Reading and journaling are truly the perfect pair. They have a funny way of motivating you to do more of both! If you’re thinking about starting a reading journal, look no further than this ultimate guide to book journals. You’ll find book journal ideas, reading journal examples, prompts, and thoughts on why you should start a book log to improve your reading life.

If you’re like many of us, you’ve probably read the first book in a series and by the time the next book is released, you’ve forgotten the most important points from the first book. And for me, that’s the key to book journaling: the forgetting. Or, more accurately: the remembering. This is my favorite option, and not just because I made them for sale. For me, a pre-printed reading journal ensures that I actually continue to write in my reading journals. Much as I like the idea of a beautiful bullet journal, actually creating one is not something I’ve ever been able to sustain.For instance, you could make your reading journal double as your monthly calendar. If you want to get serious about reading on a regular basis, this type of setup may be right up your alley. The truth is, even when the most voracious readers finish a book and are blown away by how fantastic it was, we just don’t always remember it weeks, months, and years later. Step Two: Go through and figure out where everything in your notebook is. If you are designing your own, make sure to leave a lot of space for redesign if you change your mind along the way.

In fact, this type of journaling is an excellent way to dig deeper into a book because you can pause and really contemplate the character development and record your own feelings as the plot unfolds. 3. Keep a Log of the Books You Read Pre-Designed Book Journals: There are a ton of pre-designed, book journals out there. The benefit of these is that they’re simple to use and ready to go. The downside is that you may not be able to customize it as fully as a blank journal. You may find that there’s wasted space you don’t use, or that it doesn’t have all the questions you’d like. Make sure you preview what’s offered and decide what you’re looking for (see tip 2) before purchasing. Reading challenges are a fun way to shake up your reading life, and they can take so many forms. A lot of people start reading challenges at the start of the year, but you can start a challenge anytime, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be bound by time. There is no right or wrong way to approach it. The important thing is to just have fun and enjoy your reading journal!One fan raved: “Anne did really think of everything with the book journal. The size is perfect, the colors are happy, every section is a delight. If you love to read you will thoroughly enjoy this journal!”