Wow - this was a difficult yet powerful read that I hope will help remove some of the stigma that surrounds male assault. Told in verse, it's a strong and quick read that's hard to put down once you start. My heart broke for Jay, but it was a reminder that stories like these are VERY real and need to be taken seriously. A bit mature for some younger YA readers, but still plan on keeping this one on hand as I think it will help a lot of teens who feel isolated or alone. Thanks so much for this ARC!

My starred review in School Library Journal:
Gr 9 Up–Seventeen-year-old Jay wakes up alone in the park after a night out with his boyfriend, Jackson, completely bewildered and missing crucial memories of what happened. His painful, battered body implies he may have been sexually assaulted. Ghosted by his now ex-boyfriend, Jay begins to suspect possible involvement when he sees him with expensive items, including a Rolex. Although longtime friend Lau tries to help him, Jay finds more common ground with a new nonbinary friend Rain, from his support group. As shadowy segments of memories emerge, he is triggered by the betrayal and seeks justice. This intense account of surviving sexual violence raises awareness and helps destigmatize male/male assault. Moore’s foreword states he is a survivor, and the authentic depiction is delivered via a strong, visceral narrative voice in this novel in verse. The free verse poetry propels readers quickly through the plot with short line breaks that parallel Jay’s choppy memory. Sensitivity is evident; the assault takes place off-page, and the trauma, vulnerability, and acceptance are all part of his healing journey. The value of Jay’s strong support system is demonstrated via friends, family, and therapy. A content warning is advised for sexual violence and trafficking, and the author provides helpful resources in the back matter. VERDICT A raw and fiercely gripping portrayal with paramount representation. Reviewed by Lisa Krok , Oct 04, 2024

This book I read in just a few hours. It's one on assault, how to cope and put the pieces back together the best you can. It's different, it's about a male being assaulted which you don't read much about. It's not something I would read again just because like the book is called it can cause some Triggers. However, I'm glad I read it, and If I was the author I would be very proud of this book. I will recommend it to others, and I feel if you was in a book club or had a book buddy than you would have alot to talk about with this book ❤️

A short but emotional story written in verse about a boy who was sexually assaulted and struggles with his emotions, trying to figure out why it happened and who was responsible.

I enjoyed the story, but I do wish it had been longer and there was more told about some of the other characters. The end felt a tad rushed and ended, in my opinion, abruptly. Being written in verse definitely makes for an easy and quick read, which I think works well for young adult readers who pick up this book. 

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.

Trigger is an emotionally affecting and gut-wrenching story that is devastating, plausible and realistic.

Trigger's strength lies within the message that it made loud and clear -- sexual assault is overlooked. It isn't taken seriously. The book was a testament to the apathy of the justice system when it comes to victims of sexual assault and trafficking. It creates long-lasting trauma that survivors carry for life -- and that trauma often feels in vain when perpetrators are allowed to walk free.

Moore does an excellent job capturing the emotional turmoil that ensued in the aftermath of a brutal assault. The writing has moments where it truly shines, and is visceral and expressive.

It's been a long time since I've read a book written in verse. I think at times, the format of the writing was a strength. However, when it came to moving the actual plot forwards, sometimes the "verses" just felt like sentences that were split into different lines. The various headings disrupted the flow of the writing, because the "titles" were almost always in the passage that immediately followed. Leaving it at Part 1/2/3/4 sans the interruptions would've been more impactful.

With all the above being said, I do plan on reading some of the author's past work.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for a review!

Thank you Netgalley and Little Island Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Trigger” by C.G. Moore is an unflinching account of the aftermath of male rape. Told in sparse, narrative verse, it's sensitive and empowering. While the book itself is fairly short, it is one that will stick with you for a long time after finishing. I actually encourage slowing down your reading of this because of how powerful and heart-wrenching the story is. Before going into this review, I do want to mention content warnings, specifically with SA.

The story centers around Jay who wakes in the park with gaps in his memory but the painful evidence of brutal rape on his body. No actual descriptions of the SA are included, but the emotions Jay experienced are very prominent as he tries to regain these memories in order to enact revenge against the perpetrators. He experiences both shame and despair until the desire to protect others gives him the agency of anger as well as a feeling of hope towards the end of the book.

The novel-in-verse formatting of this book is definitely a highlight as through achingly emotional verse, we see Jay's inner turmoil as he struggles to come to terms with what happened. The poetry is absolutely beautiful, making me feel emotional several times as I was reading. The prose is also extremely honest, which I appreciated as the book hones in on some extremely difficult themes. I also really enjoyed the strength of Jay's friendships shown throughout the book as these friendships provided the vital element of hope. I almost wanted more of a focus on Jay’s friends, both old and new, but I loved how he always had people on his side no matter what and were incredibly supportive of Jay throughout the entire book.

Overall, “Trigger” was a very powerful book and it will stick with me for quite awhile. While the book does focus on some dark themes, the ending is satisfying and leaves you with a sense of hope, which I think is absolutely necessary in books like this. I’m thankful that C.G. Moore is bringing awareness of this sensitive subject matter as I believe it’s important to have this representation in literature, especially for teens.

Well written book in verse about the aftermath of sexual violence. While I have read better books (some even in verse) on the topic, I appreciate this is about a queer boy and that unique perspective. Also, despite dealing with a dark topic, this is written perfectly for young adults. Thank you Netgalley for the book!

This was a really emotional, heartbreaking, and powerful verse novel. The novel is about a teenage boy named Jay who is sexually assaulted in a park and has a hard time remembering what happened. Jay realises what happened to him and suspects someone that was close to him was involved. As you read the story, you get to see how Jay processes what happened to him and meet a few people who support him like his parents, his friend Lau, and Rain, a person he met at a support group. This story is one that will stay with me for a while. This was a tough and very sensitive subject matter and I'm glad that C.G. Moore is bringing awareness because it's important. I love that C.G. Moore included resources at the end of the book.

This was an interesting take on the aftermath of sexual assault, especially since so few books are written from the perspective of a young man who has been assaulted. It's a touchy subject that was handled carefully, and I liked that the book was written in verse. However, I think the plot was rushed and some of the characters were underdeveloped.

This is a raw poetry collection about coping with and working to heal from a horrible experience. Moore's prose brings the reader through multiple stages of healing and the thoughts that can race through someone's mind. Moore doesn't shy away from the cruelty of these feelings and how they can effect someone and creates a cohesive poetry collection.