A fun and analytical take to Taylor’s lyrics and what might be the underlying tones and meanings behind them.

This is fascinating! There are so many books out there with Taylor Swift as a focus, but most of them feel like a cash grab, this one does not at all! It's well researched and by an expert in the field. As a lover of the English language and Tay, I can say this is a perfect addition to any study of her works. It makes me wish I could take the classes on her!

Long story short: I LOVE this book! This is a must haves for all Swifties who love to dive in and analyze all of her lyrics and patterns within Taylor Swift’s songwriting. In a world where there are sooooo many books based on our favorite pop star, this one offers a unique insight that goes beyond surface level discussions of style and impact, but deep dives into what we love most about Taylor: her music. I loved the insightful notes and details, such as the semantic details and vocabulary related to crime in Reputation, reasons for her use of repetition in certain areas, and the role that rhythm played into the narrative of Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince. I enjoyed all of these little details and Easter eggs and cannot wait to read thru this again with my daughter who is the original Swiftie in our household. Bravo! My only disappointment is that it isn’t available before Christmas!

I love T.Swift. I loved the notes and comments on my favorite songs! This is something I feel I would continue to come back to and enjoy.

For the Swifties, romantics, and poets.
This book is a collection of select songs from Taylor Swift's albums and breaks down each stanza with great analysis and commentary, and shows how deep and meaningful each song is.
Hoping this book is one of many.

Awesome book for anyone who loves Taylor Swift and is interested in learning more and reading into her lyrics as poetry. Stays away from the headlines of who each song is about (mostly) and highlights devices she uses and interesting things about each song.

I loved this. As a big swiftie I really REALLY enjoyed reading this book and looking at all the annotations. I will definitely recommend this to all swifties who are hiding their tortured poets inside. This is the perfect book

As a Swiftie, I could not, not get this! It really breaks down line for line of her lyrics and creates more understanding and meaning. Some of the analysis was kind of a given, but there was a lot that made you realize what the lyrics actually mean. Would recommend to my fellow Swifties

This book is so cool! I’ma huge Swiftie and love analyzing Taylor’s lyrics so this book is perfect! I cannot wait to gift this fun book to all of the fellow Swifties in my life! I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was such an intriguing deep-dive into the literary and symbolic meanings behind Taylor’s songs, from throughout her career so far. As a fan of her work over the past sixteen years. I found myself gaining insights I had never really considered before. Highly recommended for any Swifties!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the eARC, in exchange for my honest review!

One of my FAVORITE things about listening to Taylor Swift is really digging into the imagery, metaphors and themes of her lyrics and Stars Around My Scars is a perfect companion to that hobby. From her debut album all the way to The Tortured Poets Department, Dr. Elly McCausland takes us on a lyrical journey through some of Taylor’s most lyrically vivid songs such as Love Story, Marjorie, You’re On Your Own, Kid and So Long, London. With her own notes in the margins, she points out poetic and literary devices, possible inspirations and recurring themes that we see throughout Taylor’s musical catalog. I think any Swiftie would enjoy this book, but especially ones who are major literature and poetry lovers. Keep in mind, all of the thoughts in this book are her own interpretation. It was fun to read some of the notes and see where my thoughts differed from hers and where they were the same. All in all, I enjoyed this book so much and honestly would not mind a part two with more interpretations of other songs.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this break down and analysis of Taylor's songs. I've always thought she is a great poet and loved this look at her lyrics that were shown more as poetry than songs. It's a fun read!

I’ve always known that there’s so much more behind a song’s lyrics than just the words we hear. And when it comes to Taylor Swift, this book proves that her ability to weave layers of meaning and emotion into her music is nothing more than genius. I went into this book hoping it would offer something special, an extra look into the words. It definitely did!

If you’re a Swiftie or just someone who appreciates powerful poetic writing (the reason I personally like Taylor Swift), this book is an absolute must-read. It’s a perfect deep dive into the art of Taylor Swift’s lyrics and will leave you with an even greater appreciation for her work.

This book contains songs from Taylor Swift, and the writer of this book tries to capture the depth and complexity of Taylor’s songwriting. It’s done beautifully, both because of the design of this book and the thoughts/notes that are written out.
This book is an eye-opening journey through her lyrics, unpacking the sentences and words in a way that makes you realize there’s even more going on behind the lyrics than you might have already imagined there was. To see her craft laid out like this, accompanied with notes that tell you the meaning behind things, makes you feel more connected to the words.

The notes and the explaining texts are all very clear and good to follow without needing to grow a second brain - which is sometimes the case with poetic studies of texts like this.

Again, I definitely recommend this book!

