Every now and then, I forego my usual thrillers and crave a whimsical story full of magical realism. The Wishing Game is just that. I would say that readers of TJ Klume and Sara Addison Allen would enjoy the style. This being a debut novel probably accounts for the minor issues that prevented me from giving the book 5 stars instead of 4. I absolutely loved the characters and each of their backstories. Lucy grew up with parents who seemed to not love her at all and only focused their attention on her very sickly sister. She took refuge in a series of books about Clock Island. Now that she is an adult, teaching assistant and 100% out of contact with the family that hurt her, she is struggling financially and desperately wants to adopt or at least foster one of her former students. She is absolutely not qualified due to her dire financial circumstances, living arrangements, and means of transportation. Time is running out before Christopher gets moved to another foster family out Lucy's logistical reach.

Jack is the author of the Clock Island series who has become a recluse on his own personal, real Clock Island. For mysterious reasons, he has been depressed for some years and has not written a book in the Clock Island series in all that time.

Hugo, the illustrator of the Clock Island books also has his own troubled history that led him to be Jack's only confidante on Clock Island during his years of solitude.

The game that brings these three characters together is magical and fun. I defy anyone who reads the book to not want to visit Clock Island and play its riddle-filled games.

The only aspect that pulled me out of my enjoyment was Lucy's blinding stubborn stance on asking for help in getting what she needed to foster Christopher. She seemed so loving with him, yet almost hard-hearted when it came to doing what she could to get financial assistance. I understood her anger, but as many times as the book repeated her anguish over the time running out on her chance to get Christopher, it didn't make sense to me why she refused to ask for or receive help.

The Wishing Game was a winner and I have been spreading the word to all my friends to read the book!

This book was AMAZING! It is the perfect book to read for any adult who was once a kid who was mesmerized by a book series and longed to be a part of it.

I typically don’t love reading books that make me cry, but I could not put this book down. Every character was one that I loved and kept wanting to learn more about. When the story was over, I just wanted to read more.

I honestly cannot recommend this book enough. 100/5 stars

The Wishing Game follows Lucy, a teacher’s assistant who desperately wants to adopt Christopher, one of her former students. Because of her lack of money this seems like an impossible dream, but she and Christopher never stop hoping they’ll be a family one day. One day Jack Masterson, Lucy’s favorite author from her childhood, announces that he’s hosting a competition for a few of his former readers. The winner of the competition will receive the only copy of Jack Masterson’s newest book and the right to publish that book if they choose to. The story follows as Lucy and her fellow competitors solve Jack Masterson’s puzzles and race to the end of his game. The Wishing Game is basically an adult version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The Wishing Game was entertaining enough that I never lost my desire to know who would win the competition. It’s a fast paced story, and the writing is consistent throughout the entire book. That’s everything good I have to say.

I don’t think this is a bad book. I think it just wasn’t for me. The Wishing Game was similar to The Twyford Code in that I thought I would love it because it was focused on children’s books and solving puzzles but it still didn’t work for me. I didn’t realize that there would be so much focus on the relationship between Lucy and Christopher. I wasn’t interested in that aspect of the story at all, but it was pretty much the driving force behind the entire plot.

Lucy seemed a lot younger than 26. To me she seemed like a teenager, so it wasn’t very easy to feel like she should be a mother lol. I thought that the relationship she had with Christopher wasn’t very healthy. She was so intensely fixated on him while realistically she felt more like an older sister than a mother. She kept assuring him that one day they’d be a family when there really were no signs that that would ever be possible with her financial and living situations. I hated that she was always getting his hopes up like that. I also thought it was a little weird of her to be a teacher showing that much affection towards a student. They were always alone together at school hugging, kissing, and expressing love towards each other in different ways when they had no official, legal relationship as a guardian and child. I don’t really know anything about being a teacher, but I assume that that’s against a whole lot of rules.

The sense of whimsy and wonder that I believe Meg Shaffer intended for readers to feel never really struck me. Jack Masterson’s books and the island the competition took place on weren’t described in a way that gave me that feeling. Overall this plot was very predictable to me, and I was hoping that a book about solving puzzles and playing games would be full of twists and turns.

I’m not sure if this is a reasonable complaint, but I thought the puzzles the competitors had to solve were too easy. I solved the first puzzle before I even finished reading it. There was another that I was able to solve very very quickly. There were others that readers of The Wishing Game won’t able to solve because they required knowledge that only the characters would have as readers of Jack Masterson’s books, and there are some that are only mentioned in passing, so I’m not talking about those ones. I’m only referring to the ones that readers are able to solve. This matters to me because the puzzles being easy took away from the urgency and tension that I should have felt while reading about the competition. I wasn’t able to experience the stress of trying to figure out the puzzles alongside Lucy. But the reason I said that this might not be a reasonable complaint is that whether something is “easy” is subjective. I’m not sure if that’s been a common complaint among readers of this book. And other people may agree that they’re easy but not mind it as much as I do.

I’ve never seen anyone else say anything bad about this book so I guess I’m the odd one out here. But I really didn’t like it.

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer is about Lucy, a kindergarten aide that grew up unloved by her parents. As a teen she ran away to Clock Island, located off the coast of Maine and now as an adult has been selected to participate in a contest to win the rights to the most recent novel by Jack Masterson. It is book #66 of the Clock series and his most recent book in six years. Lucy desperately wants to adopt Christopher, a boy she tutors that is in foster care, and winning the book would mean she would have enough money to get a house, car, and adopt him. The story is magical and fun and though started a little slow, soon grabbed my attention and I was eager to read it whenever I could.

The Wishing Game: A Magical Journey of Wishes and Imagination!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review:

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer is a delightful and enchanting tale that takes readers on a whimsical journey filled with wonder. From the very first page, I was captivated by the author's vivid storytelling and her ability to transport me to Clock Island, a world where dreams come true.

Meg Shaffer's characterization is impeccable, as she effortlessly brings Lucy, Jack Masterson, Hugo, and Christopher to life, making them relatable and endearing. I found myself rooting for Lucy as she embarked on her quest to make her biggest wish come true.

The author's writing style is fluid and engaging, making it a breeze to get lost in the pages of this enchanting book. The pacing is just right, keeping the story moving at a steady pace while allowing for moments of reflection and introspection. Each chapter unfolded with a new twist, keeping me eagerly turning the pages to see what surprise awaited Lucy.

One of the aspects I loved most about The Wishing Game is the emphasis on the power of imagination and the importance of dreams. It serves as a beautiful reminder to readers of all ages to never stop dreaming and to believe in the magic that resides within us all. Meg Shaffer expertly weaves this message into the narrative, creating a heartwarming and uplifting reading experience.

My only slight criticism is that at times, I wished for a bit more development in some of the secondary characters. While Lucy is a wonderfully fleshed-out character, I found myself wanting to know more about her friends and their own dreams and aspirations.

Overall, The Wishing Game is a captivating and heartwarming read that will ignite the imagination and leave readers with a sense of wonder. Meg Shaffer's storytelling prowess shines through in this enchanting tale, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a magical escape into a world where wishes really do come true.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Although I received a copy of this e-book in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own.

Oh. My. Gosh. This story is just beautiful. Lucy wants nothing more than to be able to take Christopher home and be his mother. In order to do so, she needs "proper funds and stability" meaning more money. She's doing the best she can, but time is creeping by and her chances of success seem to be getting smaller.

Then, she gets a mysterious letter, postmarked "Clock Island." Within that envelope is the chance to get everything she dreamed of, via "winning" the only copy of the newest Clock Island book. The trials and games that she participates in are so imaginative and fun. I love that they had the realistic aspect of having the lawyer intervene and require a contract and release.

I plan on buying myself a hard copy of this book because I want to be able to read it whenever I want <3 Just LOVE!

When Lucy Hart was a child, she found the love she lacked at home in books and her favorites were from the Clock Island series by children's author Jack Masterson. Now all grown up, Lucy is estranged from her family, living in California and working as a teacher's aid. There is a child in foster care, a former student, to whom she has become quite close. She wishes with all her heart that she could adopt him but her finances and living conditions are not stable enough to meet the state's requirements. I especially loved how the author drew attention to the foster care system and how skewed/heartbreaking it can be. I know there are lots of people all around the country who are in Lucy's shoes and children who are in Christopher's positions- it's heartbreaking. While this kind of novel is far from the usual genre I read, I found myself pulled in by the compelling plotline and the larger-than-life characters. Yes, the whole premise of the novel is far from reality, bringing to mind "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", but layered in the perspectives of adults - having to deal with the burdens of debt and finances, strained relationships and marriages, and the reality that wishes and dreams aren't enough. Lucy's situation was especially heartbreaking, as we learn in detail what her childhood was like and the difficulties that face her in trying to become Christopher's guardian. There are nonetheless touching and joyful moments as the characters grow closer and come to understand each others' pain and memories and are able to help each other through each of their traumas. I found the writing style to be a little rudimentary and the style and flow didn't have much variance, but didn't find this to detract from the story as a whole.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Meg Shaffer for an ARC of this book.

I was so excited to get this book because the synopsis sounds like something so unique and original! It definitely didn't disappoint and I am going to be adding this book to my list of favorites!

There are not enough words in the English dictionary to describe the intense beauty of this book. This is not a book for children. Nor about children. This is a book that recognizes that when we are children, we are brave and hopeful and everything wonderful, but that as we age, we forget to be brave or hopeful because we are bombarded by the inanities of adulthood. We only remember when we are older, freer and can take immense childlike pleasure from the humblest experience. When the adults who were once children brave enough to slay dragons and scale the castle walls arrived at their dream house, they were no longer those adults, filled with anxiety and terror, but the bold and daring children who once made wishes larger than themselves. As a reader, I was delighted to be able to feel their lungs inflate, hands on hips, and shout "I win." Shaffer reveals her heart in every word, every page. Perfectly edited such that I was completely taken aback by the first twist, this book is a so well done that I wanted to runaway to Clock Island myself.

Jack Masterson is the author of the beloved Clock Island books, a series of books for children. It’s been years since one was published, but a contest has just been announced and four invited guests get to go to Jack’s home on the real Clock Island. Lucy is a kindergarten teaching assistant who is down on her luck and desperate to adopt a little boy who has recently lost his parents. But her luck may have changed when an invitation arrives in the mail.

‘Ah, but that’s how life is,” Jack said. “Hindsight is twenty-twenty, they say, and they aren’t wrong. We only know the right thing to do after we’ve done the wrong one.’

Was this a smidge predictable? Maybe. But that didn’t keep me from adoring this book. The writing was beautiful, it was imaginative and magical. A genuinely lovely debut.

“The stories write us, you see. We read something that moves us, touches us, speaks to us and it ... it changes us.”
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Such an unbelievable journey. As we root for Lucy and little Christopher in hopes of them finally becoming a family, we fall down the proverbial rabbit hole that is Clock Island. This review will not do this story justice, given that my inner child was healed a bit after reading this book. Thanks Netgalley.

There is so much I loved about this book - The Wishing Game will be in my top 10 reads of the year. The story itself is intriguing, but it is the characters that really shined in this book. A recluse children's author, a lonely boy, a hard-working teacher's aide - all with some big wishes. The way each character story was told and how they were seamlessly interwoven with each other was magical. I was transported to Clock Island, I enjoyed the riddles, and I truly appreciated the humanity on every page. I cannot recommend this book enough!

Thank You to NetGalley for this ARC book, and for my honest review!!

"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.”

This Story was unique, even though it has remnants of Willy Wonka, but with the kids coming back as adults, this book is amazing, I loved the characters in this book. I would definitely recommend reading it.

If you are looking for a feel-good book, The Wishing Game is for you. The characters are so real I felt that I could reach out and touch them. Meet Lucy, a teacher's assistant wanting to adopt Christopher, a seven-year-old orphan. Lucy's favorite author is sponsoring a competition for the chance to win enough money to be able to afford the adoption. There are so many delightful, quirky characters that live in this story. I found myself smiling throughout the pages. I loved this book so much that I gave it as presents.

This was a quick weekend read that made me feel nostalgic for the days when I would hide under the covers reading by flashlight past my bedtime. If you ever wanted to be the characters in your childhood novels, having adventures and solving riddles to earn some magic in your life, this is the book for you. With a cast of characters you'll become attached to and a competition filled with twists, turns, and riddles this will easily become a novel you think of often.

I wish this novel was longer so I could get a better picture of what Clock Island the book series meant to these characters as children. I would have also loved to see the characters in this novel develop over a larger period of time or hear about their motivations to return to Clock Island a bit more. Overall, this was a nice 3.5-star read rounded up to 4 stars that I would recommend and hand-sell to my customers.

I'm so confused while everyone is racing about this book?! I found it boring. I also felt that the relationship between Hugo and Lucy was very cringe and uncomfortable.

Five stars is not enough for this book. Without a doubt, this is one of the best books I have read all year. It is a beautiful, highly entertaining story filled with puzzles, a fabulous island, characters we care about and a compelling plot. But, the best thing about this book os that it touches on very difficult subjects like grief, child abuse and loss, with care and respect. I loved every single second.

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
#NetGalley published 5/30/23

The publisher calls this book fantasy or woman's fiction. I don't see it as either. It seems more like a YA to me even though the MC is 26. I don't remember reading anything not realistic to call it a fantasy or scifi. Maybe even romance. Hmm what are you thinking #randomhousepublishinggroup
#ballantinebooks ?

Light and endearing story. Lucy needs money in order to afford to foster to adopt one of her former kindergarten students. Her favorite children's book author is holding a contest for "his" kids. Can she win it?

Loved the story. Will definitely be reading more by this author!

#thewishinggame
#romance
#bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendation #booknerdsbookreview #recommend #gottareadthisbook #lovedthisbook

Thank you to @ballantinebooks @netgalley and @prhaudio for the #gifted copy.

This book had a lot of hype and high praise. The story had a lot of potential, but fell flat for me. I really liked the premise- a recluse children’s author who hadn’t written a book for many years decided to write again, but only 1 copy of the book will be available. In order to get that copy, he invites 4 people, who are all in need of something, to his house on Clock Island for a challenge. There will only be one winner.

It was a sweet story, but it was a bit predictable and on the boring side for me.

The Wishing Game is a magical story of books and the power of a fantastical world that brings comfort in the darkest times. It feels like Willy Wonka for book lovers. It has the whimsy of a children's book, but the seriousness of an adult novel. It's heartfelt, funny, and endearing and is an excellent comfort read. I enjoyed every bit of this.

Twenty-six-year-old Lucy is a kindergarten teacher who is trying to adopt her former student who was orphaned. However, it doesn't seem possible until Jack Masterson, Lucy's favorite author from childhood, announces a contest for the only copy of his latest book. There is impeccable character development, a hint of romance, and a well-executed plot.

I highly recommend this one.