diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/components/modal.html b/bookwyrm/templates/components/modal.html
index 74dcadac..b29ff8d9 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/components/modal.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/components/modal.html
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {% load i18n %}
 <div
     role="dialog"
-    class="modal is-hidden"
+    class="modal {% if active %}is-active{% else %}is-hidden{% endif %}"
     id="{{ controls_text }}-{{ controls_uid }}"
     aria-labelledby="modal-card-title-{{ controls_text }}-{{ controls_uid }}"
     aria-modal="true"
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/reading_progress/start.html b/bookwyrm/templates/reading_progress/start.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c5d3f91b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/reading_progress/start.html
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{% extends 'layout.html' %}
+{% load i18n %}
+
+{% block title %}
+{% blocktrans trimmed with book_title=book.title %}
+Start "{{ book_title }}"
+{% endblocktrans %}
+{% endblock %}
+
+{% block content %}
+
+{% include "snippets/shelve_button/start_reading_modal.html" active=True %}
+
+{% endblock %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/finish_reading_modal.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/finish_reading_modal.html
index f32d28b7..0ed13ec7 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/finish_reading_modal.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/finish_reading_modal.html
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 
 {% block modal-form-open %}
-<form name="finish-reading" action="/finish-reading/{{ book.id }}" method="post">
+<form name="finish-reading" action="{% url 'finish-reading' book.id %}" method="post">
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block modal-body %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/start_reading_modal.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/start_reading_modal.html
index a3aea2d5..628841cc 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/start_reading_modal.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/start_reading_modal.html
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@
 {% load i18n %}
 
 {% block modal-title %}
-{% blocktrans with book_title=book.title %}Start "<em>{{ book_title }}</em>"{% endblocktrans %}
+{% blocktrans trimmed with book_title=book.title %}
+Start "<em>{{ book_title }}</em>"
+{% endblocktrans %}
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block modal-form-open %}
-<form name="start-reading" action="/start-reading/{{ book.id }}" method="post">
+<form name="start-reading" action="{% url 'start-reading' book.id %}" method="post">
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block modal-body %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/want_to_read_modal.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/want_to_read_modal.html
index d7c37897..21209e0a 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/want_to_read_modal.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/shelve_button/want_to_read_modal.html
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block modal-form-open %}
-<form name="shelve" action="/shelve/" method="post">
+<form name="shelve" action="{% url 'to-read' book.id %}" method="post">
     {% csrf_token %}
     <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ active_shelf.book.id }}">
     <input type="hidden" name="shelf" value="to-read">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index cca9396f..3b7fc3c1 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ urlpatterns = [
     re_path(
         r"^list/(?P<list_id>\d+)/curate/?$", views.Curate.as_view(), name="list-curate"
     ),
-    # Uyser books
+    # User books
     re_path(r"%s/books/?$" % user_path, views.Shelf.as_view(), name="user-shelves"),
     re_path(
         r"^%s/(helf|books)/(?P<shelf_identifier>[\w-]+)(.json)?/?$" % user_path,
@@ -315,8 +315,10 @@ urlpatterns = [
     re_path(r"^delete-readthrough/?$", views.delete_readthrough),
     re_path(r"^create-readthrough/?$", views.create_readthrough),
     re_path(r"^delete-progressupdate/?$", views.delete_progressupdate),
-    re_path(r"^start-reading/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?$", views.start_reading),
-    re_path(r"^finish-reading/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?$", views.finish_reading),
+    # shelve actions
+    re_path(r"^to-read/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?$", views.WantToRead.as_view(), name="to-read"),
+    re_path(r"^start-reading/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?$", views.StartReading.as_view(), name="start-reading"),
+    re_path(r"^finish-reading/(?P<book_id>\d+)/?$", views.FinishReading.as_view(), name="finish-reading"),
     # following
     re_path(r"^follow/?$", views.follow, name="follow"),
     re_path(r"^unfollow/?$", views.unfollow, name="unfollow"),
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py b/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
index 9ed4e4bd..43743b1c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from .list import Lists, List, Curate, UserLists
 from .notifications import Notifications
 from .outbox import Outbox
 from .reading import edit_readthrough, create_readthrough, delete_readthrough
-from .reading import StartReading, FinishReading, delete_progressupdate
+from .reading import WantToRead, StartReading, FinishReading, delete_progressupdate
 from .reports import Report, Reports, make_report, resolve_report, suspend_user
 from .rss_feed import RssFeed
 from .password import PasswordResetRequest, PasswordReset, ChangePassword
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/reading.py b/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
index 067336cd..7c7fd4b0 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/reading.py
@@ -16,6 +16,45 @@ from .helpers import get_edition, handle_reading_status
 from .shelf import handle_unshelve
 
