Followers of my blog are already well aware of both my love for reading and my love for Stranger Things. Even better is when those two interests are combined. Just over a month ago, I reviewed One Way or Another by Caitlin Schneiderhan, a writer for Stranger Things, and since then I’ve been on the lookout for more good tie-in content. This week, I came across Stranger Things: Heroes and Monsters by Rana Tahir.

This is a choose-your-own-adventure style book with 25 different endings. I’ve already read through multiple paths, and I’ve had a completely different experience each time – which is refreshing, because I usually find books like this start to feel repetitive after maybe two run-throughs.

The story takes place during Season 4 of the show. You play a teenager from California who hopes to become a reporter and travels to Hawkins for a conference hosted by Fred Benson. It feels like an alternate retelling of the season’s events, but with the added layer of this extra character – the reader – woven into the narrative. You do need to choose wisely, though, because several possible endings include the death of either you or some of the show’s beloved main characters.

This is an appropriate read for younger fans, too. If they’re old enough to watch the show, they’re old enough to read this book. In fact, once I’ve worked my way through the remaining endings, I’ll probably pass my copy along to my 10-year-old niece, who’s also a fan. It’s a great way to encourage kids who love binge-watching to engage with reading as well. It could also be a great way to introduce the idea of D&D to young readers, showing them the concept of “your actions have consequences” in storytelling.

While I’m sad that the show ultimately ended – and even more disappointed that Conformity Gate turned out to be just a theory (I never truly believed it, but I still hoped, because the idea of the entire audience getting Vecna’d would’ve been fantastic) – I really enjoyed the chance to revisit my favorite season in a new way, one that let me step directly into the story myself.