My spice rating scale for books

1/15 Edited to

... Read moreWhen it comes to picking out books, especially those with romantic or spicy elements, having a clear guideline on spice levels can truly enhance the reading experience. My spice rating scale breaks down books into categories ranging from no spice, focusing mostly on plot, to all spice with just a touch of storyline. For example, a rating of 1-2 indicates only a scene or two with some slow-burn spice—great for readers who prefer romantic tension without too much heat. Ratings of 3-4 include more frequent spicy scenes, often found in reverse harem or multifaceted romance novels where character dynamics play a big role. A balanced 50/50 spice-to-plot ratio appeals to those who want a strong storyline intertwined with romance. At the higher end of the scale, books are predominantly spicy with just a dash of plot to support the passionate scenes, catering to readers looking primarily for intense romance and chemistry. This system helps book lovers quickly find reads that match their comfort level and desired escapism. In my personal experience, having such a scale is invaluable, especially when recommending books to friends or selecting a novel during different moods. If I want a story that teases and builds romantic tension gradually, I stick to 1-2 ratings. But for those times when I crave a full-on steamy read with a side of plot, I dive into ratings 4 and above. Applying this approach not only makes picking books easier but also enriches my reading by aligning expectations and enjoyment. Overall, whether you're a fan of slow-burn romances or all-out spicy stories, using a personalized spice scale like this adds fun and clarity to your reading list. It’s all about finding the perfect recipe for your ideal book experience.

Related posts

A hand holds several books, with text overlay 'ENEMIES TO LOVERS BOOKS' and a chili pepper emoji, indicating a list of romance novels. The Lemon8 logo and username are visible at the bottom.
The book 'Powerless' by Lauren Roberts is shown, highlighted with keywords like 'FANTASY ROMANCE', 'FORBIDDEN LOVE', 'ENEMIES TO LOVERS', and 'SLOW BURN', along with a summary of its plot.
The book 'A Court of Mist and Fury' by Sarah J. Maas is displayed, featuring keywords such as 'SECOND CHANCE', 'FANTASY', 'TRAUMA BONDING', and 'EMOTIONAL', accompanied by a plot summary.
Rating Viral Enemies to Lovers Books 🥵
🔥Looking for books with the enemies to lovers trope, but they REALLY hate each other?! You’ve found just the right post 👀 1️⃣ Powerless by Lauren Roberts After being forced to work for her sworn enemy, the powerful and ruthless CEO, a strong-willed woman finds herself entangled in a dangerous g
irianna

irianna

1267 likes

An open book titled 'Crooked Kingdom' by Leigh Bardugo, with another book behind it, illustrating the theme of 'books with tons of spice but with a good plot'. The open pages display text from the novel.
The book 'Eyes on Me' by Sara Cate, featuring green gemstones on the cover, is described with tropes like enemies to lovers, step siblings, spicy, and millionaire trope.
The book 'Sinner' by Sierra Simone, with pink roses on a black cover, is highlighted for its spicy content, playboy, friends with benefits to lovers, age gap, and little sister tropes.
books with tons of spice but with good plot
trapped with mr walker broke my heart but it’s one of my favorite books ever plus the spice is iconic af😫 #lemon8bookchallenge #lemon8bookclub #lemon8bookworm #book #booktok #bookaesthetic #booksoflemon8 #bookrecommendations #bookrecs
Readers.archive

Readers.archive

2207 likes

A white bookshelf filled with various books, with pink text overlays reading "Rating my top 10 Books." A small decorated Christmas tree stands to the right.
The book cover for "Love on the Brain" by Ali Hazelwood, featuring an illustrated couple. Overlaid text describes it as a cute enemies-to-lovers story, rated #10.
The book cover for "The Cellar" by Natasha Preston, showing stairs with a pink flower. Overlaid text describes it as a good thriller/horror story with a good ending, rated #9.
Rating my top 10 books
My favorite books I’ve read! Book Review #books 🫶🏼 #favoriteread #lemon8bookclub #booklover
June

