Death of a Parent & Guardian – Page 183

Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters

Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters

After seven years as an assistant, 29-year-old Evie Summers is ready to finally get the promotion she deserves. But now the TV and film agency she’s been running behind the scenes is in trouble, and Evie will lose her job unless she can convince the agency’s biggest and most arrogant client, Ezra Chester, to finish writing the script for a Hollywood romantic comedy.

The catch? Ezra is suffering from writer’s block–and he’ll only put pen to paper if singleton Evie can prove to him that you can fall in love like they do in the movies. With the future of the agency in jeopardy, Evie embarks on a mission to meet a man the way Sally met Harry or Hugh Grant met Julia Roberts.

But in the course of testing out the meet-cute scenes from classic romantic comedies IRL, not only will Evie encounter one humiliating situation after another, but she’ll have to confront the romantic past that soured her on love.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Misogyny
Ableism
Nonconsensual (“surprise”) kiss
Abusive relationship recounted
Alcohol consumption
Emesis
Death of a father recounted
Death of a wife recounted

Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James

Tilly & the Bookwanderers by Anna James

Eleven year-old Tilly has lived above her grandparents’ bookshop ever since her mother disappeared shortly after she was born. Like the rest of her family, Tilly loves nothing more than to escape into the pages of her favourite stories.

One day Tilly realises that classic children’s characters are appearing in the shop through the magic of `book wandering’ – crossing over from the page into real life.

With the help of Anne of Green Gables and Alice in Wonderland. Tilly is determined to solve the mystery of what happened to her mother all those years ago, so she bravely steps into the unknown, unsure of what adventure lies ahead and what dangers she may face.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Parental abandonment
Serious illness of a grandmother mentioned
Death of a father discussed
Disappearance of a parent & daughter
Bullying

The Wicked King by Holly Black

The Wicked King by Holly Black

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Child abuse, recounted
Parental abandonment
Forced and arranged marriages
Cheating
Suicide, recounted
Self-harm, recounted
Alcohol consumption
Hallucinogenic drugs, mentioned
Blood depiction
Physical injuries
Dead bodies
Death of parents, recounted
Murder and attempted murder
Physical assault
Kidnapping
Captivity
Loss of autonomy
War themes
Bullying

Smoke in the Sun by Renée Ahdieh

Smoke in the Sun by Renée Ahdieh

Smoke in the Sun by Renee Adieh book cover

For weeks, seventeen-year-old Mariko pretended to be a boy to infiltrate the notorious Black Clan and bring her would-be murderer to justice. She didn’t expect to find a place for herself among the group of fighters—a life of usefulness—and she certainly didn’t expect to fall in love. Now she heads to the imperial castle to resume a life she never wanted to save the boy she loves.

Ōkami has been captured, and his execution is a certainty. Mariko will do what she must to ensure his survival—even marry the sovereign’s brother, saying goodbye to a life with Ōkami forever.

As Mariko settles into her days at court—making both friends and enemies—and attempting Ōkami’s rescue at night, the secrets of the royal court begin to unravel as competing agendas collide. One arrow sets into motion a series of deadly events even the most powerful magic cannot contain. Mariko and Ōkami risk everything to right past wrongs and restore the honor of a kingdom thrown into chaos by a sudden war, hoping against hope that when the dust settles, they will find a way to be together.

Set against the backdrop of feudal Japan, Smoke in the Sun is the breathless, romantic, not-to-be-missed fiery conclusion to a spell-binding adventure.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Misogyny
Slut-shaming
Classism
Marital rape, implied and discussed
Body modifications without consent
Grief depiction
Death of a father
Death of a mother
Death of a husband
Death of a girlfriend
Death of a friend
Death of a public figure
Murder
Physical assault
Torture
Explosion, recounted
Imprisonment
Blackmail
Loss of autonomy
Kidnapping
Poisoning, recounted
Fire
Drowning
Exile

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

After the first season of her true crime podcast became an overnight sensation, Rachel Krall is now a household name―and the last hope for thousands of people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.

The small town of Neapolis is being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. The town’s golden boy has been accused of raping a high school student. Under pressure to make Season Three a success, Rachel throws herself into interviewing and investigating―but someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago.

The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Misogyny
Victim blaming (discussed in-depth)
Rape culture (theme)
Sexual assault
Sexual harassment
Paedophilia mentioned
Graphic rape & gang rape of a minor discussed
Physical child abuse recounted
PTSD
Panic attacks
Night terrors
Attempted suicide by drowning mentioned
Suicide of a parent by overdose discussed
Addiction mentioned
Drug & alcohol abuse mentioned
Terminal cancer
Hospitalisation
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a mother recounted
Death of a sister & child (off-page)
Murder
Gun violence
Drowning
Hostage situation
Stalking
Car accident & motorcycle accident recounted
Animal injury mentioned (minor)
Bullying & hazing
Grave desecration

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

There are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook.

First there was the car accident—two girls gone after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened. Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know why he did it. Monica’s sister was the last cheerleader to die. After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No one wanted to be reminded of the girls they lost.

