It’s time for all your planner, scrapbooking, memory keeping posts!! Be sure to check out Rebecca Jo’s post too!
Keep It Together: June 2021
This month, I’m back with my Reading Journal. I wanted to share a little of what the journal looks like on the inside, and how I do my book reviews.
I think the hardest part is trying to narrow down the summary to that little box at the top. Otherwise, I have plenty of room to get my thoughts down on paper. I didn’t use the journal for awhile after I had my carpal tunnel surgery, so I’m starting to get back into it again. I don’t write down reviews for every book I’ve read. I try and focus on the ones I have to review or want to review so I have things to look back on.
Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay – book review
Granted, for the two books above, I kind of forgot to look back on my notes before I did reviews so I didn’t share the quotes I’d written down. Ah well…you’re seeing it now! I’ll get the hang of this someday! LOL
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano – book review
I also wanted to show off these pens that my sister got me for Christmas. They’re fineliner pens and great for people who do Bullet Journaling. I use them in my planner, and sometimes in my book review journal! I love the mix of colors and they write really well!
What do you think? Do you have a book review journal? Would you use one?
If you have your own “keep it together” post, link up below!
Those pens are amazing! And, yes, summarizing is so hard. I have to do that as part of my job, and it stresses me out.
I have a little HP mini that I keep for books – but I need a better quality journal to do it & make it pretty. I have such a struggle remembering characters & like to write them down… & quotes – I love keeping quotes from books in it.
I gotta get those pens – I hear about those from everyone!
You write a lot about each one! I have almost filled my book review section of my planner so my reviews are going to be in another notebook that has more space like yours does but I don’t know that I’ll fill it up!
Oohhhhh, it’s so fun to see a behind the scenes! I had no idea that so much went into your reviews! No wonder they seem so comprehensive. I have gotten so many great book recs from you, Lauren! Keep ’em coming! Thanks for all the great suggestions!
What a fun post! I love seeing how others keep track of what they read and how they take review notes. It’s such an individual thing.
This is a great ? idea, and those pens are perfect! Happy Friyay! RO
Ooooooo I love this! I personally don’t keep a book review journal physically – I sort of have one through an app that lists all of my thoughts, but I tend to rarely use it. Summarizing is always the most difficult part – I never know when it’s too much and when I’m saying too little.
Loving this insight into your book journal. I used to keep one pre my blog. Something I really should take up again given my passion for notebooks and journals, both of which I still buy only to collect dust.
When I first started blogging, I put post-it notes on the pages where there were lines I wanted to remember to talk about in my reviews. Now I mostly use Goodreads and try to make notes whenever I update my status on my book. Sometimes leaving a status update in the middle of reading just to remember. I love this idea though!
I love that you write down your thoughts after reading. Sometimes I feel like I need to do that too. Some books you really need to gather your thoughts on.
I’ve got a notebook that I’ve started keeping this year while reading. I jot down my main thoughts/feelings while reading so I have something to work off when I sit down to write reviews. Honestly, I’ve been terrible with blogging/reviewing this year but I’m finally starting to write again and my notebook (reading journal or whatever I want to call it) has been a godsend!
I should have a reading journal. I don’t think I’d be able to have a condensed summary but it would be nice to write down my thoughts while I read. Ooh, I noticed you read Finlay Donavan is Killing It. That’s on my soon to be read list. 😀
I’m always so impressed by your organization and your journaling!
I try to review shortly after I read, and just do it straight on my hlog