floresnellie30 August 5, 2024 Louisiana

Books That Will Give You Taylor Swift’s Folklore Vibes

It’s officially August and if you’re a Swiftie like me, then you’ve probably been listening to Taylor Swift’s eighth studio album, Folklore, on repeat in preparation for fall. If you haven’t, I highly recommend you do because it’s the perfect album to transition from summer to fall.

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While I love all of Taylor’s albums, Folklore is my absolute favorite, followed only by Red and 1989. There’s just something about the lyrics on Folklore, the love triangle, and the woodsy aesthetic that speaks to me. I love listening to the album when I’m reading because the songs make excellent background music, especially for particular books, which is why I wanted to write this post.

In today’s post I’m going to share six books that made me feel the same way I listened to specific songs on Folklore for the first time. If you’ve never read these books, I challenge you to pick them up with these specific Folklore songs playing in the background. It will bring the stories to life in a whole new way. Now let’s get to the books . . .

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The One by Kiera Cass

First Track: The One

Lyric that fits the book:

And if my wishes came true, It would’ve been you, In my defense, I have none, For never leaving well enough alone, But it would’ve been fun, If you would’ve been the one

I chose the first book on this list not only because it’s aptly named The One, but also because it involves a love triangle. Set in a dystopian future, it follows a girl named America who enters a nationwide competition to become the next queen of a kingdom and marry the handsome Prince Maxon, future king. While the competition is fierce, America also has to deal with her feelings for her first love (now a palace guard) Aspen as well as her growing feelings for Prince Maxon. Will she learn to let go of her past and embrace the future she wants? You’ll just have to read and find out.

Vixen by Jillian Larkin

Third Track: The Last Great American Dynasty

Lyric that fits the book: Rebekah gave up on the Rhode Island set forever, Flew in all her Bitch Pack friends from the city, Filled the pool with champagne and swam with the big names, And blew through the money on the boys and the ballet, And losing on card game bets with Dali

Whenever I heard The Last Great American Dynasty for the first time this book series came to mind, particularly the first book, Vixen. It follows three young women in the roaring 1920s and how their lives as flappers changed the course of their destinies. Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle but when she gets engaged to one of Chicago’s most eligible bachelors, she realizes that maybe her party days are over before they even begin . . . or are they? Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoe cousin, arrives in town for Gloria’s wedding, but Clara has a secret: she’s not as innocent as she looks. Will she be able to keep her secret? Lastly, there’s Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s best friend, who’s tired of living in Gloria’s shadow and decides that it’s time to step in the spotlight – even if she has to leave her friends in the dust. What makes this book really good is that you get to follow the three girls through two more books.

Legacy by Cayla Kluver

Sixth Track: Mirrorball

Lyric that fits the book: When no one is around, my dear, You’ll find me on my tallest tiptoes, Spinning in my highest heels, love, Shining just for you

Princess Alera of Hytanica has one job: marry the man who will be king, regardless of his character. But her father’s choice of suitor only brings her dread. But her life is turned upside down when the palace guard catches an intruder – a boy – from her kingdom’s greatest enemy. At first Alera is suspicious and a little intrigued, but as she and the boy grow closer, they begin to discover that a dark legacy is shadowing both of their kingdoms and that they might be the only ones who stop it. If you like court conspiracies, royalcore, and star-crossed lovers, this is the book for you and what makes it even better is that it’s part of a 3 book series.

Swept Away by Michelle Dalton

Eighth Track: August

Lyric that fits the book: But I can see us lost in the memory, August slipped away into a moment in time

Set on a beautiful island off the coast of Maine, this book follows Mandy Sullivan as she prepares to spend the summer volunteering at the Rocky Pointe Lighthouse. With her best friend abandoning her for summer camp and her brother taking summer classes on the mainland, Mandy is not expecting much of her summer. That is, until she meets Oliver Farmingham, a very friendly and very cute tourist who’s just visiting. As Mandy and Oliver spend more time together riding bikes through the woods, attending summer festivals, and exploring the coast, their love story grows. But will their love story end when the summer does?

Anastasia’s Secret by Susanne Dunlap

Fourth Track: Exile

Lyric that fits the book: So step right out, there is no amount, Of crying I can do for you, All this time, We always walked a very thin line, You didn’t even hear me out (didn’t even hear me out), You never gave a warning sign (I gave so many signs)

In this historical fiction book, we follow Anastasia Romonov and her family as their world is turned upside and they’re exiled to Serbia. Despite the threat to their lives, Anastasia begins a secret romance with a young palace guard named Sasha. Sasha vows to help Anastasia and her family but will their love be strong enough to survive the revolution? This is a fictional take on what could have been to the Romanovs and the mysterious Princess Anastasia. I think Exile is the perfect song to listen to while you read this book because it’s a duet between Taylor and Bon Iver, which mirrors Anastasia and Sasha’s points of view perfectly.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Eleventh Track: Invisible String

Lyric that fits the book: Time, curious time, Gave me no compasses, gave me no signs, Were there clues I didn’t see? And isn’t it just so pretty to think, All along there was some, Invisible string, Tying you to me?

This last book is probably one of the most romantic books I’ve ever read and for good reason. Set in a fictional world where the gods are warring, we meet Iris Winnow, who wants nothing more than to provide for her family and see her brother return safely from the frontlines. By day she works at a prestige newspaper and butts heads with her rival and fellow reporter, Roman Kitt. Roman comes from a wealthy family and believes that Iris is unqualified and incompetent, which he does not shy away from sharing with her and others. But everything changes when Roman stumbles upon a way to anonymously write letters to Iris. As they get to know one another, both Iris and Roman discover that maybe they are wrong about each other as well as the severity of the war.