Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing!
This book does a fantastic job of bringing emotion and depth. It was so surprising when starting this book how well the author transports you into the story and it kept me so captivated in the story. The premise of the story was fantastically done, and felt extremely unique. Getting to see more about Lucy and her situation, as well as her dreams for the future felt real and tangible at parts. I was thoroughly invested and how the book was going to end, and honestly enjoyed the ending quite a bit.

The Wishing Game is the best reminder of the power that dreams and wishes held when you were little! This book will transport you back to when you believed in it all and were just waiting for it to happen. Lucy and Christopher have the best wish and they spend so much time and effort to make it come true. When given the chance at a miracle Lucy is willing to do her best to seize the opportunity. Luckily Clock Island and the Mastermind believe in making wishes come true, even if in unexpected ways. This book comes out on May 30th and I am so happy I was able to get an ARC from NetGalley, this was the perfect pick me up story I didn’t even know I was looking for!

🕰️🕰️🕰️🕰️🕰️ / 5

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I loved everything about this book. This story was so beautiful and stunning and fun, and it sucked me in. I never wanted it to end. If you appreciate exceptional writing and an escape from reality, this book is for you. I don’t think I could recommend this one more.

This wasn’t quite what I was expecting with all of the 5* reviews BUT I did enjoy the book. I really think this should be classified as YA as I was expecting a bit more excitement? Tension?

I never liked Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – I thought it had a creepy, frightening edge to it. I also didn’t let my kids watch the movie.

This book however would make a delightful movie!!

The setting of this book on “Clock Island” is a child’s dream come true. There are magical places to explore and of course the beauty of the island itself set in the ocean like a gem!!

Jack hasn’t written a book in many years, no one knows why, although it is revealed in this book. Hugo, his illustrator, has felt the need to stay on the island and keep an eye on Jack, they are more than friends - more like family!

In the present time, Jack sends a letter to a select few who visited the island when they were children. He has written a new book and will be having a contest on the island and whoever wins will get the book and all rights to publish it.

Lucy Hart is a single teacher’s aide who has come to love a little boy in her class. His parents were both killed and he is living from one foster home to another. Lucy’s dream is to foster and then adopt Christopher. Lucy had just about run out of hope of ever being able to adopt since she doesn’t have a safe home for Christopher or the funds to care for him. When she receives the invitation to Clock Island she is determined to win the contest for herself and Christopher.

I thought that the first half was a bit slow and predictable but it picked up pace and interest in the second half. It was an enjoyable adventure and a great escape read.

I didn’t really see the magical realism in this book, although it may just be in the reader’s interpretation of Clock Island!!

The ending wasn’t quite believable, but it’s fiction and it was lovely to think that Jack, Hugo and his island were real.

I would recommend this book as a quick read with likable characters and a fun setting!!

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to read and review this title.

Publication date is set for May 30, 2023!!

Come into a world where your deepest wishes as a child could come true. Clock Island is a place where children readers from around the world were swept up in adventures. A place where wishes could come true if you were only willing to face your biggest fear. For Lucy it was a place where she could escape the world around her. One in which her parents didn’t want her, and she was abandoned so that they could care for her little sister. As an adult she wants nothing more then to share all the love she has with young Christopher, a boy who has lost his parents. Yet she is deemed unable to care for him. Till one day she receives a letter. A chance at changing her life. But to do it she is going to have to go to Clock Island and maybe even face her biggest fear. Is she willing to do it to have her heart’s desire granted?
I loved this book. There is truly something to be said about a book that sweeps you away into a place that you dreamed of as a child. Having everything that you dreamed of come true. I also love the fact that the games Lucy and the other participants have to play are ones that mirror the books. Simple enough if you are willing to look at them through the eyes of a child. This book will speak to those who enjoy Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and obscure dreams becoming reality. Just such a lovely book and I am so excited to recommend it to patrons very soon.
Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Very sweet story with riddles, whimsy, and found family.

It's not really a children's book (though middle grade readers may still enjoy this), but it seems like the perfect book for adults who love children's fiction.

The adventure and the story was fun, though I wish the riddles had been a bit more novel or challenging. I also felt a bit emotionally detached from the characters, which wasn't ideal given the highly emotional aspects of the story, such as Lucy's desire to adopt Christopher. Their story was still very touching, and I think many people will love this book.

Very impressive debut!

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer was such a wonderful book that definitely feels like an homage to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but just with books!

As a child, Lucy Hart's favorite books were the Cook Island series by Jack Masterson. While she wasn't receiving the support and love she needed at home, she found solace and love in the pages of these books.

Lucy is currently a kindergarten teacher who is looking to adopt a young boy who is in foster care after losing his parents. She's pretty much been told she will never qualify to adopt Christopher, but that is not going to stop her from trying.

While Masterson didn't write for many years, he announces he is going to be publishing another book in the Cook Island series and there is going to be a contest between f0ur readers, where one of them will win the only copy, the manuscript. Could this be the opportunity that Lucy has wanted? Will it help to set her up to be able to adopt Christopher and move forward with her life?

This book was a wonderful debut for Meg Shaffer! I believe that books can play such a big role in the life of a reader and the book shared this same message. I look forward to what Shaffer offers up for us next!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

I loved this book! The premise is a book lover's dream. Meet your favorite author and participate in a competition put on by the reclusive author. It's like Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory for adults and book lovers!

The Wishing Game is a clever take on Charlie & the Chocolate Factory. A struggling teacher's aide who is desperate to foster-to-adopt a young boy in her school enters a Wonka-like contest on Clock Island, home of an ultra-famous, reclusive children's book author. The creative world of Clock Island and the clever riddles had me totally immersed, and I was truly invested in Lucy's quest. Throw in the added elements of a possible romance and Lucy's own complicated and painful family history and I was hooked from start to finish. While some of the side characters felt flat and interchangeable, and the author takes some liberties with the intricacies of the foster system (which she admits in the acknowledgements), I still really enjoyed this whimsical and heartfelt story.

Jack Masterson created a world children loved in his books- so much so that some of them ran away from home to his on Clock Island. One of those was Lucy, a child whose parents more or less abandoned her to her grandparents. Now she's an adult struggling to keep her head above water and wanting so so much to adopt Christopher, one of her students who was orphaned when his parents OD'd. Masterson's "game," in which four of the kids now adult, compete to solve puzzles in order to win his new book and the rights to publish it, could not have come at a better time. Hugo, the man who does the cover art for the books, is also on the island but this isn't a romance. No spoilers but know these are tricky word puzzles and you'll root for Lucy, especially when the non-word puzzle challenge is facing her fears. Lucy's back story comes out slowly with her childhood more interesting than the reason she moved from Maine to California. And there's more to both Jack and Hugo. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a feel good novel - it's also a good read.

What an absolutely delightful treat for book lovers and those who are young at heart! You’ll definitely be rooting for Lucy and Christopher in making their wish come true. I really appreciate the opportunity to review an advanced reader’s copy of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I am very thankful that the publisher reached out through NetGalley to offer me a copy of this book. They were absolutely right that it was a perfect book for me! I fell in love with reading as soon as I learned how to read in first grade. The best present I could ever get was a book, or two, or three. This book does a great job of encapsulating that love of reading and the escape it provides, especially for children who need it most. It was easy to get attached to all of the characters and the story of both the past and present was well told. I saw this book described as a love letter to reading and that sums it up perfectly. As a teacher and avid reader, I can’t imagine a world without books. 4.5 stars rounded up. I would like to thank NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the digital ARC of “The Wishing Game.”

Did I instantly add this book to my top reads of 2023? Yes, yes I did. I laughed, I cried, I cheered on the underdogs and I wanted to begin reading again as soon as I finished.


We follow the main character Lucy, a 26 year old Kindergarten Teachers Aide who is trying her best to survive. But every time she gets 5 steps ahead, life knocks her 5 steps back. But the one person who keeps her going is a boy named Christopher, who she’s trying her best to adopt out of foster care. Together, they both bonded over “The Clock Island Adventures” the bestselling children's series, and quickly became each others comfort people.

The author of The Clock Island Adventures, Jack Masterson was on a hiatus from publishing new stories. Until one day, he posted on his social media a riddle for his fans to figure out, with a catch (there’s always a catch), there is only one copy of his new book and one lucky person will become the owner of it.

Much like Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, Lucy gets a golden ticket - an invitation to Jack’s home to compete for the single copy of his new adventure. But remember, there’s a catch!

Meg Shaffer did a great job of incorporating bits and pieces of Willy Wonka into this story, while also making it relatable to real life situations. The story was a gentle reminder that you never know what someone may be going through.

In a Nutshell: ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ without the “wonkiness”. [Pun intended.] I loved this book almost till the end. A sweet and beautiful read that will warm the cockles of your heart despite some sappy elements.

Story Synopsis:
Six years ago came the last book in the long-running Clock Island series. Since then, children’s book author Jack Masterson has stayed reclusive. Until now, when he has announced a brand-new Clock Island book and a special competition, offering the winner a mind-blowing prize.
Lucy Hart has always been a huge fan of the Clock Island series and of its author. As a teacher’s aide, the twenty-six year old shares her love of reading with her little charges, especially with seven year old Christopher, an orphaned child who loves his teacher more than anyone else. Lucy dreams of adopting Christopher, but her financial situation doesn’t allow her to fulfil her dream.
Masterson’s competition seems like a dream come true, and all Lucy has to do is to win his competition. But as we all know, dreams go hand in hand with perils.
The story comes to us in the limited third person perspective of mostly of Lucy and Hugo, Jack’s illustrator.

Bookish Yays:
😍 Though the story was quite straightforward and almost predictable, it was very tough to keep aside. The plot is a nice combination of emotional and heartwarming.
😍 As readers, what do we most love? Books! And when there are books about books, hallelujah! I simply loved the role books played in this plot, right from alleviating fears to providing imaginary escapes from tough situations to simply spreading joy and laughter. There were even some chapters that were written as “excerpts” from Jack’s Clock Island books. These were the perfect addition to the story. All the bookish elements were a bibliophile’s delight.
😍 While I love the premise of Roald Dahl’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate factory’, Willy Wonka wasn’t really my favourite character. So imagine a similar premise, where you get a ‘golden ticket’ to Clock Island, and weirdo Wonka is replaced by the masterful maverick Masterson. I simply loved Jack’s character – he was the lynchpin of the plot in so many ways. Because we don’t hear from his character directly, he gets maximum attention from us and just as the children in the book, we hang on to his every word.
😍 The remaining characters too were as goody-goody as expected in this plot. Lucy, though a tad too impulsive and impractical, had a heart of gold. Christopher is one of the cutest child characters I have ever read. I wish I could just hop into the book and hug him tight! And what can I say about Hugo Reese! The typical romantic coconut – hard exterior, soft interior. First time ever I saw a lead character with arm tattoos! The secondary characters are mostly cookie-cutter, but a few of them still make their presence felt.
😍 The titular ‘wishing game’ refers to multiple things in the plot, one of which is the game that Lucy and the other three contestants have to play to win Jack’s prize. I enjoyed this game as well, with the riddles adding to the fun element.
😍 Through Christopher’s story, we also get a look at the foster care system. Though the author has deliberately focussed only on hopeful elements, the book still offers a touching, albeit somewhat saddening glimpse of a system overloaded with needy children looking for care and love.
😍 There are several other dark and depressing themes, but most of these are mentioned in passing, thereby keeping the impact on the lighter side. This works well for the plot because the positive vibes would otherwise have been killed by the sombre elements.
😍 Clock Island is not just the name of the book series but also a location. And man, what a location it is! Right from the rooms in the main house to its various clock spots, the whole island seems like the perfect spot to live in. To top it all, the book has a map of the island at the start!
😍 While there are hints of attraction in the story, romance never takes centre stage, which remains firmly focussed on the personal development of the characters. This always works to my benefit as I hate insta-attraction stories.


Bookish Nays:
😔 One particular writing choice towards the end disappointed me. That development simply wasn’t needed, and it felt like a satisfactory track had been purposely manipulated to heighten the emotional shock. Cutting off that part from the book wouldn’t have made any difference, or rather, would have improved the book.
😔 Certain elements in Lucy’s backstory also felt farfetched. Her reason for staying away from certain people wasn’t convincing. The big reveal in her arc reminded me of a Jodi Picoult book—not revealing the name here as it is akin to a spoiler—but it didn’t come across realistically in this story.
😔 Just as in the Roald Dahl book, you know who will be the winner. So the proceedings are somewhat guessable. Then again, this genre thrives on a guaranteed HEA, and the HEA is delivered to our satisfaction. But a small part of me wishes it had explored the boundaries of predictability and even gone beyond.

All in all, this was one of those books where you know how things will go but you still can't stop reading. The fast pacing also helped. Especially considering that this was a debut work, the author has handled it quite well.
For most of the book, I was accompanied by my Shoulder Angel and my Shoulder Devil. Angel was going all gooey-eyed, laughing and crying along with the candy-sweet plot developments while Devil was rolling his (her?) eyes at the improbability of the mushiness and the predictability. Angel and I decided to ignore Devil and relish the read with all our heart. But the final couple of chapters proved Devil correct as the emotional manipulation went a step too far with the introduction of the unnecessary plot point. Thereafter, Devil convinced me to lower my rating to 4 stars even though Angel was comfortably perched on the 4.5 stars mark. 4.25 is a way of keeping them both happy.
Recommended to those who would love to read a touching found-family style story with plenty of fun and emotional moments.

4.25 stars.

My thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Wishing Game”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. An author I like reviewed it as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but with books." I think this is an apt description, except people don't nearly get killed or turned into blueberries in this story. The book centers around an eccentric author who writes the Clock Island series, similar to Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys mixed with some Lewis Carroll and a dash of wishes. All these references are actually used in the book (cite your sources as Jack says!).

