More than a decade ago, Lucy Hart ran away from home, to the private Maine island of her favorite author, Jack Masterson. He counseled her before sending her home. Now she is a 26-year-old teacher's aide, broke and eager to adopt Christopher, a boy with a tragic past. But she cannot foster or adopt until she can afford a place of her own--a dream that is beyond her reach.

Until Jack Masterson announces a contest with the prize being the rights to his latest book, sure to make a lot of money after his long draught. Lucy qualifies to be one of four contestants to travel to Maine. The competition is steep, and the other contestants also have legitimate reasons for needing money. Not only is Lucy reunited with Jack, she also becomes reacquainted with Hugo, the illustrator of Jack's books she crushed on as a young girl and who is no less appealing through the eyes of her adult self. Lucy is also forced to reunite with her sister, who she mistakenly blamed for her unhappy childhood.

There's a lot to unpack here, but this book is charming. Lucy and Hugo are adorable, as is Christopher, and Jack is delightfully cantankerous and annoying, but very very generous. It is a reminder of the power of books, particularly for friendless, misunderstood, or just sad children. #TheWishingGame #NetGalley

This book absolutely infuriated me. Not only was it poorly edited, as though it were written for a middle grade audience, but it also had a completely horrendous storyline glamourizing adoption and foster care. This is fully harmful to readers.

Big thanks to Ballantine Books for the widget to read The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer! I adored this story!

3.5 stars!

A Kindergarten teacher's aide, the boy she hopes to adopt, wishes, mysterious children's book author, a 'grumpy' illustrator.... it all came together for a super cute, at times heartbreaking, story. I cried and laughed in this one. The author did a great job of making me feel I was right there in that library, on Clock Island with the contestants.

The riddles were so fun! I was proud of myself for figuring a couple out, others I struggled with! :-D

The budding romance was a cute aspect (I'm a sucker for romances so maybe just me).

Overall, a feel-good, lovely story I enjoyed.

If you loved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, you will love this book! Great characters, a fun island, and a game! It was a tad predictable but was still a really fun read! I absolutely loved Christopher! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

The Wishing Game was a whimsical and charming journey that will deliver you to a magical world. It is the story of love and found family.
Jack Masterson is the author of the beloved "Clock Island " series. He hasn't written a book in years and his stories have been missed by all. One day Jack starts writing again and now has an eagerly anticipated new book. He is holding a contest at his home on the magical Clock Island. The winner will receive the one and only copy of the new book.
This story was heartwarming and magical, with a nod to Willy Wonka. It captures perfectly how reading is so impactful in our lives, especially when the right book comes along at just the right time.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this heartwarming book.

I fell in love with "The Wishing Game" from nearly the first page. A whimsical, happy story - perfect for book lovers & those with giant wishes. While I was reading the book, so much about the plot felt familiar to me & I realized it was the book-themed version of "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," the Gene Wilder movie based on Roald Dahl's classic "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory." While the plot felt like a knock-off, the writing did not. I fell in love with the characters, laughing & crying with them until the very last page. I would definitely recommend adding it to your summer reading list.

I was blown away by the creativity and planning that must have come into play for this book. That alone is going to bump up my review. I really liked this. It felt fresh and new and in a category all its own. To me it had some realistic elements that weren’t all glitter and rainbows but was overall a feel good book that has left me with a smile on my face.

Imagine your favorite childhood author holds a contest on an island he lives on and you are a participant as an adult! So well thought out and articulated this was! Everything was so visible in my head and unique. We have a very talented author in our hands here. Rounding up to a 5.

A giant thank you to our author, Netgalley and Ballantine Books - Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an advanced eGalley copy of the book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was published on May 30th, 2023. I hope you love it also.

This book was so well written and so thoroughly enjoyable. The character were well developed and you liked the ones that deserved to be liked and disliked the ones who were deplorable. Even though the ending was satisfying it wasn't 100% a predictable ending.

Escaping into a good book is my favorite pastime. Since I was a young child, I knew that a good book was a balm to my soul. In The Wishing Game, Lucy Hart's love of reading the Clock Island books allowed her to escape her difficult childhood and find a place where wishes did indeed come true. Hart shares the book series with one of her students, Christopher, who is going through tough times of his own. Imagine their surprise when the book's author and illustrator both enter their lives in surprising ways.
I loved this book. This is storytelling at its finest - a sweet, compelling read. Finished it in days and miss the characters now that the book is over. Perfect beach read.

A famous reclusive author living on a private island, a handsome but grumpy illustrator, four adults with a wish to go to the island, and a young boy in foster care, all star in this wonderful story. They come to the island for a contest in which many puzzles and riddles must be solved to win.. Lucy, Hugo, Jack and Christopher all learn much about themselves and make heartwarming connections. A delightful story.

Have you ever read a book (or series) that so captured your imagination that you wanted to actually live in the book? This is exactly the scenario that Lucy Hart wanted as a young teen when she ran away to Clock Island. Later as an adult, she is invited back to Clock Island for a game -- the winner will win an exclusive copy of the newest Clock Island book.

At first I was sure this was a copy/ripoff of the book Ready Player One, and there are a few similarities -- an eccentric author who sets up puzzles/riddles/quizzes that must be solved to win the contest. But the similarities end there. Lucy is a fully fleshed out character with an intriguing backstory. The author and his assistant/illustrator are as well, and soon I was completely captivated by them all and the storyline. Who wouldn't want to live on Clock Island? Not only is it everything you have imagined, but the stories of Lucy, Jack, and Hugo are so emotionally engaging that I could not put it down. This would make a great movie. Yes, it's somewhat predictable in places, but there are plenty of surprises and twists in the plot to keep you interested. Highly recommended!!

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer is an absolute MUST READ! I loved everything about this debut novel from the captivating cover to the very last page of the final chapter. The story of the reclusive children’s author Jack Masterson & his mysterious return with a new book in his very popular Clock Island Series. Add to that a “contest” for this new book for a few of his former fans that has the promise of being life changing is just the beginning.

Written in a mesmerizing & immersive style Shaffer’s vivid descriptions bring Clock Island to life. Thus creating a rich and imaginative world that readers can easily get lost in. The story moves at a steady yet well balanced tempo while allowing for moments of reflection and introspection.

The characters are beautifully crafted & charismatic. All undergo growth throughout the story from overcoming fear, recovering from feeling unloved to being brave. Jack, Hugo, Lucy & Christopher all transform into a better version of themselves. Their self-discovery, the power of choices, & the impact reading has had on their lives is central to the story.

“The Wishing Game” is a magical and heartwarming tale that will resonate with readers of all ages. Meg Shaffer has delivered a captivating & enchanting journey that will leave readers spellbound. With its imaginative world-building, relatable, lovable characters & meaningful themes, this book is a gem worth discovering. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a captivating heart warming story that reminds us that sometimes wishes do come true! So dive in without delay and let the magic of "The Wishing Game" sweep you away.

Thank you Meg Shaffer, #TheWishingGame #NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for this ARC. This has been my favorite book of 2023 & I cannot wait to read more from Meg Shaffer. My review is strictly voluntary. Please can there be a SEQUEL???

Be still my heart!! Meg Shaffer took a topic that's very near and dear to my heart and turned it into a truly beautiful and magical story. I was completely pulled in by Christopher's story and rooting for him and Lucy! I appreciated a story that shows a glimpse of the true struggles of the foster world from how traumatic it is on children to the journey taken to become a foster parent.
Clock Island is a magical and mesmerizing island where wishes may or may not come true. Jack Masterson is great at reeling in children to his stories and giving them hope, giving them a reason to keep on going, to overcome life's obstacles, he shows compassion and forgiveness, and everything in between. Jack puts everything he has ever wanted on the back burner due to the fear of judgment. Can he ever have his own true happiness?
This Wishing Game will no doubt stay with readers for a long time to come. Thank you, Netgalley, for the e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

This was the sweetest book! I loved the idea of Lucy working so hard to become Christopher's mom, and - being deliberately vague to avoid spoilers - found the ending incredibly satisfying. This was such a great reading slump-buster.

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. Wow what can I say about this title it was just an awesome read. This book was just something so wonderfully different I’ve never quite read anything like this. You should read to find out you won’t be disappointed. I’m definitely going to read more by this author.

If you love Willy Wonka, Mr. Lemoncello, and Mr. Benedict, you're going to love Jack Masterson and Clock Island!

Jack Masterson is the famous author of the Clock Island children's books. He lives on the real-life Clock Island off the coast of Maine with his illustrator Hugo. Masterson is depressed and hasn't written a book in several years. Hugo is ready to move on, but worries about leaving the man who had saved him and changed his life.

But Masterson has a surprise up his sleeve - he has written another book, and is offering a few choice people the chance to compete for the only copy of the book.

Lucy is a kindergarten aide. She wants to adopt Christopher, who was one of her students a couple of years ago. But she doesn't have enough money to afford a car or an apartment of her own, meaning that Social Services won't consider her as a foster parent, much less an adequate person to adopt a child.

Years ago, Lucy wrote a letter to Mr. Masterson. Lucy has an older sister who was sick for their entire childhood. Her parents eventually left Lucy with her grandparents so they could focus on their older daughter. Lucy wrote to Mr. Masterson with her wish, that her parents would want her, too. Mr. Masterson wrote back, saying she could be his sidekick. So Lucy ran away to Clock Island. Mr. Masterson didn't let her stay, but he never forgot her, or three other kids whose stories had touched his heart.

Now these four grownup kids are on Clock Island, competing in puzzles and games to win the book. All have a compelling reason to win, but who will succeed? And what other secrets does Jack Masterson have up his sleeve?

I love plucky children who face their fears and get rewarded for their intelligence and bravery. This book was like a love letter to all of those wonderful books you read as a child that made you hope for a zany millionaire to change your life, too.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This is a beautifully written book. I loved Willy Wonka as a kid so I fell in love with this book. In my top 10 of the year.

I’ll just put it out there: I loved this book. It is a novel for anyone who has ever felt the power of books and the delight in reading a special series (there is a fictional one in this novel) and for those who know how important relationships can be. It is part whimsy, part fairy tale, part game and all a page turner with heart. There are characters that I loved and wanted good lives for, most especially Lucy and Christopher who both suffered difficult childhoods. Lucy is in her twenties as the story opens while Christopher is seven. Lucy deeply wants to be Christopher’s parent as he very much needs one.

Those who enjoy stories about reclusive authors, puzzles and the power of dreams and wishes will find this to be a most satisfying read. Travel to Clock Island, try to solve a riddle and watch what happens.

Four adults who were childhood fans of author Jack will come to Clock Island. Lucy will also get to know Hugo, an illustrator and wing man for Jack. What will happen when they meet?

Read this fairy tale for adults. I wonder how many people you will then urge to read it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

#TheWishingGame #NetGalley

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.

A contest between grownups who survived troubled childhoods. A fantasy island where children's dreams come true. On Clock Island, perspectives are regained and relationships are mended. Children who are broken or thrown away, brought to life. And a Mastermind, the aging author who loves children and keeps his promises. It's all here.

You'll like this one if you like adventure and suspense without gore. It's a wild ride and a sweet ending. For your childish heart, buy a copy and enjoy it from beginning to end.

Look for quotable takeaways like, "Hate is like a knife without a handle. You can't cut something with it without cutting yourself."
"He said yes. He said yes ten thousand times in a row."
And, "You're going to have a very magical life (if you want it; feel free to say no as magic always comes with a price)."

Damn. This was such a wholesome book. Like The House in the Cerulean Sea-wholesome. There was so much whimsy and fun in the plot, the pages turned themselves. I loved Jack, loved Hugo’s POVs, loved everything about Clock Island. The *only* thing that brought my rating down was the first 20% or so of the book before the protagonist, Lucy, arrives at Clock Island — her character fell a little flat for me on its own, as did her interactions with Christopher, both of which took up a significant portion of that first chunk of the book. Otherwise, this was bloody perfect.