Have you already finished season 4 of Stranger Things? What are you going to read in the meantime as you read fan theories and wait (im)patiently for season 5 of Stranger Things? I mean, we have 2 years to go. There is no need to look any further. I’m here for you.
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My Best Friend’s Exorcism: A Novel
by Grady Hendrix
This novel is awesome and perfect for fans of the 1980s who want a narrative about friends banding together to fight off otherworldly forces. When Abby’s best friend, Gretchen, starts acting peculiar, Abby is afraid she’s possessed. Abby must use the strength of her connection with Gretchen to rescue her from the demon, but no one else believes her. Demon possession draws in an audience, but what keeps them is the touching portrayal of female bonding among the young characters. I really hope that Stranger Things’ Max and El become as devoted of friends to one other as Gretchen and Abby are.
THE BODY
BY STEPHEN KING
Many Stephen King books might be mentioned as potential companion pieces to Stranger Things. The TV show obviously draws heavily from King’s works. If you want another story about a young girl who gains magical skills, you may read Carrie. You may also read It if you’re interested in reading about a group of young friends who face off against a supernatural creature. This 1982 novella is the greatest King book for Stranger Things lovers because of its emphasis on friendship and coming of age. Yes, there is a strong sense of nostalgia, but King is more nostalgic for the 1950s than the 1980s.
WHITE IS FOR WITCHING
BY HELEN OYEYEMI
In White is for Witching, Miranda and Eliot Silver, who are fraternal twins, and their father own a bed and breakfast in England. But this is no ordinary inn; the Silver ladies have been plagued by the house’s demonic inhabitants for centuries. Longer Miranda spends in the mansion, the more she begins to feel connected to its eerie energy. She feels herself being more and more corroded by it. To be clear, the novel’s subject matter is far worse than that of Stranger Things; nonetheless, the protagonist’s coming-of-age while uncovering awful dark magic secrets all around her gave me strong Stranger Things impressions.
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES
BY RAY BRADBURY
Both 13 years old, Jim Nightshade and William Halloway are inseparable pals (around the same age as the kids in Stranger Things). When a mysterious carnival comes to town, the two young men are drawn in. Before long, they’re in a scary battle against wicked powers they never could have imagined. Fans of Stranger Things will like this novel, which is a typical coming-of-age story with a disturbing twist.
THE POWER
BY NAOMI ALDERMAN
What if all young women suddenly possessed abilities like El’s in Stranger Things? This is the basic notion of the novel by Naomi Alderman. In The Power, by Naomi Alderman, the women of the future have superpowers and rule the world through the use of electricity to subjugate males. This novel delves deeply into issues of sex and feminism while maintaining the spirit of Stranger Things.
THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM
BY VICTOR LAVALLE
Several elements of Cthulhu mythos may be found in the popular Netflix series Stranger Things. Therefore, it is necessary to include a Lovecraftian work on this list. LaValle has adapted H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Horror at Red Hook” into a novella. Charles Thomas Tester accidentally unlocks the gateway to black magic and awakens the Sleeping King when he delivers an arcane tome to a recluse woman in Queens who turns out to be a sorceress.
SAWKILL GIRLS
BY CLAIRE LEGRAND
Sawkill Rock is a tiny island off the coast of Maine, and adolescent girls have been going missing there for some time. The police force there doesn’t seem to be able to (or willing to) do anything about it. For this reason, three young women named Marion, Zoey, and Val, who are all linked to the disappearances in their own ways, decide to take matters into their own hands. There are many aspects of this book that remind one of the popular Netflix series Stranger Things. A covert group that investigates mysterious extraterrestrial beasts? Check. Adolescent companionship? Check. Supernatural abilities in females? Check. A sleepy little village hiding some sinister goings-on? All boxes are checked.
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
BY JOHN AJVIDE LINDQVIST
Let’s jump back into the 1980s with this novel, a dark atmospheric vampire story set in Sweden in the early 1980s. At the center of the story is Oskar, a 12-year-old boy who befriends a young vampire child named Eli. While Eli is much deadlier than El, the bond between Oskar and Eli is very reminiscent of the friendship-turned-romance between Mike and El in Stranger Things.
THE LOST GIRLS OF CAMP FOREVERMORE
BY KIM FU
If what you love most about Stranger Things is the childhood friendships, the coming-of-age narratives, and/or the premise of youngsters fighting together to survive despite the odds, you have to check out The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore. In this tale driven by its characters, five young women have a horrible childhood experience when they were separated from each other while camping at Camp Forevermore.
MEDDLING KIDS
BY EDGAR CANTERO
We Stranger Things fans can’t help but appreciate the retro vibe of Meddling Kids since it’s like a great blend of Scooby Doo, H.P. Lovecraft, and the Hardy Boys. The Blyton Summer Detective Club, a group of young detectives, closed its books in 1977. That is, they supposed to believe that. It’s 1990 now, and the gang has taken diverse approaches to processing the traumatic events of their youth. Kerri has nightmares, Nate is in a mental hospital, Amy is in denial, and Peter tragically overdosed and died. All of them still can’t shake the terrible sense that they made a mistake in the last instance. Reuniting the crew to investigate long-suppressed mysteries is necessary at this point.
The Duffer brothers have done an amazing job in creating a show that is loved by people of all ages. I know I can’t wait to see what else they have in store for us in the coming seasons. In the meantime, there are plenty of fan theories floating around on the internet to keep us entertained. Who has been your favorite character so far? Let me know in the comments below.
The Glorious Train Wreck Mom 
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