Book Trigger List

Because publishers still aren’t putting content warnings in their books, here is a list of (mostly YA) books and possible triggers.

Inclusion on this list doesn’t mean I have read the book, nor does it mean it is a wholly unproblematic book, nor does it mean it is a good book. This is a crowdsourced list.

Let’s work together to keep each other safe and prepared. Some of these triggers might seem small to you, but even if it might not be triggering for anyone, it’s still good to be prepared for what you’re about to read.
Even things like certain disorders aren’t necessarily triggering but it’s still good to know that it’s in there.

If you have anything to add or if anything is not correct, please contact me. You can send me a quick e-mail or tweet me!

If you appreciate the work I put into keeping this list accurate and updated, please consider supporting me.

Links go to Goodreads pages.

This list currently has 355 books. Organized by author’s last name. Ctrl/cmd + F to search for certain triggers or authors.

Content listed:
Alphabetically. Related ‘triggers’ are together, separated by a comma, with the most general trigger word listed first.

  • ableism, ableist language
  • abuse, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, physical abuse, child abuse, child neglect, absent parent, abusive relationship, domestic abuse, beating, toxic relationship
  • alcoholism, alcohol
  • amnesia, memory loss
  • animal abuse, animal violence, animal sacrifice, death of an animal
  • anger issues
  • anxiety, agoraphobia, panic attacks
  • arsony
  • bipolar disorder
  • blood, gore, graphic injuries
  • body shaming, fat shaming
  • bullying, cyberbullying, blackmail, online abuse, doxxing
  • car accident
  • cult
  • death, murder, drowning, death threats, poisoning
  • depersonalization disorder
  • depression
  • disowning
  • divorce
  • drugs, drugging, addiction, withdrawal
  • eating disorder, anorexia, bulimia, ARFID, disordered eating
  • emetophobia (fear of v*miting)
  • eugenics
  • forced marriage
  • guilt
  • hallucinations, delusions, intrusive thoughts
  • homelessness
  • homophobia, hate crimes, conversion therapy
  • hospitalization
  • human trafficking
  • incest
  • kidnapping, Stockholm syndrome, abduction
  • loss of a loved one, death of a parent, death of a child, death of a sibling
  • manipulation, toxic relationship
  • medical stuff
  • mental illness (general)
  • mind control
  • misogyny
  • narcissistic personality disorder
  • needles
  • OCD, compulsions, germaphobia
  • paranoia
  • pills
  • pregnancy, abortion, child taken away after birth, miscarriage
  • racism, racial profiling, police brutality, Islamophobia, genocide, white surpremacy, antisemitism, hate crimes
  • rape, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual violence, student/teacher relationship, statuatory rape, toxic relationship, pedophilia
  • schizophrenia
  • self harm, cutting, self harm imagery
  • sex, prostitution, slut shaming
  • sexism, misogynistic language
  • slavery
  • stalking
  • starvation
  • suicide, suicidal ideation, suicidal thoughts
  • terminal illness, cancer
  • terrorism, 9/11
  • torture
  • transphobia, transmysogyny, misgendering
  • trauma, PTSD, victim blaming
  • violence, gunshots, gun violence, school shooting, physical assault
  • war, bombing, executions, genocide, refugee crisis

A

  • A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi (bombing, death, death of parent, death of sibling, death of child, drowning, executions, human trafficking, manipulation, sexual violence against children and teens, terrorism, torture, violence, war)
  • Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah (ableist language, fat shaming, Islamophobia)
  • The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (abuse, emotional, parental, physical; homophobia; panic attack; sexism; sexual assault; slut shaming)
  • Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (beating, blood, emetophobia, murder, physical abuse, PTSD, sexual assault, slavery, torture, violence)
  • Halo by Alexandra Adornetto (suicide)
  • Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh (death, ritual suicide, violence)
  • The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern (emetophobia, suicide, transphobia)
  • Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed (Islamophobia, physical assault, racism, violence, white surpremacy)
  • Crewel by Gennifer Albin (suicide)
  • The Sky Between You and Me by Catherine Alene (anorexia, eating disorder)
  • Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson (compulsions)
  • Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (rape)
  • Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (depression, eating disorder, self harm, suicide)
  • The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson (drugs, PTSD, trauma)
  • Letting Ana Go by Anonymous (eating disorder, mental illness)
  • Mosquitoland by David Arnold (divorce, mental illness, rape)
  • City of Strife by Claudie Arseneault (abuse: emotional, physical, mind control; child neglect; death by fire, hanging; homelessness; loss of a loved one; memory loss; police brutality; racism; torture)
  • Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (bullying, suicide, rape/sexual abuse)
  • 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad (body shaming, fat shaming)
  • Compulsion by Heidi Ayarbe (ocd, mental illness)

