Use a status that means something in your own log
A practical four-state system is Want to Read, Reading, Finished and Paused. Define them before counting books. Want to Read means you have not started; Reading means active; Finished means you reached your defined end; Paused means you are not actively continuing. A paused book can remain useful in your record even if you never resume it.
Write the reason in your own words: not the right topic now, library return, difficult format, or no longer interested. This is an organizational method we designed, not a clinically validated intervention or a universal rule about how many pages everyone should try.
Keep status separate from evaluation. If you stopped early, you can say “stopped after chapter two” without writing a whole-book verdict. You do not owe every paused book a rating or a return date. If it was assigned for school or work, check those requirements separately before deciding to stop.
Worked log: three unfinished books need different actions
These fictional books are placeholders, not real titles or recommendations. The log shows why one paused state needs a separate decision field.
| Book / format | Last known place | Status and reason | Next decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book A / paperback | Page 42 in this edition | Paused: topic not needed now | Keep note; no return planned |
| Book B / ebook | Chapter 3; page number not known | Paused: borrowed copy returned | Find same edition if returning |
| Book C / audiobook | 00:28:10 in this recording | Reading: listening in short sessions | Continue from recorded timestamp |
Book A is not marked Finished merely to tidy the dashboard. Book B’s missing page number stays unknown. Book C’s minutes are not converted into paper pages with an invented formula. Their records answer different questions, so the worksheet preserves format and location type.
If you return to Book B in another edition, find the chapter or a recognizable passage before recording a new page location. Keep the old edition’s location as historical. The International ISBN Agency explains that an ISBN identifies a specific title, edition and format; the same title alone does not establish that two copies have matching pagination.
Leave a small return note instead of reconstructing everything
A useful return note has three parts: where you stopped, one sentence in your own words about the current idea, and the question you would continue with. It need not reproduce copyrighted passages. For example: “Chapter 3 discusses the narrator’s decision; next I want to see how the friend responds.”
Do not record the book’s last page as the number of pages read if you skipped sections or started partway through. Keep an observed position and a session amount separate. If the reading amount is unknown, leave it unknown. A deadline or a library return is not proof of completion.
If distraction is the actual reason you paused, choose a small reading task and consider the linked guide on interrupting habitual app opening. That is an optional next step for phone distraction, not an explanation for every unfinished book. Format, interest, access and obligations can matter without any app-use problem.
Use ReadCue’s Paused status with an explicit note
ReadCue’s current US listing has Reading, Want to Read, Finished and Paused, plus page/minute logging and notes. It does not list a separate DNF or Abandoned status. Use Paused and a note such as “not continuing” if that matches your decision; do not assume an unsupported status exists.
It can create editable book drafts from text, a cover/book-stack photo or voice, including title, author, ISBN, categories, summary and confidence notes. Review the detected edition and metadata before saving. An AI draft is not proof that you read the book or that the extracted details are correct.
Premium includes unlimited AI capture, voice/photo add, advanced stats and recommendations. Check current free allowances in the installed app; the public listing does not fully enumerate them. Read the current capture privacy details before optional text, image or voice submission. The separate worksheet is not an automatic app import or a promise that historical dates are inferred correctly.
If the method fits your task, explore ReadCue’s listed features on an iPhone. Check current features and plans before downloading.
See ReadCue for iOSDownload the free worksheet
Use the CSV in Numbers, Excel or a spreadsheet editor. Three fictional records plus a blank row. Keep ISBN and timestamp fields as text when importing; no universal page-trial rule or inferred completion. Replace them with your own observations. The CSV is separate from the app and no email is required.
Questions answered
Should I delete every book I stop reading?
Keep it if the note helps your next decision. You can mark Paused and explain that you are not continuing without marking it Finished.
Can I carry a page number into another edition?
Verify it first. Record edition/format and use a chapter or recognizable passage to find your place.
Does ReadCue have a DNF status?
The current listing has Paused, not a separate DNF status. Use the available status with a clear personal note.
Continue with ReadCue on iOS
Use the App Store listing to check compatibility, privacy information and current plan terms. A free download may offer paid features.
Download ReadCue for iOSSources and product details
- International ISBN Agency: what an ISBN identifiesSpecific title, edition and format; checked October 14, 2026. Reading-status method is our original organizational worksheet.
- ReadCue on the App StoreCurrent US App Store product description; checked October 14, 2026.
Editorial method: primary guidance, a current Apple listing, an original worked example and an independent critique. No search ranking, install or outcome result is claimed.