rachel @ typed truths

Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu

Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu

Meet Winter Young – International pop sensation, with a voice like velvet and looks that could kill. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. His rabid fans would move heaven and earth for even a glimpse of him – just imagine what they’d do to become his latest fling. Meet Sydney Cossette – Part of an elite covert ops group, Sydney joined their ranks as their youngest spy with plans to become the best agent they’ve ever had. An ice queen with moves as dangerous as her comebacks, Sydney picks up languages just as quickly as she breaks… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

Physical child abuse
Parent with alcoholism
Alcohol consumption
Dismemberment
Murder
Death of a mother recounted
Graphic death from poisoning
Gun & knife violence
Kidnapping

The Headmaster’s List by Melissa de la Cruz

The Headmaster’s List by Melissa de la Cruz

One of them was driving. One of them was high. One of them screamed. And one of them died. When fifteen-year-old Chris Moore is tragically killed in a car crash, Argyle Prep is full of questions. Who was at the wheel? And more importantly, who was at fault? Eighteen-year-old Spencer Sandoval wishes she knew. As rumours swirl that her ex, Ethan, was the driver that fateful night, she can’t bring herself to defend him. And their messy breakup has nothing to do with it – she can’t remember anything from that night, not even what put her in that car with Ethan, Chris, and Tabby Hill, the… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

Cheating*
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Drugging (‘roofie’)
Medicinal and recreational drug use & abuse discussed
Alcohol consumption
Gun violence
Kidnapping
Car accident (theme)

*Context : A narrrator catchers her boyfriend cheating on her.

Afterglow by Phil Stamper

Afterglow by Phil Stamper

After a summer of life-changing, these four friends are finally ready for senior year. Gabriel is thrilled to create his school’s first LGBTQ+ advocacy group, but his long-distance relationship is fading from summer love to something else. Heath feels secure for the first time in years, but with his future riding on a baseball scholarship, each pitch triggers his anxiety. Reese is set on pursuing a career in fashion design, but his creativity takes him in an unexpected direction he isn’t yet ready to share. Sal wants to be in politics, specifically local politics. After a chat with his aunt, he is ready for an unlikely path… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

Homomisia *
Hate crime*
Alcohol consumption
Physical assault*

*Context : A character punches a gay classmate, threatens further violence, and uses homophobic slurs. Graphic microaggressions and outright bias occur toward the gay characters living in a small conservative town.

Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee

Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee

Gyen Jebi isn’t a fighter or a subversive. They just want to paint. One day they’re jobless and desperate; the next, Jebi finds themself recruited by the Ministry of Armor to paint the mystical sigils that animate the occupying government’s automaton soldiers. But when Jebi discovers the depths of the Razanei government’s horrifying crimes—and the awful source of the magical pigments they use—they find they can no longer stay out of politics. What they can do is steal Arazi, the ministry’s mighty dragon automaton, and find a way to fight…

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

Familial disownment
Death of a parent mentioned
Death of a spouse mentioned
Physical assault
Torture
Imprisonment
Blackmail
Earthquake
Colonialism

Beautiful Mess by Claire Christian

Beautiful Mess by Claire Christian

Since Ava lost Kelly, things haven’t been going so well. Even before she gets thrown out of school for shouting at the principal, there’s the simmering rage and all the weird destructive choices. The only thing going right for Ava is her job at Magic Kebab. Which is where she meets Gideon. Skinny, shy, anxious Gideon. A mad poet and collector of vinyl records with an aversion to social media. He lives in his head. She lives in her grief. The only people who can help them move on with their lives are each other.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

Anxiety
Depression
Suicide & attempted suicide
Self-harm recounted
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a friend recounted

Daring and the Duke by Sarah MacLean

Daring and the Duke by Sarah MacLean

Grace Condry has spent a lifetime running from her past. Betrayed as a child by her only love and raised on the streets, she now hides in plain sight as queen of London’s darkest corners. Grace has a sharp mind and a powerful right hook and has never met an enemy she could not best, until the man she once loved returns. Single-minded and ruthless, Ewan, Duke of Marwick, has spent a decade searching for the woman he never stopped loving. A long-ago gamble may have lost her forever, but Ewan will go to any lengths to win Grace back… and make her his duchess… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

Child abuse recounted
Death of a parent recounted
Explosion
Fire

Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega

Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega

Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who participate in the Black Moon Ceremony are placed into covens and come into their powers as full-fledged witches. And twelve-year-old Seven Salazar can’t wait to be placed in the most powerful coven with her best friend! But on the night of the ceremony, in front of the entire town, Seven isn’t placed in one of the five covens. She’s a Spare! Spare covens have fewer witches, are less powerful, and are looked down on by everyone. Even worse, when Seven and the other two Spares perform the magic circle to seal their coven and cement themselves as sisters, it doesn’t work! … Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

Child abuse mentioned*
Death of a brother
Bullying

*Context: Valley’s father starved her for two days because of school grades.

Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega

Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega and illustrated by Rose Bousamra

Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and “growing up.” That means straightening her hair every weekend so she could have “presentable, good hair”. But Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn’t understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment, and the much-needed help of Camila and Tia Ruby—she slowly starts a journey to learn to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

Misogyny
Racism & colourism
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a parent mentioned
Bullying

Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega

Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega

For Lucely Luna, ghosts are more than just the family business. Shortly before Halloween, Lucely and her best friend, Syd, cast a spell that accidentally awakens malicious spirits, wreaking havoc throughout St. Augustine. Together, they must join forces with Syd’s witch grandmother, Babette, and her tubby tabby, Chunk, to fight the haunting head-on and reverse the curse to save the town and Lucely’s firefly spirits before it’s too late.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

Physical injury
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a mother recounted
Bullying mentioned