CRUEL SUMMER
From the Taylors Version series, volume 2
by Elizabeth Eulberg ; illustrated by Liz Parkes
This lively follow-up to Love Stories (2025) spotlights friendship, first love, and high school summers.
The four Indiana teens, who are all named Taylor—Taylor “Teffy” Bennett, Taylor “Tay” Johnson, Taylor “TS” Shaw, and Taylor Perez—have wrapped up their freshman year of high school in this Taylor Swift–themed sequel. Each girl faces new pressures. Teffy, an aspiring songwriter, is feeling more inspired than ever even as her feelings for neighbor Liam Yoon challenge her focus. Tay leans into cheerleading while balancing a crush on classmate Reece Matthews. TS pours her energy into keeping up with varsity soccer training while exploring a gentle romance with British teammate Gemma Walker. And Taylor sets her sights on being a summer camp counselor. The chapters alternate among the friends’ perspectives, giving readers an intimate view of each girl’s inner life while weaving together their shared stories as Taylor Swift superfans. The novel sparkles with concert references and song lyrics, but its heart lies in its depiction of the shifting bonds of adolescent friendship among the racially diverse characters. The writing is brisk and contemporary, balancing humor, romance, and heartfelt reflection as the Taylors navigate crushes and setbacks and search for a sense of authentic identity.
A fun, heartfelt anthem celebrating community, ambition, and growing up.
(gallery of cast members, playlist) (Fiction. 12-16)