June

643 likes

even more spicy books I need to read ASAP!!🌶️🖤
I am absolutely obsessed with a good, spicy, smutty, dark romance book and I keep buying more and more! The spicier, the better!!! 🌶️❤️‍🔥 My TBR is growing by the day and I seriously cannot get enough!! With that, here are a few more of the spiciest books on my physical to-be-read shelves and m
anika janelle🌿

anika janelle🌿

2007 likes

A young woman smiles at the camera, with text overlay "My personal Rating Scale For Books" and the Lemon8 logo with username @cheyannereadsbooks. The background is a warm-toned wooden wall.
My personal rating scale for books
Hey guys! I rate books almost like everyday on my account and even though I always share my personal opinions of the book on the post, I figured you guys should still know how I rate books here. So let me break it down!! ~ #chyreads #currentlyreading #BookReview #reviews #ra
Chy 📚

Chy 📚

5 likes

Book and spice rating
Chat gbt for the win! Gonna start using this to rate my books! #chatgbt #bookratingscale
ReadWithShell💜

ReadWithShell💜

4 likes

A stack of books on a wooden surface with the pink and blue text overlay "ROMANCE BOOKS I WON'T STOP RECOMMENDING." Decorative stars and hearts are around the text, with the Lemon8 logo and username @mikalasreads at the bottom.
A hand holds the book "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon. The cover features colorful abstract lines. Text overlays include "CREAT YA LOVE STORY" and "HE FALLS FIRST," highlighting its young adult romance theme.
A hand holds the book "Twisted Games" by Ana Huang. The white and gold cover shows the title and a crown. Text overlays read "PRINCESS/BODYGUARD LOVE STORY" and "CREAT SPICE!!!," indicating a spicy romance.
💗romance books I won't stop recommending💗
These are four romance books I will always be screaming from the rooftops for people to read! I have read so many books, and these love stories I cannot get out of my mind. The Sun is Also a Star: This is a young adult romance that has had my heart since the day I read it over a year ago! The tw
mikalasreads

mikalasreads

619 likes

Books I have read recently ! ✨
These are 9 books I have read recently. My favorite was : Beautiful Ugly ( I wish I could read it for the first time again ! ) Least Favorite : The Dead of Winter All were 3 stars or higher for me , on a rating scale 1-5 ⭐️ s. What are you currently reading ? #reading 📖 #📚book
👑💜

👑💜

6 likes

Rating twisted series honestly
Book review💜💜 king of sins series nexttt #twisted lies #twisted love #twistedhate #twisted games #twistedseries
Luv.Jen

Luv.Jen

474 likes

Rating books I’ve read recently✨
Just some of the books that I’ve read recently If you have any recs please drop them 👇 #readingrecommendations #lemondiary8challenge #favoriteread
Sanjile

Sanjile

33 likes

Book recs based on my spice scale🌶️
Always check triggers before you read! As you can tell I prefer some spice in my books so I apologize there are not a ton of 1🌶️ recs Make sure you keep an eye out on my reviews I always include the 🌶️ ratings #lemon8bookclub #lemon8challenge #letschat #readersoflemon8 #spicesc
CanieshiaPowell

CanieshiaPowell

104 likes

Books I read this week📚
Rating: 4/5: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The last trip: Kiersten Modglin delivers a wild, twist-filled thriller with The Last Trip. # Calvin and Sadie plan a peaceful babymoon at a remote mountain cabin, but their getaway quickly spirals into a nightmare. Strange behavior from the homeowners and shocking revela
Maddy.walls

