Death of a Cousin – Trigger Warning Database

The Catch by Amy Lea

In a last-ditch effort to rescue her brand from the brink of irrelevance, Boston fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. The only thing scarier than nature itself? The burly and bearded bed-and-breakfast owner and fisherman, Evan Whaler—who single-handedly disproves the theory that Canadians are “nice.” After a boating accident lands Evan unconscious in the hospital, Mel is mistaken for his fiancée by his welcoming yet quirky family, who are embroiled in a long-standing feud over the B&B. In a bold attempt to mend family fences, Mel agrees to fake… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

Alcohol consumption
Near-drowning incident (on-page)
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a father, brother & cousin mentioned
Hospitalisation for a head injury sustained during a boating accident

All That’s Left to Say by Emery Lord

On prom night, Hannah MacLaren sits in the headmaster’s office in her fanciest dress, soaked to the bone. She is in huge trouble after pulling the fire alarm right as the prom queen was about to be crowned. But Hannah had her reasons. One year ago, her cousin Sophie, who was also her best friend and the person she loved most in the world, died of an overdose. Drowning in grief, Hannah became obsessed with one question: Who gave Sophie those pills? Who is refusing to give her family the closure they deserve? Then she concoted a plan: enroll at her cousin’s fancy private… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

Drug use & abuse
Alcohol abuse
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a cousin from an overdose
Stalking

Cattywampus by Ash Van Otterloo

Cattywampus by Ash Van Otterloo

In the town of Howler’s Hollow, conjuring magic is strictly off-limits. Only nothing makes Delpha McGill’s skin crawl more than rules. So when she finds her family’s secret book of hexes, she’s itching to use it to banish her mama’s money troubles. She just has to keep it quieter than a church mouse — not exactly Delpha’s specialty. Trouble is, Katybird Hearn is hankering to get her hands on the spell book, too. The daughter of a rival witching family, Katy has reasons of her own for wanting to learn forbidden magic, and she’s not going to let an age-old feud or Delpha’s contrary ways stop her. But their quarrel accident… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

Persecution for witchcraft
Parental abandonment discussed
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a cousin recounted
Death of a grandmother from dementia recounted
Death of a brother & child by drowning mentioned
Car accident recounted

Open Book by Jessica Simpson

Open Book by Jessica Simpson with Kevin Carr O’Leary

Jessica tells of growing up in 1980s Texas where she was sexually abused by the daughter of a family friend, and of unsuccessfully auditioning for the Mickey Mouse Club at age 13 with Justin Timberlake and Ryan Gosling before going on to sign a record deal with Columbia and marrying 98 Degrees member Nick Lachey. Along the way, she details the struggles in her life, such as the pressure to support her family as a teenager, divorcing Lachey, and enduring what she describes as an emotionally abusive relationship with… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

Sexism
Child sexual abuse
Emotionally abusive relationship & gaslighting
Body dysmorphia
Cheating mentioned
Alcoholism
Disordered eating & dieting
Fertility issues
Pregnancy, labour & childbirth
Parent with cancer
Death of a cousin in car accident

Gallant by V.E. Schwab

Gallant by V.E. Schwab

Sixteen-year-old Olivia Prior is missing three things: a mother, a father, and a voice. Her mother vanished all at once, and her father by degrees, and her voice was a thing she never had to start with. She grew up at Merilance School for Girls. Now, nearing the end of her time there, Olivia receives a letter from an uncle she’s never met, her father’s older brother, summoning her to his estate, a place called Gallant. But when she arrives, she discovers that the letter she received was several years old. Her uncle is dead. The estate is empty, save for the servants. Olivia is permitted to… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

Ableism & ableist language
Parental abandonment
Child abuse & neglect
Mutism (protagonist)
Nightmares
Alcoholism, implied
Blood depiction
Death of a brother by knife violence recounted
Death of a mother & father mentioned
Death of a cousin (on-page)
Murder
Knife & sword violence
Strangulation
Bullying
Graphic animal death (crow, cat)

The Blacksmith Queen by GA Aiken

The Blacksmith Queen by G.A. Aiken

With the demise of the Old King, there’s a prophesy that a queen will ascend to the throne of the Black Hills. Bad news for the king’s sons, who are prepared to defend their birthright against all comers. But for blacksmith Keeley Smythe, war is great for business. Until it looks like the chosen queen will be Beatrix, her younger sister. Now it’s all Keeley can do to protect her family from the enraged royals.

Luckily, Keeley doesn’t have to fight alone. Because thundering to her aid comes a clan of kilt-wearing mountain warriors called the Amichai. Not the most socially adept group, but soldiers have never bothered Keeley, and rough, gruff Caid, actually seems to respect her. A good thing because the fierce warrior will be by her side for a much longer ride than any prophecy ever envisioned …

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Misogyny
Ableism & ableist language
Fatmisia & body shaming
Sexual harassment mentioned
Graphic blood & gore depiction
Graphic decapitation
Dead bodies & body parts
Death of a cousin, on-page
Death of a brother, off-page
Death of a child, off-page
Graphic murder & attempted murder
Genocide & mass murder
Graphic sword, hammer & knife violence
Fire & arson
Attempted hanging, on-page
Poisoning
Regicide mentioned
War themes & battle scenes
Volcanic eruption
Animal abuse
Death from an animal attack
Graphic animal death

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Imagine an America very similar to our own. It’s got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream. There are some differences. This America has been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.

Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered in a town that wants no prying eyes… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Racism
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a cousin
Murder
Car accident
Animal death

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison.Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control.

Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father. Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Racism
Coming out themes
Bimisia
Child neglect & parental abandonment
Recreational drug use
Substance addiction mentioned
Postnatal depression discussed
Teen pregnancy (theme)
Abortion discussed
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a cousin
Death of a sister to sickle cell mentioned
Incarceration
Murder & attempted murder
Gun violence
Gang violence
Police brutality & violence mentioned

100 Hours by Rachel Vincent

100 Hours by Rachel Vincent

Maddie is beyond done with her cousin Genesis’s entitled and shallow entourage. Genesis is so over Miami’s predictable social scene with its velvet ropes, petty power plays, and backstabbing boyfriends. While Maddie craves family time for spring break, Genesis seeks novelty—like a last-minute getaway to an untouched beach in Colombia. And when Genesis wants something, it happens. But paradise has its price. Dragged from their tents under the cover of dark, Genesis, Maddie, and their friends are kidnapped and held for ransom deep inside the… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

Slut-shaming
Fatphobia & body-shaming
Statutory sexual assault
Abusive relationship
Substance addiction recovery
Attempted suicide & suicidal ideation
Alcohol consumption
Blood & injury depiction including emesis & needles
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a parent, brother & cousin
Murder
Gun violence
Kidnapping & hostage situation
Explosions
Psychological torture

The Adventure Zone, Vol. 1: Here There Be Gerblins by Clint McElroy, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Travis McElroy & Carey Pietsch

EJoin Taako the elf wizard, Merle the dwarf cleric, and Magnus the human warrior for an adventure they are poorly equipped to handle AT BEST, guided (“guided”) by their snarky DM, in a graphic novel that, like the smash-hit podcast it’s based on, will tickle your funny bone, tug your heartstrings, and probably pants you if you give it half a chance.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

Self-sacrifice & self-injury
Alcohol consumption
Blood & injury depiction
Death of a cousin & uncle
Murder & attempted murder
Fire & explosion
Kidnapping & hostage situation
Graphic animal dead bodies