If you want a clean, no-fuss way to track your reading in Notion (TBR → Reading → Finished + notes + wrap-ups), NotionReads is the fastest way to get there.
Buddy reads are elite… until they aren’t.
One person reads ahead, someone forgets what chapter you’re on, and the whole vibe turns into: “wait… are spoilers allowed yet?”
A buddy read tracker in Notion fixes that by giving you one shared source of truth:
- what you’re reading
- what chapter you’re on
- when check-ins happen
- what you want to talk about
What your buddy read tracker should do (keep it simple)
Your system only needs three things:
- A plan (schedule + checkpoints)
- A place for notes (quick thoughts + quotes)
- A spoiler boundary (what’s safe to discuss right now)
Everything else is optional.
Step 1: Create a database called “Buddy Reads”
Create a database and add these properties:
- Book (Title)
- Author (Text)
- Buddy (Multi-select or People)
- Status (Select: Planned, Reading, Finished, Paused)
- Start date (Date)
- Finish goal (Date)
- Current checkpoint (Select: Ch 1–5, Ch 6–10, Part 1, Part 2… whatever fits the book)
- Spoilers allowed through (Text or Select: “Chapter 10”, “Part 2”, “50%”, etc.)
- Next check-in (Date)
- Meeting link (URL — optional)
Pro tip: If you only do one field for spoiler safety, make it Spoilers allowed through. It prevents 90% of awkward moments.
Step 2: Add a “Checkpoints” sub-table (optional but powerful)
If you want a cleaner pacing system, add a second database called Checkpoints and relate it to Buddy Reads.
Checkpoints properties:
- Checkpoint (Title: “Ch 1–5”)
- Due date (Date)
- Pages / chapters (Text)
- Discussion prompts (Text)
- Buddy Read (relation)
- Done (Checkbox)
Then, inside each Buddy Read page, you’ll see the checklist of checkpoints.
This is what makes the system feel like a plan, not just a list.
Step 3: Use a tiny discussion template (so check-ins don’t flop)
Add this to each checkpoint page:
- Best moment (1 sentence):
- Biggest question:
- Quote to remember:
- Prediction:
- Vibe check (1–5):
You’ll show up with something to say even if you read at midnight and forgot half of it.
Step 4: Views that make buddy reads effortless
Create 3 views in your Buddy Reads database:
- Active buddy reads
- Filter: Status = Reading
- Sort: Next check-in ascending
- Planned
- Filter: Status = Planned
- Sort: Start date ascending
- Finished
- Filter: Status = Finished
- Sort: Finish goal descending
If you’re in your “starting too many books” era, add a rule:
- Only 2 buddy reads can be “Reading” at once.
How to avoid spoilers (without being the fun police)
The cleanest rule is:
- You can only discuss up to the Spoilers allowed through checkpoint.
If someone reads ahead, they can still add notes—just tag them as Ahead (private) or store them in a section called “Later thoughts” at the bottom.
Make it part of your bigger Notion reading setup
A buddy read tracker gets even better when it’s inside a full reading hub (TBR, finished list, notes, wrap-ups).
Good companion posts:
- Book club tracker in Notion
- Reading journal prompts (Notion)
- Notion reading list template
- Book quotes tracker in Notion
CTA
Want the full system already built (reading list, buddy reads, notes, stats, wrap-ups) so you can stop rebuilding the same databases? Start here: https://www.notionreads.com