Family Sagas

One Hundred Years of Solitude

Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Year: 1967

Genre: Magical Realism

More info: January 2004 Oprah Book Club Pick

Age Range: 14+

Plot

This multi-generational family saga is about the Buendiá family and their hometown, the magical Maconda. It’s a comedy, a tragedy, and it looks at the rise and fall of the town’s founding family.

For the record, I read this book BEFORE Oprah picked it! We spent a semester learning about this family saga in high school. Each person was assigned a symbol to report on throughout the book each week.

Mine was goldfish -part of the symbolism of amnesia and the duality between amnesia and nostalgia. Yep. I still remember the lesson. Maybe the teaching contributed, but this remains one of my favorite books ever.

Why Kirsten loves it

I love this family saga. The writing is brilliant and so is the symbolism. This is not an easy read but it is worth every minute.

Find this book in: Kirsten’s Favorites / Magical Realism Books / Classic Books / Amnesia Books / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books / Best Books in Translation / Historical Fantasy Books

Roots: The Saga of an American Family

Author: Alex Haley

Year: 1974

Genre: Classic Historical Fiction

More info: Pulitzer Prize Winner

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Although I read this family saga decades ago, it has stayed with me for all that time. It is the story of Kunta Kinte, who is captured from his home, put on a boat, and sold into slavery. The story follows many generations of the family. 

Trigger Warnings

Slavery, Racism

Why Jackie loves it

This Pulitzer Prize-winning book is a powerful and unforgettable saga based on the author’s family. Alex Haley has traced his family roots back 200 years to tell the story of Kunta Kinte and 25,000,000 other Americans. This amazing and heartbreaking book is a must-read.

Find this book in: Family Sagas

Cutting for Stone

Author: Abraham Verghese

Year: 2009

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: National Bestseller

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers who are born secretly to a nun and a surgeon.  They are orphaned when their mother dies and their father disappears.

This sweeping family saga is set over three decades, from Ethiopia to America, as Ethiopia is on the brink of a revolution.

Trigger Warnings

Medical Trauma

Why Jackie loves it

This is another epic family saga that is a stunning choice for fans of the sub-genre.

Find this book in: Novels About Africa / Family Saga Books / Immigration Novels

Fall of Giants

Author: Ken Follett

Year: 2010

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: Century Trilogy #1

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Ken Follett has woven a saga epic in scale by following 3 generations of five families throughout his Century Trilogy. The first book starts in 1911 as readers are introduced to the families scattered in the US, Wales, Germany, England, and Russia. Each family is intertwined with each other in a way that allows readers to understand the complexities of WWI to people in various social classes and countries. It’s an astonshing triumph.

Trigger Warnings

War, Antisemitism

Why Kirsten loves it

I don’t know what took me so long to listen to this story. It was absolutely captivating and could not stop listening. This dramatic story about 5 families before and during WWI was incredible. The way Follett has woven all their stories together was dynamic and mesmerizing. The story was a little more battle and politics-focused than most WWI books I have read, but I loved learning new historical information.

Find this book in: Family Sagas / WWI Books

Crossroads

Author: Jonathan Franzen

Year: 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: A Key to All Mythologies #1

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Jonathan Franzen is back with this incredible 70s book about a pastor and his family as they navigate who they are in the midst of the tumultuous of the era.

As each character questions their relationship with their family, with god, and with their community at large, they also turn inward and try to remain true to themselves.

Trigger Warnings

Drug Use, Mental Illness

Why Kirsten loves it

The depth of the characters is meticulous, the plot had me flipping the pages (which at 500 or so is saying something.) I can’t recommend this story enough. It’s truly wonderful. If you love 70s historical fiction, this is a perfect pick.

Find this book in: Books Set in the 70s / Books Like Daisy Jones & The Six / Family Saga Books / Best Long Books

Tidelands

Author: Philippa Gregory

Year: 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: #1 Bestselling Author

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range:

Plot

Philippa Gregory is back with a new non-royal series, this one is actually a book about poverty in Renaissance England. Tidelands is set in 1648 in the midst of the English civil war. The king has been overthrown and the country is in turmoil, but in the marshlands of the South, the villagers are worried about survival.

