EMSHOI A5 Lined Journal Notebook - 120gsm Thick PU Leather Hardcover with Sticky Notes, 256 Numbered College Ruled Notebook for Work, School & Writing, 5.75" x 8.38" Dark Grey

I took a chance and bought this notebook. First, I have to say, I’m a bit snobbish when it comes to stationeries, so I was a bit more hesitant to get this notebook. I’m extremely picky when it comes to show through, ghosting, and bleedthrough.When I first got this notebook i immediately noticed the weight. It was a dense notebook and I personally like that. The pages were also thick and I know that just because it is thick doesn’t mean that it is safe from bleedthrough and ghosting, so I went to tested out all of the pens I have. I tried to use the darkest colors I have so that I know this is the maximum color intensity that will let me know if I will see ghosting and bleedthrough. I expected fountain pens, markers, and watercolor paint to bleedthrough but to my surprise they were ghosting and not bleed. The watercolor one surprised me the most as I know this is not watercolor paper but it held up pretty well. I’m sure if I made a boarder before I paint, the paper would not warp as much. But I was very satisfied.The pages are smooth but not too smooth that you cannot control your writing. One thing I noted as more of a user error is that I know I’m very heavy handed and do I can see the lines creases that I make on the opposite page. I am the type to prefer writing on only one side of the paper, but I actually did not mind it that much for this notebook. I think it’s because even though I can see and feel it, I have to focus on it to notice.Im using this notebook as a planner, so there are pages that I let blank for cover pages and I do think if my design are more minimalistic then I would double page to prevent 100% showthrough.I have only prep for 2 months, so I don’t know how this notebook will hold it shape over time (I like to make waterfall tabs and Dutch doors). I was pleasantly surprised to see that it has a back pocket, some stencils, and the last 10-20 pages were perforated for easy tearing.Overall, I’m glad I bought this notebook and it met my expectations and to a degree exceeded it, especially for the price that it is.

Gave this as a book and this new mom really likes the heavier paper. The dots are a nice option to lined paper.

I bought the navy blue color (the website calls it light blue) in 2021, and now it’s 2025 and I’m about to order a second one. The notebook is thick (unlike many other notebooks I ordered on Amazon which looked thick in the pictures but were thin like the composition notebook after I got them in person), the papers are in high quality, the binding is smooth to the point that it flattens out when you open and write on it. I LOVE the page numbers at bottom right corner. I made a Table of Content, so flipping to the page for the relevant notes was extremely nice and helpful. The notebook does not have a TOC page, which to me is great because I need the freedom to designate where I want my TOC: ie, I usually leave the first two to four pages blank. The pen holder saves me the hassle from looking for a pen when I need to jot down an idea right away. There are two bookmark ribbons in different colors - love them. It’s been so many years now, and the cover and notebook paper are still looking sturdy and good. The only thing is that the elastic tie has lost the elasticity a bit after all these years. I’m ordering a second one.

The perfect journal for me. I ordered 4. The weight of the paper is great and my pen slides across the page, making it a pleasure to write in.

I ordered the EMSHOI Dotted Notebook - 256 Pages A5 Dotted Grid Journal in the color green. It is a muted shade of green, and I like it very much. I was happily surprised to find 8 perforated pages at the back of the book. I use one of these as a practice page to determine what writing instruments I will use in this journal. The 120 gsm paper does show varying amount of ghosting with most pens and markers, and most markers will bleed through if left to saturate a spot. I am finding the Bic Cristal Xtra Smooth pen, the Bic Cristal 1.6mm colored pens, and a Pentel RSVP fine pen do not ghost. While the Bic Cristals make a nice smooth line, I slightly prefer the Pentel RSVP fine pen for its feel in my hand, and the smoothness of writing. It has a slightly soft grip near the tip, and it has a bit more heft than the Bic Cristal pens. For ball point pens, though, the Bic Cristal and Pentel RSVP fine are my favorite to date.

These notebooks are the perfect size for bullet journaling. The paper is thick and easy to write on; definitely not as premium as some other options at the same gsm rating, but very nice. The binding is nice and lays flat; though I've had one or two of them come apart before a year is up, I always just glue it back down and it holds just fine. The colors are great and very vibrant. The included pen loop and the elastic hold up well in the course of one year.I use my journal every day, so I'm impressed by the quality for the price. I've purchased these notebooks three times and each time they have been consistently good. The only thing that I can tell that you give up versus name-brand is: page numbering, some pre-made pages at the beginning (I don't like those anyways), and perhaps some paper quality. If you can live with that, save yourself 1/2 the purchase price and buy this one.