The first half of this book was captivating—I devoured it in one night. However, once the characters entered the woods, the story shifted to fantasy. Suddenly, there were magical unicorns, mermaids, "bright boys," and many other mythological creatures. What began as an intriguing backstory transformed into an adult fairy tale that felt more suited for children. But if fantasy is your genre, don't let my review dissuade you.

What I did enjoy were the characters. They were quirky in their own ways, and there was an unexpected love story that made my heart warm. I also appreciated the descriptive writing and the fairy tale narrator between each chapter.

The first half of the book was a 5/5 for me. The second half was a 1/5. Overall, I rounded my rating to 3/5 stars. Thank you, NetGalley, for the advanced reader's copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Meg Shaffer for this book!

I thought this book was really adorable and enjoyed not only the gay protagonists but also the female MC being a veterinary technician. It was really neat to see someone in your field being represented in a book, and while it wasn't a substantial portion of the book, it still made me happy.

I enjoyed the first half of the book better than the second half, the second half felt rushed and I felt myself growing bored with the direction we were going. Furthermore, I don't particularly appreciate that Shanandoah had almost NO world-building. The story is exciting this magical location where the boys disappeared to, but barely described the world and we never got to EXPERIENCE it. It would've been more magical if the only real time we got to spend there was just going to the Ghost Town and fighting one of the protagonist's mental demons. I felt like the build-up to this location was much more well done than the deliverance of the world. For me, the book had more potential but fell short in terms of the magic and experience. I think the character interactions are what really carried the book in the end.

I would give this book 25 stars out of 5 if I could! I want to move into the pages and make a home and a life there. This book made me laugh and cry and cry some more when it ended. I absolutely adore the main characters and the flow from page to page. The story was SO unique - I absolutely loved the concept of a story within a story. I loved the "storyteller" sections that were so snarky and added context. I loved that you could choose your own adventure a couple of times, and that the author admitted to "skipping ahead" when plot points aren't needed. There were so many genres packed inside the box of this book, but it flowed so seamlessly. Meg Shaffer - please write more and more and more. I want to devour your stories - thank you for this one!

For lovers of Narnia, The Lost Story will whisk you back to a fantastical land of adventure and peril. The Storyteller, narrator of the story, is almost like Lady Whistledown from Bridgerton. There is whit and enticement to hook you into the next chapter.

Jeremy and Rafe are two best friends that went missing as early teens for 6 months in the Red Crow forest of West Virginia. What most people do not know is that they journeyed to another land or plane or dimension, whatever you want to believe of it. But when they returned, only Jeremy remembered what happened and kept it a secret. Now 15 years later, Jeremy is helping find lost girls and is approached by Emilie, who is trying to find out what happened to her sister so many years ago. Jeremy knows her sister, and they will have to journey back to that fantastical land to find her.

This is a gem that will rank right up there with with the best of the fantasy stories. Meg Shaffer has a talent for whisking you away to far away lands. I certainly did not want to leave the story!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I have not gotten around to reading The Wishing Game, so it has definitely moved up in my tbr priority after reading The Lost Story! Y’ALL! I loved this book so much! It was so sweet, funny, and brought about so many emotions. I absolutely adored Jeremy, Rafe, and Emilie! The relationship between Jeremy and Rafe was *chef’s kiss*! I loved their adventure and what they did to fight for each other. I appreciated how it pays tribute to the Narnia books as well as so many other childhood classics, but in a way that appeals to adults. And if there is a sequel, I am down for it! @meg-shaffer is an absolute genius!

Zero surprise this was a book of the month pick. Everything she writes is magical and thought provoking. This one is going to stay with me for a long time.

I read this book a couple weeks ago and it has stuck with me! I loved the premise, it's so unique while also familiar to those who love Narnia. I loved the romance, but it did not take over the plot, which was refreshing. The only issue I had was that it was pretty slow moving at the beginning, and took quite a while to get to the exciting parts, which caused the ending to feel a little rushed.

I recommend this to anyone who likes magical adventures, complete with unicorns and spiders. 🦄🕷️

Thank you @netgalley for my copy to review. This book is available July 16th!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random-House Ballantine Publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book. I have read Meg Shaeffer previous book and I was happy to get a copy. The lost story was a fantasy fairy tale for adults. Two boys go missing and then reappear less that a year later. One of the boys is asked to find a missing child since he was previously missing. The writing was very descriptive but, I felt it could of been shorter.

