Want your Notion reading life to feel more fun (and less like a spreadsheet)? Start with a tracker you actually enjoy using: https://www.notionreads.com.
A TBR jar is the low-stakes solution to decision fatigue: instead of staring at 80 books wondering what to read next, you let the jar decide.
Here’s how to build a digital TBR Jar in Notion—with random picks, mood filters, and prompts that feel very BookTok.
Step 1: Create your TBR database
Create a database called TBR Jar with these properties:
- Book (title)
- Author (text)
- Format (select): Kindle, Audio, Paperback
- Mood (multi-select): cozy, dramatic, fast-paced, dark, romantic
- Length (select): novella, short, medium, long
- Genre (multi-select)
- Owned / Library / KU (select)
- Priority (select): anytime, soon, urgent
- Added (date)
If you already have a reading database, you can also keep one master Library and just add a “TBR jar eligible” checkbox.
Related reads on NotionReads:
Step 2: Make a “Random Pick” view
Notion doesn’t have a true random function built in, but you can get close.
Option A (simple):
- Add a Number property called
Random. - Whenever you want a pick, fill 10–20 rows with a quick random number (1–100).
- Sort by
Randomdescending and pick the top result.
Option B (prompt-based): Make a view called Pick for my mood and filter:
- Mood contains “cozy”
- Length is “short”
- Priority is “soon”
Then pick the first one that makes you excited.
Step 3: Add “Jar prompts” (the secret sauce)
Create a multi-select property called Prompt and add options like:
- A book you own but haven’t read
- A debut author
- Under 300 pages
- A cover buy
- A book you’ve been avoiding
- Something outside your usual genre
Now when you add a book, assign 1–2 prompts. When you want a pick, choose a prompt first.
Step 4: Turn picks into a mini ritual
Add a template to each TBR entry:
- Why I added this:
- The vibe I’m hoping for:
- When I want to read it:
This makes the jar feel like future you left you a note.
Step 5: Connect it to your actual reading tracker
Once you pick a book, you want it to flow into your main reading system:
- Move it to Reading
- Track start/finish dates
- Capture rating + notes
If you want the smoothest version of that workflow, keep your library + tracker in one place and build your jar view on top of it. NotionReads is designed for exactly that.
If you’re migrating from Goodreads, this is a helpful next step:
Bonus: a “Seasonal jar” idea
Create a view filtered by:
- Added is within the last 90 days
- Mood contains “cozy”
That becomes your fall/winter jar automatically.
When you’re ready to make your tracking system feel effortless (not like homework), here’s the link again: https://www.notionreads.com.