Welcome to The Book Rex Glossary — your go-to guide for book genres, tropes, and other terms you’ll see all over the site.
These are the definitions we use here at The Book Rex, based on the most widely accepted meanings among readers, writers, and reviewers. That said, not every term has a single universal definition—book people love to debate! So while our definitions might not match exactly what you’re used to, they’ll be close—and always consistent with how we tag and recommend books across the site. Use this glossary as a helpful reference while you explore, recommend, and search for your next read.
Genres
Fantasy
A genre of speculative fiction that features magical or supernatural elements, often involving imaginary worlds and creatures.
Historical Fiction
Stories set in the past that blend real historical events, figures, or settings with fictional characters and narratives.
Horror
A genre designed to evoke fear, dread, or unease, often exploring the unknown, the supernatural, or the darkest aspects of human nature. It seeks to create an atmosphere of suspense and tension, sometimes incorporating psychological, paranormal, or visceral elements to unsettle the reader.
Literary Fiction
Character-driven narratives that focus on deep themes, emotional depth, and stylistic prose. These books often explore the human experience with nuance and complexity, emphasizing introspection over fast-paced plotting.
Mystery & Crime
A genre focused on solving crimes, uncovering hidden truths, and/or navigating suspenseful investigations. These stories often involve detectives, amateur sleuths, or criminals, with plots driven by intrigue, deception, and the pursuit of justice.
Romance
Love stories that focus on relationships and emotional connections, with a satisfying romantic arc at their core.
Science Fiction
Speculative stories that explore futuristic technology, space travel, alternate realities, or scientific advancements. These books imagine the possibilities of the future, the impact of science on society, and the limits of human potential.
Suspense & Thriller
Fast-paced stories that emphasize tension, danger, and high stakes. Suspense fiction builds slow-burning dread, while thrillers feature action-driven narratives with constant twists and turns.
Subgenres
Action & Adventure
Fast-paced stories featuring daring exploits, danger, and exciting physical feats, often with a hero on a quest.
Alien Invasion
Stories centered around extraterrestrial beings invading Earth, often involving large-scale battles or humanity's survival.
Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic
Set before, during, or after the end of the world, focusing on the collapse of society and survival in a devastated world.
Body Horror
A genre exploring grotesque, disturbing transformations or malfunctions of the human body, often with a focus on physical decay or mutation.
Coming of Age
Stories about a character's transition from youth to adulthood, exploring personal growth, self-discovery, and important life milestones.
Contemporary
Modern-day stories set in the present, focusing on current social, political, or emotional issues.
Cosmic Horror
Horror stories involving the unknown, the infinite, and the insignificance of humanity in the vastness of the universe, often with ancient, incomprehensible forces.
Courtroom Mystery
Mysteries centered around legal battles, where a crime or conflict is resolved through courtroom drama and legal strategy.
Cozy
Lighthearted, feel-good stories set in charming, often small-town or intimate settings. These narratives focus on warm, comforting atmospheres and emphasize relationships, community, and personal growth, with minimal conflict or danger.
Crossworlds/Portal
Fantasy or science fiction stories where characters travel between different worlds or dimensions, often through magical portals.
Cyberpunk
A subgenre of science fiction set in dystopian futures, often featuring advanced technology, cybernetics, and societal decay.
Dark Academia
A subgenre featuring moody academic settings, intellectual obsessions, and often a touch of mystery or danger. Often features elite universities, secret societies, morally gray characters, and a Gothic atmosphere.
Dark Fantasy
Fantasy stories with darker tones, often blending elements of horror, magic, and morally complex characters.
Dark Romance
Romance with intense, often dangerous relationships, including themes of obsession, power dynamics, or emotional trauma.
Detective & Sleuth Fiction
Stories revolving around solving a crime, often featuring a skilled detective or amateur sleuth uncovering clues and solving mysteries.
Domestic
Stories set in everyday domestic settings, focusing on family dynamics, relationships, and personal struggles.
Dystopian
Set in a future society characterized by oppression, injustice, or environmental collapse, where protagonists often fight against a corrupt system.
Ecological Science Fiction
Sci-fi stories exploring environmental themes, such as climate change, ecological disasters, or the relationship between humans and nature.
Epic
Large-scale, high-stakes stories featuring grand conflicts, sweeping narratives, and richly developed worlds. Often includes complex plots, an ensemble cast, and themes of heroism, destiny, or societal upheaval.
Erotica
Explicitly written stories focusing on sexual themes and encounters, often exploring desire and physical intimacy.
Espionage & Intrigue
Thrillers centered around spies, secret missions, and covert operations, with a focus on political or military tension.
Fables/Fairy Tales
Classic stories, or retellings of these stories, often with magical or moral lessons, featuring mythical creatures, talking animals, or other fantastical elements.
Fantasy Elements
This subgenre includes books where fantasy elements—such as magic, mythical creatures, or supernatural events—are incorporated into a story, but these elements are not the primary focus of the plot. Instead, they act as significant background features or subplots, enhancing the overall narrative rather than driving the main story.
Fantasy of Manners
Fantasy stories that explore social customs, manners, and personal relationships within a well-defined, often aristocratic society.
Fictional Biography
Biographical stories about real or fictional people, exploring their lives through a fictionalized lens.
Financial Thriller
Thrillers revolving around the world of finance, focusing on high-stakes financial deals, corporate espionage, or economic conspiracies.
Folk Horror
Horror stories rooted in folklore, rural traditions, and ancient beliefs, often featuring supernatural forces in isolated communities.
Gaslamp Fantasy
A blend of fantasy and historical fiction, set in an alternate Victorian or Edwardian world with elements of magic, mystery, and adventure.
Gothic
Dark, atmospheric stories often set in old, decaying locations, exploring themes of mystery, death, the supernatural, and psychological horror.
Hard Science Fiction
Sci-fi focused on scientific accuracy, technological feasibility, and detailed explanations of futuristic concepts and inventions.
High Fantasy
Epic, world-building fantasy that takes place in entirely imaginary worlds with complex systems of magic, cultures, and history.
Historical Elements
This subgenre includes books where historical elements—such as real-life events, figures, or time periods—are incorporated into a story, but these elements are not the primary focus of the plot. Instead, they act as significant background features or subplots, enhancing the overall narrative rather than driving the main story.
Holiday
Books set around a specific holiday, often incorporating its traditions, atmosphere, or themes. Common examples include Christmas romances, Halloween horror, and New Year's Eve stories, but other holidays may also play a central role.
Horror Elements
This subgenre includes books where horror elements—such as monsters, hauntings, or psychological terror—are incorporated into a story, but these elements are not the primary focus of the plot. Instead, they act as significant background features or subplots, enhancing the overall narrative rather than driving the main story.
Humor/Comedy
Stories that focus on humor, wit, and satire, often using clever dialogue, absurd situations, or comedic misunderstandings to entertain and amuse readers.
Legal Thriller
Fast-paced fiction centered on lawyers, trials, and legal conflicts, where courtroom drama, high-stakes cases, and moral dilemmas drive the tension.
LGBTQI+ Fiction
Fiction featuring lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and other gender-diverse characters. Stories often explore identity, relationships, and the experiences of LGBTQI+ individuals across genres.
Low Fantasy
Fantasy set in the real world or a setting that closely resembles it, where magical or supernatural elements exist but are rare, hidden, or subtle.
Magical Realism
A genre that blends realistic settings with subtle, dreamlike, or mystical elements, treating the extraordinary as part of everyday life. Often rooted in folklore, mythology, or cultural traditions.
Medical
Fiction set in hospitals, clinics, or medical environments, often focusing on doctors, nurses, and the ethical dilemmas, personal struggles, or high-stakes emergencies they face.
Medieval
Stories set in or inspired by the Middle Ages, often featuring knights, castles, feudal societies, and historical or fantasy elements rooted in medieval culture.
Military
Fiction centered on soldiers, warfare, strategy, or military operations, spanning historical battles, futuristic conflicts, or espionage-driven narratives.
Mystery & Crime Elements
This subgenre includes books where mystery or crime elements—such as investigations, secrets, or criminal activities—are incorporated into a story, but these elements are not the primary focus of the plot. Instead, they act as significant background features or subplots, enhancing the overall narrative rather than driving the main story.
Mythic Fantasy
Fantasy inspired by mythology, folklore, or ancient legends, often featuring gods, demigods, epic quests, and mythical creatures.
Noir & Hardboiled Mystery
Noir and hardboiled fiction focus on gritty, morally ambiguous worlds. Noir emphasizes dark, atmospheric crime stories with complex characters, while hardboiled centers on tough, street-smart protagonists navigating violence and corruption.
Non-Supernatural Horror
Horror that relies on psychological tension, human evil, or real-world threats rather than supernatural entities like ghosts or demons.
Omegaverse
A speculative subgenre featuring hierarchical dynamics, often within romance or fantasy settings, where characters are categorized as alphas, betas, or omegas, affecting relationships, power structures, and biological instincts.
Paranormal & Supernatural
Fiction featuring ghosts, vampires, psychics, or other supernatural beings and abilities, often blending elements of horror, romance, or fantasy.
Police Procedural
Crime fiction that follows law enforcement officers as they investigate and solve cases, emphasizing realistic procedures, forensic evidence, and legal processes.
Political Thriller
High-stakes fiction centered on political intrigue, government conspiracies, espionage, and power struggles, often involving corruption, elections, or international conflict.
Psychological
Fiction that delves into the complexities of the human mind, often exploring themes of perception, identity, and emotional turmoil. Found in thrillers, horror, and literary fiction, psychological stories create tension through manipulation, unreliable narrators, and deep character studies.
Psychological Thriller
Pulp Fiction
Pulp fiction features fast-paced, action-driven stories often published in cheap, mass-market magazines. Known for over-the-top characters and sensational plots, these tales span genres like adventure, crime, and science fiction, offering thrilling escapism and excitement.
Religious Fiction
Stories centered on faith, spirituality, or religious themes, often exploring moral dilemmas, divine influence, or personal journeys of belief.
Romantic Elements
This subgenre includes books where romance elements—such as romantic relationships, emotional connections, or love triangles—are incorporated into a story, but these elements are not the primary focus of the plot. Instead, they act as significant background features or subplots, enhancing the overall narrative rather than driving the main story.
