It took me a few days to get started on this book. It basically fell into my lap, well email after I just finished my last book. I read the description and thought it was something I could like and I’m really glad I gave it a shot because once I started reading, I was hooked.

Lucy Hart, is a kindergarten teachers aid who’s been through some stuff. Discarded by her parents and raised my her grandparents, bad relationships, etc. She’s asked to take in a young boy who’s lost his parents tragically and he changes her life.

Hugo Reeves, illustrator of a popular children’s book has spent years on an island with the author of said children’s books. He’s basically put his life on hold to be there for the author who is more like a father than co-worker.

Everyone is connected by the books and the magic of the books spills over into reality as the author who suddenly stopped writing has decided to write one more and hold a contest for the rights to the solo copy.

This was a really great story! I was so absorbed into the book. I wanted to know what happens next but also didn’t want it to end. I would love to read a second book in the story. It had me laughing and crying and the ending left me satisfied so that’s all I can ask.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for allowing me to experience this story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will look for other books by this author.

If Ready Player One was a set on an island in Maine and not in some dystopian hell scape, you'd have The Wishing Game. And if The Inheritance Games wasn't a mystery/love triangle. A lovely little book of an author, an artist, a teaching assistant and a traumatized little boy in need of some faith, trust and pixie dust. Lucy does have a bit of Mary Sue in her (and the sister story line felt like a sinister My Sisters Keeper plot) but she was likeable enough. It's very sweet and the reminder that the you can never buy more of is time, so make the best of it.

2.5 stars rounded up bc a sprinkle of sugar is what I needed about now.

This book defies being pigeonholed - part Willy Wonka, part about the true definition of family, and a hint of romance - the author has an incredible imagination and wonderfully descriptive writing. All I can say is read it for yourself and if you don't have a lump in your throat at the end you might want to check your pulse.

tl;dr
A sometimes tragic, mostly hopeful story about the dreams we had as kids, and the courage it takes to make them come true as adults.

Thoughts
When a mysterious reclusive author invites people to his remote island to compete for a prize, the first thing my mind conjures up is backstabbing, cynically evil people, and a murder or two. And at first, it seems like we might be heading in that direction, but the Wishing Game willfully chooses a more hopeful voice. The competitors are all flawed, but sympathetic, with difficult (sometimes traumatic) and relatable histories that make it very easy to wish the best for everyone involved. The game creator in particular is incredibly human, and potentially the most sympathetic of the entire cast. I normally have a clear favorite character, but I found myself invested in everyone on the island. Hugo the artist perhaps squeaks out as my fave, but only because I have a soft spot in my heart for grumpy rebellious artists. The plot is fairly straightforward - a chocolate factory-esque competition, but for adults (or perhaps for kids who simply got older), and I appreciated the perspective of people who have lived long enough to understand what's really at stake. With the addition of some light romance and a few fun puzzles, this was far from the dark cynical book I expected, and I am immensely grateful for it. Strong recommend for anyone looking for an honest, but hopeful take on being an adult and making your wishes come true.

What bookworm hasn’t wanted to live inside the world of their favorite series? In The Wishing Game, Jack Masterson has created a fantastic world/safe space for children like Lucy Hart. Not only has he written 65 books in the Clock Island series, but he has also built Clock Island in reality. Now, as he announces the completion of book 66 after a long hiatus, he decides to host a Willy Wonka-esque competition to win the rights to and the only copy of his newest book—and Lucy is one of the lucky few invited to the island to compete.

This book was a delight. It brought back the nostalgia I have for my childhood bookworm days, but also was clearly written for an adult audience (who were all childhood bookworms). I empathized with Lucy’s struggles and read impatiently, wanting to see her win and accomplish her biggest wish in life. I liked all of the side characters and thought they were, for the most part, sufficiently fleshed out. There were some random tidbits thrown in toward the middle/end (Jack’s orientation, while interesting especially as pertains to his motives, felt unnecessary; Lucy’s family had some really odd curveballs, and Angie’s bit of the epilogue was SUPER unnecessary) but all in all, an enjoyable read!

Meg Shaffer has written a book that pulled at all my heartstrings with The Wishing Game.
Where children wish they could live on the magical Clock Island, after reading about it in the Clock Island books, where there’s always hope.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was mostly light, fun, and slightly intriguing. It is promoted as women's fiction yet I found it a little more young adultish, which I usually don't enjoy reading but this was an exception. I liked the characters and their back stories. It met my high bar of being a plot I had never read before (even if the author admits in the her acknowledgements that she was influenced by Willy Wonka:)

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was asked to review “The Wishing Game” but I was also intrigued by its premise of a reclusive children’s book author who offers his fan a chance to compete for a copy of his last book (which they can do whatever they want with). I could only imagine how delightful it would be to spend time with my favorite childhood author. It’s also a concept I have not seen in other books. The author did a good job of making sure the author did not fall into any stereotypes. This was a delightful read, and I am curious to see what Meg Shaffer might come up with next.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for my honest review.

Many Years ago, a reclusive mega-bestselling children’s author quit writing under very mysterious circumstances. Suddenly he resurfaces with a brand new book and a competition. He is offering a prize that will change the winner’s life.

The author focuses a bunch on one character but does bring the others alive . I loved seeing how characters solved the riddles and looked forward to see what would happen . The writing is good too

Gosh I don’t even know where to begin. I don’t often read five star books. I have quite the book hangover from this one. I felt hope and heartbreak and joy and curiosity the entire way through. I fell in love with the characters and with Clock Island. I am so said the story is finished - this is one of those books you truly never want to end. I wish I could read it again for the first time.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of some childhood books I grew up with, but it's definitely for adults. I think it helps us remember what it's like to be a child and hover between childhood games and grown up fears. I recommend this book as it stands out from everything else I've read lately.

I could probably write an entire essay about why I loved this book sosos much. Characters who feel like my best friends – or me; two main heroes who are flawed and yet, so perfect; the healing power of love and forgiveness, and what facing your fears should do for you. So many themes come to mind but at its simplest, this is a well-written story with an amazing plotline and a cast anyone can get behind.

What would you do if the one thing you wish beyond all else could be granted? Start with that premise and add a young woman who would do anything for the little boy she loves. Lucy Hart wants to foster and then adopt a young orphan named Christopher. The problem? Lucy has no money, a menial-paying job, and debt. No foster system will allow her to be granted as Christopher’s mom until she gets her life in order. Then one day a bit of news reaches her ears with a quest that just might make her wish to be Chris’s mom come true. But first, she has to face her fears, return to a place of magical thinking, and compete along with three others who also want the wish of their hearts.

I loved this book. Everything about it. reading it at this time of year ( Christmas is a week away )made it even more special.
5+ stars. Thanks to Netgalley for a sneak peek. I think everyone who believes in the magic of wishing will love it too!

This is a fun book where there's a protagonist to really root for and a premise that's like Willy Wonka but with an eccentric author and a beloved children's book series. Riddles, wishes, and the ultimate contest -- who will win, and will wishes come true?

Such an interesting read. Many thanks to the publisher for the advanced reader copy. I recommend this one!

Lucy Hart is a teaching assistant who shares her love of reading with her young students. Books saved Lucy when she was a neglected child, particularly the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson, which allowed her to escape her own grim reality. She loved Masterson’s books so much, that as a child she ran away and showed up on Masterson’s doorstep, hoping to live with him. Now, Lucy has formed a real bond with Christopher, a student who has recently lost his parents, and even toys with the idea of adoption. It seems like fate when Lucy receives an invitation from Masterson on “Clock Island”. The reclusive author has picked four readers who will travel to his island where they will compete for the one copy of the new “Clock Island” book. The winner will have the rights to market and sell the book; if Lucy wins, the money could mean she could adopt Christopher. But first she has to defeat the other contestants who range from charming and handsome to downright deadly. What a marvelous story! This is a bibliophile’s dream story. Highly recommended

Put your cynicism aside and get ready to enjoy this feel-good story about an eccentric millionaire/beloved author, Jack Masterson, trying to fulfill the wishes of his greatest fans.

Lucy Hart has channeled all her energy into saving money and applying to foster and adopt a seven-year-old orphan boy she bonded with while working as a teacher’s aide. She is close to giving up hope when she receives an envelope inviting her to Clock Island, where Jack lives, to compete for the sole copy of his latest novel.

This was a fun story - we get a lovable protagonist, slight Willy Wonka vibes, and a bit of romance! Recommended to anyone looking for a heart-warming adventure about people looking to heal and to love and be loved.

Thank you very much to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

This book is beautiful. I should have been asleep two hours ago, but once I began this book, I could not rip myself away from it. The characters are so easy to love. Jack Masterson skates the line between eccentric recluse author and a man with the greatest heart. Wishes are granted for kids who are brave, and this book is full of bravery and love and goodness. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book as moving and kooky and lovely as this one. And I loved every word of it.

I absolutely loved this book and am so glad to have had the opportunity to read an advance copy of it thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I found it completely original, very uplifting, and a nice change from my usual reads. In the book, a children's author had a huge impact on some of his young readers lives. They became invested in the fantasy world of his books, and he sometimes personally corresponded with his readers and was able to help them. Now, as adults, some of them are invited to compete to win the only copy of his last book for them to do what they wish with it. Shaffer did a great job bringing the characters to life, focusing on one in particular. Although I'm terrible at riddles, I enjoyed seeing how the characters solved them. I was happy that the story was unpredictable and went in unexpected directions. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from the author.

The Wishing Game was a delight. Stories about chosen families always touch my heart, and this one was beautifully done. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House.