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How to Draw Almost Everything Volume 2: An Illustrated Sourcebook
How to Draw Almost Everything Volume 2 —a follow-up to the popular book How to Draw Almost Everything , part of the Almost Everything series from Quarry Books—shows how easy it is to draw even more cute illustrations. Each book in the Almost Everything series offers readers a fun, comprehensive, and charmingly illustrated visual directory of ideas to inspire skill building in their creative endeavors.
- GenresArtNonfiction
224 pages, Paperback
Published June 16, 2020
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46 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 8, 2020
Don't judge this book by its cover, which seemed a little underwhelming and amateur looking to me. Inside it's actually packed with a lot of really good, really basic instructions for drawing just about anything you can think of, from lip gloss to cartoon lemons to new baby announcements to tea pots (with a special emphasis on feminine, cutesy and childlike). These are all very simple drawings that really do show that absolutely anybody of any age can draw this stuff.
The illustrations are done by a group of different illustrators. I believe they're Japanese. My one complaint for this book is the near total lack of diversity in the people. Despite giving us a huge range of hairstyles, hats, crowns, clothes, etc., they are all very stereotypical thin, young white (or Asian) people. Hair comes in three colors and is straight out of a 1950's picture book (bangs, pigtails, braids, long hair on girls, short hair on boys...) with the exception of the directions on how to draw a girl with her hair in a scrunchie. There are no wheelchairs, crutches, canes, glasses, freckles, afros, buzz cuts, fat folks, punk rockers, people of color, etc. One set of pear-shaped grandparents reflects the only representation for differences in age and size. The women tend to have long hair, small waists and round hips and to wear things like pencil skirts, which is an awesome aesthetic but should not be the only one we get these days.
There are a ton of these books out right now and I always enjoy them. Honestly, I have seen a few I liked better this year but this one gets points for being the most accessible in that you often get the feeling that you could do better than the drawings (and see how to), which will give amateur artists a huge sense of direction and empowerment. It's also nice that it goes into a lot of examples for ways to use your new talents at the end (announcements, travel mugs, etc.) and the vast range of objects depicted is really great.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
The illustrations are done by a group of different illustrators. I believe they're Japanese. My one complaint for this book is the near total lack of diversity in the people. Despite giving us a huge range of hairstyles, hats, crowns, clothes, etc., they are all very stereotypical thin, young white (or Asian) people. Hair comes in three colors and is straight out of a 1950's picture book (bangs, pigtails, braids, long hair on girls, short hair on boys...) with the exception of the directions on how to draw a girl with her hair in a scrunchie. There are no wheelchairs, crutches, canes, glasses, freckles, afros, buzz cuts, fat folks, punk rockers, people of color, etc. One set of pear-shaped grandparents reflects the only representation for differences in age and size. The women tend to have long hair, small waists and round hips and to wear things like pencil skirts, which is an awesome aesthetic but should not be the only one we get these days.
There are a ton of these books out right now and I always enjoy them. Honestly, I have seen a few I liked better this year but this one gets points for being the most accessible in that you often get the feeling that you could do better than the drawings (and see how to), which will give amateur artists a huge sense of direction and empowerment. It's also nice that it goes into a lot of examples for ways to use your new talents at the end (announcements, travel mugs, etc.) and the vast range of objects depicted is really great.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
May 9, 2020
I've downloaded a few books from netgalley to see if i would buy them as I rediscover art and drawing. I'm not so sure about this one. There are brilliant step by step guides to help you get started and I can really see how a picture would build up. I had a go at a few and enjoyed it. However there are no words in the book. There's no chapters and nothing to introduce the different pictures. It left me a bit cold.
May 14, 2020
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
This is a fun, cute book to get children started with drawing almost anything they can think of and is divided up into sections. I had no writing or words in my copy of this book - I'm not sure if that's a technical error upon transfer of my ARC or if the book actually has no writing in it. This is a shame if it is the case as descriptions would be beneficial in this book especially in the beginning.
