hi Ryan. little bit of feedback to your book, it looks good. 
though i would recommend expanding your sketches a little bit on your backpack idea. you can really ground the concept if you show it in context. in this case its simply adding a person wearing the item in a final drawing. something else you could add as well is a small bumf at the front end of each project just to explain its context a little bit. your coffee maker for example has a couple of very interesting themes, but what is the ultimate design goal? are you designing a unit for people with limited dexterity, or a new loading system that doesn’t clog up as easily? cool if its both, but tell the viewer 
this is part of the design storytelling, its just being direct and communicating your intentions. 
actually, you do a great job of doing this in your thesis. just keep the theme consistent. as far as how much work you need to show…different people will have a differing opinions. but realistically, 4 to 5 projects is enough. if you like power eq, then do a study of a tool. most fresh grads will have portfolios that are very similar. by including something you enjoy and have invested time in, you can stand out.
hope that helps. if i twisted your hippocampus, apologies in advance.