diff --git a/fedireads/tests/test_review.py b/fedireads/tests/test_review.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..097a2d5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fedireads/tests/test_review.py
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+from django.test import TestCase
+
+from fedireads import models
+from fedireads import status as status_builder
+
+
+class Review(TestCase):
+    ''' we have hecka ways to create statuses '''
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.user = models.User.objects.create_user(
+            'mouse', 'mouse@mouse.mouse', 'mouseword')
+        self.book = models.Edition.objects.create(title='Example Edition')
+
+
+    def test_create_review(self):
+        review = status_builder.create_review(
+            self.user, self.book, 'review name', 'content', 5)
+        self.assertEqual(review.name, 'review name')
+        self.assertEqual(review.content, 'content')
+        self.assertEqual(review.rating, 5)
+
+        review = status_builder.create_review(
+            self.user, self.book, '<div>review</div> name', '<b>content', 5)
+        self.assertEqual(review.name, 'review name')
+        self.assertEqual(review.content, 'content')
+        self.assertEqual(review.rating, 5)
+
+    def test_review_rating(self):
+        review = status_builder.create_review(
+            self.user, self.book, 'review name', 'content', -1)
+        self.assertEqual(review.name, 'review name')
+        self.assertEqual(review.content, 'content')
+        self.assertEqual(review.rating, None)
+
+        review = status_builder.create_review(
+            self.user, self.book, 'review name', 'content', 6)
+        self.assertEqual(review.name, 'review name')
+        self.assertEqual(review.content, 'content')
+        self.assertEqual(review.rating, None)
+
+
+    def test_review_from_activity(self):
+        activity = {
+            'id': 'https://example.com/user/mouse/review/9',
+            'url': 'https://example.com/user/mouse/review/9',
+            'inReplyTo': None,
+            'published': '2020-05-04T00:00:00.000000+00:00',
+            'attributedTo': 'https://example.com/user/mouse',
+            'to': [
+                'https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public'
+                ],
+            'cc': [
+                'https://example.com/user/mouse/followers'
+                ],
+            'sensitive': False,
+            'content': 'review content',
+            'type': 'Article',
+            'attachment': [],
+            'replies': {
+                'id': 'https://example.com/user/mouse/review/9/replies',
+                'type': 'Collection',
+                'first': {
+                    'type': 'CollectionPage',
+                    'next': 'https://example.com/user/mouse/review/9/replies?only_other_accounts=true&page=true',
+                    'partOf': 'https://example.com/user/mouse/review/9/replies',
+                    'items': []
+                    }
+                },
+            'inReplyToBook': self.book.absolute_id,
+            'fedireadsType': 'Review',
+            'name': 'review title',
+            'rating': 3
+        }
+        review = status_builder.create_review_from_activity(
+            self.user, activity)
+        self.assertEqual(review.content, 'review content')
+        self.assertEqual(review.name, 'review title')
+        self.assertEqual(review.rating, 3)
+        self.assertEqual(review.book, self.book)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            review.published_date, '2020-05-04T00:00:00.000000+00:00')
diff --git a/fedireads/tests/test_status.py b/fedireads/tests/test_status.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dbec4b26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fedireads/tests/test_status.py
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+from django.test import TestCase
+
+from fedireads import models
+from fedireads import status as status_builder
+
+
+class Status(TestCase):
+    ''' we have hecka ways to create statuses '''
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.user = models.User.objects.create_user(
+            'mouse', 'mouse@mouse.mouse', 'mouseword')
+
+
+    def test_create_status(self):
+        content = 'statuses are usually <i>replies</i>'
+        status = status_builder.create_status(
+            self.user, content)
+        self.assertEqual(status.content, content)
+
+        reply = status_builder.create_status(
+            self.user, content, reply_parent=status)
+        self.assertEqual(reply.content, content)
+        self.assertEqual(reply.reply_parent, status)
+
+    def test_create_status_from_activity(self):
+        book = models.Edition.objects.create(title='Example Edition')
+        review = status_builder.create_review(
+            self.user, book, 'review name', 'content', 5)
+        activity = {
+            'id': 'https://example.com/user/mouse/status/12',
+            'url': 'https://example.com/user/mouse/status/12',
+            'inReplyTo': review.absolute_id,
+            'published': '2020-05-10T02:15:59.635557+00:00',
+            'attributedTo': 'https://example.com/user/mouse',
+            'to': [
+                'https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public'
+                ],
+            'cc': [
+                'https://example.com/user/mouse/followers'
+                ],
+            'sensitive': False,
+            'content': 'reply to status',
+            'type': 'Note',
+            'attachment': [],
+            'replies': {
+                'id': 'https://example.com/user/mouse/status/12/replies',
+                'type': 'Collection',
+                'first': {
+                    'type': 'CollectionPage',
+                    'next': 'https://example.com/user/mouse/status/12/replies?only_other_accounts=true&page=true',
+                    'partOf': 'https://example.com/user/mouse/status/12/replies',
+                    'items': []
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+        status = status_builder.create_status_from_activity(
+            self.user, activity)
+        self.assertEqual(status.reply_parent, review)
+        self.assertEqual(status.content, 'reply to status')
+        self.assertEqual(
+            status.published_date,
+            '2020-05-10T02:15:59.635557+00:00'
+        )