Ten Book Recommendations- If You Like This…Read This

I wanted to make a post of book recommendations using the popular: If You Like this… Read This prompt. My goal was to pick well known works and to recommend less known books or series. This list was a lot of fun to create. Also, I cheated a bit because there are more than ten books recommended. Truthfully, I’m surprised I haven’t cheated before now on one of these lists. Hope you find something to pick up. 

1. Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones ➡️ The Vermillion Emporium by Jamie Paxton

~ What interested me in this book first were the comp titles being a mixture between Radium Girls and Howl’s Moving Castle. I will forever be a sucker for a book that is described as having a fantastical world similar to Howl’s Moving Castle. The idea of a shop that moves from place to place was an excellent idea. This does make me think of Howl’s world and the magic system with the starlight. Though, it is not as lighthearted and is a darker story. 

2. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland retellings ➡️ Adult: The Insanity Series by Cameron Jace and MG: The Lost Wonderland Diaries and Secrets of the Looking Glass by J. Scott Savage

~ The Insanity Series: I am a big fan of retellings as you will see from this list and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland retellings are some of my absolute favorites. One of the best I have found is Cameron Jace’s series. These books are part mystery and horror. They are very dark reads that are quite thrilling. I love what Cameron did with the Wonderland characters and world. 

~ The Lost Wonderland Diaries and Secrets of the Looking Glass: This has become a new favorite for me in the last couple of years. Savage does an incredible job adding to the world of Wonderland and creating a voice that feels reminiscent of Carroll’s but also so unique. I love the wordplay, puzzles, and riddles throughout both books. They are incredible and I hope he will continue on in this world in some way. 

3. “All Too Well (10 Min version)” by Taylor Swift ➡️ Honesty by Seth King

~ A couple of years ago, I was working on an Bookstagram project where I found lyrics from a song which fit perfectly with plot points in books. My first one was for “All Too Well” and Honesty. This is probably the best example of lyrics fitting so well with a book. Honesty fits the vibes that Taylor is giving with her relationship in this song. 

“Underneath it all, I was the same as anyone else: I was dreaming for the love of someone who wouldn’t give it to me.” from Honesty by Seth King

~ Seth King has a stunning writing style, which had me connecting with Cole from the beginning of the book. This is a beautiful story that encapsulates first love and heartbreak. I highly recommend this book.

4. Heartless by Marissa Meyer ➡️ Malice by Heather Walter 

~ I read Heartless years ago and fell in love with Cath’s story. To this day, I still vividly remember this book. I’m always looking for other villain origin stories that will make me think of this one. Heartless is about the Queen of Hearts from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and what caused her to become the queen we know from the original. Malice is an adult queer origin story for the enchantress from “Sleeping Beauty.” I love Heather Walter’s writing style and this story is one I highly recommend. Its sequel is also very good. I love a story with a morally grey character so much! 

 

~I will be picking up Heather’s new book The Crimson Crown which is an adult queer mix of the Evil Queen from “Snow White” and is loosely inspired by Anne Boleyn’s rise. She has been talking about this book for years and I cannot wait to read it soon! I’ve been lucky enough to get every one of Heather’s books as an ARC copy. 

5. New takes on Fairy Tale retellings ➡️ Lava Red, Feather Blue by Molly Ringle 

~ Lava Red, Feather Blue starts as a “Sleeping Beauty” retelling and expands into it’s own story. One of the main characters, Prince Larkin is forced into being put into a magical sleep as one side of a truce between the humans and fae on the island of Eidolonia. He is awoken over 200– years later by Merrick by accident and their adventure continues from there. I love how Molly blended fairytales, fae stories, slow-burn romances, and familial bonds in this story. This is an adult fantasy story, I highly recommend. I will be picking up the companion novel in May. 

6. Found Family stories ➡️ Castle Waiting Volume 1 & 2 by Linda Medley 

~ I’m a big fan of found family stories and I’m always looking for new ones to read. A great example that I read years ago is the Castle Waiting graphic novel series. It focuses on an isolated castle and the zany inhabitants. I love how cozy it feels and just following along with these characters in their everyday lives in a fairy tale world. It’s one I will be rereading very soon. 

