diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/trimmed_text.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/trimmed_text.html
index 43fcb38e..b3207a92 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/trimmed_text.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/trimmed_text.html
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 {% with 0|uuid as uuid %}
 {% if full %}
 
-{% with full|text_overflow as trimmed %}
+{% with full|truncatewords_html:60 as trimmed %}
 {% if trimmed != full %}
 <div>
     <input type="radio" name="show-hide-{{ uuid }}" id="show-{{ uuid }}" class="toggle-control" checked>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py b/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py
index 8c77921c..deb90427 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ register = template.Library()
 
 @register.filter(name='dict_key')
 def dict_key(d, k):
-    '''Returns the given key from a dictionary.'''
+    ''' Returns the given key from a dictionary. '''
     return d.get(k) or 0
 
 
@@ -117,21 +117,6 @@ def get_book_description(book):
     return book.description or book.parent_work.description
 
 
-@register.filter(name='text_overflow')
-def text_overflow(text):
-    ''' dont' let book descriptions run for ages '''
-    if not text:
-        return ''
-    char_max = 400
-    if text and len(text) < char_max:
-        return text
-
-    trimmed = text[:char_max]
-    # go back to the last space
-    trimmed = ' '.join(trimmed.split(' ')[:-1])
-    return trimmed + '...'
-
-
 @register.filter(name='uuid')
 def get_uuid(identifier):
     ''' for avoiding clashing ids when there are many forms '''
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/test_templatetags.py b/bookwyrm/tests/test_templatetags.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..28f08424
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/test_templatetags.py
@@ -0,0 +1,209 @@
+''' style fixes and lookups for templates '''
+import re
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from dateutil.parser import parse
+from django.test import TestCase
+from django.utils import timezone
+
+from bookwyrm import models
+from bookwyrm.templatetags import bookwyrm_tags
+
+
+class TemplateTags(TestCase):
+    ''' lotta different things here '''
+    def setUp(self):
+        ''' create some filler objects '''
+        self.user = models.User.objects.create_user(
+            'mouse', 'mouse@mouse.mouse', 'mouseword', local=True)
+        with patch('bookwyrm.models.user.set_remote_server.delay'):
+            self.remote_user = models.User.objects.create_user(
+                'rat', 'rat@rat.rat', 'ratword',
+                remote_id='http://example.com/rat', local=False)
+        self.book = models.Edition.objects.create(title='Test Book')
+
+
+    def test_dict_key(self):
+        ''' just getting a value out of a dict '''
+        test_dict = {'a': 1, 'b': 3}
+        self.assertEqual(
+            bookwyrm_tags.dict_key(test_dict, 'a'), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            bookwyrm_tags.dict_key(test_dict, 'c'), 0)
+
+
+    def test_get_rating(self):
+        ''' get a user's most recent rating of a book '''
+        models.Review.objects.create(
+            user=self.user, book=self.book, rating=3)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            bookwyrm_tags.get_rating(self.book, self.user), 3)
+
+
+    def test_get_rating_doesnt_exist(self):
+        ''' there is no rating available '''
+        self.assertEqual(
+            bookwyrm_tags.get_rating(self.book, self.user), 0)
+
+
+    def test_get_user_identifer_local(self):
+        ''' fall back to the simplest uid available '''
+        self.assertNotEqual(self.user.username, self.user.localname)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            bookwyrm_tags.get_user_identifier(self.user), 'mouse')
+
+    def test_get_user_identifer_remote(self):
+        ''' for a remote user, should be their full username '''
+        self.assertEqual(
+            bookwyrm_tags.get_user_identifier(self.remote_user),
+            'rat@example.com')
+
+    def test_get_notification_count(self):
+        ''' just countin' '''
+        self.assertEqual(bookwyrm_tags.get_notification_count(self.user), 0)
+
+        models.Notification.objects.create(
+            user=self.user, notification_type='FOLLOW')
+        models.Notification.objects.create(
+            user=self.user, notification_type='FOLLOW')
+
+        models.Notification.objects.create(
+            user=self.remote_user, notification_type='FOLLOW')
+
+        self.assertEqual(bookwyrm_tags.get_notification_count(self.user), 2)
+
+
+    def test_get_replies(self):
+        ''' direct replies to a status '''
+        parent = models.Review.objects.create(
+            user=self.user, book=self.book)
+        first_child = models.Status.objects.create(
+            reply_parent=parent, user=self.user)
+        second_child = models.Status.objects.create(
+            reply_parent=parent, user=self.user)
+        third_child = models.Status.objects.create(
+            reply_parent=parent, user=self.user, deleted=True)
+
+        replies = bookwyrm_tags.get_replies(parent)
+        self.assertEqual(len(replies), 2)
+        self.assertTrue(first_child in replies)
+        self.assertTrue(second_child in replies)
+        self.assertFalse(third_child in replies)
+
+
+    def test_get_parent(self):
+        ''' get the reply parent of a status '''
+        parent = models.Review.objects.create(
+            user=self.user, book=self.book)
+        child = models.Status.objects.create(
+            reply_parent=parent, user=self.user)
+
+        result = bookwyrm_tags.get_parent(child)
+        self.assertEqual(result, parent)
+        self.assertIsInstance(result, models.Review)
+
+
+    def test_get_user_liked(self):
+        ''' did a user like a status '''
+        status = models.Review.objects.create(
+            user=self.remote_user, book=self.book)
+
+        self.assertFalse(bookwyrm_tags.get_user_liked(self.user, status))
+        models.Favorite.objects.create(
+            user=self.user,
+            status=status
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(bookwyrm_tags.get_user_liked(self.user, status))
+
+
+    def test_get_user_boosted(self):
+        ''' did a user boost a status '''
+        status = models.Review.objects.create(
+            user=self.remote_user, book=self.book)
+
+        self.assertFalse(bookwyrm_tags.get_user_boosted(self.user, status))
+        models.Boost.objects.create(
+            user=self.user,
+            boosted_status=status
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(bookwyrm_tags.get_user_boosted(self.user, status))
+
+
+    def test_follow_request_exists(self):
+        ''' does a user want to follow '''
+        self.assertFalse(
+            bookwyrm_tags.follow_request_exists(self.user, self.remote_user))
+
+        models.UserFollowRequest.objects.create(
+            user_subject=self.user,
+            user_object=self.remote_user)
+
+        self.assertFalse(
+            bookwyrm_tags.follow_request_exists(self.user, self.remote_user))
+        self.assertTrue(
+            bookwyrm_tags.follow_request_exists(self.remote_user, self.user))
+
+
+    def test_get_boosted(self):
+        ''' load a boosted status '''
+        status = models.Review.objects.create(
+            user=self.remote_user, book=self.book)
+        boost = models.Boost.objects.create(
+            user=self.user,
+            boosted_status=status
+        )
+        boosted = bookwyrm_tags.get_boosted(boost)
+        self.assertIsInstance(boosted, models.Review)
+        self.assertEqual(boosted, status)
+
+
+    def test_get_edition_info(self):
+        ''' text slug about an edition '''
+        self.assertEqual(
+            bookwyrm_tags.get_edition_info(self.book), '')
+
+        self.book.physical_format = 'worm'
+        self.book.save()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            bookwyrm_tags.get_edition_info(self.book), 'worm')
+
+        self.book.languages = ['English']
+        self.book.save()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            bookwyrm_tags.get_edition_info(self.book), 'worm')
+
+        self.book.languages = ['Glorbish', 'English']
+        self.book.save()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            bookwyrm_tags.get_edition_info(self.book),
+            'worm, Glorbish language')
+
+        self.book.published_date = timezone.make_aware(parse('2020'))
+        self.book.save()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            bookwyrm_tags.get_edition_info(self.book),
+            'worm, Glorbish language, 2020')
+
+
+    def test_get_book_description(self):
+        ''' grab it from the edition or the parent '''
+        work = models.Work.objects.create(title='Test Work')
+        self.book.parent_work = work
+        self.book.save()
+
+        self.assertIsNone(bookwyrm_tags.get_book_description(self.book))
+
+        work.description = 'hi'
+        work.save()
+        self.assertEqual(bookwyrm_tags.get_book_description(self.book), 'hi')
+
+        self.book.description = 'hello'
+        self.book.save()
+        self.assertEqual(bookwyrm_tags.get_book_description(self.book), 'hello')
+
+
+    def test_get_uuid(self):
+        ''' uuid functionality '''
+        uuid = bookwyrm_tags.get_uuid('hi')
+        print(uuid)
+        self.assertTrue(re.match(r'hi[A-Za-z0-9\-]', uuid))