A5 Reading Journal vs Dot Grid Notebook for Book Tracking
By Bullet Planners & Dot Grid Journals 160gsm pages | Paint Pens | Published: 2026-10-16
Category: Comparisons
A structured A5 reading journal wins for reviews, ratings, and quotes, while a dot grid notebook gives you a flexible reading log. Here's how to pick.
Quick Answer
Choose an A5 reading journal if you want built-in prompts that make you rate, review, and quote every book without designing a single page. Choose a dot grid notebook if you would rather build your own reading log and mix book tracking with planning, sketches, or scrapbook spreads. If you read mostly for pleasure and want a keepsake, the structured journal wins; if your reading notes change shape every month, the dot grid wins.
What Each Format Actually Asks of You
A reading journal supplies the structure: you fill in title, author, rating, and review prompts in a set order, so the only decision is what you thought of the book. A dot grid notebook supplies the surface: you decide how many pages a book gets, whether it gets a rating scale, a quote bank, or a single line in a running list.
That difference shows up in how long setup takes. A dedicated reading journal is ready the day it arrives. A dot grid notebook for book tracking needs a first session where you rule columns, draw rating stars, or map a spread before you can log anything. Neither is better in the abstract; they just front-load effort in different places.
How the A5 Size Changes Book Tracking
Both formats here are A5, so the a5 journal size comparison is less about footprint than about page count per book. A5 gives you room for a full review spread without turning the journal into something you leave at home. It also means a reading log built across many books fills up faster than a larger page would.
If you track 30 to 50 books a year, plan for that volume before you commit. A structured journal with one spread per book will run out sooner than a dot grid notebook where a book might get a quarter page. Check the page count of the specific notebook you are considering rather than assuming all A5 notebooks hold the same number of entries.
Mixing Reading Notes With Planning
The reading journal vs bullet journal question usually comes down to separation. A dedicated reading journal keeps your book thoughts in one place and your daily tasks in another, which makes the reading record easier to revisit and harder to lose among grocery lists.
A dot grid notebook lets both live together. That is convenient if you like one book to carry, and frustrating if you want to hand someone your reading log without also handing them your weekly schedule. Decide whether you value a clean archive or a single carry.
Paper and Pen Choices That Affect Your Log
A reading log is only useful if it survives your pen. The 160gsm dot grid pages on the Gentle Breeze and Chrysanthemum notebooks are described as a no-bleed surface suited to sketching, bullet journaling, and artistic spreads, which matters if you highlight quotes or decorate entries. The Dragon Spire reading journal uses the same 160gsm paper weight, so the difference between these options is structure, not paper thickness.
One honest limitation: the supplied catalog facts do not list page counts, index pages, or whether the reading journal includes a rating scale on every spread. If those details decide it for you, check the product page before buying rather than assuming a layout.
Trade-Offs to Weigh Before You Buy
- Structure vs. freedom: A reading journal gives you prompts and a repeatable order; a dot grid notebook gives you a blank grid and full control over every spread. Pick structure if you stall on blank pages; pick the grid if you redesign your log often.
- Time to first entry: The reading journal is usable immediately, while a dot grid notebook needs a setup session to rule columns, draw rating scales, or plan a spread. If you want to start logging tonight, the structured journal removes that step.
- Mixing reading with everything else: A dedicated reading journal keeps book notes separate and easy to revisit; a dot grid notebook lets reading notes share space with planning and sketches. Choose separation for a clean archive, or one book if you prefer a single carry.
- How fast the book fills: One spread per book uses pages quickly, while a flexible log can give each book a line, a quarter page, or a full spread as you prefer. Estimate your yearly book count and check the page count of the exact notebook before committing.
Two Options Compared
- A5 Reading Journal: Dragon Spire: The Dragon Spire Reading Journal is an A5 journal with a Rich Purple vegan leather cover, iridescent gold foil, and debossed detailing, made to track your books, thoughts, and favorites. It is the structured option: you get a purpose-built home for ratings, reviews, and favorite lines without designing pages yourself.
- Gentle Breeze: Dot Grid Notebook: Gentle Breeze is a dot grid notebook with a yellow ochre cotton cover and 160gsm dot grid pages described as a spacious, no-bleed surface for sketching, bullet journaling, and artistic spreads. It is the flexible option: you can build a reading log, add scrapbook-style spreads, or combine book tracking with planning in one book.
- Chrysanthemum Dot Grid Notebook: The Chrysanthemum Dot Grid Notebook has a rust-toned vegan leather cover with gold foil and 160gsm paper that holds up to pens and markers, with size and paper type options. If you want a dot grid with a more formal cover and a choice of size or paper type, this gives you configuration the other options do not.
Which Should You Choose?
Best for
- Readers who want a keepsake with ratings, reviews, and quotes in a set format
- People who stall on blank pages and prefer prompts over page design
- Anyone tracking a moderate number of books who wants zero setup time
Not for
- Readers who redesign their tracking layout every month and need a blank grid
- People who want reading notes, planning, and sketches in one notebook
- Heavy readers who log dozens of books a year and need each entry to take less space