B

C

  • One Kick by Chelsea Cain (abduction, PTSD, trauma)
  • Stay by Deb Caletti (abusive relationship, stalking)
  • A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti (death of a loved one, depression, grief, gun violence, murder, PTSD, self harm, stalking)
  • Echo After Echo by Amy Rose Capetta (sexual harrassment, murder, rape)
  • All Fall Down by Ally Carter (PTSD)
  • I Stop Somewhere by T.E. Carter (rape, sexual assault, murder, violence)
  • Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore (animal cruelty, dog gets shot but survives; death by hypothermia; grief; loss of a loved one)
  • Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman (attempted sexual assault, kidnapping, slut shaming)
  • Blacksouls by Nicole Castroman (racism; references to child abuse, murder, sexual assault against a child, slavery; public whipping)
  • A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (discussion about sexual assault, drugs, murder, poisoning)
  • American Panda by Gloria Chao (ableist language, death of a family member, disowning, germaphobia, medical stuff, mention of suicide)
  • Teach Me to Forget by Erica M. Chapman (depression, loss of a loved one, suicide, mental illness)
  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (depression, loss of a loved one, sexual abuse, suicide)
  • The Reader by Traci Chee (blood, cannibalism, death, gore, kidnapping, panic attacks, suicide mention)
  • The Speaker by Traci Chee (abuse, addiction, gore, manipulation, murder, panic attacks, PTSD, suicide attempt, torture, violence)
  • Walking on Knives by Maya Chhabra (rape)
  • Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi (ableist language, sexual assault, panic attack, racism, rape)
  • Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi (absent parent, child neglect)
  • Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher (kidnapping, suicide, Stockholm syndrome)
  • City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (rape mention, sexual assault, incest, emetophobia)
  • Entangled by Cat Clarke (drugs, kidnapping, mental illness, self harm, suicide)
  • Torn by Cat Clarke (suicide)
  • What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton (rape, sexual assault)
  • The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton (death, sexual assault)
  • Cold Summer by Gwen Cole (PTSD)
  • Skinny by Donna Cooner (eating disorder)
  • Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti (bullying)
  • Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert (bipolar disorder; homophobia; racism; suicide, discussed)
  • The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins (addiction, death, depression, hallucinations, murder, prostitution, PTSD, torture, violence)
  • The Space Between the Stars by Anne Corlett (miscarriage, rape)
  • Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst (blood, murder, violence)
  • Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst (genocide, gore, murder, self harm, violence)
  • One by Sarah Crossan (death, death of a sibling, hospitalization)
  • Don’t Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala (emotional/physical abuse)

D

E

  • The Uncrossing by Melissa Eastlake (homophobia, racism, self harm/cutting)
  • Sad Perfect by Stephanie Elliot (ARFID, anorexia, bulimia, disordered eating, eating disorder, self harm)
  • Unicorn Tracks by Julia Ember (animal death; sexual assault, off-page; suicide, discussed; torture, discussed)

F

G

H

J

K

L

M

N

O

  • The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary (abusive relationship, toxic relationship, emotional abuse)
  • Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes (child abuse)
  • Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler (loss of a loved one)
  • Nice Try, Jane Sinner by Lianne Oelke (ableist language, depression, emetophobia, panic attack, suicide attempt, suicidal ideation)
  • Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh (blood, domestic violence, violence)
  • Broken Things by Lauren Oliver (animal cruelty, graphic animal death, murder of a child, pedophilia)
  • Solitaire by Alice Oseman (eating disorder, self harm)
  • Radio Silence by Alice Oseman (abuse, animal death, depression)
  • Anger Is a Gift by Mark Oshiro (death, homophobia, police brutality, racial profiling, violence)

P

Q

R

  • Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai (abuse, emotional; anxiety; depression; panic attack; suicidal thoughts)
  • Scars by Cheryl Rainfield (sexual abuse, paranoia, self harm, stalking)
  • Beautiful by Amy Reed (abuse, alcohol, drugs, incest, suicide, mental illness, violence)
  • Clean by Amy Reed (addiction, drugs)
  • Crazy by Amy Reed (depression, suicide, bipolar disorder, mental illness)
  • Damaged by Amy Reed (grief, car accident, guilt, alcohol)
  • Underwater by Marisa Reichardt (mental illness, agoraphobia, anxiety, PTSD, trauma)
  • #Prettyboy Must Die by Kimberly Reid (blackmail, death threats, gunshots, violence)
  • A World Without You by Beth Revis (suicide)
  • All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely (ableist language, misogynistic language, police brutality, racial profiling, racism)
  • Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (death, gun violence)
  • The Raging Ones by Krista Ritchie & Becca Ritchie (death of a parent, loss of a loved one)
  • 34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues (suicide)
  • A List of Cages by Robin Roe (child abuse, Stockholm syndrome)
  • Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig (blood, homophobia, murder, rape, sexist language, sexual assault, violence)
  • Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos (abuse, anxiety, depression, mental illness)
  • Divergent by Veronica Roth (bullying, sexual assault)
  • If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo (sexual assault, suicide attempt)

S

T

U

  • American Girls/My Favorite Manson Girl by Alison Umminger (ableist language, biphobic language, body shaming, homophobic language, racist language, self harm, sexual assault, slut shaming)

V

  • Freaks Like Us by Susan Vaught (schizophrenia, mental illness, OCD)
  • Trigger by Susan Vaught (suicide)
  • A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman (ableism, amputation, car accident, death of a family member, grief)
  • The List by Siobhan Vivian (eating disorder)
  • It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini (depression, hospitalization, suicide, transphobia, transmisogyny)
  • Skin by Adrienne Maria Vrettos (eating disorder)

W

Y

  • My Beautiful Failure by Janet Ruth Young (suicide, loss of a loved one)
  • The Program duology by Suzanne Young (death, depression, loss of a loved one, rape, self harm, sexual abuse, suicide)
  • Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu (depersonalization disorder, eating disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, OCD, suicide)

Z

Etc.