Enchanting and refreshingly unconventional, this fantasy novel defies expectations with its imaginative storytelling and unique twists. Jeremy and Rafe have been best friends since they met in school but a traumatic event tears them apart. Now, 15 years later, they grudgingly come back together to help Emilie find her sister in a West Virginia state forest. What they find in the forest is the answer to Rafe's questions. Even though he has no memory of the traumatic event, Rafe somehow is able to find the magic door that transports them back to an enchanted world where he, Jeremy, and Emilie are more than just visitors. Will they stay in this magical world or return to their real lives? This is not the first time they've made this choice and as before, people will get hurt either way. I really enjoyed the style of this book which also included a funny outside narrator who pops in every now and then. I'm hoping Ms. Shaffer has a sequel novel in the works at some point. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Meg Shaffer and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Fifteen years ago, two teenage boys Rafe and Jeremy were lost in the Red Crow Park while hiking. They came home 6 months later more healthy than they were when they left. Rafe becomes a reclusive artist and Jeremy takes to finding other missing people. Fast forward 15 years. Emilie's mother dies and she enlists Jeremy's help in finding her sister. Jeremy knows right away where Emilie's sister is and needs to bring Rafe along for the journey. Rafe has no memory of that shadowy time when they were 15.
Loved this adult fairy tale of the land of Shannandoah! Imagine if adults could enter a parallel land a la The Chronicles of Narnia. It's really a beautiful story about the relationships between boys and sisters.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

What. A. Gem. Easily my favorite book of the year so far. This book is whimsical, funny, magical, and heartwarming. I got lost in the world within these pages and found myself slowing down because I didn't want it to end. Rafe and Jeremy went missing as boys when on a field trip in the forests of West Virginia. They mysteriously reappear 6 months later. Rafe remembers nothing of this time. Jeremy does but cannot or will not say a word to Rafe and then is swiftly moved back to England with his mother. The boys grow up and do not reunite until Emilie reaches out to the now-famous Jeremy to help her find the remains of her sister. Shannon has been missing and presumed dead for 20 years but Jeremy is well-known for being able to find missing girls and women.

It is tough to describe the way this book made me feel. It was truly an escape. I fell in love with these characters. I cried over their troubles and cheered on their determination and love for one another. I loved that this book was so uniquely different from so many out there today. It is one that I would comfortably put into anyone's hands to enjoy. I laughed many times at the wit and banter between the characters. Getting to know them bit by bit was pure joy.

I received this book as an ARC but will be purchasing for both myself and my classroom shelves. But this. Read it. And then read it again. I know I will. A resounding 5 stars!

This was such a beautiful story and exactly what I want in a fantasy as someone with aphantasia. The world building was there but it wasn’t over the top verbose and complicated.

When I first started reading this book I was thrown off because it felt like a thriller but the fantasy elements slowly trickled in until we were fully immersed in Shenandoah. This was such a heartwarming story of love and found family with a heavy appreciation of CS Lewis and Narnia.

I would recommend this to every reader I know since they all love fantasy way more than me 😅

This book is not my usual genre but after reading the description I could not pass up the chance to read it. After all, I did love fairy tales as a kid, particularly The Chronicles of Narnia. We start the story on the day Jeremy and Rafe are found, healthy and unharmed 6 months after disappearing in the West Virginia forest. Fast forward 15 years, Jeremy is a famed missing persons investigator while Rafe secludes himself in a cabin making art and desperately trying to remember what happened in the forest and why Jeremy stopped speaking to him. One day Jeremy is approached by Emilie whose sister went missing in the very same place just months before Jeremy and Rafe’s disappearance. It’s finally time for Jeremy to go back into the forest, but not without Emilie, her pet rat Fritz, and of course Rafe who may finally get a chance to uncover everything he’s forgotten, both the things he wants to remember and the things he does not. About 1/3 of the way through this book it dawned on me that this is the kind of book you wish you could read again for the very first time. While I wish I could say I savored it, I did not. Shaffer’s vivid descriptions brought this modern fairy tale to life and tears to my eyes. This book made me laugh out loud as well as ugly, snotty, sob all over myself. It warmed my heart and then ripped it out and shredded it into tiny pieces. I may never recover, but I don’t want to. The Lost Story is masterfully told and will hit home for anyone who spent their childhood weaving other worlds to escape to when this one was not the best.

