The Wishing Game: A Novel

mnmloveli

Awesome memorable tale !

"‘23 - 5 STARS DESCRIPTION : Make a wish. . . .Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it’s like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she is able to share her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but even the idea of becoming a family seems like an impossible dream without proper funds and stability. But be careful what you wish for. . . .Just when Lucy is about to give up, Jack Masterson announces he’s finally written a new book. Even better, he’s holding a contest at his home on the real Clock Island, and Lucy is one of the four lucky contestants chosen to compete to win the one and only copy. For Lucy, the chance of winning the most sought-after book in the world means everything to her and Christopher. But first she must contend with ruthless book collectors, wily opponents, and the distractingly handsome (and grumpy) Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books. Meanwhile, Jack “the Mastermind” Masterson is plotting the ultimate twist ending that could change all their lives forever. REVIEW : Debut book by this author. Sale $10.99 (13.99 less $3 Kindle Rewards). Also earned triple points! Friend @hutchfan “stunning novel; easy 5 stars”, “I was hooked from the beginning, cried sad tears, cried happy tears and loved the characters”. Her review and book description grabbed my attention. Another friend @pjaye tried to read the following week and said “I DNF at 30%”, writing didn't grab her at all; “odd characters saying weird things written in a juvenile voice; felt like I was reading a children's book”. Let’s see where I land. Part fairy tale, part mystery, part life lessons, part dreamer; and that’s in the first 20%. Can’t wait to see where this goes. I’m not a “riddle” person but I’m sure enjoying “watching” the contestants figure it out. Found my reading speed slowing down because I didn’t want this book to end. Our childhoods can help create our destination in life. Stirred various emotions in my heart and I will never forget this book. ["

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July 3, 2023 Verified Purchase

Stephanie McCall

I Wish I Had Found it Sooner

"I found The Wishing Game in hardback, and yes, I judged the book partially by its cover. The colorful, almost sparkling bookshelf pictured is one I wish I had. So, with that in mind, with the blurb tickling my brain, and in the interest of saving money, I purchased a Kindle copy. But with a big TBR pile, I didn't get to it until recently. As with many books like it, my reaction was, "What took me so long?" The Wishing Game is, first and foremost, an enchanting book. My inner preteen, the one who used to love roaming the halls of Misselthwaite Manor, dodging cruel orphanage personnel, figuring out Sam Westing's riddles, and more, woke up and was entranced. She wanted to play and I let her. The Clock Island setting hits the perfect mix of cozy and mysterious. On the one hand, it's home to any kid or grown-up kid who needs it, the kind of place you could sit by the fire with a cup of cocoa and your favorite book and doll or plushie and feel safe. On the other, it's a mysterious, almost spooky entity full of unfinished park plans, deserted shops, and dark secrets. It's delicious, and if you know my reviews, settings don't often impress me. Thus, when they do, they *really* do, and Clock Island is in my top five. I also loved the characters and the interplay between them. I could relate to Lucy and her struggles; although we have led very different lives, we have fought to find our places and battled feelings of being unwanted. But I could also relate to Jack, Hugo, and even Christopher, and characters who maybe weren't on the page. Everyone in the book reads like a person you could meet in real life, but also probably have. They're your kid's favorite teacher, your coffee barista who plays in a rock band or draws detailed doodles on the napkins, your introverted neighbor sorting through their past and present. Watching them embrace Clock Island and all its challenges swept me away and made me think. As for the plot itself, I loved it. As I hinted, I love a plot with a game and a mystery; for instance, The Westing Game was one of my favorite books in middle school. I was thrilled when I knew the answer to the first game right away, but then pleasantly stumped later. I cheered for Lucy, and then my heart broke for her. I rooted for Lucy and Hugo, and Lucy and Jack, to find themselves and each other, and become an unconventional "family" of sorts. I worried for Christopher, but also saw a bit of myself in him and thought, "You know what, this kid's gonna be okay." And while The Wishing Game has no breath-stealing twists, thrilling action, or deep psychological intricacies to probe, the secrets of the characters, Jack especially, made me sympathize and empathize with them, and love them, even more. Plus, the "twists" Jack threw at Lucy especially, caught me off guard but left me satisfied, in that I loved watching her work through them and appreciated, nothing was tied up in a pretty bow. The characters can lean a shade two-dimensional at times, and I wondered if some elements, such as Lucy's contact with Sean or Dustin's decisions in the game, were necessary. I didn't mind Davey having Down Syndrome, and he didn't need to be "representation" in this book. But especially coupled with Angie's chronic illness and Lucy's associated history, plus the fact that Hugo still thinks of Davey as a "kid" and treats him as such in his mind, I wondered if Down Syndrome was the right arc for Davey. (Although, as a Newsies superfan, I appreciated the presence of both a Jack and a Davey in the story)! ;) Besides that, I feel it fair to warn you that if language isn't your thing, there is some profanity, including a couple F bombs. That said, The Wishing Game is still a beautiful book. My inner kid and current grown-up still want to visit Clock Island. I am thrilled that Meg has another book coming out soon and will snap it up. In the meantime, this book doesn't get a wish for you to read it. It gets my solid recommendation. ["

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June 29, 2024 Verified Purchase

Mainer

Lovely story

"Lucy Hart ran away to Clock Island as an unhappy thirteen-year-old. It is the home of Jack Masterson, a reclusive children's author who has written a series of whimsical books that take there. Now, thirteen years later, Lucy is in California working as a teacher's aide and desperately hoping to adopt Christopher, a boy in foster care who she tutors. Then Jack announces a contest where a single copy of his latest book will be given to one of the selected contestants (if they solve the various riddles and puzzles) to do with as they please: sell, auction, keep, etc. All four contestants are adults who once ran away to Clock Island, including Lucy. Hugo Reese, Jack's illustrator, also lives on the island and remembers Lucy from her brief stay, but he's attracted to adult Lucy. He's British and one of those males who hides a gooey soft center under a hard casing. This is such a lovely read. Firstly, it's a book for readers, people who love books. It's a homage to Willie and the Chocolate Factory but a gentler story with kinder characters. While it might seem somewhat predictable, I loved the writing and characters so much that I read right through the book. The star is Jack Masterson, the Mastermind of Clock Island, who loves children and writes for them. Lucy, Hugo, Christopher, and the others all revolve around Jack, the benevolent but playful owner of Clock Island in Casco Bay, off the coast of Portland, Maine. While the story is mainly upbeat, there are sad moments interspersed which honestly made me more emotional than I expected. The romance is secondary and a slow-burn attraction that only adds to the main story which is about facing your fears, whether child or adult. I'll be thinking about this book for a long while. ["

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May 31, 2023 Verified Purchase

Scott J. Pearson

A retelling of the classic tale of Willy Wonka

"Lucy Hart had a horrible childhood, but one book series saw her through: The Clock Island series by Jack Masterton. Now, she’s an twenty-something working as a teacher’s aide. One of her students Christopher is a foster child whom she wants to adopt and who wants her to adopt him, too. The problem remains that teacher’s aides aren’t paid much. Despite Lucy’s best intentions, Christopher’s social worker tells her she’s simply not financially stable enough to adopt. What will come of Christopher? She’s in luck as Jack invites her to his very real Clock Island off the Maine coast for a contest. This super-rich, bestselling author has received thousands of letters from children who write how he helped them face their fears. The contest involves games crafted by his masterful mind with a chance for contestants to make it rich if they win. Lucy is obviously intrigued. The real challenge, like Jack’s book characters, becomes for Lucy to face her own reality and to overcome her adult fears. Though the book’s eventual outcome seems ever-guaranteed, the twists and turns of the plot induce curiosity about what the ultimate path will be. This book is clearly inspired by the classic tale of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Shaffer provides a good parody while developing each character’s growth. Just like life, the eventual outcome seems assured in our hearts, but the next step is always precarious. Almost every reader has dreamed of being involved in some fairy tale. However, wishing a fairy tale to become true involves inevitable bravery. This book kept me engaged as I wondered the next step. Since the final resolution was never in doubt, the suspense didn’t pull me in as much as a great book. The crafty plot hooks did keep the pages turning, but in the end, the book remained just above average. ["

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May 1, 2025 Verified Purchase