Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

156 reviews

lexie_edmunds's review

adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Terminal illness, and Abandonment

bbbarttt's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

thelibbyshow's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Child death, Miscarriage, and Toxic relationship

jangeliquereads's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, and Miscarriage

mdavis26's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

bessadams's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer and Homophobia

brittsbooknook's review

emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

Multi POV (Lucy, Hugo & Christopher for a small portion)

Likes: 👍
-Foster/adoption storyline 
-Christopher
-The contest & riddles
-Clock Island - can I go there please!?
-Hugo

Dislikes: 👎
-Lucy's stubborness regarding contacting her sister

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, and Death of parent

itschelseaw's review

emotional funny lighthearted 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

3.0

A cute, quick read. Felt more YA than adult (or even new adult) fiction, but overall good. The riddle solving felt a bit like a 2000s movie at times, but also made sense for the overall themes of the book. I tried to imagine having a book series like the Clock Island series that I would feel that deeply about, and the only one I could think of was Nancy Drew, so thank God Carolyn Keene (or any of the ghostwriters of Nancy Drew) never held anything like this!
Cute, easy to read, simple to understand, very much a "you're just taking your first steps into adulthood" book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, and Death of parent

caseylovett's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Drug use, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Abandonment

jashanac's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This was such a sweet, sad, uplifting, heart-warming book! 

I loved Lucy as a character and that first chapter with her and Christopher hanging out and talking got me teary-eyed right outta the gates. 

The only reason this isn't a solid total 5 star book for me is that there were a couple of things that I wish hadn't been as surface level as they were. I kind of understand why they were more surface level, but I still wish it had been different. 

The main focus of the book, however, was very well explored in my opinion. And that was the theme/message of childhood trauma and children simply needing to feel and be LOVED. To be provided with safety, consistency, healthy discipline, and loving attention. All of that was heart-breaking at times and then heart-warming all the other times. 

The things that I wish had been touched on a BIT more were just

the relationship with Sean that Lucy had. I didn't want to see the relationship, necessarily, but there were little hints at emotional manipulation and abuse there, that weren't really delved into much at all. I know thematic content wasn't the focus of the book so it's not that I wanted us to suddenly shift gears and have that be the focus, but just to get a slightly clearer picture of what went on there. I've been in an abusive relationship and as I said, I saw the hints... but there was nothing that really jumped out and spoke to me emotionally in all of that. And I just wish there had been. A line or two, ya know? And then Lucy and Angie's reunion... that was SO lovely, but it felt a bit quick that we got that one reunion, and then next thing we know, Angie is sick & about to die right about the same time that Lucy officially adopts Christopher. I just wish Angie had been around a bit longer... a year or something, to get some good memories between them.

 

All-in-all, a truly lovely story! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Medical content, and Abandonment

Minor: Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship