Taylor Swift’s fifth album 1989 marked her full genre-shift into pop and broke countless records. It won the coveted ‘Album of the Year’ at the 58th Grammy Awards, and is the most awarded pop album of all time. Nine years after its initial release, Taylor Swift is releasing 1989 (Taylor’s Version) in her fight to reclaim her masters. To celebrate, here’s a book recommendation for each song on the original deluxe version of 1989.
“Welcome to New York” – In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer
Franny is having the absolute worst day when she has an embarrassing meet-cute with a stranger on the subway. Even worse, the entire interaction was caught on camera and is now going viral on social media, and all of New York is shipping Franny and Hayes together. The two couldn’t be more different, but they keep running into each other and realize they actually like spending time together. When Franny’s world is turned upside down again, she has to be brave and go after the life and love she’s always wanted. This opposites attract rom-com is a love letter to New York City, much like the opening track of 1989.
Notable lyrics: “Like any great love, it keeps you guessing/Like any real love, it’s ever-changing/Like any true love, it drives you crazy/But you know you wouldn’t change anything, anything, anything”
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“Blank Space” – Exes and O’s by Amy Lea
Tara Chen has had her heart broken ten times by ten different men who all dumped her because she was too clingy. Tara still has hope that she will find ‘The One’, but classic meet-cutes are dead, and she is not interested in online dating. Tara decides to revisit all of her past relationships in hopes of getting her own second chance romance. She reluctantly gets her new roommate Trevor to help her reconnect with her exes, and as they spend more time together, they both start to see that happily-ever-after could be right in front of them.
Notable lyrics: “Got a long list of ex-lovers/They’ll tell you I’m insane/’Cause you know I love the players/And you love the game”
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“Style” – Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings
She’s a beautiful and affluent London socialite, he’s Britain’s most notorious bad boy who broke her heart. Everyone knows Magnolia Parks and BJ Ballentine are meant to be together. She dates other people to keep him at bay while he sleeps with other girls to get back at her for it. Regardless, they always find their way back to each other. But now their dysfunctional relationship is catching up with them and they’re forced to confront their feelings and the pull they each have in the other’s life.
Notable lyrics: “And I should just tell you to leave ’cause I/Know exactly where it leads, but I/Watch us go ’round and ’round each time” “And when we go crashing down, we come back every time/’Cause we never go out of style, we never go out of style”
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“Out of the Woods” – Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai
Mira Patel has a good life and a great amount of distance between her and her dysfunctional family. In search of romance, she enlists the help of a matchmaker, but Mira can’t seem to find anyone who is quite right, including Naveen, her very first match who she poorly rejected. Naveen is stunned when Mira walks into his law firm to settle her aunt’s affairs. But there are a lot of secrets surrounding Mira, and suddenly the two are in a mad dash through Las Vegas, trying to escape jewel thieves, crime bosses, and untangle the mess her family left behind. Throughout the wild night, Mira realizes she may have already found the partner she’s been searching for.
Notable lyrics: “Are we out of the woods yet?/Are we out of the woods yet?/Are we out of the woods yet?/Are we out of the woods?/Are we in the clear yet?/Are we in the clear yet?/Are we in the clear yet?/In the clear yet, good”
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“All You Had to Do Was Stay” – A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria
With a non-existent love life, Michelle Amato is the black sheep of her marriage-obsessed Puerto Rican-Italian family. And the only guy she saw a happily-ever-after with disappeared on her thirteen years ago. Gabriel Aguilar left the Bronx when he was eighteen to escape his parents’ expectations, but he also left behind his best friend and longtime crush, Michelle. He built a successful life in LA as the co-owner of the hottest celebrity gym, and now an investor wants to open a New York City location. Gabe reluctantly goes back home, but he never expected Michelle to be leading the marketing campaign for the gym. Old feelings resurface, but Michelle is hesitant to let Gabe back in. Will they be able to resolve their past mistakes?
Notable lyrics: “The more I think about it now, the less I know/All I know is that you drove us off the road/Hey, all you had to do was stay/Had me in the palm of your hand/Then why’d you have to go and lock me out when I let you in?”
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“Shake It Off” – The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall
Freya’s world goes up in flames when her fiancé calls off their wedding hours before the ceremony. She’s humiliated and heartbroken, and the last thing she wants to do is attend the seven upcoming weddings that summer. But her friends come up with a list of wild challenges for Freya to complete at each wedding in an effort to distract her from her ex-fiancé and what could have been. Despite the pain and turmoil that led to the list, Freya finds herself having fun and learning to let go of the perfect life plan she created for herself.
Notable lyrics: “Heartbreakers gonna break, break, break, break, break/And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake/Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake/I shake it off, I shake it off”
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“I Wish You Would” – Rewrite Our Story by Kat Singleton
Marigold spent her whole life loving Cade Jennings, her best friend’s older brother. When he finally noticed her, the two were swept up in love. But years later, Mare’s been gone from their small town of Sutten Mountain for years while Cade never left. A sudden tragedy has Mare returning to the place, and the man, she vowed she’d never revisit. It’s clear that there is unfinished business between her and Cade as their feelings and emotions resurface. But will they be able to make it work this time around?
Notable lyrics: “You think I’m gonna hate you now/’Cause you still don’t know what I never said/I wish you would come back/Wish I’d never hung up the phone like I did/I wish you knew that/I’d never forget you as long as I’d live/And I wish you were right here, right now/It’s all good/I wish you would”
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“Bad Blood” – The Book of Azrael by Amber Nicole
A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life and soul to save her sister. She never expected the most evil monster to answer her prayers. Now, she does what Kaden asks of her, no matter what. When the man known as the World Ender reappears, it’s an immediate threat to Kaden, and Dianna is tasked with securing a relic that could take him down. But as she learns that those closest to her have been keeping secrets and betraying her, she will stop at nothing to get her revenge. Dianna is known for being ruthless, cruel, and downright vicious, and she plans on living up to that reputation.
Notable lyrics: “Did you think we’d be fine?/Still got scars on my back from your knife/So don’t think it’s in the past/These kind of wounds they last and they last/Now did you think it all through?/All these things will catch up to you”
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“Wildest Dreams” – Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Fifteen years ago, Eva and Shane spent one crazy week together madly in love. Now, Eva is a single mom and a bestselling erotica writer while Shane is a reclusive, award-winning novelist. When they unexpectedly meet again at a literary event, sparks fly, raising the eyes of everyone around them. No one knows about their time together fifteen years ago, despite the fact that they’ve been writing to and about each other in their books. As they reconnect throughout the week, Eva has questions for Shane before he inevitably disappears—or will they get things right this time?
Notable lyrics: “You’ll see me in hindsight/Tangled up with you all night/Burning it down/Someday when you leave me/I bet these memories/Follow you around”
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“How You Get the Girl” – The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
Gavin and Thea’s marriage has been rocky for the past few months, and after a big revelation leads to a bigger fight, Thea asks for a divorce. Gavin realizes he let his pride get in the way, and desperate to win Thea back, he finds help from the most unlikely source: a secret romance book club. Some of Nashville’s most famous men get together and read romance books, and using their current read, they help Gavin save his marriage.
Notable lyrics: “And then you say/I want you for worse or for better/I would wait for ever and ever/Broke your heart, I’ll put it back together/I would wait for ever and ever/And that’s how it works/That’s how you get the girl”
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“This Love” – Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
Margot no longer does relationships after her last one blew up in her face. She’s content with casual hookups, but now all of her friends have found ‘the one’ and she’s feeling like a fifth wheel. While touring a wedding venue with her friends, Margot runs into Olivia, her childhood friend and her first love. It’s been ten years since they last saw each other but the sparks between them are still flying. Neither of them are where they thought they would be at this point, and they wonder if they’ve been each other’s missing piece.
Notable lyrics: “When you’re young, you just run/But you come back to what you need/This love is good/This love is bad/This love is alive back from the dead/These hands had to let it go free, and/This love came back to me/This love left a permanent mark/This love is glowing in the dark, /These hands had to let it go free, and/This love came back to me, oh, oh, oh”
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“I Know Places” – Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey
When his mother became president of the United States, Alex Claremont-Diaz was seen as American royalty. He’s handsome and charismatic, and people love him. When an altercation between Alex and the Prince of Wales, Henry, leaks to the tabloids, the two men need to do some serious damage control. But what starts off as a simple friendship played up for social media quickly turns into something stronger and more dangerous. Alex and Henry are soon wrapped up in a secret romance that could have major consequences for the two nations.
Notable lyrics: “Something happens when everybody finds out/See the vultures circling, dark clouds/Love’s a fragile little flame, it could burn out/It could burn out/’Cause they got the cages, they got the boxes/And guns/They are the hunters, we are the foxes/And we run”
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“Clean” – Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center
Helena is having a hard time bouncing back after her divorce. At thirty-two, she feels like her life has fallen apart and she sees no way to piece it back together. When her younger brother convinces her to sign up for an intense wilderness survival course, she hopes it will be exactly what she needs. Of course, it’s a complete disaster from the very beginning. Helena also didn’t expect her brother’s best friend to be participating in the course too, or to feel something between the two of them. Throughout the course, she gains the strength to get up, push through, and be brave.
Notable lyrics: “Rain came pouring down/When I was drowning, that’s when I could finally breathe/And by morning/Gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean”
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“Wonderland” – Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Scarlett and Tella live with their powerful and cruel father, who has arranged a marriage for Scarlett. All she’s ever dreamed of is seeing Caraval, the legendary, far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show. When she receives an invitation, Scarlett and Tella head off to attend the show. But Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend, kidnaps Tella. Whoever finds her wins the game. Scarlett knows that everything that happens is part of the elaborate performance, but fantasy and reality quickly blur together, and she is in a race against time to save her sister with no idea on who to trust or what to believe.
Notable lyrics: “Didn’t they tell us ‘Don’t rush into things’?/Didn’t you flash your green eyes at me?/Didn’t you calm my fears with a Cheshire cat smile?/Ooh, didn’t it all seem new and exciting?/I felt your arms twistin’ around me/It’s all fun and games ’til somebody loses their mind/But darling/We found Wonderland, you and I got lost in it/And we pretended it could last forever”
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“You Are in Love” – Like Lovers Do by Tracey Livesay
Dr. Nicole Allen is an accomplished surgeon who has exceeded everyone’s expectations. But when she disciplines an intern who happens to be a powerful donor’s son, a prestigious fellowship she’s worked so hard for is in jeopardy. As a Black woman, she knows whatever she says won’t change anything. Her friend Benjamin Reed Van is the outcast of his successful family ever since he ditched the medical business empire to do his own thing. When his ex-girlfriend reappears, Nicole makes him a deal. She’ll pose as his girlfriend for a week if he gets his family to intervene on her behalf so she won’t lose her fellowship. As the charade ensues, Nicole and Ben realize they’ve underestimated their feelings for one another.
Notable lyrics: “One night he wakes/Strange look on his face/Pauses, then says/You’re my best friend/And you knew what it was/He is in love/You can hear it in the silence, silence, you/You can feel it on the way home, way home, you/You can see it with the lights out, lights out/You are in love, true love”
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“New Romantics” – American Royals by Katharine McGee
When America won the Revolutionary War, George Washington was offered a crown. Hundreds of years later, the House of Washington still reigns. Beatrice is first in line to the throne and will serve as America’s first queen regnant. She’s been raised for this role, but it suddenly feels stifling. Princess Samantha is the spare and doesn’t care much about anything. She’s the wild child of the family, known for getting into trouble, but even she might go too far when she falls for the one boy who is definitely off-limits. Her twin, Prince Jefferson, has to choose between two very different girls who are vying for his heart. Duty, intrigue, and love all twist together in this alternate version of our modern world.
Notable lyrics: “‘Cause baby, I could build a castle/Out of all the bricks they threw at me/And every day is like a battle/But every night with us is like a dream”
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