 

7. Hamlet and Choose-Your-Own-Adventure stories ➡️ To Be or Not To Be by Ryan North

~ To Be or Not To Be is a brilliant book that I adore. I have read through the book three times over the years and I am sure I have not found all of the storylines. Growing up, I was a big fan of Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books and was excited when I saw there was a Shakespeare version. One of the paths through the book is the one that “Shakespeare chose” as Ryan says in the book. This is hilarious and such a journey. 

~ I hope one day Ryan will write a version of this for Macbeth. I would buy it in a heartbeat. 

8. Hate to love Fantasy Romance ➡️ To Poison a King by S.G. Prince

~ My favorite book of last year was To Poison a King by S.G. Prince. I was asked by the author on Instagram to read her book and I’m so glad I decided to do so. From the beginning of this book, her atmospheric writing had me falling in love with the story. Character-driven stories have become many of my favorites over the years. I’ll always be a fan of a rich fantasy world and characters you thoroughly know. Selene’s (the main character) arc is one of the best parts of this novel. 

~Selene and Elias’s relationship was wonderful. Hate-to-love romances are some of my favorite stories. Elias has rough exterior when he is first introduced, but throughout the book, you realize that he is not that way at all. He was a refreshing take on a royal character who was just as fleshed out as Selene. I enjoyed watching Selene and Elias’s romance play out but also enjoyed their friendship. They were sweet together.

9. Fans of Shel Silverstein’s Poems ➡️ Tales of Whimsy, Verses of Woe by Tim DeRoche

~ I love poetry so darn much and was very interested in picking this up when I heard the premise. It’s a book of children’s poems with illustrations, that is very reminiscent of those of Shel Silverstein. Great for children and for anyone looking for a good time when reading poetry. Made me nostalgic. 

10. Classic lover who wants a queer version of their favorite book ➡️ Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore and Most Ardently: A Pride and Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa 

~ I have only read two of the Remixed Classics series but I adore each of them so much. Two of my favorite books ever are The Great Gatsby and Pride and Prejudice, so I went into these two beauties hoping they would be favorites. I’m pleased to say they were both incredible takes on their classic counterparts. Both deal with trans boys and romances that are perfect. There are reviews for both on this blog and I highly recommend picking them up. They are perfection! 

~Also, I want to mention how beautiful these covers are. Absolutely stunning in every way. 

Monthly Reviews- April 2024

  🌸 April Reviews 🌷

April 1st-30th

Not my month for reading books, but I have a good feeling about May. 

Book 33: Castle Swimmer: Volume 1

By Wendy Martin

Read April 17th

Pages: 272

Release Year: 2024

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Castle Swimmer is such a beautiful graphic novel with an interesting storyline. I remember finding it on Webtoons a couple of years ago and read what was out at that time, which was not even this entire volume. I never continued on with it for some reason though, but I will be now. 

The illustration style stands out and drew me in instantly. I like how the story is playing with the idea of prophecies and chosen one stories. It definitely is making me wonder where the story is going to go from here with Kappa and Siren. I have to continue it on Webtoons so I can see what happens next. 

I highly recommend this wonderful start to this series. 

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

Book 34: Love Her Wild

By Atticus Poetry

Read April 21st

Pages: 225

Release Year: 2017

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I’ve decided to not pick up any more of Atticus’s poetry after this volume. It’s what is called “Instagram” poetry, with most of the pieces being one line or a stanza long. Not my type of poetry at all if I’m going to be honest. I’m not going to say that poetry like this cannot work because I am a fan of what are called six-word memoirs. It is incredible what some people can do with the smallest amount of words, but I would rather read longer poems. 

I did enjoy the last volume I read of his but not this one. There are a couple of longer poems throughout and I did like the through line with the older man and the boy. These were just not for me.

Book 35: To Be or Not To Be: A Choosable-Path Adventure

By Ryan North

Read April 23rd

Pages: 768

Release Year: 2013

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April 23rd, 2024 reread: 

I decided to reread this beauty for Shakespeare’s birthday. It will always be one of my favorite reads. I reread the Shakespeare choices (I love how the narrator makes fun of your choices the entire time) and some others. Such a great time. One day I hope Ryan will make a Macbeth version of this book. That’s the dream. 

November 7th-8th, 2017 reread: 

I have been a major fan of Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books since I was a child. It might have been because I have always had a natural affinity for telling my own stories, whether that be through writing or just in creating stories with my toys as a child. This is a version based off of Shakespeare's Hamlet and I cannot get enough of creating new paths in it. When I read it this time, I created around ten different paths throughout the book. This is a really great idea for a book and I love how Ryan North played with the original play that I know so well. This is a re-read of certain parts but also a first time read of others. It's not the type of book you read straight through. I know that I will continue to have a great time with this book and cannot wait to see even more of the paths and illustrations that go along with the ends.

Book 36: The Science of the Discworld

By Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart, and Jack Cohen

Read April 28th-29th

Pages: 432

Release Year: 1999

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I highly enjoyed the Discworld novella that played out throughout this book. It was one of my favorites we have gotten of the wizards besides what they do in Hogfather. This reminded me a bit of some of the later books in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy where Arthur experiences Earth from the past. I enjoyed looking at the beginnings of the “Roundworld” from the perspective of the wizards and how they compared it to their own world. Terry has so many clever observations as he always does in his books. I do look forward to reading more about their experiments with the Roundworld. 

The scientific parts of the book were okay. I did not like how it cut into the Discworld story, often interrupting in the middle of a scene. Terry never had chapter breaks  and many times this became a hindrance in this book because it would cut off in the middle of what was going on. I loved the parts about the dinosaurs and some of the others. 

I will be picking up further books in this series because I want to see more of the wizards interacting with the “Roundworld.”

Happy Birthday Terry Pratchett!

Every year for Terry Pratchett’s birthday, I like to celebrate by reading one of his books and talking about him.

Terry Pratchett is one of my favorite authors. I first found out about his books in 2012 right after reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I was looking for other books similar to it and Terry’s Discworld series was recommended along with Good Omens by both him and Neil Gaiman.

“No one is actually dead until the ripple they cause in the world die away.”-Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett

I read Good Omens in 2013 and fell in love with it instantly. At the time, I promised myself that I would read the Discworld series some day but put it off because of its size (it had 39 books at that point). I didn’t start the series until 2017 and finished the final novel, The Shepherd’s Crown in 2022. Over the years, it went from being one of my favorite series to my favorite series. I cannot recommend it enough. It's incredible.

Terry has been an inspiration of mine ever since I first picked up one of his Discworld books. I read the series mostly in publication order and I personally recommend doing so if you plan on reading the entire series. There are so many ways to get into it. The only book I read out of order was Hogfather because I wanted to read it at Christmastime that first year. It's one of my go-to rereads every year.

Even though I didn't find myself loving the first couple of books, they still had me wanting to read more from this brilliant man. Terry’s writing style is one of a kind and I will never be able to get enough of reading his work. I have read 60 of his books and I plan on reading every single piece of literature he has written. They are insightful, funny, and so damn clever.

Today, I am going to start The Science of the Discworld that Terry wrote with Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen. It is the first book in a four-part series that has Discworld stories mixed with science. I’m interested in seeing what happens and how the wizards accidentally create the Roundworld. The Unseen University books are a mixed bag for me. Sometimes, I really love them and then other times I don’t. Though, I am looking forward to seeing what trouble those old fools cause. I cannot wait to get to the second book because it deals with Shakespeare.

Some of my favorites of his books are: Hogfather, Witches Abroad, Night Watch, Thief of Time, The Wee Free Men, Going Postal, Wyrd Sisters, and Good Omens.

Thank you for the words, Terry. I wish I could have met you. Your ripples will continue on for a very long time. Happy Birthday.

“People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it's the other way around.” Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett

🤍 The Tortured Poets Department 🤍

I have been heavily anticipating this album since February. First of all, it’s a new Taylor Swift album which will always be exciting, and the fact that it was being described as poetry just made it even more thrilling. And now it’s a double album. 

