Intelligent, clear ads, yes. And normally only on networks that know their audience/my habits. Probably 1 in 30 instagram ads, 1 in 500 facebook. Trusted small bloggers ads are a bit better ratio.

Were all of these tests actually performed on mobile devices? I either missed note of it or there's no mention. Most people have no idea how to perform a gesture on desktop, let alone feel inclined to do so as it's an awkward motion. Yes buttons are clearer and more obvious, but assuming gestures work and would be used in a prototype is a flawed assumption.

There was a discussion about the implementation before the public preview. Their variations on the implementation were interesting and I can in some regards see the argument for not having them. I'm not sure on the specifics of the NDA as it's been a while, but it's not an oversight. I think it's one of those things where veteran users will miss it, but new designers that haven't formed a workflow around layers won't care.

I will say that some of the proposed concepts were very interesting.

One nice feature she includes in the book is "essential" summaries for each section. "If you only have the time/budget to do one single thing, do this...", which might be nice for freelancers who don't have the resources, time, or scope to do all the research and testing a larger budget may allow. It's modular enough to cherrypick what works best for you.

The User Experience Team of One by Leah Buley. Straightforward, "real", and provides actual tools instead of only theory.

As an Educator, The Shape of Design is my go-to for whenever I need a bit of inspiration. Such an incredible book.

As other's have mentioned, primary action that only exists there is dangerous. For "shortcuts" that live behind a swipe I've used little "grippy" indicators, aka the same affordance you'd find on the battery latch on your remote control. When in doubt, pull from real life.

I did not participate, but did attend one held at our campus. They seemed pretty fun, and the participants looked like they were having a good time. Ours didn't have a UX category, but that certainly sounds interesting.

Frank Chimero - The Web’s Grain