What an adorable premise for a book! This is a must for any Swiftie who collects her memorabilia like they're infinity stones. If you're not a fan of her but a lover of poetry who possesses an open mind, this poem anthology might also be for you!
Now, for a pretty large admission- I am generally not an avid consumer of poetry. I've had to read my fair share and understand pentameter for a few scattered classes here and there, but as a 32 year old- it's just not for me. I can respect the classics for being the innovative geniuses that they are, but I'll likely never seek out poetry books again.
Some poems were great, some were lackluster. Some I hated, some I loved. There were 113, so is that so hard to believe? I likely won't remember too many of these or take them with me outside of this review- but this book was fun. A quick read, and a downright blast to attempt to pinpoint the lyrical inspiration or each poem, Old and new Swifties, those who have been inspired by her lyrics or used her tracks to overcome some hard part of life- this one's for you.
Thank you so much to the publisher for allowing me the eARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

This collection was everything!💖 Each poem felt like it was written with the heart and soul of a Taylor Swift album, and I had SO much fun trying to guess which poems were inspired by each era 🎶. From the fearless highs to the folklore vibes, every page had that perfect blend of raw, lyrical, and relatable emotion. 🌷💫

The writers in this collection are insanely talented! Their words felt deeply personal, and you could feel the vulnerability between the lines. It’s like reading little pieces of their hearts. 📝💕 Every poem left me reflecting on my own life in a way that felt so real—the perfect balance of complexity and inspiration.

If you’re a Swiftie like me, you’ll adore how much this collection feels like a poetic homage to T-Swift herself! 🌟 Such an inspiring read!

A must-read for anyone who loves lyrical, emotional poetry that speaks to the soul. ✨

Well, I simultaneously enjoyed this one and also feel like I didn’t fully understand everything. Poetry, unless it’s pretty explicit feels too complex for me.

I am looking forward to seeing all the Swifties dive into this one and figuring out which song each author is writing about.

Thx to the publisher for an eARC.

'Invisible Strings' is a very fun concept that I have no doubt that Swifties will devour. There's a perfect amount of playfulness and depth to the poems. Easter eggs are an art form here, just as Taylor herself would want.

This was beautiful!! I'm a big Swiftie and couldn't wait to read this. The writing was amazing and I loved all the easter eggs.

Thank you NetGalley!

Invisible Strings is a beautiful anthology of poems inspired by, and in conversation with, Taylor Swift's own gorgeous lyrics. Thought-provoking and overflowing with a range of emotions, I highly recommend this collection to fans of Taylor, but also to those who simply love poetry. Additionally, those who appreciate a good puzzle will enjoy trying to match each poem with it's song!

Thank you to Random House, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t know if I guessed a single one correctly but these were all so incredibly beautiful. I cried several times

I recommend “Invisible Strings” for any lover of Taylor Swift or anyone who wants to dip their toes into modern poetry. I loved hearing the story of how this anthology came to be created. Each poem has a direct link to a single Taylor Swift song. It was fun to read the poems and try to understand them and their corresponding song.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The subtle nod to Taylor in each poem was well done. I was afraid it would be cheesy or tasteless, but that wasn’t the case at all. It was simply a beautiful collection of poetry inspired by one of the great artists/writers of our time. I would recommend to any fan of hers or a fan of poetry in general.

Disclaimer: I am a Swiftie.

Synopsis: A collection of original poems inspired by the songs of Dr. Taylor Alison Swift, and fans are left to decode which song might correspond with the poem.

This is a unique concept, in my opinion, where 113 poets were asked to write an original piece of work based on a specific Taylor Swift song. Then, some poets share their process or background of writing about the given song.

The book’s introduction was great and took an academic view of Swift’s songwriting and inspiration. I would read a whole think piece from Kristie Frederick-Daugherty examining Swift’s cultural impact.

To be fair, I am not a big reader of poetry, but I will consume any Swift-related media. If the introduction were not included and if this were just a book of poems, I don’t think the average reader would pick up on any Swift correlations. In fact, many times I forgot I was to be decoding any corresponding songs.

I would recommend reading a physical copy of this book, as opposed to audiobook or e-book, because readers would want to flip back and forth between the poems and the explanations/process for writing. Maybe I missed it, but I wished there was a list readers could check the song-poem matches.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced reader copy of #InvisibleStrings. To be published Dec. 3, 2024.

This was a very clever book. I have always seen Taylor Swift’s lyrics as poetry and often read them as such so it is such a good idea to use them as inspiration for new poems. The poems, themselves, were beautiful, well-written, and sometimes sad pieces of art that feel like part Taylor Swift and part something entirely their own. I enjoyed the variety of authors and enjoyed seeing how they each honored the ideas of Taylor Swift in their own way. I found some of the song inspirations to be obvious and others a bit more obscure, but they were all good in their own way. My only critic would be that it would have been nice to know what the inspiration was for each poem. Otherwise, I thought this was a great book, and would make a great gift for any Taylor Swift fan or any poetry fan.

…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!