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.

Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare

Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare

After eight years of waiting for Piers Brandon, the wandering Marquess of Granville, to set a wedding date, Clio Whitmore has had enough. She’s inherited a castle, scraped together some pride, and made plans to break her engagement. Not if Rafe Brandon can help it. A ruthless prizefighter and notorious rake, Rafe is determined that Clio will marry his brother—even if he has to plan the dratted wedding himself. So how does a hardened fighter cure a reluctant bride’s cold feet?

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Child abuse & neglect
  • Fatmisia & body shaming
  • Forced dieting
  • Disordered eating

His Bride for the Taking by Tessa Dare

His Bride for the Taking by Tessa Dare

It’s the first rule of friendship among gentlemen: Don’t even think about touching your best friend’s sister. Sebastian, Lord Byrne, has never been one for rules. He’s thought about touching Mary Clayton—a lot—and struggled to resist temptation. But when Mary’s bridegroom leaves her waiting the altar, only Sebastian can save her from ruin. By marrying her himself. n eleven years, he’s never laid a finger on his best friend’s sister. Now he’s going to take her with both hands. To have, to hold…and to love.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Child abuse recounted
  • Domestic abuse
  • Death of a friend recounted
  • Death of a sibling recounted

Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare

Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare

Griffin York, the Duke of Halford, has no desire to wed this season—or any season—but his diabolical mother abducts him to “Spinster Cove” and insists he select a bride from the ladies in residence. Griff decides to teach her a lesson that will end the marriage debate forever. He chooses the serving girl. Overworked and struggling, Pauline Simms doesn’t dream about dukes. All she wants is to hang up her barmaid apron and open a bookshop. That dream becomes a possibility when an arrogant, sinfully attractive duke offers her a small fortune for a week’s employment. Her duties are simple: submit to his mother’s “duchess… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Ableism
  • Slut-shaming
  • Child abuse
  • Death of a child, off-page

Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian

Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian

Everyone knows the legend. Of Arthur, destined to be a king. Of the beautiful Guinevere, who will betray him with his most loyal knight, Lancelot. Of the bitter sorceress, Morgana, who will turn against them all. But Elaine alone carries the burden of knowing what is to come–for Elaine of Shalott is cursed to see the future. On the mystical isle of Avalon, Elaine runs free and learns of the ancient prophecies surrounding her and her friends–countless possibilities, almost all of them tragic. When their future comes to claim them, Elaine, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Morgana accompany Arthur to take his throne in stifling Camelot, where… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Child abuse & neglect
  • Infidelity mentioned
  • Suicide by drowning, on-page
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Decapitation
  • Blood depiction
  • Sword violence

Poisoned by Jennifer Donnelly

Poisoned by Jennifer Donnelly

Once upon a time, a girl named Sophie rode into the forest with the queen’s huntsman. Her lips were the colour of ripe cherries, her skin as soft as new-fallen snow, her hair as dark as midnight. When they stopped to rest, the huntsman pulled out his knife and took Sophie’s heart. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Sophie had heard the rumours, the whispers. They said she was too kind and foolish to rule — a waste of a princess. A disaster of a future queen. And Sophie believed them. She believed everything she’d heard about herself, the poisonous words people… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Child abuse
  • Self-harm
  • Suicide

The Fascinators by Andrew Eliopulos

The Fascinators by Andrew Eliopulos

Living in a small town where magic is frowned upon, Sam needs his friends James and Delia—and their time together in their school’s magic club—to see him through to graduation. But as soon as senior year starts, little cracks in their group begin to show. Sam may or may not be in love with James. Delia is growing more frustrated with their amateur magic club. And James reveals that he got mixed up with some sketchy magickers over the summer, putting a target on all their backs. With so many fault lines threatening to derail his hopes for the year, Sam is forced to face…. Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Homomisia
  • Child abuse
  • Cults

Sweet Rome by Tillie Cole

Sweet Rome by Tillie Cole

It makes me laugh when I hear folks think Molly and I rushed into things too fast, spouting that we couldn’t possibly have felt what we did for each other in such a short space of time. I say, how the hell would they know? We made it, didn’t we? She became my whole life, didn’t she? And as for my folks not being real, being true? Tell that to me aged ten, eleven, twelve—damn, all my bastard life—when I was never enough when I was beaten until I bled for being too good at football and not being everything they’d dreamed: the perfectly dutiful son. Tell that to thousands of kids around the world getting wailed on by asshole parents for… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Child abuse
  • Domestic violence
  • Parent with alcoholism
  • Suicide
  • Unplanned pregnancy
  • Miscarriage
  • Death of parents

Jegudiel by Tillie Cole

Jegudiel by Tillie Cole

They are the Fallen. A brotherhood of murderers whose nature compels them to kill. But guided by their leader, Gabriel, the Fallen have learned to use their urges to rid the world of those it is better off without. .Control. Diel has spent his entire life under it. His childhood years were spent in the sadistic captivity of the Brethren. Now the Fallen are free, but the monster that lives inside Diel is not—can not be. The darkness within is curbed by an electric collar, the only thing that stops Diel from killing everyone in his path. Diel’s monster yearns for freedom—the freedom to tear apart Brethren priests, as many as possible, one after the other in a frenzied.⁣⁣⁣.. Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Rape
  • Child abuse recounted
  • Torture
  • Kidnapping

Heart Recaptured by Tillie Cole

Heart Recaptured by Tillie Cole

A few long weeks after being reluctantly ripped from the comforting embrace of her sacred prophet’s religious commune—the only life she has ever known—a terrified Delilah is thrust into a world enveloped by evil and swimming in sin. Steadfastly devout in her faith, and retaining the deep belief that her soul is innately tarnished as a branded ‘Cursed woman of Eve’, Delilah is determined to find her way home to her people in The Order and away from the corrupt and damned outlaw motorcycle club—The Hades Hangmen—who hold her at their secluded compound for her protect..⁣⁣⁣.. Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Sexism
  • Paedophilia & grooming recounted
  • Sexual assault
  • Gang rape
  • Child abuse
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Self-mutilation
  • Torture
  • Kidnapping
  • Cult

The Fallen: Genesis by Tillie Cole

The Fallen: Genesis by Tillie Cole

They told them they were evil. They told them they were possessed by demons. They told them that darkness ran in their veins. Holy Innocents Home for Children is a haven for orphaned boys who have nothing and no one. The priests watch over them, educate them, and raise them in the family of the church. Except for some. Seven of the orphans are no ordinary boys. They attract the attention of the priests for their acts of violence, of bloodlust. The priests realize these boys are drawn to the darkness. And the priests are no ordin.⁣⁣⁣.. And the priests are no ordinary priests. .

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Paedophilia & child sexual abuse
  • Rape of a child
  • Physical & emotional child abuse