81 books like Rust-Colored Rain

By Otto Schafer,

Here are 81 books that Rust-Colored Rain fans have personally recommended if you like Rust-Colored Rain. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The 5th Wave

S.M. Sykes Author Of Eyes of Blue

From my list on ignite hope in a dying world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a fan of Young Adult fiction, even into my late thirties. This is why when I decided to write my first novel, I wrote it for that genre. My biggest draw to this type of book is the emotional connection and hope you get from younger characters. Like most of us, we lose hope as we get older, so reading a book about a young character full of hope in a chaotic world gives me a little of that hope back. Young people feel things much stronger than we do when we’re older. It feels good to reconnect to that and remember what it’s like. 

S.M.'s book list on ignite hope in a dying world

S.M. Sykes Why did S.M. love this book?

I love this book because of the strong ties between the characters. Amidst an alien invasion that has decimated and scattered Earth's population, 16-year-old Cassie’s main motivation is to keep her promise to her dead father and find her little brother.

I love the character development in this book. The drive she had to dive into unknown and dangerous circumstances kept the book in my hand. I had trouble putting it down each day to go to work. As you follow Cassie through her adventure, you find that the hope she feels keeps you locked in. 

By Rick Yancey,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The 5th Wave as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times Bestseller, now a major motion picture starring Chloe Grace Moretz

The Passage meets Ender's Game in the first book in an epic series by award-winning author Rick Yancey.

"Remarkable, not-to-be-missed-under-any-circumstances."-Entertainment Weekly

"A modern sci-fi masterpiece . . ."-USAToday.com

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look…


Book cover of Divided We Fall

S.M. Sykes Author Of Eyes of Blue

From my list on ignite hope in a dying world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a fan of Young Adult fiction, even into my late thirties. This is why when I decided to write my first novel, I wrote it for that genre. My biggest draw to this type of book is the emotional connection and hope you get from younger characters. Like most of us, we lose hope as we get older, so reading a book about a young character full of hope in a chaotic world gives me a little of that hope back. Young people feel things much stronger than we do when we’re older. It feels good to reconnect to that and remember what it’s like. 

S.M.'s book list on ignite hope in a dying world

S.M. Sykes Why did S.M. love this book?

The guilt that a teenager can feel can be gut-wrenching, especially when he fires the first shot to start a second civil war. It was amazing to follow the story of 17-year-old Danny Wright through the ups and downs of a new civil war.

I loved the character development and how the author developed the characters' feelings. I felt Danny's guilt and hope that one day he would be able to save his mother and then his loss when he lost her forever. I love this book because it sent me on a rollercoaster ride of emotion while scaling the political landscape of another American civil war. 

By Trent Reedy,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Divided We Fall as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

The provocative, incendiary military thriller -- now in paperback!

Danny Wright never thought he'd be the man to bring down the United States of America. In fact, he enlisted in the Idaho National Guard because he wanted to serve his country the way his father did. When the Guard is called up on the governor's orders to police a protest in Boise, it seems like a routine crowd-control mission ... but then Danny's gun misfires, spooking the other soldiers and the already fractious crowd, and by the time the smoke clears, twelve people are dead. The president wants the soldiers…


Book cover of The Rule of Three

S.M. Sykes Author Of Eyes of Blue

From my list on ignite hope in a dying world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a fan of Young Adult fiction, even into my late thirties. This is why when I decided to write my first novel, I wrote it for that genre. My biggest draw to this type of book is the emotional connection and hope you get from younger characters. Like most of us, we lose hope as we get older, so reading a book about a young character full of hope in a chaotic world gives me a little of that hope back. Young people feel things much stronger than we do when we’re older. It feels good to reconnect to that and remember what it’s like. 

S.M.'s book list on ignite hope in a dying world

S.M. Sykes Why did S.M. love this book?

When I read this book, I was very glad I came to it late. I never had to wait to get the next book in the series. While I am recommending this book in particular because it is the first, the whole trilogy is needed to get the full effect of the story.

Following 16-year-old Adam through this story was fun and exciting. The emotions ranging from scared as hell to hopeful throughout kept me engaged. The main feeling I kept was the hope that he and his family would stay safe in the community stronghold that they had built. I also hoped that even though society had fallen fast, maybe it could eventually be healed. 

