I wish in game by Meg Sheffer is such a well written, novel, filled with magic and suspense. Mysteries around every corner and surprises on every page. I absolutely love the characters and the character development. Even the characters I didn’t love- I like the way they were written! The games within a game are compelling to read so I would recommend this to anyone who likes puzzles, mysteries, romance, and just stories about good people.

This book was magical. As a reader for as long as I can remember, the prospect of an author creating this sort of competition- I can't imagine!

The book starts with Lucy Hart, an elementary school assistant, struggling to make ends meet for herself and the 7-year-old orphan she wants to adopt. Everything in the world seems to be against her. A hard life, no family ties, no formal education, and no money to adopt sweet Christopher. One thing she can share with him is her love of the Clock Island series, by young adult writer Jack Masterson. These books provided Lucy with a safe space when she was young, and she hopes they provide the same to Christopher.

When everything seems to really fall apart, Jack Masterson surprisingly comes out of his "retirement" with a new book. Instead of releasing it to his publishing house, Jack announces a contest- with Lucy as a contestant. Putting her reading skills, memory, and perseverance to the test- Lucy must face each challenge for a shot at the manuscript, and all the money she needs to be financially secure for the rest of her life. Lucy knows it won't come easy, but she gives her all to each of the challenges thrown her way.

I'll be honest, I didn't think I'd love this book as much as I did but as I sat in my reading chair with tears in my eyes at the end, I knew it was one I wouldn't forget.

The Wishing Game is a book about the magic of books, especially the magic of children’s books. I was one of those kids who devoured books in series like the Nancy Drew books and my brother’s Hardy Boys books, among others, so I could totally imagine how children would feel about the Clock Island books that are featured in The Wishing Game. I found myself entranced with the story and its characters and had a hard time putting down the book.

Lucy is now in her 20s but when she was 13, she ran away from home, where she was miserable, and found her way to where the author of the Clock Island books lived - on a private island also called Clock Island. She was, of course, returned home, but Jack Masterson (the author) never forgot her or the few other children who managed to find their way to his home over the years. For an unknown reason, Jack stopped writing the Clock Island books several years ago. But now he has written a new one and is running a contest. The winner will get the one and only copy of the new manuscript! But Jack is a major fan of riddles - so the game is not an easy one.

Lucy can barely support herself as a teacher’s aide but she is determined to find a way to first foster and then adopt an orphaned boy named Christopher. Her life circumstances are standing in the way - unless she can win this contest!

Jack is an interesting guy with secrets of his own. Hugo is an artist who has illustrated Jack’s books for several years (after winning a contest himself!) and lives on Clock Island. I loved all their interactions - with each other and with Lucy and the other three contestants as well.

The author took her inspiration from Charle and The Chocolate Factory, but this is a very different book. I absolutely loved it - there was just one thing near the end that almost pulled my rating down from a 5, but as it’s one of my favorite books I’ve read this year, I kept it at a rare (for me) 5-stars.

Warning: there are some heavy, serious topics covered along the way. Among them are child abandonment, child death, death of parents, and descriptions of the difficulties in the foster care system.

Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was a bit late to it. All opinions are my own.

The Wishing Game
By Meg Shaffer
Pub Date: 30 May 2023
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books
Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Women's Fiction
Rating: 5/5

If you are a child at heart, you will love The Wishing Game. Its imaginative characters, captivating story, and vivid illustrations make it a must-read. It's a timeless classic that will stay with you long after the last page. It invites you to revisit its magical world inspiring you to believe in the power of wishes.

Lucy grew up in a household where her parents ignored her and only cared about her sister. She found comfort and solace in the fantasy realm of the Clock Island series of books. She ultimately used this escape to guide and empower her journey to her dreams.

Lucy is now an adult, working as a teaching assistant, and disconnected from the family that hurt her. She is struggling financially and desperately wants to adopt one of her former students, Christopher. She believes that with her experience and understanding of the situation, she can provide a better life for the child. Despite being broke, a lack of transportation, and a difficult living situation, Lucy is determined to persist, but for Christopher, who is in foster care, time is running out. Is Lucy willing to risk everything to save him?

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sharing this incredible book with me. I highly recommend this story to others, as I literally could not put it down and devoured it in one sitting.

Only Love Can Hurt Like This

Wren and Anders are both alone-and heartbroken. Wren found out her fiance was betraying her. Wren meets Anders while visiting family in Indiana and sparks fly. But everyone capable of mature love has baggage of some sort. Being alone does not always mean your heart is free But Anders has a secret he is not quite ready to share. When he does tell it, does it break Wren’s heart all over again, or will it mend it?

I like this novel-a realistic feeling romance with adults acting like grown people with ethics.

This was a wonderful book. The “game” aspect and other competitors in it could’ve been fleshed out a little bit more, but overall it was great.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Wow! This book was incredible! I wasn't expecting to love this so much, but I did! This was such an interesting and unique book. I really don't know what to say about this, but if you love children's books, found family, and riddles, then go read this book! I loved the found family so much in this one. I loved Hugo, Jack, and Lucy! I really loved all the riddles in it too. I could not figure out a single one of them, but it was still so interesting to read this story. I definitely recommend this book if you love a contemporary found family novel with an author/being inside of a children's book.

This book is for any former child who once dreamt (or maybe still does) of entering the worlds of their favorite books.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

I absolutely adored this.
Utterly gorgeous.
I still find myself thinking about this book even now, probably a couple of months later.
The plot is a wonderful idea- the premise of the childrens books author surrounded in mystery, but with the emotion and drama of Lucy's life too. Lucy was a warm, kind character and her relationship with Christopher was just adorable.
Fantastic and highly recommended.

THE WISHING GAME by Meg Shaffer is a captivating novel that follows the reemergence of a vanished children's author. Inspired by Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," this heartwarming tale features Jack Masterson, the beloved writer of the Clock Island series. After a six-year hiatus, Jack invites Lucy, a determined kindergarten aide hoping to adopt Christopher, a seven-year-old boy, to compete for the rights to his new book. Lucy embarks on an adventure filled with charming characters and meaningful challenges, leading to a testament of love and friendship. This whimsical book weaves enjoyable games, riddles, and depth, providing a much-needed fairy tale ending and showcasing Lucy's compelling journey of growth and forgiveness. I eagerly anticipate the author's next book!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I had heard nothing but praise for The Wishing Game, so I had really high hopes about this book. The story is sweet and reminiscent of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at times, but I found it way too predictable. If you're looking for a bit of escape, though, this book is a good choice.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me access to the ebook version of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

<i>"Sometimes the thing we want most in the world is the thing we're most afraid of. And the thing we're most afraid of is often the thing we most want."</i>

This book is an absolute delight. Lucy is a struggling preschool aide who more than anything wishes to have the financial stability to be able to adopt Christopher, a precocious second grader dealing with the trauma of his parents' deaths. Their relationship is sweet and hopeful. You can't help but root for them.

There are lots of layers that are slowly revealed in this magical compelling story. The mystery reminded me of The Westing Game but there's also the whimsical, quirky benefactor of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Mostly though it's Lucy and Christopher who bring the determination, resilience, and hope that makes this story so heartwarming.

I loved this book and hope there are more to come from Meg Shaffer in the future.

*Thank you for the advance reader copy from Ballantine Books and Netgalley. I am required to disclose this in my review in compliance with federal law.

Such a feel-good read with a unique premise. Our protagonist, Lucy, survives a rough childhood by immersing herself in the children's book series Clock Island. Here she found brave children on adventure to a the island of the Mastermind to seek answers and pursue their closest held wishes and dreams. Fast forward, and Lucy is all grown-up with adult level concerns. She is a teacher's aid and one of her young students is facing all to real challenges of his own. After the overdose death of both of his parents, Christopher is being shuffled around the foster care system. Lucy introduces him to the escape she found in the Clock Island series to help him find hope in a world that feels hopeless. She would love to foster-to adopt him, but even though she frugally saves and takes on side-work, she doesn't have the financial stability required to become Christopher's mother. But then she gets a chance to go to Clock Island for a challenge the reclusive author (who hasn't written in many years) has created. A challenge that could allow her to win the rights to his newest book, which would leave her with the money she needs to adopt Christopher. This is a great read that will take you back to the fantasy of living in the worlds of the books that meant the most to you as a child. You will fall in love with these characters and the adventures they have as they run toward their biggest wishes and dreams. This one will warm your heart. Highly recommended!

This creative hopeful book is one for the charts for this year. It has all the feel goods and a great story line. It lingers long after reading and brings back all the feelings of loving a good story from my younger years.
I didn’t know much about this going in and was a bit lost for the first chapter or two but once the characters were developed it had me hooked.
Many thanks to author Meg Shaffer, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Wishing Game is just about my perfect book: it has romance, happy endings for all, a clever mystery/game, and a sweet story that gently touches the heartstrings (without being melodramatic or overdoing it). It is a book that pays tribute to books and the worlds readers escape in, and it sparked my own imagination, making me feel the desire to write or do something else creative. Ahhhh. It makes me happy just thinking about it.

The story goes like this: an older man, Jack Masterson, lives in a big house on a large island by himself. Well, and one other person: his longtime illustrator. Jack wrote 60-plus books in a children’s book series called Clock Island. But he stopped writing six years ago, leading the much-younger illustrator, Hugo Reese, to move to the island to keep an eye on him.

Now, Jack has finally written another Clock Island book: but he’s not going to publish it. He’s inviting four people to the island to compete for the chance to win the one and only copy. They’ll have a week to gain points playing a series of games.

One of the lucky chosen competitors is Lucy Hart. She’s not had a lot of luck previously; she grew up with parents who largely neglected her. She had a bad relationship with a narcissistic boyfriend. And now, she’s a kindergarten teacher’s aide who loves a little boy at her school. She wants to adopt Christopher, who was orphaned a couple of years earlier, but she needs money to do that. This contest is finally a big chance to make this wish come true — just like in the books she lost herself in as a child.

The story reminds me a bit of the middle-grade Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, with its whimsy and book-based game set in a library that’s every reader’s dream. And the book itself has some characters reference Willy Wonka (of course). But this book has layers of poignancy that those do not have.

The Wishing Game is an absolute delight start to finish, and I wished it wasn’t only 300 pages long. It transported me and left me feeling happy and full of my own creative juices. I could read this kind of book every day.

Every now and then, I forego my usual thrillers and crave a whimsical story full of magical realism. The Wishing Game is just that. I would say that readers of TJ Klume and Sara Addison Allen would enjoy the style. This being a debut novel probably accounts for the minor issues that prevented me from giving the book 5 stars instead of 4. I absolutely loved the characters and each of their backstories. Lucy grew up with parents who seemed to not love her at all and only focused their attention on her very sickly sister. She took refuge in a series of books about Clock Island. Now that she is an adult, teaching assistant and 100% out of contact with the family that hurt her, she is struggling financially and desperately wants to adopt or at least foster one of her former students. She is absolutely not qualified due to her dire financial circumstances, living arrangements, and means of transportation. Time is running out before Christopher gets moved to another foster family out Lucy's logistical reach.

Jack is the author of the Clock Island series who has become a recluse on his own personal, real Clock Island. For mysterious reasons, he has been depressed for some years and has not written a book in the Clock Island series in all that time.

Hugo, the illustrator of the Clock Island books also has his own troubled history that led him to be Jack's only confidante on Clock Island during his years of solitude.

The game that brings these three characters together is magical and fun. I defy anyone who reads the book to not want to visit Clock Island and play its riddle-filled games.

The only aspect that pulled me out of my enjoyment was Lucy's blinding stubborn stance on asking for help in getting what she needed to foster Christopher. She seemed so loving with him, yet almost hard-hearted when it came to doing what she could to get financial assistance. I understood her anger, but as many times as the book repeated her anguish over the time running out on her chance to get Christopher, it didn't make sense to me why she refused to ask for or receive help.

The Wishing Game was a winner and I have been spreading the word to all my friends to read the book!

This book was AMAZING! It is the perfect book to read for any adult who was once a kid who was mesmerized by a book series and longed to be a part of it.

I typically don’t love reading books that make me cry, but I could not put this book down. Every character was one that I loved and kept wanting to learn more about. When the story was over, I just wanted to read more.

I honestly cannot recommend this book enough. 100/5 stars

The Wishing Game follows Lucy, a teacher’s assistant who desperately wants to adopt Christopher, one of her former students. Because of her lack of money this seems like an impossible dream, but she and Christopher never stop hoping they’ll be a family one day. One day Jack Masterson, Lucy’s favorite author from her childhood, announces that he’s hosting a competition for a few of his former readers. The winner of the competition will receive the only copy of Jack Masterson’s newest book and the right to publish that book if they choose to. The story follows as Lucy and her fellow competitors solve Jack Masterson’s puzzles and race to the end of his game. The Wishing Game is basically an adult version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The Wishing Game was entertaining enough that I never lost my desire to know who would win the competition. It’s a fast paced story, and the writing is consistent throughout the entire book. That’s everything good I have to say.

I don’t think this is a bad book. I think it just wasn’t for me. The Wishing Game was similar to The Twyford Code in that I thought I would love it because it was focused on children’s books and solving puzzles but it still didn’t work for me. I didn’t realize that there would be so much focus on the relationship between Lucy and Christopher. I wasn’t interested in that aspect of the story at all, but it was pretty much the driving force behind the entire plot.

Lucy seemed a lot younger than 26. To me she seemed like a teenager, so it wasn’t very easy to feel like she should be a mother lol. I thought that the relationship she had with Christopher wasn’t very healthy. She was so intensely fixated on him while realistically she felt more like an older sister than a mother. She kept assuring him that one day they’d be a family when there really were no signs that that would ever be possible with her financial and living situations. I hated that she was always getting his hopes up like that. I also thought it was a little weird of her to be a teacher showing that much affection towards a student. They were always alone together at school hugging, kissing, and expressing love towards each other in different ways when they had no official, legal relationship as a guardian and child. I don’t really know anything about being a teacher, but I assume that that’s against a whole lot of rules.

The sense of whimsy and wonder that I believe Meg Shaffer intended for readers to feel never really struck me. Jack Masterson’s books and the island the competition took place on weren’t described in a way that gave me that feeling. Overall this plot was very predictable to me, and I was hoping that a book about solving puzzles and playing games would be full of twists and turns.

I’m not sure if this is a reasonable complaint, but I thought the puzzles the competitors had to solve were too easy. I solved the first puzzle before I even finished reading it. There was another that I was able to solve very very quickly. There were others that readers of The Wishing Game won’t able to solve because they required knowledge that only the characters would have as readers of Jack Masterson’s books, and there are some that are only mentioned in passing, so I’m not talking about those ones. I’m only referring to the ones that readers are able to solve. This matters to me because the puzzles being easy took away from the urgency and tension that I should have felt while reading about the competition. I wasn’t able to experience the stress of trying to figure out the puzzles alongside Lucy. But the reason I said that this might not be a reasonable complaint is that whether something is “easy” is subjective. I’m not sure if that’s been a common complaint among readers of this book. And other people may agree that they’re easy but not mind it as much as I do.

I’ve never seen anyone else say anything bad about this book so I guess I’m the odd one out here. But I really didn’t like it.

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer is about Lucy, a kindergarten aide that grew up unloved by her parents. As a teen she ran away to Clock Island, located off the coast of Maine and now as an adult has been selected to participate in a contest to win the rights to the most recent novel by Jack Masterson. It is book #66 of the Clock series and his most recent book in six years. Lucy desperately wants to adopt Christopher, a boy she tutors that is in foster care, and winning the book would mean she would have enough money to get a house, car, and adopt him. The story is magical and fun and though started a little slow, soon grabbed my attention and I was eager to read it whenever I could.