4.5 stars rounded up to 5

Having a book described as "Famous book X meets famous book Y" almost never helps me. But reading The Wishing Game may be best described as Willy Wonka meets adult fiction with some wish fulfillment and romance. But much better than those words manage to express.

I liked that Lucy gets some help with her life goal - and that achieving the goal fixes a lot of mistakes and misunderstandings in her past life. I like that not everything in the narrative turns out perfectly - but the happy endings are extensive.

It's not a perfectly written book (hence the 4.5 stars), but it was still one of the best books I've read in a while. I so enjoyed the friends and love and compassion shared between author Shaffer's characters. And the riddles and challenges in the quest are manageable and compelling.

Publication date is 30 May 2023 - keep your eyes open for this one! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House / Ballantine Books for the chance to read this one in advance.

It's like cherry picking all the best parts of Willy Wonka, Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler, and The Mysterious Benedict Society but make it a little more grown-up, you have The Wishing Game. What an utterly fun, entertaining read! This kept me engrossed almost effortlessly, and I'm so eager to share this with our readers.

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer is set on a magical island off the coast of Maine. A recluse blockbuster author designed and named the island after his stories. One day he just stopped writing his books. There was a lot of speculation as to why he stopped writing but no one knew for sure. He decides for his final book that he will invite four of his fans to the island to solve and win his game, based on riddles and challenges from his books. The winner will receive the first copy of his new book to do with what they'd like. He chose four people that as children had run away to Clock Island for different reasons. Lucy was 13 when she ran away believing that she could be the author's assistant rather than stay in a home where no one wanted her. Lucy is now living in California and struggling to make ends meet working as a teacher's assistant. She'd love nothing more than to adopt a boy that lost his parents and is now in the foster system. At her current status, she doesn't qualify to adopt the boy. She is estranged from her parents and her sister so she can't request help from them. When Lucy receives one of the invitations to go to Clock Island, she believes she has found a way to finally make her life the way she wants it to be. Once at the island, the author's illustrator, now a well-known artist, is also there to oversee the events.. The four all have their own secrets but all attempt to win the challenge and the book. There is a whimsical charm to the book which reminds me of what books were like when read as a child, when you would imagine and dream of these magical places. This is a refreshing new book that brings those books read in childhood into adulthood along with different perspectives to reflect upon. This is a fantastic book which may leave you feeling nostalgic and maybe a reminder to sometimes look back on how it felt to read a book in your youth and all the wonders that books can bring.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book.

This book reminded me of some of the books I loved as a child and reminded me how excited I used to get about certain books/series. How many of us used to wish we could be those characters, if only for a moment? This book centers around that premise, having several fans of a beloved fictional book series compete for a copy of the newest installment through various games and challenges inspired by the books themselves, at the author's home. There's a bit of introspection and some tough topics so it's not necessarily a light read but there's a good mix of mystery, adventure and romance. If you were a book lover as a kid, you might find this book nostalgic in the best way.

A fun read, with reader-riddles to puzzle out and enjoy. I cheered for the wins, hoped for the best, and enjoyed the whole telling. An excellent read!

I love books about books. I love islands. I love chocolate. Ok, there's no chocolate in this book, but hear me out. Take Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but it on an island, and make it about books instead of chocolate. Plus there are no bratty kids or ethnically questionable helpers. So what does it have? Lots of heart, lots of riddles, and it's full of people who love books.

Book Title: The Wishing Game
Author: Meg Shaffer (Debut Author)
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books
Genre: Fantasy, Book About Books
Pub Date: May 30, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars

When Lucy Hart was a very young, her parents sent her to live with her grandparents as their older daughter was serious illness and needed their full support.
Lucy lost herself in reading, particularly the novels of Jack Masterson which all took place on Clock Island off the coast of Maine. Lucy loved the characters so much that she took a ferry to the real Clock Island to offer herself as a helper to the author.

Now Lucy is a twenty-six year old Kindergarten teacher's aide and is able to share her love of reading with students. She has developed a strong attachment with seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after his parents died from a drug overdose and he has no other family. . Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but as a teacher’s aide she doesn’t have much money so idea of offering Christopher a family life seems like an impossible dream.

Jack Masterson is once again offering a contest that would provide the winner with his new book. Jack has not written anything for a number of in years). In order to win the contestants must solve riddles and puzzles, just like in the Clock Island books.

A chance to read the first Clock Island book in years would be a dream come true plus selling the manuscript would provide Lucy with the funds she needs to be able to adopt Christopher.

In the Acknowledgements author Meg Shaffer of course, thanks many people but I especially liked that she thanked Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka for taking over her brain when she was in the third grade.
She also gives her deepest gratitude to the hundreds of foster parents who shared their experiences.

Awww this is such a wonderful heartwarming, page-turning story!
I guarantee you will fall in love with Lucy and Christopher.

Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books
for granting me the pleasure of reading this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 30, 2023

A touching and exciting literary tale that will bring you back to your youth when a new book transported you to a place of magic!
The Wishing Game is similar to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 4 winners are invited to Clock Island to read the newest work of a beloved and now isolated author. Following a trail of clues based on the infamous novels that take place on the island, the four do their best to win and achieve their greatest wish.

Just absolutely magical ! Read this and enjoy every minute!
#TheWishingGame #MegShaffer #RandomHouse

ARC provided by NetGalley and Ballantine Books (thank you!)

This book very quickly and easily made it onto the list of my favorite books I have read this year. It is chalk full of funny and relatable characters, found families, second chances, and that type of writing that just wraps you in a warm hug. It is easy to see the inspiration from Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in the way that the story is deeply infused with childlike wonder.

Between sweet Christopher, eccentric Jack, determined Lucy, and gruff but loving Hugo, there is a character in this story that will speak to every person that reads it. It is the perfect rainy day read;
a cozy adventure with a side of romance. It has everything one could want in a work of fiction. The characters are lovable, the story is inspiring, and the writing is beautiful. It combines emotional and intentional backstories that make you fall in love with the characters with triumphs that make you want to celebrate with them. This is a book that I think anyone can enjoy.

At first I was a little skeptical about this book. I wasn't sure if it would keep my attention. I am happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. To me, the book was a mash up of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and the many after school specials I watched as a kid. I liked the characters and their back stories. My heart went out to Lucy. I cheered her on throughout the book. The element of mystery was spread throughout the story, and the ending was perfect. If you are looking for a book that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy, this book is for you.

Review:
The Wishing Game is a book lovers book. It's a book for readers who know what its like to want to run away into a fictional world and to feel like the characters in your favorite books are dear friends who are the only ones who understand you. I would say everyone knows what it's like to want to feel understood and Lucy in this book suffered from a lonely childhood and the Clock Island books were her safe space. Now as an adult she gets to go back to Clock island and see if it can help her grant her wish. This book is full of riddle and adventure and fun, but also some really heart wrenching stories full of hurt and anguish.

It sounds crazy to say that this book is delightful, but it was so fun! We see all the characcters within this book go on different adventures to face their fears and find their own happiness and it carries some of the nostalgia of what reading a children's book is like. I feel like all of this is accomplished so well by Meg Shaffer. Lucy and Christopher, one of her former students that she wants to adopt, have such a good relationship and I want so badly for them both to get what they want and become a family. It was the sweetest and most difficult parts of this story to read.

This book has such a satisfying ending and I thought it was so earned and needed and I think both me and the characters appreciated it more since they struggle so hard to get there.

Synopsis:
Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it’s like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she is able to share her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but even the idea of becoming a family seems like an impossible dream without proper funds and stability.
Just when Lucy is about to give up, Jack Masterson announces he’s finally written a new book. Even better, he’s holding a contest at his home on the real Clock Island, and Lucy is one of the four lucky contestants chosen to compete to win the one and only copy.
For Lucy, the chance of winning the most sought-after book in the world means everything to her and Christopher. But first she must contend with ruthless book collectors, wily opponents, and the distractingly handsome (and grumpy) Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books. Meanwhile, Jack “the Mastermind” Masterson is plotting the ultimate twist ending that could change all their lives forever.

This was a funny and captivating novel, and although I'm not usually a fan of fantasy, I know I will buy this for my granddaughter who is! Lucy is a teaching assistant who loves to read and whose student, Christopher has captured her heart as he lives in foster care and is often neglected. Her wish is to adopt him as she has her own issues with her childhood. But suddenly she gets "the chance of a lifetime" when a contest is announced by their favorite author, and she is chosen as a contestant but must travel to Clock Island where all his books take place. So hop on for an adventure of a lifetime as she navigates this magical place. solves riddles, and meets quirky and eccentric characters throughout! If you're a child at heart (or should be) this is the book for you!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

All readers understand how a book can change your life, but no one knows it better than Lucy and the Mastermind.
This was absolutely the most wholesome book I have ever read.
Jack Masterson is an author of children's books; books that take place on the fantastical Clock Island. Clock Island is real, and Jack lives there with his illustrator Hugo. After a 6-year hiatus, Jack has written a new book, and is holding a contest to see who (if anyone) can win the singular copy in existence.
Lucy, a kindergarten teacher's assistant, wants nothing in the world more than to adopt seven-year-old Christopher, but money and resources are not on her side. She joins the Wishing Game, hoping to finally get her wish granted.
This book has a backbone of tragedy, but it makes all of the happiness that comes out of it that much sweeter. There's an adorable romance and some of the best 'found family' vibes I've ever gotten from a book. Not to mention all of the riddles and puzzles sprinkled throughout the book. It was an absolute delight!

Soo...I feel a little torn on this one. If I were to make a comparison, I'd toss out Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets The Westing Game but minus the suspense of either.

I really liked the opening couple of chapters where we get to know Lucy and Christopher and the challenges they're facing. The theme of family is very central throughout. Each main character comes from a broken, abusive, and/or dysfunctional home, which might bleak some people cross-eyed. I was relieved that the ultimate emphasis is on the power of found family.

But the tone and depth of the writing felt inconsistent. Sometimes, it was whimsical and insightful, other times it was rushed and repetitive. The primary characters are one-dimensional, the secondary characters are unmemorable, and there was never any question as to how the story would end.

It's not bad, but if you're dying to read something else, I'd tend to that first.

4.5⭐

Twenty-six-year-old Lucy Hart, remembers the time she ran away from home at the age of thirteen to meet Jack Masterson, a famous children’s book author whose Clock Island series captured the hearts and imagination of generations of readers. She did meet the author, though her plans to stay with him didn’t quite pan out. The series remains her favorite and she shares that love with seven-year-old Christopher a student of hers, recently orphaned and now in foster care. Lucy carries the pain of an unhappy childhood and cares deeply for Christopher. She dreams of becoming his foster parent and eventually adopting him. However, her meager income as a teacher’s aide and less than suitable living arrangements make her an unsuitable candidate for the same. When her favorite author, invites her to participate in a contest to win the only copy of his new manuscript, written after an almost six-year hiatus, Lucy jumps at the opportunity to visit Clock Island, Masterson's private island in Maine that is modeled after the setting for his books. Not only is she excited to meet her favorite author once again but winning the contest would greatly improve Lucy’s financial situation and thus, her chances of being approved as a guardian for Christopher.

On Clock Island, Lucy meets her co-contestants – three others like herself who had once run away from unhappy situations at home when they were children to meet “The Mastermind” who they believed had the power to make their wishes come true. Now as adults, they are back at Clock Island and they all have their reasons for wanting to with the contest. Lucy also meets Hugo Reese again, the illustrator for the series. Jack’s contest consists of a series of games and riddles and ultimately just like the characters in his books, a special challenge wherein they would have to face their fears. But news of Jack Masterson’s new book is making waves and there are scheming lawyers, book collectors and publishers to get their hands on that coveted manuscript. Lucy has a lot on her plate –dodging shady people with their shadier offers, her dynamic with Hugo, the stress of winning the contest and securing a future for Christopher and herself- and it’s not going to be an easy ride.

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer is a beautiful story. Remember Willy Wonka? Instead of a chocolate factory, here get to have a look at Masterson's “writing factory” fully equipped with a huge collection of typewriters and the author’s raven, Thurl Ravenscroft, also his “co-writer”. The narrative is shared for the most part from Lucy’s perspective and a few chapters from that of Hugo with excepts from one of the Clock Island books interspersed throughout the narrative. Jack Masterson is a quirky character with a heart of gold. Lucy Hart is endearing and I was invested in her story from the very beginning. Her journey is one of catharsis and growth. The dynamics between the Jack and Hugo and Lucy and Christopher - the friendship, concern and empathy and sense of family will touch your heart. Christopher did seem a bit mature for his age but his reservations can be explained by the trauma he has endured. I also liked that the author did not hesitate to depict the perils involved when impressionable minds are influenced to embark on risky ventures. Some moments will break your heart and others will have your heart singing with joy. Overall this a lovely story that touches on themes of family, childhood, loss, kindness, love and sacrifice. The author does a brilliant job of highlighting the role that books play in the lives of children (and adults) and the refuge they provide and in doing so reinforces the fact that books remain your constant companion through the darkest of times. Though not fantasy per se, this story is magical in its own way.

Many thanks to author Meg Schaffer, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the much-appreciated digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is due to be released on May 30, 2023.

If you like- the imagery, wonder, innocence of a child who NEEDED innocence and saving like the kids in willy wonka,

If you like the prose of Kristin Hannah, Jodi picoult and the way they put words to paper- you’re going to love this.

Such a beautiful; fun, warm story.


Found families are my fave families.

5/5!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to receive an arc in exchange for my honest review/ all thoughts and opinions are my own!

Oh how much fun was this book! Anyone that loved Willy Wonka is going to fall deep for this story. Dreams and wishes and all of the joys with childhood magic but loving it as an adult. Fun, fun, fun.

This is such a beautifully unique story! It really manages to be almost an adult version of a children’s story. While there are darker themes throughout, like characters struggling with dark family issues of neglect and abandonment, the story really moves forward in a way that does not dwell on the negative. These characters are survivors who are moving forward. Lucy is a sweet woman who just wants to adopt the little boy she’s grown so close to but she cannot manage to overcome the obstacles in their path. Until the beloved children’s author that means so much to them invites her to his contest which could finally give them their happy ending. Woven throughout the story is the fictional story of Clock Island found in the books which also happens to be where the author writes the stories and lives and of course where the contest will take place. The talented illustrator of the series, Hugo, also lives there and will draw in both Lucy and readers as they get to know each other. The pacing is perfect and I found myself absolutely caught up in the magic of the story and I was sorry to have it end so soon. This is a quick read and a very endearing story. I would recommend it only for mature readers as there are references to very dark themes, like incest, runaways and alcoholism. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Wishing Game by Meg Schaffer was one of the most whimsically delightful books I've read in ages! A reclusive children's book author invites four adults to his home on a private island to win the chance at exclusive rights to his new, unpublished book. I had a huge smile on my face pretty much from page one, and I can't remember the last time I cried actual happy tears while reading a book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Wishing Game in exchange for my honest review.

Lucy is struggling financially and is afraid her finances will affect her adopting one of her students who was suddenly orphaned at a young age. She had a rough childhood herself and wants more than anything to be his mom. When Lucy was younger, she was obsessed with a book series about Clock Island. She even ran away from home to the real Clock Island where the author Jack Masterston lived. Now six years after Jack's last book, he invites 4 people to his island and 1 person will win the rights to his book. This would allow Lucy to be able to proceed with the adoption. Will her visit to the island change her life? This was a wonderful book and I cried so often in it. It did remind me of Willy Wonka especially because Jack is such an eccentric man.