A review by booksbytheglass
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

this was SUCH a cute read! it felt like stepping into a children’s book like hardy boys 🥹 the whimsical characters and feel were everything!!!

THE WISHING GAME is 100% a feel good read - no mystery or drama - and it accomplished that! four misfit young adults are invited to clock island, home of the clock island book series author jack, to compete in a puzzle and riddle contest to win the rights to his latest book! and each and every one of them has something at stake - from saving their bookstore, finding a kidney donor for their father, to adopting a child, I wanted to hear so much more about their lives outside of the contest 🥹🥹

since the main focus was on lucy, the reader couldn’t help but root for her over the other three contestants, but I’m a firm believer that if this book was written in a multi-POV format, I would have a really hard time choosing my favorite!!

and for a book that’s all about this contest, only about 5% of the plot involved the actual contest which was a shame because I would have loved to figure out the puzzles alongside the characters

if you go in expecting a riveting life-changing experience, you’ll be disappointed, but to keep your mind open and get ready for a cute feel good read, you’ll love every whimsical second 🥰

rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: burgundy pinot noir