Genre Fiction
![Meg Shaffer - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B0BHFJKWM5.jpg)
The Wishing Game: A Novel
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.
"Clever and hopeful . . . a love letter to reading and the power that childhood stories have over us long after we've grown up."-V. E. Schwab, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
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.
. . . You might just get it.
"Clever and hopeful . . . a love letter to reading and the power that childhood stories have over us long after we've grown up."-V. E. Schwab, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
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.
. . . You might just get it.
Editorial Reviews
"Meg Shaffer's beautiful novel is part Willy Wonka, part magical realism, and wholly moving. It broke my heart and patched it over and reminded me that even as an adult, if you look hard enough, you can find the child still inside you."-Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling co-author of Mad Honey
"Our list of must-read fiction books wouldn't be complete withouta novel that reminds readers of the power books hold between their pages. Meg Shaffer's The Wishing Game may not contain any magic-this is a whimsical tale, but it's grounded in reality-yet there's something magical about the book."-Reader's Digest, in "Best Fiction Books of 2023"
"A heartwarming, page-turning story of found family, love triumphing over indifference, and the world-changing power of a good book."-Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood
"A dreamy, inventive novel about how books can not only change lives but save them too. Full of the power of imagination, it's one of my favorite books of the year."-Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestsellingauthor of Other Birds
"A magical ode to storytelling, imagination, and the mystery of the creative life . . . Wildly imaginative, clever, and inspiring, The Wishing Game is for anyone who has found light in a story just when they need it."-Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea
"Meg Shaffer's debut establishes her as one of the best. The Wishing Game sees the secret child hidden inside all of us, and it takes us on the thrilling, magical journey we all long for-where we might end up with everything we want but only if we risk it all."-Gwenda Bond, New York Times
"Our list of must-read fiction books wouldn't be complete withouta novel that reminds readers of the power books hold between their pages. Meg Shaffer's The Wishing Game may not contain any magic-this is a whimsical tale, but it's grounded in reality-yet there's something magical about the book."-Reader's Digest, in "Best Fiction Books of 2023"
"A heartwarming, page-turning story of found family, love triumphing over indifference, and the world-changing power of a good book."-Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood
"A dreamy, inventive novel about how books can not only change lives but save them too. Full of the power of imagination, it's one of my favorite books of the year."-Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestsellingauthor of Other Birds
"A magical ode to storytelling, imagination, and the mystery of the creative life . . . Wildly imaginative, clever, and inspiring, The Wishing Game is for anyone who has found light in a story just when they need it."-Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea
"Meg Shaffer's debut establishes her as one of the best. The Wishing Game sees the secret child hidden inside all of us, and it takes us on the thrilling, magical journey we all long for-where we might end up with everything we want but only if we risk it all."-Gwenda Bond, New York Times
Readers Top Reviews
Danielle Miller
The Wishing Game was a totally unique and fun book to read. I had a blast reading this book and had no idea what was coming next. Jack Masterson is bestselling children's author that abruptly stops writing books in his popular series The Clock Island. Lucy was a huge fan of the Clock Island books growing up and used them as way to escape her rough childhood. She shares her love for the books with new orphaned Christoper. Lucy wishes she could adopt Christoper and be a real family but it's too hard and expensive or so she thinks. Suddenly out of his mysterious retirement Jack announces a contest that could change everything for Lucy. The Wishing Game is full of great characters and has a unique plot that's tons of fun to read.
MicheleReader
If you could have any wish, what would it be? For twenty-six-year-old teacher's aide Lucy Hart, her wish is to adopt her former student, Christopher. Sadly, she doesn't have the financial resources to make it happen. Lucy wants to give Christopher, who tragically became an orphan, a better childhood than she had. To deal with parents who didn't pay any attention to her, Lucy escaped into the books of Jack Masterson. His Clock Island series was her refuge. Jack, who had stopped writing his books, choosing to live on his secluded real-life Clock Island, emerges from retirement announcing he has written a new book and has created a contest to give away the only copy to one of a few lucky readers. When Lucy is invited to the island to try and win, she hopes she can walk away with the prize and the money it would bring. All of the people invited to participate in the contest are adults who had childhood hardships and are equally motivated to win. The seemingly fun and difficult contest takes on a more serious meaning as each of the superfans of Jack's books are forced to deal with their childhood trauma. It's hard to categorize The Wishing Game, which has a Willy Wonka feel. There's no actual magic in Meg Shaffer's book, but it has a whimsical, magical sense. I found the book to be incredibly creative and heartwarming although it was very sad at times. I love books about storytelling and this one was extremely satisfying. While geared to adults, it will bring out your inner child. I highly recommend it.
