journals for book reviews

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Book Reviews

How volcanoes shaped our planet — and why we need to be ready for the next big eruption

The world should learn from past disasters and prepare for the effects of future, inevitable volcanic catastrophes, a wide-reaching book teaches us.

• Heather Handley

Dogwhistles, drilling and the roots of Western civilization: Books in brief

Andrew Robinson reviews five of the best science picks.

• Andrew Robinson

Are women in research being led up the garden path?

A moving memoir of botany and motherhood explores the historical pressures on female scientists.

• Josie Glausiusz

The comings and goings of ants: how are social skills shaped in an ever-changing world?

A colourful study of the natural history of ants that takes in dry deserts and lush forests aims to show that sociality is shaped by, and changes with, the environment.

• Seirian Sumner

Survival of the nicest: have we got evolution the wrong way round?

How humans, animals and even single-celled organisms cooperate to survive suggests there’s more to life than just competition, argues a cheering study of evolutionary biology.

• Jonathan R. Goodman

Wild women and restoring public trust: Books in brief

Cosmologist Claudia de Rham on falling for gravity

The aspiring astronaut turned theoretical physicist talks travelling, the accelerating expansion of the Universe, thinking beyond three dimensions and detecting gravitational waves.

• Davide Castelvecchi

The great rewiring: is social media really behind an epidemic of teenage mental illness?

The evidence is equivocal on whether screen time is to blame for rising levels of teen depression and anxiety — and rising hysteria could distract us from tackling the real causes.

• Candice L. Odgers

Verbose robots, and why some people love Bach: Books in Brief

Act now to prevent a ‘gold rush’ in outer space

As private firms aim for the Moon and beyond, a book calls for an urgent relook at the legal compact that governs space exploration.

• Timiebi Aganaba

The enigmas of language and immunology, and other reads: Books in brief

How our love of pets grew from a clash of world views

Indigenous Americans’ relationships with and knowledge of animals have influenced how Europeans have thought about animals since 1492.

• Surekha Davies

Greener cities: a necessity or a luxury?

Are urban trees and parks essential to improving the environment and human health — or just a sop to middle-class ideals of gentrification? Two books debate these opposing views.

• Timon McPhearson

The mysteries of seaweeds and stars, and other reads: Books in brief

The ‘Bill Gates problem’: do billionaire philanthropists skew global health research?

Personal priorities are often trumping real needs and skewing where charitable funding goes.

• Andy Stirling

It’s time to admit that genes are not the blueprint for life

The view of biology often presented to the public is oversimplified and out of date. Scientists must set the record straight, argues a new book.

• Denis Noble

Science and government: can the power struggle ever end?

Similar goals but different strategies underlie tensions between science and the state, an in-depth analysis explains.

• Rhona Mijumbi

A forgotten Aztec scholar and more: Books in brief

Gripped by dinosaurs, and a unified theory of behaviour: Books in Brief

How Einstein built on the past to make his breakthroughs

The iconic physicist’s theories of relativity and atomic motions were not so revolutionary, a penetrating history argues.

• Helge Kragh

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Book Review Outlets

Book reviews can be an indispensable asset to writers and their careers. Our Book Review Outlets database is an excellent platform for authors—from self-published independents to household names—to research and discover a spectrum of book review options.

Book Nerdection

Book Nerdection is a website offering services for book reviews, sponsored book listings, author interviews, and an abundance of content for both authors and readers. Reviews are available for both written books and audiobooks.

VIDA Review

The  VIDA Review  is an online literary magazine publishing original fiction, nonfiction, poetry, interviews, and reviews. Reviews must be for full-length or chapbooks of poetry or prose by writers from historically-marginalized...

Established in 1990 at the University of Idaho, Fugue biannually publishes poetry, fiction, essays, hybrid work, and visual art from established and emerging writers and artists. Fugue is managed and edited entirely by...

Adroit Journal

The Adroit Journal  is a registered literary and arts nonprofit organization that was founded in 2010 by poet Peter LaBerge. At its foundation, the journal has its eyes focused ahead, seeking to showcase what its global staff of emerging...

Bone Bouquet

Bone Bouquet is a biannual print journal publishing new writing by female and nonbinary poets, from artists both established and emerging. Work that breaks with tradition, creating new forms by dwelling in thought rather than seeking...

Asymptote  is the premier site for world literature in translation. They take their name from the dotted line on a graph that a mathematical function may tend toward, but never reach. Similarly, a translated text may never fully replicate...

Published since 2009, Big Other is an online arts and culture magazine accepting submissions in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, lyric essay, art, video, short drama, and hybrid work from both established and emerging writers and artists....

Barrelhouse

Barrelhouse is a biannual print journal featuring fiction, poetry, interviews, and essays about music, art, and the detritus of popular culture. Their website regularly posts new short fiction, nonfiction, poetry, interviews, and book...

Another Chicago Magazine

Another Chicago Magazine  is independent of any institution, and has lived on volunteer efforts and grants. Each editor has autonomy and publishes work that ranges from conventional to experimental. They adore writing that is engaged with...

American Poetry Review

The American Poetry Review is dedicated to reaching a worldwide audience with a diverse array of the best contemporary poetry and literary prose. They also aim to expand the audience interested in poetry and literature, and to provide...

Printed twice a year (in July and December) and distributed internationally with subscribers in over twenty countries, each issue includes thirty-two shorter poems. In 2013, 32 Poems expanded to publish regular prose features online....

