Is Notebook Therapy's reading journal worth your money? 📚

[@sharonlovesbooks]

Erin, PLEASE make a reading journal that we can all buy. I think you would be the perfect person to make one.

[@ErinSmith]

Eep 😅 I'd love that but WOW what an undertaking!

[@sharonlovesbooks]

@@ErinSmith I know but it would be so good because you know what readers want in a reading journal.

[@melaniehoskin.author]

I went for the Quirky Cup Collective one instead. Liked it better

[@JashiiCorrin]

Love the idea of rating the book journal with the different criteria! 💜 Thanks for showing us the goods 😄

[@ErinSmith]

Giving this comment 5 stars too ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@aileenfernandez7848]

🥰

[@steppy3736]

I think this would be very good for a person's very first reading journal. I know I probably would have started mine first.

[@marcedesb5806]

I’ve always wanted to start a reading journal but never seem to actually start it😅 now I don’t have excuse not to. 😊

[@natashajohnson5776]

The Library Card section isn't just for physical books. I don't remember the last time I checked out a physical book from my local library (which, btw, I live next door to). But I regularly check out both ebooks and audiobooks. Thank goodness for the Libby app.

[@atlladyleo1]

Its for when YOU loan out books to others

[@natashajohnson5776]

@@atlladyleo1 Ah!! That makes so much more sense.😅

[@selbarton]

Hoopla is fabulous too. I find a lot of books there that my library doesn't have in libby.

[@cate5029]

This reading journal has some fantastic ideas!! It would be very useful for someone who did not want to spend time decorating a journal or needs some structure. Some of the spacing made me think it was intended for a younger reader.

[@ggi426]

I fully get what you mean about the font! This looks like a good option for casual readers but as someone with Strong Opinions about every book I read it doesn’t seem flexible enough 😅 Plus, I was unboxing some new journal supplies that were just delivered as I was watching this and remembered all the reasons I like to DIY my journals 😂

[@ChantelleArts]

oh wow I didn't realise it was so full inside! that's actually pretty cool 🥰

[@lanak7038]

It’s pretty great for people who are too busy to decorate their own journal

[@elizabethboeye9028]

Erin - I am in agreement regarding butterflies. Yes, butterflies are beautiful but I definitely think that in the world of journaling, scrapbooking, junk journaling, whatever your preferred craft is, butterflies are an overused theme. Thank you for this review. I actually ordered this myself as well but have not yet received. So far, I like all the different ways in which you can rate and track your reads. :)

[@shanyavirasinghe8591]

Don’t have a reading journal but quite enjoy watching RD setups. This is interesting but I’m not sure if it’s convinced me to start. Totally agree with you about the font not matching the vibe of the book.

[@cvvzdesigns]

I'm similar. 😅 But I'm going to set up a media journal for next year. There's so much in reading journals I just don't connect with, but I also love watching setups. 😂

[@Karen_Tries]

Ahh I’ve been waiting for a review on this one!!! 😅😊

[@littlemissneverseen]

I was curious to see if people were really liking it. Thank you for making this video!

[@SusanYeske701]

I'd rate it about 3 stars I think. I agree the sans serif font is a bit jarring. I use the reading planner from OwlCrate and have for several years. This one seems a bit scattered. Definitely not for me, though the cover is very pretty and it's nice they use such thick paper, I know a lot of cheaper journals that don't even use 100 gsm. I made a year tracker for pages read per day. Great vid, thanks for the review!

[@KellyAK]

Thanks for the review! It's confirmed that it wouldn't suit me, but I've never really seen one that would. I read a lot and track a lot of extra stats and I would feel constricted by the layouts here. I think it would be great for someone who doesn't want to spend a lot of time on set ups though. I just personally love the flexibility of being able to completely customise my own.

[@Just_Bevie]

Since I'm a newbie reading journal gal, this is good to figure out what works and what doesn't for your personal tastes. I'm not a stats girl or a book bracket, but it could be great for those who do like that sort of things. I do like the layout, but I would organize parts better

[@TheConsultingReader]

Usually I‘m drinking my coffee while watching your videos but this one had me so ensnared I totally forgot 😄 I‘m definitely a DIY reading journal person, I just love having the space for all my creativity and thoughts. But I would’ve absolutely loved this journal as a younger teenager. (Also back then the butterfly theme would’ve been so on point during the Y2K era).

[@VioletPhoenix922]

I appreciate how thorough you were in reviewing the journal, not only showing the pages but also filling in several of the spreads as though you had been using it, which uncovered some issues or little irritations that might not have been obvious otherwise! Not having rough room to write a title or author name, especially with my big handwriting, would drive me crazy, for example. Thanks for going the extra step there and giving us that additional information.

