# How to Make a Reading List You'll Actually Want to Use > Saved plenty of book recommendations but still stuck on what to read? Put together a small shortlist that fits your taste, time and budget. Canonical URL: https://serynix.com/blog/how-to-build-a-reading-list/ Author: Serynix Editorial Team Published: 2026-10-22 Updated: 2026-10-22 Language: en Topic: Everyday Life Geographic scope: Global Someone recommends a book. You screenshot the cover, save the post or tell yourself you'll remember the title. A few weeks later, you're in the mood to read. You can remember that the cover was green. Possibly blue. The recommendation is nowhere to be found. A reading list helps with that. But it can also become a very long collection of books you vaguely feel you should read. If you're wondering how to make a reading list you'll actually use, start small: keep your titles in one place, add a quick reason for each, and mark a few you'd be happy to start next. Check how you'll get a copy, too. Here's how to put that into practice. ## What is a TBR list? TBR means **“to be read”**. A TBR list is simply a list of books you'd like to read. You may also hear people talk about a TBR pile: the unread books already sitting on their shelves. You can keep yours on paper, in a phone note or in a spreadsheet. A reading tracker usually goes a little further by recording what you've started or finished. You can combine the two if that helps, but a title and author are enough to begin. ## 1. Start with what you feel like reading Before looking up another “books everyone should read” list, think about what you want a book to do for you right now. Maybe you want something funny after work. Maybe you've been enjoying mystery shows and fancy trying a detective novel. Or perhaps there's a subject you keep wondering about and you'd like a proper introduction. Write that down in plain language: - “A mystery with a puzzle I can try to solve.” - “A romance that's funny without being too heavy.” - “A beginner's guide to growing herbs on a balcony.” Those descriptions give you something useful to look for. If you're returning to reading after a long break, start with a story or subject that already interests you. You can try something unfamiliar later. There's no need to fill your first list with books you expect to struggle through. For reading ideas, ask someone whose taste you know, browse a bookshop or look through a library's recommendations. The [New York Public Library publishes book lists selected by its librarians](https://www.nypl.org/collections/nypl-recommendations/lists?page=1), which you can browse for suggestions. When a friend recommends something, ask what they liked about it. “The dialogue is hilarious” tells you more than “Everyone's reading it”. ## 2. Keep the list somewhere you'll actually check Choose a place you already use. A phone note is handy when someone mentions a title during a conversation. A notebook works if you like browsing your list away from a screen. A spreadsheet makes sense when you have enough books to want sorting or filtering. Start with four details: **Title and author · Why it caught your eye · How you'll get it · Status** That last field can be as simple as “maybe”, “next”, “reading” or “finished”. Keep the reason short. “Recommended by Ayesha; she said the ending surprised her” will remind you why you cared. You don't need to copy the entire book description. If you already use a book-tracking app, keep using it. Re-entering every title somewhere new is a job you can probably spare yourself. ## 3. Mark a few books you'd genuinely start next Your full reading list can be as long as you like. For the next decision, try marking just three books with a star or a “next” label. Three is a starting suggestion, not a rule. One is fine if you've already found something you want to read. Look for books that fit your actual week. If you're usually reading for a few minutes at bedtime, you might prefer familiar characters, shorter chapters or a collection you can read one story at a time. If you have a quiet weekend coming up, that longer book may finally appeal. Check access before marking something “next”: - Do you already own it? - Could you borrow it from someone? - Is it available through a library you can use? - If you need to buy it, does the price fit your budget? A book you're waiting to borrow can stay on the list. Put an available option beside it so you have something to start meanwhile. You also don't have to buy the whole shortlist. Get one book, see how it goes, then choose again. ## 4. Read a little before committing A description tells you what a book is about. A few pages give you a better idea of whether you'll enjoy spending time with it. Read a sample where one is available. For nonfiction, look at the contents page and an example passage. Does it cover the question you're trying to answer? Does it assume knowledge you don't have yet? For an audiobook, listen to a sample of the narration before buying or borrowing it, if possible. Reviews can help, but look at the reasons behind the rating. Someone who dislikes a slow story full of family conversations may be describing exactly what you enjoy. If a recommendation is for a particular translation or edition, note that beside the title. It'll save you wondering which version you meant later. ## A simple reading list template You can copy this reading list template into a note or spreadsheet: | Book and author | Why I want to read it | Access or next action | Status | | ------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------- | ------------ | | The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle | Try a detective story before choosing a longer mystery | Check the library catalogue | Next | | Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen | Curious about the novel after seeing an adaptation | Ask whether a friend can lend it | Maybe | | Atomic Habits by James Clear | Explore ideas for making a reading routine | Read a sample before deciding | Sample first | These are filled-in examples, not a recommended reading order. Replace them with books that interest you and access details that are true for you. On a phone, you might find a short entry easier than a table: > **The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle** > Why: I'd like to try a detective story. > Next action: Check the library catalogue. > Status: Next. Add page counts, ratings or finish dates only if you'll use them. There's no benefit in maintaining six extra columns you never look at. ## How to choose what to read next When you finish a book, look at the few titles you marked earlier. Which one can you get now? Which one sounds appealing today? Suppose your shortlist has a mystery, a history book and a romance. You've just finished a demanding read and want something lighter this time. Open the romance's sample. If the voice makes you want to continue, you've probably found your next book. You can change your mind halfway down the list. Putting a title first doesn't mean you have to read it first. If none of your choices appeals, leave them alone for a while. Try a familiar author, revisit an old favourite or ask for a recommendation with a specific request: “Something funny, fairly short and easy to pick up after work.” ## Give the first book a realistic place in your week “I'll read more” is easy to agree with and surprisingly easy to forget. Choose a small opportunity you already have. Perhaps ten minutes after dinner, part of your lunch break or a little time before bed, if you're still awake enough to enjoy it. Get the book ready for that moment. Put it beside the chair you use, or have the ebook downloaded before your journey. Try the routine for a week before setting a big target. You might find that weekends suit you better, or that you like listening while doing simple household jobs. If you miss a few days, carry on from your bookmark. You don't need to double tomorrow's reading to make up for it. ## What if you keep avoiding a book? First, work out whether you're avoiding that particular book or simply haven't had time to read. If everything feels like too much during a busy week, leave your list alone. If you're happily reading other things but repeatedly putting one book down, it may be worth pausing it. For leisure reading, you can mark it “paused” or “stopped” and add a brief reason: > Interesting subject, but too detailed for what I need at the moment. You might come back to it. You might not. Required reading needs a different approach: keep the deadline visible and plan the assigned sections. If you're struggling to understand it, look for support rather than quietly moving it to “someday”. Whenever you finish, pause or stop a book, take a quick look at your list. Remove anything that no longer interests you, and mark another title if you need one. For now, choose one book you can get hold of and decide when you'll open it. You can add the rest when a recommendation actually makes you curious. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many books should I put on a reading list? There is no ideal number. Keep as many ideas as you like, but mark only a few that you would genuinely be happy to start next. ### Should I use a reading list app or a notebook? Use the place you already check. A phone note, notebook, spreadsheet, or book-tracking app can all work if it is easy for you to add and revisit titles. ### How can I keep my reading list from feeling overwhelming? Separate books you might read someday from a short next-up list, and remove titles that no longer interest you. Your list is a set of options, not a reading obligation. ### Is it okay to stop reading a book? For leisure reading, yes. You can pause or stop a book that is not working for you and note why; required reading may need a different plan or extra support. ## Sources and further reading - [New York Public Library book lists](https://www.nypl.org/collections/nypl-recommendations/lists?page=1)