Self-Publishing Review

Self-Publishing Review has been a leading name in self-publishing services and author advocacy since 2008. Offering professional editorial book reviews across all genres with a number of options for paid reviews, their services also...

Under a Warm Green Linden

Under a Warm Green Linden , launched in 2008, is both a forum on the technical and ineffable qualities of the art of poetry, and a digital poetry journal. Reviews and interviews with established and emerging poets are intended to deepen,...

Vol. 1 Brooklyn

Founded in 2009, Volume 1 Brooklyn engages and connects the literary-minded from Brooklyn and beyond. Their website features short and long content, news, book reviews and more.  Vol. 1 Brooklyn seeks to motivate the community to...

Masters Review

The Masters Review is an online and print publication celebrating new and emerging writers. It is on the lookout for the best new talent with hopes of publishing stories from writers who will continue to produce great work. It offers...

BookLife is a website from  Publishers Weekly  dedicated to indie authors. The site provides a free and easy way to submit self-published books to  Publishers Weekly  for review, and offers editorial content—success stories,...

City Book Review

Since 2009 City Book Review has reviewed more than 20,000 books under the San Francisco, Manhattan, and Seattle Book Review brands, and Kids’ Book Buzz. They review 300 books a month in more than 40 genres.

Books within 90 days of their...

Stirring is a journal with several editors who all contribute their individual input for each issue. The joy of Stirring is a confluence of diverse opinions. Creative work from all genres and a variety of visual art media are...

Newfound is a nonprofit publisher based in Austin, Texas. The work published explores how place shapes identity, imagination, and understanding. The journal is published biannually online and annually in print, and features fiction,...

CALYX Journal

A forum for women’s creative work—including work by women of color, lesbian and queer women, young women, old women— CALYX Journal  breaks new ground. Each issue is packed with new poetry, short stories, full-color artwork, photography,...

American Poets

American Poets , published biannually by the Academy of American Poets, provides readers with a panorama of the contemporary poetic landscape and offers ten to twelve reviews of new poetry books in each issue. The magazine, which publishes...

The Guardian was founded in 1821 and known as the Manchester Guardian until 1959. The Guardian has evolved from a local paper into an international publication that offers publishing industry news, book reviews, and the...

Georgia Review

The Georgia Review  seeks to create a lasting environment for literature by supporting writers at every stage of their careers. Committed to the art of editorial practice, the  Review  collaborates with authors of essays, stories,...

The Independent

Founded in 1986, the Independent, nicknamed the Indy , is a major newspaper in the United Kingdom. The Indy —which launched an online version in 2008—covers the publishing industry, literary news, and all things books.

Compulsive Reader

Compulsive Reader features reviews of books by contemporary writers, as well as exclusive author interviews and literary news and criticism. Compulsive Reader works with an eclectic and extensive team of book reviewers who are...

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Finding Book Reviews

Introduction, basic sources.

• Additional Sources
• 18th-19th Century British Book Reviews
• Major Review Periodicals and their Indexes

This guide is intended to help Harvard students and faculty find book reviews. Book reviews are published in general/popular magazines (e.g., Newsweek ), scholarly journals (e.g., British Journal for the History of Science ), and in book review periodicals ( New York Review of Books ). The reviews may be brief summaries or long scholarly evaluations.

Find them by consulting periodical indexes and book review indexes. This guide lists some of the major general indexes which include book reviews. Many periodical indexes index book reviews; others do not. See Finding Articles in General and Popular Periodicals (North America and Western Europe) for general periodical indexes which may index book reviews. Research guides to specialized periodical indexes are listed in the Introduction to Finding Articles in General and Popular Periodicals (North America and Western Europe) .

Online resources are available through Harvard Library (Harvard ID and PIN required) unless otherwise indicated.

If you want scholarly evaluative book reviews, you may wish to omit reviews in: American Libraries , Booklist , Choice , Library Journal , Publishers Weekly . These reviews do provide good short statements of the subjects of books.

HOLLIS In the Catalog+Articles search, enter the title of your book in quotes ("").  If the title is short and insufficient to specify the book, add the author's name. If there are too many other kinds of articles, choose Reviews under Resource Type on the left side of the screen. Example: Emigrants Sebald.

Academic Search Premier (EBSCOHost) coverage is, largely, from the 1980s to the present. For book reviews enter author and title words. Thus, "Buell and imagination" for reviews of Lawrence Buell's The Environmental Imagination . Results can be limited to book reviews by using the Document Type limitation, but this may exclude some articles of interest, e.g., interviews with the author, which are not strictly speaking book reviews.

Citation Indexes (Web of Science) . Choose General Search. You may enter the authors last name and a word or words from the title. Thus for W. G. Sebald's Vertigo , search Sebald and Vertigo. You may limit to Book Reviews using "Restrict search by languages and document types:". A guide is available: Searching the Citation Indexes (Web of Science) . The Web of Science comprises three indexes: Science Citation Index, (1900- ), Social Sciences Citation Index (1956- ) and Arts and Humanities Citation Index (1975- ). The indexed journals are listed by subject categories in the Thomson Master Journal List .

H-Net Reviews in the Humanities and Social Sciences (1994- ) offers online reviews of academic books.

JSTOR contains full text book reviews for over 200 journals in many subjects. Journals are covered from their date of inception to around 5 years ago. Choose Search JSTOR, then enter search in the form <rt:book title ra:book author>. Thus, for MacArthur and Wilson's Theory of Island Biogeography search: ra:MacArthur rt:biogeography.

Periodicals Index Online includes several thousand general/humanities/social sciences journals indexed from their dates of inception to 1995.

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• Last Updated: Nov 4, 2023 9:05 PM
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Finding Book Reviews in the Sciences: Journals to Browse for Book Reviews

• Finding Book Reviews in Articles+
• Journals to Browse for Book Reviews
• Web Sites for Book Reviews
• Book Review Index 1965-2008
• The New York Review of Books 1963-
• Choice Reviews

Journal List

• General Purpose
• Life Sciences
• Physical & Applied Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Mathematics

American Scientist

Library Journal

New Scientist

New York Review of Books

Reference & User Services Quarterly

Science News

Scientific American (October: Recommended Books)

American Biology Teacher

American Entomologist

BioScience (not every issue)

Bulletin - Entomological Society of Canada

Canadian Field-Naturalist

Condor: Bulletin of the Cooper Ornithological Club

Economic Botany

Electronic Green Journal

Journal of Mammalogy

Kew Bulletin

Marine Mammal Science

Plant Science Bulletin

Quarterly Review of Biology

T.L.S. (Times Literary Supplement)

The best way to locate book reviews in physics journals is to use a database like the Web of Science, located at webofknowledge.com . From the main screen, click on the Advanced Search tab.

Your main search will follow the example, such as TS=(quantum mechanics). Restrict the results to the Book Review type.

It is likely that you will not go directly to the search results. The Web of Science will show you a Search History preview. Click on the number of results for your latest search to see them.

This search yielded 378 results. You can click on the Yale Links button to find a copy of the review at Yale or click on an item title to read more about it. 

Here are some of the journals represented in the results:

• Philosophy of Science
• British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
• Contemporary Physics
• Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics
• Physics Today
• American Journal of Physics
• Current Science
• Nuclear Physics

Of course, if you search for something else — like  cosmology  (or  cosmolog* , which will catch more forms of the word), string theory, telescopes, colliders, and other topics (either using the topic search or the all fields search), the journals that come up may be a bit different. The important thing to do is to explore your options!

Some publications may not be indexed in the Web of Science. Here are a few more resources to explore:

• Physics Education
• Physics World Magazine

There are two major ways to find book reviews you need in Earth sciences journals. (If you're looking for introductory content or don't know if the review for a  specific book title  will be in a scholarly journal or not, please see the tabs on finding book reviews in Articles+ and Choice Reviews.) The first is to use the GeoScienceWorld platform, and the second is to use the Web of Science.

Outside of databases, a good, general-purpose place to explore book reviews is the AGU portal on the Wiley Online Library. You can search for the book title or a topic with the words  book review  included in the search.

GeoScienceWorld

Go to the GeoScienceWorld.org main page . From there, use either the basic search or the advanced search to query the topic you need. From here, there are two basic things you need to do to find all book reviews on your topic.

When you search, first add book review . Some items ingested into GeoScienceWorld have not been tagged as book reviews even though they are; this is because GeoScienceWorld is aggregating information from many sources. If you search for  Cambrian book review , you will see results like this:

Second, you can just do a basic search for something like  Cambrian Explosion  and select Article Type — Book Review on the lefthand side. That will catch most of the remaining reviews.

Web of Science

The Web of Science Advanced Search will help you find book reviews in the scholarly literature. If we do a search for the word  Cambrian  in the advanced search like so:

and we see 28 results for this search, most of them in the geosciences. 

Here are some of the journals represented:

• Geographical Journal
• American Historical Review
• Annals of Science
• Geological Magazine

The journals you find will vary depending on the topic you are searching for.

MathSciNet, the premier literature database in mathematics, makes it possible to look at book reviews in the search. The following search is for  fractal*  (where the * serves as a wild card to include other forms of the word). 

Use the drop-down menu to select where you want your search term to appear — such as "anywhere" — and choose the publication type "Books" from the radio menu just below.

Once on the results list, use the left-hand filters to narrow down to "Reviewed." The reviews you see will be a mix of peer reviews from MathSciNet and publishers' descriptions (from a publication's table of contents).

For popular works, we recommend looking at the tabs Finding Book Reviews in Articles+ and Web Sites for Book Reviews. If you would like more assistance locating books in mathematics, please contact our mathematics librarian, Andy Shimp ([email protected]), who contributed content for this page.

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• Last Updated: Dec 18, 2023 10:20 AM
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How to Find Book Reviews: Scholarly Reviews

• Getting Started
• Scholarly Reviews
• Critical Reviews
• General Interest Reviews

About Scholarly Reviews

Scholarly reviews are written for scholars by scholars. These reviews place the book within the scholarly discourse, compare the book to other works in the field, and analyze the author's methodology, interpretations, and conclusions. Due to this amount of engagement with the book, reviews of academic titles may appear two or three years after publication of the book.

The searches in most of the databases below will find scholarly book reviews in addition to general interest and critical reviews. Scholarly reviews will be published in journals, and tend to be longer and more recent.

Best Bet Library Databases

• Library Catalog Search engine for materials in the library. Includes a list of all the books in the library, and a selection of articles. Does not include all articles owned by the library, but it's a good starting place.

Resources for Recent Reviews

In addition to the resources below, see also subject databases related to the discipline of the book.

Resources for Older Reviews

Research Tip: Book Review Searching

Book review searching.