Alinor is a healer whose services are both respected and feared. She carefully toes the line between a wise woman and a witch as she struggles to feed her family. One fateful night she decides to help a catholic priest to safety without realizing the danger this secret would bring to her family.

Trigger Warnings

Abortion

Why Kirsten loves it

Philippa Gregory’s books are epic and this one is a perfect book for fall. It had everything I needed to whisk me away to another time and place.

Find this book in: The Best Books of 2019

Outlander

Author: Diana Gabaldon

Year: 1991

Genre: Historical Fantasy

More info: Outlander Series Book 1 of 9

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This epic story begins in 1945 when Claire Randall and her husband take a second honeymoon to the Scottish Highlands to celebrate being reunited after the war. When Claire touches one of the standing stones, she is transported to 1743.

This is when the real story begins. In order to stay safe as an English woman in Scotland, Clare must depend on Jamie Frasier for protection. Soon Clare finds herself living in a world she has only read about in history books and torn between two men that she loves. In addition to being a brilliant fiction that is rich in historical details, it is an epic love story as well. For me, this is magical realism at its finest.

Trigger Warnings

Rape, sexual assault, sexual violence

Why Kirsten loves it

How do I love Outlander? I cannot count the ways. There is a reason this is one of my favorite books of all time. I am a huge reader of historical fiction and this one checks all the boxes for me. The characters are rich, the plot is complex without being overly complicated and the epic love story make it almost perfect in my eyes.

Why Jackie loves it

Even though I am not a huge historical fiction connoisseur, I could not put this book down. Even at 640 pages, I did not want it to end and immediately picked up the next book in the series. I love the touch of magical realism that transported Clare back in time 200 years and Gabaldon’s story telling made the characters jump off the page.

Find this book in: Best Romance Novels of All Time / Ultimate List of Historical Fiction/ Books Like A Discovery of Witches / Adult Fantasy Romance Books / Magical Realism Books / Best Adult Fantasy Novels

Dava Shastri’s Last Day

Author: Kirthana Ramisetti

Year: 2021

Genre: Fiction

More info: December 2021 Good Morning America Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

I DEVOURED this contemporary fiction story of a billionaire music mogul who releases her death announcement 2 days early so she can read her own end-of-life articles. The best part was that during the snowstorm that trapped her family with her at the ski chalet, she neglected to tell them about her terminal illness and her harebrained scheme. 

Trigger Warnings

Cancer, Death

Why Kirsten loves it

We get to see the impact the decision has on her family as well as get a look at her colorful life before her cancer diagnosis. This family drama was so compelling, I totally understand why it was a book club pick.

Find this book in: Books About Mothers / Family Drama Books / Family Sagas / Contemporary Fiction Novels / Best Celebrity Book Club Picks / GMA Book Club List 2021

The Most Fun We Ever Had

Author: Claire Lombardo

Year: 2019

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

More info: April 2024 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Lombardo’s debut is a tremendous contemporary fiction book about the complicated dynamics and hidden secrets of the Sorenson parents and their 4 daughters.

The story alternates between the present day and the past. In the current storyline, Jonah reunites with the daughter who gave him up 15 years prior. The flashbacks touch on moments in the Sorenson family history that are returning to haunt them.

Why Kirsten loves it

I’m a sucker for character-driven novels. Each of Lombardo’s characters is deliciously flawed and complex. She writes in a way that brings characters to life. I could have sworn I’d met them before.

Why Jackie loves it

I love that at the heart of the story, the book is about the many forms of love and how to live well. I cannot believe that Claire Lombardo is not a 50 or 60-year-old woman with children of her own. 

Adaptation

The book is currently in development for a tv series. Amy Adams and Laura Dern are executive producing and Clare Lombardo is writing the script and producing as well.

Find this book in: Books Becoming Movies / Coming-of-age Books for Adults / Books About Sisters / Best Contemporary Fiction Novels / Best Books About Siblings / Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2024

The Dutch House

Author: Ann Patchett

Year: 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: October 2019 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Ann Patchett has done it again with this tale of sibling devotion that is a testament to the love that holds a family together. Danny and Maeve are victims of an abandoned mother and father who all but ignores them. Danny narrates the story of their lives as it ties into The Dutch House – a storied mansion their father purchased in Elkins Park. The home that is both a blessing and a curse, symbolizes how the mistakes parents make can impact children for a lifetime.

