The Wishing Game is just the purest of books. Its characters crept right inside my heart to live forever. My only complaint is that it seemed so short! Adult Lucy returns to a man she loved as a child to play a game created by her childhood hero. While obstacles abound and pain rears its ugly head, beauty and goodness overwhelm the book. Its conclusion gave me goosebumps and I feel horribly bereft that I must depart from Clock Island. Stunning debut. I cannot wait for the world to experience this book! Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. What a treat this was!

Imagine if your favorite children's author held a contest to help determine the fate of the long awaited next installment of his beloved series. Now imagine if that contest was invite only and being held on Clock Island, the setting of his stories.

Lucy Hart is struggling to get by on her teacher's aide salary. She is scraping together every penny she can in an attempt to build a more stable life and adopt her favorite student Christopher. Lucy grew up feeling unloved and unwanted and relishes in her memories of the afternoon she ran away and spent the day on Clock Island. She is given the opportunity to return to Clock Island when she is 1 of 4 lucky people who receive an invitation to play "The Wishing Game". The winner of the game chooses what they want to do with the last book in the Clock Island series. They can sell it and keep the winnings, or keep the book to themselves. In order to win the contest they need to solve riddles which are seemingly impossible.

I was sold when this book was described as Willy Wonka with books. That's exactly what it felt like and I loved it from start to finish! The quirky author Jack and magical setting drew me right in and I couldn't wait to get to the end and see who won the contest. I fell in love with Lucy and cheered for her the entire book. You'll definitely want to put this one on your TBR!

I LOVED this book!! It may be my favorite book of 2023. What is not to love about getting to go to a magical place and be like the kids in the books that you loved as a child? Can you imagine being invited to go to the place where you escaped as a child? Whether it was from a book series or even a single book. That is probably ever booklover's dream.

The characters came to life for me. I loved that you truly felt invested in their stories. We get to meet Lucy and Hugo a bit more formally than the other contestants. Hugo is not really a contestant in the game to win to the latest Clock Island book.

Of course I was rooting for Lucy to win so she can adopt Christopher. After learning Lucy and Christopher's stories, you can't help but wish for them to get their happily ever after. Lucy's childhood was far from idyllic. However, even if you don't get first hand knowledge of the other contestants, you feel invested in their stories. By the end of the contest all they contestants wanted each other to win. I loved that it wasn't a cut throat reality show vibe with these four.

I fell in love with Hugo. What other illustrator/artists lives with the author of the books he illustrates for and forms the relationship Hugo and Jack have. I have to say from Hugo perspective I wondered if Jack was mad.

Jack was so good with the "kids" that came to Clock Island to win the book. You could feel his love from the children that read his books and that find comfort in them. I honestly want to read the whole Clock Island series and get a lost in it as these characters did.

The way the contest and the book ended was perfect. I didn't feel slighted. I think it was the best possible outcome for everyone. It is rare to finish a book and not wish something would have gone a bit different. I finished this book wishing I could reread it for the first time again.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book All opinions expressed are my own.

Lucy Hart hasn't had an easy life - she was never the favorite child, she isn't incredibly wealthy, but she does have an incredible mind and such a huge heart. Lucy works with kindergarten children - wishing that she had the resources to adopt and provide a better life for some of the children in her care who don't have that love and support. She struggles with knowing she can provide a good life to these children, but she also has NO car and lives with THREE roommates -- not the ideal environment to raise a child.

Lucy is a bookworm who has loved the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Jack has written a new book, but this book is going to be worth $60,000 as it is the ONLY copy in existence. To figure out who will be awarded Jack is holding a special event where contestants will come to his home and solve riddles in order to get closer to the prize.

Lucy, of course, is one of the 4 contestants and she does a darn good job! I had fun solving these riddles and thought that they puzzles were clever and well done. I felt like I was playing along and I got excited when I figured things out before the characters did.

The ending was predictable, but I think that the story was tied together well. I really enjoyed reading through this book and liked the little references that are sprinkled throughout the book -- for example, they discuss Magellan not being particularly lucky in the Philippines. Those who don't know the background may not know this is an allusion to Lapu-Lapu killing Magellan.

This book had some whimsical parts strung into the modern day which I appreciated. The romance was fine and I felt a bond to Lucy as someone who loves books, isn't rich and loves books.

I highly recommend this book to other bookworms who love to solve puzzles!

Thank you so much to Ballantine Books & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I appreciate Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to read and review. Interesting and entertaining.

This was a delightful story with a contest held by the author of a series of beloved children’s books. The idea of a grown-up Willy Wonka style contest for grown-ups is appealing and was the catalyst for all the characters to confront their fears and wish their wishes. It’s a quick, light read, but filled with lots of heart and thoroughly enjoyable!

The Wishing Game was a sweet story about being brave, working hard for what you wish for and finding family. While predictable at times, the story was engaging. Thanks for the arc Netgalley!

Pros: This book begins with a map! This is a book for booklovers who had a favorites series growing up, and those readers will cheer for the main character who competes for the one copy of the newest book in her favorite childhood series. As the author notes, this book has Willy Wonka vibes but with books rather than candy.

Cons: None really. Some readers might think the ending is too neat and tidy, but I think it fits this cozy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this book.

I received this from netgalley in exchange for a review.

I started this book about 6pm last night and finished it just before 10pm, because besides having to take my dog for a walk, I couldn’t put it down.

This book was like being inside on a snow day with a warm blanket and cup of hot cocoa. It’s a mix of Willy Wonka and if JKR wasn’t a terf but a decent human.

As someone who has always found comfort in books, I related to Lucy a lot. Being able to go to a recreation of some of my favorite childhood books and meet the author would be amazing. The contest Jack puts on? I didn’t read his fictional series obviously, but I can tell I’d have enjoyed them and would have loved to have been one of the participants.

I’m sure there are some who are going to say the book is cheesy and too much optimism and fluff, but it’s at least what I needed at the moment. Someone looking at despair in their life and getting just a touch of magic to have things work out in the end was heartwarming.

I had assumed there would be a happy ending for Christopher once he was introduced in the book, and I’m glad there were surprises along the way to the happy ending. He deserves the world.

I really liked Hugo too, and the romance I didn’t know was going to be in the book.

Definitely will re-read this when I need a book to make me feel good.

This was a simply fantastic read!! Thank you Netgalley!! Such a touching well thought out storyline. The characters were very well drawn and relatable. Highly recommend

What a marvelously wonderful book! Whimsy and reality intertwined into a story for all ages. Wishes and dreams can come true, but the results you think you’ll receive aren’t always the Ines that you get.

I wish that Hugo’s art were real. I could easily picture the wonders he painted and would love to have art like that. Who Durant love a corgi on a ship?

My greatest takeaway is to never stop wishing, don’t stop living and don’t give up.

Wow! I totally loved this book! My first Meg Shaffer book but definitely not my last! I started reading this morning and could not put it down. Side note: I traveled cross country today from one side on the US to the other. And as we touched down the story ended. Perfect harmony. I was so engrossed in the hopes, dreams and wishes in the story! And the characters were off the charts amazing. Just can’t say enough about it and do wish I could give way more than 5 stars.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

Sometimes you stumble upon a book that you never heard of, from an author you may not be familiar with, and, once you read it suddenly you have a new favorite book and a new favorite author. The Wishing Game is an amazing story of unconventional love and facing our fears. The only thing Lucy wants in life is to adopt Christopher. But with no money and a housing situation that is not ideal her dream seems completely unattainable. When her favorite children’s author invites her to enter a contest she sees as her only way to be with Christopher.