3.5/5⭐️ rounded down. I read this book as an ARC from NetGalley - thank you NetGalley! This is my second Meg Shaffer book. The first being The Wishing Game - I adored that book and Ms. Shaffer’s writing so I was excited to see what The Lost Story would be like! Both books are easy “dip-your-toes-into” fantasy books. I really liked the majority of this book, but was bothered by the homosexuality feeling super forced. The rest of the book was phenomenal. I enjoyed how the mystery turned into a fantasy really smoothly. Emilie, Rafe, Skya, and Jeremy had great character development. This book kept me guessing what new things or creatures would appear. I loved all the twists and surprises.
Content warnings: physical abuse, child abuse, homophobia, kidnapping, death

Thank you Meg Shaffer, NetGalley, and Ballentine books for the advanced copy of this novel (out July 16th!)

Lost Story start out so strong, a story about two teenagers who get lost in a forest and miraculously reappear 6 months later. The first half of this book has strong writing that makes you want to turn the page and read another chapter. I loved Emilie, and I truly felt for her as she navigated life after her mother’s passing.

However, the second half of this book really went downhill for me. The YA fantasy plot really felt disjointed from the beginning of the novel, reading more childish than magical realism. While I enjoyed the premise of a secret land, the writing and execution fell flat for me.

Thank you again for the advanced copy!

Like a lot of other people in the world, I too fell in love with Meg Shaffer's debut THE WISHING GAME last year. I was very excited and honored to receive the ARC of her second book, THE LOST STORY. Immense thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for providing me with the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Shaffer's writing style has a light, sweet touch that never feels cloying. I usually cringe at things that are overly sentimental, which, at first glance, Shaffer's novels would seem to be. A book about a magical island involving a foster kid? A Narnia-inspired book where two boys resurface in the world after missing for six months? Touchy-feely city. BUT Shaffer's writing is so superb that her stories never feel mawkish. They are sincere and genuinely sweet--pure cane sugar, no high fructose corn syrup.

THE LOST STORY could be a YA book, but I understand why it's being marketed as an adult novel. There's a lot of darkness lurking beneath the surface (CW: child abuse, homophobia, and a lot of other implied terrible stuff) and that makes the appeal of Shanandoah all the more understandable. If you have experienced any sort of childhood trauma, you will definitely relate to the lovely characters in THE LOST STORY. I don't want to give too much else away because you should try to go in as blind as possible, but, man, this book really hit the spot during this dark year. Oh, and I adored the romance that I will not discuss in full because, spoilers. I was giddy when the romance started to reveal itself though, and I am so happy for those two characters! They deserve all the happiness in the world.

If you, like me, are having a rough year and need a break from the real world, THE LOST STORY will soothe your tortured mind and make you feel like there might be a little magic and goodness left in the world after all.

This has probably been the biggest surprise hit this year for me.! I knew very little about this book but I loved it by the end (hopefully not the end?). Fairy tales, queer rep, hilarious banter, found family, a Narnia-esque other world? Love, love, love. There are tough topics such as abuse that just added another layer of depth and emotion to this lovely story. I'm hoping this setting up for book 2 because I will be impatiently waiting for it.

This was a really sweet fairytale. I’m kind of surprised this was billed as an adult read. It gave very strong YA vibes. That’s not a bad thing but I think maybe it’s been advertised slightly incorrectly. It’s pretty light fare and the plot is simple but it was a fun, light, quick read and I enjoyed it.

I think that the action was a bit rushed. The world that the author has created is magical and there is so much potential for some epic fight scenes but action sequences get glossed over and end abruptly. I also wish we had gotten to know Emilie and Skya a bit more…and the Valkyries! I felt that Rafe and Jeremy were well-fleshed out and I loved their romance and friendship. But Skya and Emilie felt a little bland in comparison.

This definitely left me wanting to read more by this author.

This is a perfectly charming story in the same idea as The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Missing children, gone for months, are miraculously found again! They never tell that they were not, in fact, lost at all. One doesn't tell because he's sworn to secrecy; one doesn't remember. But circumstances change and they have to go back...

Thanks to NetGalley for early access to this gem. What a fun read!

This book felt awkward, odd, and definitely more on the weird side. It felt like I was reading a child’s pov and the every conversation felt just as awkward and unrealistic as the rest of the book. I struggled really badly with this one. The writing was choppy, very little showing and way too much telling. I get that it’s meant to be read like there’s an actual narrator but this just… there was no decent flow or rhythm to the writing, I guess it just wasn’t for me.