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.

Battle Royal by Lucy Parker

Four years ago, Sylvie Fairchild charmed the world as a contestant on the hit baking show, Operation Cake. Her ingenious, colourful creations captivated viewers and intrigued all but one of the judges, Dominic De Vere, the hottest pastry chef in London. When her glittery unicorn cake went spectacularly sideways, Dominic was quick to vote her off the show. Since then, Sylvie has managed to use her fame to help fulfil her dream of opening a bakery, Sugar Fair. The toast of Instagram, Sugar Fair has captured the attention of the Operation Cake producers…and a princess. Dominic… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Sexism
  • Child neglect recounted
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Emesis
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Death of a mother & father mentioned
  • Death of an aunt recounted
  • Death of a grandfather recounted

Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios

Grace wants out. Out of her house, where her stepfather wields fear like a weapon and her mother makes her scrub imaginary dirt off the floors. Out of her California town, too small to contain her big city dreams. Out of her life, and into the role of Parisian artist, New York director—anything but scared and alone. Enter Gavin: charming, talented, adored. Controlling. Dangerous. When Grace and Gavin fall in love, Grace is sure it’s too good to be true. She has no idea their relationship will become a prison she’s unable to escape.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Fatphobia & slut-shaming
  • Physical, emotional psychological & verbal child abuse
  • Abusive relationship (theme)
  • Rape
  • Graphic attempted suicide & suicidal ideation
  • Self-harm

Two Perfect Lies by Natalie D. Richards

If it weren’t for Lily, Clara would still be a total outcast, shunned for her role in an incident that gave her a criminal record and ruined another girl’s life. She’s spent the past two years trying to escape that night, and ever since Lily Dalton befriended her, she’s almost succeeded. After all, Lily’s the golden girl of the high school—smart, popular, beloved by all—and as her best friend, Clara’s now the bright, hard-working chemistry whiz. But is Lily really just the good-hearted friend who saved Clara from the past? Because lately Lily has been talking about certain classmates and… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Racism
  • Child abuse
  • Rape
  • Bullying
  • Stalking
  • Police brutality

Whidbey by T. Kira Madden

Birdie Chang didn’t know anything about Whidbey Island when she chose it, only that it was about as far away as she could get from her own life. She’s a woman on the run, desperate for an escape from the headlines back home and the look of concern in her girlfriend’s eyes—and from Calvin Boyer, the man who abused her as a child and who’s now resurfaced. On her way, she has an unnerving encounter with a stranger on the ferry who offers her a proposition, a sinister solution, a plan for revenge…. Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Homophobia & racism
  • Paedophilia, grooming, sexual assault & sexual harassment
  • Incest mentioned
  • Child abuse
  • Anxiety & trichotillomania
  • Alcoholism mentioned
  • Murder
  • Car accident (hit-and-run)
  • Stalking mentioned

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

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

Quarter Miles by Devney Perry

Katherine Gates has been in love with Cash Greer since the moment he saved her life from a runaway goat. According to Cash, she’s the little sister he never had, the greatest roommate in the world and his favorite coworker. They’re friends—best friends.In the dark days of her youth, it was her friendships that kept her alive and made life in a junkyard worth living. So she’s learned to shove her feelings for Cash down deep, even if that means ignoring eyes that shine brighter than the Montana summer sun and the smile that illuminates the snowiest winter day. Except with every… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Child abuse & neglect recounted
  • Drug abuse mentioned

The Intruder by Freida McFadden

Casey’s cabin in the wilderness is not built for a hurricane. Her roof shakes, the lights flicker, and the tree outside her front door sways ominously in the wind. But she’s a lot more worried about the girl she discovers lurking outside her kitchen window. She’s young. She’s alone. And she’s covered in blood. The girl won’t explain where she came from or loosen her grip on the knife in her right hand. And when Casey makes a disturbing discovery in the middle of the night, things take a turn for the worse. The girl has a dark secret. One she’ll kill to keep. And if Casey gets too close to the truth, she may not live to see the morning.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Child abuse
  • Emotional & physical domestic abuse
  • Hoarding Disorder
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Murder
  • Gun violence
  • Fire

Truth Is by Hannah V. Sawyerr

Seventeen-year-old poet Truth Bangura begins senior year unsure of life after graduation, but when she learns she’s pregnant by her ex-boyfriend, she makes one decision she is sure about—an abortion. When Truth performs a poem about her decision and her emotionally turbulent home life, the performance is recorded and posted online for everyone to see—including her mother.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Emotional child abuse
  • Familial estrangement
  • Teen pregnancy & abortion
  • Emesis