"The only wishes ever granted are the wishes of brave children who keep on wishing even when it seems no one’s listening because someone somewhere always is.”

What I loved about this book: Everything!
1. It's a book about books!
2. It taps into our early reading years (who am I kidding - taps into old reading years too!) and talks to us about hopes, dreams and wishes!
3. This is Meg Shaffer's debut book and I hope that she writes many, many more!

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for giving me the opportunity to read and review a digital ARC of this fantastic book. Publication date: May 30, 2023.

A beautiful story and an enjoyable read. I didn't expect this one to be as good as it was for me since I haven't read anything like it before. Enjoyed it and will read more by this author.

Do you want to read a book that will make you feel like a kid again? There's something about this sweet novel that makes the reader believe in magic...even though there is no real magic to speak of. It's full of Willy Wonka vibes, without the creepy Oompa Loompas...just a kindly, eccentric, elderly children's author and a slightly grumpy artist in residence in a private island.

I LOVED the feeling of reading this book. Was it predictable? Sure. But again, that didn't take away from the overall beauty of this read. This books reads like YA, but I happen to like YA literature, so that wasn't a problem for me as it might be for some.

4.5 stars, happily rounded up to 5. Thanks to NetGalley for early access to this fun book.

When the mysterious "MasterMind" himself, Jack Masterson, resurfaces with a brand new Clock Island novel and a competition to win it on the island itself, Lucy Hart knows she has to win. Not just for herself, but also for the seven-year-old orphan she hopes to adopt. This book is the chance to make all their wishes come true.

It has been a while since I read a typical fiction novel, but this one had me hooked! The story of the mysterious children's author and his mysterious island feels very Willy Wonka-esque at times. This is far from a bad thing; you won't find any real danger to the contestants here. Instead, the imagination practically leaps off the pages - a good thing, when you consider the darker backstories sprinkled throughout. These moments were no less impactful despite the primary mood being one of childlike wonder. If anything, that wonder is what made those revelations more striking.

The characters, too, were often relatable and engaging, even if sometimes I felt frustrated by their emotions or inaction. As I've noted in reviews before, however, that just means I'm invested in the story.

The plot itself moves quickly. This is not a long read; I devoured this one in just a couple days. Still, there were a couple plot points I felt were left largely unresolved, which is why this only gets four stars for me (coupled with the at-times frustrating characters).

Despite those minor flaws, this one is a can't miss for me! It's honestly one of the more creative stories I've read in a while and doesn't overcomplicate itself to the point of droning on and on. Definitely a nice break from reality - and perhaps, a nostalgic visit back to those feelings of childhood.

Thank you to Ballantine Books for providing me with an arc of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 stars

Thank you to Meg Shaffer, Ballantine Books, and NetGallery for the opportunity to read this book!

OMG! This is just a LOVELY, LOVELY. LOVELY book. It was the second book that I read after having Covid and it was just what I needed. Initially, I started this book and put it aside as I wasn't sure that I was going to finish it. This is a book that you need to allow to allow a moment to get into and then you won't be able to stop reading it!

I totally hit my stride with this book and couldn't stop reading it until late this evening. It is such an amazing book. I would love to see this book made into a sweet children's movie or series! I also cannot wait to read more books by this author.

Read this book - highly recommend it!!

An adult fairy tale. If you like a cute book with a bit of magic, where fantastic games and romance are destined to make all dreams come true, then this is a book for you. It gushes with sweetness.

It’s also rather trite and predictable, lacking depth. Character development is minor. Think Willy Wonka. A fun and light read.

This was such a sweet, charming, fun book. I love books about books or authors or people who love books. Sometimes they can be cheesy and predictable, but this kept me guessing and smiling. If you need something sweet, good and a fast read you'll enjoy this.

4.5 stars. What an original — and uplifting — story! Jack Masterson, an eccentric author of a worldwide famous children’s series, who lives on a secluded island off the coast of Maine, holds a contest that will truly provide the winner with a change of life. Four contestants compete, each of whom had run away to the island as a child, including Lucy, a teacher’s aide who is struggling to make ends meet and whose goal is to be able to adopt one of the students to whom she has become very attached. Beautifully written and filled with a multitude of themes, including facing one’s fears and the healing power of love and forgiveness, this debut novel is truly a treasure. I enjoyed it immensely, and I look forward to many more from Meg Shaffer.

