I did enjoy the feel of this, but I think people need to stop saying “just like Chronicles of Narnia” because there are parts that are appropriate for younger children.

An adult fairy tale based on Narnia? Count. Me. In.

It’s a book about books, a fairy tale about fairy tales, and a love story about siblings, friends, family, and lovers. It was sweet and tragic and everything you expect from a fairy tale. A fantastic sophomore release.

I really wanted to like this book much more than I actually did. I loved The Wishing Game but this one did not seem to capture that same magic for me. It has all of the elements, but they just did not seem to gel together cohesively.

Part of the problem is that this book is inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia. Where The Wishing Game was inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and was like a warm hug with nostalgia for that book, Narnia is just too vast, too complex, and too profound to capture in the same way.

And so much of this book's narrative occurs off page. So much occurs before the events of the book that when Rafe and Jeremy return to the magical land of Shanandoah (yes, that's how it's spelled in the book) the reader feels as if they had missed out on most of the story.

That fact leads to pacing issues. I also took issue with the fact that this is supposedly an "epic" love story between these two characters. Who fell in love and had a deep deep relationship...at age 14...for six months. Now they haven't seen each other for 20 years, and one of the two doesn't even remember the relationship, and we're supposed to just sigh with contentment? I just didn't have buy in. I also didn't really understand the relationships between Emilie and her sister. It was too much to have both of those relationships being worked out in such a short book. There was very little character development so that I could root for them to reunite/fall in love/etc. I felt like I knew the rat better than the human characters.

I didn't feel as if the author painted the world for me in a way that I could picture it. Again, so many of the elements were just told to me as a reader, not shown to me. The book has an overall weirdly YA feel and the adults don't really act like adults. And that's unfortunate because there are some overall heavy themes here where you want to root for the characters to work through their past trauma to become healthy adults.

Just didn't really gel for me, but I know lots of people did love it so if it interests you give it a try.

I have been in a reading slump so I was excited when my library told me this book was waiting for me on the hold shelf as Meg Shaffer does not disappoint. And she did not. I adored this read. It took all my favorite fairy tale tropes, along with a narrator who can't help butting into their own story, added in an absolutely heartbreaking and delightful second chance love story complete with quirky younger sister sidekick and pet rat. There is not necessarily anything surprising here; the narrator is very clear this is a story following all the usual fairy tale rules. You know this story already in many ways. But the characters and the atmosphere and how Shaffer weaves together her fairy tale are fabulous and delightful and kept me reading into the wee hours to find out what happened next.

A pleasant story that flowed well, a fairy tale vibe with the blend of fantasy and realism. I liked the concept of the two worlds via a portal, although the first part of the book was more interesting than the fantasy world. Overall, an enjoyable story, though it would be nice if publishers alerted readers to LGBTQ content, this is no different than a reader looking for a mystery, thriller, horror, etc. It’s not that I won’t read a book with LGBTQ, I just want to know in advance so that I can make that choice.

ARC was provided by NetGalley and Random House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

This book had my little story-loving soul screaming! It was so precious, and I didn't think Meg Shaffer could give us something better than the wishing game, but she somehow did! It was cute, sweet, action=packed, and precious. Those are the words that come to my mind! Wish this was a movie already!

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer takes readers on a magical journey where reality and fantasy collide. Emilie, seeking her missing sister Shannon, teams up with her friend Jeremy—known for his unique talent in locating lost people. Together with Rafe, they enter a mystical forest that feels like something out of a storybook. There, they encounter strange creatures and enchanted landscapes, while each grapples with their own secrets and past traumas.
The story beautifully explores themes of friendship, self-discovery, and healing through the power of storytelling, making it both an adventure and a heartfelt journey.

I enjoyed this one so much I had to purchase the audiobook version! You must check this out if you haven't already done so!

The Lost story is a great read that starts off as a more "True Crime" story before delving into a fantasy. The characters were enjoyable, and the story was sweet. I did wish it would go a little more depth with some of the more mundane days. It felt a little glossed over and rushed towards the end and was a bit short. I really do hope there is a sequel to this story.

I adored Meg shaffer's first book and was so excited to read this, but was super disappointed when approximately 25% through there was a LGBTQ relationship that took center stage of the book. I wasn't able to finish it due to that content, and wish it had been made known earlier on in the book or in the book description.

