The lost story
[contains some spoilers] The lost story is a great modern fairytale with compelling characters. I found myself thinking about it throughout the day wondering what was going to happen next and where they would wind up. I love the concept of a young girls fantasy coming to life and saving not only her but others that come into her orbit. While it was a fantasy, it tackled some difficult subjects well and did not feel super childish. My one big complaint is the “storytellers corner”. I felt the story stood on its own and did not need this aspect. I found the storyteller corner to actually be pulling me out of the story and world the author was creating. It seems this was done to achieve the “royal disguised as a nobody” ingredient, however, I feel this was fulfilled with Emilie being an unexpected Princess. Overall I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to others but would enjoy it more if it did not include the storytellers corner aspect.

This book was delightful. I loved the magic and the fairytale aspect. I loved the characters . It was fantastical and not grounded at al in reality but I loved that.

My one complaint is that the ending left me wanting more. Will there be a sequel?

Content warning for child abuse.

Having read (and loved!) the Wishing Game, my expectations for this follow-up were high…and they were met! The book opens with a premise that would be characteristic of a low-key thriller, but quickly opens up into a different world altogether. The evolving friendship between Rafe and Jeremy, what happened in the time they disappeared, and how Emilie fits into their story is just part of the tale. The novel also dives into found-family, abuse, and first love in a way that is authentic and beautiful.

I gifted several copies of The Wishing Game last year, and this will make my list of recommended books this year as well! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

A very unusual but captivating story about love, family, and fairytales. Rafe and Jeremy were lost in the Red Crow forest when teenagers and returned; however, Rafe didn't remember what happened and Jeremy left the country and never told him. Fifteen years later, Emilie asks Jeremy to help find her sister who was lost in the same forest. Jeremy, Rafe, and Emilie return to the forest to discover a world unlike their own where they must rely on their bravery and love to get them through.

I had read and loved The Wishing Game by the author, so I was delighted to get the opportunity to read her latest book, thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. Although I am not much of a fan of fantasy/magic, the author did such a good job writing this unique book that I enjoyed it. I would label it an adult fairy tale, not appropriate for young (pre-teen) readers.

The book description's opening lines were that The Lost Story was inspired by Narnia. That sets high expectations. The thing that made The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe so magical was the world-building. Four siblings in a terrible situation find themselves in the magical land and the longer they stay, they find themselves in an epic battle of good vs. evil that mimics what is happening in the real world. It was Magical from start to finish and led you to want to return later in subsequent books.

The Lost Story had a very slow beginning and a drawn-out ending. The middle was enjoyable. But the characters felt forced at times. Because there was so much secrecy/hidden memories built into the storyline, it didn't ever fully come together to draw you in. Recalled memories told to another are not the same as the original experience.

Overall, my feeling when closing the book was that it felt like I started a series with book two. Had this not plugged the Narnia inspiration would I have enjoyed this more>? Potentially, Probably.

There’s a story in your heart where your childhood lives. It’s where the disappointments and grief and anger of a soul that’s not old enough to say so lives. This story, says it. It paints the picture of imperfect families, small minded hometowns, and a child’s escape from all of that into a world of wonder and beauty- a place where we can become our own hero. Where we can choose our own families and lovers and dreams and chase those things without fear. This book healed that broken part of me. As an adult I’ve done a lot of work to help myself heal from childhood trauma, I’ve had to parent myself, and hold my hand through the past- and this story has the ability to help us all do that. Cs Lewis began it all with Narnia, and Schaffer opens another door to a new world in The Lost Story for us to treasure.
This LGBTQIA YA fantasy takes two lost boys in the woods of Virginia back to the time they spent there as adults to an alternate reality where anything is possible and nothing is lost.

4.25 ⭐️
** I want to preface this review by mentioning that I read an uncorrected proof of this book. Meg noted on her instagram that she’s since made at least 200+ changes. I can’t wait to read the final copy and hopefully bump up my review. **
As a longtime fan of Meg Shaffer aka Tiffany Reisz I was excited to read her latest offering. The Wishing Game was one of the best books I read last year so when Meg announced on her Insta that The Lost Story was up on NetGalley, I couldn’t request it fast enough. The sheer delight and shock I felt when I was approved… 🤯🤩🥳
I wanted to love this as much as I loved The Wishing Game, but sadly I didn’t. The writing was still beautiful, the story still pulled me in (I read it in less than 24 hours) but something felt like it was missing. I think the story felt too quick- too condensed- I simply wanted more. I’m sincerely hoping there will be a book 2 to complete the story as it feels unfinished.
Some authors have a very distinct voice/ writing style and Meg Shaffer is one of them. Her world building and characters are always exquisitely constructed and executed. In the case of The Lost Story, some of the things I love most about Meg’s work felt more flat. From almost any other author, I don’t think I would have felt this way- probably bc my expectations are lower. But having read all her work (as Meg Shaffer and as Tiffany Reisz) I’ve experienced how she can transport a reader with her words. As a fairytale I wanted to be transported. I wanted to fall in love with these characters and this magical kingdom. Instead I finished the book feeling like I didn’t really have a connection with the world she created. I just wanted more. More story, yes- do they get back?! What happens next?! But also, more of the story of what happened during the original visit. The snippets we were shown made me want more. I also wanted to get to know Queen Skya more and she just didn’t develop for me. I felt like I was missing important events, conversations (possibly from the past) or something that would have fleshed out her character more.
All in all, it was a beautifully written story by an author I love. I’ll inevitably read it again once it’s published just to see what’s been added/ changed.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Random House and Meg Shaffer! I’m so glad I got to be one of the first people to read this. Truly ♥️

Oh, my heart!!!

