Books like Patron Saints of Nothing
If you liked Patron Saints of Nothing, read Everything We Never Had, Good Girl's Guide to Murder, or One of Us Is Lying — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Closest match: Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay
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Looking for books like Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay (Realistic Fiction · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of murder, fiction, family life, fiction, and family, fiction. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.
These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.
10 books similar to Patron Saints of Nothing
Everything We Never HadRandy Ribay
Good Girl's Guide to MurderHolly Jackson
One of Us Is LyingKaren M. McManus
House ArrestK. A. Holt
Everything, EverythingNicola Yoon
The Sun is Also a StarNicola Yoon
Those Who Wish Me DeadMichael Koryta
Check & MateAli Hazelwood
Dairy QueenCatherine Gilbert Murdock
I Must Betray YouRuta Sepetys
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Why each is a match
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- Everything We Never Hadgrades 7–12
- Is by Randy Ribay, the same author and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon → books like this →
- Good Girl's Guide to Murdergrades 9–12
- Shares themes of murder, fiction and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
- One of Us Is Lyinggrades 9–12
- Shares themes of murder, fiction and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
- House Arrestgrades 6–9
- Shares themes of family, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
- Everything, Everythinggrades 9–12
- Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
- The Sun is Also a Stargrades 9–12
- Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
- Those Who Wish Me Deadgrades 9–12
- Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
- Check & Mategrades 9–12
- Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
- Dairy Queengrades 9–12
- Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
- I Must Betray Yougrades 9–12
- Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
More like this
Same grade band, chosen by theme and by how many reading lists carry them. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
A Taste of HoneyShelagh DelaneyAlso Realistic Fiction · on 2 reading lists
Grades 9–10 · 87 pages
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Define "Normal"Julie Anne PetersAlso Realistic Fiction · on 2 reading lists
Grades 9–12 · 196 pages
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If You Come SoftlyJacqueline WoodsonAlso Realistic Fiction · on 2 reading lists
Grades 9–12 · 181 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Izzy, Willy-NillyCynthia VoigtAlso Realistic Fiction · on 2 reading lists
Grades 9–12 · 280 pages
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The Face at the Edge of the WorldEve BuntingAlso Realistic Fiction · on 2 reading lists
Grades 9–12 · 158 pages
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The Silver KissAnnette Curtis KlauseAlso Realistic Fiction · on 2 reading lists
Grades 9–12 · 224 pages
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A Door Near HereHeather QuarlesAlso Realistic Fiction · on 1 reading list
Grades 9–12 · 231 pages
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A Sudden SilenceEve BuntingAlso Realistic Fiction · on 1 reading list
Grades 9–12 · 112 pages
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A Summer to DieLois LowryAlso Realistic Fiction · on 1 reading list
Grades 9–12 · 154 pages
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AfterFrancine ProseAlso Realistic Fiction · on 1 reading list
Grades 9–12 · 330 pages
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Breathing UnderwaterAlex FlinnAlso Realistic Fiction · on 1 reading list
Grades 9–12 · 263 pages
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Chicken Soup for the Teenage SoulJack CanfieldAlso Realistic Fiction · on 1 reading list
Grades 9–12 · 280 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Books like Patron Saints of Nothing for middle school (grades 6–8)
Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 6–8— same scoring, different audience.
- A Family Apart by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of family, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
- Dovey Coe by Frances O'Roark Dowell · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of murder, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
- Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of family life, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
- Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of family life, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
- Striped Ice Cream by Joan M. Lexau · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of family life, fiction and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
Common questions
- What books are similar to Patron Saints of Nothing?
- The 10 closest matches to Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay on ReadingList include Everything We Never Had, Good Girl's Guide to Murder, One of Us Is Lying, House Arrest, and Everything, Everything. Each is scored on shared themes (murder, fiction, family life, fiction, and family, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
- Are books like Patron Saints of Nothing reading-level appropriate?
- Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.
- How does ReadingList choose similar books?
- Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.
Book data last updated 2026-09-05. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.
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