Category Archives: Genres

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

In his village in Upper Kwanta, 11-year-old Kofi loves his family, playing oware with his grandfather and swimming in the river Offin. He’s warned though, to never go to the river at night. His brother tells him ”There are things about the water you do not know.” “Like what?” Kofi asks. “The beasts,” his brother answers. One fateful night, the unthinkable happens, and in a flash, Kofi’s world turns upside down. Kofi soon ends up in a fight for his life and what happens next will send him on a harrowing journey across land and sea, and away from everything he loves.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Colonialism
  • Slavery
  • Sexual assault mentioned
  • Suicide by drowning (throwing self overboard)
  • Stillbirth
  • Death of a sibling
  • Murder
  • Torture
  • Shipwreck

Booked by Kwame Alexander

In this follow-up to the Newbery-winning novel THE CROSSOVER, soccer, family, love, and friendship, take center stage as twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams. Helping him along are his best friend and sometimes teammate Coby, and The Mac, a rapping librarian who gives Nick inspiring books to read. This electric and heartfelt novel-in-verse by poet Kwame Alexander bends and breaks as it captures all the thrills and setbacks, action and emotion of a World Cup match!

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Racism
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Hospitalisation and surgery for a ruptured appendix
  • Physical assault
  • Bullying

I Might Be in Trouble by Daniel Aleman

A few years ago, David Alvarez had it all: a six-figure book deal, a loving boyfriend, and an exciting writing career. His debut novel was a resounding success, which made the publication of his second book—a total flop—all the more devastating. Now, David is single, lonely, and desperately trying to come up with the next great idea for his third manuscript, one that will redeem him in the eyes of readers, reviewers…and maybe even his ex-boyfriend. The issue is, good ideas are hard to come by, and the mounting pressure of a near-empty bank account isn’t helping. But when… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Infidelity

The Player in New Zealand by Liz Alden

That surly ex-rugby player making a ruckus in the dark corner of the bar I work at? Yeah, I try to avoid him. Too bad he’s my boss. I thought I was grumpy AF but I’ve met my match. Tane Parata has two moods when I see him in the bar he co-owns with his sister: grouchy in a dark corner or reliving his rugby days with a rowdy group that likes to cause trouble. I try to avoid him at all costs—the last thing I need is more male drama in my life after my stalker ex. He’s why I came to New Zealand—to escape. When my closest friend in the country—who happens to be Tane’s sister—asks me for… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Alcohol consumption
  • Stalking

Extra Witchy by Ann Aguirre

After two failed marriages, Leanne Vanderpol is here for a good time, not for a long time. She only loves the witches in her coven, and she cares more about her career than happily ever after. A difficult past makes her skittish, and she doesn’t trust relationships to stick. But when she decides to run for city council instead of wasting her talents cleaning up messes for the mayor’s office, she fears her past could be used against her. Unless she can find the right husband to shore up her political career. Trevor Montgomery might have peaked in high school. He was popular then, and in college as well, but he partied away his future, met… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Child neglect recounted
  • Divorce recounted
  • Depression & anxiety
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Abortion discussed
  • Death of a parent in a hospital (on-page)
  • Animal death & hunting mentioned

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler

Fake spirit medium Gretchen Acorn is happy to help when her best ( wealthiest) client hires her to investigate the unexplained phenomena preventing the sale of her bridge partner’s struggling goat farm. Gretchen may be a fraud, but she’d like to think she’s a beneficent one. So if “cleansing” the property will help a nice old man finally retire and put some much-needed cash in her pockets at the same time, who’s she to say no? Of course, it turns out said bridge partner isn’t the kindly AARP member Gretchen imagined—Charlie Waybill is young, hot as hell, and extreme… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Parental abandonment & estrangement
  • Grandfather with dementia
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Death of a grandmother

Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler

Millicent Watts-Cohen is on a mission. When she promised her elderly best friend that she’d reunite her with the woman she fell in love with nearly eighty years ago, she never imagined that would mean traveling from D.C. to Key West with three tablespoons of Mrs. Nash’s remains in her backpack. But Millie’s determined to give her friend a symbolic happily-ever-after, before it’s (really) too late—and hopefully reassure herself of love’s lasting power in the process. She just didn’t expect to have a living travel companion. After a computer glitch grounds flights, Millie is… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Lesbophobia discussed
  • Sexism & sexual harassment
  • Familial estrangement
  • Parental infidelity
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Death of a friend
  • Death of a parent recounted (off-page)
  • Animal death in a car accident (deer)

Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams

After years of excuses, Tess has finally agreed to go caving with her best friend Allie. Their lives have diverged sharply since high school—Allie is a self-made travel influencer, while Tess is a shy (and claustrophobic) legal assistant struggling to pay for law school. Maybe she’s a little jealous of Allie’s globe-trotting life. Who wouldn’t be? As Tess and Allie descend into the depths, they realize they’re not alone. A stranger who claims to be a fellow caver harasses them. Confident, take-no-shit Allie insults the guy—and he retaliates. Soon, Tess is trapped inside a… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Child abuse mentioned
  • Gun & knife violence
  • Murder
  • Stalking

A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Country music’s golden boy Colton Wheeler felt the most perfect harmony when he was with Gretchen Winthrop. But for her, it was a love him and leave him situation. A year later, Colton is struggling to push his music forward in a new direction. If it weren’t about to be the most magical time of year and the support of the Bromance Book Club, he’d be wallowing in self-pity. It’s hard for immigration attorney Gretchen not to feel a little Scrooge-ish about the excess of Christmas when her clients are scrambling to afford their rent. So when her estranged, wealthy family reaches out… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Infidelity mentioned (secondary character)
  • Emotional & physical sibling and parental abuse (on-page, recounted)
  • Familial estrangement
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Blackmail
  • Deportation discussed

The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie

Chaos. Fury. Destruction. The Great Change is upon us… Some say that to change the world you must first burn it down. Now that belief will be tested in the crucible of revolution: the Breakers and Burners have seized the levers of power, the smoke of riots has replaced the smog of industry, and all must submit to the wisdom of crowds. With nothing left to lose, Citizen Brock is determined to become a new hero for the new age, while Citizeness Savine must turn her talents from profit to survival before she can claw her way to redemption. Orso will find that when the… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Ableism & misogyny
  • Incest
  • Substance addiction & drug abuse
  • Pregnancy
  • Blood & injury depiction
  • Emesis
  • Murder
  • Kidnapping
  • Fire
  • War themes
  • Animal death