The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer was everything I had hoped it would be. I have wanted to read this book for so long that I was afraid I might have been disappointed by the time I actually got to read it. No chance! It was full of hope, longing, magical realism, a touch of romance and a set of books that helped shape, guide and influence so many children during their childhood years. It was obvious from the beginning that the initial premise for The Wishing Game was borrowed from Willy Wonker and the Chocolate factory but Meg Shaffer masterfully steered The Wishing Game towards its own heartfelt story. The characters were thoughtfully crafted and so well executed. I switched between reading The Wishing Game and listening to the audiobook that was narrated extremely well by Paul Boehmer and Rachel L. Jacobs.

Lucy Hart grew up overshadowed by her older sister who was a very sick child. Even though Lucy loved her big sister, she was forbidden to be around her in fear of her sister catching something. Lucy’s parents only had time and love for her older sister. They never showed Lucy any affection. Lucy craved their attention and affection but was never shown any. One time when Lucy was about eight years old, her sister had to be taken to the hospital. Since her parents couldn’t find anyone to watch Lucy, she accompanied her parents to the hospital. Lucy was left all by herself in the waiting room of the hospital for hours on end. Lucy could not go to the room where her sister had been taken. She was too young. In all that time that Lucy sat in the waiting room, her parents never came to check on her. Two things happened that day. The first thing was that Lucy discovered a book in the waiting room at the hospital. It was part of The Clock Island series and it would transform her life in a way that she never would have dreamed of. Over the course of the next several years, Lucy read every one of the books in the Clock Island series. The second thing that happened that day was that she went to live with her grandparents. Her parents never even came down from her sister’s room to say goodbye to Lucy or explain why she was going to be living with her grandparents from then on. Lucy’s grandparents just showed up and took her to their home to live. Lucy never lived in the home where her parents and sister lived again.

Lucy was now a twenty-six year old kindergarten teacher aide in California. She was having a hard time financially. Lucy lived in a home with three other tenants to make her rent more affordable. She relied on public transportation because she did not have enough money to purchase a car. To supplement her meager salary as a teacher aide, Lucy knitted scarves and sold them on Etsy. The one bright spot in her life was her love for a little seven year old boy named Christopher Lamb. When Christopher lost both of his parents to a drug overdose, Lucy had stepped in and gave Christopher a place to stay until a foster placement was arranged for him. Christopher wound himself around and into Lucy’s heart. That first night that Christopher stayed with Lucy, she introduced Christopher to The Clock Island books. Christopher instantly became a fan. Lucy and Christopher read every book in the series over the next few weeks. Christopher believed in and looked up to the Mastermind in The Clock Island series. For some reason, the author, Jack Masterson, had not written any new books for the past five or six years. No one knew the reason why Jack Masterson stopped writing. He just did.

Lucy wanted to foster and then adopt Christopher more than anything in the world but her circumstances prevented it. The foster agency told Lucy over and over again that she was not in a position to be approved to foster Christopher no less adopt him. Lucy needed money, a lot of it so she could provide Christopher with the things he needed. Lucy was about to let Christopher know that the chances of her ever becoming his mother were not very hopeful.

Then one day, a blue envelope was delivered to Lucy. To everyone’s surprise, especially Lucy’s, Jack Masterson had written a new book and he was holding a contest on Clock Island. There were four people that Jack had chosen to be the contestants in the contest. The prize for winning the contest was the original copy of the new Jack Masterson’s book. The winner of the contest was permitted to sell the rights to the book to either the publisher or anyone else the winner desired. If Lucy was able to win, the sale of the book would provide Lucy with all the money she needed and then some to foster and adopt Christopher. Lucy had been chosen as one of the four candidates eligible to compete in the contest. Could Lucy win the contest? What would she have to do to win?

I really enjoyed Lucy’s character. She had such a difficult childhood and now she had the chance to show young Christopher the love and affection that she was denied as a child. I was really rooting for Lucy to succeed. Most of The Wishing Game was told from Lucy’s perspective. Lucy developed a true kinship with Hugo Reese, the illustrator of The Clock Island books and famous artist in his own right, early on when she first arrived on Clock Island for the contest. I enjoyed the banter Lucy and Hugo shared together, how they began to confide in one another and when their feelings for one another began to develop. The Wishing Game touched every one of my emotions. It was a magical and beautiful story. I loved the setting on Clock Island with the raging sea, dense forests and the unique home Jack Masterson lived in. It was heartbreaking yet uplifting. The Wishing Game focused on the themes of family, self confidence, romance, the perils of being a child in situations that were far from ideal, the art of imagination and partaking in solving riddles, losses and sacrifices. I am so glad that I had the chance to read The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer and look forward to reading the books she writes in the future. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Ballantine Books for allowing me to read The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Having recently finished the previously published “The Wishing Game" by Meg Shaffer, I am happy to have had the chance to read the Advanced Reader’s Edition e-copy; thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine!

This was an emotional story full of riddles and challenges set on the mysterious, straight from the pages of a fairy tale, Clock Island, Maine. As the memorable cast of characters shared when telling their stories, hopes and dreams and wishes are something most of us hold on to, to get us through hard moments in life. This ultimate happily ever after ending led to a forever family, and the gift of a special book given from the heart of a true father to his… sidekick. ❤️

"Writing that book changed my life. Reading it changed yours.”

This was an interesting adult novel! (I really like the cover of it!)

I received an e-ARC from the publisher

The Wishing Game was absolutely fantastic. While reading I was getting Wonka and Hunger Games vibes with a bookish twist and by the end of the book I just felt good.

The title and the cover did it for me. I picked it completely based on that and I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed this story. The Wishing Game is a great story that will make you feel nostalgic for your childhood. It is a heartfelt story about growing up and the challenges some kids face and how they escape that with books and stories like so many of us did as well. It's that relatable feeling of hope and wishing that really drew me in. The characters are just as endearing as you would think. The narration was done beautifully. I highly recommend this book if you just want to daydream for a little bit!

This book was so magical & wholesome. All the feel goods & all heartwarming moments. It left me feeling nostalgic for books I read as a child where I could escape for a little while ✨

So I admit, I was very confused, the description says scifi/fantasy but this was just fiction. I could not find the fantasy. That being said I really enjoyed this book. It gave me warm feels. I liked the characters and their quirks. I definitely got a Gene Wilder Willy Wonka vibe from Jack, but that is one of my comfort movies so I didn’t mind at all. I think if i hadn’t been expecting a fantasy storyline, this would have gotten 5 stars. But I was distracted waiting for them to disappear into a book or something to magically come alive or some other fantasy trope and it reduced my enjoyment.

* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

This was a tricky one...I liked some things about the book, but the main character is kind of problematic and I didn't love the writing. It was just alright.

This is the most fun I’ve had reading a book in so long. It hit my emotions and tapped into my childhood imagination and love for books like The Chronicles of Narnia. Meg creates characters you want to root for and be friends with. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to read this!

This was a really feel-good novel that contains so much love for books and the nostalgia of loving them in your childhood. I'm giving this 4 stars because while it was enjoyable, it was almost TOO sappy-sweet at times. Still a good book, and I'll read whatever the author writes next!

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Some of it was almost too sappy sweet, but even that was enjoyable. If you were a book lover as a child, this will appeal to you. Sort of reminded me of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library.

I liked the characters and the story moved along well.

📖My Thoughts📖

Sometimes I forget that there’s magical books out there that take you back to a time when you had the innocence of a child. This one kind of made me feel this way. It was kind of like watching the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but with a lot more riddles. I’m not entirely sure how to describe this book. I can tell you that it made me feel like a kid (in a good way) but that just doesn’t see right. I guess it’s like the kids version of a Hallmark movie, with a dash of modern day Disney? It just encompasses you, transporting you into the book and magical, but not in the sense of Witches and Magicians, magical in the sense that it just shuts the world around you out, draws out that heartwarming, empathetic and serene feeling because of the way it played out. I was completely enthralled with this book. It was beautifully written capturing the audience’s attention. I love the way the author alternates between present day and characters in the authors series. I really loved this book and definitely recommend it.
Thank you Netgalley, Meg Shaffer and Random House Publishing Company for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This was a feel good read and quite enjoyable. The story mostly takes place on an island after a contest is announced from a beloved children's book author. The winner will receive the last book in the series. There are riddles and challenges for the contestants who are participating. The book did feel a little bit YA to me but was enjoyable and entertaining.

Overall I enjoyed the story and the characters. I would say that it's not a very complex story, rather simply laid out by someone who is a large fan of various fantasy books that have been published in the last 20 years. While it was rather predictable in the outcome, it was still a sweet story.

“The Wishing Game” truly gives off “Willy Wonka/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” vibes. It’s whimsical, full of riddles, takes place on a mysterious private island, and weaves in familial themes. Imagine my surprise when I come to find that this book isn’t categorized as a YA read. It’s for adults… A juvenile plot that attempted to incorporate heavy topics and loveable characters that just, unfortunately, falls short.

I was looking forward to ‘the game’ - the riddles and challenges. They all started out as fun enough but they quickly lost their luster. I had also hoped to take a deep dive in exploring the mystery and enchantment of Clock Island but experiencing that sense of magic was severely lacking.

For such a high-stakes game, this story seems to simply skim the surface with its details, character dynamics, and themes – a level of ‘depth’ one might associate with middle-grade literature tailored to that demographic. If you approach this book with that perspective, I think you’ll find the story charming enough. Or if you’re simply seeking a heartwarming read that delivers emotional satisfaction with everyone receiving their happy ending, you’ll find fulfillment within these pages. I just couldn’t shake the feeling of expecting more.

this is a book bout an immature teachers assistant who is very whiney and has a creepy relationship with a child. Not interested.

I just absolutely loved this book. It was absolutely adorable and made me smile the entire time. As a book lover, I just felt transported to a world where books come to.life, like I was kid again.

1. Did not like the main character *AT ALL*. Her behavior was completely inappropriate towards Christopher - he was a student in her school and she would pull him on her lap, hug him, buy him gifts, call him "son" - WILDLY inappropriate. I almost stopped the first time this happened and if I could go back in time, I'd tell myself to do so! She was $2k in debt and couldn't buy him a $15 gift (which she shouldn't be doing anyway...) yet thought she could be his mom??!!! I couldn't stand how she was portrayed as being so perfect and flawless; it couldn't be any more obvious how we were SUPPOSED to be rooting for her. But I thought she was an idiot.

2. The Clock Island premise was weak. The excerpts of books weren't strong enough to indicate that this weirdo on an island could write so many books that would be so popular/well received. And he seemingly celebrated a handful of kids running away to try to live with him? What about these books lured the kids to the island and why would he be happy about it? It felt like there was no effort made towards deterring these kids from running away to the weirdo on an island whose response to them running away was to tell them how much he loves them.

This was a whimsical read that required a lot of suspension of disbelief. It was possibly the activities going on in my life at the time that made me not appreciate this book as much as I should have. If you love books about books, this is for you!

Lucy Hart grew up with a childhood of neglect and loneliness, but she found her solace in books. Her favorite among them was the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. She is now a teacher's aide and is sharing her able to share of love of reading with her bright, young students. One student in particular, Christopher, has been orphaned after the death of his parents, and Lucy would love nothing more than to adopt him, but he idea seems impossible without funds and stability.

Jack announces he is finally written a new book and is holding a contest on the real Clock Island to win the one and only copy. Lucy and Christopher would love to be the winners of the most sought-after book in the world.

This book was absolutely beautiful. The writing was really well done and it perfectly captures what reading can mean to someone.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for an advanced eARC in exchange for an honest review.