This was just the sweetest! I wanted to give every single character a hug in this adorable book about found family and bravely wishing for your dreams while you work to make them come true. Any small gripes about unbelievability were quickly squashed by how lovely the story and sentiments expressed were.

The inspiration from Willy Wonka was clear though making it about books made me happier than chocolate. I’m a sucker for nostalgia and this had me thinking about the books that changed my world as a child.

The writing style is easy to read and I enjoyed how the story continued to blend as time went on. This is an easy recommendation to pick up when it comes out this Tuesday, 5/30!

One of my favorite quotes: “Hate is a knife without a handle. You can’t cut something with it without cutting yourself.”

the ✨ wishing ✨ game
Thank you, Random House, for the gifted copy of this book {partner}

Genre: Fiction
Trope: A book about a book
Format: 🎧
Audiobook Narration: ☆☆☆.5
Pub Date: 5.20.2023
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆

"Sometimes the thing we want most in the world is the thing we're most afraid. And the thing we're most afraid of is the thing we want most."

The Wishing Game is one of those books that feels like one giant hug throughout the story. Sure, it may have moments of sadness or tension, but overall it's one of those testaments to the power of love and friendship. Plus, you know I love a good found family story.

I especially loved how the author drew attention to the foster care system and how skewed/heartbreaking it can be. I know there are lots of people all around the country who are in Lucy's shoes and children who are in Christopher's positions- it's heartbreaking. This aspect of The Wishing Game reminded me of TJ Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea (without the fantasy aspect).

Only a few things about the book irritated me, and that's the narrator's imitation of a child's voice - for some reason, this always gets on my nerves (in all audiobooks). But don't worry, Christopher is not a big part of the story. Then, I struggled with the age gap between Lucy and Hugo — how much older is he than her? I need an answer to this! Then, parts of the story seemed a little far-fetched to me, which ultimately gave me the YA vibe. Not deal breakers by any means, just things that I wish had been different.

🍫 Charlie & the Chocolate Factory vibe (just not as dark)
✨ Positive message
👧🏽 Felt a little YA in places
🥰 Found family is the best

I recommend reading The Wishing Game if you enjoyed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or The House in the Cerulean Sea.

REVIEW FOR THE WISHING GAME

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars

Happy #pubday to The Wishing Game! Thank you to @netgalley, @randomhouse - Ballantine Books, and Meg Shaffer for the gifted copy!

𝕊𝕐ℕ𝕆ℙ𝕊𝕀𝕊:
For the past 6 years, Jack Masterson disappeared from the writing world. Famous for his Clock Island series, he just…stopped writing. Until now. One last book up for grabs in the form of a contest - winner gets only copy of book and can do whatever they would like with the sole copy. As a fan of the books as a kid, Lucy Hart needs this opportunity. A struggling 26 year old teacher’s aide with dreams to adopt a boy from her class, she needs money to set her life straight. Battling it out with 3 other contenders and dealing with a surly illustrator, Lucy is fighting for her future…unless the Mastermind has other plans.

𝕎ℍ𝔸𝕋 𝕀 𝕃𝕀𝕂𝔼𝔻:
• easy read that flowed beautifully
• trauma rep and recognition that it comes in a multitude of shapes and sizes, and all of those are valid
• magic within reality- a fictional island made real
• grumpy/sunshine of romance subplot
• witty dialogue

𝕎ℍ𝔸𝕋 𝕎𝔸𝕊ℕ’𝕋 𝕄𝕐 ℂ𝕌ℙ 𝕆𝔽 𝕋𝔼𝔸:
• I felt overall Lucy was very naive. Some comments were made and it just didn’t seem like she understood the gravity of requests and situations.

𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔸𝕃𝕃 𝕋ℍ𝕆𝕌𝔾ℍ𝕋𝕊:
I found this book super endearing and imaginative. It reminded me of a few items from childhood- the game like Willy Wonka, the books like The Magic Treehouse Series, Wizard of Oz vibes - and was just full of nostalgia. It wasn’t overly mind blowing, nor was it the best written book. But it was so imaginative and I loved following Lucy’s story.

What childhood book series do you love so much that you wish the world was real? I absolutely loved The Magic Treehouse and wished I had one so I could go anywhere and to any time period!

Not all books written for an adult audience would be appropriate for a YA audience. But this one is. I got swept up in the story, rooting for the main character, admiring her unselfishness. I hope this finds a wide audience because the story is terrific. Thanks to #NetGalley and #TheWishingGame for advanced digital copy.

The Wishing Game is a delightful story of children's wishes and dreams becoming adults' hopes and fears come to fruition. Through the magical world of The Wishing Game, which takes inspiration from Willy Wonka and his Chocolate Factory, four adults who once believed in the magic of Clock Island as children in the books of their youth get the chance to win the most awaited sequel to their beloved series. Lucy, who is desperate to win and adopt Christopher and start for them both the simple life they deserve, returns to Maine to begin the contest with the hopes and dreams of her childhood again renewed. Will anyone win The Wishing Game, or will Clock Island prove again to be made of hopes and dreams alone?

I really wanted to love this book - especially considering all of the rave reviews I am seeing on Good Reads, but I simply could not get into it. Rather than spending more time on this one, I plan to pick this back up when I'm in a different mindset. I really couldn't tell what genre this is supposed to be – YA, fantasy, or something else entirely? I think the premise has a lot of promise and the characters are endearing!

What a fantastic, magical tale that sweeps you into the world created by the (fictional) author Jack Masterson. His Clock Island series has gone quiet for quite a long time. Super fan Lucy Hart is now a twenty-something teacher who wants to adopt one of her students who lost his parents. Christopher is also a fan of the Clock Island series. Lucy is thrilled to find out Masterson is writing one more book and has a contest in store to win the one and only copy. This could be her chance to fulfil her fantasy and secure funds to adopt Christopher.

Meg Shaffer dedicates this fantasy to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. While you can see similarities to that story, the Clock Island contest is rife with mystery and adventure. This story captivates your heart and soul, bringing that childlike wonder back in such a fantastical way. There's not so much silliness like in the Chocolate Factory, but you feel the dreams and desires of those who love to escape in books such as this deep down to your core.

This is one tale you'll want your kids to read and that you'll want to read over and over! It was definitely hard to put down, and definitely worth the reading!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

Jack Masterson, the author of the beloved Clock Island series, quit writing years ago without explanation. He had a huge fan base and children would write to him telling him their wishes. His beloved books were missed by all, but now he has a new book coming out! Imagine the excitement felt by fans worldwide when they learned about the new book. But there is a catch, isn't there always a catch? He is holding a contest at his home on the real clock island, and he is inviting a select few to participate. The winner will receive the one and only copy of the book!!!! woohoo.

Lucy has loved the Clock Island series since she was eight years old. She even ran away once to Masterson's house on Clock Island hoping to be his sidekick. She has never lost her love of reading and works as a teacher's aide and wants nothing more than to adopt seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who became an orphan after tragedy.

Back on Clock Island, Lucy meets Jack Masterson and his assistant, Hugo. She also meets the other contestants, and the competition begins. Not only are they competition against each other, they must contend with a lurking attorney who wants to bribe contestants to sell the book to his client if they win.

This was such a delightful book full of beautiful passages. I hung on to the words and as I was drawn into the story. I have been a bookworm since childhood and loved how the author showed the characters’ love of books and how books take readers on journeys and have impacts on their lives. I also loved the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory feel. I watch Gene Wilder version every year.

Reading this book was like a big warm hug. The book touches on family and what makes a family, love, wishes, generosity, kindness, books, facing your fears, dreams and finding your home. It was lovely, moving and thought provoking. I loved the characters and their backstories. There was so much heart in this book.

Well written, moving, and hard to put down.

This was such an amazing book!
I loved how the author balanced whimsy with some darker concepts. She did a great job of showing the dark and light to each of the characters which made them seem so real.
I also loved how the book highlighted the impact childhood stories can have on kids well into adulthood. I feel like it's a part of reading that is often over looked when it is really so influential in growth and development. I enjoyed the game and the riddles and challenges that were shown. Again, it added a lightness to the story to balance out all the darker undercurrents and challenges.

Overall this was such a unique and beautiful story that was fun and sad, heartwarming and heartbreaking. It really pulled on all the heartstrings and everyone should read it!

I enjoyed the Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer. The story and characters are wonderful. Happy reading!
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

This book took me to a place I haven't been for a long, long time. It took me to the imagination of a much younger me. I really felt like I was being transported back to my youth. A place where "a peculiar little man sold storms inside jars. Or storms in bottles. Boxes of hail."

It takes place in a place called Clock Island where a man has written the series of Clock Island books that give kids courage to deal with the hard things in their lives. He has written the final book in the series and invited four people who showed up on his island when they were kids. They are to play games to try to win the only copy of the last book. They may have had issues as kids, but they now have grownup issues.

A good part of the book is devoted to Lucy, one of the four. She wants to adopt a little boy, but her situation in life prohibits it. She is there to hopefully win, sell the book and be able to go through with the adoption. She discovers many things on this journey, one being the handsome illustrator of the books.

This was a lovely, debut novel. I was entranced and could not put it down. My heart was eager for each new word.

Thanks to Random House Publishing/Grand Ballantine and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was an unusual book for me. I knew nothing about it but “wished” for it in NetGalley and my wish was granted. A beautifully told story, this is a book about books with hints of Willie Wonka. Children’s book author Jack Masterson sets up a contest for 4 adults who had written him letters when they were children, and had tried to runaway to his Clock Island. Now back on Clock Island, they have a week to unravel his games and riddles to win his only copy of his newest book: his first in several years. There are many layers to this story, and I must say it kept my interest. There are several themes in this story…parental neglect, and foster care to mention a few but mostly I loved that this was a love story about childhood books and how they can affect children and adults alike. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Wishing Game is beautiful and uplifting. It’s filled with the trials of life while wishing for dreams which seem unattainable. But, throughout is acceptance and love and well, magic!

Jack Masterson is the Mastermind in a collection of children’s books, although he has not written one in decades. He lives on an island, the real Clock Island which his stories are based on. So popular were the books that children from all over would write to him with their wishes and some even tried to get to his Island. The books are loved by all, but Jack has been unable to continue them. He lives on the secluded island with the illustrator of the series, Hugo Reese who is very worried about Jack. Hugo feels it’s time to move on but can’t leave until he knows Jack will be ok. Hugo knows all of Jack’s secrets which makes him even more worried about leaving.

Lucy Hart is a teacher’s aide. She loves her job and especially one of her students, a young boy named Christopher Lamb whose parents died tragically and is in foster care with an overwhelmed couple dealing with their own children. Lucy desperately wants to foster him or even adopt Christopher, but she is monetarily in no position to do so. Although she has parents and a sister, she left them years ago as her childhood was filled with always feeling left out of her family and very unimportant to them. Her sister, who had been very sickly was most important to the family and Lucy was an afterthought, being shuffled to live with her grandparents. The only thing which got her through these times were the Clock Island books by Jack Masterson. And she has passed her love of these to Christopher in hopes he too can feel the love which exudes from the stories.

And then to everyone’s surprise, it is announced that Jack Masterson has written another Clock Island book. Not only that but he is having a contest and is inviting five lucky people to the Island to play some games, and the winner will get the only copy of the new book to do with what they wish.

And Lucy gets one of the coveted invitations! Now, she and Christopher may actually have a chance of becoming a family!

As the games immediately start, the contestants begin to learn more about Jack and his Island, but they also begin to learn more about themselves. With each person desperately wanting to win, tensions run high, and each challenge becomes more stressful and personal as they reach deeper into the contestant’s own childhoods, much to Lucy’s angst.

So, Lucy’s dilemma becomes one of heartache. Does she revisit her sad and lonely childhood or does she challenge herself in hopes of adopting Christopher. But her one fear is she will never be the mother he truly needs because of her own past.

Sometimes it’s the personal challenges one must overcome in order to win, even if sometimes the material prize is lost. Who will win? And what is Jack Masterson’s real prize?

The Wishing Game is masterful, full of charm, difficult issues and uncomfortable decisions, but in the end just as in one of the Clock Island books, a lesson to be learned.

Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #TheWishingGame #MegShaffer for the advanced copy.

A book about books! Just what every reader loves. This was a fun albeit predictable story. If you like Willy Wonka, you will enjoy this book. I enjoyed trying to solve the riddles along with the players of the game. I think we all have books we read as kids that we wished we could visit. Lucy gets to do just that on Clock Island. Overall a fun, heartwarming. Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

The Wishing Game is a sweet and whimsical story about hope and chosen family, and more importantly, the affect that a good book can have an a reader down the road. I found it to be quite entertaining, easy to read, and just a feel good book. Lucy Hart gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to Clock Island, the setting of her favorite childhood books, to participate in a contest hosted by Jack Masterson, the reclusive owner of Clock Island and writer of said books. The goal for Lucy is to the win the contest so she can get some money to help her adopt Christopher, a student who she fell in love with as a teacher's aide. To win, she has to compete against other superfans, and solve the riddles presented by Jack.

This is a true heartwarming story that doesn't have any crazy plot points or fluff that a lot of books have these days. I found myself smiling while reading the book, and in love with the character development. I found the side characters of Hugo, Jack's cover illustrator, was one of my favorites as well. While the ending was easily predictable, I still felt satisfied when I finished reading. This was a beautiful debut novel and I feel fortunate to experience a snippet of time on Clock Island. It seems like such a magical place.

Thanks so the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

If you could have any wish, what would it be? For twenty-six-year-old teacher's aide Lucy Hart, her wish is to adopt her former student, Christopher. Sadly, she doesn't have the financial resources to make it happen. Lucy wants to give Christopher, who tragically became an orphan, a better childhood than she had. To deal with parents who didn't pay any attention to her, Lucy escaped into the books of Jack Masterson. His Clock Island series was her refuge. Jack, who had stopped writing his books, choosing to live on his secluded real-life Clock Island, emerges from retirement announcing he has written a new book and has created a contest to give away the only copy to one of a few lucky readers. When Lucy is invited to the island to try and win, she hopes she can walk away with the prize and the money it would bring. All of the people invited to participate in the contest are adults who had childhood hardships and are equally motivated to win. The seemingly fun and difficult contest takes on a more serious meaning as each of the superfans of Jack's books are forced to deal with their childhood trauma.

It's hard to categorize The Wishing Game, which has a Willy Wonka feel. There's no actual magic in Meg Shaffer's book, but it has a whimsical, magical sense. I found the book to be incredibly creative and heartwarming although it was very sad at times. I love books about storytelling and this one was extremely satisfying. While geared to adults, it will bring out your inner child. I highly recommend it.

Between my epistolary reading challenge and my love for books, I've been reading a lot of "books about books" lately. (So much so that I've added a new tag just to track all my metafictional adventures.) It should come as no surprise, then, that I've been excited to read Meg Shaffer's The Wishing Game since I first heard about it. The story follows a former fan of a children's book series who's invited to participate in a literary puzzle hunt dreamt up by the author. Can you say book-lover wish fulfillment? And so, when I was lucky enough to get a gift copy from Ballantine, I couldn't wait to get started.

I'll preface these thoughts with my expectations going in. I loved so many series going up; participating in a book puzzle hunt held by any of the authors would have been a dream come true. In fact, many of my favorite stories involve a puzzle hunt, from The Westing Game to The Twyford Code. So I was really looking forward to that element, as well as the wish-fulfillment of fan-author interaction. That said, puzzle hunts can be tricky to write - especially if the puzzles are weak - unless there's some other compensatory factor. I'm a bit picky - but was really hoping The Wishing Game could fill the puzzling hole in my recent reading...

Come for the puzzles?

The Wishing Game promises a literary scavenger hunt from any book nerd's dreams. Its main protagonist, Lucy Hart, grew up loving a series of children's adventure books, Clock Island. A decade or so later, she's passed on her love for the series to her student, Christopher, who she hopes to adopt. Unfortunately, adoption is expensive and, despite years of saving, Lucy hasn't been able to save enough. So when the author of the series invites Lucy and four other fans to his private island for the chance to win a final manuscript, it's pretty clear that she'll go.

What follows is a puzzle hunt that feels thematically somewhere between The Westing Game and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Jack Masterson, the author, is very much alive, and hopes to share the manuscript with a deserving fan (much like Wonka).But here, deserving means, at least in part, "able to solve the most puzzles". Masterson has also included tests of character and moral fiber to ensure that the manuscript goes to a deserving winner.

Based on the above description, you'd be forgiven for assuming that the book is chock-full of clever, twisty puzzles. But Shaffer's puzzle hunt is honestly a little lackluster, mixing familiar puzzles with those requiring physical presence or fictional context to solve. Based on the publisher's descriptions, I'd come in excited to read and solve new puzzles - so reader beware on that front.

Stay for the found family

But the lack of puzzles was more than mitigated by a heartwarming story - actually, two parallel stories. Shaffer's novel explores the idea of found family through parallel arcs: Lucy and Christopher, and Jack and his protégé, Hugo Reese. Lucy loves Christopher deeply, and the novel centers her willingness to fight for their relationship. Similarly, Jack clearly adores Hugo, and their relationship serves as almost a foil - an exploration of the risks and rewards of choosing to expand your family.

The two arcs are heartwarming and comforting, with just the amount of predictability I wanted while reading. Sometimes, you just need that gooey, cheesy story to remind you there's good in the world. Here, Shaffer creates a cozy fable, a story to curl up with. (It's particularly comforting for those who want or need a validation of found families. I read this at a tricky time in relation to my own family, and curling up with The Wishing Game, a blanket, and a mug of tea was as good a balm as any.)

Reader's notes & rating (⭐⭐⭐)

I picked up The Wishing Game at the just the time I needed it - at a time when things were stressful on a personal front. If you're looking for the literary equivalent of a warm hug - particularly in the family context - I cannot recommend this enough. If, however you're excited about the puzzle hunt aspects of the premise, I might give this a pass. Three stars.

Read this if...

You're in need of some family-based Chicken Soup for the Soul

You love reading about found family

The aesthetic vibe of "mysterious island author" sounds intriguing

Skip this if...

You're excited for Puzzle Hunt Mania

You get irritated with sincerity, sometimes bleeding into cheese

You're looking for something suspenseful rather than comforting

The Wishing Game was published on May 30, 2023.

Not what I expected and with so many good books to read on my shelf, I abandoned this title at this time.

This is a wonderful moving story that ends too quickly. Lucy had an unsettling childhood due to her older sister being sick all the time, so she was taken to live with her grandparents. She found a Clock Island Adventure book during her last extended wait in the waiting room and fell in love with the books so much that she wrote to the author. After he responded, she decided to run away and go to Clock Island off the coast of Maine. She lived in Maine, so it was not very far away. Even though she as not there very long, she has always wanted to go back.

Now she lives in a small town in California and is barely scraping by as a teacher’s assistant. She wants to foster to adopt a young boy at school, but needs to save up the money. Suddenly an amazing opportunity drops into her life and she must make the most of it. I did not want to put this book down, I needed to know how it turned out.

I received a free copy of this book to review through NetGalley and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it's like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked with loneliness and neglect, she found solace in books, particularly a fantasy series, Clock Island, written by the elusive Jack Masterson. He may have stopped writing the series years ago, but Lucy, now twenty-six and a teacher's aide, can share the magic of reading with her students, especially seven-year-old Christopher who, now an orphan, deserves to escape reality and dive into a fantasy world more than anyone. Lucy dreams of being able to adopt Christopher, but as the days go by and she's no closer to the funds and stability necessary to be a mother, it's starting to seem impossible. Until Masterson comes out of retirement, has written a brand new Clock Island book, and invites four contestants - including Lucy - to his home to compete for possession of the sole copy. Lucy wants more than anything to win, to guarantee a future with Christopher, but to get there she must contend with worthy (and wily) opponents, slimy book collectors, shady publishers, and grumpy Hugo Reese, illustrator of the Clock Island books. And all the while, Masterson "the Mastermind" is planning an ending with enough twists to change all of their lives forever.

**Please be warned that while none of the following occurs on-page in the novel, there are prominent discussions about parental neglect, emotional abuse, death of a parent, death of a sibling, siblings who's sickness leads them to the hospital, child abuse, miscarriage, and child death. This book is sweet and gentle but does not shy away from having deep and emotional conversations, so please be careful if any of the above may be sensitive or triggering to you**

The Wishing Game is a slow moving character-driven story that I didn't know I needed in my life. As readers, we all want our favorite author to be like Jack Masterson - a kind-hearted man who gives kids a good world they can go to in order to escape their sometimes bad realities. The four contestants competing for the unpublished manuscripts are individuals who, as children, found their way to Jack's home, the real Clock Island, for their own personal reasons. Even now they have their own reasons for wanting to win, and it was lovely seeing their interactions with Jack. Lucy is such a headstrong character who will do anything in her power to ensure Christopher is taken care of, and eventually in her care permanently - she has seen him at his worst, on the day he found his parents dead in their beds, and worked to make sure he feels loved and appreciated and supported. The Clock Island series is something that they can bond over, and when Lucy is invited to the island he cheers her on at every turn, and even when Lucy considers giving up all she has to do is think of him and all she's fighting for. In addition to Lucy and Christopher, I loved seeing how strong other character relationships were, especially between Hugo and Jack, and Lucy and Hugo. Hugo won a contest to be Jack's illustrator years ago, and remained on the island caring for Jack during his hiatus. Jack acknowledges that Hugo is the closest thing he's had to a son, and the two understand each other better than anyone else. Lucy is surprised to find Hugo when she arrives on the island, and while he puts up a grumpy front she's able to break down those walls to reveal the kind man underneath who would do anything for his friend. I loved how throughout the novel, Lucy learns that it's ok to ask for help, and she doesn't need to do everything alone - she comes from a childhood of having to rely on herself, as her parents gave all their attention to her sister who was sick, and therefore she doesn't take anyone's aide when offered. But asking, or receiving, help is not a sign of weakness.

Most of the narration follows Lucy in third person, but there are skillfully crafted moments when we get to see events unfold through another character's eyes, including Hugo's, and other characters I won't reveal due to spoilers. I appreciated how at the beginning of each of the five parts, there is an excerpt from a Clock Island book, as it almost makes the series feel real. I will acknowledge that there is not a lot of action, and a lot of scenes can be described simply as characters talking to each other - but honestly I need books like sometimes, where I can sit down with my hot chocolate (because they have tea in the book, but I don't drink tea) and be in the moment with these characters as they learn to overcome their past obstacles and be better than those who told them they'd never amount to anything.

In conclusion, I'm glad I took a chance on this read, because it became one of my favorite reads of the year. It's beautiful and lyrical in a way that simultaneously warms my heart and brings me to tears. I can't wait to see how other readers find solace in its pages. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Ballantine Books, for the early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*