Maddy.walls

44 likes

The book cover for "The Killer Across the Table" by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker, an international bestseller about an ex-FBI agent interviewing serial killers. The cover features white and yellow text on a dark background, with a green chair and table visible.
The book cover for "Desperate Measures" by Katee Robert, featuring a golden snake design on a black background. The text describes it as a "Wicked Villains" series book, a reimagined Aladdin story where Jasmine ends up with a villain.
The book cover for "The Way I Used to Be" by Amber Smith, a New York Times bestseller. The cover features yellow dandelions and petals against a light blue background, with white text. The description mentions a girl's life changing after an event.
Books I've read and what they're about part 1
So I know these are very different books, but i was bored, and these were on my tbr. The first one is called The Killer Across the Table by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker: It was detailed, but sometimes I wish I knew EVERY detail ⭐️Overall rating: 3.5/5 The second one is called The Way I Use
Trinity 🫶🏼

Trinity 🫶🏼

9 likes

Rating the top 4 books by my fav author! 📚✨
Katherine Center is definitely one of my top favorite authors. She’s an automatic buy author for me and I have read almost every one of her books including her back log. I love that her book have no spice. They always have great character development and while they are considered romance there
Ashlie

Ashlie

11 likes

Three books, 'Love Redesigned,' 'Powerless,' and 'Promises and Pomegranates,' are displayed on a white textured surface, with pink text overlay stating 'how I rate my books.'
my book rating scale 🌟
this is how I rate my books! I also do a lot of .5’s in goodreads, therefore those get rounded up. if I have something rated a 3.5 it will show as a 4 star, but at the beginning of my review it will say “3.5 ⭐️s rounded up.” #lemon8bookclub #lemon8bookchallenge #books #book #boo
kalees reads

kalees reads

37 likes

rating books I’ve read
Reminders of him 5/5 Mile high 5/5 King of Wrath 3/5 Regretting you 5/5 Things We Never Got Over 4/5 Icebreakers 5/5 #books #collenhooverbooks #reading #kindleaesthetic #kindlepaperwhite #foryou #foryoupage
brooke!

brooke!

30 likes

Rating Books so YOU don’t have to | Sweet Romances
If you love stories that feel like healing and heartbreak all at once, these are for you. Four romances, each carrying a different heartbeat. Bridesmaid Undercover by Megan Quinn is sweet and sincere, proof that love can bloom where you least expect it. The Path to Loving Him, also by Megan
reagan westerly

reagan westerly

21 likes

Rating books i’ve read this week pt.1
#books 🫶🏼 #recentbook #recentread #augustreadreview ⭐️Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5: The Seven Year Slip This book was super cute and fun, I just wish there was more to it. But, if you love a YA book that feels very warm, this is it. ⭐️ 1/5: The Priest This one just wasnt it fo
shay🪐🎧 📚🌷

shay🪐🎧 📚🌷

109 likes

Rating books that I’ve read so far
Shatter me- I really enjoyed it and bc of Warner The housemaid- I absolutely loved this book!!! I finished the whole thing in one day because it got straight to the point and the plot twist OMG. The perfect marriage- eh it was ok i love anything true crime but we just kept getting suspects m
Jessica Nosenko

Jessica Nosenko

117 likes

A hand holds two books, viewed from the side, showing their pages. A lit candle in an orange glass and dried lemon slices on a wooden coaster are in the background.
The book 'Deep End' by Ali Hazelwood is displayed on a wooden slice with dried lemon slices. Text indicates a high recommendation for anxiety and a rating of infinity stars.
The book 'Dark Fae' by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti is shown on a wooden slice with dried lemon slices. Text describes reading the series for Zodiac Academy and a 3-star rating.
Books I read in Feb+my rating
February wasn’t as productive (in the reading department) for me but I still enjoyed reading these 4 books. Friendly reminder for me and everyone else that reading a lot or not reading at all doesn’t give you more or less value. Reading should be fun and not a chore✨💗 #lemon8partner #lemo
Spookyrevioos