I really enjoyed The Wishing Game!

First things first, I do feel like it’s a little mislabeled.. My initial thought, when I picked it up, was that it was more of a Young Adult novel and not women’s fiction. There are a few adult themes but not enough to classify it as that, in my opinion. Either way, I found it to be a very enjoyable read, YA or not.

It was also not really sci-fi or fantasy. It was definitely a whimsical, heartwarming story…but there is no real magic or sci-fi in the story. If you’re looking for that, you’ll be disappointed…but I still think you should give it a chance.

I think maybe if you go into it knowing that it has that YA feel and there’s no real magic to speak of, you’ll enjoy it more just knowing what to expect.

Every character was a pleasure to get to know. Especially Hugo with his sarcastic wit, and his deep love for his brother Davey (Davey and my oldest son have something in common, but I won’t spoil it here, so learning this about Davey was a pleasant surprise and made me love Hugo that much more.)

I found myself rooting so much for Lucy and Christopher and wanted nothing more than for them to have a happy ending. I actually wanted them all to have happy endings…(except for all the parents…boo to them.)

Jack was the perfect combination of Willy Wonka, a little bit of The Mad Hatter, and a caring grandfather.

If you loved reading as a kid, this book will bring back the memories of those books you absolutely loved and escaped into.

The story centers around Lucy and Christopher, a teacher’s aide and her student in foster care, whom both wish to be mother and son more than anything.

Jack Masterson and Hugo Reese, a famous, reclusive author and his sarcastic illustrator who live on Clock Island, the namesake of his book series.

Taking cues from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Jack invites 4 people that ran away from home to his island as kids back to his home to compete in a contest to win a newly released book after years of not writing.

This story is one of healing and courage after being deeply hurt, finding family, childhood trauma, forgiveness, and facing your fears.

I really enjoyed Meg’s writing style and the way she described the settings and the character’s voices. I hope to read more of her books in the future!

I laughed. I cried. I loved it. I didn’t want it to end. One of my favorites this year so far.

“Be silent, when hearts are breaking.”,
“When you gotta scream, you gotta scream.”

Thank you so much to author Meg Shaffer, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine, and NetGalley for the eARC.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is due to be released on May 30, 2023.

I really liked the premise for this one. A beloved children’s author has not written a new book in his Clock Island series for years. When a contest is announced surrounding a new book, the public is more than excited. Only 4 people receive “tickets” to clock island for the chance to win a copy of the not yet released book. The story focuses on Lucy and her journey to attempt to adopt a previous student of hers. Unfortunately her situation is less than ideal to foster - she makes a meager salary as a teacher’s aid and lives with college students to save money. But her heart is definitely in the right place. She herself had a sad and lonely childhood and it spurs her to want more for Christopher, the boy she yearns to adopt. This contest holds the key for her if she can win.

“There is but one copy in existence and I plan to give it away to someone very brave, very clever, and who knows how to make wishes.”

This story was sweet, but felt very YA. The writing was simple and the plot felt pretty predictable. Some situations had me scratching my head and felt off. In saying that though, the story kept my attention throughout. There was a romance element thrown in- but I was glad that it remained only a minor focus of story. I enjoyed the riddles and trying to figure them out during the contest. If you enjoy books that have a positive message and are neatly wrapped up with a happy ending- you will enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine books for the ARC to read and review.

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer is the epitome of childhood nostalgia meets the difficulties of adulthood & spins it into the most heartwarming, feel-good book of the year.

This is an incredibly special book for which I feel like I don’t have enough words to do it justice. The bond between the main character, Lucy & her seven year student, Christopher is heart-melting.

It immediately begins with a map, which already gives it bonus points in my book. The adventure that unfolds was magnetic. I could easily see this gorgeous story being turned into a movie. The journey visiting the eclectic, exclusive & reclusive bestselling children’s books author on his enchanting island was captivating. Then, once you throw in the fact that there’s a huge contest full of riddles, games & life-changing prizes & this a story you can’t look away from. There’s humor, hardships, happenings, hazards & so much heart. I can easily see this going on many need to read lists

This was a joy to read & I highly recommend this book!


