How to Track Your TBR List

You know all those books you’ve always wanted to read? You should go read them!



And if you're a Cultivator, you probably already are! Reading consistently ranks as the number one hobby for this community. But even if you're a dedicated reader, you likely still have a long list of books you want to read—the ones that land a place on your TBR, or To Be Read list. 

Today, we're here to equip you with strategies for keeping track of all of all those books you want to read. Because if you're anything like us, your list is long.

Before we dive into the tools, let’s talk about some features you might want to consider tracking:

What to track on your TBR list:

• Title
• Author
• Genre
• Number of pages
• The person who recommended the book
• Why you added it to your TBR list
• Whether you've read it (to check once it moves off your TBR list!)

While you certainly don’t need anything fancy to track your TBR list, there are some tools that make it a little easier and more fun! Here are a few of our favorites: 

1.  The Cultivated Reading Journal

Our very own reading journal is a beautiful, tech-free way to help you experience more purposeful, joyful reading! In additional to reading log pages and lots of other fun details, there are 100 slots for your TBR list at the front, including title, author, fiction or nonfiction, and a box to check when a title moves from "to be read" to "read!" It even has a fun color-in bookshelf reading tracker, too.

2.  The Notes App

Already an automatic app on your iPhone, this is an easy access point to start tracking your TBR! Pro-tip: Make it a checklist with bubbles beside each title, so you can easily mark off books you’ve read and add additional titles you want to read.

3.  Goodreads

This app makes it easy to mark books as to be read, currently reading, and read.  You can organize your books on virtual shelves, separating fiction and non-fiction, for example. And when you complete a book, you can add a rating or review to refer to when sharing a title with a friend.

4. Copper

This up-and-coming app is unique in that it connects readers with authors!  Copper is ideal for users who want to discuss books in an online social community. Copper also allows you to organize your TBR and finished books on digital shelves, making it easy to find and recommend titles. 

5. The StoryGraph

This app is another book tracking system, but with an emphasis on helping you pick your next book (so you'll never run out of titles for your TBR!). The StoryGraph uses your previous reads, literary preferences, and favorite topics to make recommendations.

6. Pinterest

If you're a visual person, Pinterest is a perfect way to track your TBR and see the covers of the books you'd like to read. You can even make multiple boards for TBR lists (one for fiction and one for nonfiction, for example!).

Ready to track your reads but don't know what to add? If you’re looking for your next great read, our team put together some suggestions for this summer, this quarter, and this year!

We’d love to hear from you: how do you track your TBR?