Satire
Fiction that uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to critique society, politics, or human nature. Satire often exposes flaws through wit and sharp social commentary.
Science Fiction Elements
This subgenre includes books where science fiction elements—such as futuristic technology, space exploration, or alternate realities—are incorporated into a story, but these elements are not the primary focus of the plot. Instead, they act as significant background features or subplots, enhancing the overall narrative rather than driving the main story.
Slasher Horror
A horror subgenre focused on relentless killers, high body counts, and suspenseful chases. Often featuring masked murderers, isolated settings, and shocking deaths, slasher horror thrives on tension and visceral fear.
Social Science Fiction
Sci-fi that emphasizes character-driven narratives and social themes over hard scientific accuracy. Often blending philosophy, psychology, and speculative technology, soft sci-fi explores humanity’s role in the universe.
Soft Science Fiction
Sci-fi that examines sociological, political, and cultural issues through speculative storytelling. Often dystopian or utopian, it explores topics like surveillance, class systems, and human behavior in futuristic settings.
Space Exploration
Science fiction centered on interstellar travel, colonization, and the challenges of venturing into the unknown. Often featuring astronauts, alien encounters, and the vastness of space as both setting and theme.
Space Opera
A grand, action-packed subgenre of science fiction featuring epic space battles, intergalactic politics, and heroic struggles. Often rich in adventure, romance, and larger-than-life characters.
Splatterpunk
Extreme horror that revels in graphic, often over-the-top depictions of gore and brutality. Known for its shocking, transgressive storytelling that pushes boundaries in horror fiction.
Steampunk
A retro-futuristic genre blending Victorian-era aesthetics with advanced steam-powered technology. Often featuring airships, clockwork machinery, and alternative history settings with adventure-driven narratives.
Superhero
Fiction featuring characters with extraordinary abilities, often exploring themes of heroism, justice, and power. Found in comics, fantasy, and science fiction, superhero stories blend action, mythology, and moral dilemmas.
Suspense & Thriller Elements
This subgenre includes books where suspense or thriller elements—such as tension, danger, or high-stakes situations—are incorporated into a story, but these elements are not the primary focus of the plot. Instead, they act as significant background features or subplots, enhancing the overall narrative rather than driving the main story.
Sword & Sorcery Fantasy
A high-action fantasy subgenre featuring warriors, magic, and epic battles. Unlike high fantasy, sword & sorcery focuses on personal quests, rogue heroes, and fast-paced adventure.
Techno-Thriller
A blend of thriller and science fiction that explores advanced technology, espionage, and high-stakes conflicts. Often featuring hackers, military tech, and near-future scenarios with intense action.
Urban Fantasy
Fantasy set in contemporary or modern urban settings, where magic, supernatural beings, or mythological elements coexist with everyday life. Often featuring secret societies, magical crime-solving, or paranormal intrigue.
Western
Stories set in the American frontier or similar rugged landscapes, featuring cowboys, lawmen, outlaws, and themes of survival, justice, and individualism. Can range from classic shootouts to revisionist takes on the genre.
Tropes
Abandoned Area
A deserted place filled with mystery, danger, or decay.
Abduction Kidnapping or Disappearances
A character is taken or mysteriously vanishes.
Academic Setting
The story takes place in a school or university environment.
Actors & Actresses
An actor or actress—a performer in theater, film, or television—whose career, craft, or public persona plays a key role in the story.
Age Gap
A romantic or significant relationship features a large age difference.
Aliens
Extraterrestrial beings play a role in the story.
Alternate Realities
Characters experience diverging versions of reality, often shaped by different choices, historical events, or altered timelines. These can include alternate histories, dystopian versions of the present, or realities where different rules apply.
Amateur Detectives/Sleuths
An ordinary person—without formal investigative training—takes it upon themselves to solve a mystery, usually a crime or unexplained event.
Amnesia
A character forgets all or part of their past
Androids/Robots/AI
Artificial beings impact the story in meaningful ways
Angels & Demons
The story involves celestial and infernal beings playing a significant role in the story, often embodying themes of good versus evil, moral ambiguity, or cosmic conflict.
Animals & Creatures
Real-world animals or non-magical creatures play a significant role in the story.
Arranged/Forced Marriage
Two characters are compelled into marriage due to external circumstances, such as family obligations, political alliances, financial necessity, or social expectations.
Artifacts
Powerful, cursed, or otherwise significant objects influence the plot.
Assassins & Hit Men
Skilled, often professional, killers play a role in the story.
Best Friend’s Sibling
The story revolves around a romantic relationship or attraction between a character and their best friend's sibling.
Bikers
The story features characters who are part of or associated with a motorcycle club or biker culture.
Billionaire/CEO/Tycoon
One or more wealthy, powerful individuals shape the narrative.
Biology & Genetics
Science and DNA play a key role in the story.
Boss & Employee
A romance or power dynamic exists between employer and worker.
Cannibalism
A character or group engages in eating human flesh.
Celebrity
A famous individual plays a significant role in the story.
Cheating
The story involves a character being unfaithful in a romantic or committed relationship, leading to conflict, betrayal, or emotional turmoil.
Chosen One
A character, often singled out by prophecy, fate, or unique abilities, is destined to fulfill an important role, such as saving the world, defeating a great evil, or restoring balance.