Taylor has always been poetic but this takes it up many notches. Also, this is the most referential she has ever been about herself and damn I’m living for it all. She has an incredible voice and her writing style is impeccable.

What I was most surprised about this album were the bits of humor throughout. I caught myself laughing many times even though these are some very depressing topics. She has put so much of herself into these songs, even the parts you would not expect to see or hear.  I’m looking forward to what I find as I continue to listen to them.

Also, the literary references are galore, especially in the 2am second album. We have references to The Great Gatsby, Shakespeare, Peter Pan again, Cassandra and Sisyphus from Greek Mythology, Dylan Thomas, Patti Smith, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, The Wizard of Oz, The Secret Garden, and many more. This is an allusion and metaphor heavy album which I know will not be for everyone. Personally, I am obsessed with it. Makes me want analyze the lyrics and pick out every single one. I think I might do a post on here sometime with each of them. Definitely, an album for my literature loving heart. 

The title of this album fits so well with every song. She has let us into her world in a way we haven’t quite been before and each piece of these songs adds to that. They are personal, vulnerable, and so damn smart. It shows the imperfections and doesn’t pretty anything up for anyone. She turns phrases like some of the best poets out there. Below, I am going to talk about each of the songs. I’ll give my opinions, anything that stuck out to me on my listens, and my ratings (out of five) at the moment. 

1. “Fortnight”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 

~ What a beautiful sounding song. I was excited to hear her sing this with Post Malone and they did a good job. I think she could have used him a bit more. Their voices sound absolutely stunning together. Her melodic vocals are stunning and this continues throughout the entire album. I love the upbeat production along with the sad lyrics. 

~ Though, I will say that many of these lyrics make me wonder about why they are in the song. I figured this would be the first single because of Post being a feature in it but I think there are others that could have been better picks. 

~ Taylor’s music video for this song was pretty great. I love the cinematography and the chemistry between Post and Taylor was perfection. It felt like a movie. Also, it was great to have the little nod to Dead Poets Society with Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles. One of my favorite Robin Williams movies. My poetry loving heart is ecstatic. 

“And I love you, it’s ruining my life.”

2. “The Tortured Poets Department”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ The titular song is perfect. Love the details she is giving us in this song to tell her story. The typewriter, the references to poets (Dylan Thomas, Pattie Smith, and the Chelsea Hotel), and the scenes. I was surprised by how upbeat this song was but it is so pretty. This should have been the first single if I’m going to be honest. 

“And who’s gonna hold you like me?

And who’s gonna know you, if not me?

I laughed in your face and said,

‘You’re not Dylan Thomas.

I’m not Patti Smith.

This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel.

We’re modern idiots.’ 

And who’s gonna hold you like me?”

3. “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ The metaphor she uses in this song is quite clever to show toxic relationships. It’s not the first time she uses toys as a metaphor. She has used kens in “Hit Different” and toy in “Cruel Summer.” 

4. “Down Bad”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ I gotta say I relate to this song. Definitely, don’t want to though. Another that is surprisingly upbeat. 

5. “So Long, London”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ We all knew this was going to be a sad song. The connections to her previous songs from other albums stand out quite a bit in this. Also, the religious and boat imagery is heavy. Damn, this is a hard one. Probably, the one that feels the most like a poem at this point in the tracklist. 

6. “But Daddy I Love Him”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ This was the song I have been the most anticipating ever since I first saw the track list. Stood out right away because of the reference to The Little Mermaid (1989), my favorite Disney movie. And it did not disappoint. It makes me think of a more mature version of “Love Story” and damn it is great! The melodrama is incredible. 

“Too high a horse for a simple girl to rise above it

They slammed the door on my whole world

The one thing I wanted

Now, I’m running with my dress unbuttoned

Screamin’ ‘But daddy, I love him’

I’m having his baby, no I’m not

But you should see your faces

I’m telling him to floor it through the fences

No, I’m not coming to my senses

I know it’s crazy

But he’s the one I want”

~ I was surprised by the sound of it and the story we received. The message is one I think many fans need to hear and I’m glad Taylor is letting them know how she feels.  It was not at all what I believed it would be like and oh my god it’s so damn incredible. Maybe it’s too early to say it is my favorite song from the album, but I would be surprised if any of them ever overpass it. This song is crazy and absolutely a masterpiece. I could gush about this song for a million years. Never thought we would get a song like this from Taylor again and I’m beyond glad we got it. Hope she has more numbers like this in the future. 

7. “Fresh Out The Slammer”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ I think the music at the beginning of the song is interesting. Makes it sound like a western. Lots of metaphors in this album to represent the situations in this previous chapter of her life. Very poetic. Marriage is a big topic throughout a lot of these songs. 

8. “Florida!!!”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 

~ I don’t know what to think about this song to be honest. There is so much going on. It’s a strange one but the vocals are beautiful. There are so many great lines in this song but I wish they were in another song. Like for instance: 

“Is that a bad thing to put in a song?” 

~ Florence Welch is so incredible! God, her voice is just so damn stunning. 

9. “Guilty As Sin?”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 

~ All of these songs have wonderful productions. 

10. “Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me?”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ Oh my…this song is haunting and everything I was hoping it would be when I saw the title. The imagery of her as a witch levitating through a town and the screaming of “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” is phenomenal. God, I hope we get a music video for this beauty and I love the breaking of the fourth wall throughout the entire time. She really is addressing so much of the drama and comments people have made about her.  

11. “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)”- 🤍 🤍 

~ An okay song, but it is one of my least favorite songs on the album. I do enjoy the ending though. 

12. “loml”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ This song is really hard to listen to. One of the saddest that Taylor has ever written and it hits me super hard. I can feel every emotion she is conveying. 

“You’re the lose of my life.” 

~ Knew it was going to be lose of my life instead of love of my life. 

13. “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ Feels like a sequel to “Bejeweled.” The juxtaposition of the lyrics in this song to the beat is incredible. It shows the entire point of the song in such an obvious way and it makes you want to dance along with her. If you don’t pay attention to what she is saying you could mistake this for an upbeat track, but damn this is a sad one. I think the placement of this song after “loml” was brilliant. 

“Breaking down I hit the floor

All the pieces of me shattered 

As the crowd was chanting, ‘MORE!’” 

14. “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ Well, this was surprising and it is a scathing take on “the smallest man” we have all been waiting for. This is not who I’d thought this would be about and she definitely let him have it with this one. The bridge is chilling. 

“And I don’t miss what we had, but could someone give

A message to the smallest man who ever lived?

Were you sent by someone 

Who wanted me dead?

Did you sleep with a gun underneath our bed?

We’re you writing a book?

We’re you a sleeper cell spy?

In fifty years will this be declassified?”

15. “The Alchemy”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ This is such a cute song. I know I keep saying I love the beats, but damn, it sounds great. I like this song a lot. 

16. “Clara Bow”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ I love when Taylor writes songs like this where she explores her career in the industry. It’s always interesting to see her take on people’s thoughts on her as a person and where she takes them. The use of Clara Bow, Stevie Nicks, and then finally herself at the end was hard hitting. Talking about pitting women against each other and how they are always compared. Great ending to the first part of “The Tortured Poets Department Anthology.”

17. “The Black Dog”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ This song sounds so damn beautiful. Her vocals are great in this entire album but this is one of the best. Heartbreaking. I love her story songs. 

“Old habits die screaming!”

18. “imgonnagetyouback”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ I love this song! The beat is infectious and just everything to me. 

19. “The Albatross” 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ Makes me think of the beat of many of the songs on evermore. Feels a bit like “Ivy.” 

20. “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” 🤍 🤍 

~ Not really a fan of this song. It’s okay. 

21. “How Did It End?”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 

~ I love her vocals at the beginning before she starts the first verse. They feel ethereal. Interesting idea of a relationship autopsy to see what caused the relationship to fall apart. She really shows her writing ability on this project. 

