October is National Book Month, a celebration of books, authors, and the joy of reading. Whether that means visiting your local library, browsing an independent bookstore, or finally picking up a book that has been sitting on your shelf, it is the perfect time to make reading a priority.

It is also an ideal time to take stock of your reading goals as the year winds down. A growing to-be-read list, commonly known as a TBR list, can be exciting, but it can also make choosing your next book feel like another task. Organizing your list now can help you decide which books you still want to read and create a manageable plan for the final months of the year.

In honor of National Book Month, these practical tips can help you organize your TBR, choose books that match your interests, make progress on your year-end reading goals, and most importantly, enjoy the experience along the way.

Start by Taking Inventory of Your Reading List

Begin by gathering your reading list in one place. Include the books you own, titles saved on your phone, library holds, audiobook selections, and recommendations you have collected from friends or online.

Once you can see the full list, take a few minutes to sort it. You might organize books by:

  • Genre
  • Author
  • Subject
  • Format
  • Length
  • Priority
  • Where you found the recommendation

You may also discover titles that no longer interest you. Give yourself permission to remove them from your list or your shelves. If you own the book, consider donating it so another reader can discover it.

A to-be-read list should reflect what you are curious about now. It does not need to preserve every book recommendation you have ever received.

Choose Your Next Book Based on Your Current Interests

You do not have to read your TBR list in the order you created it. The right next book is often the one that fits your interests, schedule, or mood today.

Ask yourself what kind of reading experience you want.

Are you interested in exploring a particular historical period? Would you prefer a personal memoir, poetry, historical fiction, or a book about architecture and preservation? Do you want a longer book you can settle into or a title you can read in shorter sections?

Match the Book to the Reading Experience You Want

Those looking for personal accounts connected to military service might choose Lita & Jean: Memoirs of Two Generations of Military Women. Readers interested in poetry, communication, and endurance under captivity could explore Taps on the Walls: Poems from the Hanoi Hilton.

Readers looking for architectural history and design inspiration might choose, Frank Lloyd Wright’s $10,000 Home which explores the story, restoration, and lasting influence of one of Wright’s most personal residential designs.

Choosing according to your present interests can make your reading list feel inviting instead of overwhelming.

Set a Reading Goal You Can Maintain

Reading goals do not need to be based on completing a certain number of books.

You might decide to:

  • Read for 15 minutes at lunch
  • Complete one chapter each evening
  • Read ten pages before bed
  • Listen to an audiobook during your commute
  • Finish one book each month
  • Visit the library once every few weeks

A small, consistent routine is often easier to maintain than an ambitious annual goal.

Schedule Reading Time Like Any Other Appointment
Reading time can easily disappear when other responsibilities fill the day. Consider placing a short reading session on your calendar or connecting it to a routine you already follow.

You could read with your morning coffee, after dinner, while waiting during an appointment, or before turning on the television in the evening.

Even a few pages can keep you connected to a book and make it easier to return the next day.

Follow a Historical Timeline

A historical reading pathway can help you understand how one event leads into another. You might begin with a book about the period before a major conflict, continue with a title focused on the conflict itself, and then read about its aftermath. This approach can make complicated periods easier to follow and reveal how political ideas, alliances, and personal experiences developed over time.

Within the Master Wings catalog, reading  A Savage War of Empire: A Novel of the French & Indian War before No Small Thing: A Novel of the American Revolution creates a chronological path from the French and Indian War to the American Revolution.

The books can be read independently but reading them in historical order allows you to follow the changing loyalties, conflicts, and ideas that shaped early American history.

Pair Different Perspectives or Formats

You might also pair:

  • Historical fiction with nonfiction about the same period
  • A military memoir with poetry written by someone who served
  • A book about architecture with a visit to a historic property
  • An author interview with the author’s novel
  • A podcast episode with a related book or study guide

These combinations can deepen your understanding without requiring every book on your list to cover the same subject.

Make Reading a Shared Experience

Reading is often a quiet activity, but discussing a book can introduce ideas you might not have considered on your own.

Invite a friend or family member to read the same title. Bring a book to your regular book club, start a small discussion group, or share your thoughts with another reader.

Discussion questions can help a group move beyond whether members liked the book. They can encourage conversations about character decisions, historical context, recurring themes, research, and the author’s approach to storytelling.

Give Yourself Permission to Stop Reading a Book

Not every book will be right for every reader or every moment.

A title may have sounded interesting when you added it to your list, but your interests may have changed. You may also find that the writing style, pacing, or subject does not hold your attention.

Stopping does not mean you have failed. It gives you more time for the books you genuinely want to read.

You can always return to a title later.

Give Books You No Longer Need a New Home

As you organize your reading list, you may also find books on your shelves that you have already read or no longer plan to read. Instead of letting them collect dust, consider donating them so another reader can enjoy them.

Before donating, check each organization’s current guidelines. Some accept nearly every type of book, while others have specific needs based on the readers they serve.

Here are a few places to consider:

  • Books4Cause accepts books in readable condition, as well as CDs, DVDs, vinyl records and comics. Donations can be dropped off at its Avondale and Uptown bookstores, with a limit of 10 boxes per visit, or at its Lincolnwood warehouse. Donated items help support Books4Cause’s literacy programs and community initiatives.
  • Operation Paperback connects donated books with deployed U.S. troops, veterans and military families. Donors register as volunteer shippers and receive addresses based on the types of books recipients are requesting. Deployed troops receive paperbacks because of space limitations, while veterans and some VA hospitals can accept hardcover books as well.
  • Books For Africa accepts gently used books that meet its donation criteria, including children's books, relatively recent textbooks and selected reference, medical, nursing, technical and science books. Donations can be mailed or dropped off at its Minnesota and Georgia warehouses. Because the books are intended for African readers and schools, the organization has specific guidelines about which subjects and publication date it accepts.
  • Local libraries, schools, senior living communities, hospitals, shelters and nonprofit organizations may also welcome donated books. Because needs and policies vary considerably, contact the organization before bringing in a donation.

National Book Month is a great reminder that reading should be something you enjoy, not another task to complete. As the year winds down, take time to refresh your TBR list, make room for the books that interest you most, and find a reading routine that works for you. Whether you finish one book or several, every page is progress.