My TBR list started out as a simple list, but it’s become more detailed over time. Now, it’s a handy tool for me to keep track of my physical books that I haven’t read, books from my favourite authors that I haven’t read, books from book clubs I follow that I haven’t read, and the seasonal books that I want to remember to read during the relevant season.
I keep track of the books on my TBR list using a Google Sheet (Excel would work just as well).
On the first sheet within the document, I have a list of the physical books that I own and haven’t yet read. In separate columns on the same sheet, I have a list of books from my favourite authors that I haven’t read yet, as well as books from book clubs that I follow that I haven’t read yet. If there are books in those columns that I also physically own, I use purple font for those. I do this for a couple of reasons. One is that I try to prioritize reading the books I physically own, and the other is that when I do read a book I physically own that is also on one of my other lists, the colour-coding reminds me to remove that book from my physical TBR list as well.
In the same document, I also have separate sheets dedicated to Christmas books, winter books, spring books, summer books, and fall books. These include books that I own and books that I don’t own. If there are books by my favourite authors that are seasonal, I include them in the seasonal list instead of the list on the first sheet. If there are books in these seasonal lists that I also physically own, I use purple font for those.
The seasonal lists in particular have been really handy for me. As a new season approaches, I review that season’s TBR list and put holds on the books on that list that I don’t own and want to borrow from my local library or from the Libby app. Also, whenever I come across a book that I want to remember to read in a specific season, even if I think it will be a long time before I’ll be able to read it, I add it to the seasonal list so I won’t forget about it.
I’m a fairly goal-oriented person, and I find using my TBR list and removing books from the list as I read them so satisfying!
How do you keep track of the books on your TBR list?
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