I may have stopped blogging regularly over the years but one thing I started to do was keep a book journal. I don’t always have the best memory and I found it was a good way to keep track of what happened in the books I read and my reaction to said book. I keep a spreadsheet in google docs for grades and stuff, but my book journal is where I keep the nitty gritty details. I don’t worry about what I’m writing, I just jot it down.
I know you can keep private notes on Goodreads but I never got into the habit of doing that. I like paper and pen and I have a bit of a notebook collection so this just made sense for me.
How do you keep track of the books you read?
p.s. May the Fourth be with you. LOL
Bookish Ames 
I do it via Goodreads private notes. I find typing it a lot faster than writing it down… However, your way is good since it makes you use your journals… and I know you have many! 🙂 Speaking of journals, did you see the new ones at Chapters?! The new collection is just so pretty!!
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/paper/set-of-3-notebooks-not/814672025090-item.html?ikwid=notebook&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0
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I did see those! I like them. I bought the tote with purple feathers on it. LOL
I only use GR to track my books, I honestly think I’ve only used the private notes to mark down the dates of re-reads for my favorite books.
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I keep track of what I’m reading and jot down notes on the books when I remember on Goodreads. I also have a spreadsheet that I update daily and I keep track of everything on my personal blog. Once I start using my pretty planner that I got, I’m going to use that as a way to keep track of the books I read too. Haha, I need to cut it out.
I like your book journal though. I love journals period but yours is great!
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I want to see your planner! I have a mental block when it comes to using technology to jot down my book thoughts. So I don’t even use my spreadsheet to write stuff down. Weird.
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I used to keep a spreadsheet – but now I use GoodReads. I keep my notes public – and mostly pithy. Just a paragraph or two on what I liked, what I didn’t etc. It’s also a handy way to keep track of my DNFs – since I’ve created a DNF Shelf (I don’t star-rate those books though since I didn’t finish them for whatever reason….) and I’ve also created a KristieJ Recommends shelf because – well, I had to. My memory can’t retain all the books KristieJ says I need to read 🙂
I never kept a journal. Not even back in the Dark Ages before personal computers really became “a thing.”
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My book journal is a recent thing for me.
Thinking it through, I think my reasoning behind not typing up stuff, even to Goodreads, was that I could easily copy what I’ve typed into a blog post. And that just led to a mental block. Because if I could do that, why didn’t I just blog? Does that make sense?
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LOL, it does. For me, my notes are a reminder, so if I want to write a review, I can.
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Pretty! I use Google Docs – I find it easier than Goodreads, which appears to be the preferred option here…
Li
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I love google docs! My book spreadsheet has a few tabs because I keep track of what I buy (even freebies), my tbr pile, e-tbr pile and my wishlist. And its on my phone too.
I honestly don’t like the apps for GR on my phone or tablet. I prefer the full website so I rarely use the apps.
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Did you get a new Instagram account? I swear I used to follow you, but it just gave me the option to follow you again… I noticed you were doing the #RockYourHandwriting challenge while visiting. 🙂
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Yeah I started a new one up to focus on my bujo stuff and book stuff. But I barely use it. Another thing to get back to. I liked the challenges but didn’t give myself enough time to do them everyday and then I fell behind. 😦
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You’d think I’d have used my bujo to plan that into my day. haha It’s a work in progress.
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I keep track of the books I read on goodreads.. and a very very simple list in Evernote. I don’t usually take notes when I read books. Should I?? If reading an ebook, I sometimes leave a note in iBooks. Usually marking grammar errors or comments like wtf?
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I never even thought to use Evernote! That’s an app I don’t use enough.
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Hey Christine 🙂 I never take notes while reading a book. It’s always after that I type down my thoughts. I figured if I really liked or disliked something, I should remember 😛 Otherwise, might not be worth to write it down.
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Ames, we use the same method. I have a small notebook that I keep with me when I’m away from home. But, I have a beautiful leather journal that I use at home to jot down notes, facts, interesting details about plot and characters, and overall impressions, as I read. My notes are short, choppy to the point, although sometimes I jot down complete thoughts. And other times I jot down page numbers when I find a quote that I love if I’m reading a print book.
I never got into the habit of using Goodreads to do this. If I have to find a device to type my notes, it interrupts my reading flow too much. I do use Goodreads to keep track of what I read, although I’ve been negligent lately.
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Ooh please share a pic of your leather journal!
The only thing I track as I read are quotes. I write my impressions of the book after I’m done reading.
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Oh! I will do that!
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I used to keep a notebook before I had an e-reader. Now if I’m reading a print book I use a piece of paper which also doubles as a bookmark. 🙂 I do find it easier to keep notes on the Kindle plus highlighting is a great feature.
I try to keep my Goodreads account up-to-date since that’s the only place I track my reading anymore. Use to use Library Thing and Shelfari but switch to Goodreads.
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I like the idea of the bookmark also being the keeper of the notes. I’ve heard people using index cards for that. I’m not that organized. And I don’t read print that much anymore, unfortunately.
I use bookmarks on my ereaders but don’t highlight. I may have to explore this option more. I do like going back to books and seeing what I’ve bookmarked. Usually something that made me laugh.
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lol! May the 4th Be With you!
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