Absolutely Beautiful
Be sure to read the bottom to see how I rate products.<br /><br />This description and the images don't do this journal justice.  It is absolutely beautiful and you really have to feel it in your hands to experience how well this is made but more importantly, the quality of the material used.<br /><br />The leather cover isn't thick, which is what you want for this type of journal.  It is "soft sided" like a paperback book but is still strong and won't tear.  The quote on the front, "Nevertheless, She Persisted" is fantastic for a man or woman but for me what stands out the most is the parchment paper used in the journal.  It brings this journal up to a whole new level and is the first time I've seen a journal made like this.  It makes me want to learn calligraphy and get and old style feather pen with ink for dipping.<br /><br />If you know someone who is into journaling and want a perfect Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza gift for them this is perfect and I can guarantee they will be impressed.<br /><br />I highly recommend this journal, would buy it again as a gift or recommend it to a friend.<br /><br />When I give a rating to a product said product automatically starts with four or five stars as I rarely will purchase anything below four stars.  I then subtract stars based on certain criteria as listed below.  I also consider the price point of the item when writing the review.  When purchasing products, I sometimes purchase the high end (high priced product) and other times the mid or lower just depending on the category.  I have much higher expectations when I purchase an item that is at the high price point as it should be better quality.  It’s the old Cadillac/Volkswagen metaphor.<br /><br />1. If an item is exactly what I expected and nothing more it will receive a four- or five-star rating.  The difference between the two is a bit subjective but is also based on the information on the Detail Page, customer service (if necessary), good instruction manual, etc.<br />2. If an item surpasses my expectations, it will definitely receive five-stars and an extra callout<br />3. If an item goes slightly below my expectations, it will lose a star (3 Stars)<br />4. If the instructions for the product (if needed) are poorly written (hard to understand due to language issues or grammar) or just too hard to follow it will lose a star no matter if the product meets or exceed my expectations.  I hate poorly written instructions<br />5. If a product is significantly below my expectations, I will deduct two stars<br />6. It will be rare that I would give a product one star since I buy mostly items that have a 4+ rating but in rare instances there may be a good reason that even a four-star product receives a one star rating from me.  It could be because of customer service issues from the company but whatever the case is I will clearly explain my reason for giving a product only one star<br /><br />Additionally, if a product fails over a short time period I will come back and update my review but will also take into consideration how the company’s customer service handles the repair or replacement.  I understand that issues sometime arise, even with the best of products and a rating update may not be necessary.
Rating: 5 stars