As 2025 comes to a close, I’ve started thinking more about what I want to include in my book journal for 2026. For the past two years, I’ve kept a book journal where I log the books I read during the year, how many books are on my to be read (TBR) shelf, and create spreads about my favorite books. It’s a lot of fun to combine a few of my favorite hobbies—reading and crafting—and create a journal that encompasses my entire reading year. Here are a few things I’m definitely going to include in my 2026 reading journal!
#1: Book Bingo
I created a book bingo board for the first time this year, and it was so much fun completing each of the challenges I set for myself. I think this is a great way to find books by authors that are new to me, and it helps me get through the books I’ve been avoiding.
A few of the bingo spots I’m incorporating:
A debut author’s book
A book that’s been on my TBR for over two years
A book with a purple cover
A book that begins with the letter “E” (for my name, of course)
A book that has the friends-to-lovers trope
#2: Series Tracker
If you’re anything like me, you start a ton of new series before you finish the ones you’ve already started. Series trackers are very useful because they remind me of all the series I’m in the middle of and which book I left off on. They also help me decide which series I want to continue and which ones I don’t. Though it can be a bit tedious going through each of the series that I’ve started reading (there’s a lot), it’s incredibly satisfying to mark off each book.
The King of Scars series by Leigh Bardugo. I’ve been putting off Rule of Wolves because I adore the Grishaverse and I don’t want the series to end.
The Gilded Wolves series by Roshani Chokshi. I’ve heard so many good things about this series that I think it’ll be the first thing I read in the new year.
The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. I know, I know. Trust me, I really want to read Sunrise on the Reaping but I’m truly terrified. However, I can think about nothing but this book since the teaser trailer for the film dropped, so I think it’s finally time I finish it.
#3: Individual Book Spreads
This year I read The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni and immediately fell in love with the world. I created a two-page spread of the series that included fan art of the characters, song lyrics that I related to the story, and my favorite quotes from the series. I also reread The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han to prepare for the final season of the show, and it was a lot of fun to create a spread for that series and include pictures from each season of the show in my journal. This process helps me feel more connected to the books that I love, and I’m hoping that I can make more spreads next year for my most anticipated reads!
A few of the books I’m hoping to make spreads for:
The Thorn Queen by Sasha Peyton Smith. I said it before, but The Rose Bargain was so good, and I have no doubt that the second book in this series will be just as captivating. I’m definitely going to make a spread for this series when I complete it.
A Darker Shore: Letters from Ketterdam by Leigh Bardugo. Six of Crows is my favorite series, and I am so, so excited to read this novella. I’m very attached to the Crows, and I’m so excited to dive back into the world and create a spread.
Hearstopper: Volume Six by Alice Oseman. I already know that I’m going to cry when I read the final installment of the Heartstopper series, and yet I cannot wait to see how this story wraps up. It’ll be fun to create a spread that encompasses quotes from each book and pictures from the TV show!
We’re a Bad Idea, Right? by K.L. Walther. Walther’s books are some of my favorites in the YA genre, and I’m so excited to see where this story goes. Plus, it’s got one of my favorite songs by Olivia Rodrigo as its title, so I’m very excited to include song lyrics in the spread I create for this book.
#4: Genre Tracker
I usually stick to the same few genres when it comes to reading because I’m afraid to branch out of my comfort zone. However, I recently read If We Survive This by Racquel Marie, a YA horror novel, and I’m absolutely obsessed with it. I always thought I wouldn’t be able to handle a horror novel, but this book showed me that branching out isn’t always a bad idea.
A few of the genres I’m including:
YA
Romance
Memoirs
Fantasy
Mystery/Thriller
#5: Book Awards
This is a new spread I created this year, and it’s been a lot of fun to think about what books fall into which category. Though this spread will only be completed at the end of the year, I think it’s a great way to summarize your reading year, find your favorite—and least favorite—books, and remember which characters stuck with you the most.
A few of the categories I’m including:
Favorite book of the year
The saddest book I read
My new favorite character
The most disappointing book I read
The most surprising book I read
I hope this blog inspires you to create your own book journal for 2026, and I hope I’ve given you some ideas on what to include! Remember, it’s your journal, and you have the opportunity to summarize your reading year in any way you want. If you love crafting and reading, this is the perfect hobby for you!
Emersen Cooper, Pine Reads Review Writer and Editor
