minor. The first being more personal, maybe it’s the empathetic yellow reader in me, but I hate labeling anyone as a good or bad reader. It really comes down to the labeling of it - there are performative readers, people who only read Stephen King, people who only read nonfiction, people who only read magazines, they’re reading - mind your business. People who don’t read, yes, you’re kind of a bad reader but not really, you just haven’t figured out what works for you. I think there can be good and bad books, like with anything else, but not bad readers. It’s subjective. Putting labels on it may continue to discourage those who have a hard time reading at all. The second is, going along with Reese’s practice of being a “good” reader by balancing what you read, even stepping into your “reach” color - that category you have nothing to relate to how you enjoy books. That’s a good way to get yourself into a reading slump and that’s a big NO THANK YOU from me. There’s nothing wrong with liking what you like, life is short and book selection options are endless. Sure, try it but don’t make yourself read anything for the sake of reading something. I am pro-DNF.
I never heard of the viral quiz Steven J. Reese created (the rock I live under is better known as my bookshelf) and would recommend his method for those who want to find out how to direct themselves to read more. I hope this book does well, because the approach is simple and I do think effective. I have my concerns that it may just be read by readers who want validation in their reading, understanding the almost psychology of it all. A book for people who have a hard time reading… I have my fingers crossed for you Mr. Reese.
October 4, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, I just know this book is gonna piss some people off.
I first found out about this book a few months back. Naturally, me being a fan of personality tests, I was intrigued to know what my reading color would be! So when I saw this being offered on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it for myself.
The Good:
You know me. I love a book about books. And you can tell that the author is also passionate about reading and the power of literature. I appreciated his origin story of becoming a reader, from humble beginnings of feeling like reading just wasn’t for him until one day being introduced to the one book that turned him into a reader. I think every reader feels that experience to their core, and you can tell that this was the impetus for him to write this book, to help guide readers to find the right kinds of books that ignite that same spark in them.
This book is also structured really well. The author first introduces you to the different reading colors. From there, he gives you specific book recommendations tailored to your reading color and even color-adjacent picks that you might also like but serve as a good stepping stone toward branching out and finding other books to enjoy that you might never have thought to pick up. On paper, this sounds like an excellent guide to help you pinpoint your reading preferences and recalibrate your reading habits to potentially broaden the kinds of books you pick up. And maybe for some people, this book works for them…
The Not So Good
For me, this book just didn’t land. For one—I still have no idea what my reading color is! The closest I would say I lean toward is an Orange Reader, mixed with maybe Yellow. But even then, there was never a moment while reading the different types where I thought to myself, “This is me!” The experience was more, “I guess this one…?” because in reality, I saw a little bit of myself in a few reading colors, and if I’m being really honest, I could see a little bit of myself across all of the colors. I have picked up fast-paced books that were impossible to put down. I’ve also read books that focused heavily on interpersonal relationships and family dynamics. I’ve picked up books that challenged me in terms of the narrative style, and ones where I stepped away learning something new about the world or about a particular topic. Call me an anomaly or just chalk it up to the fact that readers more often than not are multi-faceted individuals. (I’m gonna go with the second one!) So because of that, this was sort of a frustrating read for me, partly because I didn’t quite know where I landed—and despite its aim to not put readers into a box, this book did exactly that. It declared, “This is the type of reader you are and you like these things and you definitely don’t like these other things” as if two or more things can’t be true at once about readers and their tastes. In this way, I think the author severely underestimates the average reader, assuming that their reading must be severely limited by only reading certain preferred genres, which he claims puts readers in a box. And then he proceeded to create a book personality quiz in which he does exactly that. Oh, the irony…
The Especially Not Good
This leads me to my ultimate gripe with this book: the author reeeeally talks down to readers. Not even just the reader of his book specifically, but to the reading community as a whole. To me, it came across as this guy stepping forward and mansplaining reading to readers everywhere: “Attention, everyone! You’re doing reading wrong. I’m here to fix that for you. You’re welcome.” And listen when I tell you, that’s the quickest way to piss off a community. It just felt insulting, as if the reading community needed this man’s help on how to read better? On that note, it felt like he was really targeting the online book community specifically. And even more specifically, women. Because let’s face it: the online book community is largely made up of women. And the kinds of things he’s calling out, like reading certain female authors and taking pictures for Instagram, are things tied to women in the bookstagram community.
“Over the years, I’ve noticed that certain readers seem to get something real out of their reading lives. These aren’t necessarily the people who read the most books or the hardest books or the books with the prettiest covers for their Instagram.”
Like, damn, we’re not allowed to appreciate pretty book covers? Also sir, you can do both! You can indeed be a critical, thoughtful reader while also appreciating pretty books and wanting to post about your love of books on social media to build connection and community with other readers.
And then he does the thing that I hate…
He’s skeptical of anyone who says they read 100 books a year because it’s apparently impossible, according to him:
“I’m suspicious of anyone claiming massive reading numbers unless they’re unemployed or have achieved some sort of time-dilution superpower… Reading fast isn’t the same as reading well.”
Sigh.
Sir.
SIR.
It is indeed more than possible to read 100 books a year. STOP BEING JEALOUS JUST BECAUSE WOMEN CAN DO IT.
I swear, this conversation comes up weekly. On social media. People in my everyday life. It’s an accusation that comes up over and over, and us readers are sick of having to argue it and justify that yes, it is entirely possible to read this many books a year. No, we’re not lying. We do in fact just read a lot. And especially having to justify this to a man who staunchly denies that women can’t possibly read this many books a year unless they’re lying about it. Or if they are reading this many books, they must be shallow or they’re books that somehow don’t count as “real reading.” It’s just EXHAUSTING and reeks of misogyny.
Anyway, in typical male fashion, he labels these types of readers who read in high numbers, “Brain Rot readers” because even if they could read that many books a year, they can’t possibly be reading anything of substance. That can be the only explanation! But then he seems to contradict himself later on when he declares that you should read books you actually enjoy, not just books you think you’re supposed to be reading.
Like, EXACTLY, SIR. That’s what we’re all saying! That’s how we’re all able to read 100 books a year! Because we’re reading books we actually enjoy, not wasting time slogging through books that we feel we should be enjoying but aren’t.
Anyway, I’m tired of needing to keep having this conversation. I’m tired of having to justify my reading to others. I’m tired of men being skeptical of women who read, and that even if they do read, they must not be reading anything of substance. I’m tired of women not being viewed as “real” readers or not being taken seriously as readers. I’m tired of men being so threatened by the idea of women reading voraciously that they have to disprove it somehow to make themselves feel better. I’m tired of women not being able to exist at all as readers without everything they do being called into question.
Final Thoughts:
I appreciate the aim of this book: to identify your specific reading preferences and use these to guide you through what books you pick up rather than pigeonholing yourself into a single genre. It opens up your reading more by focusing less on genre and more on what types of things you find yourself gravitating toward when you read. (i.e.: fast-paced vs. slow-paced; analytical vs. imaginative). If this system works for you, that’s great. For me personally, I found it very limiting because by design, finding your reading color is still just putting you in a box.
I also can’t stress this enough: I really didn’t appreciate the tone of this book. The author repeatedly talks down to the online book community: implying that people who read a high number of books are lying, claiming that if you read for escapism or enjoyment, then you’re basically rotting your brain, and that posting pictures of books to your Instagram doesn’t make you as serious of a reader. And quite frankly, I’m tired of women not being able to do anything, even enjoying their hobbies, without it being considered silly or less serious by men.
Yet for as much as he belittles the online book community, it’s this very community that has already been coming up with this strategy for finding new books to read long before this author’s Reading Color theory, and it’s this very community that curates book recommendation posts doing this very thing (“If you liked that, try this”) It just came across as deeply patronizing for him to come forward with this book, insulting the very community that he’s trying to market this book to, then declaring that he knows better and he’ll teach all of us how to be better readers. Because apparently, we’re not doing it right.
Oh, I just know this book is gonna piss some people off.
