Stars Around My Scars is such an enjoyable dive into each of the eras of Taylor Swift to take a close look at the lyrics to beloved songs from each. I had so much fun diving into this and thinking critically about lyrics and their various interpretations from a literary standpoint.

This book is a must have for all your favorite Swifties!!

I would like to thank Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If my English classes in school were annotating and breaking down Taylor Swift’s songs, I feel like I would’ve had way more fun. This was so interesting to read and I typically steer well-clear of non-fiction as it can’t hold my attention.

I’m one of those people that can’t identify or understand words the first handful of times when listening to a song, so this was extremely helpful in dissecting lyrics from some of Taylor Swift’s songs (how did I never realize Ivy was about an affair????).

This book also proves that Taylor Swift is much smarter than the general public gives her credit for, because she utilizes SO MANY tools of poetry to write. I think this could be a huge reason why her music is so popular, it is intelligently and intentionally written to invoke thoughts or feelings from the listener.

This was fun and I enjoyed being able to sing along to the songs in my head and learn more. So good.

This was such a great book. Elly McCausland breaks down different songs Taylor Swift wrote and gives an "insight" into the writing. I really enjoyed it.

Taylor is an incredible lyricist and I absolutely loved this deep dive into her words. She is incredible and I recommend this to every Taylor fan!!

ugh i loved reading about the metaphors. it's also very visually intriguing which i loved, with summaries to your favourite songs at the end. it ate fr. all my swiftes need to read asap!!

This was such an interesting read! I enjoyed seeing how someone with an educational background broke down Taylor's songs like poems.

I gave it four stars because as in-depth of a read as this is, it's not Taylor giving us the real scoop - just someone's opinion.

As a Swiftie and language student it´s really interesting to see how other people interpret the metaphors, imagery, word play and other figures of speech. It´s also fair to mention that you do not need to be an expert in Taylor´s songs or have studied language on a deep level because the glosary at the end makes it easy to understand some terms.
I loved it!

As a big Taylor fan, I really enjoyed this book. The way it breaks down the lyrics and dives deep into the poetic meanings behind her songs is fascinating. I loved how it highlights recurring themes and literary references in her work.

Even though I was already familiar with many of her lyrics, the annotations and analysis offered a fresh perspective that made me appreciate her songwriting skills even more. This book is perfect for any Swiftie looking to explore her music on a deeper level.

A great read for fans of her music and anyone who loves literary analysis. Highly recommended if you want to understand more about the art behind her songs.

This book was a really fun way to go about making learning enjoyable. I often find myself passively listening to music. This book reminded me that there can be plenty of depth to things that have become less active in our lives.

The annotation style made it easy to follow the authors train of thought. Comments were kept concise to create a keen understanding of what themes/writing techniques each song utilized.

I very much appreciate the text that appeared after a breakdown of what the author found in the composition.

A quick, fun read. Especially for Taylor Swift fans. Bonus : fun for English majors.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the arc!

I wish I had thought of this idea sooner.

Stars Around My Scars is a compilation of Taylor Swift's most notable songs annotated by Dr. Elly McCausland, a professor of "Swifterature".

I love the acknowledgment that Taylor Swift's songs should be considered as poetry, and we should appreciate the use of literary devices in them.

I had expected to learn more about Taylor's skillful use of language through a literary analysis of her songs; but for a good portion of this book (especially anything before the Folklore era), some of the content can read more like fan theory than lit theory. I had thought this was just something in my head, but then I picked up a book with a very similar concept to this one, and it had exactly what I was looking for.

Regardless, Swifties who love language or reading will have a good time with this book and bask in the shared appreciation of Taylor's craft.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Stars Around My Scars will be available January 28, 2025.

This book took such an interesting deep dive into all of Taylor Swift’s songs. It includes both a detailed line-by-line analysis as well as an overarching analysis for each song. The author noted connections between songs that I never noticed. A great read for any Swifties!

Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book!

