I don't consider myself a Swiftie, but Taylor is definitely beautiful and fascinating. Honestly a large part of my desire to read Taylor Swift is Life was to determine what an Easter Egg was; yes, this book addresses that question.

I thought this book would be filled with photos of Taylor Swift; instead illustrator Adrian Valencia provides many illustrations that perfectly suit this book.

The book is around 160 pages, release date is July 16, 2024. I'm guessing that Swifties will snap up this book!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author Kathleen Perricone and Quarto Publishing for approving my request to review the advance read copy of Taylor Swift is Life in exchange for an honest review.

An excellent intro to all things Taylor Swift. While I doubt long time fans will find much within that they don't already know, this is a well-written summation of her career practically to date. It follows her from her childhood infatuation with all things music, from early songs to learning to play the guitar, through her days attending football games of the Kansas City Chiefs. Nothing salacious, it's focused on positives, not gossip. While relatively short, it touches on the various "eras" in her life, discussing each in a concise, straight-forward way. It manages to share a great deal of info while offering a good, concise read. Old fans will enjoy the memories while newer fans many discover aspects of her rise that they've yet to learn. The illustrations are simple yet convey much in their simplicity. All in all, nicely done.

I'm not going to share details but here are a few of the things that stuck with me. First, I obviously liked the book. While a relative late-comer to appreciating Swift, I found it an enjoyable read which went a long way toward showing her as a human being, not simply an untouchable icon. While obviously written by a fan, thus quite positive, the book focuses on facts as much as fan reactions. I liked that it gave her parents space for not only supporting their child's dreams but ultimately being willing to pick up their lives and move for her career. Swift would ultimately connect with a fledgling record label, actually one that sounds like it didn't much more exist than on paper at the time, showing again that there was something special about her. The fact she was willing to get down on the floor and help do the often tedious, messy, grunt work with the then small staff speaks volumes. I also smiled, remembering that the one thing I repeatedly hear from fans is that "She gets us" when it was noted that when fans sent messages it was usually Swift herself who responded rather than some faceless member of the team. Again, another reminder of the phenomenon that created the Swifties. They knew.

Bottom line, it was that sense of oneness with her fans, understanding what it was like to be the one bullied and shunned as a teen, then managing to put it into catchy melodies and words that won people over. As I type, she's touring in France, including songs from her latest Tortured Poets release, and a news release noted she made a point of speaking French to thank her audience. Personal touch. Anyway, while she's so prolific and quick that I doubt any book will ever quite capture her as she is at any given moment, this one does an excellent job of reminding old fans where it all started while sharing it all with new ones. Thanks #NetGalley and #QuartoPublishingGroup - #becker&morgan - #EpicInk for sharing this with me. As one who came to appreciate Taylor Swift rather late in the game, I enjoyed learning a few things I hadn't heard and having my sense of her genuine love of her music and fans reinforced.

This book celebrates Swift's influence and impact on pop culture, making it a must-read for Swifties of all ages.

As a dedicated Swiftie myself, I found 'Taylor Swift Is Life' to be a charming and comprehensive exploration of Swift's evolution as an artist, from her early beginnings to her chart-topping success. The inclusion of lesser-known facts and behind-the-scenes anecdotes adds depth to the narrative, allowing readers to gain new insights into Swift's creative process and inspirations.

One of the highlights of the book is its delightful illustrations, which add a whimsical touch to the storytelling. Whether you're a new fan or a longtime admirer of Swift's music, you'll appreciate the colorful artwork that brings her songs and lyrics to life on the page.

Overall, 'Taylor Swift Is Life' is a fun and engaging read that celebrates the magic of Taylor Swift's music. Whether you're flipping through the pages for the cute illustrations or diving deep into the stories behind the songs, this book is sure to delight fans of all ages. Thank you to Quartro Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Taylor Swift is Life by Kathleen Perricone is an amazing book! As a newer Swiftie, I wouldn't consider myself a super fan just yet. This book gave me all the information needed to catch up on the years of Taylor Swift's greatness I've missed. I loved learning about her early years and rise to fame, her transition from country to pop, the meaning behind song choice decisions, and how Taylor has expertly marketed herself and her music to fans. The vault tracks section was interesting because I was one of the millions of people who participated in solving the riddles that led to Taylor releasing songs from her vault. It's cool to know I was part of Taylor Swift's history. This was a fun read. I loved the illustrations. My favorite quote is, "No matter what you're dealing with, there's a good chance Taylor has a song to get you through it". Taylor truly is the voice of a generation. This book is highly recommended for seasoned Swifties and new fans alike.

As a self-professed Taylor Swift Superfan, this book is wonderful!!!! The illustrations are fantastic and the story is perfect- including everything a current swiftie may or may not know and everything a new swiftie would want to know about Taylor!

I will def be purchasing this for myself!!!!

Review of “Taylor Swift is Life”

4 ⭐️

What a gorgeous book!! I’d honestly LOVE to have a physical copy to display in my house. As a huge Swiftie, this obviously is exactly what I needed: the story of Taylor, with the most GORGEOUS illustrations. Like, seriously, the illustrations are absolutely stunning. Such talent, I can’t.

