Drug Use & Abuse – Page 91 – Trigger Warning Database

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can’t wait. In just a few weeks she’ll have the operation that will turn her from a repellent ugly into a stunning pretty. And as a pretty, she’ll be catapulted into a high-tech paradise where her only job is to have fun.

But Tally’s new friend Shay isn’t sure she wants to become a pretty. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world—and it isn’t very pretty. The authorities offer Tally a choice: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. Tally’s choice will change her world forever….

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Fatmisia & body shaming
Self harm
Recreational drug use
Hospitalisation
Needles

Toffee by Sarah Crossan

Toffee by Sarah Crossan

Also known as Being Toffee.

One is trying to forget. The other is trying to remember.

After running away from an abusive home, Allison finds herself taking shelter in a shed behind an abandoned house. But the house isn’t empty after all; an elderly woman named Marla, who suffers from dementia, lives there. And rather than turn her away, Marla welcomes her – she mistakes Allison for an old friend from her past named Toffee.

Allison is used to hiding who she really is, and trying to be what other people want her to be, so she decides to play along. But as their bond grows, and Allison discovers how much Marla needs a real companion, Allison begins to waver. They both deserve a home, a safe place, and a family – but at what cost?

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Sexism
Slut shaming
Sexual harassment
Physical, verbal & emotional child abuse (theme)
Domestic violence and physical & emotional abuse
Elder abuse
Cheating mentioned
Depersonalisation
Suicidal ideation
Self-harm
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use (smoking)
Death from childbirth & traumatic childbirth mentioned
Dementia (theme)
Minor blood depiction & physical injuries, including burns
Emesis
Hospital
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a mother & wife recounted
Homelessness
Animal death
Death of a pet dog mentioned
Animal attack mentioned

Repo Virtual by Corey J. White

Repo Virtual by Corey J. White

The city of Neo Songdo is a Russian doll of realities — augmented and virtual spaces anchored in the weight of the real. The smart city is designed to be read by machine vision while people see only the augmented facade of the corporate ideal. At night the stars are obscured by an intergalactic virtual war being waged by millions of players, while on the streets below people are forced to beg, steal, and hustle to survive.

Enter Julius Dax, online repoman and real-life thief. He’s been hired for a special job: stealing an unknown object from a reclusive tech billionaire. But when he finds out he’s stolen the first sentient AI, his payday gets a lot more complicated.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Transmisia
Deadnaming & misgendering
Blackmailed outing*
Racism & racial slurs
Classism
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use mentioned
Blood & gore depiction
Graphic physical injuries & chronic pain
Death of a friend (on-page)
Murder & attempted murder
Torture
Explosions
Gun violence
Strangulation
Kidnapping
Car accident
Fire
Blackmail
Flood
Cults
Animal death mentioned
Poverty themes & homelessness

*Note: the transgender protagonist is blackmailed to investigate a crime by a man with documents that would out her as a trans woman and her past as a secret agent.

Hideous Beauty by William Hussey

Hideous Beauty by William Hussey

When Dylan and Ellis’s secret relationship is exposed on social media, Dylan is forced to come out. To Dylan’s surprise they are met with support and congratulations, and an amazing reception at their highschool dance. Perhaps people aren’t as narrow-minded as he thought?

But Dylan’s happiness is short-lived. Ellis suddenly becomes angry, withdrawn, and as they drive home from the dance, he loses control of the car, sending it plunging into Hunter’s Lake. Barely conscious, Dylan is pulled free of the wreck, while Ellis is left to drown.

Grief-stricken, Dylan vows to discover what happened to Ellis that night and piece together the last months of his boyfriend’s life – and realises just how little he knew about the boy he loved.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Coming out themes
Homomisia
Rape
Physical & sexual abuse
Recreational drug use
Cancer
Grief & loss depiction
Car accident

Giant Days, Vol 6 by John Allison & Max Sarin

Giant Days, Vol 6 by John Allison & Max Sarin

Giant Days by John Allison and Max Sarin book cover

Second year begins and Daisy, Susan, and Esther have taken their friendship commitment to the next level by moving into their “beautiful home” off-campus. But the keys didn’t come without new responsibilities. Unwanted suitor visits, a robbery, and Susan living only a few blocks apart from her ex-boyfriend, McGraw, has made the dorms feel like a haven. The girls are in for a dose of reality when they learn that there’s more to being an adult than paying your own rent.

