diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/book.html b/bookwyrm/templates/book.html
index 503da72f8..47b994830 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/book.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/book.html
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 
             {% if request.user.is_authenticated and not book.cover %}
             <div class="box p-2">
-                <form name="add-cover" method="POST" action="/upload_cover/{{ book.id }}" enctype="multipart/form-data">
+                <form name="add-cover" method="POST" action="/upload-cover/{{ book.id }}" enctype="multipart/form-data">
                     {% csrf_token %}
                     <div class="field">
                         <label class="label" for="id_cover">Cover:</label>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/edit_book.html b/bookwyrm/templates/edit_book.html
index 082848af8..bd89ac0a9 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/edit_book.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/edit_book.html
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     </div>
 </div>
 
-<form class="block" name="edit-book" action="/edit_book/{{ book.id }}" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
+<form class="block" name="edit-book" action="/edit-book/{{ book.id }}" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
     {% csrf_token %}
     <div class="block">
         <h2 class="title is-4">Data sync
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/edit_user.html b/bookwyrm/templates/edit_user.html
index d50956c23..7e963b5b1 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/edit_user.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/edit_user.html
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
         {% if form.non_field_errors %}
         <p class="notification is-danger">{{ form.non_field_errors }}</p>
         {% endif %}
-        <form name="edit-profile" action="/edit_profile/" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
+        <form name="edit-profile" action="/edit-profile/" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
             {% csrf_token %}
             <p class="block">
                 <label class="label" for="id_avatar">Avatar:</label>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/import.html b/bookwyrm/templates/import.html
index ee99a615b..c36448127 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/import.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/import.html
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 {% block content %}
 <div class="block">
     <h1 class="title">Import Books from GoodReads</h1>
-    <form name="import" action="/import_data/" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
+    <form name="import" action="/import-data/" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
         {% csrf_token %}
         <div class="field">
             {{ import_form.as_p }}
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
     {% endif %}
     <ul>
         {% for job in jobs %}
-            <li><a href="/import_status/{{ job.id }}">{{ job.created_date | naturaltime }}</a></li>
+            <li><a href="/import-status/{{ job.id }}">{{ job.created_date | naturaltime }}</a></li>
         {% endfor %}
     </ul>
 </div>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/manage_invites.html b/bookwyrm/templates/manage_invites.html
index 621aa624c..14808490e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/manage_invites.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/manage_invites.html
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 <div class="block">
     <h2 class="title is-4">Generate New Invite</h2>
 
-    <form name="invite" action="/create_invite/" method="post">
+    <form name="invite" action="/create-invite/" method="post">
         {% csrf_token %}
         <div class="field is-grouped">
             <div class="control">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/notifications.html b/bookwyrm/templates/notifications.html
index 124304a9c..bc96f307a 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/notifications.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/notifications.html
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
                     boosted your <a href="{{ notification.related_status.remote_id}}">status</a>
                 {% endif %}
                 {% else %}
-                    your <a href="/import_status/{{ notification.related_import.id }}">import</a> completed.
+                    your <a href="/import-status/{{ notification.related_import.id }}">import</a> completed.
 
