Reading Journal Spreads For Every Aesthetic: 7+ Vibes To Try
Reading journal spreads have taken over my Pinterest feed lately, and not just one style — dreamy romantasy pages next to moody gothic ones next to loud, doodle-covered spreads that could be mine.
That’s when it really clarifies to me: there isn’t one “right” reading journal aesthetic. There’s a version of this hobby for every mood, every color palette, every kind of reader.
I’ve been journaling since 2018, and my own reading pages have gone through more phases than I can count. So instead of picking one vibe to show you, I’m sharing seven — including the messy, colorful one that’s actually mine.
There are so many different styles to explore, and I totally understand wanting to change things up and try new supplies and aesthetics.
In fact, it can be fun to even change the style of your pages based on the books you read at the moment!
Either way, here are a few examples of my own reading pages and a few different styles I tried, so you have more options.
I also included layouts from other talented creators, each with their own style and unique approach to creating reading journal pages.
For convenience, I divided these by style, and I hope you’ll agree with how I assigned each page. If not, let me know in the comments!
Oh, and of course, be sure to scroll until the end to get several FREE printables for your reading journal that you can print out and start using right away!
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Colorful & Maximalist Reading Journal Spreads
If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know exactly where I stand: the more color, the better. My reading journal spreads are usually a burst of color and doodles.
There’s no rule about matching a palette or sticking to one theme — just doodles wherever there’s blank space and colors that make me happy to look at. And this is what I went for in this category: pages that are extra, just for fun.
Bookshelf Book Tracker
Let’s start with probably my most well-known reading journal page: a bookshelf tracker. This layout is perfect for adding books to read or books I’ve read.
As you can see, I approached it in a more decorative way – instead of having more empty books to add the titles, I used more doodles and a few books to write a little quote.
And if you wonder, all the colors here are from my favorite Zebra Mildliners.
Books Tracker Page
This looks pretty simple- a black-and-white page with some colorful book covers. But don’t be misled.
First, the header here is so terribly neat and detailed; that probably took a long time. I absolutely admire how clean and neat the lines are – my shaky hands could never. (If you wonder, this creator used Tombow Mono pens for all these letters.)
And the second reason this is on this list is the book covers. Did you notice they are hand-drawn? So much detail, so much detailed work – it’s incredible!
Reading Tracker
Here is my reading tracker. The goal was to help me build my reading habit, so I read consistently for 40 days.
The tracker is simple, but I went a bit extra with the doodles at the bottom. I added a photo of my egg chair (still my favorite chair for reading) and a few more reading-style doodles.
Reading Journal Cover
I have been showing you maximalist and colorful pages that were created with the help of lettering or drawing, but there are other ways, and this is an example of this style.
Add some stickers, washi tapes, cutouts – any kind of stationery you have lying around can work well together in a bright and colorful collage style.
My Bookshelf Page
The last layout in this aesthetics category focuses on adding more books and more details.
This creator has two pages filled with books, plus incredible, detailed, elaborate drawings that create a cozy reading library on their journal page.
Fantasy Journal Spreads
This is less about dragons and battle scenes and more about the swoony side of fantasy — the kind of spread that belongs to whoever’s been living inside a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arc for the past three books.
Think blush and berry tones instead of black and gold, soft florals instead of armor, wax seals that look more like a love letter than a royal decree. Dreamy, a little dramatic, thoroughly romantic.
Book Review Page
This layout screams romance, with beautiful pastel rose tones and cute, dreamy girls on the pages. It looks like a Disney princess’s diary.
And in case you wonder, the creator mentioned the washi tapes are from The Notebook Therapy, and if you want any of their items, you can use my code MASHAPLANS for 10% OFF.
Books I’ve Read
Here is another dreamy romantic layout; I think the effect comes from the colors chosen and the beautiful little florals.
This creator also uses another little trick I definitely recommend for any reading pages: adding little pieces of books as decorative elements.
Rating System Page
This, I think, is another side of romantasy style – a darker and more medieval style with a more muted color palette.
I love this aesthetic, and I think using this shade of brown palette really makes it look vintage, almost like this was written on parchment, not really a 160 GSM white journal paper.
Romantasy Book Review
Here is another romantasy-style layout, and this creator also went for a darker, more shades-of-blue color scheme. It also seems like they chose the decoration based on the book cover, which is pretty fun!
I think especially those arches and old-style church arches are specifically creating this long-ago kind of fantasy feel for the whole world of the book in question.
Gothic Reading Journal Spread Ideas
Where romantasy leans dreamy, gothic goes straight for drama. Black or deep burgundy backgrounds, silver gel pen lettering, cobwebs and candles doodled into the margins — this is the aesthetic for anyone who wants their reading journal to look like it belongs in an old cathedral, not a cozy reading nook.
I already have so many books in mind that would fit this aesthetic so well! These are all dark gothic novels, and how well would these book reviews look in this style! Here are some inspirations.
