8 YA Books to Help You Cope with the End of Supernatural Season 11

Dean: The Demon’s Lexicon, by Sarah Rees Brennan
This is a story about Nick and Allen, who happen to be argumentative brothers who fight demons. Because DEAN IS NEVER ON HIATUS. The job is the life for him, so how else would he relax after a busy season dealing with world-threatening evil and trying to keep his brother alive? By reading about a guy dealing with world-threatening evil and trying to keep his brother alive, of course! The Demon’s Lexicon is full of complicated family stuff, devastating secrets, brothers ragging on each other, and a healthy amount of supernatural carnage.

Sam: Invisibility, by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan
Stephen is literally invisible, the victim of a family curse (ugh, complex family issues!). When Elizabeth moves into his New York apartment building, Stephen is shocked to discover she can see him. Sam would be all over this lovely, melancholy tale about a young man who wishes he could live a normal life with the girl he loves, and who ends up getting dragged into an unavoidable and dangerous supernatural fight. Sensitive narrator, tortured emotions, supernatural warfare, the search for stability and peace…yep, Sam is recommending this one to his book club.

Castiel: Daughter of Smoke and Bone, by Laini Taylor
Ah, Cas. He’s had a rough time of it lately. So what better book for him to read than this, the story of an angel going against all the rules of his own kind and risking everything for what he believes to be right? Taylor’s book is gorgeously and astonishingly written, full of heartbreaking psychological and emotional truths and off the charts feels. It’s a beautiful story, beautifully told. You don’t need to be an angel to love it…but Cas would dig the grace and power with which Taylor writes her epic story of love and monsters and dangerous rebel angels.

Claire: Fray, by Joss Whedon
Claire, Claire, Claire. This hunter-in-training is feisty, she’s lethal, and she wants to kill monsters real bad. Her first attempts at hunting haven’t exactly gone well, so she’d almost certainly be doing her research. And who better to study than the man who gave us the ultimate hunter in Buffy: Joss Whedon. Whedon’s Fray is like Buffy in the future. It’s fast-moving, funny, and dark. Melaka Fray is called to be a slayer, the first in a long time, and she quickly has to learn how to kill vampires, how to survive, and how to save the world. Claire would totally be reading this for hints and tips on being a teenage girl who has to balance killing demons, vampires, and ghouls (and probably ghoulpires) with the equally tough business of growing up. Plus, once reading Fray has helped Claire master those essential life skills, she’ll be ready for the most essential spinoff of all time: Wayward Daughters. Hear me, The CW—make this now!!

Crowley: Boy21, by Matthew Quick
At first glance, the epic life-changing friendship between Finley, who lives in a tough Philly neighborhood, and Russ, the new kid in school with a dark past, might not seem like Crowley’s bag. But get this: Ever since his unlikely bestie Dean kinda broke up their bromance, bromances are all Crowley can think about. And this brilliantly observed and wonderfully written book (which is kind of like a reverse Fresh Prince of Bel-Air with less dancing) is all about unlikely besties. Plus, it has a ton of awesome Harry Potter references, and I like to think that when no one’s looking, Crowley is a secret full-on Potterhead. He might be a demon, but he’s got human blood in him, and Boy21 is achingly full of humanity and heart (you’ll probably cry). Perfect reading while Crowley waits for Dean to realize he’s Crowley’s bestie OTP.

Rowena: Born Wicked, by Jessica Spotswood
Rowena would pick this up for the title alone, but she would keep reading it for its melancholy tale of a witch coming to terms with her destiny in a town and a time where witches are not welcome. Rowena kind of wants to rule the world with magic, so she’d find it refreshing to read about Cate Cahill and her two sisters’ struggle to keep their magic secret, and the prophecy that could tear them apart (especially that last bit). Cate, Tess, and Maura must navigate the treacherous world they live in and hide their powers from the terrifying Brotherhood. Cate struggles with the idea of even being a witch, which Rowena would find amusing.

Lucifer: The Cage, by Megan Shepherd
Look, he spent untold centuries stuck in a cage. It would take eons of therapy to get over that. He’s probably kind of obsessed with cages now—this sci-fi story would catch his eye. Six kids from different backgrounds and countries are kidnapped and wake up in a cage, with no knowledge of how they got there. The story revolves around Cora, who, along with the others, realize their captors aren’t human. They’re alien, hyperintelligent and powerful, and treat humans like cats treat mice. Lucifer would dig them.

Amara: An Inheritance of Ashes, by Leah Bobet
As The Darkness, Amara would probably finish this in one sitting. It’s about a war in a future North America, a war with deadly otherworldly forces from another dimension who want to destroy our universe and reduce it to ashes. Sounds like something Amara could relate to. Hallie and her sister Martha are trying to keep their family’s farm going after the war, when they realize the Wicked God and his army of Twisted Things might not be as defeated as they thought. Messed-up families, evil gods, and a fight that could end in the destruction of everything: An Inheritance of Ashes is the kind of tense, dark adventure that would keep Amara entertained—when she’s not trying to bring down the universe (even big bads need a break sometimes).