Looking for an eclectic collection of YA books about siblings to read next? As an award-winning author and veteran blogger, I’ve spent over a decade reading, analyzing, and recommending the best novels to answer that question.
You’ll find detailed reviews of more than twenty of my favorites in the roundup below. I’ve personally curated this collection from my own bookshelves. These novels explore complex themes ranging from sibling rivalries, twins, and complex family relationships.
The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess
“It’s easier to think about food and the physical pain inside my body from not eating than the other pain of not having Kat. My sister would totally understand this. She would. As long as I’m connecting to her this way—our familiar, hungry old way—she’s still with me.” ― Khristina Chess, quote from The Delinquent Hero
The Delinquent Hero is the saddest YA “sibling death” book that you haven’t read yet. At its core is Molly, desperate for answers after her older sister, Kat, lands in the hospital. Something is suspicious. The investigation unfolds in real time, peeling back layers of secrets, regrets, and the painful bond the sisters have always shared. For Molly, reconnecting with Kat means slipping into their old patterns of relating to one another through disordered eating.
For me, what made The Delinquent Hero truly unforgettable was the heart-wrenching puzzle—not just unraveling what happened that night, but understanding Kat herself in the final months of her life. The novel didn’t just tell a story; it forced me to feel every ache, every unanswered question, every regret, every desperate search for why.
If you enjoy great “tear jerkers” and are looking great YA books about sisters, I highly recommend this hidden gem for your next read.
This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis
“All the stupid people I know are happy.” ― Mindy McGinnis, quote from This Darkness Mine
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 twin sisters.
Lola Ruins Everything by Alice Blanchard
“Just to set the record straight: I didn’t decapitate the Poppies. Lola did that all by her wicked self." ― Alice Blanchard, quote from Lola Ruins Everything
What could go wrong with a pair of psychopathic fraternal twins? A lot!
Right away, I could tell that something was really "off" about this family--and not just Lola. Dorian, who knows what Lola is capable of, also seems to be a little confused about reality at times. Maybe because he is in love. Love can be confusing. Or maybe he is as crazy as his sister.
Many of the things Dorian says make me doubt him. By the time I reached the middle of the book, I was wondering if he was an unreliable narrator. What if everything he said about his sister was a lie? These story questions kept me invested, even when some parts of the narrative felt slow.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story overall and hope to see Alice Blanchard write more books for teens! If you’re looking for great YA books about siblings, Lola and Dorian are the perfect fit.
My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier
“Killing things shouldn't make you happy, Rosa. That's why they're worried.” ― Justine Larbalestier, quote from My Sister Rosa
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?
Che is a male lead who tries his best to keep his sister from hurting others, but his success is mixed. 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.
If you’re looking for the next great YA book about siblings to read, I highly recommend My Sister Rosa. In fact, 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.
Willow by Julia Hoban
“It's hard to keep a secret when it's written all over your body.” ― Julia Hoban, quote from Willow
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.
Willow lives with her older brother and his wife, who took her in after the death of their parents, and the relationship between them is poignant.
Be sure to check out this thought-provoking and heartbreaking YA book about siblings that wrestles with grief and the healing power of love.
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch
"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, quote from If You Find Me
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. Readers in search of their next great YA book about siblings should definitely add this one to their TBR stack.
Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake
“This. This is why I never said anything. Because no one ever believes the girl.” ― Ashley Herring Blake, quote from Girl Made of Stars
Mara and her twin brother Owen are as close as any fraternal 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.
Girl Made of Stars is a powerful YA book about siblings that deals with rape, consent, teen relationships, sexual identity, peer pressure 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.
Far from the Tree by Robin Benway
“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, quote from Far from the Tree
This book was so good it made me cry. As in, I had to leave the couch for tissues. Prepare yourself.
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.
This book won the National Book Award, and there’s a reason. If you haven’t read this one yet and you’re looking for great YA books about siblings, give it a look. You will not regret it!
Sacred by Elana K. Arnold
Sacred is a very nice YA novel about grief and eating disorders—along with horses and a boy and a paranormal element as well. Yes, there’s a lot going on.
The main character, Scarlett, is grappling with her brother’s death, and in the heartbreak of this tragedy, she turns to her horse for comfort, as well as developing an unhealthy relationship with food and body image.
The island setting is gorgeous, and although there is a lot of sadness in this book, there is also hope. I definitely enjoyed the story and the way things came together in the end.
If you’re looking for YA books about siblings—specifically the death of a brother—you should give this lesser-known YA novel a look.
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
“It's funny how someone's perception of you can be formed without you even knowing it.” ― Sarah Dessen, quote from Dreamland
I've read a couple Sarah Dessen books that were "okay," but wow, this one really, really grabbed me!
It starts when Caitlin's sister, Cass, runs away. I knew the story was about relationship abuse, and I was expecting the runaway sibling, Cass, to be with a bad guy, but no. After she disappears, Caitlin falls for a guy named Rogerson who ends up being the abusive one. Caitlin's downward spiral is emotional, realistic, and heartbreaking. From the first time Rogerson hits her, I kept waiting for someone to intervene or for her to wake up, but it went on and on until the climactic moment when something had to shatter.
I felt really bad for Caitlin. She seemed invisible to everyone who supposedly loved her. She was hiding her pain in front of everyone. And people she loved kept leaving her: first her sister Cass and then her new friend Corinna.
The sister relationship in this book is that Caitlin lives in the shadow of a “perfect” older sister, and the parents remain focused on Cass, so no one notices that Caitlin is in trouble. If you’re looking for a YA book about siblings with an unexpected plot, check this one out. I couldn’t put it down.
Sadie by Courtney Summers
“How do you forgive the people who are supposed to protect you? Sometimes, I don't know what I miss more; everything I've lost or everything I never had.” ― Courtney Summers, quote from Sadie
Sadie is an irresistible YA book about siblings by Courtney Summers that’s so thrilling you won’t be able to put it down. I felt instantly drawn into her story and liked the format of alternating podcast interviews and young Sadie’s viewpoint as she sought justice against her sister’s killer. She has plenty of personal reasons to hate him, and he deserves to die for his crimes.
This novel alternates between young Sadie, who is a missing teen, and a podcast show, where details of her disappearance are told through a series of interviews. I think I would have loved this book even more in audio format than paperback
Still, Sadie is a great read. As the story unfolds and Sadie gets closer and closer to her target, the pacing reaches a fever pitch. The conclusion to her quest for justice is a real kicker!
Find Me by Romily Bernard
“Pretending to be normal makes you feel like you’re bleeding to death.” ― Romily Bernard, quote from Find Me
Wick is a teenage girl with a lot of things going on in her life. She and her little sister are living in a new foster home with great people, and her side business as a hacker/private detective is going well. Except that there's a cop parked outside her house all the time. And the girl next door, a childhood friend, committed suicide and left a journal behind with disturbing information. Wick's dad and best friend are criminals and have a talent for threatening Wick into cooperating in their schemes. There's also a cute boy...
There's more. Like I said, Wick has a lot going on in her life.
Find Me is a page-turner with a fantastic heroine and loads of conflict. The ending was amazing, and although I thought I knew what was happening, the actual unfolding of the story was heart-pounding.
If you’re looking for great YA books about siblings in foster care and how protective they are for each other, Romily Bernard's book is worth a look.
Swallow the Rainbow Khristina Chess
“How many times have I thought that if only my brother hadn’t died, I would be okay? Or if that truck driver hadn’t run that stop sign, none of this would have happened. Or if that girl hadn’t broken my leg, I never would have started taking the pills, and I’d still be playing soccer. My problem is everyone else.”― Khristina Chess, quote from Swallow the Rainbow
If you’ve ever loved someone with opioid an addiction—or suffer from one yourself—Swallow the Rainbow is for you. What I loved about this novel was the way that Savannah’s sharp, darkly unique perspective portrayed the physical and mental pain of withdrawal.
The story begins with a historic day of tornados that ravage the entire state, leaving Savannah home alone with her addiction.
Nothing is where it’s supposed to be—not the roof, not the cat, not Savannah’s mother.
But that’s not the worst part.
The worst part is the empty pill bottle.
With roads blocked and power out across multiple counties, Savannah has no way to get more painkillers—and withdrawal is worse than any storm. As her neighborhood bands together to rebuild, she fights a more private war against opioid addiction, survivor’s guilt, and the wreckage of a past she thought she’d buried with her brother.
If you’re looking for great YA books about siblings—specifically the death of a brother and the bereavement that follows—I highly recommend this lesser-known novel a look.
Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall
“I know Becca didn’t run away. That leaves one possibility and one impossibility, and I long for the impossible. Because if she isn’t dead, if she’s only been taken, she can be brought back.” ― Kate Alice Marshall, quote from Rules for Vanishing
For readers who love spooky and atmospheric fiction, Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall provides a chilling mystery that digs deep into the bonds between sisters and the lengths one sister will go to rescue the other.
Sara’s adopted sister Becca vanished a year ago.
Although everyone has given up the search, Sara is determined to find her because she believes Becca has gone into the woods and is lost on The Road. Sara convinces (tricks) a group of her friends to join her on this terrifying journey.
Not everyone comes home. Because at some point they break the rules:
Don’t leave the road.
Don’t let go.
Don’t follow other roads.
Rules for Vanishing is dark, mysterious, creepy, and full of scary and supernatural stuff. I loved it and devoured it in a few days. The ending was an unexpected twist, especially because of the connection to Kate Alice Marshall’s other novel, Our Last Echoes, which I’d read first. If you’re looking for great YA books about siblings, I know you’ll enjoy this psychological thriller with horror and supernatural elements. Give it a try.
The Glass Girl by Kathleen Glasgow
“Every morning when I wake up, I don’t think I’m going to make it. Or maybe I think that I don’t want to make it. I’m heavy with what I did the night before and I’m heavy with everything inside me and sometimes it is just too goddamn much to carry around.” ― Kathleen Glasgow, quote from The Glass Girl
Everything Kathleen Glasgow writes is pure gold, and The Glass Girl is no exception.
Bella is a 15-year-old girl with a drinking problem. Her parents divorced and put her in the middle, and her 7-year-old little sister needs her more than ever, and her beloved grandmother died, and her boyfriend broke up with her because she's "too much" (his words), and life really sucks except when she's drinking.
Bella hits bottom as most addicts do and finds herself in the hospital and then in rehab. Her journey through recovery and back to real life is not linear, and along the way, I fell in love with her and her pain. She's very authentic and young. There are moments when she shines so, so brightly, and I just wanted to hug her.
Her relationship with her little sister, Ricci, is sweet and integral to the story. The impact of Bella’s drinking and recovery hits Ricci as well.
If you're looking for a great YA book about siblings, you must pick up Kathleen Glasgow's latest.
You’d Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow
“Someone I used to know said that’s the problem with adults. They just see kids as they want them to be, what they aren’t, and not as they are. I think about that all the time. Like, how much time and pain and suffering could be eliminated if you just accepted the kid in front of you and stopped trying to fix them. Maybe there is no “fixing.” Maybe there is just heartbreak and love and trying to help them stay alive, whatever it takes.” ― Kathleen Glasgow, quote from You’d Be Home Now
Kathleen Glasgow knows how to make me cry.
You’d Be Home Now is a YA story about siblings, substance abuse, unrequited love, bullying, finding one’s voice, friendship, hope, and so much more. I couldn’t put it down.
Emory’s older brother Joey is struggling to recover from opioid addiction. Her overbearing mother assigns her the task of monitoring his progress, and when he stumbles, Emory tries to cover for him. Meanwhile, Emory is hooking up with the baseball star next door, and things have gone too far. She finds herself in a storm where everything—everything—is wrong!
I loved this book. I love all Kathleen Glasgow’s book. If you’re looking for a great read about siblings and substance abuse, this one’s for you.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
“I want to say yes, but I don't want to be with a boy whose heart belongs to somebody else. Just once, I want to be somebody else's first choice.” ― Jenny Han, quote from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
If you’re the last person on the planet to miss To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, you must go and read this comical YA book about siblings, pranking, and dating.
Lara Jean is a super sweet adorable character, and even though the story seems like a common love triangle, there are enough twists to keep the pages turning. Plus, Lara Jean herself is such a star. She’s naive and on her own for the first time, and she’s making all kinds of mistakes. She’s basically a train wreck. I love her immensely. Two plot points surprised me, and I thought I had those wrapped up early on.
I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did, but I finished it in two sittings. Now I see why everyone’s been reading it! :-)
The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
“What kind of girl wants to kiss every boy at a funeral, wants to maul a guy in a tree after making out with her sister’s boyfriend the previous night? Speaking of which, what kind of girl makes out with her sister’s boyfriend, period?” ― Jandy Nelson, quote from The Sky Is Everywhere
I love, love, loved this book! The writing is so lyrical, and the story is incredibly sad. It begins with protagonist Lennie, who is grieving the sudden death of her sister, Bailey. Although Bailey is dead, the relationship between these sisters is very much alive on the pages of this novel. Lennie writes beautiful poems, and she spends time in their room and shares so many memories that I feel I know Bailey.
A charismatic new boy shows up at school, and Lennie ends up entering into 2 romances at the same time. This is the love triangle. One romance is with the new boy at school, and the other is with her dead sister’s grieving boyfriend. Sooner or later, she has to decide which one of these guys is the one she’s going to stick with. Oh, boy.
All of the characters are vivid, and the story is captivating. The creative visual aspect of the novel is also a nice touch; Lennie writes her poems on scraps and scatters them everywhere, and these appear at the beginning of chapters.
If you’re searching for great YA books about siblings, The Sky Is Everywhere is a beautiful and uplifting story that you won’t forget.
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
“Sometimes you think you know things, know things very deeply, only to realize you don’t know a damn thing.” ― Jandy Nelson, quote from I’ll Give You the Sun
Half of the story is told by Noah, and half of the story is told by his older twin sister, Jude. Each sibling is telling their version of an accident that altered their future, and in the process, they also wrestle with separating from one another and becoming individuals. There is a lot of focus on art, romance, and being a twin.
Jandy Nelson’s writing is absolutely gorgeous, and the alternate perspectives between the brother and sister gives so much depth to the themes of forbidden love, grief, art, jealousy, and ultimately the relationship between these siblings. This is a masterful YA book about siblings that you won’t want to miss.
In fact, I can’t talk about Jandy Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun without also reviewing her first novel, The Sky Is Everywhere, which is a different kind of YA book about siblings—specifically fraternal twins.
My Life with the Walter Boys by Ali Novak
“Love takes more than a couple days and a secret, shotgun marriage to develop into something worth dying for.” ― Ali Novak, quote from My Life with the Walter Boys
Jackie is an orphan who finds herself transported from a life of privilege and private school in New York City to a rural ranch in Colorado, where she shares a very crowded home with 11 boys and one tomboy. There were plenty of opportunities for this story to explore the themes of grief, siblings, and being an orphan more deeply, but instead, the book focuses on the love triangle that develops between Jackie and two of the brothers.
That’s just fine. The pages turned quickly. I thought I’d be too disoriented by all those gorgeous and talented brothers, but Novak does a good job of introducing them and making them unique as Jackie gets to know them. I felt her sense of being overwhelmed by the family initially, and then one by one, the boys (and sister) became individuals. The parents are kind.
I liked the ending. This is nice debut book and a sweet romance.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
“You know a guy a longtime, and I mean really know him, you don't get used to the idea that he's dead just overnight.” ― S.E. Hinton, quote from The Outsiders
In this classic YA book about siblings, members of the Greasers gang rumble with their rivals from the Socs, and violence ultimately escalates into death of one of the boys. Because the novel portrays gang violence, this novel was controversial at the time of its publication in 1967 and is still banned in some schools today.
There’s a lot going on in this book, which is why it continues to resonate with readers today. The main character is a fourteen-year-old boy named Ponyboy; he looks like a James Dean sort with the hair and clothes but with a smart, bookish personality. From a sibling relationship perspective, Ponyboy and his older brother, Darry, have an unusually close bond. Darry is raising Ponyboy because their parents are dead. Ponyboy has another brother, Sodapop, who he shares a physical resemblance. These relationships between the three siblings is an important theme in the novel.
The Outsiders is a must-read, all-time-great in a list of YA books about siblings. The book’s title says it all! And if you’re interested in other challenged and banned books like this one, check out my post on The Best Banned YA Books and Why You Should Read Them.
Take Me with You When You Go by Jennifer Niven and David Levithan
“Blood is thicker than water, I suppose. It can also leave a much crueler stain.” ― Jennifer Niven, quote from Take Me with You When You Go
Take Me with You When You Go is a story told through letters—emails to be precise—between a brother and his runaway sister. As their story and relationship unfolds through these exchanges, we learn about their home life and the reasons why Bea ran away.
I wanted to love this book because I love, love, love Jennifer Niven, but perhaps the collaboration with David Levithan is the reason it turned into something that wasn't really my cup of tea. I didn't really like Ezra or Bea. I didn't believe them that their home life was so terrible (maybe they were sort of terrible too? Are they reliable narrators of their own stories?). Ezra set his parents' house on fire without any repercussions, which seemed unrealistic. Bea seemed to be a selfish person rather than just a hurting one. She took from people and then left them. Ezra's "rants" in the emails are tiresome.
Still, I kept reading to the end because I wanted to know how the various story issues were resolved. So, there was decent plotting.
The cover is beautiful.
If you’re looking for YA books about siblings, you should check this one out, but I highly recommend Jennifer Niven’s other work as well, especially Breathless.
Other YA Books about Siblings
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.