Massive thanks to NetGalley & Random House Ballantine Group for the free arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

A book about a reclusive author, books, and the fulfillment of childhood wishes? Sign me up! Or so I thought when I first saw The Wishing Game.

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer follows Lucy Hart, a young, broke, idealistic teacher's aide who suffers from the memory of childhood neglect. She wants to adopt one of the kids at her school who has been recently placed in foster care, but has been unable to due to her financial constraints. Her life seems like it's in a downward spiral until Jack Masterson, her favorite author invites her to compete for the only copy of his newest novel. With nothing to lose Lucy accepts and is caught up in a whirlwind of childhood memories, grumpy artists, and dreams that just will not die.

This book is loosely inspired by Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory and you can definitely see that inspiration in some of the elements. There are no golden tickets, creepy oompa loompas, or a psychotic murdering candy factory owner. In fact, most of the dark elements of Willy Wonka have been stripped away to create a much more sanitized overall feel.

The plot of this book was fun enough, but was quite predictable. I think within the first third of this book I had a good idea of where this book was going. It was still interesting enough to keep me reading, but I did find myself wondering occasionally if there was a way to make the book more suspenseful Even the "twist" at the end of the competition was visible early on. The predictability of the whole thing left me feeling like the stakes were never truly high and sucked out any emotional impact that the ending could've had.

If I'm really honest, this book seemed much more like a middle grade-young adult book. The writing style was very straightforward. There wasn't a ton of descriptive prose. The characters were all pretty squeaky clean and even their problems were presented in a sort of sanitized way. The couple of moments that could've provided emotional depth are sort of just glossed over for the most part. This made the few moments that I could identify as more adult a bit jarring in my opinion. In particular, there was a moment where Lucy is commenting on a piece of artwork, a painting of an orchid, and compares it to a vulva. This felt like it came completely out of nowhere and was forgotten in like three seconds. Considering the situation it occurred in, I could've read it as an attempt at flirting accept there wasn't much chemistry and it was forgotten within seconds of being said.

There is a romance element in this story as well, which felt very sanitized too. We never see so much as a kiss until well after the people in question are a couple. Their flirting is virtually non-existent even though they repeatedly mention growing feelings toward each other. Ultimately, it was a lot of telling, not showing in regard to the relationship. The constant fade to black anytime anything remotely romantic happened really added to that feeling of this being written for a younger reader.

That said, I'm kind of almost glad that more romance wasn't more visible because the two people involved were thirteen and twenty five when they first meet. Even though they are both adults at this point in the story, there are definitely still some questionable power dynamics at play. One person is a contestant, and one person is actively assisting in putting on the competition. It was just a bit icky.

I feel bad to be so critical. but another thing that really bothered me was Lucy's treatment of Christopher's situation (the young boy she wants to adopt). We see her confront his social worker (and it's implied that this isn't the first time) about wanting to adopt him. The social worker tells her politely that she's twenty six, broke, living in a crappy apartment with three roommates, and has no car. Those all seem like realistic and rational reasons why at this time Lucy is not a good candidate for fostering Christopher, but Lucy makes it seem like the social worker just hates her. The social worker tells Lucy that love isn't the only thing a child needs....and she's right. Love is extremely important, but so is having a guardian that can financially support you, feed and clothe you, take you to a doctor when you are sick, etc. I read most of this as coming from Lucy's own trauma around not receiving love or affection, but even still it felt so unbelievably unrealistic and illogical.

All in all, if you're looking for a low stakes, easy read that might leave you with some warm fuzzies, you may enjoy this book. I think going in expecting a book written for a younger reader might help you to have appropriate expectations.

3.75⭐️ Creative, clever and original.
Charming, captivating story--especially gains momentum & connection in the second half.
Bit YA-ish but well done.
Great messages.

With great thanks to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for this e-ARC!