“My beloved ghost and me

Sitting in a tree

D-Y-I-N-G”

22. “So High School”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 

~ This song makes me think of another song and I don’t know what it is. The sound especially at the beginning. I love the tune of it. Her voice sounds so beautiful. Makes me think of a song that would have been in a 90s or early 2000s rom-com. 

23. “I Hate it Here”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ I really love the story here. The details she gives bring you right into the moments she is describing. Her creativity shines through in this beauty. I relate to this song so much with the escapism in your own writing or in literature. There are so many great songs on this album. 

“I hate it here so I will go to 

Secret gardens in my mind

People need a key to get to 

The only one is mine”

24. “thanK you aIMee”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 

~ The metaphor of a mean girl in town is so telling. I cannot believe this song and what she’s so blatantly stating at this point. Gosh. The amount of murder, death, and jail in these songs is much more than expected. I love the fourth-wall break at the end. Such a fun song. I don’t think she should have capitalized the letters in the title at all. She should have let the song speak for what she was talking about. Maybe some people would not have realized what she was talking about but many would. 

“I pushed each boulder up the hill

Your words are still just ringing in my head, ringing in my head…”

“All that time you were throwin’ punches, it was all for nothin’

And our town, it looks so small, from way up here

Screamed ‘Thank you, Aimee’ to the night sky, and the stars are stunnin’ 

Cause I can’t forget the way you make me heal.”

25. “I Look in People’s Windows”- 🤍🤍 🤍 🤍

~ I really like this song quite a lot. 

26. “The Prophecy”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ I think this album was perfectly laid out with the songs’ placements. The overall message of this song is about how Taylor feels like there has been a prophecy that has destined her not to succeed in love/relationships. To have that before a song based on the Greek Mythology character, Cassandra, is so damn clever. 

~ This is a song for the hopeless romantics.

27. “Cassandra”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ As soon as I saw the title for this track, I got excited. I hoped it was about Cassandra from Greek Mythology and I was very right. Gotta say, I’m a sucker for a literary allusion in songs. This one fits well with the story she is telling, especially nobody listening to her. So haunting. 

28. “Peter”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ Peter Pan is a character who is drawn upon in many pieces of writing. Many of us have met our own example of Peter in our lives. He is an allusion I will never get sick of. I love this song.

29. “The Bolter”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 

~ Pretty good song. 

30. “Robin”- 🤍 🤍 

~ My least favorite song on the album. 

31. “The Manuscript”- 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍 🤍

~ The metaphor of the manuscript being her old music that she has been revisiting is great. Perfect closer for The Tortured Poets Department. 

Closing Thoughts

The perfect release for National Poetry Month. 

This album feels like part poetry and story. Taylor is giving such specific lyrics that give us a look into the last couple of years. I enjoyed almost every single one of the songs and feel like they all fit well together to tell a cohesive story. She clearly thought about the placement of these songs, many going perfectly right after the previous track. This is an emotional rollercoaster that feels vulnerable and heartbreaking. 

I never really care the subject of Taylor’s breakup songs. There are many people who like or dislike songs based on who they believe they are about when I don’t believe that is what is important. Sure many of the songs on this album are obviously about certain people in Taylor’s life, but that doesn’t affect my enjoyment of them. I love the story she is telling. No matter the subject. There is so much in this album that far surpasses those types of ideas. This is a Taylor Swift album and the subject of the album is Taylor and this chapter of her life. The muses don’t matter as much as what she is trying to say.

This album brings a new perspective to folklore and evermore. I always knew the songs on those two albums were more than just stories and this proves that. So many lyrics are reminiscent of them. It also does the same for Midnights which is definitely a start of a breakup album. 

Overall, I loved most of this album. It's not my favorite of hers but many of the songs are. I know my opinions will change with time and I might enjoy some of these more. Taylor has created a beautiful collection here. I love the experience of listening to new music from her and am looking forward to what will come next. 

Favorite songs:

~ “But Daddy I Love Him”

~ “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me”

~ “I Hate It Here”

~ “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”

~ “The Tortured Poets Department”