A wonderful story that awakens the imagination and warms the heart. Adventure with Lucy through a fantastical puzzle and the fight for familial love.

I loved it. This was a book that I began with the idea of reading something different, so I had no preconceived idea of whether I'd like it or not. The premise of a book series that captured the hearts and brains of children caught my attention right from the start. The main character, Lucy, was such a likeable young woman and I was anxious to get to know her better! And who cannot like a teacher's aide who loves working with children and has her heart and soul set on adopting a little boy, Christopher, to give him a home and endless love. Enter the plot of "the game" on Clock Island where riddles have to be solved to move forward in the game and in life. We are introduced to Clock Island in the Prologue which sets the tone for what's to come. A contest is being held where the prize can change lives - and four adults who had visited Clock Island as children, are invited back to play the game. Along the way we learn much more about the author of the books, Jack Masterson, who designs the life-altering contest, as well as the artist for all the book artwork, Hugo. There are many stories that complete the ultimate story, along with tests and riddles designed to make the players look well within themselves for the answers. And at the heart of it all is love.... of the game, of life, and of each other. Definitely can recommend this book that brought smiles to my face and the need to keep reading to get to the outcome!! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #TheWishingGame

The Wishing Game is a sweet story, almost a modern version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory written for an adult audience.

The novel follows Lucy, a woman whose life has been marked by hardship and loss. She finds solace in the magical world of "The Wishing Game," a mysterious and magical game that grants wishes to those who truly believe. The premise is charming, and the plot is filled with moments of wonder and discovery. While some plot points may be predictable, the story maintains a sense of magic and optimism throughout. The novel beautifully explores the themes of hope, belief, and the transformative power of wishes. It reminds readers that even in the darkest of times, there is always a glimmer of light and the possibility of a better future.

Jack Masterson, a reclusive children’s author known for his *Clock Island* series, resurfaces after years of silence with a new book and a life-changing competition. Lucy Hart, a teacher’s assistant who dreams of adopting the orphaned boy she tutors, sees the contest as her chance to make both their wishes come true. Traveling to Clock Island to solve riddles and play Jack’s intricate games, Lucy learns that bravery is key to turning dreams into reality.

This heartwarming story blends nostalgia with a whimsical, YA-like tone, even though it features adult characters. Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC—I’m thrilled to add this beautifully designed hardcover to my collection!

Lucy Hart knows all too well what it’s like to grow up without loving parents. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found solace in books, especially the Clock Island series by reclusive author Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher's aide, she shares her love of reading with her young students, particularly seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who tragically lost his parents and became an orphan. Lucy dreams of adopting Christopher, but she lacks the funds and stability to make it happen.

Jack Masterson, the mega-bestselling author of the Clock Island series, quit writing under mysterious circumstances and for the past six years has been drinking himself into an early grave. Suddenly, he resurfaces with a brand-new book and a one-of-a-kind competition.

Lucy receives an invitation to take part and jumps at the chance. Alongside three other contestants—all former runaways who sought refuge on Jack’s Island as children—Lucy must solve puzzles inspired by Jack’s books. The winner will receive the only copy of his new manuscript to do with whatever they want.

As the contest progresses, Lucy faces her deepest fears and insecurities. Meanwhile, Jack, burdened by his own sorrows, plots the ultimate twist ending that could transform all their lives.

The Wishing Game celebrates friendship and the enchanting world of storytelling. The book is charming, magical, whimsical, and entertaining. Despite some underdeveloped characters and a Willy Wonka-esque premise, it is an impressive debut and a delightful read.
I highly recommend it and give it 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy of this book. The opinions are my own.

Though I was a bit skeptical about the whole 'magical' premise, I was drawn in to this beautiful story from the beginning. I had no preconceptions whatsoever and delighted in the journey. It tweaked my heart in so many ways. The relationship Lucy has with the orphaned young boy who she wants to create a home for really got to me.

The entire Clock Island mystery with its history for Lucy and other contestants in a competition was full of surprises that delighted and held me in thrall. I was totally invested in the characters and outcome. I cried and I laughed. Such wonderful imagination. I loved the themes of renewal, hope and forgiveness. With perseverance, wishes do come true.

Take yourself on the journey to Clock Island with Lucy and the mystery that unfolds. You won't regret it. One of my 5-star reads for 2024. Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House, and the author for allowing me to read an advanced e-copy of this marvelous book.

I loved this book. The whimsy. all the feels, it was exactly what I needed to remind me why I love reading. This story is a testament to the power of reading as children and how something as simple a childhood story can live with us forever.

The Wishing Game is a heartwarming and whimsical novel that combines elements of fantasy and self-discovery. It follows the journey of Lucy, a young woman who finds herself caught in the magic of an old storybook game. As she navigates her way through the game’s challenges, she learns about the importance of dreams, hope, and the power of human connections. Meg Shaffer crafts a tale that is both enchanting and thought-provoking, with a perfect balance of lighthearted moments and deeper emotional exploration. Fans of magical realism and feel-good stories will find this book delightful.

Growing up, Lucy found connection and adventure in the Clock Island series of books. Now, a teacher’s aide, she has a student who seems as lost as she felt growing up. She introduces him to the same books and he finds them as enjoyable as she did. Soon after, a contest related to the series is announced and the prize could dramatically alter both of their lives if only Lucy is brave enough to enter. Can revisiting her beloved series really shape her future or will looking at the author and series through adult eyes only crack the facade of perfection she had as a child? Thanks to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for the ARC. This is my honest review.

I just kind of loved everything about this book. It was like a grown-up version of Willy Wonka, for book lovers, minus Oompa Loompas. Definitely some suspension of disbelief (the teacher/fostering situation was especially head-scratching), but I was happy to go along for the ride. Feel good fun that I've definitely recommended to several reader friends! Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

I love a good found family story, and The Wishing Game did not disappoint. While it does not shy away from hard social topics, the ride is worth it, and wraps up with a feel good ending. A lovely book to cozy up with.

Lucy Hart works so hard as a classroom paraeducator so she can save enough money to adopt Christopher, but she never seems to be able to get ahead. Her heart is breaking as she realizes that she just doesn't have the resources to be the family he needs...but then she gets an extremely exclusive invitation from her childhood favorite author. Lucy, along with three others, has been invited to the home of the elusive Jack Masterson, who is hosting a contest for the rights to his final Clock Island book. Though full of mystery and tension, this book is entirely cozy. It feels like getting a hug from a dear friend.

This book is a beautiful tribute to stories and how they can change readers' lives.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

*** Thank you Netgalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review**


The novel is a simple, heartwarming story, one filled with lovable characters, fun riddles and games. There’s some light romance to it, too, and it has some of good moments involving friendship and family. It also has some serious subjects as well.

I was intrigued by the premise of an updated Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with emphasis on the plight of kids stuck in the fosterage system. As much as I was predisposed to like this book, especially in light of it earning “Best Book of the Year,” I found in it one disappointment after another.

First, the protagonist: Lucy Hart, rejected by her family in favor of her chronically ill older sister, ought to have been a sympathetic viewpoint character. She has gone from one miserable life situation to another. As a child, though, she had the gumption to run away to the island fortress (Clock Island, site of the eponymous, wildly popular children’s book series penned by the mysterious recluse, Jack Masterson) and demand to become his apprentice. Of course, this did not go well, although she, Jack, and gifted cover artist Hugo have never forgotten one another. At the opening of the book, Lucy is working at a dead-end job as a teacher’s aide. She’s barely able to make rent, let alone provide a suitable home for Christopher, the foster kid she’s determined to adopt. Herein lies my initial and enduring inability to connect with Lucy. She seems to be no more emotionally mature than an average adolescent, even more so when she decides that the only solution to her life problems is to enter and win a fabulous prize offered by Jack, the only copy of his unpublished next Clock Island novel. Her wish appears to be coming true when she is selected as a finalist and travels to Clock Island.

Aside from one writer to another: One copy?? Give me a break! No agent, editor, publisher, publicist, beta reader, copy editor, proofreader, online writers group, professional association, or trusted friend (looking at you, Hugo) would ever allow such irresponsibility as printing out one copy and then destroying all the files of the previous versions (or the equivalent typewritten manuscripts). (At the beginning of my writing career, I typed out drafts (at least three) with carbon paper and kept them all, using them as show and tell for school presentations.)
Second aside: many aspects of this novel read as if written by someone ignorant of the publishing business, yet Jack is a many-times-over best seller, supposedly with an agent and editor with whom he’s had a long relationship. It didn’t take long for me to suspect that the naïveté was on the part of this book’s author. I confess to a prejudice against “Creative Writing” folks who all too often have no clue about how genre storytelling works. I can’t think of another explanation for the prevailing ignorance.

These issues paled beside the huge red flags. Here are but a few: Lucy decides that the key to happiness is to adopt a kid. Other than the limited, structured interactions with students her job, she has no experience with parenting. Her interactions with Christopher come across as sugar-coated wish fulfillment (except for a few small afterthought details in the last chapter). There’s no chemistry between the two of them; their stereotyped interactions could have come straight out of 1950s family sitcoms. As Lucy’s history is revealed, it’s clear that because she felt unloved as a child, her solution is to shower another child with the love she never received. Not to resolve her own issues, not to learn to love (and forgive) herself, not to let go of her resentment of her sister and parents.

Second huge red flag: Lucy goes from one inappropriate romantic relationship to another. Her longtime, emotionally abusive, and much older boyfriend kept her dependent, off-balance, and doubting her self-worth. Never does she address the lingering trauma other than to “do a geographic” and leave town. She’s had a crush on Hugo since meeting him as a child, he being quite a few years older then, and neither of them sees anything untoward about being attracted to each other. Her relationship with elderly Jack is bizarre. In the age of #MeToo and better understanding of how women are manipulated, exploited, and gaslit, I’m appalled at how much of Lucy’s victimhood is rationalized, unexamined, and lacking in feminist context. Neither Hugo nor Jack is outwardly abusive, but the inherent imbalance in power in each of these relationships means there can be no true consent. Lucy has not become empowered by escaping her previous domineering romance, she has only run away. She is just as vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation as ever.

These issues are far less significant than the crucial problem: Lucy has no agency as a character. She never rises to the occasion to solve her own problems. Someone else, whether Hugo, Jack, or her co-worker, always steps in to fix things for her. In the end, after she fails to win the contest, Jack gives her the island (so she and Christopher have a place to live), Hugo gives her a painting worth a small fortune, and Jack’s attorney takes over the legalities of Christopher’s adoption.

The contest to win the unpublished manuscript includes a series of riddles, which were fun, but not amusing enough to cancel the serious issues I’ve raised above. Anyone looking for a story in which a character wrestles with their inner demons and rises above them, learns to act like an adult, and takes control over their destiny through their own efforts will likely be as disappointed as I was.

The premise of this book was attractive to me initially, promising a heartwarming story of found family for a young orphan boy, Christopher. While I found that general theme to be true, the delivery wasn’t as expected. I found the relationship between Christopher and Lucy, his teacher (the other main character), to be somewhat uncomfortable. The intention is clearly that Lucy cares about Christopher and wants to provide the love and affection he is missing from a family structure, but the fixation she has on adopting a student and the physical affection she shows him while at school is a bit overdone. Additionally, the feasibility of her adopting him while living with multiple unreliable roommates is unrealistic.

The island setting of the story is gorgeous and I really enjoyed the idea of the writing workshop and exclusive contest; it’s very reminiscent of Wilky Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and adds a a whimsical edge to the plot that satisfied my inner child. There are some unique characters that are fun to get to know and it tugs at your heart that Christopher eventually gets the family he deserves.

Overall, there were aspects of the book that I loved but others that felt awkward. Despite the early portion of the book striking me as a bit odd, I think the book has a good theme and a lot of heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

I really was looking forward to this read as I found the premise intriguing, but unfortunately I didn't like it by the end. Many of the relationships between the characters made me quite uncomfortable, including 1. the age gap between the protagonist and her love interest, who met when she was a teen and he was in his 20s, 2. Lucy's relationship with Christopher, promising him adoption when it seems near impossible, and 3. the way Jack interacted with children, which made me feel more creeped out than endeared. I do think the story showed promise and could have been written in a more enjoyable way, but unfortunately the characterizations prevented me from fully immersing myself / enjoying the story.

The Wishing Game was written for book lovers. It truly encompasses how important books are in everyone's lives and how a book can change a child's life. This was such an emotional and impact full read for me and it's a book that just feels like a nice big warm hug. It makes you smile and see the good in the world again. It's about found family, love, grief, and how magical books can be.

Lucy Hart is a struggling teacher who adores one of her students, Christopher, who is 7 and now an orphan. She would love to adopt him, but can't until she can show the courts she is financially responsible. She has to watch Christopher struggle with the grief of his parents and be in a foster home, when she would do anything to be his adopted mom. (Yes I cried from the first couple of pages)

Lucy's favorite childhood author, is hosting a contest and the winner will receive a cash prize. It seems like a dream come true when she gets picked to go to his house on Clock Island and compete to win the money. All she wants is to win so she can have enough money to adopt Christopher.

This book is full of magic and as a book lover makes you remember just how much you loved reading as a child and escaping into worlds. There is a dash of romance in this book which was done perfectly.

I rotated between laughing and smiling to crying every few pages. This truly is one of the best books I've ever read and it's just going to be one of those books that I hold near and dear to me.

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer is a captivating read for anyone who has ever found solace in the power of stories, especially those who have experienced the transformative magic of found family, foster care, and the unwavering hope that comes with chasing one's dreams.

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REVIEW: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“The stories write us, you see. We read something that moves us, touches us, speaks to us and it…it changes us.”
― Meg Shaffer, The Wishing Game

The Wishing Game was such a fun and whimsical fantasy that tugged at your heartstrings. The characters are not realistic but they are super loveable. This book is a warm fuzzy fairy tale for adults. At times the book was a bit simplistic, but if you look at it more as a child-like view into fantasy, it will really draw you in.

I really enjoyed the riddles and puzzles of the competition. I also loved the themes of found family, chasing your dreams, and hope throughout the book.

I enjoyed The Wishing Game for its fantastical and heartfelt story. I cannot wait to check out more from Meg Shaffer!

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine , for the free advanced copy for my honest review!