Taylor Swift eras as Books By: Lauren Gaines
If you’re like me, your brain has recently been transformed from an intelligent thing full of complex thoughts to a revolving archive of Taylor Swift lyrics. I’ve always liked her music, and in fact some of my best memories include dancing and singing to many of her earlier songs, but within the past year or so I have officially become a Swiftie. If you’re, as I said before, like me, you might always be looking for a new book to read.
Debut: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
If your favorite Taylor Swift Era is Debut, Where the Crawdads Sing is a great book that radiates the same energy. Set in North Carolina, Where the Crawdads Sing shares the same southern charm that Taylor Swift’s very first (and very country) album has. While Where The Crawdads Sing is a murder mystery, it is also a coming of age story with a romantic subplot, perfect for fans of Taylor’s self-titled album.
Fearless: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
If Fearless is more your cup of tea, The Summer I Turned Pretty is a great option. The main character, Belly, gives off the same ‘Girl Next Door’ persona that Taylor embodies throughout the entirety of the Fearless era. The album is full of love songs that are perfect for singing while watching the sunset on the beach, which is exactly what reading The Summer I Turned Pretty feels like.
Speak Now: The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa
If there’s one theme that’s prevalent in the Speak Now era, it’s weddings. Heck, the title song is about crashing a wedding. I think it goes without saying that a Happily Ever After rom-com about wedding crashers is the perfect recommendation for Speak Now. The lighthearted, fairytale romance feeling that is powerful in Speak Now is also reflected in this The Wedding Crasher. If you are looking for a book with a similar vibe, this is a great place to start.
Red: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Red as an album tells the story of the complex emotions of romance, more specifically, losing that romance. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a beautiful novel which shares the same central theme as Red. Not only does the novel tell the stories of Evelyn Hugo’s seven husbands (hence the title), but it also tells the story of Evelyn’s own epic love, which one of the songs in the album, Sad, Beautiful, Tragic works as a wonderful accompinant for.
1989: Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith
The first fantasy novel on the list, Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith is a great match for fans of Taylor Swift’s first official Pop Album, 1989. Revelle is set in Prohibition era New York, which, of course, goes hand in hand with the first song on the 1989 track list, Welcome to New York. The book is full of sequins, magic, and wonder, a prevalent theme in 1989 as seen in multiple songs. (i.e. Wonderland, I Know Places, Wildest Dreams, Out of the Woods)
Reputation: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Alright, maybe I’m biased because Reputation is my favorite album and Six of Crows is one of my favorite books, but if you’ve read Six of Crows, try to tell me that …Ready for it is not the perfect soundtrack. You can’t convince me that it’s not. Six of Crows is another fantasy, this one about a group of angsty and morally grey teens involved in an illegal heist. I could probably attribute songs from this album alone as each of the characters, but I will save you that rant. Nonetheless, if you are a fan of Reputation, check out Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. You won’t regret it.
Lover: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Now let’s be honest here: I could have chosen basically any romance book for Lover, but I chose Red, White & Royal Blue specifically because of Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince and London Boy. Both of those songs are absolutely perfect for this book and the main couple. If Lover is your favorite Taylor Swift era, do yourself a favor and check out Red, White & Royal Blue. And as a bonus, it was recently turned into a movie on Amazon Prime, which is wonderful as well. (Read the book first, of course.)