Eisner Award nominee John Allison (Bad Machinery, Scary Go Round) and illustrators Max Sarin and Liz Fleming welcome you back to Sophomore year in Giant Days Volume 6, collecting issues #21-24 of the critically acclaimed series.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Coming out themes
Lesbomisia
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use, specifically smoking
Physical illness
Hospital, brief scene
Dead bodies, including autopsies
Scalpels
Death of a neighbour
Home invasion

Giant Days, Vol 5 by John Allison & Max Sarin

Giant Days, Vol 5 by John Allison & Max Sarin

Going off to university is always a time of change and growth, but for Esther, Susan, and Daisy, things are about to get a little weird.

Their freshman year is finally coming to a close and Daisy, Susan, and Esther say goodbye to Catterick Hall forever. Literally forever. It’s being bulldozed and re-purposed as a luxury dorm next semester. But as one door closes, another opens and between end of semester hookups, music festivals, and moving into their first home together, the life experiences are just getting started.

Written by Eisner Award nominee John Allison (Bad Machinery, Scary Go Round) and illustrated by Max Sarin, Giant Days Volume 5 finishes off freshman year in style, collecting issues #17-20 of the Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated series.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use, including smoking
Nonconsensual drugging

Giant Days, Vol 4 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman & Max Sarin

Giant Days, Vol 4 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman & Max Sarin

Giant Days by John Allison, Lissa Trieman and Max Sarin book cover

It’s springtime at Sheffield University — the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, and fast-pals Susan, Esther and Daisy continue to survive their freshman year of college. Susan is barely dealing with her recent breakup with McGraw, Esther is considering dropping out of school, and Daisy is trying to keep everyone and everything from falling apart! Combined with house-hunting, indie film festivals, and online dating, can the girls make it to second year?

The Eisner Award-nominated series from John Allison (Bad Machinery, Scary Go Round) with artist Max Sarin delivers another delightful slice-of-life adventure in Giant Days Volume 4. Collects issues 13-16.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Cheating
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use, including smoking

Giant Days, Vol 3 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman & Max Sarin

Giant Days, Vol 3 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman & Max Sarin

Giant Days, Vol 3 by John Allison, Lissa Trieman and Max Sarin book cover

Best friends Susan, Esther, and Daisy are rounding out their first semester at university. The girls, along with their male hall-mates Ed and McGraw, find that college is more than academics and bad microwavable meals. Add some pub-hopping, hookups, breakups, and political scandal and this might just be the most eventful first semester ever.

Collecting issues 9-12 of the critically acclaimed series, Giant Days, vol. 3 gives us another comedic slice of life from creator John Allison (Bad Machinery, Scary Go Round), and fantastic newcomer, Max Sarin.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Anxiety
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use, specifically smoking
Teenage pregnancy, recounted
Dead bodies
Scalpels
Fire
Bullying, specifically the spreading of rumours

Giant Days, Vol 2 by John Allison & Lissa Treiman

Giant Days, Vol 2 by John Allison & Lissa Treiman

Giant Days, Vol 2 by John Allison and Lissa Trieman book cover

Continuing their first semester at university, fast friends Susan, Esther, and Daisy want to find their footing in life. But in the face of hand-wringing boys, holiday balls, hometown rivals, and the willful, unwanted intrusion of “academia,” they may be lucky just to make it to spring alive.

Collects issues #5-8.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Coming out themes
Sexual harassment
Dubious consent, specifically kissing while intoxicated
Toxic relationship
Panic attack, on-page
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use, specifically smoking

Giant Days, Vol 1 by John Allison & Lissa Treiman

Giant Days, Vol 1 by John Allison & Lissa Treiman

Giant Days, Vol 1 by John Allison & Lissa Trieman book cover

Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. But in the face of handwringing boys, “personal experimentation,” influenza, mystery-mold, nu-chauvinism, and the willful, unwanted intrusion of “academia,” they may be lucky just to make it to spring alive. Going off to university is always a time of change and growth, but for Esther, Susan, and Daisy, things are about to get a little weird.

Collects issues #1-4.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Sexual harassment
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use, specifically smoking
Mild physical illness