By Brianna H., Teen Librarian
This may not come as a surprise to many of you, but there are quite a few Swifties working here at the library. Ever since The Tortured Poets Department came out, we’ve been jamming (read: crying) at our desks to Taylor’s latest and (some may argue) greatest release. If you’re looking for a book to read while you play a particular song on repeat, we’ve got the perfect list for you. Check out these books we’ve paired with each song from the album!
1. Fortnight – “I love you, it’s ruining my life” is the perfect line for Reyna as she struggles to be over her first love when he comes barreling back into her life like a hurricane in Where the Rhythm Takes You by Sarah Dass.
2. The Tortured Poets Department – It would be a crime if we didn’t pair this song with a poetry book! If you find yourself sobbing to lines like “Who’s gonna hold you like me?” then you might just love Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk, a novel in verse about two friends who may become something more.
3. My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys – This one is an ode to every toxic relationship, whether it be romantic or platonic. “He runs because he loves me” is the perfect line for the graphic novel Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki. The title says it all!
4. Down Bad – Taylor gave us a bop with this one. And not to be TOO literal, but if there’s anyone who is, “Down bad waking up in blood” is vampire Baz Pitch. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell is perfect for folks who grew up reading Harry Potter fan fic and wishing for a magical school that felt a bit more modern.
5. So Long, London – Swifties know the connections in this one to Taylor’s former “London Boy”. In I See London, I See France by Sarah Mlynowski, a chance encounter with an ex-flame leads to drama for two friends exploring Europe together.
6. But Daddy I Love Him – If there was ever a story that screamed “But daddy, I love him,” it’s that of Romeo and Juliet. Check out a 1920s retelling that involves the star-crossed heirs of rival Shanghai gangs in These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. This one’s part of a series, too!
7. Fresh Out the Slammer – Not to take the title of this song too literally, BUT The Right Side of Reckless by Whitney D. Grandison is all about a good girl and a bad boy who can’t help the sparks that fly between them.
8. Florida!!! – This chaotic banger with Florence and the Machine is all about running away from your problems. Which is a little bit of what Margo does after she disappears and leaves cryptic clues behind in Paper Towns by John Green. Bonus points because the book actually takes place in Florida!
9. Guilty as Sin? – Blurring the lines between what did and didn’t happen is exactly what We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is all about. Cadence has disjointed and missing memories from a previous summer…What really happened?
10. Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me? – “So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street” is picture perfect witchy goodness. Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis is all about a literal witch exploring the limits of her dark ability to summon the dead.
11. I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) – In this ode to rehabilitating bad boys, Taylor tries to convince herself and everyone else that yes, she can fix him. When Jude crosses paths with the notoriously “cruel prince” Cardan, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him. Can she fix him? Find out in The Cruel Prince by Holly Black.
12. Loml – If you’ve heard this heartbreaker of a song, you’ll know loml doesn’t just stand for “love of my life” but also “loss of my life.” When Julie’s boyfriend Sam dies, she thinks it’s the loss of her life…until she finds a way to reach out to him in You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao. Get your tissues ready for this one!
13. I Can Do it With a Broken Heart – This banger is all about how Taylor showed up and gave fans the concert of a lifetime despite her own broken heart. Who can relate to that more than a k-pop idol with a strict no dating rule? Check out K-Pop Confidential!
14. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived – I’m not going to lie, it was tempting to find books about short kings for this one just to be silly, but instead I had to go with The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes. This book follows Ariana as she teams up with a group of other teens to get justice after they’re all hurt by the same toxic guy.
15. The Alchemy – “Who are we to fight the alchemy?” In Making a Play by Abbi Glines, a star football player falls for a Deaf girl despite the forces that fight to divide them.
16. Clara Bow – The final song on this album is a reflection of how Taylor has been compared to stars who’ve come before her and how she’s fought to be her own person. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas follows a teen looking to make a name for herself in the music industry.