Why Kirsten loves it

I couldn’t put this story down. I did a mix of reading and listening, but ultimately I got swept into Tom Hank’s incredible narration. I was so fully drawn into the story that the world seemed to fall away.

Find this book in: Best Audiobooks / Coming-of-age Books for Adults / Family Sagas / Cozy Fall Books / Best Books of 2019 / Best Books About Siblings / Best Read With Jenna Books /

The Bright Years

Author: Sarah Damoff

Year: 2025

Genre: Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Ryan and Lillian Bright met in a library and immediately had a connection. That meeting becomes hours of walking and talking, which turns into marriage. Her parents are dead and his mother left Ryan’s father because he was an abusive alcoholic. Ryan, in an effort not to become like his dad, never drinks. But Ryan and Lillian are both keeping secrets that threaten to shatter their marriage and everything they are trying to build together.

The story follows Ryan and Lillian, as well as their daughter Georgette, as they try to navigate a life filled with love and tragedy. It asks the question of how a family can move on after loss and examines the effects of alcoholism and grief.

Trigger Warnings

Death of a parent, abuse, alcoholism, miscarriage, adoption

Why Jackie loves it

This is a beautifully written book that shows the multigenerational trauma associated with alcoholism. The beginning of the book moves back and forth between the 80s and the 70s which I found a bit disorienting at first, but as the story progressed, I was drawn to the characters, hoping they would find peace and happiness. The story is filled with loss and felt real to me. It is emotionally moving, and you will need to sit with your emotions. But it is a powerful family saga that will stay with you. Gifted by Simon and Schuster Audio

Find this book in: Novels About Addiction / Family Sagas

Like Mother, Like Mother

Author: Susan Rieger

Year: 2024

Genre: Literary Fiction

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This family saga is told in multiple timelines about multiple mothers. It opens with Lila’s funeral in the present and her daughter, Grace’s reaction to it. But from there it flashes back to Lila’s childhood focusing on how her own mother was committed to an asylum in 196o by her father.

Against all odds, Lila rose to the top of her field prioritizing her job over her children, ignoring that Grace desperately missed her while she was off at White House correspondent dinners. She resented her so much, that she wrote a bestselling book based on Lila. Now Grace’s guilt over her actions in the years and the strain of her relationship has her looking back and pondering if you can ever know yourself without knowing the women who shaped you.

Trigger Warnings

Domestic Abuse

Why Kirsten loves it

From the nonlinear narrative to the deep dive into the intergenerational cycle of abuse and abandonment, this story had a lot of elements that just clicked for me. I was swept into the hunt for Zelda, weaving my fantasies about what had become of her.

I felt like Grace and Lila were deeply flawed in a wonderfully complex way that had me cringing and cheering them on in equal measure. I also adored Ruth, Clara, and Joe and the growth of each of the characters throughout this novel. I’ll be thinking about it for years to come. #gifted by PRH Audio

Find this book in: Family Saga Books / Summary of Like Mother, Like Mother / Best New Fiction Books of 2024 / Giftable Books / The Best Books of 2024 / Best Books for Book Club / Fiction With a Funeral

Malas

Author: Marcela Fuentes

Year: 2024

Genre: Literary Fiction

More info: June 2024 Good Morning America Book Club Pick

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Laid out as a dual-timeline story, this novel tells the tale of Pilar and Lulu, weaving their story together marvelously. In 1951 Pilar is told by a stranger that her husband is already married, changing the course of her marriage forever. In the present day, Lulu is getting ready for her quinceañera but with her grandmother recently deceased and her father a mess, she doesn’t know who to turn to for help.

Soon, Lulu strikes up an unlikely friendship with Pilar. As Lulu struggles to find her way into adulthood and navigate her strict dad’s rules, Pilar willingly shares her wisdom and helps guide her into womanhood.

Trigger Warnings

Child death, Alcoholism

Why Kirsten likes it

I was eager to pick up this story because I’m often drawn to character-driven stories. I enjoyed learning about the culture and norms around a quinceañera, a 15th birthday party popular in the Latino community to mark the coming-of-age milestone. I was also swept into the intergenerational trauma that makes books like this sing. If you enjoy a family saga, this is a great pick!

