The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse – Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he’ll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds…. Read more.

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Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Ableism
  • Parental abandonment, child abuse & domestic violence
  • Infidelity mentioned
  • Nightmares & hallucinations discussed
  • Alcohol consumption mentioned
  • Injury depiction, emesis & mentions of terminal cancer
  • Death of a mother
  • Death of an uncle mentioned
  • Explosion
  • Knife violence
  • Car accident
  • Incarceration
  • War themes
  • Drowning mentioned
  • Hurricane, lightning & storms (on-page)
  • Earthquake
  • Animal cruelty
  • Bullying

Torn Away by Jennifer Brown

Torn Away by Jennifer Brown

Torn Away by Jennifer Brown book cover

Jersey Cameron has always loved a good storm. Watching the clouds roll in and the wind pick up. Smelling the electricity in the air. Dancing barefoot in the rain. She lives in the Midwest, after all, where the weather is sure to keep you guessing. Jersey knows what to do when the tornado sirens sound. But she never could have prepared for this.

When her town is devastated by a tornado, Jersey loses everything. As she struggles to overcome her grief, she’s sent to live with relatives she hardly knows-family who might as well be strangers. In an unfamiliar place, can Jersey discover that even on the darkest of days, there are some things no tornado can destroy?

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Child abandonment
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Panic attacks
  • Alcoholism mentioned
  • Death of a sibling
  • Death of a parent
  • Tornado, central theme
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The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

When Gyre Price lied her way into this expedition, she thought she’d be mapping mineral deposits, and that her biggest problems would be cave collapses and gear malfunctions. She also thought that the fat paycheck—enough to get her off-planet and on the trail of her mother—meant she’d get a skilled surface team, monitoring her suit and environment, keeping her safe. Keeping her sane.

Instead, she got Em.

Em sees nothing wrong with controlling Gyre’s body with drugs or withholding critical information to “ensure the smooth operation” of her expedition. Em knows all about Gyre’s falsified credentials, and has no qualms using them as a leash—and a lash. And Em has secrets, too… Read more.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Child neglect & abandonment
  • Claustrophobia
  • Hallucinations & delusions
  • Nonconsensual administrations of drugs & medical treatment
  • Blood & gore depiction
  • Physical injury & illness
  • Dead bodies
  • Emesis
  • Needles
  • Surgery
  • Hospital mentioned
  • Death from starvation
  • Amputation & loss of limb
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Death of a mother & father recounted
  • Death from a fall
  • Drowning
  • Cave disasters
  • Loss of bodily autonomy
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The You I’ve Never Known by Ellen Hopkins

The You I’ve Never Known by Ellen Hopkins

For as long as she can remember, it’s been just Ariel and Dad. Ariel’s mom disappeared when she was a baby. Dad says home is wherever the two of them are, but Ariel is now seventeen and after years of new apartments, new schools, and new faces, all she wants is to put down some roots. Complicating things are Monica and Gabe, both of whom have stirred a different kind of desire.

Maya’s a teenager who’s run from an abusive mother right into the arms of an older man she thinks she can trust. But now she’s isolated with a baby on the way, and life’s getting more complicated than Maya ever could have imagined… Read more.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Ableism & ableist language
  • Queermisia
  • Racism
  • Physical & verbal child abuse
  • Emotional child abuse & gaslighting
  • Child neglect & abandonment
  • Death of a father
  • Kidnapping
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Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Crank chronicles the turbulent and often disturbing relationship between Kristina, and the “monster,” the highly addictive drug crystal meth, or “crank.” Kristina is introduced to the drug while visiting her largely absent and ne’er-do-well father. While under the influence of the monster, Kristina discovers her sexy alter-ego, Bree, Bree will do all the things good girl Kristina won’t, including attracting the attention of dangerous boys who can provide her with a steady flow of crank.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Parental abandonment & neglect
  • Rape & rape by coercion
  • Self-harm
  • Substance addiction (theme)
  • Recreational drug abuse
  • Blood depiction & blood-drinking
  • Teen pregnancy
  • Incarceration
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Hurricane Season by Nicole Melleby

Hurricane Season by Nicole Melleby

Fig, a sixth grader, wants more than anything to see the world as her father does. The once-renowned pianist, who hasn’t composed a song in years and has unpredictable good and bad days, is something of a mystery to Fig. Though she’s a science and math nerd, she tries taking an art class just to be closer to him, to experience life the way an artist does. But then Fig’s dad shows up at school, disoriented and desperately searching for Fig. Not only has the class not brought Fig closer to understanding him, it has brought social services to their door.

Diving into books about Van Gogh to understand the madness of artists, calling on her best friend for advice, and turning to a new neighbor for support, Fig continues to try everything she can think of to understand her father, to save him from himself, and to find space in her life to discover who she is even as the walls are falling down around her.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Ableism
  • Coming out themes
  • Child abandonment & neglect recounted
  • Anxiety
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Manic & depressive episodes
  • Suicide mentioned
  • Death of a wife mentioned
  • Bullying

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

Hani & Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

Everyone likes Humaira “Hani” Khan—she’s easy going and one of the most popular girls at school. But when she comes out to her friends as bisexual, they invalidate her identity, saying she can’t be bi if she’s only dated guys. Panicked, Hani blurts out that she’s in a relationship… with a girl her friends absolutely hate—Ishita “Ishu” Dey. Ishu is the complete opposite of Hani. She’s an academic overachiever who hopes that becoming head girl will set her on the right track for college. But Ishita agrees to help Hani, if Hani will help her become more popular so that she stands a chance of being elected head girl.

Despite their mutually beneficial pact, they start developing real feelings for each other. But relationships are complicated, and some people will do anything to stop two Bengali girls from achieving happily ever after.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Racism
  • Islamophobia
  • Bimisia
  • Lesbomisia
  • Homomisia
  • Parental abandonment
  • Toxic friendships
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Real by Carol Cujec

Real by Carol Cujec

Real by Carol Cujec

Charity may have mad math skills and a near-perfect memory, but with a mouth that can’t speak and a body that jumps, rocks, and howls unpredictably, most people incorrectly assume she cannot learn. Charity’s brain works differently from most people’s because of her autism, but she’s still funny, determined, and kind. So why do people treat her like a disease or ignore her like she’s invisible?

When Charity’s parents enroll her in a public junior high school, she faces her greatest fears. Will kids make fun of her? Will her behavior get her kicked out? Will her million thoughts stay locked in her head forever? With the support of teachers and newfound friends, Charity will have to fight to be treated like a real student.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Ableism and ableist language
  • Child abuse
  • Emotional abuse
  • Neglect and abandonment
  • Bullying
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City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Darkness has descended on the Shadowhunter world. Chaos and destruction overwhelm the Nephilim as Clary, Jace, Simon, and their friends band together to fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary’s own brother. Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell. Nothing in this world can defeat Sebastian—but if they journey to the realm of demons, they just might have a chance…

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Ableism & ableist language
  • Homomisia & queermisia
  • Racism
  • Hate crimes
  • Attempted rape & sexual assault recounted
  • Incest
  • Child abuse & neglect
  • Parental abandonment
  • Intimate partner violence recounted
  • Cheating recounted
  • Nightmares
  • Suicide, self-sacrifice & attempted suicide
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Self-inflicted injuries
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Nonconsensual drugging
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Death of a child
  • Death of a friend
  • Death of a brother & sister
  • Death of a mother & father
  • Death of a husband & wife
  • Murder & attempted murder
  • Knife violence & stabbing
  • Torture
  • Kidnapping & captivity
  • Blackmail
  • Exile
  • Drowning
  • Fire
  • Whipping recounted
  • Disappearance of a loved one
  • War themes including graphic battle scenes
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The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece, bound by blood and oath, must lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

GoodreadsThe Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

  • Slavery & human trafficking
  • Rape
  • Child abuse & neglect
  • Self harm
  • Blood & gore depiction
  • Physical injuries
  • Murder
  • Torture
  • Kidnapping
  • Animal death
  • War themes & military violence
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