I first found out about this book a few months back. Naturally, me being a fan of personality tests, I was intrigued to know what my reading color would be! So when I saw this being offered on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it for myself.
The Good:
You know me. I love a book about books. And you can tell that the author is also passionate about reading and the power of literature. I appreciated his origin story of becoming a reader, from humble beginnings of feeling like reading just wasn’t for him until one day being introduced to the one book that turned him into a reader. I think every reader feels that experience to their core, and you can tell that this was the impetus for him to write this book, to help guide readers to find the right kinds of books that ignite that same spark in them.
This book is also structured really well. The author first introduces you to the different reading colors. From there, he gives you specific book recommendations tailored to your reading color and even color-adjacent picks that you might also like but serve as a good stepping stone toward branching out and finding other books to enjoy that you might never have thought to pick up. On paper, this sounds like an excellent guide to help you pinpoint your reading preferences and recalibrate your reading habits to potentially broaden the kinds of books you pick up. And maybe for some people, this book works for them…
The Not So Good
For me, this book just didn’t land. For one—I still have no idea what my reading color is! The closest I would say I lean toward is an Orange Reader, mixed with maybe Yellow. But even then, there was never a moment while reading the different types where I thought to myself, “This is me!” The experience was more, “I guess this one…?” because in reality, I saw a little bit of myself in a few reading colors, and if I’m being really honest, I could see a little bit of myself across all of the colors. I have picked up fast-paced books that were impossible to put down. I’ve also read books that focused heavily on interpersonal relationships and family dynamics. I’ve picked up books that challenged me in terms of the narrative style, and ones where I stepped away learning something new about the world or about a particular topic. Call me an anomaly or just chalk it up to the fact that readers more often than not are multi-faceted individuals. (I’m gonna go with the second one!) So because of that, this was sort of a frustrating read for me, partly because I didn’t quite know where I landed—and despite its aim to not put readers into a box, this book did exactly that. It declared, “This is the type of reader you are and you like these things and you definitely don’t like these other things” as if two or more things can’t be true at once about readers and their tastes. In this way, I think the author severely underestimates the average reader, assuming that their reading must be severely limited by only reading certain preferred genres, which he claims puts readers in a box. And then he proceeded to create a book personality quiz in which he does exactly that. Oh, the irony…
The Especially Not Good
This leads me to my ultimate gripe with this book: the author reeeeally talks down to readers. Not even just the reader of his book specifically, but to the reading community as a whole. To me, it came across as this guy stepping forward and mansplaining reading to readers everywhere: “Attention, everyone! You’re doing reading wrong. I’m here to fix that for you. You’re welcome.” And listen when I tell you, that’s the quickest way to piss off a community. It just felt insulting, as if the reading community needed this man’s help on how to read better? On that note, it felt like he was really targeting the online book community specifically. And even more specifically, women. Because let’s face it: the online book community is largely made up of women. And the kinds of things he’s calling out, like reading certain female authors and taking pictures for Instagram, are things tied to women in the bookstagram community.
“Over the years, I’ve noticed that certain readers seem to get something real out of their reading lives. These aren’t necessarily the people who read the most books or the hardest books or the books with the prettiest covers for their Instagram.”
Like, damn, we’re not allowed to appreciate pretty book covers? Also sir, you can do both! You can indeed be a critical, thoughtful reader while also appreciating pretty books and wanting to post about your love of books on social media to build connection and community with other readers.
And then he does the thing that I hate…
He’s skeptical of anyone who says they read 100 books a year because it’s apparently impossible, according to him:
“I’m suspicious of anyone claiming massive reading numbers unless they’re unemployed or have achieved some sort of time-dilution superpower… Reading fast isn’t the same as reading well.”
Sigh.
Sir.
SIR.
It is indeed more than possible to read 100 books a year. STOP BEING JEALOUS JUST BECAUSE WOMEN CAN DO IT.
I swear, this conversation comes up weekly. On social media. People in my everyday life. It’s an accusation that comes up over and over, and us readers are sick of having to argue it and justify that yes, it is entirely possible to read this many books a year. No, we’re not lying. We do in fact just read a lot. And especially having to justify this to a man who staunchly denies that women can’t possibly read this many books a year unless they’re lying about it. Or if they are reading this many books, they must be shallow or they’re books that somehow don’t count as “real reading.” It’s just EXHAUSTING and reeks of misogyny.
Anyway, in typical male fashion, he labels these types of readers who read in high numbers, “Brain Rot readers” because even if they could read that many books a year, they can’t possibly be reading anything of substance. That can be the only explanation! But then he seems to contradict himself later on when he declares that you should read books you actually enjoy, not just books you think you’re supposed to be reading.
Like, EXACTLY, SIR. That’s what we’re all saying! That’s how we’re all able to read 100 books a year! Because we’re reading books we actually enjoy, not wasting time slogging through books that we feel we should be enjoying but aren’t.
Anyway, I’m tired of needing to keep having this conversation. I’m tired of having to justify my reading to others. I’m tired of men being skeptical of women who read, and that even if they do read, they must not be reading anything of substance. I’m tired of women not being viewed as “real” readers or not being taken seriously as readers. I’m tired of men being so threatened by the idea of women reading voraciously that they have to disprove it somehow to make themselves feel better. I’m tired of women not being able to exist at all as readers without everything they do being called into question.
Final Thoughts:
I appreciate the aim of this book: to identify your specific reading preferences and use these to guide you through what books you pick up rather than pigeonholing yourself into a single genre. It opens up your reading more by focusing less on genre and more on what types of things you find yourself gravitating toward when you read. (i.e.: fast-paced vs. slow-paced; analytical vs. imaginative). If this system works for you, that’s great. For me personally, I found it very limiting because by design, finding your reading color is still just putting you in a box.
I also can’t stress this enough: I really didn’t appreciate the tone of this book. The author repeatedly talks down to the online book community: implying that people who read a high number of books are lying, claiming that if you read for escapism or enjoyment, then you’re basically rotting your brain, and that posting pictures of books to your Instagram doesn’t make you as serious of a reader. And quite frankly, I’m tired of women not being able to do anything, even enjoying their hobbies, without it being considered silly or less serious by men.
Yet for as much as he belittles the online book community, it’s this very community that has already been coming up with this strategy for finding new books to read long before this author’s Reading Color theory, and it’s this very community that curates book recommendation posts doing this very thing (“If you liked that, try this”) It just came across as deeply patronizing for him to come forward with this book, insulting the very community that he’s trying to market this book to, then declaring that he knows better and he’ll teach all of us how to be better readers. Because apparently, we’re not doing it right.
July 10, 2026
thank you to netgalley and penguin random house for the advanced copy of read your color!
i had previously taken the test and i came into this knowing im a yellow reader. so maaaaybe 1. already knowing my color, and 2. this book’s general lack of “yellow-ness” is why i didnt mesh with this as much as i had hoped! i did really enjoy the section for yellows, but part of me wondered why i was reading the rest. i get it the overall point, to understand others better, but it felt hard to stay engaged once the information i needed had already passed.
i also didn’t love the tone of this book. it felt like there were a couple of “gotcha” moments where this book tried calling out people who read more than 100 books per year (and yes, i probably took offense to that because i read more than 100 books per year) but its because i choose books over watching netflix. and while i agree that its beneficial to read for growth and to get out of your comfort zone, i dont think that reading has to be this deep intellectual activity. for new readers especially, that can feel isolating and it’s ok to pick up a book simply because you want to be entertained.
i did appreciate learning the background and more about myself as a yellow. i personally find that though im a yellow and i do love when the characters feel real, i also love plotlines and fantastical experiences (ie dungeon crawler carl, a court of thrones and roses, once upon a broken heart, etc.) i think like any personality test, (and im glad the book addressed this!) the colors are not so black and white (ba dum tsh).
i had previously taken the test and i came into this knowing im a yellow reader. so maaaaybe 1. already knowing my color, and 2. this book’s general lack of “yellow-ness” is why i didnt mesh with this as much as i had hoped! i did really enjoy the section for yellows, but part of me wondered why i was reading the rest. i get it the overall point, to understand others better, but it felt hard to stay engaged once the information i needed had already passed.
i also didn’t love the tone of this book. it felt like there were a couple of “gotcha” moments where this book tried calling out people who read more than 100 books per year (and yes, i probably took offense to that because i read more than 100 books per year) but its because i choose books over watching netflix. and while i agree that its beneficial to read for growth and to get out of your comfort zone, i dont think that reading has to be this deep intellectual activity. for new readers especially, that can feel isolating and it’s ok to pick up a book simply because you want to be entertained.
i did appreciate learning the background and more about myself as a yellow. i personally find that though im a yellow and i do love when the characters feel real, i also love plotlines and fantastical experiences (ie dungeon crawler carl, a court of thrones and roses, once upon a broken heart, etc.) i think like any personality test, (and im glad the book addressed this!) the colors are not so black and white (ba dum tsh).
