Read-Alikes for Taylor Swift’s folklore



Escape into these reads that match the vibe of the surprise album folklore by Taylor Swift, especially if you adore cardigans, misty forests, worn-in boots, cozy socks, fresh laundry and the sound of wind through the trees with a babbling brook nearby. Choose your favorite Taylor song, we'll tell you what to read next (in this totally made up, completely unscientific blog).

the 1

cardigan

the last great american dynasty

exile

my tears ricochet

mirrorball

seven

august

this is me trying

illicit affairs

invisible string

mad woman

epiphany

betty

peace

hoax



the 1

With lyrics like "You know the greatest loves of all time are over now" and "And if my wishes came true / It would've been you," it's time to pick up these (spoiler) sad ending, bittersweet romances.

The Great Gatsby

Wuthering Heights

Me Before You

Gone With the Wind


 

cardigan

If the words "When you are young, they assume you know nothing" or "I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs" have struck a chord with you, it's time for some unrequited love, what-could-have-beens, and coming of age novels.

Persuasion

Call Me by your Name

Their Eyes Were Watching God

A Separate Peace


 

the last great american dynasty

With lyrics like "It must have been her fault his heart gave out" and "She had a marvelous time ruining everything," then pick up these books about refusing to let other people tell your story, making yourself happy, and finding a fulfilling life. 

The Bell Jar

Practical Magic

Little Women

Bunny

 


exile

If the words "You're not my homeland anymore / So what am I defending now?" and "You never gave a warning sign (I gave so many signs)" hit you in the feels, then pick up these novels about complex, unhappy relationships.

Anna Karenina

An American Marriage

Revolutionary Road

Everything I Never Told You

 


my tears ricochet

With lyrics like "And if I'm on fire, you'll be made of ashes, too" and "And if I'm dead to you, why are you at the wake?" hit a nerve, these novels about revenge and betrayal may only add salt to your wound.

The Count of Monte Cristo

Sadie

The End of the Affair

Atonement

 


mirrorball

If you've ever felt like "I'm a mirrorball / I can change everything about me to fit in" and "I'll show you every version of yourself tonight" then these books all about no longer being a people-pleaser and discovering your true self instead of reflecting others may keep you "shimmering beautiful."

Jasmine

How the García Girls Lost Their Accents

The Idiot

Memoirs of A Geisha

 


seven

Are you nostalgic for childhood, the deep friendships and secrets that you shared? If lyrics like "Cross your heart, won't tell no other" and "I think your house is haunted / Your dad is always mad and that must be why / And I think you should come live with me" tug at your heart, pick up these novels that focus on childhood friendships and growing up.

The After Party

Anne of Green Gables

The Girls From Corona Del Mar

The Secret Garden

 


august

If lyrics like "August slipped away into a moment of time / 'Cause it was never mine" and "So much for summer love and saying 'us' / 'Cause you weren't mine to lose" grab your heart, try these novels that focus on first loves and doomed romance.

Evening by Susan Minot

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Sea of Tranquility

The Ghost Bride

 


this is me trying

Have you ever messed up a relationship and felt the weight of regret? If lyrics like "And it's hard to be at a party when I feel like an open wound" or "And my words shoot to kill when I'm mad / I have a lot of regrets about that" make you examine your life, then pick up these novels about anger and regret.

Fates and Furies 

The Woman Upstairs

Mrs. Dalloway

The Sense of An Ending

 


illicit affairs

If you've felt these feelings, "You taught me a secret language that I can't speak with anyone else" and "Take the words for what they are / A dwindling, mercurial high / A drug that only worked / The first few hundred times" in your relationships, then these novels with themes of infidelity, affairs and heartbreak may continue to break your heart.

My Dark Vanessa

Madame Bovary

The Postman Always Rings Twice

Hausfrau

 


invisible string

Hopeless romantics, if you love the lyrics "And isn't it just so pretty to think / All along there was some / Invisible string / Tying you to me?" and "Hell was the journey but it brought me heaven," then these romances will make you believe that something connects you to your soulmate.

Outlander

The Life Intended

Stardust

The Night Circus

 


mad woman

If you've ever thought "No one likes a mad woman / You made her like that" or "And women like hunting witches too" then these novels that focus on themes of destructive madness, mischief and interference, and female empowerment may resonate with you.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

The Handmaid's Tale

The Crucible

The Fever

 


epiphany

If the hymnal lyrics of "epiphany" like "Just one single glimpse of relief / To make some sense of what you've seen" haunt you, then so will these novels.

Birdsong

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

The Enchanted

The Little Prince

 


betty

Have you ever made a mistake? If lyrics like "But if I showed up at your party / Would you have me? Would you want me?" and "The worst thing that I ever did / Was what I did to you" then these novels about love triangles and mistakes might help you heal.

The Seven Torments of Amy and Craig

In Five Years

Odd One Out

The Other's Gold

 


peace

Have you done a lot of self-work and introspection about your past relationships lately? With lyrics like "But I'm a fire and I'll keep your brittle heart warm" and "But the rain is always gonna come if you're standin' with me," then these novels about flawed characters navigating their way through life will be your companions.

Normal People

Autoboyography

Jane Eyre

Eleanor & Park

 


hoax

Have you ever felt that if you stop grieving then you're healed? Lyrics like "Don't want no other shade of blue but you / No other sadness in the world would do" and "Your faithless love's the only hoax I believe in" may reopen old relationship wounds, just like in these novels.

Wake, Siren

The Pisces

My Year of Rest and Relaxation

The Sparrow Sisters