                 {% endif %}
             </p>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/search_results.html b/bookwyrm/templates/search_results.html
index d35881f10..1f48ee862 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/search_results.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/search_results.html
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
                 <ul>
                 {% for result in result_set.results %}
                     <li class="pb-4">
-                        <form action="/resolve_book" method="POST">
+                        <form action="/resolve-book" method="POST">
                             {% csrf_token %}
                             <input type="hidden" name="remote_id" value="{{ result.key }}">
                             <div>{% include 'snippets/search_result_text.html' with result=result link=False %}</div>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/finish_reading_modal.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/finish_reading_modal.html
index 5002a6473..8f8aeeff6 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/finish_reading_modal.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/finish_reading_modal.html
@@ -9,10 +9,9 @@
                 <label class="delete" for="finish-reading-{{ uuid }}" aria-label="close" role="button"></label>
             </header>
             {% active_read_through book user as readthrough %}
-            <form name="finish-reading" action="/finish-reading" method="post">
+            <form name="finish-reading" action="/finish-reading/{{ book.id }}" method="post">
                 <section class="modal-card-body">
                     {% csrf_token %}
-                    <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.id }}">
                     <input type="hidden" name="id" value="{{ readthrough.id }}">
                     <div class="field">
                         <label class="label">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/follow_request_buttons.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/follow_request_buttons.html
index 6e8453fd6..e1b806312 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/follow_request_buttons.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/follow_request_buttons.html
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {% load fr_display %}
 {% if request.user|follow_request_exists:user %}
-<form action="/accept_follow_request/" method="POST">
+<form action="/accept-follow-request/" method="POST">
     {% csrf_token %}
     <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ user.username }}">
     <button class="button is-primary is-small" type="submit">Accept</button>
 </form>
-<form action="/delete_follow_request/" method="POST">
+<form action="/delete-follow-request/" method="POST">
     {% csrf_token %}
     <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ user.username }}">
     <button class="button is-danger is-light is-small" type="submit" class="warning">Delete</button>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/start_reading_modal.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/start_reading_modal.html
index 827e6d7c4..4518af4ff 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/start_reading_modal.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/start_reading_modal.html
@@ -7,10 +7,9 @@
                 <p class="modal-card-title">Start "{{ book.title }}"</p>
                 <label class="delete" for="start-reading-{{ uuid }}" aria-label="close" role="button" tabindex="0"></label>
             </header>
-            <form name="start-reading" action="/start-reading" method="post">
+            <form name="start-reading" action="/start-reading/{{ book.id }}" method="post">
                 <section class="modal-card-body">
                     {% csrf_token %}
-                    <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.id }}">
                     <div class="field">
                         <label class="label">
                             Started reading
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status_body.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status_body.html
index 05e890b9e..ca8200f1d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status_body.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/status_body.html
@@ -82,9 +82,8 @@
             <div class="toggle-content hidden card-footer">
                 {% if status.user == request.user %}
                 <div class="card-footer-item">
-                    <form name="delete-{{status.id}}" action="/delete-status" method="post">
+                    <form name="delete-{{status.id}}" action="/delete-status/{{ status.id }}" method="post">
                         {% csrf_token %}
-                        <input type="hidden" name="status" value="{{ status.id }}">
                         <button class="button is-danger is-light" type="submit">
                             Delete post
                         </button>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index 1627bb788..8fa3bc1b8 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ urlpatterns = [
     re_path(r'^(?P<tab>home|local|federated)/?$', views.home_tab),
     re_path(r'^notifications/?', views.notifications_page),
     re_path(r'import/?$', views.import_page),
-    re_path(r'import_status/(\d+)/?$', views.import_status),
+    re_path(r'import-status/(\d+)/?$', views.import_status),
     re_path(r'user-edit/?$', views.edit_profile_page),
 
     # should return a ui view or activitypub json blob as requested
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ urlpatterns = [
     re_path(r'%s/editions(.json)?/?$' % book_path, views.editions_page),
 
     re_path(r'^author/(?P<author_id>[\w\-]+)(.json)?/?$', views.author_page),
-    # TODO: tag needs a .json path
+    re_path(r'^tag/(?P<tag_id>.+)\.json/?$', views.tag_page),
     re_path(r'^tag/(?P<tag_id>.+)/?$', views.tag_page),
     re_path(r'^%s/shelf/(?P<shelf_identifier>[\w-]+)(.json)?/?$' % \
             user_path, views.shelf_page),
@@ -95,12 +95,12 @@ urlpatterns = [
     re_path(r'^reset-password/?$', actions.password_reset),
     re_path(r'^change-password/?$', actions.password_change),
 
-    re_path(r'^edit_profile/?$', actions.edit_profile),
+    re_path(r'^edit-profile/?$', actions.edit_profile),
 