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Book Review: Read Your Color by Steven J. Reese
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Read Your Color by Steven J. Reese is a thoughtful guide for anyone who wants to make reading feel more meaningful and enjoyable again. The book centers on a six-color system that helps readers identify what they naturally look for in books—whether that’s excitement, emotional depth, practical knowledge, clarity, or something else. Instead of choosing your next read only by genre, popularity, or recommendation algorithms, Reese encourages you to think about the reason you read in the first place.
The framework is based on a quiz that has reportedly been taken by more than two million people, and the book expands on those results with suggestions for creating a more personalized reading life. It also aims to help readers move beyond their usual habits, explore a wider range of books without ignoring their preferences, and develop a manageable routine. A 120-day plan gives the advice some structure, especially for people who feel distracted, burned out, or disconnected from reading.
I appreciated the book’s positive message and practical focus. It doesn’t treat reading like a competition or suggest that readers need to force themselves through books they dislike. Instead, it presents reading as something that can be rediscovered by understanding what genuinely draws you to a story or subject. That said, I didn’t find every idea especially groundbreaking, and some of the advice felt fairly familiar. The color system was interesting, but it didn’t completely change the way I think about reading.
Also, the cover is genuinely charming and immediately caught my attention. Overall, this was an enjoyable and useful read, though it didn’t quite make a huge impression on me. It may be especially helpful for someone trying to get back into reading or build a more consistent habit, but for experienced readers, some of the concepts may feel a little obvious.
⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Read Your Color by Steven J. Reese is a thoughtful guide for anyone who wants to make reading feel more meaningful and enjoyable again. The book centers on a six-color system that helps readers identify what they naturally look for in books—whether that’s excitement, emotional depth, practical knowledge, clarity, or something else. Instead of choosing your next read only by genre, popularity, or recommendation algorithms, Reese encourages you to think about the reason you read in the first place.
The framework is based on a quiz that has reportedly been taken by more than two million people, and the book expands on those results with suggestions for creating a more personalized reading life. It also aims to help readers move beyond their usual habits, explore a wider range of books without ignoring their preferences, and develop a manageable routine. A 120-day plan gives the advice some structure, especially for people who feel distracted, burned out, or disconnected from reading.
I appreciated the book’s positive message and practical focus. It doesn’t treat reading like a competition or suggest that readers need to force themselves through books they dislike. Instead, it presents reading as something that can be rediscovered by understanding what genuinely draws you to a story or subject. That said, I didn’t find every idea especially groundbreaking, and some of the advice felt fairly familiar. The color system was interesting, but it didn’t completely change the way I think about reading.
Also, the cover is genuinely charming and immediately caught my attention. Overall, this was an enjoyable and useful read, though it didn’t quite make a huge impression on me. It may be especially helpful for someone trying to get back into reading or build a more consistent habit, but for experienced readers, some of the concepts may feel a little obvious.
⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️
Review of advance copy received from Author
Read Your Color has genuinely helped me reprioritize and rebuild a habit of reading in my day to day life. I roll my eyes at a lot of tests and surveys that try to put people in a box, but that’s not the point of this book. My tastes change over time, and this book has helped me narrow my search when I’m looking for something fresh. It also puts words to why I love reading, and why I love the books I love.
I received an advance copy of this book.
I received an advance copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I think this is a great approach to finding your reading passion — what do you want a book to do instead of what kind of genre do you like? Genres are so limiting.
I had all of my students take this reading assessment and I learned so much about them as readers. And this book helped explore that further.
Does the book need to be this in-depth with a 120 day plan? Probs not. I can’t imagine the audience who would do that. But it will be a great resources for me in helping match readers with books.
I had all of my students take this reading assessment and I learned so much about them as readers. And this book helped explore that further.
Does the book need to be this in-depth with a 120 day plan? Probs not. I can’t imagine the audience who would do that. But it will be a great resources for me in helping match readers with books.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
OBSESSSSSSSED. Help me find what I ACTUALLY like reading. The bible of falling in love with reading. The ultimate book about books. Don’t skip.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I first took this assessment on the website and found it very helpful. I'm a bit of a sucker for personality tests so having something similar for books was irresistible!
The Read Your Color system is very easy to understand and just as simple to follow. This book offers a great starting point for someone who might be skeptical about the need for reading in their lives, as well as help for those who know they need to read more but don't know where to start. My favorite part2 of the book is the color specific reading challenge, 8 books split up over 120 days. I can't wait to read more books off the lists, both from my home color and from my neighbors and stretches. Definitely recommending this one!
The Read Your Color system is very easy to understand and just as simple to follow. This book offers a great starting point for someone who might be skeptical about the need for reading in their lives, as well as help for those who know they need to read more but don't know where to start. My favorite part2 of the book is the color specific reading challenge, 8 books split up over 120 days. I can't wait to read more books off the lists, both from my home color and from my neighbors and stretches. Definitely recommending this one!
October 1, 2026
I first heard about the Read Your Color quiz from BooksAndLala’s YouTube channel and learned I’m a purple reader.
READ YOUR COLOR disregards your typical genres and instead sorts readers based on what they want to get out of their reading experience. Think of it like a personality test for reading style with wide-ranging book recommendations. I’d read a lot of this information before since I subscribe to Steven Reese’s Substack, but it’s still an interesting read. I really liked that it suggested I try Booker Prize books instead of Goodreads award-winning books.
This isn’t really a one-and-done type of read. READ YOUR COLOR is a book to keep on hand, refer back to, and even share with other readers in your life.
Thank you to #NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced reader copy of #ReadYourColor. Publication date Nov. 3, 2026.
READ YOUR COLOR disregards your typical genres and instead sorts readers based on what they want to get out of their reading experience. Think of it like a personality test for reading style with wide-ranging book recommendations. I’d read a lot of this information before since I subscribe to Steven Reese’s Substack, but it’s still an interesting read. I really liked that it suggested I try Booker Prize books instead of Goodreads award-winning books.
This isn’t really a one-and-done type of read. READ YOUR COLOR is a book to keep on hand, refer back to, and even share with other readers in your life.
Thank you to #NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced reader copy of #ReadYourColor. Publication date Nov. 3, 2026.
October 13, 2026
I learned so much from this book! He had my color spot on!
July 30, 2026
Fascinating read
Review of advance copy received from Author
Such a well written book! Informative in a very inspiring way. It is a book I would recommend to everyone I know, whether they already read a lot or want to get into reading.
September 23, 2026
Thank you, NetGalley, for the Advanced Readers Copy. I enjoyed this book tremendously and think it is well-suited for librarians providing book recommendations for their patrons. I can’t wait to bring this theory into practice. I am also looking forward to reading from the author’s recommendation for my own reading pleasure. For once, I don’t feel like I have to apologize for enjoying pulse-pounding good reads that hook me from the start.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars! ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Firstly I’d like to thank Penguin Random House, Align Insight and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy! In the following review, my thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
When I saw this book available on NetGalley, I immediately knew I had to request it. I took the Read Your Color quiz a few years ago and have always loved receiving their monthly recommendations by email!
Reese starts off very strongly by prefacing his theory with an essay on how modern media has shortened our attentions spans and reduced literacy over the years. To my surprise, what could have sounded like yesterday’s’ news was delivered quite excitedly. I felt driven and radicalized by his words, as any passionate reader would. Those first chapters feel like a love letter to reading — as expected in a book about books —, which definitely appeals to more experienced readers. However, his primary mission with his sorting test is to draw new audiences into the marvelous hobby that is reading.
I truly enjoyed understanding the logics behind the quiz I took all those years ago. Reece puts all readers into boxes by asking two questions:
— Whether you read to understand (head readers) or to feel (heart readers);
— How you want your content delivered to you: through imaginative scenarios and prose styles (wings reader) or with both feet planted firmly on the ground they stand on (roots reader).
His goal is basically to find whatever lights your soul on fire while reading, and what sort of characteristics keep you mesmerized in a book. It’s a very innovative way of classifying books, disregarding genre and pushing through boundaries to get you to experience a vast amount of stories delivered through different formats.
Nevertheless, I do believe you should take the author’s own recommendation to read it all with a grain of salt. Not everything is black and white, and I have to admit that I couldn’t find a category that really fully suited and matched my own interests. I’d say I’m a heart and wings reader, needing wonder and connection to truly be engaged by a book. But yellow readers (known for needing to bond to characters to become enthralled by a book) are driven away by imaginative and fantastical scenarios (well loved by orange readers) — which I deeply enjoy. In turn, orange readers don’t need emotional human connection to feel attached to a wondrous book. Alas, I found the theory itself interesting enough to admire Read Your Color and recommend it to anyone looking to get into reading.
What I disliked: I believe the author didn’t intend for someone to read every single page of this book. I think they probably intended for people to skip whatever colors/ categories they didn’t see as their own, since many paragraphs are copy-pasted throughout the book. Furthermore, some parts felt really repetitive, even if you were only to read the theory behind the test, the explanations and detailing on each of the categories and the chapters on your specific color.
I did enjoy the book recommendations on each category, but I do wish there were more of them, as sometimes they felt restricted to classics or widely known best-sellers. However, to my understanding, the author’s primary intent was to target his recommendations to inexperienced readers, so the present recommendations in those chapters might be more than enough for its intended demographics. That said, in part four the author proposes a plan to get you into reading books from your own color and then branching out. I found the book suggestions in this section of the book to be very interesting and oftentimes previously unknown to me, so those were a great surprise. Nonetheless, some of the recommendations were repetitive. A book indicated in the “comfortable” category for an orange reader was also indicated in the “stretch” category for a green reader or in the “neighboring” category for a red reader, for instance, and I think it would’ve been nice to see different books suggested so we could “borrow” even more recommendations from our opposing and neighboring colors.
Firstly I’d like to thank Penguin Random House, Align Insight and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy! In the following review, my thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
When I saw this book available on NetGalley, I immediately knew I had to request it. I took the Read Your Color quiz a few years ago and have always loved receiving their monthly recommendations by email!
Reese starts off very strongly by prefacing his theory with an essay on how modern media has shortened our attentions spans and reduced literacy over the years. To my surprise, what could have sounded like yesterday’s’ news was delivered quite excitedly. I felt driven and radicalized by his words, as any passionate reader would. Those first chapters feel like a love letter to reading — as expected in a book about books —, which definitely appeals to more experienced readers. However, his primary mission with his sorting test is to draw new audiences into the marvelous hobby that is reading.
I truly enjoyed understanding the logics behind the quiz I took all those years ago. Reece puts all readers into boxes by asking two questions:
— Whether you read to understand (head readers) or to feel (heart readers);
— How you want your content delivered to you: through imaginative scenarios and prose styles (wings reader) or with both feet planted firmly on the ground they stand on (roots reader).
His goal is basically to find whatever lights your soul on fire while reading, and what sort of characteristics keep you mesmerized in a book. It’s a very innovative way of classifying books, disregarding genre and pushing through boundaries to get you to experience a vast amount of stories delivered through different formats.
Nevertheless, I do believe you should take the author’s own recommendation to read it all with a grain of salt. Not everything is black and white, and I have to admit that I couldn’t find a category that really fully suited and matched my own interests. I’d say I’m a heart and wings reader, needing wonder and connection to truly be engaged by a book. But yellow readers (known for needing to bond to characters to become enthralled by a book) are driven away by imaginative and fantastical scenarios (well loved by orange readers) — which I deeply enjoy. In turn, orange readers don’t need emotional human connection to feel attached to a wondrous book. Alas, I found the theory itself interesting enough to admire Read Your Color and recommend it to anyone looking to get into reading.
What I disliked: I believe the author didn’t intend for someone to read every single page of this book. I think they probably intended for people to skip whatever colors/ categories they didn’t see as their own, since many paragraphs are copy-pasted throughout the book. Furthermore, some parts felt really repetitive, even if you were only to read the theory behind the test, the explanations and detailing on each of the categories and the chapters on your specific color.
I did enjoy the book recommendations on each category, but I do wish there were more of them, as sometimes they felt restricted to classics or widely known best-sellers. However, to my understanding, the author’s primary intent was to target his recommendations to inexperienced readers, so the present recommendations in those chapters might be more than enough for its intended demographics. That said, in part four the author proposes a plan to get you into reading books from your own color and then branching out. I found the book suggestions in this section of the book to be very interesting and oftentimes previously unknown to me, so those were a great surprise. Nonetheless, some of the recommendations were repetitive. A book indicated in the “comfortable” category for an orange reader was also indicated in the “stretch” category for a green reader or in the “neighboring” category for a red reader, for instance, and I think it would’ve been nice to see different books suggested so we could “borrow” even more recommendations from our opposing and neighboring colors.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
**Thank you NetGalley and Align Insight for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.**
I learned a lot from this book, not just about my own taste in books but also what different kind of books and themes are out there that other people enjoy, for different reasons.
I think the writing was very accessible and easy to follow, the author does not beat around the bush but expands enough where it is needed. I did read the other chapters about reader types that are not my own and that felt quite repetitive at a certain point so keep that in mind or just skim/skip those passages/chapters (even tough they are still quite interesting).
I am very excited to try out the reading plan and see if everything works out how the author intended.
I will say tough, this book is maybe more for people who really don't know much about their own reading tastes and need some help getting on their feet. For this purpose, I think this system is perfect but for someone who has read a decent chunk of books, it might not be as groundbreaking.
For me, I know that I am a red reader. I like thrill, action and high stakes but I also read many books that don't necessarily have all that. So I'd just say to take from this book what you want/need and follow your own opinions as well (just to clarify, the author never says to only stay in one color!).
I learned a lot from this book, not just about my own taste in books but also what different kind of books and themes are out there that other people enjoy, for different reasons.
I think the writing was very accessible and easy to follow, the author does not beat around the bush but expands enough where it is needed. I did read the other chapters about reader types that are not my own and that felt quite repetitive at a certain point so keep that in mind or just skim/skip those passages/chapters (even tough they are still quite interesting).
I am very excited to try out the reading plan and see if everything works out how the author intended.
I will say tough, this book is maybe more for people who really don't know much about their own reading tastes and need some help getting on their feet. For this purpose, I think this system is perfect but for someone who has read a decent chunk of books, it might not be as groundbreaking.
For me, I know that I am a red reader. I like thrill, action and high stakes but I also read many books that don't necessarily have all that. So I'd just say to take from this book what you want/need and follow your own opinions as well (just to clarify, the author never says to only stay in one color!).
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Steven Reese has written this book to expand and correct his popular reading “personality test.” This book offers a typing schema and a 120-day system to grow reading muscles. In fact, he states that this book is replacing the online quiz, since he had realized it is best for readers to self-type by catching a vision of what sounds “like them.”
As I’ve sat with this book, I have most appreciated Reese’s posture toward reading, regarding obligation and desire. He says, “Every ‘should’ adds weight to an activity that’s supposed to be rewarding. This is why discipline-based approaches to reading often fail.” I am a fan of his ethos of reading as curiosity and exploration. I like his balance between reading books that are “your style” and reading other books to stretch your reading muscles.