[@CityGirlWriter]

Thanks for providing a review! I was curious on the functionality and interior design but loved the exterior design. However, I don't think this journal would be worth it for myself. I will stick to my DIY reading bujo instead. Also, A5 is too small for the amount of books I read in a year and doesn't leave much room for decoration; I need a B5 or Square notebook.

[@Englandforever555]

£42.00 is bit too much for me. It is nice though and if it was cheaper I probably would be tempted.

[@melaniehoskin.author]

I was going to get it but then found the Quirky Cup Collective one worked out cheaper and was nicer

[@kurosven]

As an American, I wish we used the u, looks so elegant. I think it's worth the price tag because you get so many blank pages and it's their great quality paper.

[@SusanYeske701]

I like writing the u in words and I'm American. Half the time or more I spell it favourite. Also parlour, labour. It just looks better in my opinion. So it might bother some Americans, but definitely not all of us.

[@xvxv711]

I’ve started my first journal and I’m excited

[@AkairoAoihonoSama]

With all the experience that you have on reading journaling, I think you're the perfect commentator for this kind of products, btw, I'm not sold on that font either And as a bottom line, warm colors look so good on you, that nail polish was an amazing choice!

[@ErinSmith]

Oh thank you! I really enjoyed the process of testing this one out, I was worried I might be a little too opinionated since I definitely have "my way" to reading journal on lock! I do apply a bit of a warm colour grade to my videos so that might be why the gold is working for me - I'm definitely a cool toned girlie IRL, but I wanted the gold to match my October theme - coming tomorrow!

[@helenorvana]

I don't necessarily love the emphasis on pictures in a reading journal? This feels unfortunately very aesthetic as opposed to functional, for my own purposes. Also don't love the fact it's an A5 - feels too small

[@ErinSmith]

My guess is they're trying to give journal users a chance to add some of the "mixed media" element - stickers and washi tapes or drawings etc. I approached it from the book covers perspective because that's what I do in my own journal, and I guess lots of others might do the same, but I get what you're saying - it could be much more approachable without those implied book cover spaces!

[@mararabb1]

I like it, but I'm terrible about keeping up with journals that I have to design and fuss with. With this being fill-in format, I might do better at keeping up with it. The font doesn't bother me, it makes me think of a typewriter font. I've got to get a job (fingers crossed that's soon) but I suspect it will be in my mailbox once I do. My daughter has already said she wants one for Christmas.

[@cmeri29]

Thank you for this! I've been curious about what the inside of this journal looks like since its launch. Definitely confirms that I would prefer to make my own reading journal but I also liked seeing how you adapted the things that didn't work for you. Good inspo for the future! 💜

[@bayleeallen6102]

Can you do this for the Quirky Cup Collective reading journal too?

[@ErinSmith]

Possibly, when the purchase-for-channel budget allows! I'll have to buy theirs to test it out, I was lucky to receive this one from the brand 😅

[@VeganOrganizer]

I agree with you about the velvet. I have a few velvet NT journals and I love them, but the texture feels much more closely trimmed than what I think of as velvet.

[@selbarton]

I would probably use the book log as my series in progress tracking. I list all the books in the series, check off the ones read and date completed. I also mark which books I have or if the book has been released for series still being published. That way I always know where I left off and what I can proceed with.

[@Autumnichi]

Thank you, I was wondering about this one. Looks good for beginners or anyone procrastinating on creating a reading journal. The aesthetic isn’t for me personally- I’m jarred by the disconnected fonts and frames. Sometimes it’s minimalist and sometimes flouncy. It feels like a journal put together for the growing trend rather than by a book lover/journaler. Which is fair enough by a business but I’ll skip it 😊 Tfs!

[@ErinSmith]

I'm glad you see what I see - it's all a bit incongruous, but I agree it could be a great place to start for beginners!

[@rickybt4266]

I think this is perfect for me. I have a regular bullet journal and I've tried to set up a reading journal multiple times but setting up spreads and getting out all my supplies makes me not keep up with it for some reason. Having something already set up even if it's not 100% perfect would be great!

[@JaniceMaisondieuLaforge]

Fun idea. :) I have a sprocket, and I think I would just take the picture of the book a bit smaller so that I could just trim my picture to fit into the premade book areas.

[@aileenfernandez7848]

The "fi" in fiction gives me nostalgia of the old school typewriters. Sometimes the letters ran together like that. I like it!

[@ErinSmith]

I like this perspective!

