Tag Archives: Child Abuse & Neglect

This page lists books that contain trigger warnings for the depiction of child abuse and neglect, including emotional, verbal, psychological and physical abuse, and gaslighting.

For child sexual abuse, see Paedophilia & CSA.

Riven by Roan Parrish

Riven by Roan Parrish

Theo Decker might be the lead singer of Riven, but he hates being a rock star. The paparazzi, the endless tours, being recognized everywhere he goes—it all makes him squirm. The only thing he doesn’t hate is the music. Feeling an audience’s energy as they lose themselves in Riven’s music is a rush unlike anything else . . . until he meets Caleb Blake Whitman. Caleb is rough and damaged, yet his fingers on his guitar are pure poetry. And his hands on Theo? They’re all he can think about. But Caleb’s no groupie—and one night with him won’t be enough. Just when Caleb is… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Emotional child neglect
  • Sexual harassment
  • Alcohol consumption & recovery from alcoholism
  • Substance addiction & recovery

Rend by Roan Parrish

Rend by Roan Parrish

Matt Argento knows what it feels like to be alone. After a childhood of abandonment, he never imagined someone might love him—much less someone like Rhys Nyland, who has the voice of an angel, the looks of a god, and the worship of his fans. Matt and Rhys come from different worlds, but when they meet, their chemistry is incendiary. Their romance is unexpected, intense, and forever—at least, that’s what their vows promise. Suddenly, Matt finds himself living a life he never thought possible: safe and secure in the arms of a man who feels like home. But when Rhys leaves to go on tour for his new album, Matt finds him… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Child abuse & neglect recounted
  • Anxiety, depression, dissociation & intrusive thoughts
  • Suicide recounted
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Bullying recounted

The Lights on Knockbridge Lane by Roan Parrish

The Lights on Knockbridge Lane by Roan Parrish

Raising a family was always Adam Mills’ dream, although solo parenting and moving back to tiny Garnet Run certainly were not. After a messy breakup, Adam is doing his best to give his young daughter the life she deserves—including accepting help from their new, reclusive neighbour to fulfil her Christmas wish. Though the little house may not have “the most lights ever,” the Mills home begins to brighten as handsome Wes Mobray spends more time there and slowly sheds his protective layers. But when the eye-catching house ends up in the news, Wes has to make a choice: hide from… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Emotional child abuse recounted
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Anxiety & panic attack including arachnophobia
  • Insomnia
  • Heart attack mentioned

Ruthless by Sara Shepard

Ruthless by Sara Shepard

For years scandal has rocked Rosewood, Pennsylvania – and high school seniors Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer have always been at the centre of the drama. They’ve lost friends, been targeted by a ruthless stalker named A, and narrowly escaped death. And it’s not over yet. Aria’s love life is on the fritz. Emily’s exploring her wild side. Hanna’s kissing the enemy. And someone from Spencer’s past – someone she never thought she’d see again – is back to haunt her. But none of that compares to what happened last spring break. It’s… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Ableism, racism, lesbophobia & slut-shaming
  • Fatphobia & body shaming
  • Child abuse mentioned
  • Eating disorder (protagonist)
  • Attempted suicide
  • Drug overdose
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Teen pregnancy
  • Murder & attempted murder
  • Stalking & blackmail
  • Fire mentioned

The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard

Ava, Caitlin, Mackenzie, Julie, and Parker are all driven to be perfect—no matter the cost. At first, the girls think they have nothing in common until they discover that they all hate the same person: handsome womanizer Nolan Hotchkiss, who’s done things to hurt each of them. They come up with the perfect plan to murder Nolan—jokingly, of course. They’d never actually go through with it. But when Nolan turns up dead in the exact way they’d discussed, the girls suddenly become prime suspects in his murder. Only, they… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Child abuse
  • Sexual assault
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Suicide
  • Drug use
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Bullying

Twisted by Sara Shepard

It’s been a year since the torturous notes from A stopped and the mystery of Alison DiLaurentis’s disappearance was finally put to rest. Now seniors in high school, Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily are older, but they’re not any wiser. The pretty little liars have more secrets than ever – twisted secrets that could destroy the perfect lives they’ve worked so hard to rebuild. Aria’s jealous of her boyfriend’s new exchange student. Spencer’s getting a little too cozy with her soon-to-be-stepbrother. Hanna’s one scandalous photo away from ruining her dad’s Senate… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Homophobia & outing
  • Ableism, sexism, slut-shaming & victim blaming
  • Sexual assault & sexual harassment of a minor (on-page)
  • Homage-based sexual abuse of a minor
  • Parental infidelity mentioned
  • Child abuse
  • Suicide mentioned
  • Teen pregnancy mentioned
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Blood & injury depiction
  • Murder by pushing a person off a building
  • Fire recounted
  • Blackmail & stalking

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

The multiverse business is booming, but there’s just one catch: no one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive. Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying–from diseases, from turf wars, from vendettas they couldn’t outrun. But on this earth, Cara’s survived. And she’s reaping the benefits, thanks to the well-heeled Wiley City scientists who ID’d her as an outlier and plucked her from the dirt. Now she’s got a new job collecting offworld data, a path to citizenship, and a near-perfect Wiley City accent. Now she can pretend… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Rape
  • Child abandonment & neglect mentioned
  • Domestic abuse
  • Death on an infant mentioned
  • Murder
  • Gang violence
  • Strangulation
  • Physical assault
  • Drowning
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The Stowaway by James Murray and Darren Wearmouth

The Stowaway by James S. Murray & Darren Wearmouth

Two years ago, Maria Fontana was the deciding vote on a jury that set alleged serial killer Wyatt Butler free. Now, she and her family are enjoying vacation on a two week long transatlantic cruise. But when passengers are discovered brutally murdered in a similar way to Butler’s ritualistic MO, the ship goes on lockdown. Maria, one of only twelve people in the world with intimate knowledge of the case, faces a perilous ticking clock. Is it a copycat? Or is she trapped on board with the bloodthirsty maniac she chose to set free?

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Child abuse, off-page
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Havenfall by Sara Holland

Havenfall by Sara Holland

Hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado lies the Inn at Havenfall, a sanctuary that connects ancient worlds—each with its own magic. For generations, the inn has protected all who seek refuge within its walls, and any who disrupt the peace can never return. For Maddie Morrow, summers at the inn are more than a chance to experience this magic firsthand. Havenfall is an escape from reality, where her mother sits on death row accused of murdering Maddie’s brother. It’s where Maddie fell in love with handsome Fiorden soldier Brekken. And it’s where one day she hopes to inherit the role of Innkeeper from her beloved… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Child abuse
  • Blood & gore depiction
  • Death of a brother
  • Murder & attempted murder
  • Gun violence
  • Drowning
  • Kidnapping
  • Incarceration of a parent (death row)
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The June Boys by Courtney Stevens

The June Boys by Courtney C. Stevens

The Gemini Thief is a serial kidnapper, who takes three boys and holds them captive from June 1st to June 30th of the following year. The June Boys endure thirteen months of being stolen, hidden, observed, and fed before they are released, unharmed, by their masked captor. The Thief is a pro, having eluded authorities for nearly a decade and taken at least twelve boys.Now Thea Delacroix has reason to believe the Gemini Thief took a thirteenth victim: her cousin, Aulus McClaghen But the game changes when… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Child neglect
  • Kidnapping
  • Gun violence
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