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Found family books that feel like a hug
Celebrate the families we choose with these fan favorites, from cozy fantasies and LGBTQ+ lit, to young adult and children’s classics.
Published on October 30, 2023
The House in the Cerulean Sea
TJ KluneThere’s nothing quite like “The House in the Cerulean Sea” — wonderfully weird, quietly romantic, and full of magic and queerness. Caseworker Linus Baker doesn’t push boundaries; he meticulously reports about orphanages taking care of children with supernatural powers. But his worldview is taken for a spin when he’s assigned to work at Marsyas Island Orphanage, where the children are particularly monstrous and the caretaker extremely mysterious. One of the finest found family stories around.
A Man Called Ove: A Novel
Fredrik BackmanSmall-town curmudgeon Ove is a man of staunch principles, strict routines, and terrible anger. But beneath his rough exterior lies a story of true sorrow and loss. The book explores the evolving relationship between Ove and the new neighbors who slowly thaw his icy heart. It’s a heartwarming exploration of vulnerability and the family you make. While we can’t quite imagine the lovable Tom Hanks as a curmudgeon, he stars in the book’s film adaptation called “A Man Called Otto.”
One Last Stop
Casey McQuistonA queer time travel rom-com? Yes, please. Especially one with a meddlesome found family and a twinge of mystery. Everybody’s gushing about McQuiston’s (“Red, White, & Royal Blue”) fun, romantic tale of true love on a subway car stuck in a time loop between modern-day Brooklyn and the punk rock ’70s. And we’re all rooting for protagonists August and Jane.
The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter
Theodora GossGoss brings together a chosen family of well-known monsters who team up with Sherlock Holmes to solve crimes. It’s like “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” but with kickass female characters. This is perfect for fans of crossovers and classic monster tales.
The House of Impossible Beauties: A Novel
Joseph CassaraCategory is: Chosen family. If you’re a fan of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” you might’ve heard the expression “category is.” The phrase hails from the underground ballroom scenes of the 1980s and early ’90s, which is the setting for “The House of Impossible Beauties.” In this heartbreaking yet vibrant story with the drag culture of ’80s Harlem at its heart, two dancers break down barriers when they build the ball circuit’s first all-Latino house: the House of Xtravaganza. A fierce tale about found family and building a rainbow home of one’s own.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
Becky ChambersSometimes fresh starts come in faded packages. Looking to shake off her past, Rosemary Harper takes a road trip through the galaxy aboard the Wayfarer, a spaceship decidedly past its prime. Originally self-published, Chambers’ feel-good sci-fi series won the Hugo Award (science fiction’s highest honor) and has won over almost anyone who’s read it. Start with “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” and enjoy the ride as the motley crew of humans and imaginative alien creatures evolve together over the series.
Six of Crows
Leigh BardugoWhile “Shadow and Bone” steals a lot of the spotlight (fitting for the Sun Summoner), fans on BookTok and elsewhere know the true gem of the Grishaverse lies at the bottom of The Barrel with Kaz Brekker’s crew of underworld misfits. Bardugo does an amazing job of fully fleshing out each character; between the kidnappings, thievery, and criminal shenanigans, she deftly weaves in stories of friendship, love, and chosen family.
The Two Lives of Sara
Catherine Adel WestCommunity, found family, and resilience lie at the heart of West’s story about a young mother seeking a better life for herself and her baby. Sara (first introduced to readers in “Saving Ruby King”) suffers tragedy after tragedy, but she soldiers on with the help of Mama Sugar, the owner of the local boardinghouse, and Jonas, a schoolteacher who dreams of a more equitable future. Richly crafted characters and relationships draw readers into a world tinged equally with hope and heartbreak.
Light From Uncommon Stars
Ryka AokiAoki’s novel gives you everything you didn’t know you needed: An alien donut shop run by an interstellar refugee, a wildly gifted transgender violinist, and a cursed violin teacher desperately caught up in a Faustian bargain. Heartbreaking, hilarious, and unflinchingly honest when it comes to the lived experiences of trans women, “Light From Uncommon Stars” explores the power of identity and chosen kin.
Legends & Lattes: A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes
Travis BaldreeIn this BookTok fan favorite, Viv, an orc barbarian, just wants to hang up her sword and open a coffee shop. But getting out of the warrior business isn’t as simple as giving two weeks notice. Responding to a post on Reddit requesting “cozy books with chosen family” that “feel like a hug,” author Baldree responded, “God, I know this is self-promo, and I feel shame for replying, but this is basically EXACTLY what my book is — like, nearly precisely.” There’s no shame in recommending this feel-good fantasy.
