I'm not exactly in the "Swifty" age category. However, this is an amazing story on how she got her start. Loved all the different ways she was able to get through difficult time and stayed strong through out. Thank you Taylor for your kindness and inspiration shown!!

My daughter is a huge Swiftie and went to the Eras tour last year. From her I’ve watched all the documentaries and have listened to all the albums.

I did learn some new things. Mostly regarding her brand and the business side of her career.

This is a great listen for fans. Wasn’t quite for me, but I think anyone who has been a Swift fan for years would enjoy. Good Narration.

This was an in depth look into the rise of Taylor's career. This is a great read for casual Swifties, like myself. It was fun to get a glimpse into her music and how it was influenced especially as a tween songwriter.

A very thorough look into the rise of Taylor Swift’s career form the very start. Not only does each album get a chapter and insight into what influenced the music but also the business know how that also went along with it. A look at a pop superstars career from a tween songwriter onwards to the unprecedented Eras tour. A good read for Swifties and casual fans alike.

Thank you to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media, for the opportunity to listen to Taylor: Era by Era The Unauthorized Biography by Caroline Sullivan and narrated by Katelynn Levering in exchange for my honest review.

The audiobook was pretty short for the story of all Taylor’s eras. I felt as I was listening that I wished it was in her words and not the speculation that you find online. I did learn some new things, but I don’t know if they are true, which makes this more of a fictional book about a real person and I struggled with that.

The good, anyone who doesn’t realize the hard work and dedication Taylor put into reaching the status she is now, this book gives you a one-stop shop to learn it all. She accomplished so much at a young age, and when you look at her growth from 15 to now, it’s remarkable.

The not so good. The book felt like a very long magazine article in which the author attempted to go era by era but some things were mentioned during times that didn’t make sense to me. IT also felt very much like Sullivan was just receding facts vs writing a novel. I think the narration helped with that, Levering brought some emotion to the story, but at times I felt like someone was listing of important dates in history and that felt tedious by the end.

Taylor fans I’m sure will love it. Overall, I did learn some things, but again, I have no idea if they are true and I feel like the author doesn’t know either.

A Solid Introduction to the Icon

🌟🌟🌟

As a self-proclaimed non-Swifty, I approached this book with curiosity. Yet, after devouring it over the weekend, I can confidently award it three stars—no book hangover, but definitely a satisfying read. Suddenly, I understand the Swift HYPE my friends rave about!

For a newbie like me, the book was both entertaining and enlightening. While die-hard Swifties might know most of the content, I reveled in discovering new songs. Spotify became my companion as I explored tracks I’d missed before.

Caroline Sullivan’s biography, though not groundbreaking, paints a positive portrait of Taylor Swift. It’s a gateway for those curious about her journey. Just beware the European date format sprinkled throughout—I stumbled a few times with my US brain.

The real gem? Unraveling the hidden messages in Swift’s songs. Katelyn Levering’s narration kept me hooked, making this an informative and engaging listen. And as someone who enjoys biographies in general, this peek into Taylor’s musical universe was a delightful addition to my reading list.

I tend to be skeptical of unauthorized biographies, but there’s nothing in this one that isn’t established fact about Taylor Swift.

This means if you’re a dedicated Swiftie, there’s going to be little if anything in this book that you don’t already know. A better target audience might be more casual fans or those interested in learning more about the artist.

The book is mostly organized by album/era, with a lengthy portion about pre-record deal Taylor at the beginning. There’s very little about Tortured Poets Department because the publication was too close to the album release, but the rest of her work is covered in more detail.

I wish this had been more geared toward the more dedicated segment of the fanbase so that we might have the opportunity to learn something new; but there’s probably an audience for this among less devoted fans or those newer to fandom.

The audiobook is a bit of a tough hang, as the narrator has a VERY strong midwestern accent that can be disruptive, but otherwise the material works well in this format.

This is the perfect read for any Taylor Swift fan! If you are a true Swiftie, you will probably already know everything in the book. I am a fan of Taylor and I enjoy her music, I think she’s a good role model but I don’t know everything about her. This book is a timeline of her life. It starts when she is super young and trying to make it as a country star when it was nearly impossible to do so for a young girl. I really enjoyed learning about her awesome homes. She has such a unique flavor. The one in New York sounds incredible. I personally attended the Red and 1989 tours, so it was so cool to have that aspect drilled down. I enjoyed learning about why she wrote some of her songs and how she felt about the transformations in her life, I listened to this on audio and I think the narrator did a good job.

I knew next to nothing about Taylor Swift. I felt the book was somewhat disjointed and hard to follow the time-line. That could be because it was in audio format. Print format might be easier to follow.

I'm a huge swiftie and was really happy when I saw this audiobook on Netgalley!

I already knew a lot of the things but some were still new to me. Especially the most things that happened before and around her debut album.

The Biography is separated into her different eras and give a huge overview over what happened in each era and part of her life.

It was interesting to listen to and good narrated.

I highly recommend this for every swiftie and everyone who wants to become one!

As the mother of a huge Swiftie, I really enjoyed this audiobook. I had no idea what an astute mind for business she has and though her work ethic is evident from her success, I'm blown away by the things I learned in this unauthorized biography. It's made me respect her even more for her accomplishments.

At times, I found the back and forth of the timeline to be a little confusing but overall, everything was well done.

Definitely recommended for those wanting to learn about Swift's rise to the top without an overwhelming amount of gossip.

This book gave some interesting information about Taylor Swift's early years in her life and career. I enjoyed that part of it. I am not a huge
Swifty fan like some of her fans out there, but I do appreciate her music and turn it up whenever it's on the radio. She is one talented woman. I found the statistics a bit repetitive of all the awards and billboard ratings a bit dull, not in to that so much. Still an interesting read. 3 stars.

As someone who has listened to Taylor since 2008, I was excited to see the audiobook biography on NetGalley. I found this to be pretty informative and enjoyed myself the whole time. I especially loved the deep dives into why and how she created her albums.

So I am not a Swiftie.

In high school I actually saw her concert in 2009. Back then I absolutely loved her, and really enjoyed her music. Over the last few years I have enjoyed it a lot less. I requested and asked for this audiobook because I was truly interested on everything about her, and learning more in depth of her past present in the future.

Overall, I thought it was written. And I enjoyed it!

This book was really interesting. As a person who would categorize herself as not a swiftie, I learned a lot about this person. I believe this author did a very good job with her research. I was engrossed throughout the book and appreciated the narration. I will definitely purchase this for our library’s collection.

Taylor Swift is an icon and accomplished so much in her career to date. There is no denying that she knows what she’s doing and how to keep in touch with her fans. I was a huge Taylor Swift fan at the beginning and love her music, so I really enjoyed seeing the progress of her career written out. It makes everything seem so much bigger. I never stopped being a Taylor Swift fan, but sometime after Reputation I stopped following her religiously and a lot of that had to do with my own life and having kids and not listening to as much music anymore. Even though I haven’t listened to one of her albums on repeat in years, I am still a fan and in awe of what she’s been able to accomplish during her still ongoing, amazing career.

I enjoyed reading this book and finding out facts I didn’t know before and also remembering those nostalgic times as a teen listening to Taylor Swift in the early days. I thought this was a good summary of her career so far and can see how Swifties would enjoy a book like this. I really hope that one day Taylor puts out a book herself so we can have an inside look at her experiences. If you are a fan of a Taylor, this book is worth a second look.

n
Information: B
Narration: A-
Details: B
Best Aspect: Well written and narrated, keeps one’s interest.
Worst Aspect: Most information is very common knowledge even if you are not a Swiftie.
Recommend: Yes.

This was a quick little read that would be pretty good for a new Taylor fan! As a fan since the early days, this didn't provide a ton of new information, but the behind the scenes stuff was fun. The time jumps in the chapters are a little confusing, I wish it went era by era instead of jumping to the future/past during certain parts. Some of the name pronunciations also caught me off guard, such as John Mayer being pronounced like Meijer. Overall, quick easy listen.

Thanks NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the arc.

This unauthorized biography is well done. It was an easy listen, not just from a production/narration perspective, but also because of the context provided throughout.

If you are an avid Swiftie, there won’t be much new information here--though notably I learned some things about the start of her career. For this reason, I would recommend this more for general audiences and those who are neutral on TS (or those who are—with a somewhat open mind—trying to understand the super-stardom Swift has achieved).

That said, if you are anything like me, you’ve heard Swift’s story in pieces. In news articles, in Tik Toks, in tweets, and, mostly, in songs. There is something valuable about collecting her story in one spot, and telling it somewhat chronologically.

Obviously, the author has an interest in Swift, but attempted neutrality here--with a few exceptions. She doesn’t necessarily try to convince us how to feel about Swift, but instead draws on the online archive of the singer/songwriter's history, quoting Swift and those in her orbit, and cataloguing the singers many achievements along the way.

This biography by Caroline Sullivan dives deep into the incredible career of Taylor Swift. It chronicles her rise from country beginnings to global pop icon, delving into her artistic evolution, high-profile relationships, and the stories behind her beloved songs. Each era of Swift's career, a defining characteristic of her artistry, is explored in detail, giving fans a deeper understanding of her influences and creative process.

While the synopsis paints a glowing picture, it feels a touch biased especially when discussing her relationships (*cough* the whole sidebar that it's unbelievable to suggest Harry Styles might have been a PR relationship?). However, Sullivan's background as a music journalist suggests a well-researched and informative read. As I listened to the audiobook, I can't comment on the quality of the "stunning photographic section" mentioned, but for any Swiftie, this biography promises a comprehensive look at their idol's remarkable journey.