Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

93 reviews

kibbles15's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

ana_inklings's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

There were aspects of this book I really loved: Hugo and Jack’s relationship and the interactions between Hugo and Lucy, most especially. 

Without spoiling anything, I found the ending very satisfying, even if other parts of the book were dark and difficult for me to get through because of my own personal story within the foster care system and dysfunctional parts of my home life growing up. 

I wanted to love Lucy’s relationship with Christopher, the love, and care, and growth is definitely a beautiful thing, but I found it hard to suspend disbelief regarding the boundaries of their relationship. This read was magical and endearing in its own way, and even healing in parts. I didn’t find it cozy per se, but I’m glad I read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Abandonment

Moderate: Chronic illness

Minor: Child death and Drug abuse

giraffesandaudiobooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, and Pedophilia

raquel_rqlh's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Child abuse and Pedophilia

Minor: Abortion

laughtrack17's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Child death, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

katydid_karaoke's review

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

 Once I picked it up I didn't put it down, except long enough to do some of the things I needed to do around the house, but it was difficult. The Wishing Game is strongly inspired by Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and it doesn't shy away from that fact, referencing it a few times. The characters are all likable, even the "grumpy" one and the plot moves along at a nice pace. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Minor: Child abuse and Sexual assault

erinreadsbooks's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing sad 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

3.25

Sweet, kind of predictable, and I found the main character a bit annoying at times (despite sympathizing with all her trauma and misfortune). I’m not sure if the story benefitted from her romance with Hugo, either.

Read if you like simple, heartwarming stories about people overcoming trauma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

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

Minor: Alcoholism and Abortion

oxfordcommas91's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

This book made me feel all the warm fuzzies. A grown up Willy Wonka, where our heroine competes to win the newest book by her favorite childhood author on his secluded island in New England. While there’s some fast paced adventure moments, this book is sweet and soft and can be savored with a nice mug of tea curled up on the couch. Easily binge-able, this is at its core an emotional tale of found family and the lengths we will go to in order to be loved. It has some heavy elements but isn’t sad, and handles complex topics of grief, illness, and even abuse with careful thought and consideration. It was a wonderful book to start the year with. I wish these people existed in real life, they are the types of characters you wish could come off the page and into your living room for a nice dinner party.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, Car accident, Abortion, and Pregnancy

rylaenna's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Miscarriage

ofpagesandparagraphs's review

adventurous hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Drug abuse and Sexual assault