• Search for the title of the book, enclosed in quotation marks ("World's Best Book")
• If the title is not very distinctive, add the author's last name
• Look for limit to "book review" or add search term "review"

Need Help? You can ask!

Other ways to get help:

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Stop by during our service hours .

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The best book reviews, readers' advisory, and collection development guidance from the experts at the American Library Association.

For over 100 years Booklist magazine has helped tens of thousands of librarians as a book review source, and readers’ advisory, collection development, and professional development resource. Booklist magazine delivers 8,000+ recommended-only reviews of books, audiobooks, and reference sources each year, spanning every age and genre.

Booklist Online includes a growing archive from more than 25 years of reviews, as well as a wealth of free content offering the latest news and views on books and media. Now you can read the digital editions of  Booklist - online or through a mobile device.

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Trish Hopkinson

A selfish poet, where to submit book reviews–60 lit mags/journals.

Reviews are a great way to prompt yourself to think critically about a work–to spend more time with something you love, or well, maybe don’t so much. You can check out the reviews I’ve written here , including Paisley Rekdal’s most recent poetry collection Nightingale , published by Copper Canyon Press.

Click here for review writing tips and “A list of places that like book reviews” by Alina Stefanescu.

If you like this post, please share with your writerly friends and/or  follow me on  Facebook ,  Twitter , or  Instagram . You can see all the FREE resources my site offers poets/writers on my  Start Here  page. 

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Categories: Call for Submissions , Poetry Reviews , Self-taught MFA

Tagged as: book reviews , chapbook reviews , No Fee Call for Submissions , Paying Call for submissions , Poetry Book Reviews

17 replies »

Hi! Please add Tinderbox to this?

OMG, how did I miss that! Thank you!

Excellent article. This team golfwell does free book reviews too https://www.teamgolfwell.com/free-book-reviews.html

Excellent article and very well done and thank you for taking the time to write this. FYI Team Golfwell does free book review https://www.teamgolfwell.com/free-book-reviews.html

Trish, this is fantastic. Thank you so much! You rock! This is a tremendous service to authors. all best wishes, Diane Frank

You're so welcome!

This list will really be useful to me and your other followers. Thank you so much!

Thank you, Trish, for your information and ever-present enthusiasm. If any book reviewers on Trish’s list would be receptive to reviewing new poetry titles (from 2 tiny indie presses), books whose Spring 2020 launch was crippled by COVID-19, I would be delighted to send you either or both — and also throw in a free dinner [by way of an American Express “Be My Guest” dining out certificate]. My two titles are an Elgin Award nominee “A Route Obscure and Lonely” [Wapshott Press; 62 pgs; speculative poetry] — and — “Concupiscent Consumption” [Red Ferret Press; 34-page chapbook; erotic verses]. Happy to send actual paperbacks and/or digital versions. You can preview these on Amazon.

Good wishes from New York, LindaAnn LoSchiavo

Hi, please add Prospectus to this list!

Will do! I will add it next week

• Pingback: How to Write a Book Review in Ten Easy Steps (just kidding; it's not always easy) – guest blog post by Eileen “Mish” Murphy – Trish Hopkinson
• Pingback: How to Write a Book Review in Ten Easy Steps (just kidding; it's not always easy) - guest blog post by Eileen "Mish" Murphy - Trish Hopkinson – What’s New Magazine
• Pingback: My review of ‘The Truth Is’ by Avery M. Guess published by Diode + submission call! – Trish Hopkinson
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Founded in 1977, the American Book Review is a nonprofit, internationally distributed publication that appears four times a year. ABR specializes in reviews of frequently neglected published works of fiction, poetry, and literary and cultural criticism from small, regional, university, ethnic, avant-garde, and women's presses. ABR as a literary journal aims to project the sense of engagement that writers themselves feel about what is being published. It is edited and produced by writers for writers and the general public.

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Reviews for a general audience, reviews for a scholarly audience.

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Do you want to know how a book was received by scholars? Are you trying to determine the quality of a particular book? Or, are you just interested in knowing if a book is worth reading? Book reviews are a great place to start. This guide provides guidance on finding two types of book reviews, those for a general audience and those for a scholarly audience.

Literature and popular works (memoirs, travel writing, manuals, etc.) are often reviewed by journalists or fellow authors upon publication in newspapers or magazines. Use the following databases to find reviews in these publications.

• Book Review Index This link opens in a new window & more less... A comprehensive online guide to book reviews with over five million review citations from thousands of publications.
• Book Review Digest Plus This link opens in a new window & more less... Book Review Digest is a reference database that provides review excerpts and book summaries for current English-language fiction and non-fiction books. Limit of 1 simultaneous user.
• Book Review Digest Retrospective This link opens in a new window 1903-1982 & more less... Indexes and abstracts reviews of English language adult and juvenile fiction and non-fiction titles. Reviews are selected from journals in the humanities, sciences, social sciences and library review media.

Other Sources for Book Reviews

Many reviews are published in newspapers and magazines. Use the guides below to find the best databases to search for reviews in these publications.

• How do I find magazines? by Ask a Librarian Updated Feb 17, 2024 312 views this year
• How do I find newspapers? by Ask a Librarian Updated Apr 3, 2024 4365 views this year

Scholarly books are reviewed in academic or peer-reviewed journals and are written by academics. As these reviews place the work in the context of current scholarship, they can take several years to appear after the book was published.