This is a fun, cute book to get children started with drawing almost anything they can think of and is divided up into sections. I had no writing or words in my copy of this book - I'm not sure if that's a technical error upon transfer of my ARC or if the book actually has no writing in it. This is a shame if it is the case as descriptions would be beneficial in this book especially in the beginning.
May 13, 2020
This volume is amazing and useful not only for adults but also for kids. Yesterday I spent a pleasant afternoon drawing on my planner with my 8 year old daughter. The drawings are really simple but pretty and it is really nice to decorate planner or cards or wathever you like with these cute illustrations.
Istructions are really easy to follow and the result is great.
I love this book serie, I already have another volume and will definitely buy others.
Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for the book.
Istructions are really easy to follow and the result is great.
I love this book serie, I already have another volume and will definitely buy others.
Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for the book.
May 31, 2020
I received this as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley and the publisher for my 7 year old who loves to draw.
He went straight to the section about sea animals and happily copied the instructions to make some great drawings.
It is a very clear and simple to use format and I recommend to anyone who wants to teach children (or adults!) how to draw almost everything ;)
He went straight to the section about sea animals and happily copied the instructions to make some great drawings.
It is a very clear and simple to use format and I recommend to anyone who wants to teach children (or adults!) how to draw almost everything ;)
May 26, 2020
I like to bullet journal and I am terrible at drawing. This book will definitely enable me to draw better illustrations in my planner. It is full of cute ideas in a step-by-step approach. I like the way that it is presented and even for someone hopeless like me, it helped.
May 25, 2020
How to draw...the title says it all,even complete unhandy "artists" like myself manage to draw a reasonable recognizable dog,flower,plate of food...
The layout is absolutely spot on with it's very clear lines and bright colours.
Don't expect to emerge as a new Rembrandt but if your are looking for some good fun with a couple of crayons then this is a good choice!
The layout is absolutely spot on with it's very clear lines and bright colours.
Don't expect to emerge as a new Rembrandt but if your are looking for some good fun with a couple of crayons then this is a good choice!
June 16, 2020
Good for Artistically Inclined and Those Who Aren’t
I don't consider myself particularly visually artistic. I'm more of a writer and a musician. Both my mother and sister have been blessed with the visual art gene, and I will admit to being a little jealous at times. So I am always drawn to books that mean to simplify drawing and other visual arts. I'm delighted to have found this book. I've always joked that my level of drawing is about at the stick-figure level. I almost feel like this book starts there but leads to much more interesting, though simple drawings. In other words, this product is perfect for someone like me, without much artistic talent. I also think this book would be perfectly fine if you're more artistically inclined than me, as the book does get into detailing things like features and looking at objects from different angles.
The book is divided into an introductory section that talks about different types of pens (with specific brand recommendations), shows the basic shapes that will be combined to make illustrations, and even starts you thinking about how to detail your illustrations. The illustration section is divided into animals, people, and objects. Each section has numbered lessons. Most illustrations are broken down into several steps, which is always helpful for a newbie. They also include a few bonus lessons scattered throughout, particularly about making characters in both the people and the object section as well as how to draw cute animals. The drawings the authors have you make are simple but convey precisely what they are in a few simple strokes. Because the authors advocate working gel ink pens, the step-by-step instructions don't have you erasing some of the lines of the basic shapes as you progress through the steps as many other illustration instruction books have you do. I liked that.
This book is definitely geared for adults or older teenagers. It isn't simple enough for younger children. All in all, I liked this book, and I thought it was a great introduction to drawing basic animals, people, and objects. If you're interested in drawing simple versions of these things, you may very well enjoy this book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
I don't consider myself particularly visually artistic. I'm more of a writer and a musician. Both my mother and sister have been blessed with the visual art gene, and I will admit to being a little jealous at times. So I am always drawn to books that mean to simplify drawing and other visual arts. I'm delighted to have found this book. I've always joked that my level of drawing is about at the stick-figure level. I almost feel like this book starts there but leads to much more interesting, though simple drawings. In other words, this product is perfect for someone like me, without much artistic talent. I also think this book would be perfectly fine if you're more artistically inclined than me, as the book does get into detailing things like features and looking at objects from different angles.