Lucy is a 26 year old young woman who desperately wants to foster to adopt a young boy from her school who was orphaned at 5 years old. Unfortunately, while she has all the emotional qualifications, she is financially strapped and therefore deemed unfit to take him in. Her saving grace comes in the form of a contest from the eccentric Clock Island author, by invitation only, to win the sole copy of his new book to do with that the winner wishes. Lucy wants to go and win so she can adopt Christopher and give him the life she didn't get as a child.

There are a lot of emotional issues in this book. This book is a bit similar to the Lemoncello books by Chris Grabenstein, but this book is definitely for adults given some colorful language, though it is not heavy in the book. I found myself trying to solve (and failing) the riddles in the book before the characters and that made it extra fun.

I would actually love a second book to see how everyone is doing. I am very grateful to have received this delightful ARC from Netgalley and Ballantine Books. I highly recommend if you embrace your inner child and love books.

Lovely book. A book lover's homage to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

This was just a feel good story for me from start to finish. This is not a deep contemplative tale, it's a simple story of love, found family, and forgiveness.

Jack Masterson is the beloved author of the Clock Island children's book series. He actually lives on Clock Island, right off the coast of Maine. Yet, for some reason, he has not written a book in six years. Lucy is a kindergarten aide with dreams to adopt seven-year-old Christopher. Unfortunately, a series of poor choices has left her deep in debt sharing an apartment with college students. When she was a child, due to her own family struggles, Lucy ran away to Clock Island and met Jack. News is released that he has written a new novel and has sent out invitations to four people to participate in a game in order to win rights to the book. Lucy receives one of these invitations and sets out on an adventure to claim what she wishes for most--the ability to have a family.

I enjoyed getting to know Jack, Hugo (his illustrator), Lucy, Christopher, and the rest of the characters. They each have their own struggles and heartache, and the ending is a lovely testament to power of love and friendship. Implausible, yes, but don't we all need a good fairy tale ending sometimes?

There are many nods to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and each one brought a smile of recognition to my face. There are games and riddles that the characters have to figure out and I totally enjoyed trying to figure them out myself. The book is whimsical, yes, but there is some depth here. Lucy had been through a lot, and I appreciated how she embraced growth and forgiveness when it was offered to her, even though she was fearful of being hurt again.

If you enjoy books about books, filled with fun and adventure, look no further than this delightful debut. I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

What was the book or series that made you fall in love with reading? For me, as a child it was the Boxcar Children. For Lucy Hart, it was the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. As an adult, Lucy gets the opportunity of a lifetime to go and visit the real Clock Island as part of a competition. The winner will receive the only manuscript of Jack Masterson’s new novel. Lucy desperately wants to win so that she can sell the manuscript and get the money she needs to adopt a young orphan who was her past student.

I cannot tell you how much I loved this book. It felt so nostalgic and fun, but it was also moving. It brought tears to my eyes multiple times. I fell in love with all the characters. The writing felt simplistic, like a middle grade book, but also adult at the same time. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.

The only thing that rang a little false to me was the relationship between Lucy and Christopher. As a teacher and someone who has fostered, it feels very odd that she would have so much contact with him and his foster family. It just seems a little unrealistic and unprofessional. But since this is a work of fiction, I was able to look past that and still enjoy the story.

This is definitely one of my favorite books I’ve read this year! I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for providing me with an ARC to read and review.

Meg Shaffer's "The Wishing Game" pays tribute to "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and other children's fiction books in the fantasy fiction/puzzle-solving genre. While the setup is familiar (remote island, puzzles to solve, imaginary worlds to explore), the themes are adult (foster children, business and student loans to pay, dastardly ex-boyfriends.)

I was rooting for all the players in the game, and enjoyed the budding romance between Lucy and Hugo. This is a enjoyable, light summer read (despite some of the serious themes.)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lucy had discovered The Clock Island series of books as a child when she was going through hard times. Now, she shares them with Christopher, a child she wants to foster and then adopt. The story focuses on Lucy when she gets the opportunity to change her situation in life with a well-timed contest at the real-life Clock Island.

The Wishing Game is a quick read with a children's flavor but definitely written for adults due to some of the hard issues that each character is going through. I was fully invested in all of the characters, including the author and illustrator of the book. I found myself rooting for a happy ending for everyone and reading quickly to find out what happens.

I enjoyed The Wishing Game and think it will appeal to many different readers.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHouse #Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Part children’s book but aimed at adults, it celebrates the best and worst aspects of being a child with no ability to control the direction of your life, and the challenges of adulthood where you constantly face your fears and strive to improve your life. It is the most heartwarming book I’ve read in years. Chockablock full of riddles, rhymes, and games, yet filled with hopes and dreams in need of fulfillment. It is the warmth of strangers who become family and people who learn to forgive the seemingly unforgivable. It brings back the joy of reading as a child and a love for those in the world who step forward to help others just because they can when there is no obligation to do so. It is a book to be reread with joy. It is a book about love and the family you choose.