tbr*a provides detailed, structured content information for books — not star ratings, not subjective reviews. We tell you exactly what's in a book so you can decide what matters to you.
Descriptive, not prescriptive. We describe what's in a book without telling you whether it's good or bad. “Contains progressive gender themes” is information. “Contains traditional family values” is information. The reader decides what matters.
Intensity + specificity. Not just “violence present” but how much, how graphic, and in what context. Every category gets a 0–4 intensity rating plus descriptive notes for anything above minor.
Transparent sourcing. Every content claim carries an evidence level so you know how confident we are. AI-assisted first passes are refined by human editors who've actually read the book.
Each category is rated on a 0–4 scale. Descriptive notes are required for any rating of 2 or higher.
Not present in the book
Brief, background, or fleeting
Recurring but not dominant
Frequent or central to the story
Graphic, pervasive, or defining
Every content claim is tagged with how we know it.
Derived from summaries, reviews, and excerpts. Useful as a starting point but may contain inaccuracies.
A team member read the full book and confirmed or updated the content profile. This is the gold standard.
Every book is evaluated across 12 content categories.
On-page vs fade-to-black romantic and sexual content, including explicitness and frequency. Notes may describe sexual-assault context where relevant.
Body horror, torture, graphic depictions, and the intensity of violent scenes.
Frequency and severity of profanity and strong language.
Alcohol and drug use — glamorized vs cautionary portrayal, addiction themes.
Presence and centrality of LGBTQ+ characters, relationships, and identity themes.
Overt religiosity, clergy/rituals, conversion themes, devotional framing.
Fantasy magic, witchcraft, and spellcasting as story elements (e.g., Harry Potter). Distinct from real-world occult content — see Occult / Demonology.
Real-world occult content, Wicca, demons, demonology, séances, divination, or ritual magic. Distinct from fantasy magic.
Political, social, or cultural messaging. Notes are always descriptive, never evaluative.
Ideation vs attempt, on-page depiction of self-harm or suicide.
Child abuse, domestic violence, animal abuse, slavery, sexual assault, and other forms of cruelty or systemic suffering.
Additional content details and trigger warnings that don't fit the other categories (e.g., eating disorders, anti-obesity content, medical trauma).
Content details are hidden behind a spoiler wall by default. Category names and intensity bars are visible, but descriptive notes — which may reference specific plot points — require you to tap “Reveal Content Details” first. We keep notes as spoiler-free as possible, but some specificity is necessary for the information to be useful.
Have feedback on our methodology?
We're actively refining how we classify content. Reach out at hello@thebasedreader.app