Dysfunctional family dynamics, anyone? If you love messy relationships, complicated histories, and drama, then these reads belong on your shelf. With Olivie Blake’s Gifted & Talented right around the corner, we thought it’d be fun to get a little messy. 😏
Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake
Three siblings. One massive inheritance. A lifetime of unresolved issues. Thayer Wren’s death leaves his three telepathic and electrokinetically gifted children in a war for his empire, but the real battle is against each other. Sibling rivalries, personal failures, and long-held grudges explode in this biting, dark take on power, legacy, and family dysfunction. Out on 4/01/2025!
The Green Creek Series by TJ Klune
Werewolves, found family, and generational trauma–what more could you ask for? The Green Creek series is a sweeping saga of loyalty, betrayal, and complicated family bonds that stretch beyond blood. Whether it’s sons struggling to live up to their fathers’ expectations or packs built on both love and heartbreak, Klune delivers an emotional rollercoaster where family is everything…and nothing is ever simple.
Cascade Failure by L.M. Sagas
Surviving in space is hard. Surviving with your family? Even harder. Cascade Failure follows a scrappy crew of smugglers on the fringes of the universe, but their biggest problem isn’t just staying alive, it’s each other. This novel is full of found family dynamics, grudges, and the kind of loyalty that only comes from being trapped in the same spaceship for way too long. If you love stories where sibling tensions and unresolved drama bubble under the surface of high-stakes adventures, this is the book for you.
In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune
What happens when your family isn’t just dysfunctional but also… not entirely human? In this heartwarming yet chaotic sci-fi fairytale, a small found family of robots and a human live in peaceful isolation until the past comes knocking. In the Lives of Puppets explores the complexities of love, memory, and what it truly means to be family, even when secrets threaten to tear them apart. If you enjoy heart-wrenching yet hopeful stories about unconventional families, this one will stick with you.
The Naming Song by Jedediah Berry
In a world where words are vanishing, a nameless courier finds herself caught up with a traveling theater troupe that brings lost language back to life. But the past has a hold on her, and the more she unravels her own history, the more she realizes that her family is at the root of it all. Secrets, betrayals, and a legacy built on things left unsaid make this a haunting exploration of identity and belonging.