That was five years ago. Now the faculty and students at Sunnybrook High want to remember the lost cheerleaders. But for Monica, it’s not that easy. She just wants to forget. Only, Monica’s world is starting to unravel. There are the letters in her stepdad’s desk, an unearthed, years-old cell phone, a strange new friend at school. . . . Whatever happened five years ago isn’t over. Some people in town know more than they’re saying. And somehow Monica is at the center of it all.

There are no more cheerleaders in Sunnybrook, but that doesn’t mean anyone else is safe.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Victim blaming
Statutory rape
Paedophilia
Domestic violence
Adult-minor relationship/s
Depression
Suicide, mentioned
Abortion
Teenage pregnancy
Pregnancy from rape
Mild gore depiction
Emesis
Death of a parent
Death of a sibling
Murder
Gun violence
Car accident

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler

Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler

This Nebula Award-winning sequel to Parable of the Sower continues the story of Lauren Olamina in socially and economically depressed California in the 2030s. Convinced that her community should colonize the stars, Lauren and her followers make preparations. But the collapse of society and rise of fanatics result in Lauren’s followers being enslaved, and her daughter stolen from her. Now, Lauren must fight back to save the new world order.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Classism
Hate crimes
Victim blaming
Misogyny, sexism and gendered slurs
Racism and racial slurs
White supremacy and the Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
Child sexual assault and rape
Grooming behaviour and paedophilia
Rape and rape by coercion
Sex trafficking and sex slavery
Abuse, neglect and abandonment
Child abuse
Emotional abuse
Physical abuse
Verbal abuse
Family estrangement
Adult-minor relationships
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Suicide and attempted suicide
Infertility themes
Pregnancy
Non-consensual pregnancy
Teenage and child pregnancy
Amnesia
Blood and gore depiction
Body horror
Emesis
Physical injuries and wounds
Scars
Starvation and dehydration depiction
Dead bodies and body parts
Death of a child
Death of a friend
Death of a parent/guardians
Death of a sibling
Death of a partner/spouse
Disappearance of a loved one
Grief and loss depiction
Flogging and whippings
Gun violence
Hanging and lynching
Murder and attempted murder
Torture
Avalanche
Chemical gassing and warfare
Cults
Home invasion
Exile
Indentured servitude
Imprisonment, incarceration and captivity
Kidnapping
Persecution for witchcraft
Police brutality and violence
Religious persecution
Terrorism
War and military themes
Homelessness
Poverty themes

Find Me Their Bones by Sara Wolf

Find Me Their Bones by Sara Wolf

In order to protect Prince Lucien d’Malvane’s heart, Zera had to betray him. Now, he hates the sight of her. Trapped in Cavanos as a prisoner of the king, she awaits the inevitable moment her witch severs their magical connection and finally ends her life. But fate isn’t ready to give her up just yet.

With freedom coming from the most unlikely of sources, Zera is given a second chance at life as a Heartless. But it comes with a terrible price. As the king mobilizes his army to march against the witches, Zera must tame an elusive and deadly valkerax trapped in the tunnels underneath the city if she wants to regain her humanity.

Winning over a bloodthirsty valkerax? Hard. Winning back her friends before war breaks out? A little harder. But a Heartless winning back Prince Lucien’s heart? The hardest thing she’s ever done.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Classism
Persecution for witchcraft (theme)
Child abuse recounted
Nightmares
Self-harm (on-page)
Self-sacrifice discussed
Alcohol consumption
Nonconsensual drugging
Graphic blood & gore depiction, including dead bodies
Cannibalism mentioned
Emesis
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a mother & father recounted
Death of a grandfather mentioned
Murder & attempted murder
Torture
Knife violence & stabbing
Poisoning
Fire
Loss of autonomy (mind control)
Imprisonment
War themes (central theme)
Animal cruelty & torture
Animal injury, blood & body parts
Animal attack
Hunting mentioned

Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly. Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own.

Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, & out for his blood.

So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all. Winner takes the loser’s heart. Literally.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Ableism
Classism
Persecution for witchcraft (theme)
Fatmisia & body shaming
Child abuse
Arranged marriage
Alcohol consumption
Alcohol abuse & alcoholism recounted
Graphic blood & gore depiction, including dead bodies
Cannibalism
Emesis
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a sister
Death of a mother & father
Death of a child mentioned
Murder & attempted murder
Torture
Knife violence & stabbing
Explosions
Fire
Kidnapping
Loss of autonomy (mind control)
Death from a fall mentioned
War themes (central theme)
Animal death and dead bodies
Death by animal attack mentioned
Bullying
Poverty themes

Firebolt by Adrienne Woods

Firebolt by Adrienne Woods

Dragons. Right. Teenage girls don’t believe in fairy tales, and sixteen-year old Elena Watkins was no different.

Until the night a fairy tale killed her father.

Now Elena’s in a new world, and a new school. The cutest guy around may be an evil dragon, a Prince wants Elena’s heart, and a long dead sorcerer may be waking up to kill her. Oh. And the only way Elena’s going to graduate is on the back of a dragon of her own.

Teenage girls don’t believe in fairy tales. Now it’s time for Elena to believe – in herself.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Antiziganism (g slur)
Death of a father
Murder