The book is divided into an introductory section that talks about different types of pens (with specific brand recommendations), shows the basic shapes that will be combined to make illustrations, and even starts you thinking about how to detail your illustrations. The illustration section is divided into animals, people, and objects. Each section has numbered lessons. Most illustrations are broken down into several steps, which is always helpful for a newbie. They also include a few bonus lessons scattered throughout, particularly about making characters in both the people and the object section as well as how to draw cute animals. The drawings the authors have you make are simple but convey precisely what they are in a few simple strokes. Because the authors advocate working gel ink pens, the step-by-step instructions don't have you erasing some of the lines of the basic shapes as you progress through the steps as many other illustration instruction books have you do. I liked that.
This book is definitely geared for adults or older teenagers. It isn't simple enough for younger children. All in all, I liked this book, and I thought it was a great introduction to drawing basic animals, people, and objects. If you're interested in drawing simple versions of these things, you may very well enjoy this book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
November 2, 2020
Earlier this year, Sophie reviewed a collection of eight how-to-draw books and found them to vary dramatically in quality. More recently, she picked up How to Draw Almost Everything Volume 2: An Illustrated Sourcebook by Six Pommes (a pen name for the six contributing Japanese artists) to see how this one would compare.
The “almost everything” part of the title was certainly apt. The book contains hundreds if not thousands of drawing guides covering so many topics that Sophie could be here all day listing them. There are the usual animals and people, these are broken up by type while the people section also covers things like facial expressions, movements, and actions. From here, the book branches out to cover everyday objects (foods, furniture, cosmetics, buildings, and vehicles), patterns and borders, seasonal items for all major holidays, alphabets, and even symbols like musical notes and horoscope characters. Sophie’s digital review copy allowed her to easily search for keywords but, unfortunately, the book doesn’t appear to have been released digitally, which would have hugely improved its usability rather than having to flip through pages looking for things (there is no index).
While the book was indeed packed with drawings, Sophie did feel like they weren’t always great for following. The majority are incredibly simplistic or take big jumps between steps—“draw a circle, now add two lines, voila! Here’s an intricate snowglobe!” This was especially noticeable toward the end of the book when dozens of items were crammed on each page, compared to the beginning where fewer items were afforded more space and detailed stages.
While How to Draw Almost Everything will be a useful reference book, Sophie feels it needs to be part of a larger collection and not a standalone drawing guide. However, artistic kids will no doubt love to receive it and it will make a fantastic stocking-stuffer this holiday season.
The “almost everything” part of the title was certainly apt. The book contains hundreds if not thousands of drawing guides covering so many topics that Sophie could be here all day listing them. There are the usual animals and people, these are broken up by type while the people section also covers things like facial expressions, movements, and actions. From here, the book branches out to cover everyday objects (foods, furniture, cosmetics, buildings, and vehicles), patterns and borders, seasonal items for all major holidays, alphabets, and even symbols like musical notes and horoscope characters. Sophie’s digital review copy allowed her to easily search for keywords but, unfortunately, the book doesn’t appear to have been released digitally, which would have hugely improved its usability rather than having to flip through pages looking for things (there is no index).
While the book was indeed packed with drawings, Sophie did feel like they weren’t always great for following. The majority are incredibly simplistic or take big jumps between steps—“draw a circle, now add two lines, voila! Here’s an intricate snowglobe!” This was especially noticeable toward the end of the book when dozens of items were crammed on each page, compared to the beginning where fewer items were afforded more space and detailed stages.
While How to Draw Almost Everything will be a useful reference book, Sophie feels it needs to be part of a larger collection and not a standalone drawing guide. However, artistic kids will no doubt love to receive it and it will make a fantastic stocking-stuffer this holiday season.
May 28, 2020
I can now draw!
This book will get even the most hopeless artist (me!) drawing within moments of opening it.