Starting Points

• JSTOR This link opens in a new window Recommended Starting Point . Use Advanced Search and limit to "Reviews". You can also limit by discipline. & more less... A database of back issues of core journals in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. All issues of each journal are included in full-text except for the most recent 2-to-5 years.
• IBR Online This link opens in a new window & more less... Multilingual and interdisciplinary index to book reviews, chiefly in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
• Web of Science This link opens in a new window Conduct your search for book or author, and then limit to "Book Reviews". & more less... Authoritative, multidisciplinary content covers over 10,000 of the highest impact journals worldwide, including Open Access journals and over 110,000 conference proceedings. You'll find current and retrospective coverage in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities, with coverage available to 1900. Includes the Science Citation Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, and Arts & Humanities Citation Index. Web of Science is especially useful for its citation linking.
• Periodicals Index Online This link opens in a new window & more less... Part of Nineteenth Century Index. Indexes the contents of thousands of periodicals in the humanities and social sciences from 1665 to 1995, including many European titles. Includes links to some full-text articles. Dates of full-text coverage vary by title.
• Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective This link opens in a new window & more less... Database corresponds to International Index, 1907 - March 1965; Social Sciences & Humanities Index, April 1965 March 1974; Humanities Index, April 1974 March 1984; and Social Sciences Index, April 1974 March 1983

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We strongly recommend searching the article database or index that covers the academic literature in a specific field for reviews. Use the Advanced Search option and limit to "Book Reviews" or "Reviews".  Find the best database for book reviews in your field by using our subject guides.

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Book Review Indexes in Print

Below are a few print sources for finding book reviews.

• Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Humanities Journals, 1802-1974 & more less... 10 vols. Ed by Evan Ira Farber. Woodbridge: Research Publications, 1982-1984. Covers 150 literature, philosophy, classics, folklore, linguistics & music journals, from England and the US Organized by primary authors or editors and then by book titles.
• Literary and Historical index to American Magazines, 1800-1850 & more less... Ed by Daniel A. Wells & Jonathan Daniel Wells. Westport: Praeger, 2004.

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Publications with Book Reviews

• London Review of Books Library has on microfilm 1979 - present.
• New York Review of Books This link opens in a new window & more less... New York Review of Books reviews contemporary books in all subject areas.
• New Yorker Library has in print 1925 - present.
• Publishers Weekly Library has in print and microfilm 1873 - present. Recent issues available online via Find It!
• TLS: Times Literary Supplement Historical Archive This link opens in a new window & more less... Covers 1902-2006. This easy-to-navigate, fully-searchable resource is a witness to the cultural revolutions of the last 100 years and offers unparalleled opportunities for tracking the views of influential opinion-makers, the response of their peers, the controversies of the day and how they developed. --Publisher's website
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In 2024, we're changing how we do reading challenges ->   Make yours work for you

The Ultimate Guide to Reading Journals for Book Lovers

A reading journal can truly elevate your bookish life. Find out why you should start one, plus get book journal ideas, examples, and tips to get started.

This post may include affiliate links. That means if you click and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Please see Disclosures for more information.

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.

Over the last year, I’ve really embraced the idea of using a reading journal . As I’ve explored the role of a book journal in my reading life, I’ve discovered that there are so many ways to use reading journals.

I’ve actually started keeping multiple reading journals –some that I use alongside my regular daily reading and others that are tied to longer-term reading goals and tracking.

Why to Keep a Reading Journal

For a long time, I was resistant to using any type of reading tracker . I’m protective of my love of reading, and I don’t want my enjoyment of it to be affected by getting hung up on numbers.

It’s one reason I don’t set a yearly goal on Goodreads. While I glance at how many books I’ve read at the end of the year, I never want to get focus on that number–and start avoiding long or slow books so I can read more books.

But as I’ve read more books, and added audiobooks to the mix, I’ve found it useful to have a place to jot down my thoughts as I read. I also like having a place to note all the books I want to read –as well as why they catch my interest (because I’m bound to forget!).

And for me, that’s the key to book journaling : the forgetting. Or, more accurately: the remembering . 

Writing things down– with pen and paper , not just online–is proven to help memory . And in a busy life with work, family, kids, friends , blogging, and–yes–lots and lots of books, I don’t always remember what I’ve read, or what I want to read. You may be the same.

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. 

Journaling about books can help you remember the story, characters, and the feeling of reading those books .

Keeping a book journal or reading diary can help you remember the books you want to read, keep you on track with reading goals, and help you meet a reading challenge .

And if you’re trying to learn something, to improve yourself, or to make a real change–as so many of us have been as we dive into our anti-racist education –a reading journal can help you track what you read and learn , and what you plan to read .

Reflecting on books in writing can help you clarify what you read, what you learned (if anything), and what you thought about it.

Reading Journal Ideas

Just like there are many reasons to keep a reading journal, there are so many types of book journals you can choose to keep.

I don’t recommend keeping multiple journals that you feel like you need to write in daily–one main journal will serve you better there–but there’s no harm in keeping additional journals to track certain aspects of your reading life.

Some of these journals I pick up sporadically as I recall books I’ve read in the past or come across books I want to read in the future, while others I update on a daily or weekly basis.

There’s no right or wrong way to journal about your reading–find what suits you! I’ve outlined a bunch of reading journal ideas below to get you started.

Book Log or Reading Tracker

A book log or reading tracker is one of the simplest ways to get started with book journaling. This type of reading journal can be as detailed as you want, and I often combine this with other types of book journals detailed below. If you’re just looking for a simple log of what you read and when, this is a low-barrier way to get started.