I found this book very entertaining and informative. The format was fun to follow, with annotated songs as though they were handwritten in a notebook, followed by a proper recap. It felt like being back at university and studying literary texts. I particularly enjoyed discovering all the interconnections between songs across Swift's oeuvre, besides learning and/or remembering all the technical terms (thanks for the glossary!).
If a lot of the author's comments seemed substantial and enlightening, I found others to be quite speculative and far-reaching. But as any piece of writing, it's always open to interpretation, because we aren't in Taylor's head, so we'll never really fully know what she truly meant, which is why these texts resonate so well with so many. The conclusion is a great reminder of this, these texts are all ours now.

This book is a must-read for all Swifties but also lovers of literature!
Dr. Elly McCausland starts by introducing the readers to the reasoning behind this book and shows that it really makes sense (and how important it is) to understand and not underestimate Swift's art of writing. Over these 240 pages, we're taken on a beautiful literary journey of discovering the depth of numerous songs from Taylor Swift's eleven albums. The author thoroughly describes how she approached the annotation and understanding of these presented songs, and does it most eloquently. For each song included in the book, we get lyrics with annotations (clean and aesthetically pleasing) and analysis. Moreover, the pages at the beginning of each chapter have great designs!
For additional reading pleasure, this book provides us with a list of literary works that can be connected with Taylor Swift's lyrics. In the end, we can also find a glossary of literary terms, which is great, as the language used throughout the book is very advanced and professional.

I'm so glad I found this book randomly because it offered such great insights into Taylor Swift's lyricism. I love how the chapters are laid out, and I was so happy to see little illustrations that matched each era. I'm not by any means a poet, so I would never have been able to dissect Taylor's lyrics like the author did! I really like that all the annotations look handwritten! I hope that someone is able to get this book into Taylors hands one day because she would 100% approve!

this book offers great analysis on some of taylor's songs. even as a big swiftie, i have gained some new perspective on a few songs, such as coney island and chloe et al. if the author ever does another book on some other songs, i'd definitely be interested in checking it out for sure!

I received an advanced copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

This concept is amazing and it was executed beautifully. I loved that the author broke down the thematic and literary components of the lyrics, rather than theorizing about the subject of the songs. Will definitely have to show this to people who don't believe that Taylor Swift is a poet.

This was a really cool book! I love learning more about literary connections. It was cool to read the lyrics and look at the annotations to see the song in a new way! Would be great for those that love the lyrics and thinking about them. I definitely want a copy after seeing the Netgalley version.

A fun, analytical analysis of some of TS's most iconic songs, and I really like how the author approached this. I think this book would be perfect for the young swiftie in your life and could get them interested in literature and hopefully inspire a deeper love of poetry and literature in anyone. 4.5/5

This is an intense breakdown of Taylor Swift's songs by an English literature PhD. If you find yourself wondering the meaning of these T Swift songs, this book is for you. This would be an excellent holiday gift for a die hard Swiftie.

A must read for any Taylor Swift fan. Elly expertly examines her songs with both a breakdown of the lyrics with handwritten text in the margins as well as an analysis at the end. I listened to the songs as I read to completely surround myself. I can't wait to buy my Taylor Tot a copy!

Taylor Swift? Count me in!!

I absolutely loved this deep dive into Taylor Swifts lyrics and the break down of what the Author, Elly McCausland, believed it to be. The art in the book was so much fun. McCausland has vast knowledge of poetry and clearly did her research when putting together this masterpiece. As if I were talking to a friend while breaking down the Swifty lyrics and them understanding exactly where I am coming from!

It was so great that I was able to download immediately and see it in color through the NetGalley app on my phone.

McCauseland discusses the significance and technique Swift uses throughout her writing and she does so by album and song, so you can truly see Swifts evolvement through the years and decades. I can picture myself sitting in a room with the Author discussing in great length and detail Taylor Swifts art.

4/5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed the almost diaristic format of this book. There are typed lyrics and additional notes in a font that looks handwritten…but I don’t think actually is. The lines connecting the notes and circled words really add to the charm and make the reader feel like you’re reading from a notebook that a friend passed over. Swifties have been combing through lyrics and liner notes since Taylor has been writing songs, and I’ve been a fan from the beginning so it was nice to see a “professional’s” take on this…to have the right words for some of what I’ve noticed in her writing. My only complaint is that there are a couple of instances in here where I disagree with the author’s interpretation because it goes against things that Taylor herself has said.

This book leans more toward literary analysis and poetic techniques than the juicy parts of the songs. I can absolutely say that the whole book opened up a new world for me, and it will probably change the way I analyze songs forever. I also really liked the format of the book. It was so cool to read handwritten-style notes right next to the lyrics, and the analysis of each song neatly summed things up in a concise and thoughtful way.

