The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Kent State chapter.
Here you will find book recommendations for every track on Taylor Swift’s new album Midnights (3 a.m. version). Under each song and book there is a lyric that reminded me of the book and a summary of the book. Hopefully, you find a fun new read based on one of the twenty amazing songs Taylor blessed us with last week!
- Lavender Haze– Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman
- Lyric: “I been under scrutiny, You handle it beautifully”
- Book Summary: A young journalist with big dreams interviews a Hollywood heartthrob and reunites with him ten years later to discover exactly how he feels about her after years of the media making assumptions about them.
2. Maroon– Conversations With Freinds by Sally Rooney
- Lyric: “The mark they saw on my collarbone, The rust that grew between telephones”
- Book Summary: This book follows Frances and Bobbi, two college-aged best friends and ex-girlfriends, as they become intertwined in the marriage of an older couple named Nick and Melissa. Bobbi has a crush on Melissa, but Frances is drawn to Nick. This quickly gives way to a messy affair.
3. Anti Hero– Fleabag the Scriptures
- Lyric: “Hi, It’s me, I’m the problem, It’s me”
- Book Summary: So I am cheating for this one but if you have seen Fleabag you know she is THE Antihero. Fleabag the Scriptures is a collection of all of the TV series’ shooting scripts, complete with never-before-seen stage directions and new writing from creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Fleabag is all about a funny and sometimes unlikable woman, known only as Fleabag, who has no filter as she navigates life and love in London while trying to do her best to heal while rejecting anyone who tries to help her.
4. Snow On The Beach (feat. Lana Del Rey)– Beach Read by Emily Henery
- Lyric: “I’m unglued, thanks to you”
- Book Summary: This is a story of two published authors in neighboring beach homes. January just got to her late father’s beach house and has a lot of questions. Gus writes more serious literary fiction and they decide to switch genres as a bet to see who can write and sell a book first. To do this, they end up spending a lot of time together and going on adventures to help each other out. This is such a fun romance novel that is weird but beautiful.
5. You’re On Your Own, Kid- Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Lyric: “From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes, I gave my blood sweat, and tears for this”
- Book Summary: Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family. We follow our main character Nina Riva, who is estranged from her celebrity father and has raised her three younger siblings on her own. It takes place in 24 hours as we watch this family’s lives change forever.
6. Midnight Rain– Twilight by Stephine Meyer
- Lyric: “He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain”
- Book Summary: The Twilight series revolves around Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. As the story progresses and Bella becomes increasingly attached to Edward he struggles to reciprocate the closeness she desires. Edward lives in fear of hurting Bella both emotionally and physically because he is a vampire, but this ultimately cannot stop him from falling for her.
7. Question…?– Normal People- Sally Rooney
- Lyric: “ One thing after another, lost in situations, circumstances, miscommunications”
- Book Summary: Normal people is this song to a tee. This story is about Marianne and Connell, their secret friendship, and their on and off again relationship. They are two young people drawn to each other who drift apart at times, but always end up coming back to each other throughout their lives.
8. Vigilante Shit- Six of Crows Douolgoy
- Lyric: “ Don’t get sad, get even”
- Book Summary: Six of Crows tells the story of six brilliant but ruthless conmen crew of cutthroats, sneak thieves, and spies. Kaz, our main character, and his associates make their own way in a brutal world, stealing for their own gain, trading in secrets and never looking back.
9. Bejeweled– The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Lyric: “When I walk into the room, I can still make the whole place shimmer”
- Book Summary: This is a historical fiction novel that follows Monique, a journalist struggling to make a name for herself, after receiving an offer to interview the mysterious and reclusive 1960s Hollywood starlet Evelyn Hugo about fame, scandal and love.
10. Labyrinth- Seven Days In June by Tia Williams
- Lyric: “Oh no, I’m falling in love again”
- Book Summary: This book follows the raw and heartbreaking story of two writers that reunite 15 years after an intense, weeklong affair changed both of their lives. We follow two timelines, one from the past and one fifteen Junes later seeing what tore them apart and if they can overlook it.
11. Karma– Circe by Madeline Miller
- Lyric: “Ask me what I learned from all those years, Ask me what I earned from all those tears”
- Book Summary: Circe is a tale that has been told from many perspectives but Madeline Miller tells it from a bright feminist perspective. Circe is a sorcerer who is exiled to an island by her father and is shunned by most. She is most noted in stories like the Oddessy but in this novel, we get to see things from her point of view and how she claims her karma.
12. Sweet Nothing– Book Lovers by Emily Henery
- Lyric: “He says ‘what a mind’, this happens all the time”
- Book Summary: Book Lovers is the story of two type A, New Yorkers who find themselves both in a small town. Both of them being enthralled in their work in the publishing industry do not expect to find a thing like love in this small town. It is a beautiful story of two people with big heads and hearts.
13. Mastermind– Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
- Lyric: “The dominoes cascaded in a line, What if I told you I’m a mastermind?”
- Book Summary: Gone Girl follows the story of a seemingly perfect married couple living their suburban lives. Until one day Amy, the wife goes missing and the number one suspect is her husband, Nick. As things start to unravel and the story progresses we start to see their true colors.
14. The Great War– These Violent Delights Douology by Chloe Gong
- Lyric: “My hand was the one you reached for, All throughout the Great War”
- Book Summary: These Violent Delights is a Romeo and Juliet-type story set in Shanghai in the 1920s. About two teens who are madly in love with each other but their families are in the biggest blood feud everlasting centuries. They have to tackle what matters more in love and in politics.
15. Bigger Than The Whole Sky– Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
- Lyric: “You were bigger than the whole sky”
- Book Summary: This story follows the great Greek fighter Achilles and his relationship with his lover Patroclus. We follow their whole lives and all of the battles they face. This is different than any other retelling of the Iliad because in this novel we get to see things from Patroclus’s perspective. We see how their love is bigger than anything else.
16. Paris– Heartstopper Series by Alice Oseman
- Lyric: “I’m so in love that love that I might stop breathing”
- Book Summary: The Heartstopper series is a graphic novel series where we follow two boys named Nick and Charlie as they fall in love and figure out who they are. These books feel like a big hug but also deal with serious issues that I think everyone should read.
17. High Infidelity– Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Lyric: “Put on your records and regret me”
- Book Summary: This is an encaptivating book about a band in the ’70’s as we follow them through their lives of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. At times this story feels so real it will have you wondering if this was an actual band. But between the music and the feelings, this novel is absolutely stunning.
18. Glitch– People We Meet on Vacation- Emily Henery
- Lyric: “We were supposed to be just friends”
- Book Summary: In this fun summer romance novel we are following two college friends who every summer go on a vacation together until one trip things start to change in their relationship. We get to see these two best friends explore their relationship but like any good romance book, there is miscommunication and fun-loving characters.
19. Would’ve Should’ve Could’ve– The Invisible Life Addie LaRue- V. E. Schwab
- Lyric: “I damn sure never would have danced with the devil”
- Book Summary: The Invisible Life Addie LaRue follows our main character Addie who makes a deal with the devil to live forever but the catch is that no one will remember her. We get to see her live hundreds of years and the loneliness that comes along with it. This story has magic, the devil and a good love triangle that will have you wanting to turn the page.
20. Dear Reader– The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
- Lyric: “Dear reader, get out your map pick somewhere, and just run”
- Book Summary: The Midnight Library follows Nora through her journey between life and death. She finds herself in the midnight library where she can read about and experience all the possibilities of what her life could be.