Sketch L Black (Monsieur Notebook Sketch Portrait, 36-LB) Hardcover – 1 May 2014

This is by far the best quality sketch book I have ever come across, and is in keeping with the fantastic quality of the whole range of books from Monsieur Notebook.Never did I think I would wax so lyrical about stationery but the quality of these books will make you want to do the same. Firstly the real leather covers are wonderful, and this one in black looks and feels gorgeous.The book is A5 in size and has 96 high quality thick pages (with the books total thickness being 1.5cm with only 96 pages!).The quality of the paper is so good that unfortunately I just don’t think I will be able to do it justice in a photo (but I have tried!), but to describe it it’s thick, perfectly textured and wonderful to sketch on. My wife likes to sketch as she finds it very therapeutic, she uses both soft pencils and fine tip pens, both lay very well on the paper and she is over the moon with this new sketch book.The flexible leather cover and spine means that even the middle pages of the book can open flat out and are easy to sketch in.If you cannot tell from all of the above both my wife and I very highly recommend this book. Would make a wonderful gift for anyone you know that likes to doodle or sketch. The very highest recommendation.I was kindly provided a sample by the manufacturer to review; the opinions expressed here are entirely my own view of this notebook.

It's worth noting that when Monsieur say their notebooks are leather-bound they really mean it, the cover is a thick piece of firm leather and not just a piece of cardboard wrapped in a thin leather veneer. This gives their notebooks a handmade and slightly artisanal feel, which is nice in an age of digital everything, and makes you glad we haven't completely given up on paper. The Monsieur branding is subtle and minimal with just a smallish logo embossed into the back of the leather cover and a logo and web address printed on the inner flyleaf and apart from those the notebook's all yours to make whatever marks you want. The leather covers come in a small range of muted, grown-up colours and have a 'real' look and feel to them - the odd wrinkle and blemish might still be visible in the leather but I thought that just added to the character. They have what Terence Conran's Habitat catalogues in the 70's used to call a "pleasing irregularity" and they should go on to age gracefully, like a pair of favoured shoes, as you use them. Note that they don't have a strong leather smell, even up-close and personal the scent is quite subtle.There are a range of paper stocks available and they all seem good quality, mostly with a soft off-white colour rather than the over-bleached ultra-white shade most modern printer papers seem to come in. The Fountain paper option seems to be an exception as it comes in a pleasing cool blue-white colour. The Sketch notepads contain a nice quality of thick Cartridge paper, perfect for pencil or pen drawing but of course you get fewer sheets inside because of the heavier weight of paper - there are about 56 sheets (112 sides) in this A5 option. The Ruled option has a retro look of old school jotters and workbooks. My instant favourite was the Dotgrid option, which features a regular grid of faint dots all across the page, because it's so helpful for so many things - you can use them for lines of text in either portrait or landscape format or for sketching quick diagrams or plans where they help you keep your lines straight and your corners neat. The Dotgrid pattern also gives a sort-of 'tech' feel to a traditional looking notebook, which is a nice juxtaposition.Although I spend most of the day on most days in front of a computer there is something very pleasing about a paper notebook. It does make you pause before committing thoughts or ideas to paper, unlike the instant-and-always-on digital culture, and maybe that's no bad thing. These Monsieur notebooks are well-made, I haven't had any pages drop out yet, and have a nice authentic feel to them. Assuming you can think enough big thoughts and have enough clever ideas to fill them up, they're a pleasure to work with. (Disclosure: item was received for independent review)

A5 size, approx 21.3 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, sketch/plain paper notebook with black leather cover and 96 pages of extremely good quality paper perfect for ink or pencil. Use it for writing, doodling, sketching or whatever else you like. Leather cover is quite rigid but does bend in use. Don't expect a soft, buttery, smooth leather finish.What I like most is that the pages are stitched into the book which means you can open it flat and work across a double page rather than stay with a single page. The leather takes a good amount of wear and tear and the spine doesn't split when you flatten the book. There's a black elastic strap to hold the book open while you work and to keep it closed in transit and a black ribbon book mark to keep your place.The Monsieur Notebook logo is impressed into the leather on the back cover just a nice, quirky finish.Obviously; leather is a natural product and you have to expect a certain amount of grain and other tiny imperfections - it's not plastic.Generally this is a nice looking, good quality item and I'm happy to use it. Functional for work, college, school or home. Quite a bulky item and possibly better to carry in a bag than a pocket.I like this notebook.Disclaimer; I received this item in exchange for a fair and honest review. I have given a fair and honest review.

The leather cover is not in great shape and it wasn't a cheap journal.