While I enjoyed the book, I think those with a deeper interest in literary techniques than me will get the most out of it.

I've always known there was more to Taylor's music but I could rarely every put it into words. Reading the details and explanations of the why's and what's through out the lyrics of her music bring out another side to her story. I know this just scratched the surface of her discography but I loved every second of it!

This was such a fun read for a swiftie! I loved the analysis of her lyrics! Makes you think a little more when you listen to her music!

Book 197

Stars Around My Scars by Dr. Elly McCausland

ARC Review - release date January 28, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to Dr. Elly McCausland, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Stars Around My Scars in exchange for an honest review.

As a Swiftie and a lover of reading poetry, this book was a perfect combination of my interests! Poetry analysis has never been a subject I enjoyed but through this book I learned so much about literary techniques and poetry construction. It helps that I already knew all of the songs that were analyzed!

I appreciate that there are songs from each of Taylor Swift's eras to show the long history of thought and story telling that goes into her music! Additionally, I loved that Dr. McCausland made it a point to state that the songs were picked and analyzed based on their universally applicable themes and didn't speculate on who the song might be about.

My biggest issue with the book has to do with styling. All of the songs have in text "handwritten" analysis. Some songs have purple boxes within to analyze themes as the poem goes on. Others have the analysis after the poem. I like the in text purple boxes more!

Overall, this is a 4 star read for me!

#scarsaroundmystars #netgalley #books #reading #taylorswift #poetry #nonfiction #andrewsmcmeel

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

For fans who want to learn everything they can about Swifts writing, who want to delve into her lyrics and poetry and examine it from every angle! This book feels like a good jumping off point for new fans and a nice analytical read for Swifties who have been listening for a while.

The formatting is really nice and I like how much effort the author has obviously put into the book. It feels like a passion project and the handwritten font feels like we've just been given a journal of the authors thoughts. The fonts and illustrations all feel like they belong and the "English Literature (Taylor's Version) is a nice touch.

I do wish the color of the annotations matched the eras. Staying purple throughout is a bit of a missed opportunity. I have my own ideas about the lyrics but comparing and contrasting with what the author presents was really nice and the experience was enjoyable.

A really fascinating look at Taylor’s work as a lyricist for both diehard fans as well as for those who question the recognition and praise she continues to receive. A must read for anyone who has been touched by Taylor’s music.

As an avid Taylor Swift fan, lover of literature, and songwriter myself I adored this book. It was a delight to see the author dive into Taylor's lyrics, zooming in to examine the implications of a specific word or image and then zooming out to draw parallels in other parts of the song or in her discography. Taylor Swift's artistry is fully appreciated in this book. It intentionally doesn't get bogged down in speculation about possible sources of inspiration. Rather it encourages us to really look at the text and glean all we can from what is communicated and how it's phrased. I particularly enjoyed the discussion of some of her more ambiguous songs like hoax. The imagery in that song is vivid and complex and I so appreciated that it was one of the songs selected to be a part of this collection. Despite having been a fan of Taylor's for fourteen years now, this author got me to look at some of these songs in a new light. I had a wonderful time with this book and I will definitely be returning to it in the future because like Swift herself I'm such a nerd about analyzing how language is used. This is a great read for new and old Taylor Swift fans alike!

That was fantastic! I flew through this book in less than two hours. My throat's sore from singing (or trying to) along as I read.
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you!!!!

Thank you so much, for the ARC!

Andrews McMeel Publishing does it again: they are always ahead of the curve when it comes to the publishing industry's edge.

From Dr Elly McCausland, the creator of the English Literature (Taylor's Version) course at Ghent University aka professor of Swifterature, comes the collection of annotated poetry of Taylor Swift. Very timely, seeing as the pop star is constantly in the news, sweeping awards, and breaking records…the cultural (and economic) impact of The Eras Tour alone is explanation enough. I flew from India to Ireland for the concert, and I know fans who’ve attended the concert multiple times (whatever your guess is for the number of times, rest assured its an exponent of that). All of this happened for the experience, yes, but it also happened because the fans have often felt heard and seen in the singer-songwriter’s poetic lyricism.

So it's no wonder, then, that the phenomenon that is Taylor Swift has also spawned an academic field deciphering the poetics behind her lyrics; conferences have been organised, literary magazines and journals have been inspired, and now we have “Stars Around My Scars” doing a closer reading of the songwriting.

