I have discovered the method to decipher the answer to the age-old question “What Makes this Book NA/YA/Erotica and not —-?”
Bloggers and readers (and writers) of books have been confused about the categories that constitute Young Adult, New Adult, Romance, Erotic Romance and Erotica for a while now … constantly wondering what makes a book one thing or another, where to draw the line. And while there have been think pieces from smart industry people over the past few years that discuss everything from protagonist’s age, narrative arcs and journeys of self, I found the REAL answer that works for That’s Normal.
Smut Levels.
That’s right. Essentially what separates Laura Ingalls from Shayla Black isn’t the age of the main characters or the coming of age themes. It’s the amount of c-words.
My Smut Levels are determined by the time of day when bad things happen to good characters. It’s a dodgy system; I’m aware of that. So I also offered Smut Levels Scale of 1-10. For you scientific nerd types with no imagination.
Smut Level: Afternoon Snack
Category: Middle Grade
Smut Level Number Scale: 1.5/10
This belongs to the middle grade books that just skate into Young Adult territory because the book or series deals with young teens. Young teens who might think about having a crush on someone, but don’t really explore the tingly feelings.
“I found myself staring at her, which was stupid since I’d seen her a billion times. Still, she seemed so much more mature. It was kind of intimidating. I mean, sure, she’d always been cute, but she was starting to be seriously beautiful.” – Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian
Whoa there, Percy. Leave room for the Holy Spirit.
Afternoon Snack Books: Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, The Giver.
Smut Level: Curfew
Category: Young Adult
Smut Level Number Scale: 3-4.5/10
This is the smut level that we all came to know and love in the Mind Over Matter chapter of Twilight. No one was as chaste, and yet as sexually charged, as the original Edward and Bella.
He lifted my chin, examining my face.
“You look very warm, actually.”
He bent his face slowly to mine, laying his cool cheek against my skin. I held perfectly still.
“Mmmmmm…,” he breathed.
It was very difficult, while he was touching me, to frame a coherent question. It took me a minute of scattered concentration to begin.
“It seems to be… much easier for you, to be close to me.”
“Does it seem that way to you?” he murmured, his nose gliding to the corner of my jaw. I felt his hand, lighter than a moth’s wing, brushing my damp hair back, so that his lips could touch the hollow beneath my ear.
“Much, much easier,” I said, trying to exhale.
“Hmm.”
“So I was wondering…,” I began again, but his fingers were slowly tracing my collarbone, and I lost my train of thought.
“Yes?” he breathed.
“Why is that,” my voice shook, embarrassing me, “do you think?”
I felt the tremor of his breath on my neck as he laughed. “Mind over matter.” —Twilight, chapter 14
OMG SWOON, EDWARD. Anyway, Young Adult as we know it has many levels of smut, but never really gets into specifics. It’s sexy, but not always overtly so. And like all teens have different rules and curfews, Young Adult can have different levels of smut.
Early Curfew Books: In some YA books, this is the whole thing. Shatter Me, Unearthly, and any book where one is werewolf and one is a fish fit this bill.
Either this …
or this … is all you get
Call Mom if You’ll Be Late Curfew Books: This is where most YA books fall. They are hot, but they don’t have a huge payoff. Catching Fire, Eclipse, The Mortal Instruments series, Grave Mercy, Anna and the French Kiss. Like I said, most YA books.
It’s either a Fade to Sad …
… or a big bowl of c*ckblock
Expert at Evading Curfew Books: These books make you think there is nothing too risque in them, but then something incredibly sexy sneaks up on the young teen protags AND YOU’RE INTO IT. See Shiver, Graceling, Eleanor & Park, Daughter of Smoke and Bone.
Awwww yeah, shizz bout to go down
AAAAAaaaaaaand score
Smut Level: Midnight*
*I stole the title of this post (and this level) from The Office. Deal with it.
Category: New Adult
Smut Level Number Scale: 4.5-6/10
This belongs to that so-hard-to-pin-down category of books: New Adult. We’ve had WAY too many conversations here at TN about whether or not a book is NA. It’s what started this whole smut level discussion.
Here’s what I told Nikki and Bekah about my NA scale: “For the most part, NA is a character’s first time out on her own … so usually college, but not always. If someone says it’s NA I expect: College aged girl/boy … first love (not necessarily first sex) … major drama … and smut level 4.5.”
So the smut is … there. It’s hot. It’s between people old enough to make those choices. BUT, it’s not the WHOLE story. And while there is most assuredly dirty talk, there isn’t usually gratuitous four-somes. The smut stays in the realm of normal, vanilla college realistic sex.
“I wanted you from the minute I saw you,” he says. “I want you right now, and you can barely stand me. I can barely stand me, so I don’t know why you put up with my shit, but even right now, when I hate myself and you’re pissed at me, I still want to push you down on the bed and take off your shirt and get inside you. Get deep inside you, and then deeper, until I’m so deep I don’t even know what’s me anymore and what’s you.” – Deeper by Robin York
Ok, West. We get it. You want her. 🙂
Smut Level: 2 am
Category: Romance
Smut Level Number Scale: 7/10
2 am is where bad choices and the best memories are made. That’s what this level of smut is like. This level of smut is what I would consider Romance or Erotic Romance novels. This is where the smut gets adult and stays adult. Dirty Talk is king in erotic romance, whether it’s historical and highbrow, seductive and serious or kooky and kinky.
“Hello, Anne’s clitoris. It’s me, Malcolm, your lord and master.”
“Oh, god, no.” I covered my face with my hands. “Please don’t.”
“Shh. This is a private conversation.” He brushed hot, feverish kisses up and down the lips of my sex. My stomach tensed so hard it hurt. “Look at you all pretty, pink, and excited. Don’t worry, I’ll look after you.”— Play, by Kylie Scott (which you def want to read)
{Some of our fave}2 am Books: The Wild Seasons series, Never Judge a Lady By Her Cover, Outlander, The Fever Series
Smut Level: Dawn
Category: Erotica
Smut Level Number Scale: 10/10
THIS is no-holds barred, no positions banned, no partners banished … THIS IS SMUT FOR SMUT’S SAKE. Now, that doesn’t mean that all books that fall into the Erotica category aren’t worth their salt. I would put Tiffany Reisz’s books as Smut Level: Dawn, but they are also some of the most poignant and profound I’ve read in years. Erotica is about a lot more than sex … a character’s journey of self-discovery is usually central.
But on average, you aren’t going to go more than two chapters in an erotic novel without some very graphic encounters. By no means always of the BDSM sort, but that surely applies. Dirty talk. Body parts. Multiple partners. It’s all up for grabs.
I’d quote, but I gotta be honest. You get the picture.
Yep.
that too
Dawn Books: Power Play, Neighborly Attraction series, The Sinners Club and the stuff you find at Ellora’s Cave
Now you know, the next time you ask a That’s Normal reader if a book is YA/NA or E(rotic)A … the thing that tipped them off … was the smut.
So, whether you’re up til dawn, or going to bed at your bedtime, you probably spend some time picking books based on their smut level (or maybe not liking a book because it promised a smut level and didn’t deliver it). Tell us in the comments your favorite book at each level, and we will start a master smut level list to share.
