Last Updated Date: January 18, 2026
Photo by Annie Spratt
The best underrated YA books about siblings for 2026 include lesser-known contemporary mysteries like The Delinquent Hero and dark thrillers like This Darkness Mine.
At a Glance:
Not on TikTok: The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess
A Backlist Beauty: This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis
The Hidden Gem: My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier
Why Trust These Suggestions?
As an award-winning author and longtime blogger with over 10 years of experience analyzing YA fiction, I’ve personally curated this collection from my own bookshelves. While many lists stick to mainstream bestsellers, I’ve selected these specific titles because they offer unique insights into complex sibling love and rivalry that are often overlooked.
(1) The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess: A Deep Dive into Sister Bonds
For readers who love “tear-jerkers” and hospital-based fiction, The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess offers a tragic and raw exploration of sisterhood, grief processing, and devastating heartbreak. This contemporary medical YA novel speaks directly to the grief of saying goodbye to a sibling.
One-sentence summary of The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess: As her older sister, Kat, dies in the ICU, Molly investigates the mystery surrounding the suspicious and tragic accident―and uncovers an unbearable truth about their bond.
The Taste Test
“I stare at my sister in this bed. She is mine. She is here, and I cannot imagine that she is not. That she will never be here again. How can it be true? I see her before me. Her chest is rising, falling, rising, falling. Her hand is warm in mine.” ― Khristina Chess from The Delinquent Hero
What Set This Apart for Me: Why It’s the Most Quietly Devastating Sibling Story in 2026
The Delinquent Hero is the saddest YA “sibling death” book that isn’t trending on TikTok yet. At the core is Molly—a teen desperate for answers after her older sister lands in the hospital. The investigation peels back layers of secrets, regrets, and the painful bond they’ve always shared.
What makes The Delinquent Hero truly unforgettable is its gut-wrenching puzzle—not just unraveling what happened to Molly’s sister on that fateful day, but understanding Kat herself. This novel doesn’t just tell a story; it forces you to feel every ache, every unanswered question, every regret, every desperate search for why.
The Delinquent Hero is a perfect match for readers looking for quiet, emotionally resonant stories about grief and healing with low hype.
What Other Readers Are Saying about The Delinquent Hero
“I won’t spoil what happens as far as that is concerned, but be prepared to have a tissue handy. It’s a heartbreaking book that had me in tears. It’s a story of two sisters and the bond they share.” - Melody, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 5/5 stars for the depth of sisterly love and the inevitable “ugly cry”
(2) This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis: Exploring Twisted Twins
This Darkness Mine is a must-read backlist book for fans of Mindy McGinnis’ thrilling YA novels.
One-sentence summary for This Darkness Mine: A girl begins to sense the presence of her twin who was absorbed in the womb--and who is now trying to take control.
The Taste Test
“All the stupid people I know are happy.” ― Mindy McGinnis from This Darkness Mine
My Reading Experience: A Disorienting and Strange YA about Supernatural Sibling Possession
Sasha Stone, high-achieving teen with a promising future in music, begins believing that she's sharing her body with a twin that she absorbed in her mother's womb. And, this twin sometimes takes over and does things. Things that Sasha herself would never do.
Well. Buckle up because this is a strange journey.
I began to believe that Sasha suffered from one type of mental illness, and that would explain this behavior and delusion. Then the plot took a hard left turn. And another. And in the end, I don't know WHAT happened. :-)
I love Mindy McGinnis books because she writes characters and stories that are unique. Nothing is cookie-cutter with her. In fact, Mindy McGinnis is such a great author that she’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s all-around amazing! You won’t want to miss this unusual and also heartbreaking YA book about siblings.
What Other Readers Are Saying about This Darkness Mine
“Mindy McGinnis never fails to surprise and shock me.” ― Korrina, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 4/5 stars for the weirdness factor and sibling rivalry.
(3) My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier: A Thriller about Complex Family Relationships
Fans of unreliable narrators and sociopath/psychopath characters like Rosa will love this YA thriller. The conversations between Rosa and her brother are terrifying.
One-sentence summary for My Sister Rosa: A teen whose younger sister is a psychopath with disturbing tendencies.
The Taste Test
“Killing things shouldn't make you happy, Rosa. That's why they're worried.” ― Justine Larbalestier from My Sister Rosa
My Verdict: The Psychopath Younger Sister Is Masterful Storytelling
I went into this book with high expectations that Rosa would be some creepy 10-year-old future (or current) serial killer, and that story question drove the plot for me. What terrible thing will she do?
Although there are some slow points, the pacing in the second half of the book is excellent, and events took some thrilling and quite unexpected turns.
Most of the conversations between Che and his sister Rosa, who is a psychopath, are fascinating, dark, and disturbing.
Rosa shrugs. “How should I know? I asked Seimone lots of questions. She answered them all. I showed an interest. I know all sorts of things about her now.”
She’s a seriously messed-up kid.
Rosa smirks though she can’t see the phone. “I’m going to get a dog, Che. When I get it I won’t hurt it. You’ll see. I keep my promises.”
Indeed she does.
And if reading about characters with “empathy erosion” interests you, you’ll find a list of similar titles in my post on Chilling Teen Psychopath Books That Evoke Strong Emotions.
What Other Readers Are Saying about My Sister Rosa
“Rosa is so twisted, creepy and scary. I would be terrified if I had a sister like her!” ― Caz, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 4/5 stars for the chilling portrayal of the little sister.
(4) Willow by Julia Hoban: A Well-Kept Secret about Sibling Caregivers
After an accident that kills Willow’s parents, her older brother and his wife take her in—but that relationship has its own problems and secrets.
One-sentence summary for Willow by Julia Hoban: A teen girl becomes an orphan after a tragic accident, and self-harm becomes her coping method.
The Taste Test
“It's hard to keep a secret when it's written all over your body.” ― Julia Hoban from Willow
Why I’m Still Thinking About Willow More Than 10 Years Later
In this complex novel about self-harming and grief, I met the wonderful character of Willow. She is an orphan with terrible secrets. Guilt. Pain. Numbness. And love.
I can’t speak about whether or not Willow suffers from a deep self-harming mental illness, or if she’s simply a teenager who doesn’t know how to deal with the terrible things that happened in her life. Cutting seems like an answer. She feels alone and sad. At any rate, the book felt emotional and honest to me. I loved reading her story and connecting with her pain as she journeyed to wholeness.
What Other Readers Are Saying about Willow
“A confrontation between Willow and her brother had me so overwhelmed I had to put the book down for a few minutes before I could read on - I was just so invested in the story and Willow’s journey it felt as if her pain was mine.“ ― Sammee, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 4/5 stars for the heartbreaking portrayal of siblings who share the healing power of love.
(5) If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch: A Powerful Sibling Survival Story
If You Find Me explores the powerful love between sisters after their bipolar, meth-addicted, non-custodial mother kidnaps and then abandons them in a camper in the woods. Carey demonstrates fierce mother-love for her younger sister, and her sacrifices are heartbreaking.
One-sentence summary for If You Find Me: A haunting novel about a girl who raises her baby sister in the woods for years after being abducted by her bipolar mother.
The Taste Test
"Funny how people know what shame is, even when you don't have a name for it. No matter. It feels the same."― Emily Murdoch from If You Find Me
My Expert Take: No Wonder If You Find Me Was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Debut Goodreads Author (2013)
What an addictive novel! Within the first 20 pages, I was utterly hooked, and I spent an entire Saturday reading to the end. I had to find out what happened on the night that Janessa quit speaking. I had to understand the truth about how and why these children raised themselves in a camper in the woods with an abusive, meth-head mother. I loved every moment.
For me, the plotting was so compelling that I overlooked many inconsistencies. How did a child in the woods since she was four teach herself reading and math? Or how to shoot and kill wild game with a shotgun? I was so absorbed by the story questions that none of that mattered.
My heart went out to these sisters and their bond. I loved the patience and kindness their father and stepmother as the girls adjusted to a world with electricity, running water, appliances, and more than two pairs of jeans.
