Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

58 reviews

kimberleyw12's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Cursing, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

chronic_listener's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Cancer and Miscarriage

keelirae113's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The author said it best, “this book is for you and all the kids who, in dark times, find a light shining from the pages of books.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Miscarriage, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Addiction, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

haileyhardcover's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The Wishing Game is perfection. A perfect blend of heartbreak and hope, wit and whimsy. I laughed, I cried. I raced to solve riddles and braved my own fears. I had so much fun on Clock Island.

I love stories that make you fall even more in love with stories. Books have been such an important part of my life, and I love when authors not only acknowledge what books mean to us, but write whole new stories just to honor and celebrate them! Who would we be without the books we’ve loved? I don’t care to know the answer. 

The Wishing Game is like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory but for adults whose inner child is ready to come out.  For a book set in the “real world” without any actual magic, it felt like I was reading a fantasy. Clock Island truly felt magical and is certainly a place where wishes do come true if you’re brave enough to ask. 

I connected to this story personally on so many levels. You know a book was meant to find you when, halfway through, you’re already thinking about getting quotes and images tattooed on your body forever, because having them branded into your heart just isn’t enough.

The Wishing Game is perfectly paced and easy to binge-read if that’s your thing. It’s a quick read at just under 300 pages. Most of the chapters are quite short and even the longer ones move quickly enough that you don’t notice the difference. If you appreciate a good floppy paperback like I do, the publisher nailed this one - so easy to break in and then lays flat like a dream even from the first page! Also the cover?! Stunning! No notes.

In short, I highly, highly recommend The Wishing Game. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Outing

chris_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Abandonment

Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Medical content, and Death of parent

kjazz20's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring medium-paced

5.0

This book was a beautiful story of hope and hardship and how those two tug at each other so often. It is about wishes and bravery. But above all else, this is a story about love in its purest form. Love is the thread that connects each character and storyline. Love is actually the prevailing protagonist of “The Wishing Game.” 

The real, life lessons of this story were wrapped in a playful and whimsical tale whose world was a joy to step into. It is artfully and beautifully written, telling the story of a teacher trying to save a child and a writer trying to save the world. Its whimsy reminded me a little of “The House by the Cerulean Sea.” 

Sometimes books -like people- find us when we need them. I’m glad this book found me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual assault

mhilt17's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

asoldenburg's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Great read about dreams for the future and working to achieve your hopes in life. While emotional, there was a whimsy to the story that was very well done. It brought me back to stories I got lost in as a kid.

Some past trauma comes up and lots of emotional encounters. I didn't find anything to be triggering in the way it was written.

I enjoyed the childhood whimsy of the island and the growth of Christopher. There are a few relationship dynamics I questioned but not enough to rate down. 5 stars, would read again.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Abortion, and Pregnancy

koplomps's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Abandonment

Moderate: Child death and Grief

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy