If you’re like me, you’ve been listening to Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) ‘From the Vault’ tracks on repeat since the album came out on Oct. 27, 2023. While listening to the songs, I couldn’t help but relate them to books I’ve read. Specifically, I found myself thinking about Emily Henry’s novels. I personally consider Emily Henry to be the Rom-Com queen of the book world, with the ability to present readers with a beautiful love story, while also finding ways to include moments that make us sob uncontrollably. It happens that Taylor Swift also has this effect with her music. So what better way to organize the 1989 TV Vault tracks than to compare them to Emily Henry’s novels?
If you haven’t read any of Emily Henry’s books, this is a great place to start, and if you’re like me and have read them all (maybe a few times), then this is your sign to re-read! Each of these books is uniquely brilliant and is worth the read, just as each of these songs is fantastic in its own right. I’m going to be basing my matchups on both specific lyrics as well as just general vibes, so bear with me. Without further ado, let’s begin!
“Slut!”: Book Lovers
An aspect of the song “Slut!” is Taylor ignoring the stereotype that the media associate her with. In Book Lovers the protagonist, Nora, struggles with the idea that she falls into a certain category of women, the cold, career-obsessed type who never is successful in love. In both the song and the book, the leading ladies are able to let go of the stereotypical image of themselves because compared to the love they are experiencing matters so much more than that.
Also, the lyric: “And I break down, then he’s pullin’ me in/In a world of boys, he’s a gentleman” is so Charlie and Nora.
“Say don’t go”: Beach Read
I had trouble coming up with the perfect match for Beach Read because the storyline between January and Gus isn’t really reflected in any of the tracks. But I ended up going with “Say Don’t Go” because it felt reminiscent of January’s feelings about her father throughout the novel. While the song is written in a romantic context, I think the theme of coming to terms with someone being gone can be applied to January grieving her father throughout the novel. Not only is January grieving her father, but she also feels betrayed by him when it is revealed after his death that he was cheating on her mother for years. The unanswered questions in the chorus elicit similar emotions to Janaury’s confusion and heartache in many parts of the novel. While the novel may have a cute title and the song may have an uplifting beat, both will undoubtedly make you bawl.
The lyric: “Now your silence has me screamin’, screamin'” reflects how January feels as she is unable to confront her father.
“Now that we don’t talk”: Funny Story
Unfortunately, “Now That We Don’t Talk” fans are going to have to wait a few months for the perfect Emily Henry book for them. Henry’s highly anticipated upcoming novel, Funny Story, follows Daphne and Miles who find themselves living together after their partners leave them to be with each other. “Now That We Don’t Talk” is a breakup song coming from the perspective of someone who’s almost over the breakup. While the lyrics express that they realize ending the relationship was for the better, the existence of the song proves the speaker is still a little bitter. From the small synopsis we have, I can already imagine Daphne and Miles having “Now That We Don’t Talk” on repeat as they hatch a plan to get back at their exes. If the novel has even a little bit of the same vibes as the song, it could be Henry’s best one yet, and I frankly, cannot wait to find out. (Consider this me begging on my knees for an ARC.)
Lyrics like: “I don’t have to pretend like I like acid rock/Or that I’d like to be on a mega yacht” perfectly sum up the process of getting over an ex by making fun of them, which I have a feeling that Daphne and Miles might partake in.
Funny Story will be out on April 23, 2024, and you can preorder here!
“Suburban Legends”: People we meet on vacation
I consider People We Meet On Vacation to be Emily Henry’s most nostalgic novel, which is why I thought it fit perfectly with “Suburban Legends.” The novel follows Poppy and Alex, best friends who met in college, through a series of flashbacks as readers learn why they fell out of touch as they navigate how to fix their relationship in the present day. While the song seems to focus on two people who met in high school, the themes of pining and reminiscing are shared with the novel.
To be honest, the main reason I matched this novel with this song is because of the lyric: “And you kissed me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever” because duh.
“Is It Over Now?”: Happy Place
“Is It Over Now?” is arguably the most heartbreaking track of the 1989 TV Vault Tracks. The song describes the feelings of confusion in the wake of a breakup. This song aligns perfectly with Emily Henry’s most recent novel, Happy Place. Happy Place follows Harriet and Wyn, who have to pretend to still be together on their last annual summer trip with their best friends. Throughout the trip, the pair navigates their lingering feelings, and slowly truths regarding their breakup come to light. While the book and the song are not exactly the same, the feelings they elicit are very similar.
The lyric: “Was it over then? And is it over now?” perfectly sums up how Harriet and Wyn attempt to figure out if their “fake” relationship is really that.
Regardless of what Vault Track you like the best, if you like 1989 (Taylor’s Version) at all, you should give any of these a read. Emily Henry’s novels are able to provide heartwarming and heartbreaking love stories surrounded by lovable supporting casts and intriguing secondary plots. If you want a book that makes you feel like you’re in a Taylor Swift song, you should check out Ms. Henry’s catalog.