By Eric Walters,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Rule of Three as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

One shocking afternoon, computers around the globe shut down in a viral catastrophe. At sixteen-year-old Adam Daley's high school, the problem first seems to be a typical electrical outage, until students discover that cell phones are down, municipal utilities are failing, and a few computer-free cars like Adam's are the only vehicles that function. Driving home, Adam encounters a storm tide of anger and fear as the region becomes paralyzed. Soon-as resources dwindle, crises mount, and chaos descends-he will see his suburban neighbourhood band together for protection. And Adam will understand that having a police captain for a mother and…


Book cover of The Maze Cutter

S.M. Sykes Author Of Eyes of Blue

From my list on ignite hope in a dying world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a fan of Young Adult fiction, even into my late thirties. This is why when I decided to write my first novel, I wrote it for that genre. My biggest draw to this type of book is the emotional connection and hope you get from younger characters. Like most of us, we lose hope as we get older, so reading a book about a young character full of hope in a chaotic world gives me a little of that hope back. Young people feel things much stronger than we do when we’re older. It feels good to reconnect to that and remember what it’s like. 

S.M.'s book list on ignite hope in a dying world

S.M. Sykes Why did S.M. love this book?

I loved the Maze Runner series when it came out. So when I heard that Dashner had started a new series with all new characters, I was excited. When I could finally sit down with it, I was not disappointed. The characters are young and naive because they have been secluded on a small island for the last 73 years.

Their lack of knowledge showed up immediately in the new and horrifying world they had been thrust into. All of this kept me engaged to the point that I tried to read the entire book in one sitting. The main theme that I got from the characters was the hope that they had. The hope was that they would stay alive, if not safe, and that they would be able to help the world with their immunity. 

By James Dashner,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Maze Cutter as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

The First Book in a New Series Set 73 Years After The Maze Runner Seventy-three years after the events of THE DEATH CURE, when Thomas and other immunes were sent to an island to survive the Flare-triggered apocalypse, their descendants have thrived. Sadina, Isaac, and Jackie all learned about the unkind history of the Gladers from The Book of Newt and tall tales from Old Man Frypan, but when a rusty old boat shows up one day with a woman bearing dark news of the mainland—everything changes. The group and their islander friends are forced to embark back to civilization…


Book cover of Green Fields: Incubation

Baileigh Higgins Author Of Last Another Day

From my list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have long been a fan of zombie apocalypse scenarios. The first movie I watched was the classic Dawn of the Dead remake. Shocked and fascinated, I wanted more, devouring anything I could find on the topic. It wasn’t long before I stumbled across my first zombie apocalypse book, and I was hooked. It became an obsession for a while, and I spent my free time reading one zombie book after another. Finally, I reached a point where I wanted to write my own story and version of the apocalypse, and I did. Fast-forward several years, and I’m now a full-time author with numerous completed series, most of them zombie. 

Baileigh's book list on Zombie Apocalypse featuring strong heroines

Baileigh Higgins Why did Baileigh love this book?

This is one of those books that starts off slow and gradually pulls you into its embrace until you’re hooked. As an adrenalin junkie, I was uncertain at first. Could this story keep me entertained until the action kicked off? The answer is yes.

Not only did I grow to like and admire the main protagonist, Brianna, but I soon became engrossed in her adventures. She’s smart. Almost too smart. A nerd with little practical knowledge or expertise of the real world and its dangers, especially when the apocalypse kicks off. Her odds of survival are on par with my own. Not good. And that’s what makes her so relatable. That and her sense of humor.

Imagine my delight when I found out this was only the first book in a very long series. Time to dust off the lazy boy and prepare for an epic binge-read!

By Adrienne Lecter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Green Fields as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

If the zombie apocalypse happens tomorrow—how would you spend your last day?

All Dr. Brianna Lewis wants is a cup of coffee.

Coffee, to make slaving away in her cell culture lab at Green Fields Biotech a little more bearable on a Friday afternoon when everyone is home already.