Debra Schwartz
Jack, an author of children’s books, hasn’t written a book in five years. Hugo, an artist, stays on the island with the author, not wanting to leave Jack alone. Lucy, a young teacher’s aide, wants to adopt Christopher, a young orphaned boy, but can’t afford to meet the qualifications. And then the author invites four people to his island, to compete to win the only copy of the first new book in five years, something worth a lot of money. I liked how Lucy worked so hard to make Christopher’s life better after he finds his parents murdered in their bed. She had her own traumatic childhood and wants to make everything better for Christopher. The problem is she just barely gets by on her own and can’t qualify to start the process to adopt Christopher. When she gets a letter from Jack inviting her to Clock Island, she sees her chance for a future with Christopher. Jack tugged at my heart, the man felt so strongly about all the children who wrote to him, telling him of their problems and how Jack’s books helped them. But he is practically a hermit, cut off from the rest of the world. And Hugo, the way he struggled to care for Jack while wanting to return to the city and have a life of his own. The Wishing Game tugged at my heart, it was just such a beautiful story, I didn’t want the story to end. Thank you to Random House Publishing for this advance copy. This is my honest review.
Margaret Compeggie
I am stunned that this is Meg Schaffer’s debut novel. This book is straight up magic. From the opening dedication to the closing line I was enchanted. I was so invested with all the characters. Laughing and crying as I cheered them on, trying to solve the puzzles so I could help them along. Closing the book completely satisfied. Wishing for more books from this talented writer. All the stars. All of them!
Katie Crabill
The Wishing Game is a sweet and whimsical story about hope and chosen family, and more importantly, the affect that a good book can have an a reader down the road. I found it to be quite entertaining, easy to read, and just a feel good book. Lucy Hart gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to Clock Island, the setting of her favorite childhood books, to participate in a contest hosted by Jack Masterson, the reclusive owner of Clock Island and writer of said books. The goal for Lucy is to the win the contest so she can get some money to help her adopt Christopher, a student who she fell in love with as a teacher's aide. To win, she has to compete against other superfans, and solve the riddles presented by Jack. This is a true heartwarming story that doesn't have any crazy plot points or fluff that a lot of books have these days. I found myself smiling while reading the book, and in love with the character development. I found the side characters of Hugo, Jack's cover illustrator, was one of my favorites as well. While the ending was easily predictable, I still felt satisfied when I finished reading. This was a beautiful debut novel and I feel fortunate to experience a snippet of time on Clock Island. It seems like such a magical place.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter One
The school bell rang at two-thirty, and the usual stampede of little feet followed. Lucy took backpack duty and lunch box duty while Ms. Theresa, the class's teacher, called out her usual warnings.
"Backpacks and lunch boxes and papers! If you forget anything, I'm not bringing it home to you and neither is Miss Lucy!" Some of the children listened. Some ignored her. Thankfully, this was kindergarten, so the stakes were pretty low.
Several of the kids hugged her on their way out the door. Lucy always relished these quick squishes, as they called them. They made the long draining days of being a teacher's aide-refereeing playground fights, cleaning up after potty accidents, tying and retying a thousand shoelaces, and drying a thousand tears-worth the endless work.
When the classroom finally emptied, Lucy slumped in her chair. Luckily, she was off bus duty today, so she had a few minutes to recover.
Theresa surveyed the damage with a garbage bag in hand. All the round tables were covered in bits of construction paper, glue bottles left open and leaking. Fat pencils and fuzzy pipe cleaners were littered all over the floor.
"It's like the Rapture," Theresa said with a wave of her hands. "Poof. They're gone."
"And we're left behind again," Lucy said. "What did we do wrong?"
Something, obviously, because she was, at that very moment, prying a wad of gum off the bottom of the table for the second time that week. "Here, give me the garbage bag. That's my job." Lucy took the bag and dropped the gum into it.
"You sure you don't mind cleaning up alone?" Theresa asked.
Lucy waved her hand to shoo her away. Theresa looked as exhausted as Lucy felt, and the poor woman still had a school committee meeting today. Anyone who thought teaching was easy had obviously never tried it.
"Don't worry about it," Lucy said. "Christopher likes to help."
"I love when the kids are still young enough that you can trick them into doing chores because they think they're playing." Theresa dug her purse out of the bottom desk drawer. "I told Rosa she couldn't mop the kitchen because that was for grown-ups, and she literally pouted until I let her do it."
"Is that what being a mother is?" Lucy asked. "Pulling a long con on your kids?"
"Pretty much," Theresa said. "I'll see you in the morning. Tell Christopher hello."
Theresa left, and Lucy glanced around at the classroom. It looked as if it had been hit by a rainbow-colored tornado. Lucy walked around every table with the trash bag in hand, scooping up sticky paper apples and sticky paper oranges, sticky paper grapes, and sticky paper lemons.
When she finished the cleanup, she had glue all over her hands, a paper strawberry stuck to her khaki slacks, and a crick in her neck from bending over the short tables for half an hour. She needed a long ten-thousand-degree shower and a glass of white wine.
"Lucy, why do you have a banana in your hair?"
She turned around and saw a slight wide-eyed black-haired boy standing in the doorway staring at her. She reached up and felt paper. Good thing she'd been practicing self-control for a couple of years as a teacher's aide, or she would have let loose a string of creative expletives.
Instead, and with as much dignity as she had remaining, she peeled the paper banana out of her hair.
"The question is, Christopher, why don't you have a banana in your hair?" She tried not to think about how long the banana had been stuck there. "All the cool kids are doing it."
"Oh," he said, rolling his hazel eyes. "I guess I'm not cool."
She stuck the banana gently onto the top of his head. His dark hair had just enough of a wave that it always looked as if he'd been hanging upside down for a few hours. "Voilà, now you're cool."
He shook off the banana and slapped it onto his worn blue backpack. He ran his hands through his hair, not to settle it down but to refluff it. She loved this weird kid of hers. Sort of hers. Someday hers.
"See? I'm not cool," he said.
Lucy pulled out one of the tiny chairs and sat down, then pulled out a second one for Christopher. He sat with a tired groan.
"Are too. I think you're cool. Sock hunt." She grabbed his ankles and put his feet on her knees for her daily archaeological excavation into his shoes to dig out his socks. Did he have weirdly skinny ankles or unusually slippery socks?
"You don't count," Christopher said. "Teachers have to think all kids are cool."
"Yes, but I'm the coolest teacher's aide, so I know these things." She gave each sock one final tug up his leg.
"You aren't." Christopher dropped his f...
The school bell rang at two-thirty, and the usual stampede of little feet followed. Lucy took backpack duty and lunch box duty while Ms. Theresa, the class's teacher, called out her usual warnings.
"Backpacks and lunch boxes and papers! If you forget anything, I'm not bringing it home to you and neither is Miss Lucy!" Some of the children listened. Some ignored her. Thankfully, this was kindergarten, so the stakes were pretty low.
Several of the kids hugged her on their way out the door. Lucy always relished these quick squishes, as they called them. They made the long draining days of being a teacher's aide-refereeing playground fights, cleaning up after potty accidents, tying and retying a thousand shoelaces, and drying a thousand tears-worth the endless work.
When the classroom finally emptied, Lucy slumped in her chair. Luckily, she was off bus duty today, so she had a few minutes to recover.
Theresa surveyed the damage with a garbage bag in hand. All the round tables were covered in bits of construction paper, glue bottles left open and leaking. Fat pencils and fuzzy pipe cleaners were littered all over the floor.
"It's like the Rapture," Theresa said with a wave of her hands. "Poof. They're gone."
"And we're left behind again," Lucy said. "What did we do wrong?"
Something, obviously, because she was, at that very moment, prying a wad of gum off the bottom of the table for the second time that week. "Here, give me the garbage bag. That's my job." Lucy took the bag and dropped the gum into it.
"You sure you don't mind cleaning up alone?" Theresa asked.
Lucy waved her hand to shoo her away. Theresa looked as exhausted as Lucy felt, and the poor woman still had a school committee meeting today. Anyone who thought teaching was easy had obviously never tried it.
"Don't worry about it," Lucy said. "Christopher likes to help."
"I love when the kids are still young enough that you can trick them into doing chores because they think they're playing." Theresa dug her purse out of the bottom desk drawer. "I told Rosa she couldn't mop the kitchen because that was for grown-ups, and she literally pouted until I let her do it."
"Is that what being a mother is?" Lucy asked. "Pulling a long con on your kids?"
"Pretty much," Theresa said. "I'll see you in the morning. Tell Christopher hello."
Theresa left, and Lucy glanced around at the classroom. It looked as if it had been hit by a rainbow-colored tornado. Lucy walked around every table with the trash bag in hand, scooping up sticky paper apples and sticky paper oranges, sticky paper grapes, and sticky paper lemons.
When she finished the cleanup, she had glue all over her hands, a paper strawberry stuck to her khaki slacks, and a crick in her neck from bending over the short tables for half an hour. She needed a long ten-thousand-degree shower and a glass of white wine.
"Lucy, why do you have a banana in your hair?"
She turned around and saw a slight wide-eyed black-haired boy standing in the doorway staring at her. She reached up and felt paper. Good thing she'd been practicing self-control for a couple of years as a teacher's aide, or she would have let loose a string of creative expletives.
Instead, and with as much dignity as she had remaining, she peeled the paper banana out of her hair.
"The question is, Christopher, why don't you have a banana in your hair?" She tried not to think about how long the banana had been stuck there. "All the cool kids are doing it."
"Oh," he said, rolling his hazel eyes. "I guess I'm not cool."
She stuck the banana gently onto the top of his head. His dark hair had just enough of a wave that it always looked as if he'd been hanging upside down for a few hours. "Voilà, now you're cool."
He shook off the banana and slapped it onto his worn blue backpack. He ran his hands through his hair, not to settle it down but to refluff it. She loved this weird kid of hers. Sort of hers. Someday hers.
"See? I'm not cool," he said.
Lucy pulled out one of the tiny chairs and sat down, then pulled out a second one for Christopher. He sat with a tired groan.
"Are too. I think you're cool. Sock hunt." She grabbed his ankles and put his feet on her knees for her daily archaeological excavation into his shoes to dig out his socks. Did he have weirdly skinny ankles or unusually slippery socks?
"You don't count," Christopher said. "Teachers have to think all kids are cool."
"Yes, but I'm the coolest teacher's aide, so I know these things." She gave each sock one final tug up his leg.
"You aren't." Christopher dropped his f...
