One of my favorite things to do after finishing an amazing book is look for songs that I can relate to the story. When I feel like part of the story itself while reading, it’s almost impossible for me to hear certain songs and not immediately think of specific characters. Since books and music are tied together for me, I decided to pair my favorite books with my favorite songs and share them with you!
What Happens After Midnight by K. L. Walther – “Question…?” by Taylor Swift
Does it feel like everything’s just like second best after that meteor strike?
Walther is a huge Taylor Swift fan, and What Happens After Midnight includes so many references to Swift that I had to pair these two together. “Question…?” is all about wondering what could’ve been, wondering if another person is as affected by a relationship as you are, and in this novel, Lily definitely has those same thoughts about Tag. Can anything live up to what their relationship was?
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman – “My World” by Conan Gray
It’s my world and it’s my life / It’s my girl and it’s my guy / I’ll kiss ‘em if I might like / I don’t have you in mind
Heartstopper is an absolute must-read graphic novel, just as Conan Gray’s fourth album Wishbone is a must-listen. In the story, Nick and Charlie learn to live for themselves without worrying about pleasing those around them. As they come to terms with their sexualities, mental health disorders, and personalities, they learn that it’s truly their world, and it doesn’t belong to anyone else. “My World” is the anthem that Nick and Charlie need.
The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – “the grudge” by Olivia Rodrigo
You built me up to watch me fall / You have everything and you still want more
The third book in The Inheritance Games series, The Final Gambit, reveals secrets that could destroy every truth Avery Grambs has learned since receiving Tobias Hawthorne’s inheritance. After so much time wondering why she was picked over the four Hawthorne grandsons, she discovers that the Hawthorne family built her up to watch her fall, just as Rodrigo describes in “the grudge.”
It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han – “Suburban Legends” by Taylor Swift
I broke my own heart ‘cause you were too polite to do it / Waves crash on the shore, I dash to the door / You don’t knock anymore, and my whole life’s ruined
The Summer series and Taylor Swift are undoubtedly connected, and Swift’s “Suburban Legends” is the perfect song for the second book, It’s Not Summer Without You. Although they had a few blissful months together, Belly and Conrad break up when Susanah, Conrad’s mom, gets sicker and passes away. Belly ends things at prom, knowing that Conrad won’t break her heart himself, and she feels as though her whole world has been ruined as she grieves Susannah, her past, and the childhood she lost.
Turtles All The Way Down by John Green – “Unsteady” by Gracie Abrams
But it’s so hard / When it feels like my fault / When I keep ‘em so far / Happens when I go dark / I’m so unsteady
This novel follows Aza, a teenager with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who tries to live what she thinks is a normal life. “Unsteady” by Abrams discusses how mental health isn’t always steady, but rather tumultuous, causing her to blame herself. Similarly, Aza argues with her mother and her best friend, Daisy, enough that she starts to believe her OCD is in control of her, making her feel “unsteady.”
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – “Elizabeth Taylor” by Taylor Swift
All my white diamonds and lovers are forever / In the papers, on the screen, and in their minds
Similarly to the icon Elizabeth Taylor, Evelyn Hugo is a famous actress. She has faced many obstacles when searching for love, but what the public doesn’t know is that underneath her facade and her seven husbands, Hugo has developed a true, deep love that she keeps to herself. She knows her husbands are forever notorious, but it pales in comparison to who she truly loves.
If We Survive This by Racquel Marie – “The View Between Villages” by Noah Kahan
The things that I lost here, the people I knew / They got me surrounded for a mile or two
If We Survive This follows Flora as she navigates life during a zombie apocalypse. Flora and her brother make the difficult decision to leave their house in Los Angeles and travel to Northern California in hopes of something safer. It’s hard for Flora to leave all that she’s ever known, and she knows that grief surrounds her, no matter how much she wishes to escape it. Her feelings of loss align with the themes in Kahan’s song.
The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith – “Already Over” by Sabrina Carpenter
And it won’t be the last time / I say I’m done, but I’m still confused / How am I supposed to close the door when I still need the closure?
When Ivy Benton must compete in trials to secure the love of Prince Bram, she doesn’t expect to fall for his brother, Emmett. Though she knows she can’t have feelings for him because she’s trying to save her family from ruin, she can’t seem to ignore Emmett. As Carpenter sings “How am I supposed to close the door when I still need the closure?” I can’t help but think of Ivy and Emmett and their inability to stay away from each other.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo – “Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call” by Bleachers
And the toughest part is that we both know / What happened to you / Why you’re out on your own / Merry Christmas / Please don’t call
Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias have all run from toxic situations and formed a gang, the Crows. Maybe they can understand where their past foes are coming from, but they won’t forgive them for all they’ve done to hurt the Crows, so they build their own family where they are valued by each other and their infamy speaks for itself. They recognize their past (“Merry Christmas”) but don’t care to forgive their enemies (“Please don’t call”).
The Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni – “3D” by Grace Enger
No, I never could forget you / But the filter on the lens might change / Things look better in the rearview / Or much worse, I guess it all depends, ‘ends
The final novel in The Prison Healer trilogy, The Blood Traitor follows Kiva after she’s betrayed the royal family—including Jaren Vallentis, the prince she formed a relationship with—and everyone she loves. Kiva doesn’t know how to get Jaren to forgive her, and Jaren doesn’t know how to forgive Kiva after all he’s lost. Their relationship isn’t simple, and looking back at it only highlights how differently they interpret what they meant to each other.
Emersen Cooper, Pine Reads Review Writer and Editor