He paints a wonderful picture of healthy readers who are able to practice patience, prudence, and temperance so that they can read difficult books, yet they don’t turn their noses up at “lighter fare.” “Most importantly, they understand that avoiding entire categories of books is like avoiding entire food groups—you might survive, but you’re malnourished.” Based on his quotations of them, he hopes to join a conversation on reading with Ann Bogel and Karen Swallow Prior.
I think reading is great, and I love to encourage others to read books. Reading is not just for didactic purposes (that makes it easy to judge non-readers), but for learning, joy, and all sorts of discovery.
Reese doesn’t overvalue “difficult” books merely for the bragging rights. He uses the metaphor of a fire, that we need to start with kindling and work our way up to logs. Too many readers feel guilted into jumping right to difficult books that don’t resonate with them, and that smothers the fire. In sum, “You don’t become a good reader by forcing yourself through difficult books you hate. You become a good reader by reading books you love that gradually expand your capacity for more complex pleasures.”
As we’ll see later, his method instead begins with books that are in your wheelhouse to build confidence, then moves further afield to start making more connections. He suggests that even picking the wrong book is data that points us to other books that we may resonate with more.
Reese’s main insight is that readers are not drawn only to specific genres but more to types of books that speak to core desires. For instance, you may love one thriller but be turned off by the next because it speaks to different desires. Because of that, his 6-color system points us to books we may better resonate with across genre categories.
To explain the six colors, Reese first divides between heart and head, asking, “Do you want it to make you feel something, or do you want it to make you think something?”
Next, he splits each side into three colors by asking, “How do you want the book delivered to you?” He uses the metaphor of “roots and wings” to describe “books grounded in recognizable reality or books that transport you somewhere imaginative and unfamiliar.” If “if depends,” you may be in the middle one of the three, which is more flexible to either the rooted or winged sides.
The six colors are:
Connection (Yellow) Realistic emotions and relationships (rooted heart).
Intensity (Red) Staying up all night experiences (flexible heart).
Wonder (Orange) Creative worlds/settings (winged heart).
Clarity (Green) Clear explanation (rooted head).
Meaning (Blue) Deep wrestling (flexible head).
Surprise (Purple) Open to experimentation (winged head).
Reese calls your primary interest in reading your “home color.” He offers many examples of each color’s interests—for example, Blue Readers “don’t say a book ‘taught them something’ or ‘kept them entertained.’ They say it ‘understood them.’ They say they ‘can’t stop thinking about it.’” This would be me!
Once you have identified your home color, you can find your “stretch color” on the opposite side of the chart. While the corners have obvious stretch colors on the opposite corners, the middle colors (Red and Blue) identify their stretch color by going opposite of the subtype direction they tend to lean in.
He reiterates that stretching is healthy. For instance, he says, “If Green develops judgment (choosing well within systems), Yellow develops emotional intelligence (attunement to others), Red develops stamina (endurance and engagement), Blue develops conscience (moral interiority), and Orange develops wonder (imaginative openness), Purple develops freedom of mind (the simple capacity to think otherwise).”
The final part of the book is the 120-day reading plan with about three options for each color on each stage of the journey. It proceeds like this: first pick a home book, then another home book, then one from your neighbor, another neighbor, a classic book, an award-winning book, a book from your stretch color, and lastly you choose for yourself.
While I was easily able to type myself, I enjoyed pulling book recommendations from each of the categories! I often noticed duplicate suggestions between one color’s home books and the opposite color’s stretch books. He sure has a fascination with Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations and Camus’ The Stranger, as he suggested those books multiple times. I was a little confused on the formatting of this section, as sometimes he listed out the book options and then listed synopses of those books, which felt especially repetitive in the first and second legs of the journey.
I really appreciated that he offered a focus for each unit. For instance, in one segment, he made suggestions for how to interpret which bestsellers and award-winners may resonate most with your reading color. He taught how to read between the lines in book descriptions, how to browse a bookstore, which awards may be of most interest to each color, how to browse your library, and how to search for books online.
**received early access via NetGalley from the publisher**
As I’ve sat with this book, I have most appreciated Reese’s posture toward reading, regarding obligation and desire. He says, “Every ‘should’ adds weight to an activity that’s supposed to be rewarding. This is why discipline-based approaches to reading often fail.” I am a fan of his ethos of reading as curiosity and exploration. I like his balance between reading books that are “your style” and reading other books to stretch your reading muscles.
He paints a wonderful picture of healthy readers who are able to practice patience, prudence, and temperance so that they can read difficult books, yet they don’t turn their noses up at “lighter fare.” “Most importantly, they understand that avoiding entire categories of books is like avoiding entire food groups—you might survive, but you’re malnourished.” Based on his quotations of them, he hopes to join a conversation on reading with Ann Bogel and Karen Swallow Prior.
I think reading is great, and I love to encourage others to read books. Reading is not just for didactic purposes (that makes it easy to judge non-readers), but for learning, joy, and all sorts of discovery.
Reese doesn’t overvalue “difficult” books merely for the bragging rights. He uses the metaphor of a fire, that we need to start with kindling and work our way up to logs. Too many readers feel guilted into jumping right to difficult books that don’t resonate with them, and that smothers the fire. In sum, “You don’t become a good reader by forcing yourself through difficult books you hate. You become a good reader by reading books you love that gradually expand your capacity for more complex pleasures.”
As we’ll see later, his method instead begins with books that are in your wheelhouse to build confidence, then moves further afield to start making more connections. He suggests that even picking the wrong book is data that points us to other books that we may resonate with more.
Reese’s main insight is that readers are not drawn only to specific genres but more to types of books that speak to core desires. For instance, you may love one thriller but be turned off by the next because it speaks to different desires. Because of that, his 6-color system points us to books we may better resonate with across genre categories.
To explain the six colors, Reese first divides between heart and head, asking, “Do you want it to make you feel something, or do you want it to make you think something?”
Next, he splits each side into three colors by asking, “How do you want the book delivered to you?” He uses the metaphor of “roots and wings” to describe “books grounded in recognizable reality or books that transport you somewhere imaginative and unfamiliar.” If “if depends,” you may be in the middle one of the three, which is more flexible to either the rooted or winged sides.
The six colors are:
Connection (Yellow) Realistic emotions and relationships (rooted heart).
Intensity (Red) Staying up all night experiences (flexible heart).
Wonder (Orange) Creative worlds/settings (winged heart).
Clarity (Green) Clear explanation (rooted head).
Meaning (Blue) Deep wrestling (flexible head).
Surprise (Purple) Open to experimentation (winged head).
Reese calls your primary interest in reading your “home color.” He offers many examples of each color’s interests—for example, Blue Readers “don’t say a book ‘taught them something’ or ‘kept them entertained.’ They say it ‘understood them.’ They say they ‘can’t stop thinking about it.’” This would be me!
Once you have identified your home color, you can find your “stretch color” on the opposite side of the chart. While the corners have obvious stretch colors on the opposite corners, the middle colors (Red and Blue) identify their stretch color by going opposite of the subtype direction they tend to lean in.
He reiterates that stretching is healthy. For instance, he says, “If Green develops judgment (choosing well within systems), Yellow develops emotional intelligence (attunement to others), Red develops stamina (endurance and engagement), Blue develops conscience (moral interiority), and Orange develops wonder (imaginative openness), Purple develops freedom of mind (the simple capacity to think otherwise).”
The final part of the book is the 120-day reading plan with about three options for each color on each stage of the journey. It proceeds like this: first pick a home book, then another home book, then one from your neighbor, another neighbor, a classic book, an award-winning book, a book from your stretch color, and lastly you choose for yourself.
While I was easily able to type myself, I enjoyed pulling book recommendations from each of the categories! I often noticed duplicate suggestions between one color’s home books and the opposite color’s stretch books. He sure has a fascination with Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations and Camus’ The Stranger, as he suggested those books multiple times. I was a little confused on the formatting of this section, as sometimes he listed out the book options and then listed synopses of those books, which felt especially repetitive in the first and second legs of the journey.
