As children, hadn't we all wished for something? A toy, a friend, a better home life? What if a current wish as an adult could come true? What if riddle after riddle and eventually facing one's fears, it could happen? This is the premise of The Wishing Game. A wildly successful children's book author comes back with a long awaited book. The caveat is that there is only one copy. The winner would truly make the person rich beyond his/her dreams.

One of the contestants is Lucy, her troubled past ,and wanting to adopt a young boy. Is she strong enough and witty enough? The win would give her the financial means to provide a stable home to her potential son. I enjoyed reading Ms. Shaffer's book. Some of the characters needed a little more development. A solid summer read.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

The Wishing Game really surprised me. Somehow I wasn't expecting to become so attached to these characters that I cried at the end. Lucy was a wonderful person dealt some rough cards in life. Christopher was an exceptional child who deserved the perfect mother instead of jumping from foster home to foster home. And then there was the eccentric children's author, Jack, who only wanted to help every child he ever met. There are excerpts from his children's books which usually I don't like, but they really added to the story. Clock Island was almost a character itself. This book isn't all sweetness and light, there are some serious subjects tackled. But always a sense of positivity and hope plus lots of reminders to keep wishing but work hard for your wishes. This book will stay with me a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love any book that has a reference to books, reading and a love for a little mystery. This book does all of that for me! We all have made wishes in hopes they come true. Feeling that excitement as this story unfolds makes this a five star read for me! Thinking about my favorite childhood book series as I was reading allowed to feel as if this was a very realistic opportunity that I would jump at the chance to take. Lots of characters to keep your interest. Can't wait to gift this book! Thank you again for the advance copy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Review of The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
This book is very creative. It is already one of my favorite reads. I can’t wait to share this with the book club. This book will capture readers of all ages. It has kids in mind with it riddles and games. Yet EACH character has a story that needs told, including the contestants of the clock island competition. I anticipated the answers to be revealed and shed tears of both happiness and sadness. What a wonderful story. I downloaded onto my phone so I could read during any free moment I had. I was so drawn into Lucy and Christopher’s lives and rooting for them. I wanted to know Jacks full story as well. A page turner and many turns in the story.
Lucy grew up feeling unloved and not wanted at home. She is forced to live with her grandparents because her older sister is sick and gets ALL the attention while in and out of the hospital. When Lucy was 13 years old she ran away to Clock Island, where Jack “the mastermind” Masterson lives. Jack is a famous children’s book author. She wants to be his sidekick, as he mentioned he needs one. The Clock Island series is a children series full of riddles, games, dreams, and wishes. Jack’s characters must face their fears before their wishes are granted.
Now, 13 years later, Lucy is a kindergarten teachers aide. Seven year old and orphaned Christopher has captured her heart. She shares her love of Clock Island series with him. Lucy dreams and “wishes” of becoming his foster mom followed by his adoptive mom. Living with roommates and not owning a car keeps her wish from coming true. Lucy and Christopher often play the wishing game, Christopher wishes to become her son.
It has been years since Jack has added a new book to his series. This has become a mystery to his fans. Six years later he has written a final book. Jack opened a contest for one lucky winner to win the book and do whatever they wish with the one and only copy.
Lucy and three other lucky contestants find themselves on clock island playing riddle games like the ones found in the series. Except, the grand prize could make all Lucy’s wishes come true. Does she have what it takes to answer the riddles and complete competitive games? Can she face her biggest fear? Hmmm what is her biggest fear?
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Pub. Group-Ballantine for a great ARC read in exchange for my review.

This was such a fun and heartwarming adventure that made me nostalgic for the books I read as a child. Although this book is written for adults, it provoked the feelings of excitement and adventure we feel as kids reading good books. Meg Shaffer expertly crafted a fictional book universe that felt so real. I want to read about and go to Clock Island now. Lucy was an enjoyable protagonist (I can’t believe she’s supposed to be around my age in this book) with a big heart. Shaffer wrote these characters with care and love; they felt entirely real and well-rounded. I also enjoyed reading Hugo’s perspective and felt he added a nice contrast to the child-at-heart author, Jack Masterson. This book is also about found family and how home can be a place that you may not be able to visit in real life but can visit in the pages of a book. Once I got into the story, it was hard to put down which made this a quick read. I highly recommend if you want something that feels like a warm hug.

CW: parental abandonment, grief, death, chronic illness, addiction, toxic relationships

4.5 stars

Meg Shaffer’s smart, whimsical, and utterly delightful debut novel The Wishing Game is the feel-good story I didn’t know I needed!

Inspired by the beloved children’s classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this was a retelling of sorts, but set in the world of books. Instead of a chocolate factory, there’s a “writing factory” that is the home to Jack Masterson, the reclusive and eccentric children’s author of the mega-bestselling Clock Island series. The fantastical book series is so beloved in part because of the books’ ability to help the children who read them find solace and comfort during difficult times in their lives. One of those children is Lucy Hart, who grew up in a family with parents who were neglectful and ended up abandoning her in favor of her older sister Angie. To combat her loneliness, Lucy found solace in books, especially the Clock Island series, with its magical world where a mysterious figure named Master Mastermind “granted wishes to brave children” and in so doing, helped them face and overcome their fears. Many years later, 26-year-old Lucy is a teacher’s aide at an elementary school in California, where she meets 7-year-old Christopher Lamb, an orphan in foster care with whom she develops a close relationship. Her biggest wish is to adopt Christopher and give him a forever home, but unfortunately, her lack of funds and unstable living environment make that wish all but impossible. It’s during this time that Jack Masterson, who had mysteriously quit writing 6 years ago, re-emerges and announces that he has written a new book in the Clock Island series – not only that, he has devised a contest where specially chosen readers of his books will get to compete for the sole copy. When Lucy is chosen as one of the 4 contestants who receives the “golden ticket” – the invitation to travel to the real Clock Island (located off the coast of Maine) to compete for the coveted prize – she sees the opportunity to finally make her wish come true. But it won’t be easy, as Lucy not only has to beat out 3 other contestants who have equally compelling reasons for needing to win, she also has to deal with Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books and Jack’s caretaker of sorts on the island. Unbeknownst to all of them though, Jack actually has reasons of his own for putting on the contest that could end up changing the lives of all involved in ways they weren’t expecting.

This was a charming, clever, inner story that sucked me in right from the first page. Shaffer did a magnificent job with the world-building in this story, to the point that I was blown away by how simultaneously similar and different this was from its inspiration, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. There were the obvious parallels of course: the stand-in for the chocolate factory, which in this case was the setting of Clock Island, with each location whimsically named based on the segments of a clock (such as ‘The City of Second Hand’ or ‘Nine O’Clock Dock’ or ‘One O’Clock Picnic Spot’); the character of Jack Masterson, whose eccentric personality and endearing nature gives off serious Willy Wonka vibes; the contest where the lucky recipients of the blue envelope containing the invitation (equivalent to the golden ticket in the chocolate bar) are the ones who get to go visit Clock Island; the main protagonist coming from a poor background and so the opportunity that the “golden ticket” presents is particularly life-changing. But there were also significant differences, with the obvious one being the romantic storyline between Lucy and Hugo; the literary theme involving the fictional Clock Island book series (complete with excerpts from the books scattered throughout the story); the exploration of various “heavy” topics such as parental abuse and neglect, illness and death, the foster care system, the effect of childhood trauma lasting into adulthood, free choice versus circumstance, etc. — all of these topics were covered in a way that acknowledged their importance but wasn’t heavy-handed (which I appreciated), while also fitting perfectly with the vibe of the book (whimsical, light-hearted, hopeful, etc).

Another element that was done really well in here was the humor, which felt very natural and seamless throughout the story. I love banter between characters that isn’t deliberately funny, but still has the ability to make me laugh, and there was the perfect amount of that in this story. It’s even more wonderful when the banter isn’t just between the characters in a romantic relationship (though yes, it was fun following the back and forth between Lucy and Hugo in most of their scenes), but also features significantly into the relationships between the other characters as well. I especially enjoyed the dynamics of Jack and Hugo’s “pseudo father/son” relationship, which had me laughing one minute and moved to tears the next minute. Actually, the various relationship dynamics was one of the main elements that set this story apart from its inspiration, which is also what made the story more compelling in my opinion.

If I had to sum this one up, I would say that it’s an imaginative, magical, bookish take on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but for adults. It’s also a story with lots of heart (I agree with everyone who said reading this book is like getting a big warm hug, lol), but what I love most is its underlying message about hope and wishes as well as the power of books to change lives. A wonderful homage to books and reading as well as a tribute to a childhood favorite (I love how Shaffer dedicated this book to “Charlie”), this is a book that I highly recommend and hope that many readers will love it as much as I did.

P.S.: The cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous! I read an e-ARC of this one, but I’m actually considering buying a physical copy so I can pull it out and look at the cover whenever I feel like it.

Received ARC from Ballantine Books via NetGalley.

Absolute perfection. This book is such a heartwarming story. I read this in one seating it was so captivating. Lucy has a heart of gold and I was rooting for her from the start.

I do feel this book is being classified wrong. I don’t feel it’s sci-fi. It’s more along the lines of the house on the cerulean sea vibes book.

Either way it’s good escapism that made my mind go into imagination mode. I shed few tears throughout the book as well.

I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 if I could but I rounded up.

The premise of this story is interesting but the synopsis is misleading. The story you think you're getting is one full of twisty games in this weird competition. It makes it sound like there are times when the story might get a little sinister.

It gives off the wrong vibes.

Yes, there's a competition and there are riddles. But it's hardly the focus of the story, especially since the competition doesn't start until almost halfway through. And a lot of it is breezed over.

I don't love Lucy's relationship with Christopher. We don't get much of a backstory so it seems like it came from nowhere, which is a rather concerning premise to run with. While it's admirable that she wants to give Christopher a loving home, she's hardly the voice of reason when it comes to his best interests. As his social worker points out, children need love and stability. Lucy naively believes it will all be okay because she loves him that much and it all just sounds like her own trauma talking.

Hugo and Lucy meeting when she was 13 was weird, too. It was hard to track what age he was supposed to be at the time but he was definitely 18+. Nothing untoward happened but it was still a bit squicky.

From a technical viewpoint, the writing was better than most other books I want to give less than 3 stars to. It was a little repetitive at times -- using the same way to describe something over and over -- but it was readable. It flowed, which I appreciated.

You might be wondering why I rounded up to 3 stars. The answer is simple: just because there are a number of elements that I don't like doesn't mean others will have the same issue with them. My dislike of these elements wasn't strong enough for me to want to round down. Do with that what you will.

When I read the premise of this book, I thought it would be a perfect pick for me. I loved the idea of a Mr. Lemoncello’s Library type plot for adults. Unfortunately, there were some other aspects that kept me from loving this book. I found it hard to tolerate Lucy—an underemployed, in-debt twenty-six year old who wants to adopt one of her students. It felt very naive and irresponsible to continue to tell this student of her hopes to adopt him when she didn’t have the means or the go ahead from the state.

If that aspect wouldn’t bother you, it might be a book you’d enjoy.

Jack Masterson is the Mastermind behind the brilliant children’s short story collection about a magical place called Clock Island. After bringing joy to children for years, worth 65 books, Jack’s magic has dissipated and so has his writing.

Jack is the sole owner of the real Clock Island and children near and far, who’ve grown up with his books, have always dreamed of being brave and hopping on a ferry to knock on Jack’s door. When Lucy was younger, she did just that. She wanted to feel love, she wished that Jack could be her father since her parents hadn’t given her an ounce of love that she desperately deserved.

Now, Lucy is a Kindergarten Aide who tutors a young boy that she wishes to adopt someday. Without funds, a proper place to live, or her own car Lucy is continuously denied adoption of Christopher. She reads Christopher the Clock Island books every chance she has and together they wish for the life they want more than anything in the world.

When Jack Masterson emerges from the shadows that he’s been cocooned in for several years, he offers the world a riddle. If someone were to solve his riddle, they’ll be invited to Clock Island to compete for his latest book. Only one copy exists and only one person will win. Christopher and Lucy are ecstatic, more so because Lucy knows the answer and her life depends on winning that book.

I feel like this book was targeted towards adults that grew up with Charlie and the Chocolate factory to bring back the magic that we gravitated towards when we were younger but the writing felt very juvenile to me. I admit, I was feeling bored around the middle, not knowing if I would be able to finish. In the end, I would say that this book was a cute fantasy story that promotes the thought that if you wish for something hard enough, it might come true.

This book is a delight. I was drawn in by the description (I'm a sucker for a found family story), but I didn't expect to be completely drawn into the story.

Lucy was an unhappy child who longed to escape into the Clock Island books. As an adult, she shares the series with the troubled little boy she desperately wants to adopt. When she gets the chance to change their lives by returning to Clock Island to compete for the only copy of the final book in the series, Lucy feels she must try. However, returning to Clock Island forces her to confront the realities of her past and to act like an adult.

Although the novel is written for grown-ups, it has the charm of the books we all read as children - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Wizard of Oz, Hunger Games - where the main character wishes to be saved from their difficult lives and eventually discovers they’ve had the power to change things all along. In the end, it is a story of a found family and healing old wounds through the magic of books.

Lucy Hart is a 26 year old teaching assistant who wants to adopt 7 year old Christopher after the tragic death of his parents. But on her salary, this seems impossible. Until she becomes one of 4 contestants in the Wishing Game- at the home of with the reclusive children’s author, Jack Masterson, on Clock Island.

The book loving kid in me and the voracious reader I am now as a middle aged adult, loved this book. If I had to pick books to relate this to, I’d say it’s part Willy Wonka, part Mr. Lemoncello’s library, although it is most definitely a book for adults, not middle grade.

The writing is engaging and the characters are well-developed, relatable, and flawed. I found myself very easily invested in the outcome of the game and their lives. I think there’s something for everyone here- themes of friendship, love, the power of wishes, and the love of books and storytelling. This story is at once thought-provoking, funny, emotional, and heartwarming. I could not put it down!

Overall, The Wishing Game is a whimsical, charming and entertaining read that I absolutely loved. I wish there was a real Clock Island- I’d take my family and stay a while!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is so great I didn't want to put it down. It's the book love of Mr. Lemoncello's Library meets Willy Wonka. It was beautifully told and written. I want the magic found here.

#arc
#netgalley
#thewishinggame

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for providing this book for my honest review. If you love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and whimsical heartwarming stories then I think you will love this book. It really brought me back to my childhood and was such a fun premise. I really love the idea of a contest similar to the contest in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. There were a few parts, however, that were a bit off putting regarding adoption and the age gap between the main characters. I think this will be a fun read for quite a few people who aren’t as sensitive to those topics. Thank you again to Net Galley, the publisher, and author for providing this book for my review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the e-arc of this book for my honest review.

I loved this book! It is magical, and heartwarming. I was in a bit of a reading slump and this book definitely brought me out of that. Run to get your copy if you are looking for some magic. The characters were well developed, and I felt connected to them throughout the book. The integration of the books brought me back to my childhood and the places that books can take you. This book will give you all of the feels, whimsy, magic and family, I did not want it to end! 5 stars

As a child, Lucy Hart was a huge fan of the Clock Island book series and its prolific author, Jack Masterson. So much so that she once ran away from her neglectful parents, hoping to be Jack’s sidekick. Now Lucy is 26 years old, a kindergarten teacher’s aide whose greatest wish is to adopt a little boy at her school who tragically lost his parents. Unfortunately, this seems like a pipe dream, as Lucy is unable to afford to live without a roommate or even buy a car on her meager salary.

Just as things start to look their bleakest, Jack announces that he’s written a new book after a long hiatus. There’s only one copy and four contestants (one of whom is Lucy) are summoned to his home on the real Clock Island to compete for a chance to win the book. There are riddles to be solved and challenges to be overcome, but Lucy knows if she can manage to win, all her wishes will come true.

What a charming and whimsical book! Meg Shaffer’s debut novel is an homage to every child who ever loved books. The writing style is approachable and straightforward, which sometimes made this book feel like it was meant for younger readers despite containing adult themes. The characters are enchanting and the Clock Island setting feels downright magical. Jack is a Willy Wonka-esque figure and it was fun to solve the riddles along with the contestants. I couldn’t help but root for Lucy to win the contest and all of her heart’s desires.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

The Wishing Game is a delightful novel by Meg Shaffer that tells the story of people to play a game. The game involves making wishes and trying to make them come true, but as they play the game, they begin to realize that their wishes have consequences they never anticipated.

Shaffer's writing is engaging and the characters are well-developed, making it easy to become invested in their lives and the outcome of their wishes. The themes of friendship, love, and the power of wishes are explored in a way that is both thought-provoking and heartwarming.

One of the strengths of this book is the way it balances humor and lightheartedness with moments of deeper emotion and reflection. The characters are flawed and relatable, and the challenges they face as a result of their wishes feel authentic and meaningful.

Overall, The Wishing Game is a charming and enjoyable read that will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired. Whether you're a fan of contemporary fiction or just looking for a heartwarming story, this book is definitely worth checking out

A very easy, cheesy and sweet book about a Willy Wonka-esque children's book author and the contestants in his own competition. Cute, very almost too cute at times, but all the more charming for it, and never fully tips over into unforgivably nauseating or cloying. Got choked up at one point, to my surprise and extremely against my will.

The premise of this book intrigued me. I loved the Willy Wonka golden ticket aspect. However, I did not care for the way talk of adoption was mentioned. I felt it gets people's hopes up unnecessarily. It was a little slow for me to get into which caused me not to finish.
Thanks to #NetGalley and Ballentine for an ARC. As I am my own person, the review is my honest opinon.

The Wishing Game touches on fantasy and dreams versus reality with a side order of wishing and hoping. The story revolves around Lucy: her goal of adopting Christopher merging with her love of the author Jack Masterson’s books and Clock Island. Lucy is an endearing character and I found myself cheering her on in the hopes that all her dreams come true. When you wish upon a star . . . (or Jack Masterson!)