Upon receiving this book I jumped straight to the “How to Draw a Cat” page, and within moments had drawn a very acceptable cat simply by following the 3 stages pictures. I then went back to the beginning and followed the warm up exercises, gaining in confidence in drawing curves, squiggles etc. The book suggests ballpoint pens are used, and explains the differences between pens, but I just use what coloured pencils I have to hand.
There are so many quick things to draw, animals, people, everyday stuff, decorative borders, celebrations etc, that there is really something here for everyone. Many of the drawings have basic instructions, and more detailed ones. Very little text, its all about following the drawing stages that are shown.
The drawings are quick and ideal for getting an idea across, or using as basic illustrations, or brightening up a card, letter, invitation etc. This book is not about how to produce fine artwork with perspectives etc, but everyone would be able to recognise my drawing as a cat (which in itself is astounding!).
5*s from me, as this book is fun, easy to follow and produces quick results using whatever pens and pencils you have to hand. I have been picking it up to relax for 5 minutes and learn to draw an animal or bird, and also used it for an afternoon of fun, learning to draw people doing all sort of actions. It is great for switching off from everything going on and concentrating the mind. Absolutely love it!
This book will get even the most hopeless artist (me!) drawing within moments of opening it.
Upon receiving this book I jumped straight to the “How to Draw a Cat” page, and within moments had drawn a very acceptable cat simply by following the 3 stages pictures. I then went back to the beginning and followed the warm up exercises, gaining in confidence in drawing curves, squiggles etc. The book suggests ballpoint pens are used, and explains the differences between pens, but I just use what coloured pencils I have to hand.
There are so many quick things to draw, animals, people, everyday stuff, decorative borders, celebrations etc, that there is really something here for everyone. Many of the drawings have basic instructions, and more detailed ones. Very little text, its all about following the drawing stages that are shown.
The drawings are quick and ideal for getting an idea across, or using as basic illustrations, or brightening up a card, letter, invitation etc. This book is not about how to produce fine artwork with perspectives etc, but everyone would be able to recognise my drawing as a cat (which in itself is astounding!).
5*s from me, as this book is fun, easy to follow and produces quick results using whatever pens and pencils you have to hand. I have been picking it up to relax for 5 minutes and learn to draw an animal or bird, and also used it for an afternoon of fun, learning to draw people doing all sort of actions. It is great for switching off from everything going on and concentrating the mind. Absolutely love it!
May 24, 2020
This book is amazing! There are many easy step by step for beginners and starters. The drawings are cute and the artist of this book even explains how to mix colors into your drawings by using different color pens., and even explained a bit on the properties of each type of pen and the techniques for the different pen usage. One small section even covers gel pens on black paper.
It teaches you how to draw different facial expressions : sad, happy, angry, drowsy, inpatient, shy etc and the side view of a human cartoon face as well. It also provides step by step on how to draw a leaf, trees, flowers, animals, and cups, fruits, vegetables, sweet, a bowl of noodles, household items and kitchenware etc. It is endless...
I think this is even better than the volume one of the book and I hope to be able to find vol 1 somewhere but netgalley does not have it.
Overall, I am very impressed and happy with this book. 5 stars.
It teaches you how to draw different facial expressions : sad, happy, angry, drowsy, inpatient, shy etc and the side view of a human cartoon face as well. It also provides step by step on how to draw a leaf, trees, flowers, animals, and cups, fruits, vegetables, sweet, a bowl of noodles, household items and kitchenware etc. It is endless...
I think this is even better than the volume one of the book and I hope to be able to find vol 1 somewhere but netgalley does not have it.
Overall, I am very impressed and happy with this book. 5 stars.
May 10, 2020
I love these books from Quarto Quarry publishing. The tiny little drawings are so easy to follow and they have such a great range of things to draw. In this one, you start with animals and they show you basic shapes and how to build those shapes into the variety of animals. I love how one little change alters a cat to a lion to a cheetah and how they are all explained so simply.
The book has a small section about materials at the start but this is tempered with exercises on drawing various lines and adding them to your work so you don’t feel like you are being patronised.
There is such a wide range of areas as well. From animals to kitchen utensils, plants and borders to vehicles and facial expressions. This is truly almost everything in one book.