Blue-Skinned Gods
SJ SinduBorn in India with blue skin, Kalki is worshiped as the reincarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. But when Kalki’s manipulative dad sets up an ashram to profit off his son’s divine reputation, doubts drive Kalki abroad and into the arms of New York City’s rock and roll underworld. Roxane Gay calls Sindu’s coming-of-age, family of choice novel “heart breaking and exhilarating.”
The Witches of Moonshyne Manor
Bianca MaraisA modern coven of feisty octogenarian witches will stop at nothing to save their beloved Moonshyne Manor from being torn down. Not only do they need to come up with their overdue mortgage money, but they’ll also need to face a formidable foe hellbent on tearing apart their coven. A “Golden Girls” meets “Practical Magic” mashup that celebrates chosen kin, strong women, and the magic of aging.
Upright Women Wanted
Sarah GaileyDon’t be fooled by the length of this short novella; Gailey packs a punch as they introduce readers to a Western society in which queer, antifascist librarians fight the State by smuggling women into safe zones and distributing unapproved material. Gunfights, general badassery, and LGBTQ+ empowerment run rampant in the New West.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” perfectly captures the genuine high school experience and what it’s like to feel like you’re “different.” This book truly helped us become more comfortable in our skin as teenagers and inspired us to find and embrace true friendships.
Every Heart a Doorway
Seanan McGuireThe School for Wayward Children is a place for young people who went on adventures in fantasy realms (think “Alice in Wonderland”) to readjust to our world again — with varying degrees of success. It’s also a place where these magical children, cast out by their biological families, find strength in each other. This novella (the first of a series that can be read in any order) strikes a great balance between taking the emotional reality of its characters seriously and winking at the reader. If you want to keep one foot in reality and one foot in fantasy, this series is the perfect way to do it.
Not Your Sidekick
C. B. LeeJess’ parents and siblings are literally superheroes, but the superpower gene skipped her. She can’t join the family business saving the day, so Jess scores a summer internship that’ll look good on her college applications. But her plans are sabotaged when the tech giant she’s interning for turns out to be a front for a supervillain and she uncovers a nefarious plot, forcing her to figure out just who the baddies really are, all while navigating crushing on her fellow interns.
The Gilded Wolves: A Novel
Roshani Chokshi#SquadGoals are on full display in this lush historical novel full of diverse characters you won’t be able to get enough of. If intricate world-building is your thing, Roshani Chokshi paints a vivid picture of a reimagined Paris in 1889. And, for all you readers propelled by plot, one word: heists.
Loveless
Alice OsemanIn theory, Georgia Warr loves love, but in practice, romantic escapades feel all wrong. As Georgia heads off to university — where hookups are on everyone’s mind — her feeling of isolation deepens until a mentor introduces her to the asexual, aromantic identity. “Loveless” is an LGBTQIA+ (emphasis on the “A”) found family story of coming into one’s own and discovering the vast definitions of love and intimacy. A worthy YA read that gives much-needed representation to the aro-ace experience.
Akata Witch
Nnedi OkoraforTwelve-year-old Sunny has never quite fit in. Born in New York City with albinism, she now lives in Nigeria with her family, where she makes a shocking discovery: She has magical abilities. Tasked with tracking down an elusive killer, Sunny must figure out how to control her surging powers and learn to perform spells, juju, and shape-shifting, all while keeping her magic a secret from her parents. Luckily, she finds her crew in the form of a close-knit coven.
Anne of Green Gables
Lucy Maud MontgomeryAnne’s adoptive mom and dad, the siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, are literary parents who shaped us as kids and continue to hold a warm place in our hearts. Matthew’s shy devotion melts us, while Marilla’s strict ways are no match for Anne’s shenanigans — nor is her reserved heart a match for Anne’s disarming unabashed love. Their evolving bonds reveal the beauty in found families.
Sandry's Book: The First Book of the Beloved, Bestselling Circle of Magic Quartet
Tamora PierceA found family of four young siblings (Sandry, Daja, Briar, and Tris) learns how to harness their magical powers in Pierce’s fan favorite middle grade/young adult fantasy series, “The Circle of Magic.”
Howl's Moving Castle
Diana Wynne JonesA children’s classic with a charming chosen family — and a whimsical Hayao Miyazaki adaptation. While lots of people credit Studio Ghibli for making the story magical, much of the delight is directly lifted — amplified, even — in Jones’ original text. Follow Sophie as she seeks out the wizard Howl in order to break the spell placed on her by the Witch of the Waste.