Our infatuation with pop culture dictates how we dress, where we vacation, what we watch, and even what we read. Over the course of her 17-year-long career, Taylor Swift has been a pinnacle influence in her fans’ lives and the pop culture world in general.
Swifties went from obsessing over red lipstick and glittery outfits to donning oversized cardigans. People flock to Cornelia St. and Rhode Island for glimpses of T-Swift real estate. We know the Grammy winner has a thing for Grey’s Anatomy, Law & Order SVU, and anything having to do with Blake Lively — as do the rest of us now, naturally. Swift’s music is trend-setting, so it only makes sense that her lyrics would influence what we read as well.
Are you someone who blasts “Welcome to New York” every time you touch down in the Big Apple? Do you have yourself a “London Boy”? Do you post wine-themed Instagram Stories during the eighth month of the year, too? Whatever your favorite Taylor Swift era may be, there’s a place for every kind of Swifite on this list. Find your next read based on your favorite T-Swift era below.
If You Love Taylor Swift, Read The Summer I Turned Pretty By Jenny Han
‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ by Jenny Han
Is Jeremiah just another picture to burn, or is Conrad the reason for the teardrops on Belly’s guitar? For many, Swift’s eponymous album was the soundtrack of our adolescence — and helped us navigate our first major heartbreak. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, which is now a hit TV series on Amazon Prime, is a whimsical love story about a high schooler who winds up in a very complicated love triangle between her two best guy friends, who also happen to be brothers. It only seems right that Swift’s debut album marks Belly’s dating debut as well.
If You Love Fearless, Read Cool For The Summer By Dahlia Adler
‘Cool For The Summer’ by Dahlia Adler
If you were to string “Hey Stephen,” “Today Was a Fairytale,” and “Love Story” into one feature-length story, it would be Dahlia Adler’s sizzling YA novel, Cool For The Summer. Lara finally has herself a boyfriend, and not just any boyfriend — Chase freaking Harding, aka the school’s football star and ultimate heartthrob. There’s just one major problem: Lara can’t stop thinking about how special Jasmine made her feel over the summer. If only Lara could plop herself in a “You Belong With Me” music video and find out how Jasmine really feels.
If You Love Speak Now, Read Talking at Night By Claire Daverley
‘Talking at Night’ by Claire Daverley
Sparks flew instantly between Will and Rosie. They’re two goofy teenagers who definitely don’t make a perfect couple on paper, but between their late-night talks and stolen sideway glances, they know they’re the lucky ones. Oh-so determined that one day they’d be telling the story of us, Rosie is ejected from Will’s life when tragedy strikes. Over the years, Rosie and Will’s worlds collide, and they can’t help but wonder, “You are the best thing that’s ever been mine.”
If You Love Red, Read Before I Let Go By Kennedy Ryan
‘Before I Let Go’ by Kennedy Ryan
If anyone knows what it’s like to feel lost and confused amid heartbreak, it’s Yasmen and Josiah. Following a devastating family loss, the pair go their separate ways and embark on their own healing journeys. Everything has changed. Josiah has somehow already moved on, and Yas is finding herself again. At the end of the day, though, it will always be the two of them. But do they have what it takes to begin again?
If You Love 1989, Read The Idea of You By Robinne Lee
‘The Idea of You’ by Robinne Lee
What do 1989 and The Idea of You have in common? Two words, one name: Harry Styles. “Style,” “Out of the Woods,” and “Clean” off Swift’s fifth studio album are largely speculated to be about the singer’s relationship with the “As It Was” singer. Meanwhile, novelist Robinne Lee confirmed that Styles was her initial muse for The Idea of You. In the book, a 39-year-old mom takes her daughter to a boy band concert, where she unexpectedly strikes up a fiery romance with one of the bandmates, who is nearly 20 years her junior.
If You Love Reputation, Read Stone Cold Fox By Rachel Koller Croft
‘Stone Cold Fox’ by Rachel Koller Croft
If Bea had a theme song, it would be “I Did Something Bad.” The daughter of a master con artist, Bea has grown up to be a beautiful and powerful… scam artist. But enough of that. She’s ready to leave her tainted past behind and live a life of luxury. Her final heist? Steal Collin Case’s heart. All she wants is to be Collin’s end game, his first string, his A-Team — but first, she’ll have to win the likes of his very wealthy family and, more specifically, his snake of a best friend, Gale.
If You Love Lover, Read Red, White, & Royal Blue By Casey McQuiston
‘Red, White, & Royal Blue’ by Casey McQuiston
Alex Claremont-Diaz does not love a London boy, or so he thought. Feeling the pressure from their parents and respective countries, Alex and Harry agree to stage a social media campaign to assure the public that they’ve officially squashed their deep-rooted rivalry. However, Alex’s fake Instagram friendship with the Prince of Wales takes on new meaning when they embark on a romantic tryst.
If You Love Folklore, Read Bad Summer People By Emma Rosenblum
‘Bad Summer People’ by Emma Rosenblum
Bad Summer People has all the same qualities as Folklore: summery vibes, rich coastal towns, cardigan attire, illicit affairs, and invisible strings. Set on Fire Island, a group’s summer plans (tennis, cocktails, and gossiping on repeat) are flipped upside down when a dead body gets discovered on the boardwalk.
If You Love Evermore, Read Once There Were Wolves By Charlotte McConaghy
‘Once There Were Wolves’ by Charlotte McConaghy
No Venn diagram is big enough to fit all the similarities between Evermore and Once There Were Wolves. It’s got western vibes (“Cowboy”), an accidental affair (“Ivy”), murder (“No Body, No Crime”), family loss (“Marjorie”), and the rush of falling in love (“Gold Rush”). The spell-binding tale follows twin sisters as they arrive in Scotland to help a team of experts release a pack of wolves into the wild.
If You Love Midnights, Read Cult Classic By Sloane Crosley
‘Cult Classic’ by Sloane Crosley
If Midnights is an era melting pot, then Cult Classic begs the question: What would happen if Swift ran into all her exes in one place? A woman’s worst nightmare becomes her reality when she bumps into her ex-boyfriend walking down the street. Then she sees another ex and another. A newly minted fiancé, this is the last thing Lola needs… and it appears her so-called friends may have something to do with it.
If You Love The Tortured Poets Department, Read Girl Abroad by Elle Kennedy
‘Girl Abroad’ by Elle Kennedy
A British bad boy musician? Check. A popular hot athlete? Check, check. Abbey Bly is embarking on an adventure of a lifetime filled with art and literature, and far away from her overbearing past. Sound familiar? But there aren’t enough tea and crumpets in London to guard her heart from pulling in two very different directions. Is she the girl of their American dreams? Only time (and heartbreak) will tell whether Abbey will be wishing so long, London.