-    re_path(r'^import_data/?', actions.import_data),
-    re_path(r'^resolve_book/?', actions.resolve_book),
-    re_path(r'^edit_book/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?', actions.edit_book),
-    re_path(r'^upload_cover/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?', actions.upload_cover),
+    re_path(r'^import-data/?', actions.import_data),
+    re_path(r'^resolve-book/?', actions.resolve_book),
+    re_path(r'^edit-book/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?', actions.edit_book),
+    re_path(r'^upload-cover/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?', actions.upload_cover),
 
     re_path(r'^edit-readthrough/?', actions.edit_readthrough),
     re_path(r'^delete-readthrough/?', actions.delete_readthrough),
@@ -118,23 +118,23 @@ urlpatterns = [
     re_path(r'^boost/(?P<status_id>\d+)/?$', actions.boost),
     re_path(r'^unboost/(?P<status_id>\d+)/?$', actions.unboost),
 
-    re_path(r'^delete-status/?$', actions.delete_status),
+    re_path(r'^delete-status/(?P<status_id>\d+)/?$', actions.delete_status),
 
     re_path(r'^create-shelf/?$', actions.create_shelf),
     re_path(r'^edit-shelf/(?P<shelf_id>\d+)?$', actions.edit_shelf),
     re_path(r'^delete-shelf/(?P<shelf_id>\d+)?$', actions.delete_shelf),
     re_path(r'^shelve/?$', actions.shelve),
     re_path(r'^unshelve/?$', actions.unshelve),
-    re_path(r'^start-reading/?$', actions.start_reading),
-    re_path(r'^finish-reading/?$', actions.finish_reading),
+    re_path(r'^start-reading/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?$', actions.start_reading),
+    re_path(r'^finish-reading/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?$', actions.finish_reading),
 
     re_path(r'^follow/?$', actions.follow),
     re_path(r'^unfollow/?$', actions.unfollow),
-    re_path(r'^accept_follow_request/?$', actions.accept_follow_request),
-    re_path(r'^delete_follow_request/?$', actions.delete_follow_request),
+    re_path(r'^accept-follow-request/?$', actions.accept_follow_request),
+    re_path(r'^delete-follow-request/?$', actions.delete_follow_request),
 
     re_path(r'^clear-notifications/?$', actions.clear_notifications),
 
-    re_path(r'^create_invite/?$', actions.create_invite),
+    re_path(r'^create-invite/?$', actions.create_invite),
 
 ] + static(settings.MEDIA_URL, document_root=settings.MEDIA_ROOT)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
index 0056dbae0..cf9af2a33 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
@@ -61,10 +61,7 @@ def register(request):
         if not invite_code:
             raise PermissionDenied
 
-        try:
-            invite = models.SiteInvite.objects.get(code=invite_code)
-        except models.SiteInvite.DoesNotExist:
-            raise PermissionDenied
+        invite = get_object_or_404(models.SiteInvite, code=invite_code)
     else:
         invite = None
 
@@ -234,10 +231,7 @@ def edit_book(request, book_id):
     if not request.method == 'POST':
         return redirect('/book/%s' % book_id)
 
-    try:
-        book = models.Edition.objects.get(id=book_id)
-    except models.Edition.DoesNotExist:
-        return HttpResponseNotFound()
+    book = get_object_or_404(models.Edition, id=book_id)
 
     form = forms.EditionForm(request.POST, request.FILES, instance=book)
     if not form.is_valid():
@@ -251,14 +245,10 @@ def edit_book(request, book_id):
 @login_required
 def upload_cover(request, book_id):
     ''' upload a new cover '''
-    # TODO: alternate covers?
     if not request.method == 'POST':
         return redirect('/book/%s' % request.user.localname)
 
