Stranger Things: 10 Books To Read If You Loved The Show

Stranger Things season 4, vol. 1, dropped on Netflix at the end of May and immediately took off. Critics and fans alike have praised it for its storytelling and character arcs. Focusing on important themes like friendship, bravery, loyalty, and what it takes to be good and evil, the show balanced a lot of big scenes and emotions. There was something equally heartwarming and funny about Steve and Dustin’s bickering and the ’80s nostalgia that was pumped into this season.

When season 4 is over and done with, after vol. 2 drops on July 1st, there are plenty of books to read that have the same vibes as the show to keep fans occupied.

My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

Set during the Satanic Panic in the 1980s, My Best Friend’s Exorcism follows two best friends as their relationship falls apart. Gretchen starts to act differently, and Abby decides there’s only one logical explanation: Gretchen is possessed by a demon.

With all the trademarks for fans of Stranger Things, this book is jam-packed full of ’80s nostalgia, teenage woes, and the supernatural. It has the same end-of-the-world feeling that Stranger Things does, albeit with a smaller collection of main characters. Still, Abby and Gretchen are so full of life that they feel like they’d fit right in with the Hawkins crew.

IT by Stephen King

One of the most famous horror books of all time, IT follows a group of young friends as they battle the unknown evil presence in their small town of Derry, Maine. The things they see as children haunt them, and as adults, they find themselves once again drawn to Maine for one final battle against their childhood demons.

IT is often recommended for fans of Stranger Things, and for good reason. The Duffer Brothers have said they took inspiration from Stephen King for Stranger Things, and it’s evident once you read IT. The characters, especially during their childhood, bear an uncanny resemblance to the Hawkins group. The children are forced to face their biggest fears and rely on each other and no one else. It’s a longer read, coming in at just under 1000 pages, but jam-packed full of action, friendship, and heartbreak (and bike riding).

The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe

More mystery than horror, The Girls I’ve Been has the same mysterious vibe as Stranger Things. Nora O’Malley has spent her entire life pretending to be someone else, as the daughter of a con artist, she’s learned how to fake everything in her life – until her lies catch up with her.

This book is quick, full of plot twists and reveals that will have the reader on the edge of their seat. It feels like something modern-day Eleven would read, with strong female leads and well-written characters.

Paper Girls (Vol. 1) by Brian K. Vaughan

Another novel that takes place in the ’80s, Paper Girls follows the story of four 12-year-old newspaper girls who discover a mystery in their own town.

Although this one is a graphic novel, it still has the same elements that Stranger Things fans would want. Its friendships lead the story, and the artwork is gorgeous. Once again, the ’80s references are everywhere, keeping readers thoroughly enthralled in the story.

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Equal parts creepy and haunting, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children tells the story of a once-forgotten abandoned orphanage on a lost island. Jacob journeys to the forgotten island and finds horrors hidden in the walls of the crumbling building. He also finds, unbelievably so, that the children are still alive, all these years later.

Riggs uses real vintage photographs dispersed throughout the novel that keeps the reader feeling watched the entire time they’re reading. With plenty of books in the series, there’s enough content here to fill the gap left by Stranger Things.

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

Similar to IT, this novel is one of the best-known horror novels of the past century. Cooger & Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show comes to the small residence of Green Town, Illinois. The carnival is sinister in nature, destroying everyone’s path it crosses. Two best friends venture into the carnival, unaware of what waits for them on the other side of the curtains.

Will and Jim have a similar friendship to most of the Hawkins crew, they’re best friends and know each other better than anyone else. Their friendship is tested by what they witness, and only together will they be able to escape the nightmares that they’ve got themselves trapped in.

The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson

It’s the 1980s in Niagara Falls, and Jake spends all of his time with his uncle who collects haunted artifacts and believes in the supernatural. Jake’s summer holiday has just started, and the arrival of new siblings to town starts the summer of mystery.

Like Stranger Things, the running theme of this novel is friendship, with Jake’s new friends and Ghost Club saving him. However, it also touches on some darker themes, much like Stranger Things season 4 has, including loss and coming of age. It feels like the perfect book for Lucas or Mike to read during their riff in season 4, it captures the innocence of childhood friendships and the nostalgia of teenage years.

The Cemetery Boys by Heather Brewer

In a small town that’s haunted by its tragic history, Stephen finds himself thrown head first into this tragedy. After moving to his father’s hometown, Stephen finds himself gravitating toward the mysterious twins that his father tells him to stay away from. As Stephen learns more about the town, from the twins and its residents, he realizes that some things are better left unexplored, but it’s too late to turn around now.

Full of mystery and urban legends, this novel screams Stranger Things. There’s even an unseen creature that thrives off of human sacrifice, which sounds an awful lot like the Demogorgons that haunted Hawkins for so long.

Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky

Imaginary Friend is one of those books that will keep readers up late at night, even hours after they’ve finished it. Christopher and his single mother are on the run. They move to a small town in Pennsylvania, as far away from civilization as they can but then Christopher vanishes into the woods one night and no one hears from him for a week. When he returns, he’s not the same boy that left.

Mysteries hidden in the woods on the edge of town sounds eerily similar to Stranger Things. The lengths that Christopher’s mother goes to in order to get answers is reminiscent of Joyce and her unwavering commitment to her own children. Imaginary Friend leans heavily into horror, much like season 4 of Stranger Things.

The Boys Of Summer by Richard Cox

Taking place across multiple timelines, The Boys of Summer follows Todd, who finds himself in a coma in the year 1979 after a deadly tornado rips through his town. After he awakes from his coma, Todd starts experiencing things. It isn’t until 1983 when Todd makes new friends forged in the darkness of the night, that he realizes he’s not alone in his fears.

There’s no doubt that the group of friends in this book can be compared to the Hawkins friends. They’re loyal, brave, and fiercely protective of each other. They’ve all witnessed something horrifying, but their trauma bonds them and much like Mike and the gang, they stick together through it all.