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JenBsBooks

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And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

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JenBsBooks is Currently Reading

JenBsBooks is currently reading

The Wishing Game

by Meg Shaffer (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: audio, bookclub-to-recommend, library-eborrow, one-and-done, pov-3rd-person, recommend-mom, tense-past, yes-to-the-f, word-snuck, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in July 2023

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JenBsBooks said: " I have over 3000 books on my "want to read" library list. I'm not sure what made me put this one on hold, but someone in one of my Facebook groups must have raved about it enough that I did. Just released in May, this has been a hit, and there were l I have over 3000 books on my "want to read" library list. I'm not sure what made me put this one on hold, but someone in one of my Facebook groups must have raved about it enough that I did. Just released in May, this has been a hit, and there were lots of holds. My hold came in ... I didn't even remember at all what the book was about as I started in.

It was a tad confusing to start ... there's a prologue with Hugo, on the island. We (the reader) and just dropped in, not really knowing who is who, where we are (even if one does read the blurb). Jack is the author, who is Hugo (we come to learn that he's the illustrator, somewhat of an assistant too).

Part 1 starts with ... in the text, it's in italics, in audio (I was listening but had the kindle copy too) it's a different voice (male narrator) ... this is an excerpt from one of the Clock Island books.

Chapter 1 ... we are introduced to Lucy and Christopher.
Chapter 2 ... Hugo

Then the chapters ... don't really rotate. Lucy's story dominates. The contest is revealed. Part 2 is reminiscent of "Willy Wonka" and a bit like The Inheritance Games, riddles and clues. There are more excerpts from Clock Island books, and these books have their own little life, they feel real (a list of titles of all the books is given at the end). I feel like they exist out there somewhere, as does Clock Island, which is just a fun and clever creation of both this author and of Jack Masterson.

Normally, for me to rate a book 5*, I need to feel I'll really remember it. I hope I remember this. I like when I feel there are profound quotes that I want to highlight, take notes, discuss in a bookclub setting. I don't feel that a ton here. But ... this was more than a 4* read. It was delightful. It tugged at the heart strings. It was completely creative and unique. I've gotta go 5*. I've already recommended it to my mother.

One thing that bugged me ... SPOILER (view spoiler)

Content Concerns: There was proFanity a couple times (3x), and we are aware that a couple of the characters have had sexual relationships in their past. But comparatively, I call this a completely clean read! :) ...more "

Jul 21, 2023 09:24PM · see review

JenBsBooks is currently reading

Conundrums & Coincidences

by J. Marie Croft (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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2 hours, 40 min ago

JenBsBooks is currently reading

City of the Forgotten (The Gateway Trackers #9)

by E.E. Holmes (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Sep 04, 2025 07:15PM

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JenBsBooks’s Notes & Highlights

Book cover for Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life

Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life by Helen Fisher

1 highlight

remarkable things can happen when you leave your comfort zone, and that you can do even the hardest things with a little help from your friends.

By Any Other Name

by Jodi Picoult

6 highlights
My Friends

by Fredrik Backman

10 highlights

See JenBsBooks’s 60 books with notes and highlights…

JenBsBooks’s Quotes

“One should go away long enough to know the cotton-soft contentment of coming home.”
― Beth Brower, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 8

tags: home

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“But dreams are dreams."
"Oh no, no," he said, and smiled at me. "Dreams are so much more than that. They are visions of the future, they are whispers of our desires, they are hope. We cannot and we must not live without dreams, Clara.”
― Patti Callahan Henry, The Story She Left Behind

tags: dreams, hope, inspiration

1 likes