The Wishing Game
By Meg Shaffer

Is this a children's book for adults or an adult book for children? Or perhaps it is a book for all of us who have experienced situations – especially during childhood – where we can do nothing but wish for something better.

Jack Masterson is a famous author of children's books who tries to convey to his young fans that, if they are brave and face their fears, then their wishes may come true. Jack lives on an island off the coast of Maine – which he has named Clock Island and designed it to be like the island in his Clock Island book series.

Hugo Reese is the English illustrator of Jack's books. He was selected via a contest to be Jacks illustrator and has worked on Jack's books ever since.

They were an excellent team until tragedy struck and Jack stopped writing. For six years Jack has sunk into depression, and Hugo has come to live on Clock Island to save Jack from himself.

Lucy is a kindergarten teacher's aide who longs to adopt Christopher, a wonderful little boy she has taken under her wing after he has experienced great tragedy and trauma. Unfortunately, Lucy does not have the financial wherewithal to qualify. But she and Christopher have promised each other that they will become a family.

One day, Jack comes out of his funk, writes another book, and stages a contest on Clock Island. The contest is by invitation only and the prize is the only copy of the new book. The contestants are all adults who, as children, have plucked up their courage and made their way to Clock Island. Lucy was one of those children!

This is a wonderful book. It looks candidly at many of the dark episodes children experience, especially in the foster care system. These children feel powerless to improve their situations. But Jack's books give the kids hope and help them to be brave in the face of their fears – and then, just maybe, their wishes will come true. Whether a story for children or a story for the children inside of all adults, this book gives us hope that a Clock Island really does exist out there somewhere if we are brave enough to find it!

Thank you Meg Shaffer for this book!

I needed a book to get lost in after some very dark, intense reads, and The Wishing Game was like a warm, comfortable blanket on a winter day. It wrapped me up tightly and held me close until the end. As a child, I was a big fan of Charlie and the Charlie Factory, and while I was reading this I couldn't help but think that Clock Island was Willy Wonka, but with books instead of candy/chocolate.

There's so much nostalgia mixed with magic and just a fun, sweet story that I think readers will fall in love with this book, and with Lucy when they read it.

4.5/5⭐️

Lucy Hart is a teacher’s aide whose one wish is to be able to afford adopting 7-year-old Christopher. As a child being raised by emotionally abusive parents, she is taken in by her grandparents with hopes of being loved and wanted. She knows what it’s like to be lonely and left behind.

Growing up she had a brief personal connection with the mega popular children’s series author Jack Masterson known as the “Mastermind of Clock Island”, a literary persona who guided children in making their wishes come true.

Lucy is one of four contestants offered the chance to win the rights to Jack’s long-awaited Clock Island return. As she competes to answer Jack’s riddles, she also learns that she needs to be brave and face what scares her the most to be able to win what she truly wishes for.

There’s much more here, but I won’t go into everything. Suffice it to say, this is a sweet and poignant story that brings to mind the world of Willy Wonka and the Magic Treehouse series but centered around books. The moments between Lucy/Christopher are touching, and there’s an endearing curmudgeon of a cover artist to provide humor and sparks.

But it’s the magic and nostalgia around Jack and Clock Island itself that makes the story a truly special one. There’s a bit of a sugary sweet ending and some over-the-top moments from Lucy, but it’s utterly worth the ride.

Now MY fervent wish is for an invitation to Clock Island.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing the free early arc of The Wishing Game for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

What an interesting plot! "A reclusive mega-bestselling children’s author quit writing under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly he resurfaces with a brand-new book and a one-of-a-kind competition, offering a prize that will change the winner’s life in this absorbing and whimsical novel." This was a quick cozy read and a great debut!

What a fun, interesting book this was. The author of a well-loved children's book series, after a multi-year hiatus, announces he has written a new book but he is holding a contest at his home and only one player will win the book. The contest is by invitation only and 4 people who ran away to his home as children are the invitees. The game is conducted using a series of riddles that the players must solve to earn points. Those players who are well versed in the books (40 of them) are at a definite advantage. It was fun watching them solve the riddles and see the outcome of the contest.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for book lovers.

Jack Masterson is the most famous children’s author alive. His series The Clock Island Adventures has captured decades worth of readers. Except, he hasn’t written in years and no one knows why.

Hugo Reese is a world famous illustrator and lives on Clock Island with Jack. He wants to help Jack but he doesn’t know how. And then one night he sees the lamp on and Jack furiously typing.

Lucy Hart is barely getting by with her kindergarten aide position. She shouldn’t still have roommates but she can’t afford to live on her own or get a second job because then she wouldn’t be able to tutor Christopher, a foster boy at her school she’s trying desperately to adopt.

And then the announcement comes. A contest for the rights to the new book by Jack Masterson, the long awaited sequel. Who will be invited to attend? What kind of games will need to be won? And why is a raven like a writing desk?

Best book I’ve read this year. READ IMMEDIATELY.

. Beloved author of the Clock Island book series, Jack Masterson, is having a contest to give away his unpublished latest book. The winner will be able to sell the book for enough money to make their greatest wish come true. Lucy Hart's greatest desire is to earn enough money to adopt Christopher, a young foster child whom she has become attached to. She knows firsthand what it is like to grow up without parents who love you, and she wants to make sure Christopher doesn't suffer the same fate.

This is a beautiful heartwarming story full of good-hearted loveable characters. The character of Jack Masterson is reminiscent of Willy Wonka and the entire book is reminiscent of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. However, Masterson doesn't have the cruel streak that Wonka sometimes displays. On the contrary, his heart is always in the right place. The competitors are much more likable than the golden ticket winners in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as well. They are not spoiled children too interested in their own immediate gratification to keep their eyes on the big picture, but rather adults who have experienced life and know what really matters. The book is so full of good and pure characters with noble intentions that you will want to root for them all. If you want to recapture the wonder of childhood and the believe that wishes really can come true, you are definitely going to want to read this book.

Lucy wants nothing more that to be a mom to Christopher, a boy she met at school where she is a teachers assistant. But Lucy doesn't qualify to foster him much less adopt him. She doesn't make enough money to have the proper home and all the other things that come along with parenthood.

Growing up wasn't easy for Lucy and for many of the other characters.

Children's author, Jack has announced he will be having a contest on Clock Island. If Lucy can win this contest, she will have enough money to adopt Christopher.

I felt heartbroken for the children who are now adults that had such difficult upbringings. Even though I wanted Lucy to be the winner, I couldn't really dislike it if someone else were to win. They were all so deserving each in their own way.

I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read a feel good story. Although there are parts that don't feel good, it just makes the story even better.

Thanks to net galley and Ballantine Books for the arc.

This was a heartwarming story that reminded me of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. There were some really sad parts but overall an endearing story of love, hope, friendship and found family. This was a great cozy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was exactly what I needed when I read it. I just came off 4 back-to-back high fantasy reads and was looking for something cozy and slower-paced. This book fulfilled my sweet and cozy needs. It was a cute retelling of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Still, instead of an eccentric candy millionaire, it was a beloved children's author giving away 1 copy of the last story he ever wrote. A select group of kids are chosen to participate by playing a game. Everyone has to solve the riddles and mysteries the mastermind cooks up to earn points. The one with the most in the end wins, otherwise, the book gets delivered into the hands of the evil publishing house.

There were times I almost burst out into tears because I could relate to some of the character's traumatic stories about loss, heartbreak, and trying to survive. I wish parts of the story went a bit deeper with these and it would've paid off emotionally for me. I know this is an adult book with characters over the age of 30 (WOW — unheard of!) but it read younger to me. Not to say that's a bad thing, but perhaps this story should've been categorized as a YA book instead. The last two points I made are why I rated this 4 stars instead of 5, but I still really loved it.

The ending was super cute. Of course, I saw it coming a mile away but that doesn't make a book bad in my opinion. It gave me comfort knowing I could root for everyone and be satisfied by the outcome. The only thing I wish I saw more of was the island. I wanted to see more describes to me, but just enough information was given to help my imagination fill in the blanks but you always, ALWAYS want more! :)

Anyways....read it. You'll love it!

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer is a very highly recommended mystery/family/romance novel. This is for adults who always dream of finding a golden ticket.

Lucy Hart grew up without parents who cared and found escape through the Clock Island book series by Jack Masterson. When she was 13 she ran away to the real Clock Island and met Masterson. Now she is twenty-six and a teacher's aide. She wants more than anything else to adopt seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, but she doesn't make enough money for proper housing or a car so she is unable to qualify to foster to adopt.

Then author Masterson announces a contest. He is inviting four contestants to Clock Island to compete in a series of games/riddles. The winner will receive the only copy of his new novel, worth a fortune, and can do what they please with it. Lucy is one of the lucky contestants. While on the island she must also deal with the curmudgeonly but handsome Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books.

The Wishing Game is an excellent debut novel and is going to appeal to all Willy Wonka fans. It's compelling, engaging and held my rapt attention from beginning to end. It could be a YA book, or certainly appropriate for YA readers, but as an adult reader it resonated with me too. There are some heavy themes in the plot but they are handled circumspectly. The narrative is mainly told through Lucy's point-of-view, with excerpts from one of the Clock Island books interspersed between the chapters. There are also several chapters from Hugo's perspective.

We don't have in-depth character development of everyone, but we do have Lucy, Hugo and Masterson developed to some degree, enough that readers will care what happens. The ending is absolutely perfect in every way. This is a novel about hope and the power of books in a life. The Wishing Game would be a wonderful choice for summer reading!
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Random House via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, BookBrowse, Google Books, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

The Wishing Game, a debut novel by Meg Shaffer, is one of those books that make you sigh happily when you finish. Lucy, a teacher’s assistant, is trying to become financially stable enough to foster Christopher, a former student who lost his parents suddenly. She, along with four other people, is invited to Clock Island, the home of Jack Masterson. Jack is the author of an immensely popular children’s series that takes place on the island, and he has invited the now-adult children who had visited his island previously to solve a mystery. The winner will receive the only copy of his next novel, and Lucy knows that selling the rights to the book will provide her plenty of money to foster David. The book really has it all—suspense, nostalgia, romance, and a very unique storyline. I loved everything about this book, and it is one of my favorites of 2023! Thank you, Penguin Random House and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this five-star book!

Lucy is down and out. She can’t afford to become a foster mom to a little boy who needs a lot of love. However, if she can win a writing contest, it just might be the key to forever changing her life.
Lucy had more than her dose from the school of hard knocks and I liked her perseverance. She also contends with her past and amends are made, which was gratifying.
Books become and are a lifeline in this story and I can get behind that theme completely.

This is a fantastic debut by Meg Shaffer!

In The Wishing Game, our protagonist Lucy is invited to return to Clock Island for the ultimate competition. Clock Island is the private residence of Jack Masterson, a famous children's series author. He hasn't released a book in years and has now invited four adults to compete for the rights to his brand new book.

The Wishing Game is similar in premise to Willy Wonka, but with adults in a literary setting. But the book overall is less about the competition and more about Lucy finding her strength. Her life has always been difficult and she needs this competition to help her dreams come to fruition.

I loved this book for so many reasons. First and foremost it was a fun and enveloping read. I fell in love with Lucy and was rooting for her every step of the way. This is a book for readers who love found families and quirky imperfect characters. I also loved the atmosphere. Imagine visiting an actual place that was the setting for a favorite childhood book series and getting to explore.

This is a book that is great for readers of all ages to share in and enjoy!

I would highly recommend this one for book lovers, especially those who were readers as kids. It is so nostalgic even though the author in the book is fictional - it’s like if a non-problematic JK Rowling decided to pull a Willy Wonka and invite a select group of readers to her castle. It’s not YA but it’s very clean so I think it would definitely be appropriate for 12+. Clock Island and it’s house are an amazing setting!

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute story! Such a fun easy read and I love the mystery game around a children's book series! The storyline for this story is so unique and it kept me interested. So interested that I binge read it in one day!

If you're looking for a feel good book that you won't be able to put down this one is it! You won't regret this read!

I read "The Wishing Game" by Meg Shaffer on NetGalley. The main character, Lucy, is trying to become a foster mom to a 7 year old boy, with plans to foster to adopt.. She is having a hard time, has little savings, etc. Then she is chosen to be a contestant to win the one and only copy of a new book by a children's author that she used to write letters to and at one point ran away from home to his home. I really enjoyed this book and it's clever riddles.

This book was a fun comfort read and Shaffer has a way of writing that is very relaxing. The main character, Lucy, was an extremely likable person which made the book high enjoyable. I’m not a huge fan of competitive game type books, but this one was very enjoyable and focused more on the unraveling plot more than the competition itself.

The nod to children’s literature (fictional series called Clock Island) that the main character grew up reading, felt so nostalgic that I kept forgetting that it doesn’t exist in real life. There is some family drama sprinkled in which plays a major role in the heroine’s life. The love story with Hugo feels more of a side plot, the couple wasn’t my favorite, but it was tastefully done and added well to the overall story. I will be very interested in reading more books by Shaffer!

Rating: 4.4⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Clock Island books is one of the most famous children’s book series in the world that follow a group of children who go to the island to have their wishes granted by Master Mastermind. They are tested with a series of riddles, challenges, and fear-facing obstacles, as “The only wishes every granted are the wishes of brave children who keep on wishing even when it seems no one’s listening because someone somewhere always is.” There hasn’t been a new Clock Island book written by Jack Masterson and illustrated by Hugo Reese in six years, and no one knows why.

For Lucy Hart, these books made her feel less lonely as a child. Now, as a teacher’s aid at an elementary in California, she’s shared her love of the series with Christopher Lamb, a seven-year-old boy who was a former student and is now in foster care. All Lucy wants is to be Christopher’s mother, but her current situation makes it nearly impossible without a miracle to grant Lucy and Christopher’s wish of being a family.

When Lucy feels all hope is lost, Jack announces a contest for a select few to return to Clock Island for the chance to win the one and only copy of the newest Clock Island book, which the winner can do whatever they want with, including selling it. Due to Lucy’s special past with Clock Island and Jack, she gets a personal invitation via snail mail. Lucy jumps at the opportunity to go back to Clock Island after thirteen years and to get the money she needs to adopt Christopher.

Lucy expects that this experience won’t be all fun and games; however, she doesn’t expect to be swept off her feet or for there to be a confrontation with a ghost from her past.

This whimsical and magical book was such an enjoyable read. When I saw the Willy Wonka comparisons, I knew I had to read this! Willy Wonka (the Gene Wilder version) is my all-time favorite movie. There are definitely some Willy Wonka vibes and direct references, but there wasn’t as much of the games/riddles as I thought there would be. However, there’s an overall theme of family, especially families of the past, present, and future. I loved the relationship that Jack had with the contestants and the relationship between Lucy and Hugo. They were able to open up to each other when they haven’t been able to open up to anyone else about their struggles and fears. Lucy and Christopher’s relationship is the most precious thing, and I’m so glad they found each other. The Wishing Game is now added to my list of comfort reads, and you should definitely add it to your TBR list!

There are discussions of and/or references to chronic illness, cancer, death, abuse, suicide, drugs, and alcohol abuse.

4.5 stars. The Wishing Game is a whimsical, magical novel about the power of stories and the goodness of people, and it completely stole my heart.

Lucy Hart is a 26-year-old kindergarten teacher's aide who wants nothing more than to adopt her former student, Christopher, a nine-year-old living in foster care after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy knows what it's like to come from an unhealthy home environment. During a childhood marked by loneliness and neglect, Lucy found solace in the Clock Island books by Jack Masterson, which she now reads with Christopher. Lucy knows she could give Christopher a life full of love, but she just doesn't have the funds required to adopt him.

But Jack Masterson, who saved her as a child, may be able to save her again. After years of silence, he's finally written a new Clock Island book, and has invited an exclusive group of readers to the real Clock Island to compete for a prize: the one and only copy of that book. If Lucy wins the prize, her financial future will be secured...but it's going to take more than wishes to make that happen.

In a novel clearly inspired by the the works of Roald Dahl (specifically Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda), but that also feels like its own entirely unique, wonderful thing, debut writer Meg Shaffer takes readers on a heart-warming journey that explores imagination, wonder, and the roles that the best stories play in the lives of children and adults: a refuge, an elixir, a guiding light in the darkest of times. Much like the great stories of my childhood, I couldn't stop reading this book, but I also wanted it to never end.

The Wishing Game is an intoxicating blend of contemporary fiction and magical realism, with a dash of romance and a setting that is (quite literally) out of fantasy. Clock Island is a magical place come to life, and the map and book excerpts add the perfect, immersive touch. The characters are lovable, and even though there is lots of conflict and several difficult situations touched on in this novel, the narrative exudes a sense of comfort and warmth that feels like a balm to the soul. It's emotional and sentimental without veering into the saccharine, with plenty of moments that will break your heart and even more that will mend it.

The Wishing Game is a story for every child who grew up wishing to be transported into their favorite stories, and for every adult who still believes in the power of stories and wishes. Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advance reading opportunity.