diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitypub/__init__.py b/bookwyrm/activitypub/__init__.py
index 1a156cae..35b786f7 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitypub/__init__.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitypub/__init__.py
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ from .base_activity import ActivityEncoder, Signature, naive_parse
 from .base_activity import Link, Mention
 from .base_activity import ActivitySerializerError, resolve_remote_id
 from .image import Image
-from .note import Note, GeneratedNote, Article, Comment, Review, Quotation
+from .note import Note, GeneratedNote, Article, Comment, Quotation
+from .note import Review, Rating
 from .note import Tombstone
 from .ordered_collection import OrderedCollection, OrderedCollectionPage
 from .ordered_collection import BookList, Shelf
diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitypub/note.py b/bookwyrm/activitypub/note.py
index f38fea5b..a739eafa 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitypub/note.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitypub/note.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class Tombstone(ActivityObject):
 
     type: str = "Tombstone"
 
-    def to_model(self, *args, **kwargs):
+    def to_model(self, *args, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
         """ this should never really get serialized, just searched for """
         model = apps.get_model("bookwyrm.Status")
         return model.find_existing_by_remote_id(self.id)
@@ -60,6 +60,14 @@ class Comment(Note):
     type: str = "Comment"
 
 
+@dataclass(init=False)
+class Quotation(Comment):
+    """ a quote and commentary on a book """
+
+    quote: str
+    type: str = "Quotation"
+
+
 @dataclass(init=False)
 class Review(Comment):
     """ a full book review """
@@ -70,8 +78,9 @@ class Review(Comment):
 
 
 @dataclass(init=False)
-class Quotation(Comment):
-    """ a quote and commentary on a book """
+class Rating(Comment):
+    """ just a star rating """
 
-    quote: str
-    type: str = "Quotation"
+    rating: int
+    content: str = None
+    type: str = "Rating"
diff --git a/bookwyrm/forms.py b/bookwyrm/forms.py
index 3d8839ef..380e701f 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/forms.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/forms.py
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ class RegisterForm(CustomForm):
 
 class RatingForm(CustomForm):
     class Meta:
-        model = models.Review
-        fields = ["user", "book", "content", "rating", "privacy"]
+        model = models.ReviewRating
+        fields = ["user", "book", "rating", "privacy"]
 
 
 class ReviewForm(CustomForm):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0046_reviewrating.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0046_reviewrating.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8d149004
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0046_reviewrating.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.0.7 on 2021-02-25 18:36
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+from django.db import connection
+from django.db.models import Q
+import django.db.models.deletion
+from psycopg2.extras import execute_values
+
+
+def convert_review_rating(app_registry, schema_editor):
+    """ take rating type Reviews and convert them to ReviewRatings """
+    db_alias = schema_editor.connection.alias
+
+    reviews = (
+        app_registry.get_model("bookwyrm", "Review")
+        .objects.using(db_alias)
+        .filter(Q(content__isnull=True) | Q(content=""))
+    )
+
+    with connection.cursor() as cursor:
+        values = [(r.id,) for r in reviews]
+        execute_values(
+            cursor,
+            """
+INSERT INTO bookwyrm_reviewrating(review_ptr_id)
+VALUES %s""",
+            values,
+        )
+
+
+def unconvert_review_rating(app_registry, schema_editor):
+    """ undo the conversion from ratings back to reviews"""
+    # All we need to do to revert this is drop the table, which Django will do
+    # on its own, as long as we have a valid reverse function. So, this is a
+    # no-op function so Django will do its thing
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("bookwyrm", "0045_auto_20210210_2114"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.CreateModel(
+            name="ReviewRating",
+            fields=[
+                (
+                    "review_ptr",
+                    models.OneToOneField(
+                        auto_created=True,
+                        on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.CASCADE,
+                        parent_link=True,
+                        primary_key=True,
+                        serialize=False,
+                        to="bookwyrm.Review",
+                    ),
+                ),
+            ],
+            options={
+                "abstract": False,
+            },
+            bases=("bookwyrm.review",),
+        ),
+        migrations.RunPython(convert_review_rating, unconvert_review_rating),
+    ]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0047_merge_20210228_1839.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0047_merge_20210228_1839.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4be39e56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0047_merge_20210228_1839.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.0.7 on 2021-02-28 18:39
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("bookwyrm", "0046_reviewrating"),
+        ("bookwyrm", "0046_sitesettings_privacy_policy"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = []
diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0048_merge_20210308_1754.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0048_merge_20210308_1754.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..47fa9e77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0048_merge_20210308_1754.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.0.7 on 2021-03-08 17:54
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("bookwyrm", "0047_connector_isbn_search_url"),
+        ("bookwyrm", "0047_merge_20210228_1839"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = []
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/__init__.py b/bookwyrm/models/__init__.py
index bef9debe..67ee16d3 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/__init__.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/__init__.py
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ from .connector import Connector
 from .shelf import Shelf, ShelfBook
 from .list import List, ListItem
 