This was such an interesting deep dive into the poetry of Taylor Swift. As a huge Swiftie, I thoroughly enjoyed the different annotations and takes on lyrics as well as insights into the songs. This is a must read for any poetry, english loving Swiftie as I feel like I have a deeper understanding of some of her most hard hitting songs after completing this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this E-Galley in exchange for my honest review.

Perfect book for fellow Swifties!! Loved the deep dive into some of her popular songs.

Must have book for any Swiftie bookshelf.

Stars Around My Scars by Elly McCausland is out January 28, 2025. Thanks NetGalley for the early viewing.

i really enjoyed this book!! i love the artistic interpretations of some of taylor’s songs across all eras. it was cool how it was set up, with a font that looks like handwritten note annotating the song lyrics. i also enjoyed that there was a general wrap up of each song at the end. very cool idea for a book!

As a Swiftie who has been there since debut I loved this book and would recommend it to all Swifties it's a great read.

Calling all swifties! Run don't walk to read this book!

The layout of this book is stunning! I loved how the author annotated the lyrics and then gave an explanation. It is a great look into the song writing process and how it all ties together. It was also nice to revisit songs from all the eras! I would love to own a physical version of this book because of the beautiful pages. I also love that it goes all the way through the TTPD.

If you're a swiftie definitely pick this one up!

Thank you to Elly McCausland, Andrews McMeel Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was really good. For anyone interested in poetry analysis, as well as a broad overview of Taylor Swift‘s catalog, definitely fascinating.
Also good to have for that inevitable comment about Taylor Swift‘s songs being „badly written“ and „only about breakups“!
Might also be something for English teachers to have a look at and consider using her music for class!

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved the concept behind this book! The premise was so unique, and the execution completely delivered. The writing style was captivating, especially with the notes in the margins, which added such a creative layer to the storytelling. It felt like I was unraveling a mystery in real-time, and it made the reading experience so immersive.

This book made me feel like a full-blown Taylor Swift conspiracy theorist—connecting the dots, analyzing every word, and questioning everything. I was constantly second-guessing myself, and I loved every second of it. If you’re a fan of clever, interactive storytelling, this one is an absolute must-read!

Five stars!

Oh, how I truly loved this.

Synopsis: A must-have book for all Swifties, “Stars Around My Scars: The Annotated Poetry of Taylor Swift” by Elly McCausland analyzes 46 of Swift’s songs line by line to help listeners understand and appreciate her songwriting abilities and literary connections. McCausland is a professor of English literature — and “Swifterature” — at Ghent University in Belgium, so she knows what she’s talking about when it comes to history, poetry and literary references.

This in-depth, well-researched book really took me by surprise, uncovering even deeper meanings to some of Swift’s most emotional and beloved songs. I. Learned. So. Much.

McCausland avoids speculating which songs are about specific people or relationships and instead focuses on how Swift’s songs draw from other works of art as well as her own discography. This is one book to buy — not borrow — and treasure for years to come.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an advanced reader copy of #StarsAroundMyScars. To be published Jan. 28, 2025.

As a Swiftie, this book intrigued me. Dr. E. McCausland, a professor of literature in Belgium, has become known for her class in “Swiftature”. She takes the lyrics of popular songs by Taylor Swift and examines them from a literary point of view. One of the biggest (and most untrue in my opinion) complaints about Swift’s music is that “she only writes songs about her exes”. McCausland takes that argument and proves why it is wrong.

You do not have to be a Swiftie to understand this book! That being said, this is not a sit-down and read-for-fun book. This is a book I would (and probably will) get for one of the following reasons: 1. I’m going to read and discuss/annotate with my Swiftie friends. 2. To use in class as a teacher. Or 3. To add to my collection of Taylor Swift-related books.


Most of the annotations in the book talk about the literary structures of the lyrics and how they are used to convey meaning/ express feelings and tell a story. Many of the explanations she gives really opened my eyes to better understand how Blondie is able to pack such a punch into some of her most devastating songs. While I didn’t always agree with the conclusions made by Dr. McCausland, I found myself wanting to discuss the ideas and add my annotations. For this reason, I would not buy this as an e-book. I need the physical book so I can add my own thoughts and conclusions.

This book would be perfect for a Swiftie book club.