October Reads
This layout has all the classic elements of gothic style – a woman in a long gown and a crown, a big stained glass window, and a whole bookshelf in the shape of a gothic cathedral.
It is a very fitting style for October, and I can even tell from the covers that many of the books were in a similar mood.
Red Ink Book Review
This layout is incredible, and it’s a very fun idea to try out using a different ink color for your layouts – it really created a unique effect, especially perfect for the gothic style.
Together with the rose, woman in black, and a sword, this gives spooky gothic vibes you’ll definitely want to add to your journal.
Gothic Fantasy Book Review
This is a gothic fantasy novel, so it makes sense that this creator would gravitate toward a similar design for the review page to match the book’s style.
I think the combination of the decorative elements, the frame, and the beautiful handwriting makes it look like a gothic-style letter from back in the day.
Reading Challenge Spread
The creator called this style gothix, and I couldn’t agree more. The black lace of the woman’s dress, the dark butterflies, and a skull on top of the books really complete the picture.
I think the creator also used stamps for the numbers, and the style fits the whole vibe really well.
Dracula Book Review
What can be more gothic than the Dracula book? For me, this is basically the genre staple in pretty much all types of media.
This creator went insane and created an amazing gothic layout mixing Halloween-style doodles and drops of blood. Another amazing effect here is the beautiful contrast you get from the white paper, black lines, and the red of blood.
Gothic Fairytale Style Review Page
Last but not least in this category is this layout, which the creator described as a gothic fairytale, and I absolutely agree.
Oh, and the creator used a gold pen on top of black paper elements to create the title and rating. I’m not sure exactly what they used, but I definitely recommend you use the gold Sakura Gelly Roll – this is my favorite ever gel pen, and it works perfectly on the black background.
Dark Academia Reading Journal Aesthetic
I’ll be honest, this one’s never quite clicked for me personally — I tried it once, and it felt out of place next to my usual colorful chaos. Or, if I’m being very honest, I just couldn’t make it look good in my journal.
But dark academia is genuinely one of the most searched journaling aesthetics out there, and it’s easy to see the appeal: deep greens and browns, candlelit color palettes, vintage book doodles, and a whole lot of moody elegance.
Monthly Reads Page
This layout generally looks incredible, and I love that this is for reads for October-December; I think dark academia is a perfect style for this time of year.
This is also a clever idea for decorating your page – print out a stylish image to set the right mood, and then build a layout around it with all the other supplies.
Reading Journal Cover Page
This is a beautiful example of a dark academia style – there is a library, a girl reading, books and writing utensils, and the general color scheme of this aesthetic.
I also like the idea of this creator calling the notebook “the library”, considering that this is their journal where they catalog all their books.
Series Tracker Page
This page doesn’t have too many decorations, but the ones that do really hit the point, with the stickers and washi tape creating the feeling you’re in an old university library.
I also really love the lettering the creator did for the header; this style looks incredible, and I bet this took a lot of time to draw.
Poetcore Reading Journal Spreads
If fantasy is dramatic and dark academia is moody, poetcore is the quiet, candlelit cousin of both. Think a TBR list that looks like it belongs in an antique library catalog, pressed flowers tucked next to a favorite quote, fountain-pen lettering trailing across a cream-and-olive page.
It’s the aesthetic for anyone who wants their reading journal to feel like a page torn from a 19th-century poet’s notebook — soft, romantic, a little melancholy in the best way.
Bookshelf Page
The soft brown tones of this layout really calm you down, and the nature doodles add a bit of romanticism. For me, poetcore is exactly the vibe this layout gives off.
Also, how incredible is it that this creator drew all the elements on these two pages themselves? So much work, and it absolutely paid off!
Reading Journal Layout
I’ll be honest: it is hard to draw a hard line between a lot of these styles, so you might not agree with me, but I think this is also a poetcore-style layout.
I love the soft brown colors, the cozy feeling of the layouts, and how the creator used book pages to decorate it.
Journal Cover Page
I think this layout is close to dark academia, but the colors are much sunnier and lighter, so poetcore feels like a better fit.
I love how this creator used all the stickers, and even the color dots, to create a specific aesthetic feeling on the page.
I also noticed that quite a lot of creators on this list are using Tiefossi journals; they seem to be very popular in the reading journal community. If you want to try it, use my code MASHA10 for 10% OFF.
Book Journal Page
Let’s finish the poetcor section with this cute little layout, which I think is a review of a few different books.
I think the mix of kraft paper and the beautiful and stylish handwriting really makes it look like a page in a poet’s notebook.
Also, did you notice how the creator changed the color scheme on each page to match the book cover? What a fun way to add customization to your review pages!
Cottagecore Book Journal Aesthetics
Cottagecore is the softest aesthetic on this list, and probably the coziest. Pressed flowers, mushrooms, terracotta and sage color palettes, watercolor washes that look like they belong in a storybook — it’s less about making a statement and more about making your reading journal feel like a warm cup of tea.