[@MarysInks]

I like the idea of a pre printed reading journal. The ones I’ve seen are so pretty! But I need way more space for thoughts and comments about books. :-)

[@noornamu6677]

Thanks for the review ❤ I think it would be good for someone who’s a beginner reader and a beginner to journaling, the spreads are not functional and the spacing isn’t thought out, the cover is nice but I hated the reading journal on the spine, lots of the spreads felt repetitive and the spacing isn’t the best like why does rating with stars have the same space for writing your thoughts on the book And the size is a bit small a b5 would’ve been better The journal feels like it focuses on aesthetics rather than reading or books I would much rather buy an empty notebook and bunch of supplies and actually diy my own spreads but at the end different people have different needs so this journal can be suitable for lots of other people

[@elwynmckenzie6027]

I'm not a big fan of pre-set up reading journals. They dictate how you read. And they seem to track the same information over and over again. But they are good for people who read a lot, but don't want to spend a great deal of time setting up. I have a sproket just like yours, but I can't find the paper for it. What size and where do you get yours from?

[@ErinSmith]

I get my Sprocket paper on eBay! Mine's the 2x3" 🥰

[@JadeReads_2019]

Well I don't normally say this but... I am glad I didn't spend my money on this Notebook. I was expecting something a little bit more considering it's a heafty price for a notebook. I think I am with Erin on this one, I think I'll stick to my own notebook and just put my own style on it. I really valued your opinion on this to be completely honest. You're the one I would trust when it comes to notebooks, stationary and bookish things. thanks so much Erin for making this video!

[@draw-budmarkio2675]

This is a pretty neat concept! But….considering the price range (which reasonable since Notebook Therapy is a well known brand but, the market for it is……more expensive than Amazon products or even Etsy products that are premade journals) along with the way the reading journal leans towards one type of aesthetic instead of being versatile for all styles, it might be a hit and miss for some people. Hopefully they can see any feedback and make more aesthetic styles and well……a bit more price friendly!

[@themission137]

omg!! i'm so pleased you reviewed this cos i've been wondering what it would be like to use

[@Lamiinae]

Would absolutely LOVE if you did a review like this of the Quirky Cup Collective reading journal! 💕 this was a great review, and it made me curious about what thoughts you would have of their premade reading journal, I personally think it's better than this one - but I might be a bit biased since I actually purchased that one xD I would love to have a DIY reading journal, but with my struggles with depression and just not having enough spoons for it makes a premade journal like this perfect for someone like me, someone who wants to start journaling but dont have the time or energy for the compelte DIY journal experience💕✨️ thank you for this video and all your other reading journaling videos!

[@ErinSmith]

I have one on the way to me right now 😉😉 watch this space!

[@ShikiPirs]

This journal is beautiful, thanks for the review)

[@catcreme]

I tihnk this is good for someone just ot try out a reading journal. see what they like and which spreads are their favorite. but if you already have a preference for certain things then this would be a bit of a waste. this at least got me a pretty good idea of what to expect and how to set up my own reading journal. the quick reviews are surplus for me, and i'd swap some of the sections, like favorite chapters/days read...

[@olympianagel9379]

i love this journal! however i think id like to set these up in my own journal. i also really like the tinted paper! gives a really aged, storybook look that i presume they were going for ☺️

[@coke-cinelle]

I don’t do book journaling as of now even if it’s tempeting me, and I feel like this journal is a nice way to start but I also don’t like some of the designs

[@staceym8776]

Love your review. Thank you for showing me that I can skip this one and keep working on my DIY book journal. Why are the spaces for book titles so small!? The fact that they give dedicated space at the end of the journal to sum up "stand alone, duology and series" but don't give you that prompt in any of the individual review pages is idiotic. Who ever edited this book needs to make a lot of changes if they ever update this journal.

[@ParisLeShea]

Yes, the “favourites” would drive me crazy lol

[@rhondazamora8136]

I am new to a reading journal. I have found your channel recently and started a DIY reading journal. I like this journal, as a newbie. I feel the pages are not in the order that I would like, though. I’m trying to decide exactly what I like to track. Thanks for your review.

[@Liberateus]

Hey Erin. Would love if you could do a print and cut cricut demo.

[@TaraMazzoni]

I will stick to DIY

[@aureliawaliszewska5741]

I used the pixel reading tracker to note what day I finish a book

[@ErinSmith]

That's a great way to use it!

[@lucyfoxx6632]

As someone who struggles with executive function, this is ideal for me. However, the font and design style of the printed components are off-putting. Wish they had an option(s) regarding aesthetic.

[@mopete9830]

You could always scan the review pages and copy and fill the blank pages with them for heavy readers. So you wouldn't have to fully diy them.

