The Trigger Warning Database began with a small idea in 2017.
After being triggered by a book for the first time in her life, Rachel knew going forward she needed to be more careful which books she was reading. She spent hours scouring the internet for some kind of bookish trigger warning master list but all she found was a bunch of dead Tumblr blogs, Reddit threads with a handful of classics she was never going to read, and less-than-useful Goodreads lists. There were no resources like what she needed.
She knew that had to change. From there, the idea grew & grew. Rachel started adding trigger warning lists to her reviews but eventually, she made a Google Doc… which became multiple Excel spreadsheets, then a massive Google Sheet monstrosity. Thousands of hours of experimenting later, the idea for the Trigger Warning Database became this website.
The site never would have been possible without the support of people like Bec, though. Bec joined the team in January 2021 and has been an integral part ever since! She pioneered our latest rebrand and uses her incredible blogging & data entry skills to make our site the best version of itself.
Rachel is a 20-something school librarian and university student who loves cats, coffee & crying on a03. Find her at Typed Truths.
Bec is a book reviewer, blogger & librarian who chaotically reads too many books at once. Find her at becandbooks.
This website, this database, is a place for readers like us. It’s for readers with triggers, readers on their own trauma recovery journeys, readers who just want the safe, enjoyable reading experience they deserve.
I know the idea of content warnings is controversial. Meme culture has slowly eroded the legitimate definition of ‘being triggered’ to the general public but it is a real, valid experience. We know that and hope this website can help you out, even just a little.
It’s organised so you can browse for a list of books with your specific trigger or check the content of a specific book. It is not a foolproof system. We are a crowd-sourced resource, but we’re so proud of what we have created and hope it can bring you a little comfort.
Please consider supporting the Trigger Warning Database by donating to our Ko-Fi. All donations will be used to cover the costs of keeping our website running.
Trigger Warning Database 