23 Unique Found Family Trope Book Recommendations

Linus Baker is assigned to Marsyas Island Orphanage to determine if six dangerous children living there will bring about the end of days. Along the way, he meets their caretaker, Arthur Parnassus, and discovers an unlikely family in an unexpected place. The House in the Cerulean Sea is a story of family, discovery, and the power of love.

Annabelle Peyton, a beautiful and proud woman without a dowry, is pursued by the ambitious and handsome entrepreneur Simon Hunt, who wants her as his mistress. Despite their attraction to each other, they must outmaneuver each other to find a love more powerful than they ever imagined, while also facing a peril that could destroy everything they hold dear.

Jacob’s family tragedy leads him to a mysterious island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As he explores the abandoned orphanage, he finds that the children may have been more than just peculiar, and may still be alive. This spine-tingling fantasy is illustrated with vintage photography, making it an unforgettable adventure.

In A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, nineteen-year-old Feyre is dragged to a treacherous magical land after killing a wolf in the woods and discovers that her captor is a lethal, immortal faerie. As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into passionate love. However, an ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it or doom Tamlin and his world forever.

In Seanan McGuire’s novel, Every Heart a Doorway, Nancy returns to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children, a place for children who have experienced magical lands and are seeking a way back. When tragedy strikes, Nancy and her schoolmates must get to the heart of the matter, no matter the cost.

Zafira and Nasir are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya, but neither wants to be. Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man to brave the cursed forest of the Arz, while Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those who defy his autocratic father. As war brews and the Arz sweeps closer, both embark on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to their world, but an ancient evil stirs and the prize they seek may pose a greater threat than either can imagine.

Monique Grant is an aspiring magazine reporter whose career is at a standstill when she is chosen by aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo to write her biography. As Evelyn tells her story of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and forbidden love, Monique discovers that her life is intertwined with Evelyn’s in unexpected and tragic ways.

This book follows four friends as they attempt to pull off their last heist, only to uncover a powerful new strain of maz that leads them to unravel a conspiracy at the center of a magical plague that has killed thousands and made maz a tightly controlled commodity.

Mary Ann Shaffer’s The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name. Through a series of letters, the story follows writer Juliet Ashton as she discovers the eccentric characters of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact of the German occupation. Through her journey, Juliet discovers connection in the most surprising ways.

Mera is a wolf shifter who has been labeled an outcast and a traitor after her father’s mistake. When she runs away, Torin, the alpha’s son, drags her back and her true mate is revealed. However, her mate rejects her and she accidentally summons the Shadow Beast, a shifter god, to protect her from attack.

This book follows criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker and his crew of six misfits as they attempt to pull off a deadly heist that could make them rich, while also standing between the world and destruction.

Tyler Jones is assigned a squad of misfits to go on their first mission in 2380. The squad must work together to save the galaxy from a war millions of years in the making, while also rescuing Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, a girl from interdimensional space.

Cinder is a cyborg living in New Beijing who finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai. She must uncover secrets about her past to protect her world’s future and navigate the conflicting duties and freedoms of her situation.

In Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove, a grumpy old man’s solitary life is disrupted when a boisterous family moves in next door. Despite his cranky exterior, Ove’s story is filled with comical and heartwarming moments as he forms unexpected friendships and changes the lives of those around him.

This is a thrilling story of ambition, jealousy, and superpowers, following two college roommates, Victor and Eli, as they experiment with near-death experiences and develop extraordinary abilities. Ten years later, Victor escapes prison to seek revenge on his old friend, while Eli is on a mission to eradicate all other super-powered people. In this gritty comic-book-style world, allegiances are tested and the outcome is uncertain.

Namina Forna, a sixteen-year-old Deka must face a consequence worse than death when her blood runs gold on the day of her village’s blood ceremony. A mysterious woman offers her a choice to either stay in the village or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls with rare gifts. Deka embarks on a journey to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, discovering that the great walled city holds many surprises.

Blue Sargent meets Gansey, a rich student at the local private school, and finds herself drawn to him and his quest with three other Raven Boys, Adam, Ronan, and Noah, despite warnings that her true love will die if she gets too close.

Liz Bennet, a former interior designer, finds a new home in New York as an executive assistant and stage kitten at Meryton, a top-tier burlesque venue. When she meets Will Darcy, a wealthy manager, sparks fly, but their relationship is tested when a charming newcomer arrives with accusations against Darcy and Meryton’s fate is put in jeopardy. Bennet must decide who to trust in order to salvage her design dreams, her heart, and the stage she shares with her found family.

Sadie Green and Jack Thomas form an unlikely bond when Sadie accidentally mixes up a dating app and a roommate app, leading her to Jack’s Brooklyn brownstone. Despite their differences, Sadie’s presence helps Jack to move on from the death of his parents, while Sadie is able to pursue her floristry side hustle full-time. Together, they discover that they may have just made the deal of a lifetime.

Lore Perseous is forced to confront her past when two participants of the Agon, a brutal hunt for divine power, seek her help. She is offered an alliance against their mutual enemy and a way to leave the hunt behind forever, but it comes with a deadly cost.

Evie O’Neill is sent to New York City in 1926 to live with her Uncle Will. She discovers that her supernatural power could help catch a serial killer. Along the way, she meets Memphis, Theta, and Jericho, all of whom have secrets of their own, while something dark and evil is lurking in the shadows.

Celaena Sardothien is a beautiful, deadly assassin summoned to a castle to win her freedom by competing against 23 other killers, thieves, and warriors. However, an evil force is present in the castle and Celaena must fight for survival and root out the evil before it destroys her world.

Sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose between staying with her family and being her true self, a decision that leads her to undergo a highly competitive initiation process that tests her physical and psychological limits. Along the way, she must determine who her true friends are and keep a secret that could save or destroy her.