What Other Readers Are Saying about If You Find Me
“It broke my heart to see the kind of life Carey and Janessa were leading; to see how, until they were effectively rescued, they could rely on no-one but each other - indeed, it fell on Carey's shoulders to look after both herself and her sister.“― A, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 5/5 stars for the powerful bond between these abused sisters.
(6) Girl Made of Stars by Ashely Herring Blake: A Lesser-Known Story about Twins
Girl Made of Stars is a powerful YA book about siblings deals with rape, consent, teen relationships, sexual identity and so many issues that the conflict can seem a bit overwhelming at times. Yet the author handles the emotional issues in a beautiful, heartbreaking, and important way.
One-sentence summary for Girl Made of Stars: A girl must choose between loyalty and justice after her twin brother is accused of raping her best friend.
The Taste Test
“This. This is why I never said anything. Because no one ever believes the girl.” ― Ashley Herring Blake from Girl Made of Stars
My Reading Experience: The Conflict Between These Twins and the Best Friend Is Unputdownable
Mara and her twin brother Owen are as close as any twins can be. So when Owen says he is innocent and never raped his girlfriend, Mara is faced with a difficult decision. She’s friends with the victim. Who is telling the truth? Her brother, who she knows as well as she knows herself, or the girl?
In addition to Mara’s confusion about her twin brother’s role as an accused rapist, she’s also dealing with her own sexual identity and relationship with her best friend, a girl named Charlie. Her parents pressure her to support her brother, but why would the victim lie? And in wrestling with these conflicts, Mara can no longer ignore a secret trauma from her own past and what happened to her.
What Other Readers Are Saying about Girl Made of Stars
“Heart-breaking and gut-wrenching – an absolute must read.“ ― Emma, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 4/5 stars for the emotional conflict between the twins and the best friend.
(7) Far from the Tree by Robin Benway: A National Book Award Winner about Adoption
One-sentence summary for Far from the Tree: Three siblings who are adopted by different parents at birth are reunited.
The Taste Test
“It took us fifteen years to find each other, but we still did! And sometimes, family hurts each other. But after that's done you bandage each other up, and you move on. Together. You've got us now, like it or not, and we've got you.” ― Robin Benway from Far from the Tree
My Verdict: This Novel about Siblings Deserves 5 National Book Awards!
This book won the National Book Award, and there’s a reason. It made me cry. As in, I had to leave the couch for tissues.
Grace, Maya, and Joaquin are siblings that were adopted to different parents as infants—except Joaquin wasn’t adopted. He went into foster care and had a harder time of things.
At 16, Grace finds herself pregnant and giving her baby up for adoption, which is the triggering event for reuniting these siblings and sending them on a search for their biological mom. In the process, they learn what it’s like to be family with one another as well.
These three characters find one another and form a family over the course of the story.
What Other Readers Are Saying about Far From the Tree
“Overall, I thought the three siblings and their stories were done well and intertwined enough to keep it cohesive. It was heartfelt, authentic and made me happy in the end.“ ― Grace, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 5/5 stars for the heartwarming relationships and stories of these siblings.
Other YA Books about Siblings
There are so many other popular titles to recommend:
You’d Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow - A visceral story about surviving a sibling’s addiction and its impact on the family.
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen - A powerful story about a teen girl who falls for possessive and physically violent boyfriend after her sister runs away.
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson - Told in alternating points of view, twins grow apart after a family tragedy and must find a way back to each other
My Life with the Walter Boys by Ali Novak - After the sudden death of her parents, a girl relocates from east coast to mountains, where she finds herself surrounded by a whole family of beautiful brothers.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton - A classic coming-of-age novel about brothers.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis - Four siblings enter a wardrobe and find a fantasy world with an evil ice queen and a lion.
If you are looking other YA books about siblings, check out the Best Siblings List on Goodreads, which includes the classics like Little Women, Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of reviews of YA books by type of tough topic, including Heartbreaking YA Books about Sisters.
About the Author: Khristina Chess
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of more than a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Her novel about eating disorders, Hollow Beauty, was named a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, dystopian, and adventure.