The book has a small section about materials at the start but this is tempered with exercises on drawing various lines and adding them to your work so you don’t feel like you are being patronised.
There is such a wide range of areas as well. From animals to kitchen utensils, plants and borders to vehicles and facial expressions. This is truly almost everything in one book.
June 24, 2020
How to Draw Almost Everything V2 is simplistic, perhaps too simplistic. It spends a great deal of time going over basic shapes before delving into slight deviations to depict various objects. This process suggests that very young children are the book’s target audience. However, the layout lacks dynamic visuals to capture and hold the reader. The format is odd, as it opens with a special lesson, which is a brief overview of basic color schemes, but the information is less special and more generic. The additional lessons lack definitiveness. The directions are more suggestive than step by step. Of course, a more advanced reader can make the leap of what comes next, but it is hard to see that a very young reader would necessarily follow without help. Disappointing.
June 10, 2020
A fun starter guide to basic doodles perfect for beginners! I found the designs to be kid-friendly and they covered so much more than basic flowers and animals. While the instructions were fairly simple to follow, occasionally one or two steps would be loaded with details and difficult. I liked the expansion into borders, frames, and text at the end, encouraging imagination and creative applications beyond the book. Although great for adults and teens, my elementary-aged children found it challenging without assistance. Overall, this would make a great addition for anyone parenting or working with kids.
* I received an ARC copy from #netgalley, all opinions expressed are my own.
* I received an ARC copy from #netgalley, all opinions expressed are my own.
August 2, 2024
Tips and examples of well, what the title promises, how to draw almost everything. The focus is on animals, people and objects and the style is on the cute, trendy and simple side.
Aimed at those looking for a little drawing / art inspiration who’re maybe not great artists, but would like some ideas for how to simply represent different ideas in simple illustrations.
It’s bright and colourful with hundreds of examples and broken-down step-by-step guides to show you how all the drawing elements come together.
Whether you like it or not will really come down to whether you like this style of illustration. I do and found it a fun source of artistic inspiration.
Aimed at those looking for a little drawing / art inspiration who’re maybe not great artists, but would like some ideas for how to simply represent different ideas in simple illustrations.
It’s bright and colourful with hundreds of examples and broken-down step-by-step guides to show you how all the drawing elements come together.
Whether you like it or not will really come down to whether you like this style of illustration. I do and found it a fun source of artistic inspiration.
May 5, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
This is an incredibly simple and effective guide to drawing. I love the suggestions of pen uses. It is important for readers to know what recommended pens are needed to achieve maximum results. I really like the idea of sharing how slight variations can have an impact on drawing. The use of shapes to build animals and people is very helpful.
I teach art to my third grade students and find that this would be incredibly helpful and build on students skills.
This is an incredibly simple and effective guide to drawing. I love the suggestions of pen uses. It is important for readers to know what recommended pens are needed to achieve maximum results. I really like the idea of sharing how slight variations can have an impact on drawing. The use of shapes to build animals and people is very helpful.
I teach art to my third grade students and find that this would be incredibly helpful and build on students skills.
May 12, 2020
This is the most awesome drawing book I have ever seen! I'm 26 years old and I'm here trying to draw them all! It's so rich in details, and it has so many different types of things to draw that I'm impressed! It's easy to follow, colorful, there are drawings from basic shapes and step by step guides. It also has tips of what material to use, coloring techniques, and a lot more of cool stuff. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
May 25, 2020
So there are a lot of cute doodles in this book. That is the good. The bad is I am not sure that I could see myself buying it. There is simply not enough here to make it worth my while. I feel like I am a permanent newbie artist and it was too simple for me even. Things like to make a donut, you need two circles.
That said, if you wanted a book on doodling for itty bitty ones who have never doodled before? It is probably great for that. Otherwise it is good for inspiration.
That said, if you wanted a book on doodling for itty bitty ones who have never doodled before? It is probably great for that. Otherwise it is good for inspiration.
