What a summer! Netflix managed to warp entire generations back into an era of genre movies, shows, books… Who doesn’t remember loving movies like E.T., Carrie, Stand By Me, Goonies, Poltergeist, Close Encounters of the Third Kind etc. Everybody knew who Steven Spielberg was, everybody knew who Steven King was. It was an exciting period! And yes, we collectively missed every single second of it.
Since then movies basically changed. Television has changed. Storytelling changed. It became safer, in a way.
Netflix recognized this collective yearning for some different times, luckily for us, and decided to take a bold step by investing into Stranger Things. I have to say, I missed being immersed in a story like this one.
The whole feeling of the show is very 80’s. Dark and gritty. Bold, atmospheric, colourful! Amazing characters, both grown-up or children. And don’t even start me on the soundtrack… That music was PERFECTION!
But since this is a book loving page, we decided to connected two fantasy loves that a lot of people share – love for “Stranger Things” and love for reading. We present 7 book titles that might fill the gap while waiting for season 2 of this popular TV-show!
- Ramsom Riggs: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
This is somewhat of a no-brainer. This beloved book series has been rocking on its own for years now. And the upcoming movie is scheduled to premiere later this year (Directed by Tim Burton, starring prominent names like Eva Green and Samuel L. Jackson).
A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs. Does this grab your attention?
When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers.You can get the book here!
- Brian K Vaughan: Saga
This epic story might technically be a graphic novel – I believe it stills deserve to be on this list! This extraordinary successful comic book was the winner of the 2013 Hugo award for Best Graphic Story!
When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe. From New York Times bestselling writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina) and critically acclaimed artist Fiona Staples (Mystery Society, North 40), Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before.
Only one thing to consider… This is an adult book. I would definitely not recommend giving this book to children to read.You can get the book here!
- Stephen King – The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
Stephen King’s mark on the whole 80’s era of film making is hard to question. He also publicly stated how much he enjoyed this show!Would be a pity not to include at least one of his books on this list.
A #1 national bestseller, The Gunslinger introduces readers to one of Stephen King’s most powerful creations, Roland of Gilead: The Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner on a spellbinding journey into good and evil. In his desolate world, which mirrors our own in frightening ways, Roland tracks The Man in Black, encounters an enticing woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with the boy from New York named Jake.You can get the book here!
4. Sara Raasch: Snow Like Ashes
Nothing beats a good, medieval YA fantasy series! And this one is one of my favourites.
“Snow Like Ashes” is a striking fantasy tale of dark magic, dangerous politics, and discovering your true self. Also, it evolves around a truly courageous female lead!
Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now the Winterians only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.
Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee. Training to be a warrior she would do anything to help Winter rise to power again. So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself—only to find herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics—and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.
You can check out the book here!
5. Ingrid Law: Savvy
This is a truly delightful book for both adults and youngsters!
Thirteen is when a Beaumont’s savvy hits—and with one brother who causes hurricanes and another who creates electricity, Mibs Beaumont is eager to see what she gets. But just before the big day, Poppa is in a terrible accident. And now all Mibs wants is a savvy that will save him. In fact, Mibs is so sure she’ll get a powerful savvy that she sneaks a ride to the hospital on a rickety bus with her sibling and the preacher’s kids in tow. After this extraordinary adventure—full of talking tattoos and a kidnapping—not a soul on board will ever be the same.
Get the book here!
6.
Summer of the Mariposas is not just a magical Mexican American retelling of The Odyssey, it is a celebration of sisterhood and maternal love.When Odilia and her four sisters find a dead body in the swimming hole, they embark on a hero’s journey to return the dead man to his family in Mexico. But returning home to Texas turns into an odyssey that would rival Homer s original tale. With the supernatural aid of ghostly La Llorona via a magical earring, Odilia and her little sisters travel a road of tribulation to their long-lost grandmother s house. Along the way, they must outsmart a witch and her Evil Trinity: a wily warlock, a coven of vicious half-human barn owls, and a bloodthirsty livestock-hunting chupacabras. Can these fantastic trials prepare Odilia and her sisters for what happens when they face their final test, returning home to the real world, where goddesses and ghosts can no longer help them?
You can get the book here.
7. Stephen King: Carrie
It is hard not to think of Carrie while watching Millie Bobby Brown in her amazing portrayal of Eleven – troubled girl with amazing psychic abilities.“Carrie” is Stephen King’s legendary debut, about a teenage outcast and the revenge she enacts on her classmates.
Carrie White may have been unfashionable and unpopular, but she had a gift. Carrie could make things move by concentrating on them. A candle would fall. A door would lock. This was her power and her sin. Then, an act of kindness, as spontaneous as the vicious taunts of her classmates, offered Carrie a chance to be a normal and go to her senior prom. But another act–of ferocious cruelty–turned her gift into a weapon of horror and destruction that her classmates would never forget.
Get the book here!
Books Rock My World 
Thanks for posting this! I have read a couple of these and they were awesome. I look forward to finding out how great the rest are.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on cohortsite.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on The Maniacal Book Unicorn and commented:
Haven’t read all the books on this list yet, but loved the show and loving the titles!
LikeLike