I loved everything about this book. The characters, the setting of the book, and the underlying themes all together has lead this book to become one of my favorites of all time. I know this is just the beginning for Meg Shaffers’ career as an author if this is the type of books she can write.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a wonderful novel about children who are emotionally lost and discover a series of books that change their lives. The novel centers on a famous children’s author who reaches out and responds to fan letters from lonely children and their wishes. I loved this one from the first page and truly hated for it to end. After an amazing career the author holds a contest in which the winner will win his unpublished last book in the series with all the rights to it. The winner can do what they wish with the winning. They can keep it, sell it and all rights to it, whatever they choose. This is his final gift to fulfill the wish of one last fan. He selects 4 contestants to come to his home on Clock Island off the coast of Maine. Each of the contestants has been in contact with the author over the years of his career. One contestant Lucy was enchanted by the books as a lonely little girl growing up in a dysfunctional home, abandoned by family and sent to live with her grandparents. She is now a struggling teacher’s aide barely getting by financially. She has met and bonded with a troubled young boy who she really wants to adopt as he is in the foster system. She lives in a small apartment, cannot afford a car but dreams of being his mother. You will love both of them and all the contestants. The author carefully develops each character in the book to an amazing degree and when she refers to each of the author’s previous books the reader wants to read them all. As a reader I am well aware that books have the power to save us, change our lives and be with us forever. This book will be one of them. I highly recommend it. I look forward to reading many, many more of this debut authors works.

I'm not crying, you're crying. This is the most heartwarming, heartbreaking, ridiculous, fantastic, unbelievable, dream come true, impossible, perfect book. What child hasn't wished their favorite stories to be true, who hasn't wished upon a star, who hasn't hoped for a better tomorrow? In the vein of The Magicians and The Hazel Wood, The Wishing Game is a dream come true. 5 stars.

The Wishing Game
By Meg Shaffer

This is a cute heartwarming story with a nod to Willy Wonka. With themes of found family, fantasy, and touching on heavier topics this book could also be compared with The House in the Cerulean Sea.
I loved that the reader gets to see the impact that books can have on people. All the lives that a story can touch.
With loads of rave reviews, I too would recommend this book. But to me, this was overhyped. The plot is predictable and it was a bit slow paced for my liking.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review

I thought this was such a fun and heart-warming book. I loved the Willy Wonka inspiration behind it. The reader gets a really good understanding of Lucy’s motivations and emotions. The ending has a little bit of a twist, but it was definitely a good one. I wish I could read all of the Jack Masterson’s books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Random House/ Ballantine for sending me an arc in exchange for review.

A Charlie and the Chocolate Factory retelling? i had no idea thats what this was before requesting it and let me tell you it was fantastic. dual perspectives but heart wrenching stories. i have never cried so much reading a book before.

This book has stayed in my to-read part of NetGalley for almost 2 months. Initially I got about 20% in, realized I didnt want to read anymore on my phone and moved on to other books. But it always stayed in the back of my mind. I started over two days ago and was immediately the only thing I wanted to read! I think the slow start may have put me off at first, but overall the book has a great pacing and I loved the characters.
While some aspects of the ending were predictable, I enjoyed the contest, and the Willy Wonka references were right on. The way the book was written felt light hearted and happy which reminded me of several other author's styles and I cant wait to see what else comes from Meg Shaffer! Thanks NetGalley!

What an entertaining read! The author acknowledges having been inspired, in part, by Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but it never felt derivative or stale. I came to care for Lucy and Christopher right away and wanted to see how the author would bring resolution to their dilemma. I had a more difficult time staying interested in Hugo and Jack's story lines, though. I struggled to get interested in the book at the beginning-- the digital format and the fact that I had to put the book down for a few weeks right after starting it made it hard for me to track the plots. But once I was able to give it uninterrupted attention, Hugo and Jack became characters I wanted to see succeed.

I found it hard to discern who Shaffer's intended audience is. Is it YA, or middle grade, or new adult, or adult fiction? Does it matter? Once I gave up on figuring that out, I enjoyed the book better. And that's really the way to enjoy this novel. Let go of needing to categorize or understand it all and simply receive it. Then, you'll find yourself carried away into a heartwarming story!

Many thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a free copy for review.