YA Rating System

The 4 Core Categories

Every book is rated in:

1. Age Recommendation
2. Spice Level (Romance Content)
3. Violence & Dark Themes
4. Language

You’ll see these in every post.

1- Age Recommendation

This is the overall rating, based on all the factors- not just one category.

How it works:

• 12+ = Safe starting point for younger YA readers
• 13+ =Slightly more emotional or action-based
• 14+ = More intense themes or romance
• 15+ =Mature tone, heavier content
• 16+ =Stronger themes or complexity

Important = This is not about “good or bad.” It’s about readiness and maturity level.

Every teen is different. It will differ based on your teens maturity.

2- Spice Level (Romance Content)

This answers the question:

How romantic – or physical – is this book?

Scale:

0/3 – No romance / Very light

• Crushes or friendships
• No physical affection beyond maybe a hug

1/3 – Mild romance

• Kissing
• Light emotional relationships
• No sexual content

2/3 – Moderate romance

• Strong romantic tension
• Implied intimacy or fade-to-black
• More emotionally intense relationships

3/3 – Explicit content

• Detailed or open-door scenes
• Sexual content is clearly described

3 – Violence & Dark Themes

This helps answer: How intense or heavy is this story?

Scale:

Low

• Light conflict or fantasy action
• No major danger or emotional weight

Moderate

• Regular conflict, battles, or danger
• Non-graphic death or injury
• Some emotional intensity

High

• Frequent or intense violence
• Dark or heavy themes (trauma, loss, abuse, survival)
• Emotionally heavy storylines

Language

Scale:

None

• Clean throughout

Mild

• Occasional minor words
• Not frequent

Moderate

• Noticeable Profanity
• Used regularly

Heavy

• Frequent strong language

Final Note

Every teen is different, and only you know your child and what they are ready for. This is just here to help give you an idea of what they are going to be reading-so you aren’t guessing what’s inside a book.