There are 102 levels in the entire game (including boss levels), of which half of them are found in Story Mode, and the other half in Master Mode.
Finding these journal entries and/or books do not have any impact on the awarding of stars at the end of each level, but they enrich the gaming experience by offering an insight into the minds of other characters in the story.
There are some journal entries that will offer hints to finding or even unlocking other secret locations.
An example of such would be found in the journal entry found in the bronze level of The Garden (Master), which gives the reader further insight into uncovering the alternate exits found in the silver level of Orc Forest and gold level of Ruin Crossing (from which you can unlock the Crystal Staff).
Upon having read every journal entry and book in both Story Mode and Master Mode, you will receive the 'Seeker Guise' (hat) and presumably collect the last Secret Achievement, the 'Mystery Mage', as well.
Story Mode [ ]
There are a total of 51 levels in story mode (includes 10 boss levels) and they are littered with 63 journal entries and books.
In order to unlock the 'Shadow Sleuth' Achievement, all 63 journal entries and books of story mode must have been visited at least once!
Whitebeard's Tower [ ]
There is a total of 5 journal entries and books to be found at Whitebeard's Tower.
Bronze (2)
Silver (2)
Gold (1)
Whitebeard's Tower - Bronze
Whitebeard's Tower - Silver
Whitebeard's Tower - Gold
Writings
#5
#5
The Gardens [ ]
There is a total of 5 journal entries and books to be found at The Gardens.
Writings
Ruin Crossing [ ]
There is a total of 7 journal entries and books to be found at Ruin Crossing.
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orc Forest [ ]
There is a total of 4 journal entries and books to be found at Orc Forest.
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Slime Cave [ ]
There is a total of 6 journal entries and books to be found at Slime Cave.
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Boarlands [ ]
There is a total of 3 journal entries and books to be found at The Boarlands.
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tetramont's Estate [ ]
There is a total of 6 journal entries and books to be found at Tetramont's Estate.
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Undergarden [ ]
There is a total of 3 journal entries and books to be found at The Undergarden.
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Crypt [ ]
There is a total of 6 journal entries and books to be found at The Crypt.
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashen Cult [ ]
There is a total of 5 journal entries and books to be found at Ashen Cult.
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Temple of Blorpx [ ]
There is a total of 3 journal entries and books to be found at Temple of Blorpx.
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homunculus Bunker [ ]
There is a total of 4 journal entries and books to be found at Homunculus Bunker.
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sealed Tower [ ]
There is a total of 6 journal entries and books to be found at Sealed Tower.
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tower Pinnacle [ ]
There are no journal entries or books at Tower Pinnacle.
Master Mode [ ]
Be warned, unlike Story Mode, where they make it really easy for you to gain access to the journal entries and books, you will have to work a whole lot harder to get to some of those pesky journals in Master Mode.
Thankfully, there are only a total of 13 journal entries and books to be collected in Master Mode.
Whitebeard's Tower (Master) [ ]
There are no journal entries or books at Whitebeard's Tower (Master).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Gardens (Master) [ ]
There is a total of 2 journal entries and books to be found at The Gardens (Master).
Bronze (2)
The Gardens - Bronze (Master)
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ruin Crossing (Master) [ ]
There are no journal entries or books at Ruin Crossing (Master).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orc Forest (Master) [ ]
There is a total of 1 journal entries and books to be found at Orc Forest (Master).
Silver (1)
Orc Forest - Silver (Master)
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Slime Cave (Master) [ ]
There are no journal entries or books at Slime Cave (Master).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Boarlands (Master) [ ]
There is a total of 4 journal entries and books to be found at The Boarlands (Master).
Bronze (4)
The Boarlands - Bronze (Master)
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tetramont's Estate (Master) [ ]
There is a total of 2 journal entries and books to be found at Tetramont's Estate (Master).
Bronze (2)
Tetramont's Estate - Bronze (Master)
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Undergarden (Master) [ ]
There is a total of 1 journal entries and books to be found at The Undergarden (Master).
Gold (1)
The Undergarden - Gold (Master)
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Crypt (Master) [ ]
There is a total of 2 journal entries and books to be found at The Crypt (Master).
Gold (2)
The Crypt - Gold (Master)
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashen Cult (Master) [ ]
There are no journal entries or books at Ashen Cult (Master).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Temple of Blorpx (Master) [ ]
There are no journal entries or books at Temple of Blorpx (Master).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homunculus Bunker (Master) [ ]
There is a total of 1 journal entries and books to be found at Homunculus Bunker (Master).
Bronze (1)
Homunculus Bunker - Bronze (Master)
Note: To unlock the secret area to gain access to the last journal entry of Master Mode, follow the instructions that are found in the journal entry left behind at the gold level of The Crypt!
Writings
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sealed Tower (Master) [ ]
There are no journal entries or books at Sealed Tower (Master).
Tower Pinnacle (Master) [ ]
There are no journal entries or books at Tower Pinnacle (Master).