-from .status import Status, GeneratedNote, Review, Comment, Quotation
+from .status import Status, GeneratedNote, Comment, Quotation
+from .status import Review, ReviewRating
 from .status import Boost
 from .attachment import Image
 from .favorite import Favorite
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/status.py b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
index c18afd1b..80f2b593 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
@@ -278,13 +278,12 @@ class Review(Status):
     def pure_name(self):
         """ clarify review names for mastodon serialization """
         if self.rating:
-            # pylint: disable=bad-string-format-type
-            return 'Review of "%s" (%d stars): %s' % (
+            return 'Review of "{}" ({:d} stars): {}'.format(
                 self.book.title,
                 self.rating,
                 self.name,
             )
-        return 'Review of "%s": %s' % (self.book.title, self.name)
+        return 'Review of "{}": {}'.format(self.book.title, self.name)
 
     @property
     def pure_content(self):
@@ -295,6 +294,22 @@ class Review(Status):
     pure_type = "Article"
 
 
+class ReviewRating(Review):
+    """ a subtype of review that only contains a rating """
+
+    def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if not self.rating:
+            raise ValueError("ReviewRating object must include a numerical rating")
+        return super().save(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    @property
+    def pure_content(self):
+        return 'Rated "{}": {:d} stars'.format(self.book.title, self.rating)
+
+    activity_serializer = activitypub.Rating
+    pure_type = "Note"
+
+
 class Boost(ActivityMixin, Status):
     """ boost'ing a post """
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/edit_book.html b/bookwyrm/templates/edit_book.html
index 4d215949..7374e6a0 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/edit_book.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/edit_book.html
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@
                 {% for error in form.openlibrary_key.errors %}
                 <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
                 {% endfor %}
-                <p class="fields is-grouped"><label class="label" for="id_librarything_key">{% trans "OCLC Number:" %}</label> {{ form.oclc_number }} </p>
+                <p class="fields is-grouped"><label class="label" for="id_oclc_number">{% trans "OCLC Number:" %}</label> {{ form.oclc_number }} </p>
                 {% for error in form.oclc_number.errors %}
                 <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
                 {% endfor %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status/status_content.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status/status_content.html
index 5c59a716..616e1e63 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status/status_content.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status/status_content.html
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {% load bookwyrm_tags %}
 {% load i18n %}
 <div class="block">
-    {% if status.status_type == 'Review' %}
+    {% if status.status_type == 'Review' or status.status_type == 'Rating' %}
     <div>
         {% if status.name %}
         <h3 class="title is-5 has-subtitle" dir="auto">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status/status_header.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status/status_header.html
index 09c011e4..a04177d9 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status/status_header.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status/status_header.html
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 {% if status.status_type == 'GeneratedNote' %}
     {{ status.content | safe }}
-{% elif status.status_type == 'Review' and not status.name and not status.content%}
+{% elif status.status_type == 'Rating' %}
     {% trans "rated" %}
 {% elif status.status_type == 'Review' %}
     {% trans "reviewed" %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index 8aaf2951..844f8993 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -10,7 +10,15 @@ from bookwyrm.utils import regex
 user_path = r"^user/(?P<username>%s)" % regex.username
 local_user_path = r"^user/(?P<username>%s)" % regex.localname
 
-status_types = ["status", "review", "comment", "quotation", "boost", "generatednote"]
+status_types = [
+    "status",
+    "review",
+    "reviewrating",
+    "comment",
+    "quotation",
+    "boost",
+    "generatednote",
+]
 status_path = r"%s/(%s)/(?P<status_id>\d+)" % (user_path, "|".join(status_types))
 
 book_path = r"^book/(?P<book_id>\d+)"
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/status.py b/bookwyrm/views/status.py
index 9a626371..8cc5df69 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/status.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class CreateStatus(View):
         status.mention_users.set(set(status.mention_users.all()))
 
         # don't apply formatting to generated notes
-        if not isinstance(status, models.GeneratedNote):
+        if not isinstance(status, models.GeneratedNote) and content:
             status.content = to_markdown(content)
         # do apply formatting to quotes
         if hasattr(status, "quote"):
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ class DeleteStatus(View):
 
 def find_mentions(content):
     """ detect @mentions in raw status content """
+    if not content:
+        return
     for match in re.finditer(regex.strict_username, content):
         username = match.group().strip().split("@")[1:]
         if len(username) == 1: