…Ready for it?

Easter eggs abound in an anthology of brand-new poems inspired from Taylor Swift songs from poets around the globe. The curated collection from Kristie Frederick Daugherty is sure to enchant Swifties as they decode their way through the works.

I really enjoyed the diverse group of contemporary poets that each contributed an original poem in response to a specific Taylor Swift song. This was such a brilliant idea that I feel will be well-received by Swifties who enjoy reading between the lines to find which poem correlates with which song. Some are easier than others, and while I felt I had a good grasp on Swift’s songs, I wish there was an answer key in the back, or a website you can go to for a list so you can see if you decoded correctly.

This anthology is one for the Eras and is not to be missed.

Baby, let the games begin!

Thank you to Kristie Frederick Daugherty, Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, and NetGalley for an advance e-copy for an honest review.

If you like Taylor Swift Easter eggs, this is the book for you. I love the concept so much and it was such a beautiful read from start to finish. You don’t always think that what Taylor starts out with his poetry but really at the end of the day that is all it is. This book was beautiful, thought provoking and so much fun! Highly recommend!

If you’re a fan of Swift’s music, you’ll find yourself enchanted by this collection, and even if you’re not, the talent of these poets will keep you hooked. Truly, a one-of-a-kind experience!

I really appreciated the diversity of authors in this collection - it could have very easily been just 113 millennial white women. I do, however, think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it was noted after each poem which song the poem was inspired by. I understand the impulse to allow readers to figure it out themselves like an easter egg, but I found it frustrating to not have answers!

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced copy of Invisible Strings.

More than anything while reading this, I wished there was an appendix to see which song inspired which poem. There were some that felt quite obvious, but others could be more than a few, and they joy in finding easter eggs for Swifties is that it leads to something. It is a puzzle solved and rewarded.

There are many lovely poems in here that you certainly won't need to be a Swiftie to enjoy.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

I love Taylor Swift and when I got the email that there was this book of poems based on her songs I was very excited! Like any anthology, there are going to be poems that resonate with me more than others and ones that I understand (and therefore like) more than others. This was a pretty mixed bag for me because I’m TERRIBLE at reading something or being asked “what song could this be” and trying to think through allll of Taylor Swift’s songs. Some are fairly obvious, but I really wish there was an appendix that listed which song each poem was inspired by so that you can try to guess but you can also check when you’re done and reread it with the lens of the song.

I did like how at the end each other described their process/their “why” for writing their poem.

I think anybody could like these poems because they’re not all obviously Taylor Swift, but I think based on the title the Swifties who are super good at finding her Easter eggs would love this!

This is a captivating anthology where poetry meets pop brilliance. The poems reflect the emotional depth and narrative richness of Swift’s lyrics, offering a fresh, poetic lens on her music. Overall, a must-read for Swifties and poetry enthusiasts alike, blending lyrical admiration with creative exploration.

Taylor swift is my absolute favorite. This poetry book was very moving for me. I was truly able to envision every poem I read. Thank you

This collection of poems shows how much influence Taylor Swift’s lyricism has. I love that so many book lovers also love her songs, and it’s because of her lyricism and story telling. I am admittedly not a huge poetry reader, but I jumped at the chance to read this. And I think a fan of poetry and not a fan of TS will still enjoy this collection.

The fun in this for fans of her music is trying to decode which song each one of the poems is based on. Some were really obvious using several lines of lyrics, while others were harder to figure out. I only confidently figured out about 20 of these. But really all, with the exception of maybe one of two of these, were excellent poems that stood on their own.

I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced eARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Invisible Strings” is a collection of 113 poets writing poems based upon Taylor Swift songs. This book is edited and organized by Kristie Frederick Daugherty. I found the idea of this book to be fascinating - if you’re a Taylor Swift fan or not, how one artist (or another person) can “see” another artist’s work can be rather fascinating. I’ll admit to not being a huge poetry fan, but I decided to give this book a try. Like with any anthology, some works will be really fantastic and others not as well received. Ms. Daugherty, in the introduction, mentions how she came up with the idea for this anthology and how she reached out to poets and this collection came to be. If poetry is your thing, this might be a book to pick up and explore. Did I think this book was fantastic? No - but that’s pretty typical for any anthology. Do I think that every fan of Ms. Swift should read this book - again, no, but I think if they like modern poetry and exploring how lyrics affect others, this might be a book for them to pick up. I’d recommend this book, but for me it was okay (3.5 rounded up to 4) … but then, again, poetry isn’t my jam. And if, like me, you don’t know the words to all of Ms. Swift’s songs, that’s okay - the poems contained can be read as stand-alone works of art. As a bonus, Ms. Daugherty includes a “playlist” of the poets’ works at the end of the book for further exploration.

I wish I was a poet so I could convey how much I enjoyed this book. It was moving and thoughtful and incredibly fun to read so many beautiful words inspired by the lyrics of Taylor Swift.

The idea behind this anthology is brilliant. Drop Easter eggs into poems and if you want to play along-figure out which songs inspired the words.
Non Swifties will get carried away by the poems which stand on their own. It’s a choose your own reading adventure.

Perfect for Swifties, poetry enthusiasts or holiday present gatherers.