What Book You Should Read Next Based On Your Favorite Taylor Swift TTPD Song

Taylor Swift's latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, is a lyrical masterpiece that explores multiple shades of love and heartbreak. In typical tortured poet fashion, all 31 songs have a perfect literary match. From classics to modern romances to thrillers to fantasy and historical fiction, there's a TTPD book for everyone.

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“Fortnight” (feat. Post Malone)

In The Seven Year Slip, by Ashley Poston, Clementine is an overworked book publicist who is afraid to fall in love – until she meets the man of her dreams in her aunt’s apartment. There’s just one catch: He lives seven years in the past. The relationship between falling in love and time is an important theme in both the song and the book, making it the perfect match. Get your copy here.

“The Tortured Poets Department”

This song references Patti Smith, Dylan Thomas, and the Chelsea Hotel, so we had no choice but to pick Just Kids by Patti Smith for this track. Smith’s memoir tells the story of her relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe in the summer of 1969 when they lived at the Chelsea Hotel among some of the greatest artists of the day. It’s a quintessential story of the late 1960s, so it’s great for artsy girls who dig the tortured poet vibe. Get your copy here.

“My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”

In The Cruel Prince, by Holly Black, 17-year-old Jude wants nothing more than to avenge the murder of her parents at the hands of the immortal faeries. She hates them all, particularly Prince Cardan, the son of the high king. The only problem is she can’t look away from him. This song describes falling for a guy that you know deep down will hurt you, and this book explores that through the complex politics of a fantasy world. Get your copy here.

“Down Bad”

We couldn't help but pick YA romance If He Had Been with Me, by Laura Nowlin, for this angsty track. Autumn and Finn were best friends in elementary school, but they grew apart in adolescence. As they continue to grow apart and Finn becomes more popular, Autumn can’t help but face her true feelings for him and wonder what would have happened if they’d never grown apart. Get your copy here.

“So Long, London”

There are so many books set in London that would fit this song, but we had to go with The Last Bookshop in London, by Madeline Martin, a heartbreaking historical fiction novel set during the London Blitz. Grace works at one of the few London bookshops that survive the Nazi bombings, which becomes her solace as the war rages on. She not only discovers the power of literature but learns how it can save her community during its darkest days. Get your copy here.

“But Daddy I Love Him”

This is easily the most unhinged song on the album (which says a lot), so it only makes sense to pair it with one of the most unhinged books of all time: Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte. Plus, we can totally see Catherine Earnshaw screaming, “BUT DADDY I LOVE HIM!” at the top of her lungs, like Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Set in the late 18th century in the Yorkshire moors, this classic novel follows the turbulent and tragic love story of Catherine and Heathcliff. Full of passion and melodrama, there’s a reason why it’s considered to be one of the greatest novels ever written. Get your copy here.

“Fresh Out The Slammer”

A murder mystery for “Fresh Out The Slammer”? Groundbreaking! This YA thriller has The Breakfast Club meets Gossip Girl vibes and tells the story of five high school students who walk into detention, but only four make it out alive. The twist? The murdered student runs a campus gossip blog, and all four suspects have a motive. Get your copy of One of Us Is Lying, by Karen M. McManus, here.

“Florida!!!” (feat. Florence and the Machine)

When Beatriz Perez and her family are forced to flee their home in Cuba after the revolution, they try to build a new life in Palm Beach, Florida. As her family moves on, Beatriz is haunted by the revolution and becomes obsessed with avenging her brother’s murder. When she is recruited by the CIA to help take down Fidel Castro, the man who destroyed her world, she accepts. When We Left Cuba, by Chanel Cleeton, explores a character who longs for her hometown (and country) while living in Florida, paralleling Taylor’s own “Florida!!!” Get your copy here.

“Guilty As Sin”

We couldn’t help but go with the forbidden yet heartbreaking romance 28 Summers, by Elin Hilderbrand, for this emotional track. Mallory and Jake fall in love in the summer of 1993, but outside circumstances prevent them from being together. They devise a plan to be together for one weekend every summer, but everything changes when Mallory finds out that she’s dying and Jake’s wife runs for president. Get your copy here.

“Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me?”

So many books fit this song’s narrative of a woman overcoming adversity and coming out stronger than ever, but nothing fits it quite like the psychological thriller The Last Mrs. Parrish, by Liv Constantine. Daphne Parrish has a picture-perfect life with a handsome husband, beautiful children, and a gorgeous house, and Amber Patterson is green with envy. Fed up with her circumstances, Amber infiltrates Daphne’s glamorous world and becomes her best friend, but her motives are far from altruistic. Told from both points of view, the truth comes out in this delicious thriller. Who’s the woman in the song? You’ll have to read to find out. Get your copy here.

“I Can Fix Him (No I Really Can)”

Every girl goes through an “I can fix him” phase, but how many of us go through it while the weight of the world is on our shoulders? In Shadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo, 16-year-old Alina Starkov lives in a world divided by a menacing shadow fold, and she’s the only person who can destroy it. As she joins a court of noble witches (known as Grisha), she’s surrounded by the most powerful men in her land, including the handsome and mysterious Darkling. Get your copy here.

“loml”

This song may be devastating, but it's fitting for the unconventional rom-com Happily Never After, by Lynn Painter. On the day of Sophie’s wedding, she learns that her fiancé has cheated on her, but she’s saved by a mysterious objector at the ceremony. When she meets Max, the objector, she learns that it’s his job to save couples from hurting each other, and she wants in, but could he be the great love of her life after her most recent loss? Get your copy here.

“I Can Do It With A Broken Heart”

In The Sicilian Inheritance, by Jo Piazza, Sara is down on her luck. When her marriage and business fail, she thinks things can’t get any worse, but then her great-aunt Rosie dies. When Rosie gifts her a trip to Sicily, Sara finds herself in the middle of a century-old family mystery about her great-grandmother, Serafina, who was murdered. Told from both Sara's and Serafina’s perspectives, these women prove that you can do it all with a broken heart. Get your copy here.

“The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”

This might be the most heartwrenching song on the album, so it was hard to pick just one book, but we did it: Adelaide, by Genevieve Wheeler. Adelaide Williams is living her dream life as a 26-year-old American in London, and she is convinced that she has found her dream man in Rory, the quintessential English gentleman. When a wrench is thrown into Rory’s life, Adelaide must choose whether or not the relationship is worth it and lose herself in the process, or walk away from the man she thought would make all her dreams come true. Get your copy here.

“The Alchemy”

We know what you’re thinking, and the answer is yes, we’re pairing this song rumored to be about Travis Kelce with a rom-com book. In Emily Henry's People We Meet on Vacation, Poppy and Alex used to be best friends and go on vacation together every year until one trip ruined it all. When Poppy insists that they take one final trip together, their true feelings threaten to change their friendship for better or for worse. Get your copy here.

“Clara Bow”

This song compares and contrasts Taylor's life with that of Old Hollywood actress Clara Bow. And the novel Delayed Rays of A Star, by Amanda Lee Koe, tells the story of trailblazing Old Hollywood actresses Marlene Dietrich and Anna May Wong, and how their paths collide with Nazi propaganda film director Leni Riefenstahl. While the three women couldn't be more different, each paints a different picture of being a woman in the early film industry. Get your copy here.

“The Black Dog”

Set in London during the interwar years, American Thelma Morgan begins a passionate affair with Edward, the Prince of Wales and future King Edward VIII. When she has to depart for America to help her sister in the middle of a scandal, she’s comfortable leaving Edward with her good friend and fellow American in London, Wallis Simpson. The Woman Before Wallis, by Bryn Turnbill, masterfully captures the themes of the song, telling the true story of a woman in a romance doomed to fail. Get your copy here.

“Imgonnagetyouback”

Like the narrator of the song, Magnolia Parks can't decide whether she's still in love with her ex or despises him. As they date other people simply to hurt the other, they're eventually forced to confront their feelings for each other. The song and book are equally chaotic, making this the ideal read for those who love unhinged yet heartwarming romances. Get your copy of Magnolia Parks, by Jessa Hastings, here.

“The Albatross”

“The Albatross” gives woodsy, mythological, and witchy vibes, making The Witch and the Tsar, by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore, a retelling of the Russian folktale Baba Yaga, a good fit. Yaga is a reclusive witch who prefers a solitary life in the Russian wilderness until she finds out her old friend Anastasia, the wife of Tsar Ivan IV, desperately needs her help. While Yaga fails to save Anastasia, supernatural forces tie her fate to the tsar as he slowly turns into who history remembers as Ivan the Terrible. Get your copy here.

“Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus?”

This song tells the story of a tumultuous relationship, and we had no choice but to pair it with one of the most chaotic love stories in both literature and film: Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell. Scarlett O’Hara’s world is turned upside down when the American Civil War begins, forcing her to grow up and leave frivolous dreams behind. One thing that remains constant is her infatuation with the married Ashley Wilkes and the charming Rhett Butler’s infatuation with her. The line, “If you want to break my cold, cold heart, just say ‘I loved you the way that you were,’” screams Scarlett O’Hara, and we love it. Get your copy here.

“How Did It End?”

There’s something beautifully tragic in a story where we all know the ending but still want to read it. In The Romanov Empress, by C.W. Gortner, Minnie moves to Russia as a teenager in an arranged marriage to the future Tsar Alexander III and falls in love with both him and his country. Over the course of several decades, Minnie becomes Tsarina of Russia, loses her beloved husband, and watches her eldest son, Nicholas, ascend the throne. As revolutionary change sweeps through Europe, she does whatever she can to protect her son and country, but it may be too late. Get your copy here.

“So High School”

We couldn’t resist pairing the modern YA classic To All The Boys I Loved Before, by Jenny Han, with this adorable track full of rom-com vibes. Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean is a hopeless romantic, so much so that she keeps letters written to her crushes in a hatbox in her closet. When the letters find their way out into the public, she kisses school jock Peter Kavinsky in an attempt to hide the truth from another crush. When Peter suggests they pretend to date to make his ex jealous, Lara Jean agrees, but what are the odds that her feelings for Peter are real? Get your copy here.

“I Hate It Here”

The line, "My friends used to play a game where we would pick a decade we wished we could live in instead of this, I'd say the 1830s but without all the racists and getting married off for the highest bid" caused a lot of controversy in the media. We don't know about you, but the 1830s will always make us think of Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. While the song doesn't canonically describe Jane and Rochester's relationship, it resembles it enough to make the song and book an excellent pair. Get your copy here.

“thanK you aIMee”

We all know that this song is about Taylor’s feud with Kim Kardashian (it’s literally in the title), but the main theme is about mean girls. In the twisty thriller She Started It, by Sian Gilbert, four high school friends receive a mysterious invitation to a bachelorette party on a reclusive island, only it’s for a girl they used to bully. The party is elaborate, but does the bride want to make amends or get revenge? Get your copy here.

“I Look In People’s Windows”

The song may have a creepy title, but it's really about longing to be with a lost love. In this dual-timeline novel about lost love, Giovanna and Vincenzo fall in love in postwar Italy, but something beyond their control tears them apart. Seven decades later, Giovanna is asked to pose for a portrait with her granddaughter's fiance's grandfather, only to discover something she thought she lost forever back in Italy. Get your copy of Stars in an Italian Sky, by Jill Santopolo, here.

“The Prophecy”

The word "prophecy" brings up images of myths and fairytales, and the song's lyrics tell the story of a woman who wishes she could finally find happiness in love. Both of these elements come together in Once Upon a Broken Heart, by Stephanie Garber, where the heartbroken Evangeline seeks the help of the Prince of Hearts after learning the love of her life is marrying someone else. It doesn't take long for her to realize that she's playing a dangerous game, but what if she was meant to be with someone else all along? Get your copy here.

“Cassandra”

Based on Greek mythology, this song tells the story of a woman who predicts destruction, but nobody believes her. In A Good Girl's Guide To Murder, by Holly Jackson, Pip is convinced that the police got the murder of a local girl wrong. Convinced that the killer is still out there, she reexamines the case for her senior project. Nobody believes her, but she quickly discovers secrets that may put her life at risk. Get your copy here.

“Peter”

If this song proves anything, it's that even our girl Taylor Swift isn't immune from falling for a guy with Peter Pan Syndrome. We all know the classic tale, but few of us have read the original book by J.M. Barrie that inspired the Disney movie. The book paints a darker tale, proving that Peter Pan is the ultimate man-child who refuses to grow up or commit. Get your copy here.

“The Bolter”

Arguably one of the most underrated songs on the album, we couldn't resist finding a book with similar themes. In Just for the Summer, by Abby Jimenez, Emma is a travel nurse who tends to outrun love, and every woman Justin has dated finds their husband after they break up with him. Convinced that dating each other could cancel out their bad luck, Emma and Justin decide to give it a shot. Get your copy here.

“Robin”

The references to a wild child immediately made us think of Kya, the main character of Where The Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens. Kya grows up as the mysterious "Marsh Girl" in her small town on the North Carolina coast in the 1960s. When a local boy turns up dead, Kya is accused after the police find out she once had a relationship with him. Part romance, part historical fiction, and part murder mystery, this book has something for everyone and will leave you at the edge of your seat until the last page. Get your copy here.

“The Manuscript”

The album's closing track is about a woman looking back on a past relationship like it's a manuscript. We couldn't resist pairing this song with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid. As her life comes to an end, the legendary Old Hollywood actress is ready to tell her life's story, and she picks unknown magazine writer Monique Grant for the project. As Evelyn tells her story, she and Monique form an intergenerational bond as beautiful as the story itself. Get your copy here.

Closing Thoughts

Whether you prefer upbeat tracks like “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart” or emotional ballads like “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” there's a matching book for every song on Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Tortured Poets Department. 

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