Fearless (The Taylors #2)

The Taylors #2

by Jen Calonita

New York Times bestselling author Jen Calonita tells the story of four best friends . . . all named Taylor (and all Swifties!) figuring out how to survive middle school together.

When the Taylors learn that this year's fifth grade school trip over spring break is to Nashville, they can't believe their luck. The trip will include a trip to the Country Music Hall of Fame, which offers school workshops like Songwriting 101, which is aspiring songwriter Teffy's dream come true!



But a trip this big doesn't come without a few bumps. Taylor has never been away from her family before and is nervous. Teffy is worried her songwriting dreams will be over before they can begin if no one likes her songs. TS fears making a big mistake by skipping volleyball tryouts to go away with her friends. And how will Tay Tay survive her assigned roommate -- mean girl Hannah?



If the Taylors want to make this trip the adventure of a lifetime, they'll have to find a way to overcome their worries and fears the way they always do -- by leaning on each other.

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2026

About the author

Hi Goodreads!
I'm Jen Calonita, a MG and YA author who loves what I do because it lets me connect with all of you (and no, I wasn't intending for that to rhyme!).

I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it was fourth grade when I put my "three wishes" for a genie down on paper. They were:
#1. Buy all the Cabbage Patch Kids in the world and give them away for free (because apparently that was how I rolled).
#2. I wanted a mansion, limo, lake house, pool and speed boat (still sounds quite nice).
#3. I wanted to be an author for young readers, which I am!

I love writing novels for teens (and for savvy grown ups who know that YA rocks at any age). My first series was "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" and it followed a teen star named Kaitlin Burke who struggled with the fame game. I have also written the stand-alone novels Sleepaway Girls, it's companion book, Summer State of Mind and the Belles series.

I've been writing middle grade too and am having so much fun with my series Fairy Tale Reform School! The fourth book in this series about a school run by former villains is called Tricked and will be out March 2018. Ever wonder what it would be like if your parents got a job with someone like Taylpr Swift? My other middle grade series, VIP, follows super fan Mackenzie Lowell as she tours with her favorite band, Perfect Storm.

I promise to give book updates here, and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or my website. I hope I hear from you!

xo
Jen

Reviews

[Makayla Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobooked: So many good life lessons in this book and very heartwarming! I'm very jealous of thier trip; in fifth grade we went to a ditch in the middle of Texas to look for fossils! Lol! I also appreciated the Percy Jackson reverence!

3/1/25 I got to meet this author at the North Texas Teen Book Festival! She was so kind and amazing! She signed a book plate for me (for this book), gave me a lot of signed book marks for friends, gave me a "The Taylors" friendship bracelet, and even took a picture with me!

If you loved this book, then I suggest:
The My Life in Pink & Green Series
The Willow Falls series
The Dirt Diary series
Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies

💛🤍💛🤍👢Fearless🫶💛🤍💛🤍

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

After getting together in fifth grade in The Taylors, our Indianapolis friends Teffy, Taylor, Tay Tay, and TS are back. This time, they are loaning the black bowler hat that they got directly FROM TAYLOR SWIFT HERSELF to TS, who is hoping to do well in her soccer tryouts. The parents have all warned that taking the hat to school is a bad idea, and the girls agree. They are all looking forward to the fifth grade class trip in February, and when it is announced during a school assembly that they will be going to Nashville, Tennessee, they are all super excited. The land of Swift herself? Of course they want to go. The only problem? There will only be three friends per room. This means that the group will be split up, and even though they try to crunch the numbers and game the system, they get split up. Teffy rooms with Taylor and Lucia Alvares who seems nice enough, even if her friends give the group a hard time. TS decides not to go because the trip is at the same time as her volleyball tryouts. This means that Tay Tay ends up with the evil Hannah, because she let Greta list her as a first choice. There are plenty of things to do in Nashville, but also some anxiety about not having a phone, being seen reading graphic novels, having a fear of the dark, and experiencing homesickness. Does any of it ultimately matter if you can stand on the same stage where Taylor Swift stood? Of course not. Further adventures with the Taylors are most likely forthcoming.
Strengths: Ah, class trips. I go often with the 8th graders to D.C., and know that this is a huge deal for middle school travelers. I love that the Taylors are good friends even though they have different interests, and I am glad that I am able to keep them straight most of the time! Hannah is the stereotypical mean girl, but the other characters are all pretty amenable and resilient. I'm sure I missed a lot of Swift references that young readers will understand more than I would. The details of Nashville are good, and it's always fun to have a vicarious travel experience. I will be looking forward to the next book.
Weaknesses: I couldn't believe that the destination of the trip was secret even after the parents had to pay a deposit; that just wouldn't fly at my school. Also, there would be no problem at all with requesting that four girls room together. Absolutely none. The problem is always kids who seem to have no friends who have to be put into rooms. Of course, the anxiety about roommates is completely real, and there had to be a way to make this possible, so I'll let this slide! Also, TS wouldn't have to miss the trip to try out for the team. That would be unreasonable. Other 5th graders would miss tryouts as well.
What I really think: My students were VERY excited to see these books, as well as the high school version by Elizabeth Eulberg. I don't usually buy pop culture books, since they can have a very brief life span, but Ms. Swift is so popular that these books will be worn out long before she goes out of fashion.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Scholastic in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Fearless by Jen Calonita was so cheesy, but also so much fun for Swifties! It’s packed with song references hidden in the chapter titles, great Nashville nods, mentions of the Eras Tour, and plenty of other delightful easter eggs.

