This book is about the power of stories.

I loved reading about the adventures of the contestants at Clock Island, and the story is so heartwarming.

This is a perfect spring read for fans of magical literature!

Thank you to PRHAudio, Ballantine and Netgalley for the ARC/ALC!

Years ago, author Jack “The Mastermind” Masters quit writing his famous “Clock Island” books under mysterious circumstances. Now, decades later, he announces he has just written a new book and offers a contest where ONE lucky person can win the one-of-a-kind novel! This comes at the most perfect time for Lucy, a kindergarten teacher, and Christopher, a child living his foster care. Lucy wants nothing more than to adopt Christopher, but with her financial situation, she has just been told that is not possible. So when Lucy receives an invitation to participate, she hopes it is a chance to make her and Christopher’s wish come true.

First, let me say this is pretty far from my usual book choices - I generally go for thrillers, historical fiction or the occasional rom-com - but something abut this premise peaked my interest. And I am SO glad I gave this one a chance! Lucy and Christopher both captured my heart from the very first few pages I read and didn’t let go til the end. I loved exploring Clock Island with Lucy in its “Charlie and the Chocolate factory” feel. It was magical, heartwarming and quite frankly, a story I didn’t know I needed. Even if you don’t typically read fantasy-style books, give this one a chance - I promise it won’t disappoint. Thank you to Meg Shaffer for the ARC! “The Wishing Game” released May 30th.

This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.

The Wishing Game is a book I have been wishing for without knowing it!
I laughed, I wished, and I cried alongside the main character Lucy, a 26 yo struggling teacher's aide that wants nothing more than to adopt a lonely, scared little boy named Christopher.

When Lucy is given the opportunity to participate in a contest for the eccentric, reclusive children's author, Jack, she has the chance to finally make her wish come true as long as she doesn't wait around for the wish to just happen without putting in work to make it happen.

The plot of this book really is "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" meets books set on a fantastical island of the coast of Maine. The supporting characters are just as great as the main character, and me wanting to know if they get their happy ending just as much as I wanted to know if Lucy would get hers kept me pulled into the story from the beginning.

Fans of comeback stories, romance, or family drama/love will surely enjoy this delightful story.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this dARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars--rounded up because it's about books :)

Famous author, who disappeared from view and hasn't written a book in years, writes a new book and sponsors a contest whose winner can sell the manuscript for untold amounts of money. The story was kind of sweet but rather simplistic--it felt more like a middle grade book to me.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

A down on her luck woman wants desperately to foster a young boy she's bonded with but has no stable home, car or job. When a contest comes up with a chance to win a significant cash prize she jumps at the chance. Full of magical realism, a story within a story and a heartwarming, feel-good HEA. This was a wonderful debut with a gorgeous cover that was also great on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This one is definitely going to make it into my favorite reads of 2023!

A famously reclusive children's book author comes back from a mysterious apparent retirement with a contest that has the potential to change a person's life. One of the lucky contestants is Lucy, a young woman who had a horribly sad childhood and who now dreams of giving an orphaned little boy the chance at love and happiness that she didn't have. It's highly emotional and full of very interesting characters that breathe on the page and pull you into their story almost immediately.
It's a slow plot that moves along with major revelations but never really has a big sense of urgency or that something really big is about to happen. It makes for a very relaxing read that helped me get even more into the story of each character.
I'm amazed at how well Shaffer includes some pretty dark themes and gives them the appropriate seriousness without dragging the wonderfully uplifting story down. It shows that there are dark moments in everyone's life and that they can affect the course you take, but it doesn't mean it has to define you or your life going forward. I think this is a big part of why I liked the story so much.
I'm very highly recommending this one to anyone who still looks back at the stories of their childhood with fondness and likes to share them with those they love. It's a lovely, magical story full of emotion and love.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the magical read!

#TheWishingGame:⁣
⁣
Thank you @prhaudio @randomhouse for my gifted copies! #PRHAudioPartner ⁣
⁣
“It’s fun, isn’t it?” he said. “Reading all about people facing their fears. Not so much fun to do it yourself.”⁣
⁣
Hear me out. This book takes a bit to get into. But slowly, somehow, someway, as you’re trying to get into it, this book somehow throws a blanket on your lap, brings you a big hit cup of tea, positions you close to your fireplace, then out of nowhere, gives you the biggest hug. It sneaks up on you and stays in your soul with the warmth and wishes you had as a child. ⁣
⁣
Think Willy Wonka, but responsible, asks Miss Honey to compete in a contest on an island. This island is a popular children’s series about facing fears and magical things. ⁣
⁣
Audio was wonderful. There’s excerpts from the Clock Island books and Paul Boehmer was wonderful in reading them. Rachel L. Jacobs was a treat to listen to.⁣
⁣
Overall, this is another warm hug book. It takes a minute to get into it, but it’s so worth it. Just released 5/30, y’all go check it out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful debut novel by Meg Shaffer - 5 magical stars!

Jack Masterson is the author and creator of the Clock Island series of children's books that have a cult-like following. But he quit writing years ago under mysterious circumstances, and has been living quietly on a small island off the coast of Maine with his illustrator, Hugo. Out of the blue, Jack announces that he has written a new book and will be having a contest, with the winner receiving the one and only copy. However, the contestants are picked by invitation only and there are only 4 selected. One of them is Lucy, who as a child ran away to Clock Island, wishing to be Jack's sidekick. Now living on the other side of the country, she is barely surviving as a kindergarten aide and desperately wants to adopt Christopher, a little boy at her school who has seen such trauma in his young life. But she's been told she doesn't have a home or a car and thus isn't eligible to foster or adopt him. She's hoping that she can win the contest to make her wishes come true.

This was such a fabulous book - I raced through it but didn't want it to end! It's similar to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but based around books, which of course is wonderful! Extra fun is to be had with all the riddles and challenges in the book. The cast of characters are so incredibly heartwarming, yet they all face real life problems and fears. Facing your fears is a lesson that Jack has stressed in his books, and he has some of his own fears to conquer. Highly recommended - would be a great YA book as well.

Lucy works as a teacher’s aide and has grown to love Christopher, a seven year old student who has become orphaned and is living in foster care. Lucy desperately wants to adopt Christopher but doesn’t have the funds or living situation for this wish. When she is invited to compete in games developed by her favorite childhood author (and Christopher’s current favorite) on Clock Island, both become hopeful that their shared wish to become a family is within reach if Lucy can win.
I found this book to be fun and satisfying, although predictable. The author who hosts the contest, Jack Masterson, is an eccentric and delightful character. Hugo, the book illustrator is interesting but his character is more obscure but of course, he adds some romance for Lucy. The book offers something for most readers - people overcoming various traumas, light hearted humor, romance and happy endings. I found it to be an enjoyable read with no reason not to rate it 5 stars.
#NetGalley #RandomHousePublishing - BallantineBooks

An amazing debut, I felt it was a love letter to children's literature or to readers who have been reading since childhood. Although it is contemporary there was a magical air about it.

Lucy Hart did not have a good childhood, her parents neglected her in favor of her sister, and her refuge was the Clock Island Books, she was such a fan that she sent letters to the author Jack Masterson and one night she ran away from home towards the island where he lives, but when he arrived she had to face reality, and have to return home.

Years later, she is a preschool teacher and has a special student, Christopher, a brilliant boy to whom she gave her books, read them together after school. She wants to adopt him, but she doesn't have the financial support that the government wants. It's when they both make a wish (just like in the books) that it can come true.

Letters reminiscent of William Wonka's golden ticket, the author of Clock Island has sent children (now adults) who have sent him letters that have touched him. They must pass a series of tests, just like the protagonists of the clock, to win the manuscript of the new book, and with it, they can do whatever they want, Lucy intends to sell it to the publisher that pays her the best in order to adopt Christopher.

It’s a heartwarming and charming story with little Willy Wonka vibes, mysterious and adventurous old children's stories, and the ending reminded me a bit of Matilda. If you were a child who took refuge in stories and lived adventures with adventure protagonists, this is for you.

I love Jack's riddles, very clever, but childish, so the participants had trouble solving them. The island where Jack lives felt magical, straight out of some children's books. Honestly, Jack reminded me a bit of Santa Claus, a mysterious man with a good heart, he not only writes books, but he also receives letters from his little fans and cares about them,

Jack does not live alone, Hugo Reese, the illustrator of his books lives with him, they both have traumas and wounds to overcome, I would have loved to see some illustrations of his art, it was read that it was beautiful. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the early E-ARC, it was a lovely story. 

Read it if:
• You love stories about books
• You read since you were a child and you want to remember your childhood
• Found family trope

Super fun and a bit poignant book that is an adult version of a book kind of like "The Westing Game" or "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", both of which influenced the author.

Lucy is a bit down on her luck, having had bad relationships with her family growing up as well as a bad romance. She is now a teacher's aide making not much money. She wants to adopt a boy from her school, Christopher, who is a foster child. However, she doesn't have enough money or stability in her life to qualify for that.

Enter "The Wishing Game" - a contest that reclusive, famous children's book author Jack Masterson invents. Who will be invited to play the game? Who will win? What does it take?

The plot was fun and I overall enjoyed it a lot. The only drawback was I found Lucy and Christopher's backstories felt very contrived.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. #sponsored

What a beautiful book. I love the cover!
The Wishing Game follows Lucy, a teachers aid who is down on her luck. Years ago, when she was a child, she ran away to her favorite author on clock island to be his sidekick. Now, the opportunity arises to go back to clock island to compete for the chance to win the only copy of the last clock island book.
There is so much more to this story but that is the gist of it.
I got very Willie Wonka vibes but for adults and on an island.
Let me just say this book is gorgeous! The hardcover is so pleasing to look at, I may even buy a physical copy just for the aesthetic.
The romance subplot was so cute. Found family?
Also there.
I thought it was so well written and had the best messages of overcoming personal trauma and working through things even when we're scared.
Worth the read! Pick up this book- you won't regret it!

A wonderful change of pace for me! Imagine someday really getting your Hogwarts letter! Or winning that golden ticket. That’s exactly what The Wishing Game was! A modern day Willy Wonka story with 4 avid fans undergoing riddles and games of their favorite Children’s author, Jack Masterson, in hopes of winning the only copy of his next book after a 6 year hiatus!

Lucy has read all of the “Clock Island” books that she now shares with 7 year old Christopher, a boy she wishes to foster and then adopt. However, her meager wages and less than ideal living situation has made that impossible. The contest put together by Jack Masterson is her ticket to getting the funds she needs to be the mother Christopher desperately needs.

The story is so fun! I didn’t quite know what to expect but I was not disappointed. It’s fast-paced with lovable characters and the perfect ending! If this is Meg Shaffer’s debut, I can’t wait to see what she does next!

First, I want to note that part of the reason I requested this book is that it was billed as a sci-fi/fantasy book, and it most definitely isn't. Now, there isn't anything wrong with that, but that miscommunication gave me different expectations for it, so when they weren't met I was a little disappointed. That being said for what it was (women's fiction) it was an enjoyable enough read with at interesting enough premise. The main character was perhaps a little bit too perfect, but I enjoyed the secondary characters, and I appreciated the element of favorite childhood books effecting your life for years to come. While overall I found it a little underwhelming it was a quick read with a cute romantic subplot to it. I'll be curious to see what Shaffer comes up with for her next novel, and should someone at the store asks about this book I certainly won't steer them away from it, because while it might not have been for me I'm sure others will find it more to their liking.

This is a sweet story that reminds me a little of Willy Wonka. It takes place on an island in Maine and involves a competition from a reclusive children’s book author. Lucy, a 26 year old teacher’s aid, is hoping to adopt a 7 year old and she participates in the competition with hopes of winning. The competition causes her to face some of her fears and challenges with her family while growing up. It had a Young Adult feel to it to me. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Do you remember reading your favorite childhood book for the first time? It felt like the author had written the book solely for you. For me, that book was Alice in Wonderland. The Wishing Game gave me that same feeling.

Thirtysomething Lucy has a favorite childhood book series called the Clock Island mysteries. Unfortunately, the author retired to an isolated island and stopped writing the series years ago. However, he has just announced a competition pitting his four biggest fans in a puzzle competition to win the rights to his new unpublished book. Lucy desperately wants to win so she can legally adopt one of the children in her school. However, the other three contestants also have compelling reasons for their drive to win.

I really enjoyed feeling that rush of reading a book that brought back all my memories of my childhood reading favorites. But that is not to say the book is without flaws. Lucy’s magical thinking of “I want it so it must come to pass” is a bit grating on my, perhaps jaded, adult mind. The plotting had no true surprises, which is consistent with children’s rather than adult fiction. Still, I enjoyed reading The Wishing Game. If you loved Alice or Willy Wonka books as a child, you will enjoy this book as well. 5 stars!

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I loved, loved, LOVED this book! It was everything I never knew I wanted or needed out of a story! There were moments where I found myself smiling and laughing one minute, and utterly distraught the next. The story was so engaging and you couldn’t help but to route for all the characters fon the island! It gave me a sense of nostalgia for the children’s books I use to devour when I was younger and read until the spines wore out. I can’t recommend this enough!

It's not often that a book leaves me utterly speechless, but The Wishing Game did exactly that. In the best way possible. I've read a lot of truly wonderful books, but this gave me the same kind of whimsical feeling The Starless Sea gave me. I wanted to savor every word, every page, and every moment of this lovely book.

For anyone who has grown up reading, and had those favorite series they adored as kids, you will enjoy this. If you love whimsical reads, you will enjoy this. If you love how books transport you to other worlds, you will enjoy this.

The bottom line, read this. And I hope you love it as much as I did.

Thank you Random House/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

The Wishing Game is such a beautiful book - heart wrenching at time but so uplifting. I absolutely loved it.
As someone who found a love of reading very early in life - this is a moving love letter to the magical power of reading and books and how books can affect one's life. Such a sweet and charming novel - perfect for the young and young at heart.
Thank you to Random House, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the chance to read this novel.

I requested an ARC for this book entirely because of the cover, and I’m very thankful the publisher “granted my wish”. However, the tags on NetGalley are very confusing: Science Fiction/Fantasy and Women’s fiction? The blurb, on the other hand, hints at mystery and romance. Who knows what this book is?

Beware: grief; death of parents; alcoholism; chronic illness; terminal illness; miscarriage; drug abuse; child sexual abuse; child drowning; narcissistic parent; emotional abuse; Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Apparently this novel is a debut, but you wouldn’t know it from the writing, which is very polished and engaging; the publisher uses the word “whimsical” to describe it, as there are riddles, games, and puzzles, as well as quotes from books that only exist in-universe.

However, as you can see by the list of content warnings, there’s a lot more going on in the story, and while I read this book very quickly, I am not sure it really worked for me–but also, I’m not sure it didn’t? Allow me to elaborate.

The narrative alternates mostly between Hugo’s and Lucy’s points of view, with the latter getting the lion’s share, especially after they are all on the island; and despite Hugo, Jack, and Christopher, being key to the story, only Lucy feels like a fully realized character.

It is, really, her story.

(Which for my money, makes the novel fully ‘women’s fiction’)

Hugo is basically a good guy with a difficult childhood, but despite some lip service, he doesn’t really change much from the first page to the last. Meanwhile, Jack is like a more benevolent, intrinsically good version of Dumbledore–one without all the ulterior motives.

There is a lot of heart in this book, and most of the characters are good people, just trying to live their lives in an unkind world. The author doesn’t shy from presenting the reality of life in 2023 in the U.S.; that is, anything but charmed.

Without naming political parties, there are mentions of banned books, bigotry, cruelty, greed, and more, that are part of the current landscape of the country.

The hopelessness of Lucy’s and Christopher’s situation, and the coldness of a system that it’s supposed to help children but most often doesn’t, is heartbreaking. When Lucy quotes from the “Foster Facts” brochure, the terrible reality children ‘in care’ suffer hit me so, so hard.

Whatever happens with, and to, the adults, children are always at the mercy of people and institutions that, while claiming to exists “for the best interest of the child”, rarely care about them as individuals.

So while there’s a plot, and we see Lucy grow as she faces her fears; and while there’s a sweet nascent romance, and also a lovely–one could say fantastical–resolution at the end, I struggled to enjoy the whimsy of the surface while being so viscerally aware of the pain and suffering beneath.

Lucy’s visceral feeling of abandonment, her believing herself unlovable, her aloneness, her financial struggles; Christopher’s loss and grief and trauma; alcoholism; the crushing weight of student debt; the despair of working oneself to the bone and knowing it won’t be enough to succeed; the fear of a beloved parent’s life-threatening illness; living with terminal illness; losing a sibling.

All of these and more are part of the characters’ stories, but the nature of the story means most are not explored. No book can cover all the ground, after all, and Lucy’s character arc is well done; the passages from the fictional children’s books are intriguing, and the literary allusions dropped throughout the text often made me smile.

And yet, I feel dissatisfied. Given Lucy’s and Hugo’s and Christopher’s and Jack’s backstories, I wanted more substance than the book gave me.

Nonetheless, I will keep an eye for more from Ms Shaffer.

The Wishing Game gets 8.25 out of 10