This book has very different vibes from the Stranger Things show, but that does not mean it is bad.
It really reads as a YA novel, set in 1970 but with a very contemporary writing style (which can sometimes seem a little odd but you can easily look past it). You can definitely read this without having seen the show but of course the Stranger Things fans will love the nods to the show.

What I loved the most was that this is the story of a group of young adults who care for one another deeply (yes, found families, my fave trope).
I also really appreciated the implecations of the story being set in 1970, when these kids were likely to be sent off to fight in the Vietnam War. It isn't a subject i've ever come across in YA novels, let alone ones whose main subject is something completely apart from that.
These kids are dealing with exams, love lives (i ship), a corporation doing weird dubious stuff to them and monsters and visions and powers, but ultimately... it is about kids having to deal with the reality of life as a young adult in 1970.
It was actually refreshing.