This hits the perfect middle-grade sweet spot: relatable, age-accurate, and grounded. The issues and challenges the girls faced felt spot-on for this stage of life, and the book did a fantastic job modeling healthy ways to navigate friendship drama. Striking the perfect balance of drama, heart, and excitement, the story kept me hooked from start to finish.

What really stood out was the main character’s growth. I loved watching her navigate challenges with genuine courage while remaining completely relatable and real. Her journey of figuring out who she is and what she truly wants. It felt authentic and inspiring, and I found myself rooting for her the entire time.

The relationships added so much depth, too. The friendships, family dynamics, and sprinkling of crushes and romance all felt layered and meaningful, adding real substance to the story beyond just the glamorous setting. There were moments that made me smile and others that genuinely surprised me.

By the end, I felt completely satisfied yet eager for more. This book is an engaging and heartfelt sequel, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys character-driven stories with a bit of sparkle, emotion, and strong personal growth. Honestly, I'm especially excited to put this in the hands of a reluctant reader, knowing the allure of Taylor Swift references and that cover art will do a lot of the heavy lifting!

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review the ARC of this book.

3 stars

The cover of this book makes it look like it is a graphic novel, so I was surprised to see it was a chapter book.

It’s a middle grade book aimed at girls, especially those who are Taylor Swift fans; in fact, if they aren’t fans, they probably won’t feel any connection to the characters or their TS obsession. The girls are in 5th grade but to me it seems like it would play better to a 4th grade, or maybe even 3rd graders who are strong readers, and who might “look up to” 5th graders.

I struggled to differentiate any of the 4 girls (all named Taylor, and all with honestly fairly cringey nicknames). This is book 2 in a series and perhaps if I’d read book 1, it would have been more clear that each girl has their own personality.

Overall, this is a perfectly good and clean book for any parent or teacher looking for a book for a middle grade (girl) reader.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

We return to middle school era Taylors with this sequel to The Taylors. We join our four girls as they approach their fifth grade school trip, to Nashville, a perfect place for a Taylor Swift fan. But stressors and changes to plans give the girls challenges they have to overcome to enjoy themselves.

This is a very sweet book perfect for any young readers who like Taylor Swift. Filled with references, this book is a fun story that explores age-accurate challenges like expanding friendships, anxieties and overcoming them, and balancing all your wants in a way that can help girls of that age be prepared for challenges they may face in the real world.

I enjoyed the little hints to the future for it's companion series set in the high school timeframe, though it does still have the challenge of Swift releasing new things while the book timeline is happening.

[Elizabeth Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows the same four girls all named Taylor Swift as the first book, but this time it's about each girl facing their fears on the way up to a fifth grade class trip to Nashville.

I truly view this one probably around the same as I do the first book in this series. For me personally it's rather cheesy, but I think it would be perfect for a little swiftie in your life. It deals with some issues that are difficult for people that are in elementary school and I could see them relating to this book a lot.

I also liked reading more from these characters. I think they're adorable and a cute little friendship group to follow their Taylor adventures.

Thank you to Scholastic and NetGalley for the ARC to honestly review.

[Yapha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Middle school friend drama is so hard! This second book about The Taylors in their middle school years touches on quite a bit of it, all set on the backdrop of a school trip to Nashville. They each face their fears and challenges head on and are good friends to each other and their classmates. There are plenty of Taylor Swift sing alongs throughout, as well as a pilgrimage to the related sites in Nashville. With four very different girls as main characters, readers are sure to find a Taylor to connect with. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up. (Read in order for best results.) I love this series, both the middle school version and the high school version!

eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Scholastic and Jen Calonita for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

My credentials for this read: a 42 year old die hard Swiftie, and the mom to a 10 year old Swiftie.

I read book 1, The Taylors, as my daughter grabbed it from her Scholastic book fair. It's a REALLY fun story- but does a great job focusing on conflicts in friendships, adversaries and personal limits. Fearless carries those themes on beautifully!

This class trip to Nashville story embodies the 5th grade experience- the anxiety, expectations, mean girls and more.

I DO think that this is best enjoyed as a series. MAJOR spoilers in this one that will take away from your experience if reading The Taylors second.

[Rhonda Tiwari · Rating 3 out of 5]

What do you do when your friend group are all named Taylor? Worship the queen Taylor Swift, of course. In Fearless (The Taylors #2) by Jen Calonita, the Taylors set off on the 5th grade field trip of a lifetime: visiting Nashville, TN, where Taylor Swift has strong connections. Although there are struggles (including learning to make new friends beyond their tight group), their fearlessess shines as they tackle opportunities outside of their comfort zone. As someone who attended the Eras Tour in Indianapolis and grew up in the Indy area, it was nice to relive the some of the excitement of being a Swiftie through the eyes of 5th grade girls. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for making this ARC available for me to read and honestly review.

[Mikaela Lennberg (lennberglibrary) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have a mini Swiftie in your life you need to pick this up ASAP. I read this with my 9 year old daughter who is a big fan and we both loved it. It is age appropriate and addresses many common issues girls this age face including friendship challenges, overcoming fears, and choosing what hobbies and sports to pursue. The book tackled these topics and showed how to work through things like this with the help of friends, teachers, and parents. There are so many fun Taylor Swift references, song titles, and Eras tour memories thrown in throughout that made it such a fun read. If you want a fun read with some Swiftie magic mixed in, this is your book!

[Kelly Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

In Fearless, we rejoin Teffy and her pals (also named Taylor) during January of their fifth grade year. The girls are contemplating the school trip to Nashville and all the pitfalls and drama that come with school trips. I really felt like a fifth grade girl again reading this book. It focuses heavily on how hard relationships can be in that time of your life and how big certain decisions feel: for example, who your roommates are on a school trip.

This book is really sweet and wonderful. Would recommend for kids as young as eight or nine, depending on reading level.

[Mo Holub · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Taylors are headed to Music City! And while Teffy and her friends are excited about their class trip, the weeks leading up to it are anything but easy. Preparing for the trip might end up being harder than being away from home on their own, with drama over roommates and each Taylor worrying about something they are sure will go wrong. But Teffy knows they can handle it if they can just be fearless! A great follow-up story as these four girls continue figuring out who they are and what it means to be a good person and a good friend out there in the world.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fearless was a cute book. I hadn't read The Taylors book one, but I felt like they provided enough backstory for you to understand the gist of what happened. This book is about four best friends, all named Taylor, that all love Taylor Swift. As a huge Taylor Swift fan, I was excited to read this book. The characters were in fifth grade, but I feel like younger kids would enjoy this better. I enjoyed the facts sprinkled into the story about Taylor Swift. Pretty cute, but not revolutionary.

[Danielle | daniellereadslikealot · Rating 4 out of 5]

A FABULOUS addition to The Taylors universe! I love Teffy, TS, Tay Tay and Taylor so much and it was so great to be back with them again! I really enjoyed the story of this one with The Taylors each having a fear and facing it head on with each other’s support, but also realizing that it’s okay to make/have more friends besides just the four of them! I LOVED their trip to Nashville and exploring all the cool things to do there, especially the Taylor Swift related places. It definitely had me wanting to plan a trip! This is such a great middle grade series, but it’s really for anyone who loved books like The Babysitters Club and of course, Taylor Swift. I’m SO EXCITED for the next book in the series!

Thank you to Scholastic Books for the digital reader’s copy!

[Constance · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first one was better, but it's still 5 stars. :)

[Robyn · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

I enjoyed even more than the first book! Already ordered the 2 YA novels about the girls in high school!

[Alexandra · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5 stars