Ultimate Guide: Starting a Reading Journal!

If you’re anything like me and have the memory of a gold fish, I highly recommend getting yourself a reading journal – digital or physical, whichever works best for you.

Things you’ll need to get started

Get yourself a notebook or binder

Choose one that suits your style – whether it be hardcover, spiral or bullet-journal type. Personally I prefer blank hardcovers.

Stationary

If you love being creative and want to create an aesthetically pleasing journal you’ll need the these essentials:

• Pens (black or colorful for headings)
• Highlighters (for themes, quotes or favorite parts)
• Sticky notes
• Washi tape (for decoration)
• Markers (for rating starts or doodles)
• Stickers or doodles (for book covers, moods, or reactions)
• Book rating stamp or stickers (⭐ out of 5)
• Bookmark

Journal prompt and content

Books to read

Your TBR list is where all you dream reads live. It’s the recommendations you found on BookTok, the hyped-up book that caught your eye on pinterest, or – if you’re lucky – the book you got recommended by yours truly.

Add titles, authors and a short summary about why you want to read each one. It’ll make you inclined to actually pick them up. Think of it as your future bookshelf and reading goals.

Reading Log

This is where you keep track of your reading journey – your start date, finish date and how many pages you’ve read. If you’re feeling extra, time how long you spend reading each book. It’s almost like a receipt, but for reading.

You can also add the overall vibe of the book, like “heartbreak era” or “romcom delight”. It’s perfect for tracking progress and staying consistent.

Book Reviews

This is where you spill YOUR thoughts. Where you can be transparent and brutally honest because it’s just you and your journal.

Write what the book was about, what you liked and what made you want to throw it across the room and your overall rating. Add star ratings and make small doodles for that aesthetic touch.

Favorite quotes

Every baddie knows the power of a good quote. This is where you highlight or underline words that made you stop dead in your tracks and reread multiple times, because they were that good.

Whether it’s romantic, poetic, heartbreaking or inspirational, these quotes capture the essense of what it means to be a reader.

Theme/Genre trackers

This is the place where you keep track of the books you’re vibing with – romance, fantasy, thriller, mystery or anything else.

You can make a pie chart, color coded list or even a mood board if you’re feeling creative. This helps you see what theme dominates your reading taste.

Monthly Wrap-Ups

A great way to reflect on your progress each month. Recap your reviews, ratings and standout moments. Add a “book of the month” and make a detailed summary as to why this book was such a banger.

Mabey add a mood summary eg. “Murder Mystery November”. It’s a fun way to track your growth and your reading moods throughout the year.

Reading Challenges

Section it into yearly of monthly goals, for example, “24 books in 12 months”.

Be realistic when setting your goals. Some baddies don’t have a lot of time on their hands, because they’re probably busy with their business empire or taking care of their kids – both equally iconic.

Challenges keep you motivated and push you out of your comfort zone. Make it aesthetic by adding trackers, stickers or even a reward system for every book you finish.

Did Not Finish List

Sometimes you just cannot bring yourself to finish a book – and that’s okay.

This section is for the books you started but couldn’t vibe with. Note what turned you off – “the main character gave me the ick”, “the plot made no sense” or “just too slow”.

It’s a reminder that even if you didn’t finish it, it’s still part of your reading journey.

Wishlist

The “manifesting future bookshelf” section.

List the books you want to buy, borrow, or add to your collection. You can even note prices, release dates, or where to find them cheaper. It’s your book shopping wish board — because every baddie reader deserves a growing stack.

Bookish Playlist

I know some of you girlies love to listen to music while reading the most outragous scenes – and while some books have ready-made playlists, sadly not all of them do.

Every book deserves a soundtrack. Create a playlist that matched the emotion and atmosphere of each story. You can even link you Spotify playlists or jot down song titles that match the vibe.

Final thoughts

Your reading journal doesn’t have to be perfect – it just has to be you. Whether you’re tracking every detail or just writing down random thoughts between chapters, it’s all part of your reading journey.

So grab your journal, get out your pen and light up that aesthetic candle – your book girly era is about to start.