Cinammon Roll
A character who is kind, gentle, and overwhelmingly sweet, often in contrast to a harsh or dangerous world. They are typically pure-hearted, compassionate, and protective of others, making them easy to love and root for.
Class Difference
Social status divides characters and creates conflict.
Cloning
The creation of identical or near-identical beings leads to ethical conflicts, identity struggles, or unexpected consequences.
Conspiracies & Cover-Ups
Secrets, lies, and hidden agendas drive the story as characters uncover—or participate in—covert operations, suppressed truths, or powerful deceptions.
Cowboys/Cowgirls
The story features a cowboy or cowgirl—a character traditionally associated with ranching, horseback riding, and the frontier lifestyle—often embodying independence, resilience, and a connection to the land.
Crime Scene
A significant portion of the story revolves around the discovery, investigation, or aftermath of a crime scene, where evidence, clues, and forensic details play a crucial role.
Crime Scene Investigators/Forensic Scientists
The story features professionals who analyze crime scene evidence using scientific methods to aid in investigations.
Cults
A secretive group exerts control over its members.
Doppelgängers
A character encounters their uncanny lookalike.
Dragons/Wyverns
Powerful, often magical creatures found in mythology and fantasy, typically depicted as large, winged, and capable of breathing fire or other supernatural abilities.
Drug Trafficking
The illegal production, distribution, or sale of controlled substances plays a significant role in the story.
Enemies to Lovers
A romance that starts with personal conflict—rivalry, betrayal, or clashing personalities—but grows into love, sometimes amid larger divisions like feuding families or opposing sides.
Environmental Issues
Ecological concerns drive the narrative.
Epistolary
The story is written predominantly in letters or messages.
Evil Scientist
A brilliant but unethical scientist who conducts dangerous experiments, often driven by power, ambition, or a disregard for morality, leading to unintended or catastrophic consequences.
Fae
Supernatural beings from folklore, often depicted as magical, immortal, and mischievous or enigmatic, with ties to nature and otherworldly realms.
Fake Relationship
Two characters pretend to be in a romantic relationship (dating or engaged) for personal gain, protection, or convenience, only for real emotions to develop along the way.
Family & Friendship
The story prominently features relationships between family members or close friends, exploring themes of loyalty, love, conflict, and support.
Fantastical Creatures
Beings from folklore, mythology, or fantasy worlds that do not exist in reality.
Fated Mates
Two characters are destined to be together by a supernatural or cosmic force, often experiencing an unbreakable bond that draws them together despite obstacles.
Federal Law Enforcement
Features agents from national agencies handling crimes, investigations, or security threats.
Female Lead
Folklore/Mythology/Legends
Draws from traditional stories, cultural myths, or legendary figures.
Forbidden Love
A romance hindered by societal, familial, or personal obstacles.
Forced Proximity
Characters are compelled to stay together due to external factors like survival situations, shared missions, or confined spaces, leading to tension or romance.
Found Family
A close-knit group of unrelated individuals who form deep, familial bonds.
Friends to Lovers
A friendship evolves into romance.
Friends with Benefits
Two characters engage in a physical relationship without romantic commitment, though emotions often complicate the arrangement.
Futuristic
Set in the future, often featuring advanced technology, space travel, or speculative societal changes.
Ghosts
Features a ghostly presence—spirit, phantom, or apparition—haunting, helping, or seeking closure. Often eerie, emotional, or supernatural.
Grumpy/Sunshine
A dynamic where one character is moody or cynical while the other is upbeat and optimistic.
Haunted Location
A place—such as a house, hotel, or town—believed to be inhabited by spirits, cursed, or tied to supernatural occurrences.
Heist
Stories involving the planning and executing of a robbery, often with a focus on strategy, teamwork, and the thrills of crime.
High Tech
Advanced technology plays a significant role.
Highlander
Scottish warriors and culture feature prominently.
Historical Figures
Real-life historical individuals play a significant role in the story, whether as main characters or influential figures.
Insta-Love
Two characters fall in love almost immediately, with little to no buildup, often driven by fate, attraction, or an unexplainable connection.
Isolation
A character or group is physically or socially cut off from others, whether by choice, circumstance, or force, leading to tension, introspection, or survival challenges.
Journalists
Reporters uncover truths or influence events.
Lawyers
The plot involves legal practioners, often featuring legal battles and courtroom drama.
Love Triangle
A romantic conflict where one character is torn between two potential love interests.
Madness
A character experiences mental instability or psychological struggles, usually leading to paranoia, delusions, or erratic behavior
Magic
The story involves supernatural forces, spells, or abilities that defy the laws of nature.
Male Lead
<p data-start="310" data-end="437">Features a man or boy as the main character. The story is centered around his journey, perspective, or growth across any genre.</p>
Marriage of Convenience
Two characters enter a marriage for practical reasons rather than love, often leading to unexpected emotions.
Mars Needs Women
A society, often alien or otherwise non-human, faces a shortage of women due to extinction, sterility, or other factors. It often leads to a culture that reveres women and pregnancy and efforts to find and claim female partners from elsewhere.
Missing Persons
A character’s disappearance is a central element of the story, whether they are lost, abducted, or have vanished under mysterious circumstances.
