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One of the Washington Post’s top ten feel-good novels of the year: a perfect gift for book lovers everywhere!
During a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy Hart found solace in books, especially Jack Masterson’s Clock Island series. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she has shared her love of reading with bright, orphaned seven-year-old Christopher Lamb. 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.
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.
‘Clever, dark, and hopeful’ -V. E. Schwab, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
During a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy Hart found solace in books, especially Jack Masterson’s Clock Island series. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she has shared her love of reading with bright, orphaned seven-year-old Christopher Lamb. 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.
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.
‘Clever, dark, and hopeful’ -V. E. Schwab, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
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Reviews
Shaffer blends tragedy and triumph in a whimsical and gratifying debut about what makes a family. This is wish fulfillment in the best way
A meditation on the power of hope when all else seems lost
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
Our list of must-read fiction books wouldn't be complete without a 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
A heartwarming, page-turning story of found family, love triumphing over indifference, and the world-changing power of a good book
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.
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
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
A work by turns clever, dark, and hopeful, Shaffer's debut is a love letter to reading and the power childhood stories have over us long after we've grown up