It's been a while since I read a book that fit perfectly in my life, right when I needed it. This is that book.

Rate and Jeremy are the kind of friends we all wish we had. The kind of friendship we all shared with someone. Even when things go south, you never forget your deep meaningful relationships. And thus, we are reminded.

The Lost Story was really nostalgic for me, in a good way. I loved the storytelling aspect and liked the little chapters the storyteller had. I do wish we had gotten more lore about Shanandoah, it sounded so interesting, but I understand this was mostly character driven. It did remind me of The Chronicles of Narnia, as it was an escape for the characters. as much as it was for the reader.

Emilie was my favorite character and I'm glad she found her place in the story and got her happy ending. I loved the dynamic between her and Jeremy.

I’m so excited to be old enough to read fairy tales again! And what a treat it was to read this one! The story was so interesting that I read it too quickly and I was sad when it ended. I do hope there are more adventures ahead for Rafe, Jeremy, Emilie and Skya!

I absolutely adored this book. Read most of it in one day. The characters were SO sweet and the relationships so dynamic. Meg Schaffer’s writing has had me hooked since the first book I read of hers and this is no exception. The childlike wonder that she infuses without the books feeling juvenile is a true talent. A beautiful combination of whimsy and incredible technical writing skills. The single and only issue I found was that the draft I read felt like it needed one more round of editing. The writing itself was absolutely perfect. Shanandoah is such a beautiful and unique magical world.

Meg Shaffer has brilliantly written an adult Fairytale, the emphasis being on adult. Her way with words is exceptional. My issue is that for me there was no whimsy, certainly no C.S. Lewis status vibes as it was a sad story about trauma and choices that I can't identify with. I very quickly identified the 'villain' and what I felt was the intention of the author to eventually make me, the reader, happy - just didn't. It left me troubled, and that is not a book I could recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The Lost Story is a magical modern day fairytale of family and love. Jeremy, Rafe, and Emilie were wonderfully written characters and I particularly liked their interactions early on. The story starts in the real world and eventually moves to Shanandoah a beautifully magical world of royalty, unicorns, and lost boys. The overall story is kept light and conflicts are quickly dealt with, although there are several. In true fairytale style, we get a happy ending and possibly another book set in the same magical world. This was a nice read, and I recommend for fairytale lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the gifted copy.

To start off I want to say thank you to netgalley for providing me with this arc.

I want to start by saying i enjoyed this book but it was hard for me to stay interested. It was very ya hardly any romance. I will say it has fantastic world building and a great story line.

The characters were very loveable esp emilie, she was my favorite. I loved the idea that one girl (missing sister) built an entire world from her imagination and it all came to life during her trauma.

Rafe and Jeremy are the spotlight characters and that's where the romance lies. Secrets and a past that has been hidden but soon to be uncovered.

I will say there is a lot of story revolving around different trauma and that played a part of me trying to stay involved as it brought up a lot from my past.

Overall it was a good read and if your looking to dive into another world full of imagination then I would recommend!

Meg Shaffer is my new favorite author. She captures the feeling that you got reading Harry Potter or Narnia as a child and I wish she had a backlist for me to read. This book was even better than the Wishing Game in my opinion, which I also gave 5 stars. The world Meg created is whimsical, the characters loveable, and the story full of adventure and heart. No notes. New favorite.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC and I feel like I won the book lottery. It would have been hard to wait until August to read this book. The Lost Story is a Chronicles of Narnia, Wizard of Oz type mashup. There are references to both. It’s also a brilliant follow-up to The Wishing Game. Meg Shaffer once again created a magical world in which I didn’t want to leave. This may by the easiest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review I give all year.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The world building was perfect and I love how everything tied together.

It was written in a way that you believe this could be happening. Like I want to go to West Virginia and look for the red crow! It was such beautiful writing!!

This story left me hoping for a full series because it cannot be done! I need more!!!

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer is a fun and intriguing book.
It starts off by telling you the rules of fairy tales, and then jumps into a great yarn about some young people who were lost once upon a time.
The characters were really good, and there were some unusual relationships as well.
"Lost" is really a play on words, as there is a story that is lost, and there are people that are lost,
There are also memories that are lost.
This was a really good book and not too terribly heavy.
It kept me up late to finish it, so that's a mark of a good story to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I loved this reimagining of Narnia and was hooked from the first to last page.