Even the dedication of the book is laced with that Taylor magic! I am a fan for multiple reasons, but most of all because of Taylor's lyricism, and this book is a sheer delight for other Swifties like me. Taylor employs a rich array of poetic & literary devices in her writing – unpacking that is a soothing exercise if not downright healing. Its subversive storytelling is only made obvious briefly through folklore-style world-creation. Fans have, therefore, revelled in the fun parts - decoding easter eggs,

Now, coming over to the book: McCausland remains utmost respectful of the songwriter as she embarks on the decoding adventure — she is clear she isn’t going to play muse-whodunit here.
And the result is a collection of songs, annotated with a plethora of poetic devices employed by Taylor. In short, this is any literature student’s dream. (For me, personally, this was a door to the many poetry-related world-building concepts, and for that I am thankful)

The book offers cohesive as well aa standalone insights into the words: that Swift likens relationships to an ongoing story (manuscript, the story of us and so on) in a metaphor that surpasses eras. That she writes about her life — fame is explored in a biting way, for she is thankful for what’s happened, yet the downsides of fame don’t elude her.

McCausland herself uses a beautiful prose to describe songs, “The ink bleeds so she doesn’t have to.” or “We are the sum of our trials & tribulations.”

I highly recommend that Swifties read it and write their own poetry if that’s their jam! I know I will.

The book offers a very thorough analysis of Taylor Swift's lyrics. I loved how the lyrics appear with notes beside them. It analyzes metaphors, symbolism, and Taylor's evolution. The reading is accessible and fun to read as a swifty myself. I think it's a book for all Swifties. If that's not you, then you can pass.

Thank you Netgalley and Ella McCausland for this advance copy!

I had the best time reading this book, I never knew I needed an analysis of some of my favorite Taylor Swift songs but now I’m INSPIRED to dig into every song. This was so fun and so insightful. I highly recommend picking it up for the Swiftie in your life!

This book combines two of my favorite things: literary analysis and Taylor Swift! I absolutely loved this deep dive into Swift's lyrics, and I actually think this would be an interesting read for anyone who is interested in digging into how songwriters can use literary devices to draw in their listeners. I gained a whole new appreciation for her songwriting and can't wait to continue analyzing her music in the future. I just wish I could take McCausland's college course - it's probably just as fascinating as this book is.

“Stars Around My Scars” was a great book. This book examines Taylor Swift lyrics as the poetry I believe it is. Dr. Elly McCausland did an amazing job of look at Swift’s lyrics from a poet’s perspective. Not only did the analysis help to better understand Swift’s lyrics in a new light, I also learned a lot about poetry in general and how to analyze it. Though this book did not include all of Taylor Swift’s lyrics, it included many great songs. It also provided the reader with the skills to analyze any of Swift’s other songs. This would be a great book for any Taylor Swift fan or anyone who needs to be convinced how great of a lyricist Swift is. I would definitely recommend this book.

Avid swiftie so I felt like I already had a good understanding of the meanings behind the songs. Though I have rarely just sat and read poetic breakdowns of the lyrics and found that very interesting and gave me even more respect for Taylor’s song writing.

Was able to read this though NetGalley and think any fan of her music would love to read this book. Even if you don’t like her songs, it proves just how talented she is at storytelling.

This is perfect for any Swiftie! If you aren't a fan of Taylor, but are wondering why she gets so much hype and why her music resonates so well with so many people, this book also just goes to show how talented she is!

An in depth and emotional dive into the brilliant lyricism of Taylor Swift. This book is perfect for those looking to dive deep into the best musician of a generation.

I really enjoyed this. It wasn’t exactly what I expected but it was very enjoyable. I enjoyed the insight for the songs that were analyzed. My favorite album is 1989 (Taylor’s Version) and the selection of songs did not disappoint.

Elly McCausland’s Stars Around My Scars is a breathtaking masterpiece that blends raw emotion with exquisite prose. This deeply personal and beautifully crafted novel explores themes of love, loss, resilience, and healing, pulling readers into an unforgettable journey of self-discovery.

McCausland’s writing is poetic and evocative, painting vivid imagery that lingers long after the final page. The characters feel achingly real, their struggles and triumphs resonating on a deeply human level. It’s rare to find a book that balances heartbreak and hope so seamlessly, but this one achieves it with grace.

The thing (among many) I love most about Taylor Swift is her writing, so this book was beyond interesting to me. I absolutely loved how the author annotated the different song lyrics (poems) and broke down the words and their meanings. I couldn't even begin to tell you lyrics from other artists, but when it comes to Taylor Swift, learning what the songs are about is one of my favorite parts of being a Swiftie. Stars Around My Scars is a must read for fellow Swifties. Exactly what we need as we mourn the end of the Eras tour.

Thank you to the publisher, author and Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. As a new-ish Swiftie who is the best friend of a veteran Swiftie, I thought this book was a great intro for fans new and old to the lyrics and meaning for Taylor's songs. Beautifully put together, and would make a great gift!

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.

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.

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.

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!!

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!

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!!