Find this book in: Coming-of-age Books for Adults / Family Sagas / GMA Book Club List 2024

Mercury

Author: Amy Jo Burns

Year: 2024

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Age Range: 16+

Plot

In Mercury, PA the Joseph brothers and their roofing business are known to all. When a body is found in the attic of the local church when the roof needs repair, a mystery is unleashed, and a family saga unfolds.

A decade prior, Marley West came into town with her mother and fell in love with the Joseph brothers. She dated one, married one, and helped raise another. She becomes a defactor mother figure to the whole family.

As the mystery of who is in the attic unravels, the story bounces back and forth in time while revealing the secrets and hidden motivations of Marley and the Joseph family.

Trigger Warnings

Miscarriage

Why Kirsten loves it

It’s a character analysis more than a mystery, a slow-burn of a story more than a high-stakes thriller. I was utterly enthralled. I think it’s the first contender of the year for the best books of 2024 list.

Find this book in: Family Sagas / Best Fiction of 2024 / The Best Books of 2024 / Best Books About Siblings

American Pop

Author: Snowden Wright

Year: 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Range: 16+

Plot

A family saga told about 3 generations of soft-drinks heirs that had heart and glamour. I loved learning about the rise and fall of the Panola Cola company and the dynasty it produced.

Why Kirsten loves it

It’s hard to choose a favorite Forster but it was probably Harold’s tale that I liked the most, followed closely by Ramsey. I loved the made-up family interacting with real-world figures. I just really enjoyed this read, it would be great for the beach.

Find this book in: Family Sagas

Haven Point

Author: Virginia Hume

Year: 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This book is about four generations of the Demarest family. It focuses on the great-grandmother, grandmother (Maren, 1944), mother (Annie, 1970, and daughter (Skye, 2008) as they spend their summers in the waspy coastal town. Secrets unfold, loves bloom and fade, and the ties that bond are explored.

Why Kirsten loves it

This is a wonderful beach read with heart, I hope you take a chance and get swept away too. It’s one of the best family saga books I’ve ever read.

Why Jackie loves it

What a wonderful read. I truly can’t explain how much this book swept me away to Haven Point. This is a family saga with a heart that you will not want to miss.

Find this book in: Family Saga Books / Best Beach Reads / Books Set in Maine

Americanah

Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Year: 2013

Genre: Fiction

More info: National Bestseller

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This contemporary fiction book tells the story of Ifemelu and Obinze who are young and in love when they leave war-torn Nigeria. Ifemelu comes to the United States and despite plans to follow her, Obinze cannot come to post-9/11 America.  

The saga takes place over a 15-year period when Ifemelu and Obinze are reunited in Nigeria. It is intense and deeply emotional.

Trigger Warnings

Racism, Sexual Assault, Suicide

Why Jackie loves it

I read this book with a very heavy heart as it seemed like tragedy after tragedy befell these two individuals. However, with that said, this book is amazingly written and a true work of art.

Find this book in: Novels About Africa / Family Saga Books / Books by Female BIPOC Authors / Immigration Books

Book of Longings

Author: Sue Monk Kidd

Year: 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This book is the story of Ana. A woman ahead of her time, Ana is a scribe and can speak many languages. She is also the fictional wife of Jesus Christ and a sister to Judas.

Why Jackie loves it

I do not know why I hesitated to read this family saga book. But I am glad that I waited so I could appreciate every nuance that this book has to offer. The writing and the storytelling of this book are beautiful and epic. It is a must-read for any historical fiction lover.

The Poisonwood Bible

Author: Barbara Kingsolver

Year: 1998

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: June 2000 Oprah Book Club Pick

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This novel is about one family’s three decades in the Congo. Nathan Price is an evangelical Baptist who takes his family on a mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959. The novel takes place during the Congo’s fight for independence. This epic family saga is told by Nathan’s Wife and four daughters. If you are looking for the best novels about Africa, this one will not disappoint.

Trigger Warnings

Child Death, Racism

Why Jackie loves it

This is another book from Oprah’s original book club that has stayed with me over the years. Oprah chooses books that are emotional and well-written, and this family saga is no exception.

