Find your next great read for National Sisters Day by exploring my reviews of these heartbreaking YA books about sisters.

If you’re fortunate enough to have one or more sisters, you understand the joys, griefs, and complexities of this relationship. Good memories share space with bitter fights, envy, and shared experiences of coming-of-age together. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott may be one of the most beloved and classic novels about sisters.

Here is a list of heartbreaking YA books about sisters. What do all of the books in this roundup have in common? Tragedy, I’m afraid. One of the sisters is dead, dying, or dies. So, be sure to bring some tissues.

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 with me.” ― Khristina Chess, quote from The Delinquent Hero

Wow! The Delinquent Hero grabbed me from the first page and never stopped!

Although pitched as an action-packed murder mystery, this YA is also a raw and unforgettable story about a complicated sisterhood, eating disorders, and loss. It’s hard to put down. The present story line is an investigation of the odd circumstances and events that landed Kat in the hospital on a ventilator, but as the hours and days unfold, the close relationship between these sisters becomes apparent, and Molly finds herself connecting with her older sister in their same old way:

"I'm not very hungry. I am, and I'm not. I am hollow, but this feeling seems less about food and more about Kat. At any rate, I do not want to eat."

Everyone is saying Kat fell and hit her head, causing a catastrophic brain bleed. She’s severely malnourished and on life support, and in a few days, the doctors will remove the machines.

But when 18-year-old Molly visits her sister’s rental house, it looks more like a crime scene that someone cleaned up. Rather than face her grief about what's happening, she becomes a detective and asks hard questions about the inconsistencies in stories, the crime scene at the house, and the knife beside her sister's bed. Kat was afraid of something. What?

What I love most about The Delinquent Hero is the puzzle that Molly is trying to solve—not just about the how this terrible thing happened, but also about her sister herself. It’s a great novel that shows the way eating disorders can impact the people who love them the most. There is so much pain in trying to answer why?

You won’t want to miss this great new YA book about sisters and dying. Fans of Wintergirls will enjoy this one.

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. Although Bailey is dead, the relationship between these siblings 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.

This book is another must-read for anyone looking for YA novels about sisters.

This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis

“All the stupid people I know are happy.” ― Mindy McGinnis, quote from This Darkness Mine

What a disorienting and strange book!

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 MicGinnis 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 sisters.

Sadie by Courtney Summers

“I live in a place that's only good for leaving.” ― Courtney Summers, quote from Sadie

Sadie knows who killed her younger sister.

She leaves home and goes on a journey to seek 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. The pacing increases as the story unfolds and Sadie gets closer and closer to her target. The conclusion to her quest for justice is a surprise. This heartbreaking YA book about sisters will stay with you long after the last page.

And if you’ve already read Sadie, be sure to check out my blog about Books You’ll Enjoy If You Liked Sadie.

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

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 not a typical YA novel about sisters. It 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.

Fans of Sadie will really enjoy this one.

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 sibling 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 sisters with an unexpected plot, check this one out. I couldn’t put it down.

Family of Liars by E. Lockhart

"They're doing just as I asked them to. As we Sinclairs always do. Pretending. Lying. Trying to have a good time.” ― E. Lockhart, quote from Family of Liars

Lockhart's prequel to We Were Liars does not disappoint! The narrator, Carrie, tells the story of the summer of the boys' visit to the island, but long before those events, there are ominous hints of what is to come. In her early teen years, for example, Carrie's father insists on a surgery to break her jaw, and an infection sets in.

But Carrie bends to his will. She is a "credit to the family."

This novel has some brilliant symbolism, a few great twists, some predictable story-lines, and other unexpected turns. I finished in 4 days because the pages turned fast and furious. I had to know the secrets these liars were keeping.

The pages are full of great details about summertime on the island. The lemon hunt was very vivid, as well as the details about clothing, food, and the picnic table. Lockhart painted a vivid sense of place, siblings, and privilege.

Family of Liars definitely one of my new favorite YA books about sisters!

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

Okay, I know this list is for heartbreaking YA books about sisters, but 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 sisters, give it a look. You will not regret it!

Other Heartbreaking YA Books about Sisters

If you are looking other heartbreaking YA books about sisters, check out the Sisters Fiction Books and Sisters Book Lists on Goodreads. You can also check out my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of reviews of YA books.

Do you have any personal favorites to recommend to me? I’m always looking for another great read in this category.

Khristina Chess is the award-winning author of several YA novels about troubled teens turning corners. You can find her on Amazon, Goodreads, and Twitter as an active daily contributor in the #5amwritersclub.