diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/book.py b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
index 8d1b70ae..ffc03d3e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
@@ -342,6 +342,11 @@ class Edition(Book):
         # set rank
         self.edition_rank = self.get_rank()
 
+        # clear author cache
+        if self.id:
+            for author_id in self.authors.values_list("id", flat=True):
+                cache.delete(f"author-books-{author_id}")
+
         return super().save(*args, **kwargs)
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/shelf.py b/bookwyrm/models/shelf.py
index c578f082..320d495d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/shelf.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/shelf.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """ puttin' books on shelves """
 import re
+from django.core.cache import cache
 from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied
 from django.db import models
 from django.utils import timezone
@@ -94,8 +95,15 @@ class ShelfBook(CollectionItemMixin, BookWyrmModel):
     def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
         if not self.user:
             self.user = self.shelf.user
+        if self.id and self.user.local:
+            cache.delete(f"book-on-shelf-{self.book.id}-{self.shelf.id}")
         super().save(*args, **kwargs)
 
+    def delete(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if self.id and self.user.local:
+            cache.delete(f"book-on-shelf-{self.book.id}-{self.shelf.id}")
+        super().delete(*args, **kwargs)
+
     class Meta:
         """an opinionated constraint!
         you can't put a book on shelf twice"""
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/status.py b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
index ee138d97..29b3ba9c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from dataclasses import MISSING
 import re
 
 from django.apps import apps
+from django.core.cache import cache
 from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied
 from django.core.validators import MaxValueValidator, MinValueValidator
 from django.db import models
@@ -373,6 +374,12 @@ class Review(BookStatus):
     activity_serializer = activitypub.Review
     pure_type = "Article"
 
+    def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """clear rating caches"""
+        if self.book.parent_work:
+            cache.delete(f"book-rating-{self.book.parent_work.id}-*")
+        super().save(*args, **kwargs)
+
 
 class ReviewRating(Review):
     """a subtype of review that only contains a rating"""
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button.html
index 38f6be38..37c57fc2 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button.html
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
 {% with book.id|uuid as uuid %}
 {% active_shelf book as active_shelf %}
 {% latest_read_through book request.user as readthrough %}
+{% with active_shelf_book=active_shelf.book %}
 <div class="field has-addons mb-0 has-text-weight-normal" data-shelve-button-book="{{ book.id }}">
-    {% if switch_mode and active_shelf.book != book %}
+    {% if switch_mode and active_shelf_book != book %}
     <div class="control">
         {% include 'snippets/switch_edition_button.html' with edition=book size='is-small' %}
     </div>
@@ -20,16 +21,17 @@
 </div>
 
 {% join "want_to_read" uuid as modal_id %}
-{% include 'snippets/reading_modals/want_to_read_modal.html' with book=active_shelf.book id=modal_id class="" %}
+{% include 'snippets/reading_modals/want_to_read_modal.html' with book=active_shelf_book id=modal_id class="" %}
 
 {% join "start_reading" uuid as modal_id %}
-{% include 'snippets/reading_modals/start_reading_modal.html' with book=active_shelf.book id=modal_id class="" %}
+{% include 'snippets/reading_modals/start_reading_modal.html' with book=active_shelf_book id=modal_id class="" %}
 
 {% join "finish_reading" uuid as modal_id %}
-{% include 'snippets/reading_modals/finish_reading_modal.html' with book=active_shelf.book id=modal_id readthrough=readthrough class="" %}
+{% include 'snippets/reading_modals/finish_reading_modal.html' with book=active_shelf_book id=modal_id readthrough=readthrough class="" %}
 
 {% join "progress_update" uuid as modal_id %}
-{% include 'snippets/reading_modals/progress_update_modal.html' with book=active_shelf.book id=modal_id readthrough=readthrough class="" %}
+{% include 'snippets/reading_modals/progress_update_modal.html' with book=active_shelf_book id=modal_id readthrough=readthrough class="" %}
 
+{% endwith %}
 {% endwith %}
 {% endif %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_dropdown_options.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_dropdown_options.html
index 0b36ddbb..15e2bb51 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_dropdown_options.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_dropdown_options.html
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
             <form name="shelve-{{ uuid }}-{{ shelf.identifier }}" action="/shelve/" method="post" autocomplete="off">
                 {% csrf_token %}
                 <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ active_shelf.book.id }}">
-                <button class="button {{ class }}" name="shelf" type="submit" value="{{ shelf.identifier }}" {% if shelf in book.shelf_set.all %} disabled {% endif %}>
+                <button class="button {{ class }}" name="shelf" type="submit" value="{{ shelf.identifier }}" {% if book|is_book_on_shelf:shelf %} disabled {% endif %}>
                     <span>{{ shelf.name }}</span>
                 </button>
             </form>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_options.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_options.html
index add2a77c..d6ca9933 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_options.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/shelve_button_options.html
@@ -45,7 +45,13 @@
         <form name="shelve-{{ uuid }}-{{ shelf.identifier }}" action="/shelve/" method="post">
             {% csrf_token %}
             <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ active_shelf.book.id }}">
-            <button class="button {{ class }}" name="shelf" type="submit" value="{{ shelf.identifier }}" {% if shelf in book.shelf_set.all %} disabled {% endif %}>
+            <button
+                class="button {{ class }}"
+                name="shelf"
+                type="submit"
+                value="{{ shelf.identifier }}"
+                {% if book|is_book_on_shelf:shelf %} disabled {% endif %}
+            >
                 <span>{{ shelf.name }}</span>
             </button>
         </form>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py b/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py
index a3e89d9e..4eff0d82 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py
@@ -13,10 +13,16 @@ register = template.Library()
 @register.filter(name="rating")
 def get_rating(book, user):
     """get the overall rating of a book"""
-    queryset = models.Review.privacy_filter(user).filter(
-        book__parent_work__editions=book
+    return cache.get_or_set(
+        f"book-rating-{book.parent_work.id}-{user.id}",
+        lambda u, b: models.Review.privacy_filter(u)
+        .filter(book__parent_work__editions=b)
+        .aggregate(Avg("rating"))["rating__avg"]
+        or 0,
+        user,
+        book,
+        timeout=15552000,
     )
-    return queryset.aggregate(Avg("rating"))["rating__avg"]
 
 
 @register.filter(name="user_rating")
@@ -37,6 +43,18 @@ def get_user_rating(book, user):
     return 0
 
 
+@register.filter(name="is_book_on_shelf")
+def get_is_book_on_shelf(book, shelf):
+    """is a book on a shelf"""
+    return cache.get_or_set(
+        f"book-on-shelf-{book.id}-{shelf.id}",
+        lambda b, s: s.books.filter(id=b.id).exists(),
+        book,
+        shelf,
+        timeout=15552000,
+    )
+
+
 @register.filter(name="book_description")
 def get_book_description(book):
     """use the work's text if the book doesn't have it"""
@@ -140,6 +158,7 @@ def active_shelf(context, book):
                     shelf__user=u,
                     book__parent_work__editions=b,
                 ).first()
+                or False
             ),
             user,
             book,
@@ -158,6 +177,7 @@ def latest_read_through(book, user):
             models.ReadThrough.objects.filter(user=u, book=b, is_active=True)
             .order_by("-start_date")
             .first()
+            or False
         ),
         user,
         book,
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/author.py b/bookwyrm/views/author.py
index 2acb3b19..9bc95b79 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/author.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/author.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from bookwyrm import forms, models
 from bookwyrm.activitypub import ActivitypubResponse
 from bookwyrm.connectors import connector_manager
 from bookwyrm.settings import PAGE_LENGTH
+from bookwyrm.utils import cache
 from bookwyrm.views.helpers import is_api_request
 
 
@@ -30,14 +31,24 @@ class Author(View):
             parent_work=OuterRef("parent_work")
         ).order_by("-edition_rank")
 
-        books = (
-            models.Edition.viewer_aware_objects(request.user)
-            .filter(Q(authors=author) | Q(parent_work__authors=author))
+        book_ids = cache.get_or_set(
+            f"author-books-{author.id}",
+            lambda a: models.Edition.objects.filter(
+                Q(authors=a) | Q(parent_work__authors=a)
+            )
             .annotate(default_id=Subquery(default_editions.values("id")[:1]))
             .filter(default_id=F("id"))
-            .order_by("-first_published_date", "-published_date", "-created_date")
+            .distinct()
+            .values_list("id", flat=True),
+            author,
+            timeout=15552000,
+        )
+
+        books = (
+            models.Edition.objects.filter(id__in=book_ids)
+            .order_by("-published_date", "-first_published_date", "-created_date")
             .prefetch_related("authors")
-        ).distinct()
+        )
 
         paginated = Paginator(books, PAGE_LENGTH)
         page = paginated.get_page(request.GET.get("page"))
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/reading.py b/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
index d90c0e9d..2cd05202 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
@@ -46,9 +46,7 @@ class ReadingStatus(View):
             return HttpResponseBadRequest()
 
         # invalidate related caches
-        cache.delete(
-            f"active_shelf-{request.user.id}-{book_id}",
-        )
+        cache.delete(f"active_shelf-{request.user.id}-{book_id}")
 
         desired_shelf = get_object_or_404(
             models.Shelf, identifier=identifier, user=request.user