I really appreciated that he offered a focus for each unit. For instance, in one segment, he made suggestions for how to interpret which bestsellers and award-winners may resonate most with your reading color. He taught how to read between the lines in book descriptions, how to browse a bookstore, which awards may be of most interest to each color, how to browse your library, and how to search for books online.
**received early access via NetGalley from the publisher**
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Yesterday I was browsing in a bookstore that highlights translated fiction. The shelves were full of Purple (Surprise) and Orange (Wonder), with some Red (Intensity) tossed in. I was looking for Blue (Meaning) or Yellow (Connection). The bookseller told me their books generally stack up as "Form first, then plot, setting, and lastly character". Yep, very Purple.
Meanwhile, a woman walked in looking a bit dazed. I overheard the conversation, which went something like this:
"I'd like to buy a book!"
"Great, what kind of book?"
"I don't know, but I think I want to start reading."
"What do you usually read?"
"Well, I don't."
"Oh, well what kind of book do you want to start with?"
"I think I'm looking for something good..."
This is the kind of reader that Steven writes for. Although, honestly, the booksellers need his book too--because, it went on:
"Gotcha. How about this one" -- he explains it's a time traveling vampire dystopia story.
She's not really sure about that. She had head about the 48 Laws or something, maybe something like that?
Then he holds up a sci-fi romance in translation.
She's feeling a little at sea now, so he suggests a multi-generational saga by a BIPOC, which she at least began reading the description of....
I'm not sure what she ended up leaving with, but I'm certain that if Steven Reese had been there to handsel, she'd have left with what he calls a "kindling" book -- one that sets your heart alight and kicks off a burning enthusiasm for reading.
I've followed Steven Reese's "Read Your Color" framework for a while, with each color representing not a book genre or author style but the "hunger"of the particular reader. It is a unique approach to classifying books and I find it to be very useful, not only for picking my own books but also identifying what fellow bookworms may also enjoy. I've subscribed to the author's Substack and really enjoy his recommendations (his Blue books (hunger for meaning) have been spot on for me) as well as how he breaks down the motivations and interests that we bring to reading. Requesting this book on Netgalley was a no brainer.
There is an incredible amount of work in this book, and the sheer number of titles included is staggering! It's true that reading cover-to-cover gets a bit repetitive, but that allows each chapter to be complete for the reader who is focusing on the portions most pertinent to them. As I got deeper in, I began to recognize that the real value here is for the new-to-books reader, someone a bit dazzled by the options and unsure how to begin, like the woman in the bookstore yesterday.
After describing the matrix of the six colors, the book goes on to offer a 180 day Reading Unit (Personal Curriculum lovers, anyone?) that draws the reader from "getting comfortable" to exploring different applications, eventually leading the reader through numerous aisles of the bookstore. These chapters are GOLD. The variety of books alongside his effective descriptions are powerful compass for disoriented readers, or catnip for the experienced reader. I loved reading descriptions of books I read, and feeling that "aha" of why it worked so well for me; reading descriptions of books I disliked, and getting that same clarity on what didn't jibe; and discovering books I'd never hear of that are right in line with my desires.
Essentially, this book has a tremendous amount on offer to readers at any stage. I think Confirmed Bookworms have an array of "Books about Books" to choose from, and this is a very good one. But it's rare for this kind of book to be tailored so well for the Emerging Reader, and I hope that upon publication this book will inspire all kinds of burgeoning bibliophiles.
I had so much fun with this book and will continue to reference it -- thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Randomhouse Christian Publishing for the ARC!
Meanwhile, a woman walked in looking a bit dazed. I overheard the conversation, which went something like this:
"I'd like to buy a book!"
"Great, what kind of book?"
"I don't know, but I think I want to start reading."
"What do you usually read?"
"Well, I don't."
"Oh, well what kind of book do you want to start with?"
"I think I'm looking for something good..."
This is the kind of reader that Steven writes for. Although, honestly, the booksellers need his book too--because, it went on:
"Gotcha. How about this one" -- he explains it's a time traveling vampire dystopia story.
She's not really sure about that. She had head about the 48 Laws or something, maybe something like that?
Then he holds up a sci-fi romance in translation.
She's feeling a little at sea now, so he suggests a multi-generational saga by a BIPOC, which she at least began reading the description of....
I'm not sure what she ended up leaving with, but I'm certain that if Steven Reese had been there to handsel, she'd have left with what he calls a "kindling" book -- one that sets your heart alight and kicks off a burning enthusiasm for reading.
I've followed Steven Reese's "Read Your Color" framework for a while, with each color representing not a book genre or author style but the "hunger"of the particular reader. It is a unique approach to classifying books and I find it to be very useful, not only for picking my own books but also identifying what fellow bookworms may also enjoy. I've subscribed to the author's Substack and really enjoy his recommendations (his Blue books (hunger for meaning) have been spot on for me) as well as how he breaks down the motivations and interests that we bring to reading. Requesting this book on Netgalley was a no brainer.
There is an incredible amount of work in this book, and the sheer number of titles included is staggering! It's true that reading cover-to-cover gets a bit repetitive, but that allows each chapter to be complete for the reader who is focusing on the portions most pertinent to them. As I got deeper in, I began to recognize that the real value here is for the new-to-books reader, someone a bit dazzled by the options and unsure how to begin, like the woman in the bookstore yesterday.
After describing the matrix of the six colors, the book goes on to offer a 180 day Reading Unit (Personal Curriculum lovers, anyone?) that draws the reader from "getting comfortable" to exploring different applications, eventually leading the reader through numerous aisles of the bookstore. These chapters are GOLD. The variety of books alongside his effective descriptions are powerful compass for disoriented readers, or catnip for the experienced reader. I loved reading descriptions of books I read, and feeling that "aha" of why it worked so well for me; reading descriptions of books I disliked, and getting that same clarity on what didn't jibe; and discovering books I'd never hear of that are right in line with my desires.
Essentially, this book has a tremendous amount on offer to readers at any stage. I think Confirmed Bookworms have an array of "Books about Books" to choose from, and this is a very good one. But it's rare for this kind of book to be tailored so well for the Emerging Reader, and I hope that upon publication this book will inspire all kinds of burgeoning bibliophiles.
I had so much fun with this book and will continue to reference it -- thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Randomhouse Christian Publishing for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Like many others, I am familiar with Steven J. Reese and his Read You Color test, so I was excited have the opportunity to read this book as an ARC.
Reese claims that he is someone who hates personality tests, but this still seems like a personality test? On the other hand, I love a personality test, so that works for me! According to his test, I am a Purple reader. My husband is also a Purple reader. We took the test some time ago, and have even suggested that some of our colleagues take it too. (Result: Also Purple readers...haha.)
I do think there's something to these groupings. I learned from this book that the opposite or "stretch" color for a Purple (head/wings) reader is Yellow (heart/roots), which includes books like Pride and Prejudice and The Fault in Our Stars. This is true. I don't usually gravitate to these kind of books. It was nice to see an explanation of this on paper.
That being said, I'm not sure I am the intended audience for this book. Throughout it, there is a recurring theme where Reese tells the reader that it's ok to think that you're not a reader, admitting that he was the type of student that used to lie about finishing assigned readings throughout high school and college. A kind of, "if we work through this together, even you can finish a whole book." So yeah, I'm not the ideal audience, because I read books...a lot.
I do think the test is useful for people who want to read more and are having trouble finding their preferences. For instance, I would consider having my AP Literature students take the quiz so that they can identify some things about their interests and reading habits.
I can appreciate that Reese has taken what was once a free, easily accessible online quiz and is now attempting to monetize it more with paid reading plans, books, and a monthly subscription. As I said before, there are people that this will be really helpful for. I believe that has real value. For people who already read a lot, I think there's less value.
I will still encourage my students to check out the test and possibly refer to the book, but for me, it was a 3/5.
Thank you to NetGalley, Steven J. Reese, Penguin Random House Christian Publishing, and Align Insight for the ARC! This review is completely my own opinion.
Reese claims that he is someone who hates personality tests, but this still seems like a personality test? On the other hand, I love a personality test, so that works for me! According to his test, I am a Purple reader. My husband is also a Purple reader. We took the test some time ago, and have even suggested that some of our colleagues take it too. (Result: Also Purple readers...haha.)
I do think there's something to these groupings. I learned from this book that the opposite or "stretch" color for a Purple (head/wings) reader is Yellow (heart/roots), which includes books like Pride and Prejudice and The Fault in Our Stars. This is true. I don't usually gravitate to these kind of books. It was nice to see an explanation of this on paper.
That being said, I'm not sure I am the intended audience for this book. Throughout it, there is a recurring theme where Reese tells the reader that it's ok to think that you're not a reader, admitting that he was the type of student that used to lie about finishing assigned readings throughout high school and college. A kind of, "if we work through this together, even you can finish a whole book." So yeah, I'm not the ideal audience, because I read books...a lot.
I do think the test is useful for people who want to read more and are having trouble finding their preferences. For instance, I would consider having my AP Literature students take the quiz so that they can identify some things about their interests and reading habits.
I can appreciate that Reese has taken what was once a free, easily accessible online quiz and is now attempting to monetize it more with paid reading plans, books, and a monthly subscription. As I said before, there are people that this will be really helpful for. I believe that has real value. For people who already read a lot, I think there's less value.
I will still encourage my students to check out the test and possibly refer to the book, but for me, it was a 3/5.
Thank you to NetGalley, Steven J. Reese, Penguin Random House Christian Publishing, and Align Insight for the ARC! This review is completely my own opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4/5⭐️
I have enjoyed following Steven J. Reese’s book content and reviews on Instagram for a while, so I was happy to be able to review his new book.
This book surprised me. Even though I knew exactly what it was about conceptually, I did not expect it to be so emotionally freeing regarding my guilt as a serial DNFer. Life is too short to read books you do not enjoy, but there is always a part of me that feels guilty for dismissing someone’s hard work. This book really made me realise things about myself that I had never consciously considered, which I believe will help me efficiently filter out books that do not match my interests, and for that I am grateful.
I am a diverse reader who needs variety or I get bored, so I was not surprised to see where I landed in this colour compass and axis logic. I am mostly red, but with solid secondary representation in blue and purple. If a book is too fluffy and fantastical, it is a nope. If it is too factual and logical, it is also a nope. It turns out I need a middle ground, but with some wings.
It is very clear that the author has a genuine passion for reading and the written word; his enthusiasm and encouragement leap off the page. I really appreciate that even though the goal of the book is for people to define their tastes and preferences better, he still asks readers to challenge themselves. He encourages us to stretch beyond what is comfortable and lean into the wonder of what we might find just beyond our comfort zone.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and think it will be a great tool for people who want to get back into reading, or those who feel a bit lost in the vastness of the literary world and could use a helping hand to steer them in the right direction to either ignite or reignite their passion for reading.
Thank you to the team at Penguin Random House Christian Publishing and WaterBrook Multnomah as well as NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book for review. My thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
I have enjoyed following Steven J. Reese’s book content and reviews on Instagram for a while, so I was happy to be able to review his new book.
This book surprised me. Even though I knew exactly what it was about conceptually, I did not expect it to be so emotionally freeing regarding my guilt as a serial DNFer. Life is too short to read books you do not enjoy, but there is always a part of me that feels guilty for dismissing someone’s hard work. This book really made me realise things about myself that I had never consciously considered, which I believe will help me efficiently filter out books that do not match my interests, and for that I am grateful.
I am a diverse reader who needs variety or I get bored, so I was not surprised to see where I landed in this colour compass and axis logic. I am mostly red, but with solid secondary representation in blue and purple. If a book is too fluffy and fantastical, it is a nope. If it is too factual and logical, it is also a nope. It turns out I need a middle ground, but with some wings.
It is very clear that the author has a genuine passion for reading and the written word; his enthusiasm and encouragement leap off the page. I really appreciate that even though the goal of the book is for people to define their tastes and preferences better, he still asks readers to challenge themselves. He encourages us to stretch beyond what is comfortable and lean into the wonder of what we might find just beyond our comfort zone.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and think it will be a great tool for people who want to get back into reading, or those who feel a bit lost in the vastness of the literary world and could use a helping hand to steer them in the right direction to either ignite or reignite their passion for reading.
Thank you to the team at Penguin Random House Christian Publishing and WaterBrook Multnomah as well as NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book for review. My thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you @prhaudio @prhchristian for the books! #PRHAudioPartner
This practical guide helps readers understand why they read by identifying six core reading types based on what they seek from books. Using that framework, it offers tools for choosing books more intentionally, expanding your reading range, breaking free from algorithm-driven habits, and building a sustainable rhythm that makes reading feel meaningful, enjoyable, and rewarding.
This is truly fascinating. The author begins by claiming he’s not a fan of Myers-Briggs, enneagram, DISC etc BUT I AM. And I’m trilled we now have something similar of reading types.
I enjoyed learning about all the types and feel like the accuracy is almost 100% there. I only questioned:
- his denial that these are not genre based when the results/suggestions perfectly line up with genres
- the ability of this book to help new readers when this book is solidly written only the green experience category. I don’t know if it would have been possible to explain each reader type in the experience they’re looking for, but I think it could be a cool concept.
- that there is not a category in between yellow and green nor between orange and purple. I think two more categories could be created.
The 6 different reading experiences:
Yellow — Connection
Red — Intensity
Orange — Wonder
Green — Clarity
Blue — Meaning
Purple — Surprise
I’m a… yellow!! More specifically The Analytical Yellow (yellow leaning towards green). Though I actually think I am both colors, which leads me to question whether there could be a full category in-between these neighboring colors.
Guys go take the quiz! Read the book! And come back to comment your reader type. Though I think this concept could use some slight tweaks, I’m far more invested in the fact that a system like this exists at all! Let’s please all start using this color guide to talk about books, ok? okay :)
Similar:
I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Vogel
The Reading Life by C.S. Lewis
This practical guide helps readers understand why they read by identifying six core reading types based on what they seek from books. Using that framework, it offers tools for choosing books more intentionally, expanding your reading range, breaking free from algorithm-driven habits, and building a sustainable rhythm that makes reading feel meaningful, enjoyable, and rewarding.
This is truly fascinating. The author begins by claiming he’s not a fan of Myers-Briggs, enneagram, DISC etc BUT I AM. And I’m trilled we now have something similar of reading types.
I enjoyed learning about all the types and feel like the accuracy is almost 100% there. I only questioned:
- his denial that these are not genre based when the results/suggestions perfectly line up with genres
- the ability of this book to help new readers when this book is solidly written only the green experience category. I don’t know if it would have been possible to explain each reader type in the experience they’re looking for, but I think it could be a cool concept.
- that there is not a category in between yellow and green nor between orange and purple. I think two more categories could be created.
The 6 different reading experiences:
Yellow — Connection
Red — Intensity
Orange — Wonder
Green — Clarity
Blue — Meaning
Purple — Surprise
I’m a… yellow!! More specifically The Analytical Yellow (yellow leaning towards green). Though I actually think I am both colors, which leads me to question whether there could be a full category in-between these neighboring colors.
Guys go take the quiz! Read the book! And come back to comment your reader type. Though I think this concept could use some slight tweaks, I’m far more invested in the fact that a system like this exists at all! Let’s please all start using this color guide to talk about books, ok? okay :)
Similar:
I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Vogel
The Reading Life by C.S. Lewis
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Written by a self-proclaimed former non-reader, this book is a manual for finding your love of reading. The author provides the blueprint for discovering books that are actually enjoyable to read, rather than books that feel like “drying cement”to get through. Throughout the units, the author shows us how to build desire, stamina, and the capacity to truly enjoy what we read. The fire is stoked slowly but steadily through the discovery of books that are meant to stimulate our desire to read.
