Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour costumes as books: What to read with Beyoncé on the brain

Kassie King, Novel Neighbor - Special to USA TODAY, USA TODAY
Updated ·4 min read
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Beyoncé’s epic Renaissance World Tour is here, and we're smitten.

In a review of Beyoncé's American tour opener in Philadelphia, USA TODAY's music critic Melissa Ruggieri wrote, "Beyoncé is an unstoppable force of precise movement and vocal dynamics, a superstar who, two months shy of turning 42 and in the where-did-the-time-go third decade of her career, has raised – and cleared – her own ambitious bar yet again."

One crucial ingredient to the tour's impact? The costumes. During her three-hour set, Beyoncé’s wardrobe is striking, full of gorgeous, custom-made piece by top designers. Her looks are so instantly iconic, we had to pair them with equally striking book covers that match the vibe.

Here's what to read when you've got Beyoncé on the brain.

See photos: Beyoncé's eye-popping outfits on the Renaissance World Tour

'All of Our Demise,' by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman

Beyoncé dons a stunning catsuit that brings to mind the cover of "All of Our Demise," by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman.
Beyoncé dons a stunning catsuit that brings to mind the cover of "All of Our Demise," by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman.

This show-stopping Loewe catsuit reminds us so much of the cover of “All of Our Demise,” the second in the “All of Us Villains” duology (and check out the red nails on the catsuit). This YA fantasy series is like if "The Hunger Games" had dark magic with some very rich, pretentious kids fighting against each other for their family’s right to control all the magic in their city. If you like morally gray characters and messy teen romances, you have to check this series out.

'All Systems Red,' by Martha Wells

Beyoncé gleams in metallics, as does the cover of Martha Wells' "All Systems Red."
Beyoncé gleams in metallics, as does the cover of Martha Wells' "All Systems Red."

We love the futuristic metallics on this tour and how they embody some of our favorite science fiction covers. This bodysuit pairs perfectly with “All Systems Red,” the first of Wells’ novellas in her Murderbot Diaries series, which follows a self-aware security android given to a planetary exploration team in a corporate-dominated future. This series has swept the science fiction scene and its seventh installment, “System Collapse,” comes out Nov. 14.

Beyoncé Renaissance tour 2023 set list: Full list of all songs in her nearly 3-hour show

'Silver Nitrate,' by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Both Beyoncé Silvia Moreno-Garcia's "Silver Nitrate" look fierce in red.
Both Beyoncé Silvia Moreno-Garcia's "Silver Nitrate" look fierce in red.

This custom Off-White red suit is such a powerful statement piece and grabs your attention, just like the cover for Moreno-Garcia’s latest release, “Silver Nitrate.” The author of the bestselling book “Mexican Gothic” writes some of our favorite modern genre-benders. “Silver Nitrate,” set in Mexico City in the 1990s, is a dark thriller/horror following a sound editor and a faded soap opera star unraveling a decades-old curse on a lost film.

'The Fragile Threads of Power,' by V.E. Schwab

Beyoncé and V.E. Schwab's fantastical "The Fragile Threads of Power" are majestic in blue.
Beyoncé and V.E. Schwab's fantastical "The Fragile Threads of Power" are majestic in blue.

This stunning custom dress by Roksanda has a floating skirt with matching gloves for an ethereal yet structured look, and it could not be a better fit for “The Fragile Threads of Power.” Schwab returns to the world of “A Darker Shade of Magic” with familiar friends and new enemies in a tale of alternate Londons in a magical feud with one another. We are obsessed with the original Shades of Magic trilogy and can’t wait to go back to Schwab’s London when the book releases Sept. 26.

'Beholder,' by Ryan La Sala

Beyoncé is eye-catching in a holographic mini-dress that's as hypnotic as Ryan La Sala's "Beholder."
Beyoncé is eye-catching in a holographic mini-dress that's as hypnotic as Ryan La Sala's "Beholder."

This holographic mini-dress by David Koma is such an eye-catching look, as is the cover of La Sala's "Beholder." This upcoming YA horror is about aesthetics and supernatural conspiracy, following a teen art handler who can rewind the reflections in any mirror, allowing him to look into its recent past. This book is a wild ride that incorporating several genres, and we know it's going to be a hit when it comes out Oct. 3.

'Forging a Nightmare,' by Patricia A. Jackson

Nothing screams Patricia A. Jackson's "Forging a Nightmare" like a green-glad Beyoncé aloft on a horse.
Nothing screams Patricia A. Jackson's "Forging a Nightmare" like a green-glad Beyoncé aloft on a horse.

This Del Core ensemble with a matching cape and boots atop a crystal horse is one of Beyoncé’s most dramatic looks of the Renaissance tour and it pairs perfectly with the epic cover of Jackson’s “Forging a Nightmare.” This is an adult urban fantasy mystery following an FBI detective who must solve a series of murders in New York City, and it puts a new spin on the four horsemen of the apocalypse –– what a ride!

'The Bees,' by Laline Paull

Beyoncé pays homage to the Beyhive in custom Mugler that recalls the cover of Laline Paull's "The Bees."
Beyoncé pays homage to the Beyhive in custom Mugler that recalls the cover of Laline Paull's "The Bees."

Donning a custom, standout bee costume by Mugler, Beyoncé pays homage to her fandom, the Beyhive. So naturally, we had to pair this look with Paull’s “The Bees,” a fantasy dystopia about the court politics and inner workings of a bee hive told from the perspective of a lowly sanitation bee. Pitched as “The Handmaid’s Tale” meets “The Hunger Games,” this book has gorgeous prose and compelling drama. If you’re in the hive, this book is worth the buzz.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour looks as books: What to read