July 25, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for provide me with a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
Muy entretenido para explorar la creatividad, mas en estos tiempos de pandemia. Recomendado, para los que buscan una actividad creativa de este tipo para relajarse en estos tiempos de estrés y locura. Cada vez disfruto mas de este tipo de libros y de hacer estas actividades mas creativas. Lo recomiendo.
Muy entretenido para explorar la creatividad, mas en estos tiempos de pandemia. Recomendado, para los que buscan una actividad creativa de este tipo para relajarse en estos tiempos de estrés y locura. Cada vez disfruto mas de este tipo de libros y de hacer estas actividades mas creativas. Lo recomiendo.
August 11, 2020
A great drawing book that will show you how to draw almost everything in simple easy steps. The book is also broken down into sections that give easy to follow lessons with warm-ups and special lessons to extend the fun. I purchased this book for my classroom to give students the extra boost they need sometimes. The book is so fun that I am going to go and buy a new sketch book and work my way through the book. Even adults can have drawing fun.
May 17, 2020
This book was a good step by step drawing instruction. Most of the drawing was too “cartoonish” for my taste. However, I found the drawing good warm-up exercises.
Everything is broken down into easy to follow steps. I would recommend this drawing book to a beginner looking to improve their drawing skills.
I received this galley from NetGalley.
Everything is broken down into easy to follow steps. I would recommend this drawing book to a beginner looking to improve their drawing skills.
I received this galley from NetGalley.
May 27, 2020
This is an incredibly effective guide to drawing and I feel it is perfect for young artists. The tips are very informative and fun and I loved the cute tutorials an artwork. I recommend this book for anyone with young artists,
I received this book from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry for an honest review.
#HowtoDrawAlmostEverythingVolume2
#NetGalley
I received this book from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry for an honest review.
#HowtoDrawAlmostEverythingVolume2
#NetGalley
June 21, 2020
A fun how-to guide for simple line drawings of just about everything, as promised. This is perfect for someone who wants to learn how to create simple doodles of people, animals, vegetables, and so on.
Thanks to Quarto Publishing and NetGalley for an opportunity to preview an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Quarto Publishing and NetGalley for an opportunity to preview an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2020
I didn't fully expect that this would have literally almost everything. A great resource book. I think my favorite part is that they show how you start off with the same base shape but it becomes different . A great example of this is the swan/flamingo which begin with very similar heads and necks.
June 5, 2020
This a great way to elevate your doodling. I love the neat Asian animation Style to the doodling. This inspired med to get out my sketch book and give it a go. This will help my work Notes look more professional.
June 18, 2020
Soo good. Opened my eyes to many details. Will definitely be utilising. Physical copy would be great. You can get yours now.
Special thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this review copy.
Special thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this review copy.
April 15, 2021
Great resource on getting started drawing various kinds of figures. Some are more cartoon-style, but are surprisingly simple. Following this book is a nice gateway to creative thinking.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
March 6, 2025
A nice book, but in my opinion, this is for kids who really want to draw. If an adult wants to learn how to draw, they should read a manga drawing book.
December 20, 2020
How fun..... A drawing guide that teaches all kinds of sketch drawing to make cute creatures, people, and objects!
This doesn't teach a lot of heavy skills like perspective, but it is perfect for someone who wants to illustrate fun papers, books, or just make fun art! It would be ideal for the beginning artist or older children, as well.
The nice thing is that you can learn to draw everything very QUICKLY. It's really a "pick up the book and copy it" type of guide, and you will have immediate success if that's what you are looking for.
I especially liked the beginning pages that explain types of inks for different pens, and the great pen buying guide!!
I received an ARC as a reviewer for NetGalley.
This doesn't teach a lot of heavy skills like perspective, but it is perfect for someone who wants to illustrate fun papers, books, or just make fun art! It would be ideal for the beginning artist or older children, as well.
The nice thing is that you can learn to draw everything very QUICKLY. It's really a "pick up the book and copy it" type of guide, and you will have immediate success if that's what you are looking for.
I especially liked the beginning pages that explain types of inks for different pens, and the great pen buying guide!!
I received an ARC as a reviewer for NetGalley.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews