To be transported into this magical world and to spend time with these characters was a fantastic gift.

I was bought in from the first chapter, and couldn't stop thinking about the characters each time I set the book down. I (almost) regretted even having it as an ARC, because I wanted to shout from the rooftops and force everyone to read this story immediately.

I grew up on fairytales, and this felt like coming home - neatly (messily) packed inside of the story (wardrobe), in a way I didn't realize I needed (but truly did).

"The uncanny feeling that they'd crossed the border into a story they didn't belong in..."

If I could add anything to the story, I would ask for more - more time away, more time to develop the world beyond. Perhaps a sequel. Because I need more. I will guess that that is what people will dislike - the fact that the magical world isn't more developed. But maybe they've never lived outside of that magical world, and don't understand how deeply the two blur together.

"...A story written by a stranger and yet it seems they wrote it just for you..."

Thank you, Meg - for this beautiful - amazing escape from reality. <3

This book captured the magic of West by God Virginia. Having just moved from the area, by the end of this book, I was feeling so homesick for the hills. I am an absolute sucker for books with a secret realm filled with magic and mythical creatures and this didn’t disappoint (except for the fact that the sequel I’m begging to be written isn’t in my hands right now). I loved each of the characters, both their stories and their redemption and highly recommend for anybody that wants a little magic in their life.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group (Ballantine) for the chance to read this egalley for an honest review. I had read Meg Shaffer's dedut novel the Wishing Game in 2023 through my Book of the Month Subscription. I thought it was a heartwarming book so I decided to give her second novel a try. I found this novel to be a little too YA for my taste, and a bit rushed at the end. However, it is still recommended for fans of books like Narnia.

THANK YOU to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was SO GOOD I could barely put it down! I finished it in 2 days. There's a lot to appreciate about The Lost Story. It felt real oddly therapeutic to read through. An homage to any fantasy readers childhood, lost dreams, and forgotten loves. It gave me all the feels!

I think the introduction to the story sort of threw me off (in a bad way) though. I was worried this was going to turn into a weird thriller instead of a fantasy novel & was preparing myself for disappointment. That flipped immediately as soon as I realized what the author was doing with her set up. This was likely just a me issue though, since I've recently read a book that did something similar to me & did not turn out to be fantasy (bummer).

My only real complaint is: I kind of like, and hate, the more "childish" aspects to the story. Like the fantasy realm inner workings, the titles of places/things in the world, some of the way things work logically with the magic, etc. It is very much Narnia meets Return to Oz. I knew while I was reading that things were a little cheesy? in their naming conventions, because frankly, our characters were middle school age when all this was created. It makes sense that the titles/places/things would be a little "middle school" logic. But also, even though it made it a little 'lame' feeling, I appreciated the logic behind it & one of our MC's states "that's what you get when you let a 13 year old name things." which is great lol.

In a way, this story represents a way of seeing all your childhood fantasies come to life. It's nostalgic but heartwarming. It's about grieving, processing trauma, growing up, letting go, opening your heart, and so much more. I'm still processing it all myself lol. But I loved it.

There were some moments that were truly touching & made me tear up. These are well written characters with believable relationships and lets not overlook the platonic, casual intimacy of all involved. That type of friendship representation is one we almost never see in media and I am here for it! Don't be afraid to show your friends you love them ya'll.

Overall a really solid fantasy novel. I couldn't put it down & I really hope we get a sequel!!

While I did enjoy this, I was also a bit disappointed with it. It starts out marvelously with the introduction of the Jeremy and Rafe, two boys who disappeared in the West Virginia wilderness as teenagers for 6 months, then suddenly reappeared but never explained what happened. Best friends before they left, Jeremy immediately leaves with his mother for England and never restores contact with Rafe, while Rafe is left with amnesia of the events, and feeling abandoned by his best friend. Fifteen years later Rafe is a reclusive artist, while Jeremy has an amazing talent for finding missing people all over the world. And this is what draws in our third character, Emilie, who discovered she had a half-sister who has gone missing as well, and Emilie approaches Jeremy to find her. Last seen - in the West Virginia woods.
Of course, all is not a mystery in this tale for it is a fantasy, another world where the boys had disappeared to. And a journey begins to take them back to that land in search of Emilie's sister. And this is where a very strong story begins to turn to mush for me. The fantasy world building is minimal and unremarkable and rather dull. This could be expected from how the world was created (trying not to include spoilers here), but makes for a rather boring backdrop, and the characters struggle to maintain any depth in the flimsy setting. Otherwise, the plotting holds up nicely and the story comes together in a satisfying manner.

The Lost Story was an okay read for me. The premise of the book really drew me in but the execution didn't hold my attention. I think those who enjoy magical realism will really enjoy this book. Magical Realism isn't my favorite genre but I enjoyed The Wishing Game so I wanted to give this one a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. The Lost Story hits shelves on July 16, 2024.

I loved Wishing Game, so while I was excited for The Lost Story, I was surprised to find I loved this book even more.

The story centers on Rafe and Jeremy, two friends who went missing in a Red Crow forest, turning up 6 months later in perfect health. Jeremy returning with an uncanny gift for finding lost people, Rafe returning with no memory of the 6 months they were "lost"...

The Lost Story offers the perfect adventure tale, with sword fights, unicorns, and mermaids to boot. Meg Shaffer writes characters that have us rooting for them on page one, and keep us transfixed throughout their entire journey as they find themselves along the way.

This was an interesting adult fairy tale with light parts and dark parts. I enjoyed Jeremy and Rafe's friendship and character development. I loved the fantasy setting which was full of magic. This book covered heavy topics that I think were explored with care. My problem was I think this book could have been longer. There was a lot of lead up to get to the magical world but once there, things started to feel rush and not fully developed. I wish there was more world building and description. Even flashbacks to what happened in the past would have provided more depth to the story. I felt like the plot moved quickly toward the end and it made it difficult to fully appreciate the resolution. Overall, I loved the premise and the characters, I just wish the world building and plot were more well developed so I could get fully immersed in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine, Del Rey, and Random House Publishing Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up The Lost Story on July 16, 2024.

This story swept me away in the best possible way. Meg Shaffer painted a perfect picture of what it feels like to WISH you could step into your favorite fairytale or story. The entire book felt like an ode to readers and dreamers, and every scene or setting felt so viscerally real to me. I want to be in Shanondoah too, among the unicorns and the Painted Sea and the Moonstone Palace. I want to fight Bright Boys and train with Valkyries and find hidden miracles everywhere.

But on top of the magic of this hidden realm, we also saw beautiful relationships depicted between friends, family members, and lovers. I adored all of our main characters, and some scenes between them had me tearing up in the best way. While I predicted the main plot twist, I did NOT see the ending coming, and I didn't expect to feel as heartbroken and hopeful as I did.

I'm not sure I'd classify this book as a cozy fantasy, but I'd say it's something to pick up when you want to truly escape for a while and live out the adventures you always imagined taking as a child. Like Meg said, adults can have fantastic journeys too.

This fairytale started off strong and I was enthralled. What happened to these lost boys? Who was the narrator in the between chapters? So many questions I couldn't wait to find the answers to. Ultimately it fell apart for me little by little throughout the book. I felt like parts of the character development were good and then abruptly they would rush through parts or gloss over others. The underlying discovery within Rafe's journey (no spoilers) was sad and I felt it coming from the way the story unfolded. I felt for Jeremy being unable to tell him and it causing them to lose 15 years together. I did enjoy how real life intertwined to somehow create what was needed in Shananhoah. Ultimately I would have liked it to be explored more or explained further which would have upped my rating to a 4 star instead of a 3.5 star. So much time was spent on the lead up/journey to returning that the end felt really rushed.

I do think this book is a fun Summer read that doesn't take itself too seriously but still manages to cover several serious topics.