Mistaken Identity
A character is incorrectly identified as someone else, leading to confusion, deception, or unintended consequences.
Mob/Mafia/Organized Crime
A story involving criminal organizations, such as the mafia, cartels, or other structured crime syndicates.
Monsters
Frightening or unnatural beings that evoke fear, often antagonistic or dangerous.
Morally Gray Lead
At least one of the protagonists operates in moral ambiguity.
Murder
A killing is central to the story.
Non-Binary Lead
<p data-start="470" data-end="647">Features a non-binary or gender non-conforming protagonist. Their identity may or may not be a central focus of the story, but they are the primary perspective or driving force.</p>
Non-Human Characters
Significant characters who are not fully human, such as aliens, sentient animals, vampires, or other beings with distinct non-human traits. These characters play an active role in the story beyond just existing in the setting.
Occult
Features supernatural or mystical elements tied to secret knowledge, rituals, or esoteric practices, often involving magic, spirits, or hidden truths.
Older/Mature Hero
The protagonist is middle-aged or older (usually 40+) and brings experience, wisdom, or a seasoned perspective to their journey.
Orphan Hero
A main character grows up without parents.
Other Man/Other Woman
A romantic rival who creates tension in a relationship, whether as an existing partner, a past love, or a new temptation. This character may be an obstacle to the main couple’s romance or a catalyst for drama and difficult choices.
Parallel Worlds
Separate, coexisting universes that may mirror our own or operate under entirely different laws. These worlds can exist independently or have connections, allowing for travel between them.
Philosophical Discussions
Explores deep, abstract, or existential questions. These discussions may focus on morality, consciousness, the nature of reality, or other thought-provoking topics.
Pirates & Privateers
Seafaring outlaws and adventurers play a significant role in the story.
Police & Law Enforcement
Centers on officers, detectives, or other law enforcement personnel investigating crimes, maintaining order, or dealing with corruption within the system.
Political Intrigue & Social Issues
Involves power struggles, manipulation, and/or societal conflicts, often revolving around government, leadership, or cultural movements.
Pregnancy
A pregnancy significantly affects the story.
Prisoners/Prison
Features characters who are incarcerated, escaping captivity, or navigating the prison system. This may involve wrongful imprisonment, life behind bars, or the struggle for freedom.
Private Investigators
Follows independent detectives or investigative professionals solving mysteries, uncovering secrets, or taking on cases outside official law enforcement.
Prophecies
A foretold event or fate shapes the story, influencing characters’ choices and conflicts. Prophecies may be clear, cryptic, self-fulfilling, or subverted.
Protagonist Ahead of Their Time
Features a main character whose beliefs, knowledge, or skills are far more advanced than those of the society they live in, leading to admiration, conflict, or misunderstanding.
Psychics & Supernatural Sleuths
Characters use supernatural abilities—such as clairvoyance, mediumship, or telepathy—to solve mysteries, uncover hidden truths, or communicate with the dead.
Quest
The protagonist embarks on a journey to achieve a significant goal. The journey itself is central to the story, often featuring trials, allies, and personal growth.
Race Relations
Explores interactions, tensions, or alliances between different racial or ethnic groups, often addressing themes of prejudice, discrimination, cultural identity, or unity.
Ragtag Team/Crew
A group of unlikely allies, often with clashing personalities or diverse backgrounds, comes together to achieve a common goal.
Religion & Beliefs
Religious faith, spiritual beliefs, or philosophical ideologies play a key role in the story, influencing characters, societies, or conflicts. This may include fictional religions or real-world faiths.
Reluctant Hero
A protagonist who is unwilling or hesitant to take on the role of a hero, often due to self-doubt, fear, or a desire for a quiet life. Despite their initial resistance, they are drawn into the conflict by circumstances, duty, or a personal turning point, ultimately rising to the challenge.
Revenge
A protagonist seeks to get back at someone who has wronged them, their family, or loved ones. The story follows their quest for justice or vengeance, often involving careful planning, moral dilemmas about the cost of revenge, and questions of whether vengeance truly brings satisfaction or peace.
Rivals to Lovers
Two characters start as competitors or adversaries but develop romantic feelings as they come to understand and respect each other.
Rock Stars/Music Artists
Features protagonists who are musicians, singers, or part of a band.
Royalty
Kings, queens, or nobility are central to the story.
Second Chance
A love story where characters who were once romantically involved reunite, rekindling their relationship after time apart, personal growth, or overcoming past obstacles.
Secret Child/Heir
A hidden birthright or lineage is revealed.
Secret Hidden Worlds
A concealed realm, society, or dimension that exists alongside or within the known world but is undiscovered by the general public. Often features magic, supernatural beings, or advanced technology.
Secret Identity
A character conceals who they really are.
Secret Lab/Base
A hidden or restricted location used for covert operations, scientific experiments, or military purposes, often holding dangerous secrets or advanced technology.
Secret Relationship
A romance that must be kept hidden from others due to external pressures, such as societal expectations, family disapproval, workplace restrictions, or personal reasons.
Serial Killers
The story involves a character who commits a series of murders, often with no apparent motive and typically following a characteristic, predictable behavior pattern.
Simulation
A virtual or artificial world plays a key role.