I also loved reading the story. Must say: as a real time Swiftie since 2011, there wasn’t much new information. I really already knew it all. But, that’s also on me. I think for either new Swifties, or people who are interested in Taylor’s story, this will be the perfect book to read.

A true recommendation! I’ll definitely see if this book is going to be available as a physical book where I live 💘

Taylor Swift is Life by Kathleen Perricone. This biography purports itself as "A Superfan's Guide to All Things We Love about Taylor Swift" and it definitely does just that! Separated into three parts, "The Making of a Mastermind", "Taylor-Made Music" and "Swiftology", this 159 page book covers all things readers need to know about Taylor Swift. Part 1 covers her early years, how she rose to fame, and her switch from country music to pop. Part 2 looks at her discography, going beyond just track titles, this is a much more indepth, including things like the meaning or "muse" behind particular songs, as well as a "Track 5" section for each album. Apparently the 5th song on all of her albums is the most vulnerable, so it is neat that the author chose to discuss that track on each album. The third and final section is sort of an A-Z of everything TS.

What I love about this book is that while it is likely written for teens or adults, it is clearly designed in a way that it is accessible and interesting to even the youngest of fans. With cute illustrations and a well-thought-out organization and theme-based sections, I could see my students enjoying this book, even if it is too challenging for them to read (at grade 2). I would recommend this book for tween and teen readers, but really any aged fan will enjoy this book!

A definite Swiftie Guide to all things Taylor Swift. This book gives an in depth timeline to not only the songs and performances but the background as to why Taylor Swift did what she did in the order that she did them in. Loved the intertwining of love, music and all things Taylor Swift.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this ARC!

I am a huge Swiftie! I will read anything and everything about Taylor! I enjoyed reading this book. I loved that it included all of her albums with the song tracks even TTPD! The pictures were cute.

As a Swiftie, I absolutely adored this book and love how it included TTPD and her relationship with Kelce. New fans and old will appreciate the journey through her musical career followed by the discography. My favorite part was the cute illustrations. I will be purchasing a copy for my daughter and my library. I already know that this will not stay on the shelves.

I don’t consider myself a big swiftie but I have listened to some of her music throughout the years.

I learned so much from this book! It is incredible to learn how much thought and planning Taylor puts into her music. She is truly a mastermind! I definitely respect her more as an artist now. I found the Discography to be helpful especially in learning the stories behind the album covers and meaning behind the songs. I loved the illustrations and my favorites have to be the outfits she wore for the Eras Tour.
I feel like both new and big swifties could really enjoy this book.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for proving this e-ARC.

Wonderfully laid out book about Taylor- the illustrations were also wonderful. Fully enjoyed looking and reading this with my swiftie daughters.

This book is a captivating read, offering a wealth of contemporary insights, including a detailed look at the "Tortured Poet Society" album. The structure is engaging, with sections dedicated to each album, a horoscope that links to Taylor's personality, a chapter on hidden "Easter eggs," and much more. The depth of the content is impressive, and the beautiful cartoon illustrations that accompany each chapter add an extra layer of charm. I am excited to get my hands on a physical copy; it's a book you'll want to have on your shelf.

This book is a very enjoyable read for fans and soon-to-be fans. You learn about the singer’s rise to stardom and tons of background info about all her music and inspiration. It’s part biography/part guide.
I really enjoy the aesthetic and all the beautiful illustrations peppered throughout the book as a tribute to all her show outfits from the Eras Tour.

I’m not a huge Taylor fan but my 2 daughters are. So with the tour coming up I thought I had better see what I can learn about her.
The book was informative and I loved the illustrations and the way everything was set out.
I really enjoyed the book and learnt loads of interesting facts, especially with regard to how many songs and albums she has actually released and the meanings behind them.
I would definitely recommend this for Taylor Swift fans old and new and will be definitely be buying this for my daughters.
Thanks to Netgalley, Kathleen Perricone and Quarto Publishing Group for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

Very quick, super cute read! Lots of information/facts/cute illustrations! If you’re a die-hard Swiftie, or just getting into her, I think this book is a good place to start!

I want to personally thank NetGalley, as well as the author, publisher, and anyone else involved in providing copies, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Reviews will also be submitted to Goodreads when possible.

As a Swiftie, I absolutely love anything and everything that documents Taylor's songwriting (more than her life) — this book had it all, from the breakdown on her life and evolution of her music to her songs and her quirks and everything that makes her brand.
At such tectonic levels of fame, it is hard to believe but she has really built herself quirk by quirk, conviction by conviction, and that is the result we see. It's happened over two decades and it is so great to be alive to witness the magic!

(I think the book got the Folklore love triangle wrong — in the Long Pond Studio Sessions, Taylor mentions the other girl as Augustine, Inez was just a gossipmonger. So it should be Augustine, James and Betty in a love triangle) I wouldn't mind a bit of James-bashing :)

This is a lovely and informative book full of wonder illustrations,
This is an absolute must have for any swiftie. My daughter and I have loved reading and looking at it together.

As a die hard OG Swiftie, this is full of all the things any Swiftie knows. The illustrations were great, and it was very easy to read.

I absolutely adore the illustration used throughout the book. Wasn’t expecting such an informative and detailed piece on Taylor Swift. There were a few new things I learnt as a fan of many years. Side note: as a Leo I wished another song was chosen aside from me 😭