Start anywhere–today, last week, the start of the year. Write down the book, author, and any details you want to record. That might include:

• The dates you read it
• Format (print, ebook, audiobook)
• Number of pages
• Star rating
• Theme notes
• Brief summary or review

To make it really simple, leave off the notes and just keep a running list of books. You might be surprised by how helpful it is to just have a list of the books you’ve read .

The reading log is the one type of book journal that I do digitally–I use Goodreads for my log. I like the ability to sort by certain characteristics, including page count, dates read, and ratings. I don’t usually do much beyond that in Goodreads, but for my general book log, I like having this data at my fingertips.

In addition to Goodreads, I’ve started using an annual reading planner that I use for tracking my reading by month. As a book blogger and someone who pays attention to new releases, I find the monthly planning and reflection pages really helpful.

Get your own Annual Reading Planner

Amazon (bound journal)

Book Review or Reading Response Journal

Journals are a great place to jot down notes for book reviews or reading responses (though I think that term is mostly used in schools). I don’t usually write out my full reviews in my journal (since I do that on the blog), but I like to make short notes about my thoughts as I read. 

In addition to things I like or don’t like, I include things like the characters, themes, major plot points ( my journal is full of spoilers !). Since my journals are for me and not for an audience, I feel free to include those details in a way that I wouldn’t on the blog or Goodreads. 

Physically writing them down helps me remember these details when I think back on books. As a blogger who frequently revisits past reads, this is helpful for writing book list posts.

It also keeps my “to reread” list whittled down, because it helps me remember how the book ends (I forget this ALL THE TIME.) I love rereading excellent books , but I can’t reread them all!

Get your own Books I Read journal –>

Books to Read/TBR Journal

My “books to read” journal (or TBR journal – “to be read”)  is where I jot down the books that catch my eye. Since I’ve started reading book blogs and writing my own, I read more book reviews than ever before. As a result, my TBR is unending. I’ve accepted that I’ll never get through it.

But I still like to write down the books that sound appealing. If you decide to keep a TBR journal, jot down a few notes about the book, including who recommended it, some notes on the story, and why you think you might like it. If you finally pick up the book months later, it will help you remember why you wanted to read it .

This is also useful for removing books from your TBR –which for me, also happens frequently. If a book doesn’t work for a trusted reader friend, I’ll go in and cross it out. Same thing if something about the book is problematic (e.g., American Dirt).  

Those things don’t always mean I won’t check out a book for myself, but again: reading time is limited , and I want to spend it with the most promising books.

A TBR journal could also be useful if you’re trying to change your reading habits in some way. For example, if you’ve committed to reading books by more Black or LGBTQ-IA authors. Or if you’re working your way through a list of classic novels , or you want to read more sci-fi . Maybe you’re even researching or learning about a particular topic.

I find a paper TBR journal more useful than Goodreads for tracking my TBR because I tend to add books with abandon in Goodreads. Then when I revisit it, I have no memory of why or when I added a particular book. 

Because of the small amount of effort to physically write in my TBR journal, I’m more thoughtful about whether a book should be added, and I’m more likely to remember it (and if not, I can revisit my notes).

Get your own Books to Read journal –>

Reading Challenge Journal

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.

I tend to avoid numbers-based challenges, but I do like to consider my reading habits each year and what kind of books I want to read more of. My 2020 reading challenge was to read one nonfiction book per month and one book from my shelf . 

To support my challenge, I started a reading challenge journal . The journal helped me narrow down my goals for the year, and it gives me a place to track my progress and write about the books I read.

A dedicated book journal for your reading challenge can be especially useful if your challenge will span a whole year (or even longer). It can help you stay focused on your goal and remember to work in those books that help meet your challenge.

My reading challenge journal includes pages to brainstorm and plan your challenge , as well as monthly pages to note your reading plans and stay on track .

I firmly believe that there’s no “should” when it comes to your reading life –you don’t *have* to read anything you don’t want to. But if you have a mental list of books you definitely want to read “someday,” a reading challenge is a great way to actually make it happen. 

Get your own Reading Challenge Journal

Books you love.

Ah, my favorite! This is a new journal project I’ve started this year, and I expect it to be a lifelong collection of journals (maybe even something that will amuse my kids or grandkids after I’m gone?).

My reading journal of the Books I Love is just that: a collection of notes on my very favorite books .

I don’t write in this one often, but when I find myself thinking about old favorites, I like to pick it up and make a few notes. I have space to summarize the book, why I loved it, themes, quotes, similar books, and to note others who might love it.

Because I’m often looking back on books I read years ago, I may not fill in all of these spaces (see that whole issue of remembering what even happened that I discussed above). 

But this is the place where I recall how books made me feel , and what about them sticks with me years later. I do occasionally add newer books that I adore soon after I read them, but not always. It’s interesting to see what books rise to the top long after I’ve moved on from them.

My journal of books I love is a mishmash of childhood favorites , books from my teen years, and books I read as an adult. I enjoy the freeform nature of it and just falling back into my “oh, I LOVED that” whims, but if you wanted to be more organized about it you could separate by genre or age group.

Get your own Books I Love journal –>

Reading Bucket List Journal

I wrote a lot about building a reading bucket list a few years ago, and I still think it’s a useful exercise. I think a lot of us do carry about mental list of “someday” books we want to read, and narrowing down our actual reading bucket list makes it more likely to happen.

These days, I think my reading bucket list could use an update (fewer old white men, more marginalized authors from all time periods), but I do like to revisit it and work the books in when I can. Even better if they’ve been sitting on my shelf for years!