Like her previous book, this book was enjoyable and easy to read with characters you wanted a happy ending for but not a life-changing book. I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters and the queer representation and possibly neurodivergent character. The story flowed well and was a breeze to read with only the beginning a little slower paced. Nothing was a surprise in the narrative but I didn't mind since this book felt comforting. I also will always love good pet rat rep.

If you love fairy tales, especially like OZ or Alice where the characters go into another world and wonder what happens after and when they all grow up (and maybe if they lived in West Virginia) is for you.

I really enjoyed this book and the fantasy elements, but also with the found family aspect as well as the best friends to lovers. This book truly was so heartwarming and I just really enjoyed it. There was good world building and I loved how this really highlighted how stories can be an escape. If you want a fantasy book with two great male main characters who are childhood best friends to lovers, AND two wonderful female main characters who are lost sisters reunited then this is for you.

Magical! I absolutely adored this book. It was strange, wonderful, and whimsical. Meg Shaffer has an ability to craft a story that is somehow about everything all at once. Equal parts, plot driven and character focused, The Lost Story takes you on a journey of discovery as two boys, once lost, try to find their way home again and a woman joins them on a quest to find her long lost sister. As they come together to try and get the answers to all the questions they seek, they go on an adventure and learn what it truly means to be lost and found. Captivating, moving, and imaginative, The Lost Story is one of the best books of 2024!

A magical coming of age story with a twist. If you love The Chronicles of Narnia and you're always looking to expand on that world and CS Lewis's inspiration for you. you'll find it in The Lost Story.

This was a really fun, (mostly) lighthearted read. If you like portal fantasies or found family, you will like this one. If you were one of those kids that used to get into trouble for living in your own fantasy world instead of doing chores or homework, you will like this one. I got similar vibes from The Lost Story as I did from The House in the Cerulean Sea (I'm talking the warm and fuzzy feels... they are definitely different stories).

2.5/5 stars. Sweet and intriguing premise to start, but falls short.

The beginning of the story with the missing boys and the insinuation of this "other place" they were lost in during their absence hooked me immediately and I was brimming with excitement for this mysterious world they might return to, but then...the pacing started to go awry, the world-building was a flop, and the dialogue became far too forced.

3 stars because I genuinely loved the reimagining of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (one of my favorite books as a kid), and the relationship between 2 of the 3 main characters was adorable, but the book had such lofty goals and it misses them completely.

! Potential spoilers below !

There's not enough description or whimsy to make sense of why they were randomly made a knight and a king? There's not enough background on the world they enter - from its history, its species, its landscapes - to make the reader want to live there? I felt like I was being told where they were, instead of shown. It's the magnificent world building that makes someone want to go to Narnia or Hogwarts. The books falls really flat here and is the main reason I hovered between 2-3 stars.

Overall - I can see what the author wanted to achieve and there were a few lines that tugged at the heart strings, but it didn't quite work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Ballentine for the ARC via NetGalley.

This felt like a Narnia and Neverland mindmeld with a true crime beginning and and overly sweet ending. I wanted to love the way that Shaffer meshed reality with fantasy, but this was a miss for me once the fantasy plot of got rolling. The fantasy elements felt very juvenile (and I say this as a fantasy-lover) and yet the relationship content was decidedly adult. I'm sure there is a some metaphor about childhood dreams and wonder that I am missing here.

4.5 stars

This was such an enjoyable read. I love stories that weave magic into real life and make you feel like if you just found the right tree, you could be transported into a fantastical place. This called back to my childhood of Narnia and pretending to be a princess or a mermaid and I couldn't get enough.

There are a lot of elements in this that I liked, but especially the found family and searching for lost things. Rafe and Jeremy are childhood friends reunited after years apart, brought together by a girl searching for her missing sister. The trio had such a beautiful bond and I never want them separated.

The Lost Story is my first Shaffer book, but it definitely won't be my last!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the copy.

Thank you @NetGalley and @ Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC. I loved the Wishing Game and was very excited to read The Lost Story. I was not disappointed, this book was wonderful. I love how Meg Shaffer mixes worlds and magic together. Her story telling is so poetic, like I am reading a favorite classic from my childhood..

Meg Shaffer can do no wrong. The Lost Story took me a bit (60 or so pages) to fully get into, but I am so glad I preserved. Loved the plot, the characters and getting lost in this story!

This book was a DNF for me. I got to 30% and decided it was not for me. Hopefully it will be a good fit for someone else!