-    try:
-        book = models.Edition.objects.get(id=book_id)
-    except models.Edition.DoesNotExist:
-        return HttpResponseNotFound()
+    book = get_object_or_404(models.Edition, id=book_id)
 
     form = forms.CoverForm(request.POST, request.FILES, instance=book)
     if not form.is_valid():
@@ -355,9 +345,9 @@ def unshelve(request):
 
 
 @login_required
-def start_reading(request):
+def start_reading(request, book_id):
     ''' begin reading a book '''
-    book = books_manager.get_edition(request.POST['book'])
+    book = books_manager.get_edition(book_id)
     shelf = models.Shelf.objects.filter(
         identifier='reading',
         user=request.user
@@ -390,9 +380,9 @@ def start_reading(request):
 
 
 @login_required
-def finish_reading(request):
+def finish_reading(request, book_id):
     ''' a user completed a book, yay '''
-    book = books_manager.get_edition(request.POST['book'])
+    book = books_manager.get_edition(book_id)
     shelf = models.Shelf.objects.filter(
         identifier='read',
         user=request.user
@@ -442,10 +432,8 @@ def edit_readthrough(request):
 @login_required
 def delete_readthrough(request):
     ''' remove a readthrough '''
-    try:
-        readthrough = models.ReadThrough.objects.get(id=request.POST.get('id'))
-    except models.ReadThrough.DoesNotExist:
-        return HttpResponseNotFound()
+    readthrough = get_object_or_404(
+        models.ReadThrough, id=request.POST.get('id'))
 
     # don't let people edit other people's data
     if request.user != readthrough.user:
@@ -506,10 +494,7 @@ def tag(request):
     # field which doesn't validate
     name = request.POST.get('name')
     book_id = request.POST.get('book')
-    try:
-        book = models.Edition.objects.get(id=book_id)
-    except models.Edition.DoesNotExist:
-        return HttpResponseNotFound()
+    book = get_object_or_404(models.Edition, id=book_id)
     tag_obj, created = models.Tag.objects.get_or_create(
         name=name,
         book=book,
@@ -564,15 +549,9 @@ def unboost(request, status_id):
 
 
 @login_required
-def delete_status(request):
+def delete_status(request, status_id):
     ''' delete and tombstone a status '''
-    status_id = request.POST.get('status')
-    if not status_id:
-        return HttpResponseBadRequest()
-    try:
-        status = models.Status.objects.get(id=status_id)
-    except models.Status.DoesNotExist:
-        return HttpResponseBadRequest()
+    status = get_object_or_404(models.Status, id=status_id)
 
     # don't let people delete other people's statuses
     if status.user != request.user:
@@ -683,7 +662,7 @@ def import_data(request):
         except (UnicodeDecodeError, ValueError):
             return HttpResponseBadRequest('Not a valid csv file')
         goodreads_import.start_import(job)
-        return redirect('/import_status/%d' % (job.id,))
+        return redirect('/import-status/%d' % (job.id,))
     return HttpResponseBadRequest()
 
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views.py b/bookwyrm/views.py
index c8b887d12..69058608d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from django.db.models import Avg, Q
 from django.http import HttpResponseBadRequest, HttpResponseNotFound,\
         JsonResponse
 from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied
-from django.shortcuts import redirect
+from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404, redirect
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 from django.views.decorators.csrf import csrf_exempt
 
@@ -74,10 +74,7 @@ def home_tab(request, tab):
         'user': request.user,
         'suggested_books': suggested_books,
         'activities': activities,
-        'review_form': forms.ReviewForm(),
-        'quotation_form': forms.QuotationForm(),
         'tab': tab,
-        'comment_form': forms.CommentForm(),
         'next': next_page if activity_count > (page_size * page) else None,
         'prev': prev_page if page > 1 else None,
     }
@@ -168,7 +165,7 @@ def search(request):
         book_results = books_manager.local_search(query)
         return JsonResponse([r.__dict__ for r in book_results], safe=False)
 
-    # use webfinger  looks like a mastodon style account@domain.com username
+    # use webfinger for mastodon style account@domain.com username
     if re.match(regex.full_username, query):
         outgoing.handle_remote_webfinger(query)
 
