Books
I wasn't even born until the '90s, but somehow I still have a serious case of nostalgia for the '80s. Between the kind-of-terrible hair and the retro clothes and all the teen anguish, the movies of the '80s were filled with a certain energy that is just oh-so-contagious. That's why basically every person I've ever met has their own personal favorite '80s movie, and I wouldn't be surprised if you watched your favorite again and again.
Seriously though, the '80s pumped out some classics. From Back to the Future to Pretty in Pink, there are so many great films of the era. I'll bet your favorite '80s movie means a lot to you, and says a lot about the kind of story you adore.
So, if you just rewatched your favorite '80s movie and you can't get enough, it's time to pick out a good book to keep the vibe going. These books aren't necessarily set in the '80s (in fact, most of them aren't), but they make a great contemporary counterpart to the '80s movies that you love.
Don your shoulder pads, shake up your hairspray, and take a trip to your local library. The '80s may be over, but they can definitely live on in your heart:
'Pretty in Pink': Read 'From Twinkle, with Love' by Sandhya Menon
Just like Andie in Pretty in Pink, aspiring filmmaker Twinkle finds herself torn between two crushes. Twinkle couldn't be more excited when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie, especially because it will get her closer to her long-time crush, Sahil's twin brother, Neill. And when she starts receiving love notes from a secret admirer, she's certain it's Neill and this is the beginning of her fairy tale. But as the novel progresses, Twinkle starts to wonder if maybe she's crushing on the wrong brother.
'Back to the Future': Read 'An Ocean of Minutes' by Thea Lim
When a flu epidemic hits America, Polly's boyfriend Frank catches the virus. In exchange for treatment for Frank, Polly signs up for a one-way-trip into the future to work as a bonded laborer. But when Polly arrives in the future and travels to the spot where she and Frank planned to meet up, he's nowhere to be found.
'Ghostbusters': Read 'Paper Girls' by Brian K. Vaughan
This dazzling comic series features a team of heroes that Ghostbusters fans will adore. When an alien invasion hits planet Earth, a group of newspaper delivery girls fight to survive.
'Ferris Bueller's Day Off': Read 'Final Draft' by Riley Redgate
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is all about grabbing life by the horns, taking chances, and discovering yourself — and this fabulous new book takes up that torch brilliantly. When a new creative writing teacher lands at her high school, Laila is pushed completely beyond her comfort zone and forced to figure out what she wants out of her writing — and her future.
'E.T.': 'Sleeping Giants' by Sylvain Neuvel
Rose is riding her bike home when she falls and wakes up in a gigantic square shaped hole that happens to be glowing with intricate carving. It turns it out that she's lying in the palm of a gigantic, robotic hand. As Rose grows up into a scientist, she makes it her mission to solve the mystery of this bizarre artifact.
'Say Anything': Read 'Finding Yvonne' by Brandy Colbert
Just like Diane in Say Anything, Yvonne is about to graduate high school after years of working towards a singular goal: getting accept to a conservatory to study violin. But with graduation looming, Yvonne might have to accept that she's not good enough to pursue music professionally after high school. With her future in flux, she gets caught up in the charms of a street musician who shows her a brand new side of life. And then she gets pregnant.
'The Breakfast Club': Read 'Heretics Anonymous' by Katie Henry
If you count The Breakfast Club as your favorite '80s movie, you obviously love a story about a band of outcasts. Heretics Anonymous is just the book for you. The protagonist, Michael, is an atheist, but after his family moves, he winds up enrolled in a Catholic school. But there, he stumbles upon a band of outcasts called Heretics Anonymous who are on a dangerous mission to expose the hypocrisy of their school.
The Indiana Jones Series: 'The Raven Boys' by Maggie Stiefvater
Blue comes from a family of psychics and knows one thing to be true: If she kisses her true love, he will die. Magic, prophecies, ghosts — all that is pretty normal to Blue, even if that one prophecy is pretty grim. But her life gets turned upside down when she befriends a group of boys from the local boarding school. Led by the charismatic, intelligent, and adventurous Gansey, the Raven Boys are on a mission to find the tomb of a Welsh King that is rumored to be hidden nearby.
'The Karate Kid': Read 'Bruised' by Sarah Skilton
Dive into the world of martial arts for a second time with this exciting novel. A black belt in Tae Kwon Do, Imogen knows she's tough. But her belief in herself is shaken when she witnesses a holdup and freezes, unable to do anything to prevent it from happening. So, Imogen needs to find a way to build herself up again — and a fight seems just the thing to do it.
'The Princess Bride': Read 'Mort' by Terry Pratchett
If you love the off-kilter satire of The Princess Bride, get ready to become obsessed with Terry Pratchett. In this freewheeling read, Mort has become the apprentice to Death himself, a job that's especially strange in the rambunctious Discworld. As everything derails into delicious chaos, Mort finds himself falling for Death's granddaughter.
