This is a fun, lighthearted dive into Swift's discography and life. As a young fan, I adored this book, and it was fun to revisit it now that she has increased her fame. It probably won't stand out in comparison to the oeuvre of works that have come out in recent years about the musician, but it is a great introduction, especially for a younger reader.

Okay, okay, laugh all you want. Yes, I requested a Taylor Swift biography on NetGalley. I saw it there and just couldn't resist. Don't tell me that you haven't wondered who all those songs were about. That was definitely my primary motive in reading the book.

It was mildly interesting. I liked reading about Swift's pathway to success, and especially her determination and goal-setting. I think she is a good role model for girls, which is refreshing because most teen/young twenties celebrities are making poor decisions. I also loved learning the details about each of her songs. There are chapters that go through information on who each song is about, how Swift came to write it, and other "fun facts." Because my main interest in reading the book was who all those songs were written about, those chapters (entitled "Swift Notes") were definitely interesting to me.

The writing of the book was pure cheese. The author took an almost worshipful stance at Taylor Swift, calling her "Swifty," "The Swift One," and "The Sparkly One." I might have thrown up in my mouth a few times. Also, when describing a line in the song "Picture to Burn," in which Taylor Swift sings, "That's fine, I'll tell mine you're gay," the author quickly explains that on the radio edit, the line has been changed, because "Taylor would never offend anyone." Okay... but she did write the line. I'm not defending or condemning her -- just thought the line was cheesy.

Basically, it did what I wanted it to. But it was cheesy.

I'm not entirely sure why I requested a book on Taylor Swift, when I hardly listen to her music.
But it was interesting, slow going and dry, but interesting all the same.