I use one of my Books to Read journals for my reading bucket list. This isn’t a reading journal that I update often, but it’s one that I like to keep for long-term tracking.

Thoughtful Reading Journal

Finally, what I’m calling a “ thoughtful reading journal ” is a type of journal that I haven’t actually started yet, but that I’ve been wanting more and more in my reading life. I am especially realizing this in 2020 as I read more nonfiction and more books for my antiracist education.

All of my reading journals have a bit of space to make notes and write reviews after I finish them, but I read books over a number of days–sometimes even weeks.

My next reading journal will be a place where I can make notes as I’m reading , of the things I’m learning, questions I have, quotes or ideas that stand out, and concepts to explore further.

This will be my working journal–the time in the messy middle of reading when I’m still processing what the author is saying and how it’s affecting me. It’s not one to use with every book–lighter beach reads probably won’t get pages here–and I may not even realize I need it until I’m several chapters into a book. 

But when I start coming across passage after passage that makes me pause, read it again, and try to internalize it , I want a meaningful way to engage with those ideas. And obviously, for me, that starts with a reading journal.

How a Book Journal Improves Your Reading Life

Obviously, I keep a lot of reading journals. I’ve always loved journals and pens and stationery, and now that I’ve designed some pretty journals that fit my needs? All the better.

But when I started my first reading journal this year, I wasn’t sure how it would work for me . I’d gotten out of the habit of journaling in general and I thought Goodreads might be enough, flawed as it was. 

But keeping a physical journal with pen and paper has had multiple benefits to my reading life , including:

• Better memory of stories
• More meaningful reflection on what I read
• Greater focus on my reading goals.

In addition, those jotted notes usually lead to additional insights and connections that I wouldn’t have made without the physical act of writing. Typing up a review is one thing, and it’s useful, but those pen-on-paper notes are gold .

Choosing a Readers Journal

You have lots of options if you want to start a reading journal and it’s okay to use a mix of them. 

You may want to do some digitally and some on paper. And you may like the idea of creating your own journal , or you might want to use a pre-printed journal , as I do.

Digital Reading Journal

You have a few options if you want to journal your reading in a digital format, but the main decision here is whether you want it to be public or private (or somewhere in between).

If you want to share your reading journal and have conversations with others about it, Goodreads, Instagram, and blogs are great ways to do it. I’ve even seen people post about their reading on Facebook.

Posting publicly changes the nature of a reading journal. As a blogger, I post my reviews with other readers in mind . I share my thoughts, but I also try to think about who might enjoy a book. It’s less for me than for my readers, while my reading journal is for my own reading life.

I enjoy both the public and private aspects of reflecting on reading, so I do both of these. Your choice depends on your goals, how you plan to write, and your comfort level with sharing your thoughts publicly.

DIY Reading Journal

If fancy lettering, stickers, little drawings, and creating layouts are your thing, then a DIY reading journal is the perfect choice for you!

And if you don’t like those things? DIY can still be a great option. Pick up a notebook, start writing about a book, and voila! Reading journal .

A do-it-yourself book journal gives you the freedom to make a journal that works for you. If you like several of the types of journals described above, you can combine them into one journal. If you want to experiment with layouts, you can. Want to make it part of your bullet journal ? You can.

You could also just grab a binder or discbound notebook , find or create some templates, print them out, and make a pre-printed journal that works for you. You might like these printable reading journals:

Annual Reading Planner Printables

Reading Challenge Printables

Buy a Printed Journal

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. 

While I know they don’t have to be pretty and can be as utilitarian and functional as I want them to be, sitting down to a blank page is sometimes a barrier. This is especially true if I start out drawing nice layouts and then feel like I need to keep it up. At this point in my life, I’m just not a bullet journaler . 

That’s why I made my own reading journals, with layouts and prompts that are flexible but also capture most of what I want to remember about a book.

I also like having nice looking journals that work together and add a little color to my bookshelves. Most of the journals are compact enough to carry around easily and keep handy for quick notes. I hope you also find them useful!

Shop for Reading Journals

If you’d like to get your own reading journals, you can see all of the color and journal types in the Shop .

Start Your Reading Journal

I’ve discussed tons of options for ways to use a book journal to enhance your own reading life , and I’m sure there are more. Now it’s time to get started on your own reading journal!

If you’re ready to start, I recommend choosing one type to start with. This will help you figure out exactly how you want to use it. I’ve added multiple forms of book journaling to my own reading tracking, but I’ve added them over time.

Before you start, consider your goals . If you have multiple, start with one:

• Tracking your reading?
• Organizing your TBR?
• Meeting a reading goal?
• Remembering your favorites?

If you have a few of these goals, pick one for a week or two, try it out and see what works for you. If you love journaling and want to keep going, expand or continue what you’re doing or start another type or reading journal.

Most of all, have fun with it . Your reading journal isn’t homework, and it’s not the end of the world if you don’t record something. Don’t be afraid to add color, stickers, or doodles . Write sideways or in spirals! 

Great books sometimes send our thoughts in crazy directions –let yourself record what you’re thinking and feeling as you reflect.

Share Your Reading Journal Ideas!

I’d love to know how you use a reading journal. Share your ideas, reading journal prompts, and the creative ways you keep track of your reading.

Allison is a dedicated book lover, writer, and lifelong learner with an undeniable passion for books and reading. As the founder of Mind Joggle, she helps busy, overwhelmed women reclaim their mental space and make books a transformative part of their lives. She holds an Ed.M in Technology in Education from Harvard University and a BS in Scientific and Technical Communication from the University of Minnesota.

Privacy Overview

9 Book Journals to Track Your Reading in 2023

Carolina Ciucci

Carolina Ciucci is a teacher, writer and reviewer based in the south of Argentina. She hoards books like they’re going out of style. In case of emergency, you can summon her by talking about Ireland, fictional witches, and the Brontë family. Twitter: @carolinabeci

View All posts by Carolina Ciucci

Regardless of whether you read ten or 100 books a year, you probably try to keep a record of the books you’ve made your way through. Over the years, many of us have used digital apps for this (often Goodreads , but others like StoryGraph have been gaining more and more support), but have you considered switching to your own book journal?

Book journals are, after all, a wonderful way to chronicle your reading life in a way that’s thorough and personalized. You’re not only keeping track of the books you’ve read and the books you want to read: you’re also monitoring your reading habits and challenges , keeping an easily accessible log of the series you’re halfway through, and you can be as open as you want without worrying about others finding or judging your thoughts on a book.

I rounded up nine book journals from various Etsy and Amazon storefronts. Although most of them are physical, a few are either digital or printable. They include space for book reviews, reading trackers, upcoming releases, and more. Prices range from $2.50 to $30+, giving you the opportunity to opt for the one that best fits your reading habits and your budget. Happy reading and tracking!

This yearly planner is 100+ pages long, includes pages specifically meant for wishlists, TBR lists, monthly recaps, and more. A beautiful handmade book journal. $22 and up.

This reading journal is almost 200 pages long, includes a daily reading tracker, and a borrowed/lent out list. If you’re like me and need half a dozen reminders in various planners to remember to return library books on time, this is the book journal for you. You have room for 52 book reviews. $16

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If you want a book journal but are still planning to use your apps, this digital reading journal is perfect for you. It has room for 240 books with hyperlinks to their reviews, a series tracker, yearly and monthly reading trackers, and more. Available in six different colors. $4

If you’re reading this in search of the perfect gift for a book lover, look no further. This personalized book journal is embossed with that oh-so-relatable phrase “just one more page” and the reader’s initials, making it as visually appealing as it is useful. It boasts double-page review spreads, a reading progress tracker, a TBR list, and a master list of books read. $33

If you’re on a budget or simply impatient, this printable reading planner is an excellent option. It has space for pretty much every bookish thing you might want to keep track of: books both read and TBR, yes, but also favorite books, favorite authors, upcoming releases, a reading log, a book wishlist, and more. $3

Maybe you prefer your book journals smaller, something you could carry in a tiny purse or bag to jot down quick notes on the go. The Bookish Companion (Mini) is ideal: the size of a small paperback, it has room for 100 book indexes and reviews. If you like the style, but prefer something bigger, look for the large size. $7

Are you a reader and a fan of pink? This is the book journal for you. The Pink Book Journal includes a rating system, book goals tracker, favorites section, books and pages graphs by month, and of course, book review templates, book quotes page, and more. If you like the sound of it, but aren’t a pink person, fear not: the seller has Grey Book Journals too. $38

Perhaps you want your book journal to stimulate reflection. In that case, look no further than the Book of Books : it’ll help you make the most of your book spreads by prompts such as “anchor to your life” and “record your why.” The fact that it’s absolutely stunning doesn’t hurt. $28

If you’ll always take a spiral-bound journal over a fancy book-like one, this book review reading journal is perfect for you. In addition to having room for 100 reviews, a TBR list, and a DNF list, it has an info page (so you can determine your own rating system), a monthly page tracker, a series tracker, and more. $25

Itching for more options? Give these additional book journal and bullet journals a look.

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Chemical Society Reviews

Metalation of metal–organic frameworks: fundamentals and applications.

* Corresponding authors

a College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University, Shandong 266071, China E-mail: [email protected] , [email protected]

b School of Materials Science and Engineering, Smart Sensing Interdisciplinary Science Centre, TKL of Metal and Molecule-Based Material Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China E-mail: [email protected]

c Department of Chemical Science, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland

Metalation of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) has been developed as a prominent strategy for materials functionalization for pore chemistry modulation and property optimization. By introducing exotic metal ions/complexes/nanoparticles onto/into the parent framework, many metallized MOFs have exhibited significantly improved performance in a wide range of applications. In this review, we focus on the research progress in the metalation of metal–organic frameworks during the last five years, spanning the design principles, synthetic strategies, and potential applications. Based on the crystal engineering principles, a minor change in the MOF composition through metalation would lead to leveraged variation of properties. This review starts from the general strategies established for the incorporation of metal species within MOFs, followed by the design principles to graft the desired functionality while maintaining the porosity of frameworks. Facile metalation has contributed a great number of bespoke materials with excellent performance, and we summarize their applications in gas adsorption and separation, heterogeneous catalysis, detection and sensing, and energy storage and conversion. The underlying mechanisms are also investigated by state-of-the-art techniques and analyzed for gaining insight into the structure–property relationships, which would in turn facilitate the further development of design principles. Finally, the current challenges and opportunities in MOF metalation have been discussed, and the promising future directions for customizing the next-generation advanced materials have been outlined as well.

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H. Li, X. Kong, S. Han, J. Pang, T. He, G. Wang and X. Bu, Chem. Soc. Rev. , 2024, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D3CS00873H

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