I’ve always been a reader, but for a long time, I found myself forgetting what I read. I could tell you that I loved a book, maybe even give it five stars, but a few months later, I would struggle to explain why. The characters blurred together, my favorite quotes disappeared, and the story that had consumed me while reading slowly faded away.
That changed when I started keeping a physical reading journal.
Last Christmas, my mom gifted me a book journal from Rifle Paper Co. At first, it was simple: the title, author, date I finished it, and a star rating. Over time, though, it became something more personal. I began writing down favorite quotes, my immediate reactions, and the parts of a story that reminded me of my own life.
This wasn’t my first time tracking my reading. I’ve been an avid Goodreads user since 2020. I love to write short updates and reviews. But my journal sat beside my book on my bedside table: a physical reminder to preserve my gut reactions and thoughts before they faded. My reading journal isn’t just another way to track books; it is a record of who I was when I read them.
I still use Goodreads, don’t get me wrong. I check what my friends are reading, add far too many books to my want-to-read list, and read dozens of reviews before purchasing a book. Unlike an online review, it is not written with an audience in mind. It is a private space where I can be completely honest about a story: the characters I connected with, the plot twists that made me put the book down and stare at the wall, and the quotes I know I will carry with me long after I finish the final page. I can be raw and real, writing down feelings I might not say out loud or connections to a story I have never shared with anyone else.
There is also something about writing by hand that makes me slow down. Instead of rushing to start my next book or immediately checking what other people thought online, I take a moment to sit with my own reaction. A journal entry does not need to be long or perfectly worded. Sometimes, it is only a quote or a sentence explaining why I cannot stop thinking about a character. Still, that small pause helps me appreciate the experience of reading rather than letting each story blend into the next.
My journal has also become a record of different seasons of my life. When I flip through its pages, I do not just remember the books themselves; I remember where I was when I read them. A novel might remind me of a long summer day by the pool, a stressful week of finals, or a quiet night in my childhood bedroom. The stories I read become intertwined with my own memories, and writing them down gives me a way to return to both.
Keeping a physical reading journal does not have to be aesthetic, detailed, or impressive. It does not need to look like something you would see on BookTok or be filled out after every single book. Mine certainly is not. It simply gives me a space to hold on to the stories that mattered to me and the versions of myself that read them.Â
For any reader who has ever loved a book but forgotten why, keeping a reading journal might be the perfect place to start.