What would it feel like to climb back into your favorite story book's as an adult and explore your past. This is what Meg Shaffer allows us to do when she gives us the story of Jack, the reclusive children's author, Hugo, a jaded illustrator, and Lucy, the grown-up child struggling to make her dreams come true.

When Jack comes out of retirement and offers his latest book as a prize to his most memorable fans, he sets in motion the wish of Lucy to finally adopt her favorite student and become the mother she never had. Meanwhile, Jack and Hugo need to settle their tormented relationship and move on from the past.

Like the Mastermind he always was, Jack has put together this contest to gather the childhood fans that meant the most to him, bring them to Clock Island with the promise of making all their wishes come true, just like the children in all his stories. One catch, you must solve the riddle.

I loved the whole premise of this story. Meg writes such engaging characters that you fall in love with, and a setting that you want to jump into the book and explore. If only this book could come true for all the kids that grew up wanting to leave their life behind and move into their favorite storybook!

If Willie Wonka had created stories instead of candy…

The Wishing Game feels like one of those comfortably predictable books, but some elements definitely took me by surprise. For the most part, it ended the way I’d expected it to, but I still found even the easily foreseen aspects to be touching.

I did like that, despite its fluff, the novel delved into some serious topics and explored aspects of trauma. I was especially impressed with the developments regarding Lucy’s family and how that was addressed in the last quarter.

I didn’t find the game component especially exciting, but I was immersed enough in all that was tucked in between to make up for that. I did, however, feel a bit frustrated with Christopher’s characterization. I am sure the author was going for a precocious, traumatized child, instead of a 40 year old man stuck in a 7 year old’s body. Unfortunately, I felt she accomplished the latter. I found it difficult to buy into his relationship with Lucy because I found it difficult to believe in him at all. I wish this hadn’t been the case, as this is such a fundamental part of the story and I loved the idea behind it.

The book’s a tearjerker, nonetheless, but in the best possible way. You won’t come out on the other end feeling sad! It’s a lovely story, balanced well with light and heavy, and sparkling with a bit of something magical!

I am immensely grateful to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for my review copy. All opinions are my own.

What a fun, sweet read! I don't want to say too much so others can have the joy I did but what a pleasure it was to read such a endearing book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

The Wishing Game is a fun, sweet book that explores the nostalgia of childhood books. It is part-Mysterious Benedict Society, part-Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. An author of children's books invites several adults to his private island to complete several quests/challenges. The winner will be the sole recipient of his long-awaited new book with accompanying financial benefits. My one quibble with this book is the seeming naivety and immaturity of the main character, Lucy. She longs to win the game so she can afford to adopt a former student who is in foster care. Lucy doesn't seem to understand the financial responsibilities of parenthood and believes her love for the child will conquer all. When the social worker points out her financial limitations to her, Lucy is devastated and acts as if this hasn't crossed her mind. She made a remark to a coworker about suicide that bothered me (I work in the mental health field, and I take these comments very seriously), and it took me while to move past it. Once I did, I enjoyed the spirit of the book and the ode to children's literature. The book ends on a sweet note (perhaps too sweet for some), and it will be enjoyed by those who need a light-hearted, fun read.

The Wishing Game, by Meg Shaffer, is a gorgeous tale of love, family, friendship and the never ending magic of storytelling. The characters are richly developed and the story unfolds beautifully from beginning to end. Each character will delight readers with their bravery, perseverance and determination, and combining them together creates a superbly written novel that readers will devour and treasure for years to come.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

I love this book! It’s a perfect story, characters you fall in love with, a beautiful setting, dreams coming true. It definitely had that thread of Willy Wonka running through it. It also took me back to childhood wishes and dreams. A beautiful feel good book!

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
This may be one of the sweetest books I’ve ever read. Before that turns you off, there is a good plot and great characters but NO violence or mayhem. Lucy, a teacher’s aide, wants to adopt Christopher one of her students. Christopher suffered some personal tragedies and Lucy is his lifeline. The story revolves around Clock Island and The Clock Island Adventures.
Jack Masterson is the reclusive author of Clock Island Adventures. Hugo is his cover illustrator and a semi-renowned painter. Hugo’s sense of self is truncated and Jack has internalized a sad event of the past that he has shouldered guilty responsibility.
Clock Island is Disney’s Tom Sawyer Island and Willy Wonka’s factory mish-mashed together. Jack’s guilt drives him to reclaim the sense of wonder, and hope that permeated his children’s books. A contest brings a collection of, now adult, children back to the island.
This was a delightful read and although I predominantly read about AI, wizards, and dragons, I truly enjoyed it.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for allowing me to read this ARC!

I have no words for how amazing and truly magical this book is. I knew I was going to love it from the description, but actually reading it blew me away completely. The story, characters and just pure magic of this book is perfectly crafted. It has been a very long time since I’ve read a book that captures that pure magic children’s books have, and this captures that and more. I’m so excited for this to be published so I can get my hands on a physical copy and read it again.

Holy cow, what a fantastic read! My interest was piqued when I saw all the impressive reviews for Meg Shaffer’s The Wishing Game. The synopsis was intriguing but I was prepared for how much I would love this books. I loved Lucy, Christopher, Jack and Hugo. I can’t wait for everyone else to read it.

Oh my goodness, this was lovely. Meg Shaffer’s debut novel “The Wishing Game” is everything I want from a story: heartwarming and thoughtful; themes of forgiveness and facing your fears; a book about books; clean without being cheesy; and incredibly pro-family. I love it and would heartily recommend to pretty much anyone.

This book is trying to be charming, about people whose lives need change and are invited by their favorite childhood author to take part in a game that would give them the money they need to make those changes. But it's not charming; it's two-faced and cynical. On one hand, it condemns capitalism and its vicious denial of human needs, and at the same time, has a happy-ever-after ending brought on by, you guessed it, loads of money, given by a single, ultra-rich White man. Ultimately, The Wishing Game tells readers, you need to be very wealthy to be happy in America.

Oh my. What a pleasure it was to read The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer!

When I was a child and I was worrying or having trouble sleeping, my Mom would tell me close my eyes and create a wonderland. What could I see, feel, touch, taste? Of course my mind would immediately go to Willy Wonka and when the children first saw the inside of the chocolate factory, with the toadstools and flowers and everything edible and magical and wonderful.

The Wishing Game brought me right back into that headspace, with a mix of Willy Wonka (the nice parts, anyway!) and Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree and Wishing Chair books. Maybe a touch of the magic of Mrs Piggle Wiggle too. Just those lovely, fantastical books that created lands and escape.

I am so glad to have had the opportunity to read a galley of this book courtesy of Ballantine Books and Netgalley. If any of the above types of books appeal to you and you want to visit your inner child, I strongly recommend you pick up a copy upon its release!

I enjoyed The Wishing Game very much and think it has something for everyone, especially people who love to read. Lucy is a 26 year old teachers aid who’s a bit stuck in life and desperate to adopt 7 year old Christopher. They’ve healed each other through past traumas — which are slowly revealed — by reading The Clock Island book series. Lucy has loved the books since she was a kid and ran away to the author’s private island when she was young.

But now she’s been invited back along with a few others to compete to win the latest book in the series. A win would mean everything to her and prove her suitability to adopt Christopher. Also on the island is Hugo a very handsome British artist who paints the book covers for the series and has his own demons.

This book is sweet and lovely a a quick read. It’s about the family you choose, redemption, love and most importantly, being brave. I’d say some plot details strained credulity for me a bit, but that’s a minor nitpick in an otherwise terrific book.

I love this book. It's like a cross between Willy Wonka and a non-fantasy version of Cerulean Sea. I have no idea why this is listed as fantasy, actually, other than maybe because of the book within the book aspect.

An author (and an illustrator) lives on a private island in Maine. Over the years, several children have turned up there, looking for the Mastermind (narrator of the books). The author invites them (now adults) back to the island to play a game. The prize is the new book he has written.

It's lovely and it warmed my heart. I highly recommend it. I'm predicting that it will be the hot book in the second half of 2023. But you should read it and decide for yourselves.

I really enjoyed this book! I was intrigued with the cover and hooked by the blurb and it did not disappoint. The idea of a world famous reclusive author inviting a few fans to his private island for a chance to win the only copy of his newest book was brilliant. The characters were very relatable and easy to love. This was a feel good story and a real page turner. Full of positive messages from overcoming fears to fighting for your dreams. If you like heartwarming stories with found family then this is the story for you. Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

From the publisher: Years ago, 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. Be careful what you wish for. . . you might just get it.

This lovely little novel will appeal to any reader who wanted to escape into a children’s book. If you wanted to attend Hogwarts, or visit Narnia, or live in a boxcar, or travel space and time with Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which, you might want to check out The Wishing Game.

At its heart, this book is the story of a foster kid and the teacher’s aide who wants to adopt him. Christopher found his parents dead of an overdose; Lucy doesn’t even qualify to foster him, much less adopt him. As an unhappy child, Lucy ran away to the reclusive island home of Jack Masterson, author of the entrancing Clock Island series. She was not alone in wanting to live on his island; his 60-book series appealed to many children. The books featured unhappy children who wished for something and were willing to do the work to make their wishes come true.

Now an adult, Lucy is one of four lucky contestants invited to Jack’s home. After a long barren stretch, he has written one last novel. The four contestants have a chance to win the sole copy and do whatever they want with it. Each of the four contestants has a wish they hope they can fulfill by winning the contest. Also on the island is Hugo, the handsome artist for the series book covers.

Jack, middle-aged, single, childless, and gay, has his own regrets as he realizes that “the amount of sand in the top of my hourglass is far less than the sand in the bottom” (chapter 15 of the advance reader copy). He is mysterious and a bit mad. He has had tragedies in his life, and he has always felt the deepest connection to the children most in love with his books.

This story moved me, touched me, made me laugh, made me cry. Ultimately it is an uplifting read and a story of found families. It reminded me of the best parts of Roald Dahl’s Matilda. In the right hands it will make a terrific movie. I’m definitely putting it on my list to read with the library’s book club after it comes out.

I read an advance reader copy of The Wishing Game from Netgalley. It is scheduled to be released on May 30 and will be available at the Galesburg Public Library.

Most everyone remembers a book or series from childhood that "saved" them-- drew them into a new world and helped them learn to hang on or allowed them to "escape". Jack Masterson was that author for a generation--and for Lucy Hart--until he quit writing. Yet, Lucy has continued to plod through life and wants to adopt Christopher to complete her life. Yet, social services doesn't agree that her teacher's aide salary and lack of a house and car make her fit. Then she receives an invitation to Clock Island--to win the rights to Jack's new book. Meg Shaffer knows how to draw readers in, keep them guessing, and pull on the heartstrings as Lucy competes to win the manuscript and the real hope of adopting Christopher. Every book lover, teacher, reader, child, and person will find someone to root for and to love in these pages. You will continue to think of the characters long after the last page!

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Wishing Game" and all opinions expressed are my own. An interesting story and entertaining. A bit predictable but overall good. A little slow at times but picked up. Sort of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory type of story.

I don't often read contemporary fiction, so I wasn't sure what to expect from The Wishing Game. What I got was a very pleasant surprise - a book that pays homage to eccentric children's literature and its importance, filled with whimsy and found family and a dash of romance. Something about this book also felt markedly cinematic, in that while reading I kept imagining it as a movie. Specifically, the kind of movie your parents would buy on VHS and that you would watch over and over as a kid and then half-forget as an adult.

The good: The main characters felt believable and very likable. I completely believed Hugo and Lucy's chemistry (even if I did roll my eyes a little at the inevitable discussion of cookies vs. biscuits) and I thought they played off each other very well. I also really liked Jack and found him to be a good depiction of an eccentric mastermind who is ultimately just a guy seeking connection.

The less good: The other competitors in the game felt markedly less development than Lucy, although they got a couple of nice moments. Hugo's whole thing about his tattoos representing paint and pain because that's the life of an artist was a little cliche. But this book can kind of get away with cliche, I think.

Overall I think this book could be an enjoyable read for anyone who's ever had a favorite children's book series, or anyone who's ever dreamed of meeting their favorite author. I liked it. I teared up.

4.5 stars
This book is an homage to the mid grade books you read and re-read and wanted to live in as a child. It's poignant and whimsical without ruining your childhood as so many of these throwbacks are wont to do.
The ending gives you hope.
Only quibble, and perhaps unavoidable, is that being so deeply connected to the mid grade genre the writing occasionally sounded mid grade, which I don't think was the author's intent.
Still, recommended for anyone who loved Nancy Drew, or Goosebumps, or Narnia, or just wanted their favorite books to be real growing up.