Book Review Page
This is a perfect layout to show you what I mean when I say cottagecore – garden, pastels, and tea. This layout has it all!
One effect I want you to note is the two areas that look like a window with book pages outside it. I find that it is such a creative way to incorporate book pages into your layout.
August Monthly Reads
Pink and green are such beautiful colors together, and I think this is an incredible color combination for the cottagecore aesthetic. Together with flowers and the garden motif, that really makes this layout stand out.
Using sticker sets is actually a great shortcut for quickly recreating a specific aesthetic. I couldn’t find exactly what this creator used, but I found this adorable set of cottagecore stickers you’ll love just as much!
Garden Style Book Review Page
The garden aesthetic is in the word “cottagecore,” so I think this is a perfect fit here, but unlike the previous examples, this layout explores a brighter color palette, and I think it looks great!
Also, can we take a moment to admire how this creator recreated artwork from these books on their pages? Isn’t it absolutely stunning!
Bookshop TBR Tracker
I wanted to share this tracker, but I didn’t know where to put it on this list. Since it has soft pastel colors, I thought it could fit in the cottagecore category.
I wanted to create a bookshelf-style tracker with a different flavor, so I made it look like a display case in a cozy little bookstore.
Of course, for the colors I used Tombow Dual Brush Pastel pens, which were the first ones I got back in 2018 and are still my favorites.
Cute Journal Ideas For Your Reading
Kawaii aesthetic is, well, super cute! And I think it absolutely deserves a special mention on this list.
Think rounded lettering, chibi-style doodles, a sticker on every corner, and a palette that leans more pastel-bright than bold. It’s playful without needing a whole theme behind it, which is probably why it’s one of the most searched journal aesthetics out there.
Yearly Reading Goals Page
Add some cute postcards and stickers, choose cute pastel colors, and you’ve got yourself the most adorable layout.
Another thing I love this creator using: the white-on-black effect. I started using it myself to fix my mistakes, and eventually it became my favorite technique for headers. I would recommend using Sakura Gelly Roll as a white gel pen to write on top of black.
Book Review Layout
This is adorable and so gentle. The combination of washi tape and beautiful stickers is an absolutely perfect match!
I fell in love with these designs so I actually found a creator who designed it and I can’t recommend their shop enough – it is beautiufl and full of magical stickers and other supplies.
Year In Books Layout
Here is another different type of a cute page you could create. The key here is to add small elements, be it tiny doodles or tiny stickers. This is probably my favorite way to add cuteness to my personal layouts.
Minimalist Bullet Journal Spreads For Readers
And then there’s the total opposite of where we started: minimalist. One accent color, clean lines, plenty of white space, and just the information you actually need — title, rating, maybe a one-line thought.
This is the last on the list, but it’s not the least – there is so much beauty in minimalism and creating stunning pages in just one pen.
This style is also great for anyone who wants a quick way to record their books.
Reading List Page
The real decoration of this layout is the handwriting; even without the floral illustration, it would look incredible.
And speaking of florals, they are actually not as hard to draw as you think. If you ned any help, I’d recommend this book on drawing flowers; it’s been a staple in my drawing journey.
Series Tracker
Thsi is a very detailed layout, but is actually pretty minimalist and easy once you look a bit closer. And like many minimalist pages, I think the true hero here is the handwriting and lettering style the creator chose for the header.
Minimalist Book Review Page
Simple book review page, and the creator added a bit extra by adding the cover. But they still went for the minimalist look there as well.
I love how much information is included on this page, and again, I am absolutely in love with this creator’s handwriting. I tried to research, and I think these worksheets are the closest to matching a similar handwriting style.
Current Reading List
Last on this list is this beautifully simple layout. In the end, joruanling doens’t have to be difficult or have overly elaborate designs.
All you really need is create a header and start writing, and this is exactly what this creator did.
Free Reading Journal Printables
As I mentioned at the beginning, I already created several FREE printable reading journal pages that you can print and start using right away. Printables are the easiest way to try new pages and designs and figure out what works best for you.
You can already find them all in the Resources Vault.
If you don’t have access yet, you can always sign up in the form below.
Once you confirm your subscription, you’ll get the password to get 50+ free Bullet Journal printables, stickers, and worksheets to use right away.
If you’ve never used printables before, be sure to check my post How To Use Printables In Your Bullet Journal.
It’s pretty basic, and you can find all the supplies you need in my post Supplies For Using Bullet Journal Printables.
More Resources
Are you looking for more ideas for your reading journal or just inspiration for different aesthetics? I’ve gathered so much more on this blog.
Check out these posts next:
- Book Journal For Beginners: How To Start Your Reading Journal
- 11+ Book Bullet Journal Page Ideas for Tracking, Reviewing & Planning Your Reading
- Poetcore Aesthetic Journal Inspirations
>>> What kind of aestehtics do you enjoy in your reading journal? Share with us in the comments!
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And remember: Keep Journaling, and Don’t Be A Blob!
