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.

I will admit that I absolutely read this book because I loved the cover. I am SO glad that I did.

The Wishing Game is somewhat of a retelling of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory story. Only in the absolute best way possible. Lucy as a mid 20s kindergarten aide who wants more out of her life. Specifically, she wants to foster one of her students who had a tragedy happen in his life. The story unfolds where Lucy has the opportunity to participate in a contest to possibly win something that could garner her a lot of money.

This book was like a warm hug. The characters were likable. Honestly, I was rooting so hard for Lucy at the end.

An immense thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This book with stick with me for a while.

I typically love books about books, but unfortunately this was not my cup of tea. Still, I believe we will get a copy for our collection.

Think Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and The Hunger Games (minus the violence), but with a bookish twist, I laughed, shed a few tears, and closed the book at the end feeling good. The Wishing Game is a warm hug to book lovers everywhere!!

I was given a complimentary digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are mine alone.

This brought me back to my childhood days.
Not much to say otherwise but was a good read
It did feel a bit long though and could have been slightly more engaging

I loved reading this book. The game starts with a riddle and takes you on an exciting adventure on an Clock Island. This story is very clever.
I had a hard time believing this was a first book by this author. The pacing of the story is perfect. The writing is amazing. The game set up flows well.
It’s a great read for all ages.