Single Parent
The story features a single mom or a single dad who is raising a child or children alone, often balancing parental responsibilities with the story’s central conflict or romance.
Slow Burn
A romance or relationship that develops gradually over time, building tension and emotional depth before reaching fulfillment.
Small Town
This trope features a close-knit, often isolated community where the town's dynamics, relationships, and secrets shape the plot and characters, creating a unique backdrop for the story.
Sorcerers & Witches
Characters who practice magic, whether through innate abilities, learned spells, or supernatural forces, often central to fantasy or paranormal stories.
Soul Mates
Two characters are destined to be together, whether due to fate, magic, reincarnation, or an unbreakable cosmic bond that draws them together.
Space Travel
The story involves traveling through space, whether via spacecraft, portals, or other means, often exploring different planets, galaxies, or the challenges of interstellar journeys.
Sports & Athletes
The story prominently features sports or athletes, whether as a central theme, a character’s profession, or a major aspect of the plot. This can include popular sports like football, basketball, soccer, baseball, hockey, tennis, or combat sports such as boxing and MMA.
Subverted Innocence
A seemingly pure character or theme hides something dark.
Survivalism
The focus is on enduring extreme conditions or crises.
Taboo Relationships
The story features a romantic or personal relationship that is considered forbidden or socially unacceptable. This can include relationships with significant age gaps, teacher/student, step-siblings, affairs, or romances that cross cultural, societal, or supernatural boundaries.
Terrorism
The plot involves acts of terrorism, terrorist organizations, or characters working to commit or prevent attacks.
The Dark Lord
A powerful, malevolent figure who seeks domination or destruction, often embodying ultimate evil. Typically, they wield immense power, command loyal followers, and serve as the primary antagonist in fantasy or supernatural stories.
Time Travel
The story involves characters traveling to the past or future, whether through science, magic, or unexplained phenomena. This can include time loops, alternate timelines, or paradoxes that impact the plot.
Training Moments
The story includes significant scenes where a character undergoes training to develop skills, whether for combat, magic, survival, or another area of expertise, often involving mentorship, rigorous practice, or trials.
Utopian Futures
The story is set in a future society that appears to be an ideal world, often characterized by advanced technology, peace, equality, and abundance. However, some utopian settings may hide deeper flaws or be contrasted against dystopian elements.
Vampires
Immortal and undead beings that drink blood to survive. Depending on the interpretation, they may have supernatural abilities such as enhanced strength, speed, immortality, mind control, or shape-shifting. Some stories depict them as monstrous and predatory, while others portray them as seductive, tragic, or even heroic figures.
Vikings
The story features Viking warriors, Norse mythology, or Scandinavian settings during the Viking Age.
War/Military
The story prominently features war, military strategy, or the experiences of soldiers. It may focus on large-scale battles, military life, political conflicts, or the personal struggles of those involved in warfare.
Wedding Fever
The story revolves around an upcoming wedding, whether it's the protagonist’s, a friend’s, or a family member’s. It may involve wedding planning chaos, cold feet, unexpected romance, or dramatic twists leading up to the big day.
Werewolves & Shifters
The story features characters who can transform into wolves or other animals, either through a curse, magic, or innate ability. Common elements include pack dynamics, moon-based transformations, primal instincts, and struggles between human and animal nature.
Why Choose
The protagonist forms relationships with multiple partners instead of picking just one, often seen in reverse harem or polyamorous stories.
Wise Mentor
A knowledgeable and experienced character guides and advises the protagonist, offering wisdom, training, or moral support. This mentor often plays a crucial role in the protagonist’s growth and may be a teacher, elder, or mystical figure.
Workplace/Office
The story is set in a professional environment, such as an office, newsroom, hospital, or other workplace. It may focus on workplace relationships, office politics, career ambitions, or the challenges of balancing work and personal life.
Zombies/The Undead
The story features reanimated corpses or other undead beings, often depicted as mindless monsters, supernatural creatures, or victims of a virus or curse.
Historical Settings
Australia & New Zealand
Covers historical settings in Australia and New Zealand, including Indigenous histories, British colonization, the gold rush, frontier life, and the World Wars. May explore convicts, settlers, and Māori culture.
British Isles
Settings in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, spanning ancient to modern periods.
Eastern Asia
Covers settings in countries like China, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia, featuring ancient dynasties, samurai and imperial courts, modern metropolises, and cultural traditions like Confucianism and Buddhism.
Eastern Europe
Covers settings in countries like Russia, Poland, Hungary, the Baltics, and the Balkans, featuring medieval kingdoms, powerful empires like the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman, and key 20th-century conflicts such as World War II and the Cold War.
Latin America & the Caribbean
Encompasses countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Cuba, highlighting indigenous civilizations like the Maya and Inca, Spanish and Portuguese colonial history, lush rainforests, vibrant cultures, and political upheavals.
Middle East & West Asia
Includes regions such as the Arabian Peninsula, Persia (Iran), Mesopotamia (Iraq), and the Levant (Israel, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon), with settings featuring ancient empires, Islamic caliphates, desert landscapes, and ongoing geopolitical conflicts.
Northern Africa
Includes countries such as Egypt, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco, featuring ancient civilizations like the Pharaohs, Islamic empires, the Sahara Desert, Mediterranean trade routes, and colonial and post-colonial struggles.
