diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/book.html b/bookwyrm/templates/book.html
index 17e7963c..35c8dd5f 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/book.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/book.html
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@
                         <form name="add-readthrough" action="/create-readthrough" method="post">
                             {% include 'snippets/readthrough_form.html' with readthrough=None %}
                             <div class="field is-grouped">
-                                <button class="button is-primary" type="submit">Save</button>
+                                <button class="button is-primary" type="submit">Create</button>
                                 <label class="button" for="hide-create-readthrough" role="button" tabindex="0">Cancel</label>
                             </div>
                         </form>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/readthrough_form.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/readthrough_form.html
index 6dec8682..aefb4ab5 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/readthrough_form.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/readthrough_form.html
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 {% csrf_token %}
 <input type="hidden" name="id" value="{{ readthrough.id }}">
+<input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.id }}">
 <div class="field">
     <label class="label">
         Started reading
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index b6b1c8f1..3abcac11 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ urlpatterns = [
     re_path(r'^switch-edition/?$', actions.switch_edition),
     re_path(r'^edit-readthrough/?$', actions.edit_readthrough),
     re_path(r'^delete-readthrough/?$', actions.delete_readthrough),
+    re_path(r'^create-readthrough/?$', actions.create_readthrough),
 
     re_path(r'^rate/?$', actions.rate),
     re_path(r'^review/?$', actions.review),
diff --git a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
index 16f53702..d5fc1b76 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
@@ -522,6 +522,18 @@ def delete_readthrough(request):
     return redirect(request.headers.get('Referer', '/'))
 
 
+@login_required
+@require_POST
+def create_readthrough(request):
+    ''' can't use the form because the dates are too finnicky '''
+    book = get_object_or_404(models.Edition, id=request.POST.get('book'))
+    readthrough = update_readthrough(request, create=True, book=book)
+    if not readthrough:
+        return redirect(book.local_path)
+    readthrough.save()
+    return redirect(request.headers.get('Referer', '/'))
+
+
 @login_required
 @require_POST
 def rate(request):
@@ -837,4 +849,7 @@ def update_readthrough(request, book=None, create=True):
         except ParserError:
             pass
 
+    if not readthrough.start_date and not readthrough.finish_date:
+        return None
+
     return readthrough