A book for adults who as children longed to find an entrance to a forgotten world at the back of their wardrobe. Who says adventures in other realms are only for children?!

I love the characters in this new book by @meg_shaffer . Through Jeremy, Rafe and Skya’s relationships she gently explores the many ways that love can present itself and shows the strength of friendship when total trust is at its heart. Who would we all be if not for the friends and loved ones who help us grow and shine.

Another fantastic adventure fairy tale for the adults who never stopped thinking about Narnia, Oz, the Faraway Tree, or any other land filled with villains and heroes , princes and princess, magicians and wizards and maybe some unusual animals.

This was a wild ride! I went in mostly blind, only knew the reference to Narnia so right off the bat I was interested. I absolutely adored all of the main characters and the plot/world building was beautiful! My only complaint is that sometimes the sentences were very blunt and simple and didn’t flow well

I was invited to read this book and I am happy the publisher reached out, because this was totally up my ally! Two close friends vanished one day in West Virginia, only to re-appear six months later with no reasoning for what happened or where they went - eerie! Years later, the boys are on their own paths, one who remembers what happened (which is that they spent time in a magical world, but keeps it from the other), and the other boy still immersed in despair from his time spent away. But tides turn, and the two now-grown men must return to this magical world for a mission to find another missing person.

This was just fantastic world building, I really felt like I was present in this magical realm and discovering along with the main characters. Such great imagery, I was totally blown away. I also LOVED the Storyteller. There is just a lot in this book, heavier topics for sure, but also this amazing magical realm. One of the best books I've read in quite awhile.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

eARC Review courtesy of NetGalley.

I didn’t have any experience with Meg Shaffer’s writing going into this story, but I had heard of The Wishing Game and was very intrigued by the premise of The Lost Story based on its synopsis. However, I quickly realized that this book was not for me. I was tempted to DNF it about 30% of the way through, but felt that it could be a quick enough read to see it through and hope the ending was enough pay-off. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.

This story’s pacing was really off for me - I found it incredibly fast paced, but it lacked any sort of high stakes. The story went so quickly that it didn’t give me any sort of reason to care about the characters or their purposes. Our main character Emilie ended up taking a really fast back-seat and so much of the purpose of the story ended up not actually feeling all that important at all. The “villain” was also predictable, and his minions were basically useless? The ending also left me less than satisfied. I suppose it sets it up for a sequel, but the “cliffhanger” wasn’t enough for me to care to see what happens to these characters in the future.

All in all, it was a really cool concept that wasn’t fleshed out and executed fully. This could have easily been a much longer, much more interesting story. Instead, the story, and its characters, were shallow, lackluster, and surface level.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC copy of the book.

Meg Shaffer has done it again. This is a beautiful book about the past and lost/forgotten things. Some were good events and others weren't. As you uncover the past, you can't help but fall in love with the characters.

While most events were predictable, it doesn't take away from the journey that you are taken on. I hope that this truly is just the beginning as opposed to the end

A truly magical and thrilling tale that gives those of us whom still seek the mystery of the mountains, and the deep dark woods a sense of wonder and fulfillment. The Lost Story is a novel of finding one’s missing identity both figuratively and literally. The Lost Story also reminds us of the dangers that lie in wait in the dark, and sometimes those who are lost, stay lost. I absolutely adored Emilie and her issues with self-censoring. The breaks in the story with the “storytellers corner” was brilliant, and was the sarcastic laced understory that we needed in a novel that otherwise reminds us of the very real story of life and death.
Very well done novel, I loved it and would highly recommend it!

I spent all day reading this magical story and it did not disappoint. If you loved The Wishing Game, you will surely love this one as well.
The author started with a fitting quote from C.S. Lewis. “Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” I am old enough. Loved it!

Something I love about Meg Shaffer’s books is that they have a common theme of adults getting to live out childhood dreams. “The Lost Story” follows several friends through their journey to a magical fantasy land, and the story is a little bit fairy tale, a little bit mystery, and a little bit romance.