What she doesn’t count on is a group of terrorists blowing up all the entrances to the building and taking her and a select few others hostage. Bree soon finds herself conflicted. Not only does she know their charismatic leader. She also starts to suspect that there is a lot more…


Book cover of The Turned

Katarina Vance Author Of Dead Heat

From my list on zombie apocalypse romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve loved zombie movies since I was a kid and first saw Return of the Living Dead during a slumber party. Since then I’ve watched as many as I could, along with shows like The Walking Dead and Z Nation. The changes in the publishing industry over the past few years have given me something even better – hundreds of amazing books about romance and survival in the zombie apocalypse to read. The five books on my list are the very best of those that eventually inspired me to write my own books. I hope you like them!

Katarina's book list on zombie apocalypse romance

Katarina Vance Why did Katarina love this book?

This is a slow-burn romance in the zombie apocalypse. It’s a story that’s really about learning to forgive the people you love when they hurt you, and forgiving yourself for your mistakes. There’s sizzling chemistry between Lola and Cole, a plot that blends romance with action to keep you turning the next page, and characters that you want to hug and strangle at the same time.

By Stella Craig,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Turned as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

She’s rebuilding her life. Duty flows through his veins. When the undead rise, can they survive long enough to take a risk on each other?

Phoenix, Arizona. Lola Jenkins chooses loneliness over being burned again. And after she alienated her secret crush years ago by betraying his sister, her self-loathing follows her everywhere… even into a chance encounter with the handsome man. But as his bitter words chase her out of a sandwich shop, her day gets a whole lot worse when she runs straight into a world gone mad.

Cole Beckett values courage and honor. So, although he’s still…


Book cover of Love in an Undead Age

Taylor Ellwood Author Of The Zombie Apocalypse Call Center

From my list on if you want to survive a zombie apocalypse.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love zombie apocalypse fiction and movies and games. There’s something fascinating about survival and post-apocalyptic fiction, where you see the real character and desire of humanity to survive no matter what. I also like the morbid humor that shows up. I started writing the zombie apocalypse call center series as a way to poke fun at my customer support center experiences and mix it in with my own fascination with zombie apocalypses.

Taylor's book list on if you want to survive a zombie apocalypse

Taylor Ellwood Why did Taylor love this book?

Miranda Tucci is looking for love during a zombie apocalypse but finding love is hard when the majority of available partners are either zombies or psychopaths.

On top of that Miranda has a lead on a cure for the virus, but the government is trying to control it. Can she get the cure and save civilization?

I enjoyed the character development, especially around trying to find love and surviving the zombie apocalypse.

By A.M. Geever,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Love in an Undead Age as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Surviving the zombie apocalypse was hard…

...but finding true love might be fatal.

Urban farmer Miranda Tucci is lucky to be alive in what's left of California's Silicon Valley, despite a love life that's dead on arrival. Then an old flame turns up and she wonders…

...does her DOA love life have a pulse?

Or will the ghosts of her past collide with the present?

A ruthless governing council controls the cure for the zombie virus. If Miranda joins a plot to steal it, will the vaccine be used for political advantage, or can she survive long enough to usher…


Book cover of Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse: First Aid Kit Building and Mini Med School for Preppers

Steven J. Kirsh Author Of Parenting in the Zombie Apocalypse: The Psychology of Raising Children in a Time of Horror

From my list on surviving a zombie apocalypse.

Why am I passionate about this?

Like many of my generation, my formal introduction to the zombie genre started with George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead. Stories of the zombie apocalypse, and the arterial sprays, dismemberments, and eviscerations that accompanied it, have fascinated me ever since. But, I'm also a psychology professor. Although I was initially captivated by the carnage of the undead, I quickly found that the mindsets of the survivors were equally fascinating. More than anything, I love seeing how fictional worlds represent real-world psychological concepts.

Steven's book list on surviving a zombie apocalypse

Steven J. Kirsh Why did Steven love this book?

When the dead roam, this book will function as a med-school, first responder, and training physician all rolled into one. That's a good thing, for medical professionals will be at ground zero for the zombie apocalypse. And most won't survive the first few days of the dead, as preserving life will seem more paramount than preserving death. And by the time staff figure out that both are equally important, it will be too late. Nevertheless, those who survive the apocalypse's initial stages will eventually need medical care. Even a minor wound could prove deadly if poorly cleaned. I found the information and practical advice in the book fascinating and potentially helpful under dire circumstances.