@@ -176,7 +173,7 @@ def search(request):
     user_results = models.User.objects.annotate(
         similarity=TrigramSimilarity('username', query),
     ).filter(
-        similarity__gt=0.1,
+        similarity__gt=0.5,
     ).order_by('-similarity')[:10]
 
     book_results = books_manager.search(query)
@@ -285,6 +282,7 @@ def invite_page(request, code):
     }
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'invite.html', data)
 
+
 @login_required
 @permission_required('bookwyrm.create_invites', raise_exception=True)
 def manage_invites(request):
@@ -325,13 +323,6 @@ def user_page(request, username):
         return JsonResponse(user.to_activity(), encoder=ActivityEncoder)
     # otherwise we're at a UI view
 
-    data = {
-        'title': user.name,
-        'user': user,
-        'is_self': request.user.id == user.id,
-    }
-
-    data['shelf_count'] = user.shelf_set.count()
     shelves = []
     for user_shelf in user.shelf_set.all():
         if not user_shelf.books.count():
@@ -345,8 +336,15 @@ def user_page(request, username):
         if len(shelves) > 2:
             break
 
-    data['shelves'] = shelves
-    data['activities'] = get_activity_feed(user, 'self')[:15]
+    data = {
+        'title': user.name,
+        'user': user,
+        'is_self': request.user.id == user.id,
+        'shelves': shelves,
+        'shelf_count': user.shelf_set.count(),
+        'activities': get_activity_feed(user, 'self')[:15],
+    }
+
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'user.html', data)
 
 
@@ -431,6 +429,7 @@ def status_page(request, username, status_id):
     }
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'status.html', data)
 
+
 def status_visible_to_user(viewer, status):
     ''' is a user authorized to view a status? '''
     if viewer == status.user or status.privacy in ['public', 'unlisted']:
@@ -444,7 +443,6 @@ def status_visible_to_user(viewer, status):
     return False
 
 
-
 @csrf_exempt
 def replies_page(request, username, status_id):
     ''' ordered collection of replies to a status '''
@@ -525,13 +523,8 @@ def book_page(request, book_id):
         'rating': rating['rating__avg'],
         'tags': tags,
         'user_tags': user_tags,
-        'review_form': forms.ReviewForm(),
-        'quotation_form': forms.QuotationForm(),
-        'comment_form': forms.CommentForm(),
         'readthroughs': readthroughs,
-        'tag_form': forms.TagForm(),
         'path': '/book/%s' % book_id,
-        'cover_form': forms.CoverForm(instance=book),
         'info_fields': [
             {'name': 'ISBN', 'value': book.isbn_13},
             {'name': 'OCLC number', 'value': book.oclc_number},
@@ -561,10 +554,7 @@ def edit_book_page(request, book_id):
 
 def editions_page(request, book_id):
     ''' list of editions of a book '''
-    try:
-        work = models.Work.objects.get(id=book_id)
-    except models.Work.DoesNotExist:
-        return HttpResponseNotFound()
+    work = get_object_or_404(models.Work, id=book_id)
 
     if is_api_request(request):
         return JsonResponse(
@@ -583,10 +573,7 @@ def editions_page(request, book_id):
 
 def author_page(request, author_id):
     ''' landing page for an author '''
-    try:
-        author = models.Author.objects.get(id=author_id)
-    except ValueError:
-        return HttpResponseNotFound()
+    author = get_object_or_404(models.Author, id=author_id)
 
     if is_api_request(request):
         return JsonResponse(author.to_activity(), encoder=ActivityEncoder)
@@ -658,8 +645,6 @@ def shelf_page(request, username, shelf_identifier):
         'is_self': is_self,
         'shelves': shelves.all(),
         'shelf': shelf,
-        'create_form': forms.ShelfForm(),
-        'edit_form': forms.ShelfForm(shelf),
     }
 
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'shelf.html', data)