Engaging story of a woman who wants to adopt a child that she tutors, but she runs into issues all along the way. She needs money so she enters a contest - a wishing contest.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free advance ereader copy of “The Wishing Game.”
It’s been a very long time since I finished a book with a smile so wide it hurt my face. Part Willy Wonka, part Mathilda (the protagonist, Lucy, reminded me of Miss Honey), part Wizard of Oz, “The Wishing Game” is a love letter to children’s literature and how its messages have the power to change the lives of its young readers. This book is a marvel and I hope it becomes an instant classic. Five stars and I wish it could be ten. Kudos to author Meg Shaffer. I’ll read anything you write. Go pre-order or reserve this book now. You won’t be sorry.

This was an absolutely beautiful novel! It’s about the depth of the human spirit - longing for the future and the past simultaneously. It’s about love, and how friendship and family can be intricately linked.

The setting for this novel was fantastic! Clock Island is a beautiful yet mysterious island where the author of The Clock Island children’s books lives. It is also the setting for the children’s book series. It is easy to visualize all of the minute details of the island through Lucy’s eyes.

Lucy had visited the island once as a child, hoping to have her wish granted. She is back on the island as an adult to participate in a game, also in the hopes to have a wish fulfilled. Lucy is a likable character whose story is easy to become vested in. The reader will want to root for her from the beginning.

This book had the perfect combination of adventure, drama, mystery, and love. It was a quick read!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #BallantineBooks for an eARC of #TheWishingGame by #MegShaffer - 5 stars

I adored this book!! The characters were well written, the plot was extraordinary. The Wishing Game was an absolute joy to read. Meg Shaffer created such “real” characters that made you want to cheer for their success. I was sad to have it end and that it’s a debut book for this author because I want more!

‘The only wishes ever granted—’ ” “ ‘—are the wishes of brave children who keep on wishing even when it seems no one’s listening because someone somewhere always is,’ ”

Thank you to NetGalley, Meg Shaffer, and Random House Ballantine Publishing for the ARC.

ARC provided by NetGalley

The Wishing Game is a lovely and charming story. A Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory-esque story about a young woman, Lucy, desperately trying to make ends meet to adopt her student, she gets the chance of a lifetime to compete for the final book of a reclusive, eccentric author on a whimsical island with several twists.

My first pleasant surprise from this book was the dual point of views from Lucy and Hugo, the book illustrator. I felt Lucy was so sweet and earnest it almost because treacly, but Hugo’s sarcastic English personality balanced it wonderfully. As the book continued and we saw more of the tension between her and Hugo, I began to like Lucy more and more, and I was rooting for her the whole way.

While the first half of the book was a bit slow, I think the book really hit its stride the second half when the game begun and we got to see more of the reclusive author, Jack, and his island. My main critique is I wanted more! I could have spent forever reading about the little eccentricities of the island, I feel it would have made the book feel much more atmospheric. I also think the story would have benefitted from getting to know the other contenders a bit more. They seemed a bit two-dimensional, as did some of the the other secondary characters. There is one character in the beginning of the novel that used “Baby Girl” in nearly every sentence, it seemed to be her only defining trait.

Small flaws aside, I really enjoyed my time with this book and have the nostalgic, bittersweet feeling that comes from revisiting a beloved childhood classic. This book has so much heart and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for something charming and easy to read.

My heart is so full! I had anticipated liking this book because the synopsis held the promise of something that could grab hold of my heart, but this was even better than what I imagined.

As a reader, I loved the idea of a book series that made such an impact on so many people. Even better was the fact that the author had a connection to several of the readers, and they made quite an impression on him as well. After many years of silence, Jack was back with a new book and an opportunity for these fans.

The contest was a fun element. I love that Jack was putting "his children" through events similar to that of the characters in his books, but there was so much more. Big themes of healing, forgiveness, and what makes a family were what not only tugged, but rather, yanked at my heartstrings. I grew to love Jack, Hugo, Lucy, and Christopher. I wanted this win for all of them, as I knew they were better together than apart.

Overall, this was a beautiful tale of love and family that was told with a touch of whimsy and lots of heart.

The plot sounded so appealing but I wasn't pulled into the story. It's entirely possible that I picked this book up at the wrong moment for me to read it and I'll go back at some point and realise that this is wonderful. Until then, I DNF this one.