Shaffer certainly knows how to write a story with the right amount of intrigue to keep you hooked, but not so much that you get frustrated for being left in the dark for too long. Although I still stayed up way too late reading this one, because I couldn’t wait to uncover all the answers to the many secrets these characters held. This story had lots of lighthearted, fun parts, but also tackled some pretty heavy topics along the way. My main complaint is that I wish there was more story to read. I know all stories have to end somewhere, but I read the last page and was so sad that I wouldn’t get to see how the rest of the story played out for these characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of this book!

I will say I did like this. This story was unusual but somehow in a familiar way. It has fairy tails, quests, magic worlds, and villains. However, also with very likable characters you wanted to root for.

Now, after The Wishing Game I had high expectations. This fell a little flat. It does feel a bit rushed and incomplete as it stands right now.

While reading "The Lost Boys," I was reminded of my favorite childhood books. It felt like I was transported to a magical world where fairy tales come true. If you enjoy reading books like "The Chronicles of Narnia" and C.S. Lewis, then you will enjoy this book. It also had references to other classics like Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz. The writing was a perfect blend of fairytale elements and real-life problems. I loved how Jeremy and Ralph found their way back to each other while they helped Emilee find her lost sister. It was a sweet subplot of the book. I also enjoyed reading about how the world of Shenandoah came to life through a young girl's imagination. The Storyteller chapters added to the magical atmosphere of the book. I loved how the ending left room for a hopeful sequel.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for giving me a copy of the book.

Wishing Game by this author was one of my favorite reads last year so I was sooo excited to get this Arc. I wanted to love it but it wasn’t for me, unfortunately. I will still look forward to new releases by this author because of her unique storylines and the way she tells the stories.

Thank you for sharing an early ARC of this copy. I was extremely excited because the Wishing game was my favorite book of 2023. This book was also good but I didnt fall in love with the concept as much as I wanted to - I enjoyed the relationships between the characters but some parts felt a little incomplete and left me confused- I think we put so much emphasize on the book Rafe was looking for and there was not much in it. I also wish we saw more of the guys reaction to realizing if they left they could not come back. I did love all the interlude with the storyteller - really cool concept! I also enjoyed learning about why the guys couldn't see each other anymore. I think overall I liked the outside (out of Shanandoah) story best! Overall, I did enjoy this book a lot even tho some of the writing felt maybe a little messy or confusing! I loved the opening chapter as well, grabbed my attention.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC for "The Lost Story"!

It was a sweet fairytale that I'm hoping we get to revisit one day in a sequel. I loved the little nod to "The Wishing Game" as well.

Just one plot hole kept me from a 5 star rating... How did the Bright Boys get Emilie from Skya to use her as a hostage?!

Otherwise I loved it and wish I could also escape to Shannondoah!

I grew up on The Chronicles of Narnia, so this book had me from the premise. By the time I finished the prologue, I knew that I loved how this author wrote. My one quibble is that I really hate direct address to the reader in books, so the Storyteller’s Corner took me out of the story where I’d rather stay in it.

I have 2 siblings— my brother went to college in Kansas (hello, Dorothy Gale!) and my sister went to college in Morgantown, West Virginia. Also, as I live in Ohio and lost my mother to breast cancer, aspects of this book felt crafted for (or by?) me.

The parallels to Narnia are obvious (and pointed out in the book), but also other stories of other worlds (some also mentioned by name) including Wonderland, Oz, and Neverland.

This book reminded me, of course, of Narnia but also of more contemporary magical realism/ fantasy, including Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and TJ Klune’s House in the Cerulean Sea.

It was a beautiful story and I loved it with all my heart. It is a fairy tale, as the synopsis notes, but it was also so much more. It was deep and about sad things, hard things, but also good things. It was about love and adventure, friendship and family, imagination and healing.

I struggle with reading about some of the hard issues it addressed, but it was dealt with in a way that I was able to handle. I loved the love story, I’ll leave it at that so as not to ruin it.

This book was my first ever NetGalley approval and to say I was thrilled when I got the email would be an understatement. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the ARC copy provided through NetGalley.

Ordinarily I raise a couple of eyebrows and side-eye any reference to Narnia as inspiration for a fairy tale, as I'm pretty much over C.S. Lewis being constantly bashed over the head with the Susan Stick (as if she couldn't find her way to Heaven via another route besides Narnia, if she wanted to), but I'm so glad I took a chance.

This is a lovely, generous, unpredictable fairy tale, gay-friendly, human-and-magical-animal friendly, complete with a queen, knight, magic, and a Storyteller. I loved the voice, the pacing, the characters. This isn't coming out until July, and almost anything I say would be a spoiler, so I'll leave this review short and unsatisfactory, and perhaps return to it after the book comes out.

Because I'm sure I will read it again; the surprises were a delight, but I relished the writing so much that knowing what is to come will just give me that delicious sense of anticipation of a good reread.

📚🪄✨ "All books are magic. An object that can take you to another world without even leaving your room? A story written by a stranger and yet it seems they wrote it just for you or to you? Loving and hating people made out of ink and paper, not flesh and blood? Yes, books are magic. Maybe even the strongest magic there is." 📚🪄✨

꧁•⊹٭𝙰𝙻𝙻. 𝚃𝙷𝙴. 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚂.٭⊹•꧂


I mean... can we just take a min- THIS COVER!!! 🥹😍...k...moving along...


╰┈➤ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓵𝓾𝓻𝓫

As young boys, best friends Jeremy and Rafe go missing in Virginia State Park. Mysteriously reappearing six months later with no explanation as to where they were or how they managed to survive.

Fifteen years later, Jeremy is a missing persons investigator with an almost magical ability to find find the lost, while Rafe is now a reclusive artist living in a cabin in the woods. He bears scars from the time of their disappearance both inside and out but has no memory of what happened.

Jeremy alone knows the fantastical truth behind their time in the woods. While the rest of the world was searching for them, the two missing boys were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger. However, Jeremy has not filled Rafe in on what happened... he's avoided him pretty much since they returned from being lost and they're not exactly on speaking terms.

But these two will have to learn to get along again, because a young woman named Emilie needs help from the both of them to locate her sister who disappeared in the same area they did…

╰┈➤ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼

This was such a good story! I mean- SO GOOD! I loved each and every one of these characters!

This world came alive in my mind and completely whisked me away from my day to day stress! I needed to savor this story! I want to live there!!

Such a cozy feel good fairytale! This book made my heart sinnggggg!!! 🎤🎼

This book has it all- a queen 👑, a princess 👸🏻, a knight ⚔️🛡️, a prince 🤴🏻, unicorns 🦄, sword fighting 🤺, mermaids 🧜🏻‍♀️, a red crow ❤️🐦‍⬛ and a magical land ✨🏰.

I was immediately pulled into the story and it kept it's grip on me from page one until the end. It's so whimsical ✨, magical ✨ and reminiscent of stories I loved to read as a child- wink 😉. Specifically, Narnia and The Wizard of Oz. There's just something so captivating and mesmerizing about the idea of walking through a door and into another world.

With all of the fun and magic going on Shaffer also tackles some tough issues such as suicide, adoption, death, abuse, family drama.

I'm telling ya'll, by the time I got to the last few chapters I couldn't hold back the tears- I just loved this so much that I couldn't even contain them!

I also really enjoyed the interludes where the Story Teller steps in and gives us helpful information. Normally, I'm not a fan of breaking the fourth wall but this was done masterfully!

I'm such a die hard Meg Shaffer aka Tiffany Reisz fan and she just continues to solidify all the reasons why with yet another banger!! 💖🌷

Instantly a forever favorite! 💖

Already on pre-order! If you enjoyed The Wishing Game- you will LOVE this one!!

╰┈➤ 𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓒𝓪𝓷 𝓔𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽

🐀 LGBTQ Rep
🐀 Found Family
🐀 Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac references
🐀 A pet fancy rat



Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Meg Shaffer for this ARC in exchange for an honest review 🥰💘💐

This book represents why I love to read and why reading is so important, especially about experiences that are not your own. I was eager to read this because I love all of C.S. Lewis’ work and recently read the Meg Shaffer’s wonderful debut novel, The Wishing Game. This story takes the reader alongside archetypal fairy tale characters on their quest back to a magical land. A storyteller provides the reader with a bit of context or commentary every few chapters, which is absolutely brilliant; I love breaking the fourth wall and comic relief so much. That is an incredibly creative way to tell a story. The author, Meg Shaffer, writes remarkable descriptions throughout the book. For example, the descriptions of what sounds sound like impressed me so much. Those descriptions alone support a 5-star rating.

I thought the exposition was a bit long; perhaps I was just too excited to see what was waiting for the characters in the magical land. However, I was so pleased with the explanation behind the magic and the breadth of the resolution. I appreciated how the ending was not rushed so I could savor the next chapter, if you will, of the story. I am so glad the author showed how the world was built. And of course, I loved the grand finale of the postcard sent to someone who had a special influence in a character’s life. What a thoughtful inclusion.

Some readers may be uncomfortable with or challenged by part of the subject matter while others will hopefully feel seen. Both aspects are valuable, and that makes a book worth reading in my opinion. Of course, some readers may just appreciate the Stevie Nicks references. Also an excellent reason to read this book. Meg Shaffer’s creative writing talent is spectacular, and I cannot wait to read her future books. Perhaps something set in Engle-land?

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

In "The Lost Story," Meg Shaffer invites readers to wander into a world where the ordinary brushes shoulders with the extraordinary, and the line between reality and fantasy blurs into a captivating dance. From the very first sentences, there's a sense of whimsy and mystery that pervades the narrative (similar to "The Wishing Game"), drawing readers into the heart of the unknown.

In these preliminary chapters, we are introduced to the duo of Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell, whose disappearance and sudden return set the stage for an unfolding adventure. Shrouded in layers of intrigue and unanswered questions, their story asks us to follow along on their journey—a journey that promises to reveal secrets buried deep within the tangled undergrowth of memory and magic. I loved this literary escape!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read!

As a lover of adult fairy tales and all works that call back to C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, The Lost Story description spoke to me! And in many ways, I really loved it, but much of the story and it’s writing fell flat for me and left me wondering if it was a “me” problem or not. Even so, I am very thankful for the chance to read and review this ARC.

The parts I loved:
- I loved the relationship portrayed between the two main protagonists (Jeremy and Rafe) and felt really emotionally connected to that story line
- Additionally, the story line that evolved between Rafe and his father really got to me as well. It felt very thought out and the emotional beats hit hard, as did the contrasting relationship between Rafe and his mom.

What didn’t work for me:
- the writing, both the structure and the prose was odd and came off as an early draft to me. While I liked the idea of the storyteller’s corner, the narration between those interludes and the actual chapters (especially in the first 50% of the novel) came off completely differently in terms of tone. It was quite jarring to switch between the two. Once the readers get past the 50% mark, and on-screen characters are becoming more ingratiated within the fairy tale world, the tones between the chapters and interludes are more similar.
- Another issue I had with the writing was the dialogue—it felt very stilted and more play-like than what I am used to reading in novels, but I accept that this may just be an issue with my own expectations.
- The found family aspect seemed very forced very quickly—as with much of my critiques, it felt more believable in the second half of the book. All the instant friendship and love among characters in the beginning of the book made me feel like I had missed something.
- On screen, these characters are mostly adults, and this is described as an adult fairy tale. However, much of the dialogue and thought processes felt very juvenile, though due to the circumstances presented in the book, I rationalized this as maybe Rafe and Jeremy (and another “lost” child character who comes into play) didn’t get to mature in the real world the way they might have if they’d never been “lost.” But it was still a bit unbelievable at times.

I have not read the Wishing Game, so many of my critiques may just be a misstep between my preferences and this author’s writing style. Because of that and how much I liked the characters’ relationships and internal journeys, I’d still suggest to book to anyone who is a fan of fairy tale realms and Narnia. But I am less inclined to recommend it to someone looking for a story strong in prose and consistent in its tone.