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Ep. 02 · 2026

We Need a Better Book Rating System

With Rebekah Edwards, Seth Cordle & Josh Edwards

Why do films have endless rating systems, but books get almost none? We get into the difference between content warnings, trigger warnings, and content details, why “only 6% smut” is still a lot of smut, why sexual content often hits differently on the page than on the screen, and why readers should be able to know what they’re picking up before they’re already attached to the characters.

Show notes

  • Why books need content ratings/content details
  • Why movie ratings don’t translate perfectly to books
  • The problem with smut being hidden until you’re already hooked
  • Why parents need better tools for teen and YA books
  • Content warnings vs. trigger warnings vs. content details
  • Harry Potter, witchcraft, religious themes, and rating nuance
  • Why knowing what’s in a book is not the same thing as banning it
  • Rebekah’s book rating app and the rise of Clanker
  • Why Lion Publishing wants to be upfront about our own books