My reviews and content ratings are not all-inclusive. If I were try to include every little thing that could possibly bother somebody, this would be a much bigger project, and not one I have the time or resources for. I try to note the things I think are the most important to be aware of. But I will miss things, so please forgive me for that.
And truth be told, my ratings are very subjective. I realize that, and they’re going to stay that way.
In general, I go by a “Three Strike” 🟡🟠🔴 rule. A book can have three infractions before it’s disqualified ❌. I give strikes for gruesome violence, profanity, sexual references, etc. Basically, if it bothers me, it gets a strike.
Certain things will immediately disqualify ❌ a book. Examples include explicit sex scenes, disturbing violence, and excessive profanity.
I don’t read all of the books myself. I use others’ reviews (mostly on Goodreads) to estimate the content rating of books I haven’t read. This rating may not be accurate, so if a book is marked “☆ Unread,” proceed with discretion. If I’ve read a book myself, it will have a star rating ⭐.
I do take intended audience into account. Something that might be perfectly fine in an adult book might be a strike for a YA or disqualifying for an MG book. I try to consider if I would be comfortable with my own child of that age reading the content. My opinions might (and probably will) differ from yours. So whatever the rating on a book, even if it’s marked as a Homerun 🟢, I recommend opening the detailed view and reading the full content warnings.
I label each book with a main genre, then up to three subgenres. If a book is disqualified, I often don’t assign it subgenres, just to keep my database tidy.
I also include some format tags, such as webcomics (digital) and graphic novels (print). I know they’re not really genres, but it still helps you as a reader know what to expect.
You may notice I mark books containing LGBTQ+ themes with an extra tag and emoji 🏳🌈. That’s because some people specifically want books with these themes, and some people specifically don’t. Either way, I figure it’s helpful to have them clearly marked.
These are just my opinions.
⭐ not my cup of tea.
⭐⭐ okay, but not great.
⭐⭐⭐ average; enjoyable.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ really liked it; above average.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ loved it; one of my favorites.
In Progress: I’m still reading it or gathering information on it so I can give it a rating. Anything on these pages is subject to change.