Find this book in: Family Saga / Novels About Africa / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books

Island of Sea Women

Author: Lisa See

Year: 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: New York Times Bestselling Author

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This historical fiction tells the story of a friendship between two women on the Korean Island of Jeju. There, women work as a diving collective to provide for their families while men look after the children.  It was interesting to read a story where some gender norms are reversed and others, like feeding women and children last, were still perpetuated.

Beyond the incredible history of this small island is the story of a remarkable friendship between Mi-ja and Young-sook over the decades.

Why Jackie loves it

Lisa See has done it again with this remarkable story. I was captivated from the first page, as I am with anything See writes.

Find this book in: Best Books 2019 / Family Saga Books / Friendship Books / Best Beach Reads of all Time / Books Set in Tropical Locations

Beyond That, the Sea

Author: Laura Spence-Ash

Year: 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

I’ve read a lot of books about WWII but not as many books about what it was like after the war. This particular story is about Bea, an 11-year-old sent to America during the bombings in London. She assimilates into an American family with two sons during the war years, only to be wrenched away at the end of the war.

Her time in America forever changes Bea, and she struggles to reconnect to her home country and her family. As she grows up, her American family is never far from her heart.

Why Kirsten loves it

I loved how she merged her two families throughout her life. While often sad at times, it was truly a lovely tale.

Find this book in: Beach Reads 2023 / Family Sagas / Seaside Books

The Lost Queen

Author: Signe Pike

Year: 2018

Genre: Historical Fantasy

More info: Book 1 of 3 in The Lost Queen

Age Range: 18+

Plot

If you love Outlander, The Mists of Avalon, or The Clan of the Cave Bear, then you will love this pick from royal reads. Set in Britain/ Scotland when Christianity is poised to become the religion of the country, a future queen who swore to the old ways is learning how to balance the needs of her people and her religion with the role she’s expected to play.

Meanwhile, her twin brother is training to be the man history knows as Merlin. The first in a new trilogy about Arthurian legend.

This book is a perfect pick for a list of books like A Discovery of Witches or a list of books like Outlander. If you love books set in Scotland, this book is a must-read.

Why Kirsten loves it

I love historical fiction books and I also love stories about King Arthur. This series is perfect for me, especially because it also takes place in Scotland. This is a triple win in my books.

Why Jackie loves it

When I first got this book, I wasn’t sure that I was going to like it. I had a very difficult time reading it since I could not pronounce any of the names. As soon as I started listening to this book, I was immediately drawn into the story. If you love historical fiction or historical fantasy, I would highly suggest listening to this series.

Find this book in: Best Books About Scotland / Books Like A Discovery of Witches / The Best Witch Books / Books like Outlander / Mythology Books / Historical Fantasy Books

The Forgotten Garden

Author: Kate Morton

Year: 2008

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Range: 16+

Plot

A young girl is abandoned on a ship headed to Australia. When she arrives, the only thing in her possession is a suitcase with some clothes and a book of fairy tales. The dock master and his wife adopt Nell and tell her the story of her arrival in Australia on her 21st birthday. She goes back to England on a quest to find her lost identity.

Unsuccessful, her granddaughter later takes up the search and tries to assemble the pieces of her grandmother’s mystery and unlock the secrets of her past.

Trigger Warnings

Child Death, Infertility

Why Kirsten loves it

I was swept away by this story and found myself dreaming of Cornwall while reading. This gothic fiction is a perfect book for fall.

Find this book in: Kate Morton Books / Cozy Books / Family Saga / Books set in Cornwall / Historical Mystery / British Books / Best Cozy Mystery Books

The Immortalists

Author: Chloe Benjamin

Year: 2018

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: A “Best Book of the Year”: Washington Post
Instant New York Times Bestseller

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

What would you do if you knew the day that you were going to die? Would want to know?  The four Gold children find out the information that will shape their lives in this amazing family drama book. We follow the Gold children over the next 5 decades. Simon heads to the West Coast, Klara becomes a magician in Las Vegas, Daniel becomes an army doctor, and Varya seeks out the research of immortality.

Trigger Warnings

Suicide, Mental Illness

Why Jackie loves it

This book is beautifully written. Ms. Benjamin does a superb job of creating different voices for each of these characters. They are so vivid and unique.

Why Kirsten loves it

  This family saga book about grief is un-putdownable and stays with you long after you have finished reading the last page.