[@dalelangston79]

Thank you for the review

[@kittenandgoat]

It's a great place to start if you are new to it all - the lack of space for the blurb and review would dive me nuts. I don't track as such - more a rolling tracker of what I read. I would never use any of the logs and stuff

[@kata7628]

This is such a miss for me. I dislike the art style (big brown buttons and bows on the first review pages, poor font choices), having little misc instructions on top of some pages, the way the bracket etc are just sprinkled in ( you have to fill those every month, why not in front?). The stickers are cute, it’s like they didn’t follow through with that style at all.

[@juliangelus]

Thanks for this Erin, was looking at this thinking it was maybe for me but now I'm 100% sure it isn't. The page colour is just weird, it's kraft without being kraft and having 4 fluffy cats the velvet cover is a hard no. I think you should make a journal and release it as I'd happily use one that you made. Great video, thank you

[@ErinSmith]

I think I'd be OK with the page colour if it wasn't the exact same print on every background - the darker markings in the bottom right corner of each page make it so obvious! So far the cover is picking up less cat hair than my Tiefossi linen journal though, which is interesting!

[@nonabgo]

I ordered it because enthusiasm but I have no idea what I'll use it for. I prefer the one I make, this is too simplistic for my needs and there's not enough space to write impressions. I also prefer a bigger journal, I use B5 for my reading journal. So now I'm thinking I'll use it for specific challenges such as my Nobel reads.

[@missana3929]

The aesthetic is gorgeous, but this journal definetely lacks practicality, at least for me. In any case, pre-printed stuff never works for me.

[@AnimeKoibito]

not to be the one to promote myself on comments but i have a preprinted reading journal on amazon called leafy Reading Journal (heavily inspired by my own reading journal) and i worked rly hard on it :)

[@solitaireclub]

The san serif font isn't fancy, sure, but I think it's supposed to be a nod towards dyslexic people. I imagine there are those who are dyslexic who have been wanting to get into a reading journal, trying to flex their wings, or primarily listen on audiobook, and sans serif fonts are friendlier for them.

[@ErinSmith]

That is a great point! Would the patterned page backgrounds make using this journal harder for dyslexic people?

[@patriciawilliams593]

Thx just ordered

[@cvvzdesigns]

I think the ratings page didn't need a place at all for the title and author since it was clearly displaying the covers. They could have skipped the lines all together and fit another row of books on each page. Same with the quick reviews. If displaying a cover image why waste time and space having it written out by hand, too? They could have used that space to make the thoughts section bigger. Oh yeah, and please never apologize to Americans when 1 of the thousands of products on the market isn't catering to them. 😉 I despise that it's almost impossible to find a calendar/planner with holidays noted that AREN'T American.

[@melaniehoskin.author]

Noticed on the index page they got the page numbers wrong and had 46 (or 56) twice?

[@ErinSmith]

OH I missed that, good spotting!

[@corysoxydiaries]

Hi Erin, pls spill the green pen you used with 2 tips and using fountain pen ink? it got me like😯😯😯

[@ErinSmith]

It's the Tom's Studio Lumos Pro Duo - it's expensive but it's SO good! collabs.shop/aluqss

[@corysoxydiaries]

@@ErinSmith yay thanks!!!

[@reneesbookends3050]

I love the stamps you have, can you list the name and links for them? ☺️

[@ErinSmith]

They're from the Quirky Cup Collective! thequirkycupcollective.com.au/collections/stamps

[@Rachierooh]

It's funny you mention your book bracket as I copied yours, and it doesn't work lol. My daughter had to point the error out to me back in Feb. So I have ignored it xx

[@ErinSmith]

I’m committed to it, cause it’s kind of funny 🤣 but I don’t think I’ll include one next year!

[@solar1913]

I understand you not liking the font but it gave me the impression of being almost like someone writing in script, less typewriter, less perfect? So that way when the user start writing in the journal it almost feel like they could have been the one doing the set up?

[@ErinSmith]

It wasn't the fonts themselves that bothered me, it was that I feel like they didn't make sense together or fit the style of the journal cover 😅

[@xvxv711]

Reminds me of lord of the rings….

[@msstaceyf]

I love the spelling but it feels scattered to me.

[@EmilyS-CRPS]

I would never use this. I didn't like the pages they set up. I didn't like the font. I'm not even a fan of the page color. The cover would only get a 3, I don't like the reading journal on the spine or the fabric. The price point for me is totally unrealistic if I can't make it more me. Overall, it's a 1 star or less. Sorry.

[@ErinSmith]

No need to apologise - all opinions are welcome here!