 
+@method_decorator(login_required, name="dispatch")
+# pylint: disable=no-self-use
+class WantToRead(View):
+    """consider reading a book"""
+
+    def post(self, request, book_id):
+        """desire a book"""
+        book = get_edition(book_id)
+        desired_shelf = models.Shelf.objects.filter(
+            identifier=models.Shelf.TO_READ, user=request.user
+        ).first()
+
+        current_status_shelfbook = (
+            models.ShelfBook.objects.select_related("shelf")
+            .filter(
+                shelf__identifier__in=models.Shelf.READ_STATUS_IDENTIFIERS,
+                user=request.user,
+                book=book,
+            )
+            .first()
+        )
+        if current_status_shelfbook is not None:
+            if current_status_shelfbook.shelf.identifier != models.Shelf.READING:
+                handle_unshelve(book, current_status_shelfbook.shelf)
+            else:  # It already was on the shelf
+                return redirect(request.headers.get("Referer", "/"))
+
+        models.ShelfBook.objects.create(
+            book=book, shelf=desired_shelf, user=request.user
+        )
+
+        # post about it (if you want)
+        if request.POST.get("post-status"):
+            privacy = request.POST.get("privacy")
+            handle_reading_status(request.user, desired_shelf, book, privacy)
+
+        return redirect(request.headers.get("Referer", "/"))
+
+
 @method_decorator(login_required, name="dispatch")
 # pylint: disable=no-self-use
 class StartReading(View):
@@ -24,7 +63,7 @@ class StartReading(View):
     def post(self, request, book_id):
         """begin reading a book"""
         book = get_edition(book_id)
-        reading_shelf = models.Shelf.objects.filter(
+        desired_shelf = models.Shelf.objects.filter(
             identifier=models.Shelf.READING, user=request.user
         ).first()
 
@@ -52,13 +91,13 @@ class StartReading(View):
                 return redirect(request.headers.get("Referer", "/"))
 
         models.ShelfBook.objects.create(
-            book=book, shelf=reading_shelf, user=request.user
+            book=book, shelf=desired_shelf, user=request.user
         )
 
         # post about it (if you want)
         if request.POST.get("post-status"):
             privacy = request.POST.get("privacy")
-            handle_reading_status(request.user, reading_shelf, book, privacy)
+            handle_reading_status(request.user, desired_shelf, book, privacy)
 
         return redirect(request.headers.get("Referer", "/"))
 
@@ -71,7 +110,7 @@ class FinishReading(View):
     def post(self, request, book_id):
         """a user completed a book, yay"""
         book = get_edition(book_id)
-        finished_read_shelf = models.Shelf.objects.filter(
+        desired_shelf = models.Shelf.objects.filter(
             identifier=models.Shelf.READ_FINISHED, user=request.user
         ).first()
 
@@ -96,13 +135,13 @@ class FinishReading(View):
                 return redirect(request.headers.get("Referer", "/"))
 
         models.ShelfBook.objects.create(
-            book=book, shelf=finished_read_shelf, user=request.user
+            book=book, shelf=desired_shelf, user=request.user
         )
 
         # post about it (if you want)
         if request.POST.get("post-status"):
             privacy = request.POST.get("privacy")
-            handle_reading_status(request.user, finished_read_shelf, book, privacy)
+            handle_reading_status(request.user, desired_shelf, book, privacy)
 
         return redirect(request.headers.get("Referer", "/"))
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/shelf.py b/bookwyrm/views/shelf.py
index 4c6f94a2..b16f3741 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/shelf.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/shelf.py
@@ -178,11 +178,6 @@ def shelve(request):
         models.ShelfBook.objects.create(
             book=book, shelf=desired_shelf, user=request.user
         )
-        if desired_shelf.identifier == models.Shelf.TO_READ and request.POST.get(
-            "post-status"
-        ):
-            privacy = request.POST.get("privacy") or desired_shelf.privacy
-            handle_reading_status(request.user, desired_shelf, book, privacy=privacy)
     else:
         try:
             models.ShelfBook.objects.create(