Find this book in: Family Sagas / Carnival Books / Books About Mental Illness / Books Set in the 80s / Best Books About Siblings / Best Books of 2017 / Novels About Grief

The Latecomer

Author: Jean Hanff Korelitz

Year: 2022

Genre: Fiction

More info: A New York Times Notable Book of 2022

Age Range: 16+

Plot

I want to scream from the rooftops about this family drama contemporary fiction set over the course of the lives of the Oppenheimer family. The Oppenheimer triplets have been averse to each other since they were born. On the brink of escaping to the freedom of college, their parents decide to have a fourth child.

Soon secrets are unraveling, choices are called into question, and sibling rivalry reaches a crescendo. This character-driven story is truly marvelous.

Why Kirsten loves it

This book is perfect for fans of Ann Patchett and Clare Lombardo. It is truly a sibling story at its best and I could not put it down.

Find this book in: Best Books About Siblings / Best Family Sagas / Ultimate List of Contemporary Fiction

Pachinko

Author: Min Jin Lee

Year: 2017

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: New York Times 100 Best Books of the 21st Century, National Book Award Finalist

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range:16+

Plot

This family saga book is an epic tale of a family through the generations from 1910-1989.  I absolutely adored the first half of the book.  I felt like I knew each of the characters so well. I rooted for them and loved them. 

From Korea to Japan, this is an epic historical fiction novel that begins when Sunja, the daughter of a fisherman, has an affair with a wealthy stranger. She finds out he is married and she is pregnant with his child. When she decides to reject her son’s father, it begins a saga that is an unputdownable read.

Trigger Warnings

Racism, Suicide

Why Jackie loves it

Even though the book was close to 500 pages, I felt like the second half of the book was rushed.  This is a rare occasion in which I wish there was more to the book, particularly the ending.  I wanted to know more about the later characters so I could relate to the characters as I did at the beginning.

Find this book in: Books Set in the 80s / Books by Female BIPOC Authors / Family Sagas

The Mountains Sing

Author: Nguyên Phan Quẽ Mai

Year: 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: International Bestseller

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This book is a sweeping family saga that tells the multigenerational tale of the Tran family. Trần Diệu Lan was forced to flee her family farm with her six children during the Communist land reform.  Hà Nội, her granddaughter, was raised by her grandmother during the Vietnam War. 

Trigger Warnings

War, Rape, Abortion

Why Jackie loves it

The author is a Vietnamese poet which is obvious by the beautiful writing. This is a beautiful story of love, family, loyalty, and survival, and was a beautiful book to listen to.

Find this book in: Family Saga Books / Female BIPOC Authors

Banyan Moon

Author: Thao Thai

Year: 2023

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

More info: July 2023 Read With Jenna Book Club Pick

Age Range: 15+

Plot

Minh, Ann’s grandmother, has died leaving her home to Ann and her mother, right during a time when Ann’s life is in upheaval. She just found out her long-term boyfriend is cheating on her and she’s now pregnant with his baby.

Traveling back to Florida to see the Banyan Tree house, Ann also has a chance to reconnect with her estranged mother, Huơng or sever the tie to her roots completely.

Why Kirsten likes it

I loved Ann’s journey to self-discovery and the flashbacks that told Minh’s life story and how she immigrated from Vietnam. My only caveat is that the ending wasn’t all I wanted it to be. It was good but left time wanting more from this family sage.

Find this book in: Read with Jenna 2024 / Family Sagas / Read with Jenna Book Club List 2023

The Family Lore

Author: Elizabeth Acevedo

Year: 2023

Genre: Magical Realism

More info: August 2023 Good Morning America Book Club Pick

Age Range: 15+

Plot

It’s about the women in a Dominican-American family, their special gifts, and the bonds they share with each other. It starts off with Flor, who has the ability to know the date of people’s death, informing everyone that she wants a living wake.

As her family grapples with what that means, Acevedo explores each woman’s special gift and how it has impacted their lives.

Trigger Warnings

Infidelity

Why Kirsten loves it

I was fascinated by the magical realism elements of the story, but it was the depth of the characters that drew me in. Rich in culture and exquisitely written, this family saga wove a magical realism story I never wanted to end.

Find this book in: Magical Realism / Good Morning America Ranked / Family Sagas / GMA Book Club List 2023