Spookyrevioos

49 likes

A stack of five Riley Sager books on a wooden bookshelf, including 'Final Girls', 'The Only One Left', 'Survive the Night', 'The House Across the Lake', and 'Middle of the Night'.
A hand holds Riley Sager's 'Final Girls' book, rated five stars. An overlay describes it as emotionally investing with an imperfect victim.
A hand holds Riley Sager's 'The Only One Left' book, rated five stars. An overlay praises its whodunnit plot with amazing twists.
Rating Riley Sager books I own 📚🫆🔍
I haven’t had a chance to buy or read With a Vengeance yet, but thought I’d do a author highlight post for one of my fave thriller authors, Riley Sager! I’ve throughly enjoyed all of his books, and he’s an insta-read author for me! Have you read any of these? Did you like them?? - #lemon
carmen 📚

carmen 📚

63 likes

Rating Books I’ve Read on Kindle ✨
I’ve had my kindle for a few weeks now and I’ve already read some great books! There’s something about reading on this little device that motivates me to read faster 😂 Am I the only one? 💭 do you prefer reading physical books or on an e-reader like a kindle? #kindle #readersoflemon8 #boo
sarahsbooks

sarahsbooks

54 likes

rating romance books (again!!)
you can’t let me into a bookstore and *not* expect me to beeline it to the little table displays they make?? these videos are my kryptonite!! the table was looking *fiiineee* today and i found a few that i have some slightly unpopular opinions on… which i think makes things more fun! what genre boo
emmalouisebooks

emmalouisebooks

90 likes

A book titled "Honey & Spice" by Bolu Babalola, featuring two illustrated figures on the cover, lies on a fluffy white and grey rug. The image has text overlays "My Honest BOOK REVIEW" and a "Reese's Book Club" sticker, indicating a book review.
Honey & Spice Book Review
For the month of April my book club read “Honey & Spice” by Bolu Babalola. I have seen so many reviews on this book and I went in with very high expectations for it and it did not disappoint! I really enjoyed this book and it was a great read. To me this book reminds me of the shows “Gro
Denny Price

Denny Price

59 likes

RATING BOOKS IVE READ THIS MONTH
#recentread #this book had me bawling #book #booktok #BookReview #boysoftommen #neverlie #hauntingadeline
shay🪐🎧 📚🌷

shay🪐🎧 📚🌷

22 likes

Rating books📖
Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Any recommendations for my tbr? #books 🫶🏼 #reading📖 #recentread #readingrecommendation #favoriteread #freidamcfadden #friedamcfaddenfan #natashaprestonbooks #psychologicalthillers #read📚
Lobee

Lobee

6 likes

Books I think you should read!!
#booktok #booksyoushouldread my ratings for each book/series: agggtm (a Good Girl's Guide To murder): RAVI IS MY HUSBAND. Loved the characters, story, and clues throughout the trilogy!⭐️Overall rating: 100000/10. five survive: I'll never forget that I read this all in one night. I
cloudy☁️

cloudy☁️

180 likes

A flat lay of four parenting books: How Toddlers Thrive, Raising Lions, The 5 Love Languages of Children, and Balanced and Barefoot, with the title "Rating parenting books From a second time mama."
The book "Balanced & Barefoot" by Angela J. Hanscom, rated 10/10, highlighting its focus on the importance of slow childhood and unrestricted outdoor play for children.
The book "Raising Lions: The Art of Compassionate Discipline" by Joe Newman, rated 8/10, emphasizing its real-life examples for disciplining strong-willed children.
Rating parenting books as a second time mom 🌟 ✨
I think it’s so easy to get lost in the sea of parenting books. There is a plethora of different styles and techniques of parenting. And sometimes it can be very overwhelming. So here is a few ratings on some popular parenting books. Balanced and barefoot 🌟 10/10 This is amazing for helping to
marycheyenne🕊️

marycheyenne🕊️

7 likes

A book cover for 'Caught Up' by Liz Tomforde, featuring an illustration of a family (a woman, a man, and a child) baking in a kitchen, is displayed on a dark blanket. A plate with three chocolate chip cookies rests beside the book. The image includes a 'BOOK REVIEW' overlay.
𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 5 ⭐️
“𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑟, 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑝 𝑟𝑢𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑎 𝘩𝑜𝑚𝑒…𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝘩 𝑚𝑒.”😩 🚨SPOILERS🚨 Kai, Miller, and Max have my heart! OMG! This is my favorite out of the series so far. I knew the instant Miller hit the page and started calling Kai "baseball daddy" that I was gonna love th
Chey🩵

Chey🩵

789 likes

Rating Popular books with yes no or maybe
#readersoflemon8 #booktok #books #booksoflemon8 #bookrecs #bookrecommendations
Kaylaelaine

Kaylaelaine

405 likes

Need Some Spice? 🌶️
Need a little spice in your life? Do you have Kindle Unlimited? This is the post for you! If you like to read things that get a little steamy but hate the books that have those shall we say “interesting” covers these books are prefect for you! All of these books have a good reads rating of 3 stars
Jessie

Jessie

19 likes

Rating Booktok Books
Some of these are worth it, some of them are not. All of the books listed are pretty quick read aside from credence. Have any of you read these books, what were your thoughts? #booktok #books #BookReview #bookwormsoflemon8
Jade

Jade

11 likes

rating books I’ve read this week
I guess you can say I love a good thriller 🔪 #thrillerbookrecommendations #thrillerreaderreview #thrillerbooksaddict #booktok
Sammy 💕

Sammy 💕

95 likes

A collage displaying the covers of nine popular thriller books, including 'Just the Nicest Couple,' 'Pretty Girls,' 'How to Sell a Haunted House,' 'The Sun Down Motel,' 'The Block Party,' 'Survive the Night,' 'You Shouldn't Have Come Here,' 'Hidden Pictures,' and 'The Weekend Retreat.'
The book cover for 'The Block Party' by Jamie Day, featuring green grass and beach chairs. Below it, a 2-star rating is shown with bullet points highlighting 'annoying main characters,' 'hard to read writing,' and 'no big twists.'
The book cover for 'The Weekend Retreat' by Tara Laskowski, depicting a cloudy sky over a row of Adirondack chairs. Below it, a 3-star rating is shown with bullet points mentioning 'POVs of dislikable characters,' 'hard to distinguish couples,' and an 'interesting twist.'
Rating Popular Thriller Books✨
These are my ratings on goodreads with aspects of the book that stood out to me! I ordered them in my ranking of the books as well, the further you swipe, the more I recommend it! #thrillerbookreview #thrillerbookrecommendations #thrillerbooks #books #bookrecommendations
Avery :)

Avery :)

177 likes

A vintage camera and record player overlay an autumn street scene with colorful trees. Text reads 'FALL BOOKS ON MY TBR' and 'SWIPE' with an arrow.
Six book covers are displayed under the title 'Books for HALLOWEEN'. Titles include 'Halloween Season', 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle', and 'The Haunting of Aveline Jones'.
Nine book covers are shown under the 'COZY HORROR' heading. Titles include 'A House with Good Bones', 'The Saturday Night Ghost Club', and 'Cackle'.
FALL BOOKS ON MY TBR
Different genres for all of fall, spooky,romance,etc. Classics as well. ⭐️ Rating:5/5 My Current Read 📖 Name of the Book: the bell jar -Sylvia plath
Madi.brooke

Madi.brooke

43 likes

A dark-themed image with red roses, a red spider, and black splatters, featuring the text "Rating dark romance books I've recently read" and a small red rose icon. The bottom left corner shows "lemon8 @alexrae1992".
The book cover for "RAW" by Belle Aurora, featuring a man in a suit with red text and blood splatters. A pink sticker shows "8/10". The tagline reads "Don't listen to your heart. Your heart is a moron."
The book cover for "PRIEST" by Sierra Simone, featuring red poppies on a black background. The text "forgive us our sins." is above the title. A pink sticker shows "9/10".
Rating dark romance books I’ve recently read🌹
🌹Raw (Belle Aurora) I’ll be honest, I couldn’t bring myself to finish this book - the characters felt too disjointed. However, I did spoil the ending for myself, and wish more dark romance authors followed suit. 🌹 Priest (Sierra Simone) Okay, buckle up. This is the ultimate forbidden romance:
Alex

Alex

112 likes

See more