Pacific Islands
Encompasses historical settings in Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, the Solomon Islands, and other Pacific nations. Often features indigenous cultures, early exploration, colonial rule, World War II conflicts, and traditional myths and legends.
South Asia
Includes historical settings in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives, covering ancient empires, Mughal rule, British colonialism, independence movements, and cultural traditions.
Subsaharan Africa
Focuses on historical settings south of the Sahara Desert, including ancient kingdoms, the transatlantic slave trade, European colonization, independence movements, and tribal histories in countries like Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Ghana.
United States
Covers historical settings in the United States, including Indigenous histories, the colonial era, the American Revolution, the Civil War, the Wild West, Prohibition, and the Civil Rights Movement.
Western Europe
Includes historical settings in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and surrounding regions, featuring medieval kingdoms, the Renaissance, royal courts, the Napoleonic Wars, World War I & II, and shifting European borders. (For historical settings in the UK and Ireland, see British Isles.)
Time Periods
Age of Exploration (c. 1400 – 1700)
A period of global maritime expansion, colonization, and the exchange of cultures and goods.
Ancient Civilizations (c. 3000 BC – 500 AD)
The rise and fall of early societies such as Egypt, Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia, and China.
Early Modern Period (c. 1450 – 1800)
The transitional era between medieval and modern times, marked by the rise of nation-states, global trade, exploration, and scientific advancement. This period saw major empires expand worldwide influence through commerce and conquest, while technological innovations in navigation, printing, and warfare transformed societies globally.
Enlightenment Era (c. 1685 – 1815)
An intellectual movement emphasizing reason, science, and individual rights, influencing political revolutions.
Georgian Era (1714–1830)
A period of Enlightenment thought, colonial expansion, and early industrialization, spanning the rule of Britain’s four King Georges.
Industrial Revolution (c. 1760 – 1850)
A transformative period of mechanization, urbanization, and technological innovation.
Middle Ages (c. AD 500 – 1500)
A time of feudalism, chivalry, and medieval kingdoms, spanning from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance.
Modern History (c. 1950 – Present)
The contemporary era, marked by rapid technological advancements, globalization, and social change.
Napoleonic Era (c. 1799 – 1815)
The time of Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise and fall, dominated by European wars and political upheaval.
Prehistory (c. 30,000 BC – 3000 BC)
The era before written records, covering early human development, hunter-gatherer societies, and the first civilizations.
Recent History (c. 1850 – 1950)
A transitional period featuring industrialization, world wars, and major social and political shifts.
Regency Era (1811–1820)
A time of cultural change and political upheaval in Britain, marked by the rule of Prince George IV as regent. It featured the rise of Romanticism in art and literature, as well as fashion and social shifts, while Britain was also engaged in the Napoleonic Wars.
Renaissance Period (c. 1300 – 1600)
A cultural rebirth in art, science, and philosophy, inspired by classical antiquity.
Victorian Era (c. 1837 – 1901)
The period of Queen Victoria’s reign, known for industrial progress, strict social structures, and Gothic literary influences.
Pairings
Female-Female
A romantic relationship between two women or female-identifying individuals, often explored in sapphic or LGBTQ+ fiction.
Female-Male
A romantic relationship between a man and a woman.
Male-Male
A romantic relationship between two men or male-identifying individuals, often explored in LGBTQ+ fiction, also commonly referred to as gay romance.
Multiple Partners
A romantic or sexual relationship involving more than two individuals, often explored in polyamorous or ménage relationships.
Non-Binary
A romantic relationship where at least one individual identifies as non-binary or genderqueer, outside the traditional male/female gender binary.
Not Applicable (No Romance)
No romantic pairing is present or relevant in the story, focusing on platonic relationships or other dynamics.
Spice Levels
🌶️ Kissing- Intimacy doesn’t go beyond kissing
This level involves light romantic interaction, such as kissing or holding hands. There is no explicit physical intimacy or sexual content. The focus is on the emotional connection and building romance without advancing to more intimate encounters.
🌶️🌶️ Closed Door- Sex is mentioned or implied but happens off-page
Sexual content is implied or mentioned but occurs off-page, meaning the actual scene is not depicted in detail. Kissing or mild physical affection may be shown, but the story only references intimate encounters or suggestive moments, but the intimate scenes happen behind closed doors, leaving the specifics to the reader’s imagination.
🌶️🌶️🌶️ Open Door- At least one on-page intimate scene but not explicit in detail
At least one intimate scene takes place on-page, but it is not described in explicit detail. The scene is presented with some level of detail, but the focus remains on the relationship and emotions rather than graphic description of physical acts.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Smut- Multiple on-page intimate scenes with explicit sexual content.
Typically features at least one, but usually multiple, on-page intimate scenes that are explicit in nature. These scenes are highly descriptive and focus on detailed sexual content. While the intimacy is often significant to the story or character development, it doesn't necessarily involve extreme variety or deep exploration of sexual acts.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Erotic- Frequent and highly descriptive explicit scenes that often involve a range of adventurous acts.
Features frequent, highly descriptive, and explicit intimate scenes that often involve a wider range of adventurous acts and/or more explicit detail. It's a level above smut in both frequency and exploration, where the intimacy and physical connection are a significant focus of the story, with no limits on adventurousness.
🫑 No Romance- No intimate scenes
The story does not include any romantic or intimate scenes. It is focused on plot, character development, or other themes that do not involve romantic relationships or physical intimacy in any form.
Diversity
African / Black / African Heritage
Refers to characters of African descent or those with cultural ties to Africa. This includes characters from various African countries, the African diaspora, and Black communities worldwide. This category encompasses a rich variety of cultures, traditions, and experiences rooted in African heritage.
Asian / South Asian / Asian Heritage
Includes characters of East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, or Central Asian descent, as well as those with cultural ties to these regions. This category celebrates the diversity of Asian cultures, from Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, and beyond, including those in the global Asian diaspora.
Disabled / Differently Abled
Features characters with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities or those who live with medical conditions that affect daily life. This category includes individuals with visible and invisible disabilities, offering stories that reflect a range of experiences, struggles, and triumphs.
Hispanic / Latino
Refers to characters of Hispanic or Latino descent, encompassing individuals from Latin American countries or those with cultural ties to Latin American heritage. This category includes a variety of cultures, languages (e.g., Spanish and Portuguese), and traditions, offering rich and diverse storytelling.
Jewish / Jewish Heritage
Books that feature Jewish characters, explore Jewish identity, or center around Jewish culture or heritage. May include historical, contemporary, or speculative stories.
LGBTQ+
Characters who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, or any other identity within the spectrum of sexual orientations and gender identities. This category celebrates the diversity of LGBTQ+ experiences, relationships, and journeys, reflecting a wide array of perspectives.
Middle Eastern / Middle Eastern Heritage
Characters with roots in the Middle East, including countries such as Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, and more. This category highlights the unique cultural, historical, and societal aspects of Middle Eastern identities, as well as the experiences of Middle Eastern diaspora communities worldwide.
Native and Indigenous Peoples
This category encompasses the diverse ethnic groups that are the original inhabitants of a particular region or country, including Native Americans, First Nations, Alaska Natives, and Indigenous peoples from around the world. It covers those with cultural, historical, and ancestral ties to the land they inhabit, including tribes, clans, and other Indigenous communities. Examples include the Cherokee, Navajo, Māori, Sámi, and many others.
Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander
Refers to characters who are Native Hawaiian or have cultural ties to Pacific Island nations such as Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and other Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian groups. This category encompasses the unique heritage and traditions of these island cultures and the challenges they face.
Neurodivergent
Characters who have neurological variations such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or other cognitive differences. This category highlights experiences of individuals whose brain functions differently from the typical, offering diverse perspectives on how neurodivergent individuals navigate life, relationships, and society.
Content Warnings
Abuse / Abusive Relationships
Depictions or significant and detailed mentions of emotional, physical, sexual, or domestic abuse, including manipulation, gaslighting, or toxic relationships that may involve partners, family, or authority figures.
Alcohol / Drugs
Involves substance use, addiction, or withdrawal, including alcohol abuse, drug use (legal or illegal), overdose, or recovery from addiction.
Animal Death & Cruelty
Includes harm, death, or mistreatment of animals, whether through hunting, abuse, neglect, or graphic depictions of suffering.
Blood / Injury / Medical
Includes graphic depictions of wounds, medical procedures, or bodily harm, such as surgeries, self-harm, gore, life-threatening conditions, medical trauma, or illness-related distress.
Chronic Illness & Medical Conditions
Includes characters living with long-term physical health conditions such as chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, neurological illnesses, or other ongoing medical challenges. May involve diagnosis, treatment, daily struggles, or emotional impacts related to illness or disability.
Death / Terminal Illness / Loss
Includes the death of characters, grief, terminal illnesses, or significant loss, whether sudden or prolonged. Common themes include mourning, coping, and end-of-life struggles.
Hate / Discrimination / Oppression
Covers racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, religious persecution, and other forms of systemic or personal discrimination, including hate crimes, segregation, and oppressive societies.
Mental Health / Self-Harm / Suicide
Includes depression, anxiety, PTSD, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or suicide, as well as institutionalization, therapy, or struggles with mental illness.
Natural Disasters
Features earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, wildfires, tornados, and other catastrophic natural events, often with themes of survival, destruction, and rebuilding.
No Content Warning Necessary
The story does not contain distressing or triggering material, making it safe for most readers.
Pregnancy / Childbirth / Infertility
Involves pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, infertility, or reproductive struggles, including complicated pregnancies, loss, surrogacy, or IVF.
Sexual Violence / DubCon / NonCon
Covers rape, attempted assault, coercion (dubious consent), or explicit depictions of sexual violence, as well as aftermath, trauma, and recovery.
Violence / Murder / Criminal Activity
Includes graphic or intense depictions of violence, physical assault, murder, or other forms of harm. This may involve battles, conflicts, organized crime, gang activity, or law enforcement brutality, often featuring dark or disturbing themes related to harm, justice, or revenge.
Does not include mild or implied criminal acts (e.g. a nonviolent heist or mystery-solving in a cozy setting) unless the content is emotionally or physically intense.
War / Genocide
Features military conflicts, large-scale warfare, or acts of genocide, including battles, war crimes, refugee experiences, and political violence.