By Ryan Chamberlin,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THIS IS YOUR BOOK OF SECRETS The one ensuring your survival! If you've been afraid of what's coming, rest easy, those days are over! By cutting the extra and expanding the essential, we've combined the most important sections from our Survival Medicine series, The Prepper Pages, & created this Mini Med School - just for preppers. An apocalypse is inevitable, because the term "Zombie Apocalypse" is a metaphor for expecting the unexpected. By covering hundreds of conditions known to occur frequently in disasters, this book is going to leave you confident with the way you'll react in medical emergencies. It's…


Book cover of Bloody Sunrise

E.S. Luck Author Of The Wastelander

From my list on post-apocalyptic romances with end world love.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m E.S. Luck, author of The Wastelander, a post-apocalyptic romance that blends the grittiness of post-apocalyptic fiction with steamy romance. I’ve always had a deep interest in the idea of living after the apocalypse. Fundamentally, apocalypse narratives are about human resilience, a concept that’s rich with storytelling opportunities. I’m also an avid romance reader. I love the tension, buildup, and deep exploration of love's many forms. Post-apocalyptic romance ratchets that tension up to eleven and introduces the possibility of love that transcends even the end of the world…and if that’s not compelling and deeply desirable on a basic human level, I don’t know what is.

E.S.'s book list on post-apocalyptic romances with end world love

E.S. Luck Why did E.S. love this book?

We’ve somehow managed to make it to the end of a list of post-apocalyptic fiction without mentioning zombies, but I’m here to remedy that with this book. It has everything you love about zombie apocalypses but with the added element of a sweet, sizzling romance between a capable, kickass heroine and a dreamy former Marine.

This novel kicks off a series with plenty of zombies, spice, and even a mystery or two. Both main characters are compelling, and I enjoyed following their journey over the three books in this series.

By Gwendolyn Harper,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bloody Sunrise as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Caitlin Meadows thought the worst part of her business trip would be the airport hassles and her overly chatty seatmate.However, when her plane is shot down, and she finds herself in the middle of a zombie virus outbreak, she realizes she was never prepared for terrors like these.Lost, alone, and afraid, Caitlin can only focus on one thing-- survival.That is until she crosses paths with Jack Booker, an ex-Marine with a shadowy past and a penchant for pushing Caitlin's buttons.Under the looming threats of the undead walking the earth, corrupt government agencies, and the horrors encoded in humanity, can unlikely…


Book cover of Day by Day Armageddon

S. L. Smith Author Of The River Dead

From my list on zombie apocalypse that take you on an epic journey.

Why am I passionate about this?

S. L. Smith is an author, attorney, and Catholic theologian with deep roots in southern Louisiana. Despite being better known for his work in Catholic theology and history, Smith has also published extensively in the Southern Gothic genre. This crucible of tastes, religion, and location resulted in the Cajun Zombie Chronicles. Beneath the oaks and moss, lie shadows that bite.      

S. L.'s book list on zombie apocalypse that take you on an epic journey

S. L. Smith Why did S. L. love this book?

I listened to this whole series while climbing mind-numbing stacks of backlogged legal work as an Assistant Attorney General. My vision was clogged with the vivid scenes of Bourne's books, legal folders, paper clips, and coffee stains. It actually inspired the fourth book of my zombie series.   

Told in the diary format common to many books of the zombie epic subgenre, this journal depicts one man's struggle for survival. The unnamed narrator is a naval officer who was just returning home to Texas from visiting his parents in Arkansas when the zombie apocalypse hits. John, another survivor, and Annabell, John's miniature greyhound, work together with the narrator to survive, hoping to find some last working vestige of the US government. 

There are some cool elements to this zombie epic that I haven't found anywhere else. They shelter in a functional missile silo at one point. The clunk, clunk…

By J. L. Bourne,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Day by Day Armageddon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Synopsis coming soon.......


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in the zombie apocalypse, zombies, and asteroids?

Zombies 139 books
Asteroids 16 books