When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao

After the death of his best friend, Eric Ly creates imaginary scenarios in his head to deal with his grief. Until one of them becomes real when a boy he met last summer in Japan finds his way back into his life. When he least expects it, Haru Tanaka walks into the coffee shop and sits down next to him. The only thing is, nobody else can see him. In a magical turn of events, Eric suddenly has someone to connect with, making him feel less alone in the world. But as they spend more and more time together, he begins to question what is real. When he starts losing control of the very thing that is holding him together, Eric must finally confront his reality. Even if it means losing Haru forever.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Racism
  • Sexual harassment
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Grief & loss depiction (theme)
  • Death of a friend

The Keep by Jennifer Egan

Two cousins, irreversibly damaged by a childhood prank, reunite twenty years later to renovate a medieval castle in Eastern Europe. In an environment of extreme paranoia, cut off from the outside world, the men reenact the signal event of their youth, with even more catastrophic results. And as the full horror of their predicament unfolds, a prisoner, in jail for an unnamed crime, recounts an unforgettable story that seamlessly brings the crimes of the past and present into piercing relation.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Racism & racial slurs
  • Sexual assault & harassment
  • Alcohol consumption & drug use
  • Death of a child
  • Police violence
  • Car accident
  • Bullying

His Tesoro by Emilia Rossi

Sofiya: I’ve spent years hidden away to protect my father from the shame of having a defective daughter. The head of the Bratva can’t be associated with weakness—and to him, that’s all I am. That is, until a marriage alliance gives him the opportunity to finally be rid of me. As I head down the aisle towards my mysterious husband, I hope I’m moving towards love and freedom. But Matteo makes it clear he wants nothing to do with me. I wish I could return his coldness, but the dangerous Don sets my body ablaze whenever he’s near. Matteo: My life has been defined… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Ableism & misogyny
  • Threats of sexual assault
  • Arranged marriage
  • Child abuse
  • Infertility mentioned (secondary character) & unplanned pregnancy
  • Medical marijuana use
  • Chronic illness (protagonist with hypermobile ehlers-danlos syndrome)
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Murder & torture
  • Gun violence
  • Kidnapping
  • Animal cruelty mentioned (secondary character)

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins

When the notorious Black Daniel is carried, badly injured, into Hester Wyatt’s home, there is no question that he will be cared for and protected. Once a slave herself, Hester regularly gives shelter to runaways, yet the man of mysteries she now harbours brings greater danger than she’s ever known. He is Galen Vachon, a member of a unique elite class of pre-Civil War blacks. Handsome, arrogant, and accustomed to lavish living, he fears he’s been betrayed in his work with the underground and wants to move on quickly. Yet the magic healing caresses that flow from Hester’s lovely indigo-stained hands tear at his heart… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Racism, colourism & racial slurs, including discussions of slavery & forced conscription
  • Misogyny & slut-shaming
  • Infidelity*
  • Emotional, verbal & physical child abuse recounted
  • Threats of rape
  • Statutory rape recounted*
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Death during childbirth mentioned (secondary character’s daughter)
  • Minor physical injury & illness including broken bones, gunshot wounds, & fever
  • Death of an aunt & grandmother mentioned
  • Death of a father from wasting disease mentioned
  • Death of parents & grandfather in a boating accident recounted
  • Murder
  • Gun violence (secondary character shoots her abusive partner)
  • Kidnapping
  • Imprisonment recounted
  • Death from snakebite mentioned

*Context : The female protagonist was enslaved until she was nine-years-old. The male protagonist had sex with a 28-year-old woman when he was 17-years-old. The male protagonist kisses the female protagonist when she is engaged to someone else; however, it’s intended to be a celibate marriage of convenience and the fiancé turns out to be married. A secondary character’s wife is cheating on him. The male protagonist’s grandfather left his grandmother for his mistress.

Death Note, Vol. 4: Love by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

With two Kiras on the loose, L asks Light to join the task force and pose as the real Kira in order to catch the copycat. L still suspects Light and figures that this is the perfect excuse to get closer to his quarry. Light agrees to the plan in order to have free access to the task force resources. But when Light manages to contact the new Kira, he discovers that his rival is anything but as expected. Will Light escape from love unscathed?

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Sexual harassment
  • Heart attack
  • Murder & torture, including non-consensual sensory deprivation
  • Illegal & unethical surveillance and invasions of privacy by law enforcement

Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects – and he’s bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami, a death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal… or his life?

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Sexual harassment
  • Heart attack
  • Murder (on- & off-page)
  • Gun violence
  • Car accident (on-page)
  • Hostage situation (on-page)
  • Imprisonment mentioned
  • Bullying

Death Note, Vol. 7: Zero by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

After a high-speed chase, Light and the task force apprehend the newest Kira. Light regains his Death Note and his memories, and the depths of his cunning are revealed as the plans he carefully put in place before going into confinement are slowly unveiled. His masterful manipulation of both humans and Shinigami lead him to the strongest position he’s yet enjoyed. But the glow of his victory is marred when a new threat appears. Can Light withstand a surprise attack on two fronts?

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Sexual harassment
  • Heart attack
  • Murder (on- & off-page)
  • Gun violence
  • Car accident (on-page)
  • Hostage situation (on-page)
  • Imprisonment mentioned
  • Bullying

How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent

Meet Kitty Collins. FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER. He was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldn’t leave me alone. I hadn’t intended to kill him of course. But I wasn’t displeased when I did and, despite the mess I made, I appeared to get away with it. That’s where my addiction started… I’ve got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, I’m killing it.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Date rape, gang rape, paedophilia, incest, sexual assault & rape culture discussed
  • Alcohol & drug abuse
  • Miscarriage mentioned
  • Dismemberment
  • Graphic murder & torture
  • Animal cruelty

Kiss and Tell by Adib Khorram

Hunter never expected to be a boy band star, but, well, here he is. He and his band Kiss & Tell are on their first major tour of North America, playing arenas all over the United States and Canada (and getting covered by the gossipy press all over North America as well). Hunter is the only gay member of the band, and he just had a very painful breakup with his first boyfriend–leaked sexts, public heartbreak, and all–and now everyone expects him to play the perfect queer role model for teens. But Hunter isn’t really sure what being the perfect queer kid even means. Does it… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Racism with mentions of colourism, homophobia & slut-shaming
  • Sexual assault (groping) & sexual harassment, including statutory sexual assault and attempted statutory rape of an inebriated minor (protagonist)
  • Image-based sexual abuse (protagonist’s ex-partner leaks sexts online, mentions of unsolicited nude photos from fans)
  • Panic attack
  • Dieting mentioned
  • Alcohol consumption & mentions of alcohol abuse by ex-partner
  • Graphic sports injury
  • Death of a father in a car accident mentioned
  • Bullying recounted & online harassment including taunts of suicide

Faith and the Dead End Devils by Kathryn Moon

Faith Robins has been torn away from her brother, kept captive by an omega trafficking ring, and auctioned to the highest bidder. But when fate twists a new key in her lock, she finds herself in the care of an alpha named Bear, safe for the first time in ages. She’s lost in this new world, surrounded by strange men, but she has claws now. And she’s prepared to dig them in and hold onto safety, no matter the cost. The Dead End Devils aren’t a pack. They aren’t Boy Scouts. And if their prez, King, has his way, they’re getting rid of this… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Sexual assault & sexual harassment (off-page)
  • Foster care system experiences discussed
  • Flashbacks & panic attacks
  • Drugging recounted
  • Murder
  • Gun violence
  • Captivity (off-page)