The book starts with an introduction to the colors, or reading personalities, and an explanation of each. The following units map out a “practice”- essentially a reading plan- based on the reader’s aforementioned color. The purpose of the practice map is to slowly build reading momentum, allowing the reader to choose from 3 suggestions in each unit. The first few days lay the foundation, while subsequent units build upon it by suggesting more challenging books within each color.
I initially thought I was yellow, quite possibly leaning toward green. As the book progressed I realized I am more of a red reader and I cannot wait to read the books the author suggested. I was so excited to receive this ARC that I finished it in less than 24 hours! I will be gifting this to all my bookish friends!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Christian Publishing for the ARC!
The book starts with an introduction to the colors, or reading personalities, and an explanation of each. The following units map out a “practice”- essentially a reading plan- based on the reader’s aforementioned color. The purpose of the practice map is to slowly build reading momentum, allowing the reader to choose from 3 suggestions in each unit. The first few days lay the foundation, while subsequent units build upon it by suggesting more challenging books within each color.
I initially thought I was yellow, quite possibly leaning toward green. As the book progressed I realized I am more of a red reader and I cannot wait to read the books the author suggested. I was so excited to receive this ARC that I finished it in less than 24 hours! I will be gifting this to all my bookish friends!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Christian Publishing for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Read Your Color has an incredibly insightful premise, and I thoroughly enjoyed the first part of the book. Reese does an excellent job explaining his reading-color diagnostic tool and why he developed it, making a compelling case for how it could help people reconnect with reading.
Unfortunately, the second and third sections were weighed down by excessive repetition. Taking the online quiz helped me find a starting point, but I wish the book had recommended doing that from the beginning and then focusing on the chapters related to your color. Much of the content repeated not just ideas but entire paragraphs, which became frustrating.
Part four was the strongest section after the introduction. Reese provides practical questions to ask when choosing books and useful clues to look for in reviews. While some of the reading recommendations felt inconsistent or repetitive across color categories, the overall book lists were valuable.
In the end, I didn’t follow Reese’s plan exactly. Instead, I used his framework to build my own reading roadmap by pulling books from multiple categories. Despite its flaws, Read Your Color gave me a helpful springboard to reinvigorate my reading life, and for that I’m grateful.
Thank you to Align/Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.
Unfortunately, the second and third sections were weighed down by excessive repetition. Taking the online quiz helped me find a starting point, but I wish the book had recommended doing that from the beginning and then focusing on the chapters related to your color. Much of the content repeated not just ideas but entire paragraphs, which became frustrating.
Part four was the strongest section after the introduction. Reese provides practical questions to ask when choosing books and useful clues to look for in reviews. While some of the reading recommendations felt inconsistent or repetitive across color categories, the overall book lists were valuable.
In the end, I didn’t follow Reese’s plan exactly. Instead, I used his framework to build my own reading roadmap by pulling books from multiple categories. Despite its flaws, Read Your Color gave me a helpful springboard to reinvigorate my reading life, and for that I’m grateful.
Thank you to Align/Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley.
I had not come across Reese's work before (shocking, I know) and found it to be a fun theory to dig into reading more deeply. As a pretty avid reader I've gotten quite good at figuring out whether or not I'll like a book pretty quickly but don't necessarily have the words to explain what I'm looking for. In that respect I found this book quite enlightening. Even if I didn't agree with everything described, I did resonate most with the red reading type.
I think this book would be a great gift or recommendation for someone who wants to get into reading or get back into reading and doesn't know where to start. The course at the back of the book could be really helpful to solidify your taste and have a plan to become a more avid reader.
I like the idea of stretch reading and had begun implementing more of it this year without naming it like that. It was again nice to have words to explain/describe the reading I was doing. I'm typically the first to tell someone to dump a book that isn't for them but was having trouble explaining (in my head) why I was powering through books that I don't necessarily 'like' but that I want to have read and understood.
I had not come across Reese's work before (shocking, I know) and found it to be a fun theory to dig into reading more deeply. As a pretty avid reader I've gotten quite good at figuring out whether or not I'll like a book pretty quickly but don't necessarily have the words to explain what I'm looking for. In that respect I found this book quite enlightening. Even if I didn't agree with everything described, I did resonate most with the red reading type.
I think this book would be a great gift or recommendation for someone who wants to get into reading or get back into reading and doesn't know where to start. The course at the back of the book could be really helpful to solidify your taste and have a plan to become a more avid reader.
I like the idea of stretch reading and had begun implementing more of it this year without naming it like that. It was again nice to have words to explain/describe the reading I was doing. I'm typically the first to tell someone to dump a book that isn't for them but was having trouble explaining (in my head) why I was powering through books that I don't necessarily 'like' but that I want to have read and understood.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Do you have a long list of books you think you should be reading or wanted to read but never finished? You aren't alone, Steven Reese, author of Read Your Color, had similar experiences until he was introduced to the right book. The right book isn't about genres or best-seller lists, it is about you and how you like to read. It is personal, Reese breaks down reading preferences into six colors based on the answers to two questions: what part of you does a book stimulate? (head or heart) and how do we want the stimulation delivered (wings or roots)? In his book, Read Your Color, Reese describes what he means by these two questions and the six main colors for readers. He then delves into subtypes and stretch types using a compass metaphor for the six colors. Lastly, he walks you through a 120-day journey to igniting your reading habits, with the final task being to choose a book for yourself.
This book would be great for those looking to get into reading or who have tried to in the past. Reese's writing, although somewhat redundant if you read every page for every color, is accessible and understandable. His book recommendations are varied and appealing.
This book would be great for those looking to get into reading or who have tried to in the past. Reese's writing, although somewhat redundant if you read every page for every color, is accessible and understandable. His book recommendations are varied and appealing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ve heard of Read Your Color for a while now and I’ve taken the quiz online. I don’t know if the quiz actually reflects my reading color, but after reading this book I understand it more. The colors are broken down into styles of book the reader might enjoy. Some of the colors do seem to reflect genres, but this book goes into more depth of how the styles can transcend genre. I love anything that helps me understand myself better and a book that potentially helps my reading life is a win. I think it was organized in an approachable way. The second half of it is a long form experiment to try homing in on your reading tastes. I did read through that part, but I want to reread it and go through some of the recommendations for my color. I find this fascinating and I highly recommend this book if you’re interested in this concept.
Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin House Christian Publishing. for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Such a fun exploration of which experience we're seeking when we're picking up a book.
Refreshing insights about reading without limitation of genres and hypes. I loved the blurbs of the book recommendations but I couldn't help but notice that there were many repetitive explanations especially when it comes to book recommendations. I highly recommend this book to people who want to get back in touch with reading and new readers. This book will guide you toward consistent reading habit instead of reaching the phone to doomscroll.
Big thanks to both Align and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this early copy. Expected Publication : November 3rd, 2026.
Refreshing insights about reading without limitation of genres and hypes. I loved the blurbs of the book recommendations but I couldn't help but notice that there were many repetitive explanations especially when it comes to book recommendations. I highly recommend this book to people who want to get back in touch with reading and new readers. This book will guide you toward consistent reading habit instead of reaching the phone to doomscroll.
Big thanks to both Align and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this early copy. Expected Publication : November 3rd, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I found this book super helpful in explaining why certain books don’t resonate with me. I wonder, though, if the categories are a little more nuanced than the author expresses. For instance, I identified most as a Yellow reader, but I enjoy some intensity (Red) too, just not at the level of the Red examples he listed. Overall, though, I appreciated the insights this book offered and still refer to it in conversations a few months after reading it.
June 12, 2026
This book is very interesting. I truly loved the fact that you’re reading based on colors. I never saw that until I started reading this book. The book also shows so many things like stories or how to read a book based on colors.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book has re-energized my delight in reading as Steven Reese has provided helpful ideas and practical tips for giving life to the various books I choose. Plus, his writing style is relatable and engaging along the way. I received an advanced copy from penguin randomhouse.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hi. I wrote this book. Would recommend.
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