Fantasy is fun, and I enjoyed this one--with a few caveats. It was a beautiful idea and the characters were fun, but there wasn't enough backstory. I think it could have been longer (when do I even say that about a book?) and maybe incorporated flashbacks to illustrate the "forgotten" parts of the story. When we got to the action, it all felt a little rushed. I wanted more world building, more of a lead up, just...more. The way it ended made it seem there will be a sequel, which I would read. A good story, but it needed more!

⭐️: 3.5/5

Best friends Rafe and Jeremy went missing in a vast West Virginia forest when they were kids, only to reappear 6 months later offering no explanation of where they were or how they survived. Fifteen years later, Rafe is a reclusive artist who remembers nothing about his time lost, while Jeremy is a famous finder of missing girls. When Emilie Wendell reaches out to Jeremy to help her find her sister, Jeremy must reunite with Rafe in order to go back to the place where they spent their missing months, as that’s also where Emilie’s sister is.

The Wishing Game was one of my favorite reads from last year, so I had high hopes for this one. Those high hopes may have been what let me down ultimately though, since I think if my expectations were tempered a little bit, parts of this one would have hit harder. The Lost Story has a good, adult fairy tale premise that draws you in and makes you care about where the story is going, and finding out the mystery of what happened to Rafe and Jeremy all those years ago, but the magic and warm fuzzies that I felt throughout all of The Wishing Game just weren’t there. Part of this was because of Emilie, because her dialogue made her just come off as such an annoying character. Rafe and Jeremy’s relationship was the cutest though, and it definitely helped the book as a whole. The story was basically just a cute little adventure story, but not much more than that. I do kind of wish we got an epilogue, since I truly think that may have made it a better read for me. I liked this one enough, but ultimately felt kind of let down.

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!!

Inspired by C.S.Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, “The Lost Story” by Meg Shaffer is a unique fairytale that adds complexity and diversity to the characters. In this tale, the author has taken the idea of Narnia and asked what would happen if they came back and one person didn’t remember the details of their adventure. She also adds a beautiful love story to that idea and explores the impact to both characters, Jeremy and Rafe. I loved the complicated relationship between the pair and the structure of the story.
One of the elements that makes this so unique is the story structure within, the storyteller not the expected person, adding layers and ideas about how imagination can build worlds. I also love the details to the world but also the relationship between Jeremy and Rafe. Not only was this story engaging but I loved how their friendship is explored as all the secrets eventually pour out, some not even Jeremy knows. The story is intriguing and enchanting.
If you like stories about portals to other worlds or want a more adult version of the Chronicles of Narnia, this unique fairytale featuring two lost boys might be what you’re looking for. Not only does it explore real world explanations for two boys to lose themselves but also the consequences once they do return. It shows what two people will do to get back the people they love. I love the amazing story and would love more.

The Lost Story should NEVER be lost on your shelves! This novel that becomes a fairy tale is delightful from beginning to end. Meg Shaffer grabs you with a mystery, leads you into a story and entertains you with adventures that leave you with the most vivid pictures in your mind, it is as if you were right there! Rafe, Jeremy and Emilie would be perfect friends for all. Let us see if another story continues their tale.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I adored this book so much! It captured my attention and my imagination through two intriguing and eventually interconnecting plot lines. It was a beautiful mix of the wonder and whimsy of a child’s fairytale with the modern fiction elements of an adult read.

“Storyteller’s corner” was such a fun and unique narration device! It was an engaging change in writing from the main story to the narrator breaking the fourth wall and talking directly to the reader. I also adored the recipe for a fairytale and Shaffer’s use of that throughout the plot.

The love story in here made my heart so full and happy! It was simply beautiful. While there were more painful and heartbreaking elements to this layer of the story, it was handled with care and compassion. While I cried, I also left feeling satisfied and content. I will be thinking of this story for quite some time.

I truly can’t say enough of how fun and whimsical this was. It brought me back to stepping through the wardrobe into Narnia, getting lost in Neverland, and exploring the land of the Last (really great) Whangdoodles.

Massive thank you to Meg Shaffer, Penguin Random House and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Lost Story! It was my absolute pleasure to read it and give my honest thoughts in this review!

(4.5⭐️) This book was absolutely magical (pun intended).

I’m not typically a fantasy reader, but this was very easy to get in to and completely swept me away. The world building was simple yet descriptive, dreamy, and fun, and I was wishing I could see it for myself.

The found family aspect was so sweet, and the loyalty and love between all the characters was heartwarming - you can’t help but love them all (even Fritz!). I especially liked seeing the relationship between Jeremy and Rafe, and seeing their growth over the course of the book, both individually and together. The way that conflict was handled throughout the story was interesting and different than expected, but I liked how it worked out. And the set-up for the sequel at the end has me already excited for the next book!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an egalley of this book!

This is hands down my favorite book of the summer and one of the best I've read this year. With The Lost Story Meg Shaffer provides all the nostalgia of The Wishing Game and more: incredible storytelling packed with rich emotions and enough banter and adventure to keep you smiling.

I was so impressed by how the author depicted the harsh realities of abuse, grief, and mental illness - and balanced these with the joyful, vivid worldbuilding of Shanandoah. To top it off, this book gives us a romance between two bisexual men (which we don't see enough of!). In two words, a masterpiece.

I really liked Meg Shaffer's last book, THE WISHING GAME, so I was looking forward to THE LOST STORY, which is billed as a tribute to C.S. Lewis and inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia. This book is an adult fairy tale narrated by a storyteller. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. While it contains the components of a fairy tale, it reads more like a romance. I would have preferred a more developed adventure without the romance. The world-building fell short for me, especially compared to her last book. However, I did like the cover and the storyteller corner section divisions.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing, Ballentine for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.


I originally marked this ARC that I would not give feedback for the title as I thought I just wasn't the right reader for this story. I was so very disappointed by that, I was excited for another Meg Shaffer book. It had been sitting, open, on my kindle at just around the 30% mark and I simply could not get into it. Then over a long weekend, I opened my Kindle and saw my open page and just started to read. I finished the last 70% of the book over the course of two days, carrying my Kindle with me everywhere, sneaking in pages every spare moment I found. I am so glad I gave this nearly Lost Story another chance. This is both cozy and heartbreaking at times, whimsical and grave at others. I think readers of both fantasy and fiction will enjoy this story. The last half of the book is very hard to put down, it's so good, well paced, and just completely enthralling. I implore you to give The Lost Story a chance, as I very nearly did not!

It both starts and ends so well, but I do think there is a little too much in the front 1/4 of the book that very nearly kept me from an otherwise wonderfully imaginative trip back into a fantasy world with so much heart and wholesome, pure love. I am rating this a solid 3.5-3.75 stars, rounded up to 4. Docking a star for the fact that the changes in narration where, at times, I enjoyed the 'narrator interjections', it was in other instances a bit gratuitous, and those extra 50 pages or so in the front quarter - this is otherwise a 4+ star book that I nearly missed out on for those reasons.

I absolutely ADORED this book!!

Rafe and Jeremy go missing in a West Virginia state forest and miraculously reappear six months later unharmed, earning them the nickname “The West Virginia Lost Boys.” Fifteen years later, Emilie needs their help to find her older sister - who went missing in the very same forest. How far will they have to go and what will they have to endure to find her sister?

The Lost Story was simultaneously whimsical and nostalgic, enchanting and mysterious. With found family, romance, magical lands and deep-rooted issues, it takes us on a journey from realistic to mystical. It’s touted as a “fairytale for adults,” and I wholeheartedly agree with that. This gave me those same fuzzy feelings that I had while reading some of my favorite childhood books.

There are many reasons why I loved this, but three of the main ones are:
1) I’m from West Virginia (and still live here)
2) I went to WVU
3) I’m an avid Fleetwood Mac fan

I’ve never read a story that perfectly encapsulates the wild beauty and possibilities of West Virginia like this one. It was SO refreshing to read something so nostalgic and heartwarming and breathtaking about the state I’m from and a place I’ve lived. 🥹

The delightful, magical land of Shanandoah pulled me in and the only thing I wanted by the end was MORE.

This book comes out July 16th, and I couldn’t recommend it enough!!

And finally - thank you so much to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!