Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballentine for an advanced reader copy in exchange for a free review!

I love Meg Shaffer and her whimsical writing story. I love how she tackles heavy topics in a way that is light, fun, and magical. This is an ode to all readers who loved fairy tales as a child and want to feel that magic as an adult. I also love how she highlights relationships and love in all forms.

If you're a fan of fantasy and magic you will like this one. It was a very fast paced and easy read, but I'm not very into fantasy. I have to be in the right mood for it. This reminded me a lot of Narnia, which I haven't read in a long time. It felt nostalgic.

This book is inspired by Narnia but written for adults. It’s basically the perfect fairytale. The Lost Story follows Jeremy and Rafe who went missing in red crow state forest and returned in perfect health though Rafe has no memory of the events. 15 years later Jeremy is famous for his ability to find missing women and girls around the world that even the authorities have given up on. He is approached by Emilie who wants him to find her sister Shannon who went missing years ago in the same forest as Jeremy and Rafe.

While there were parts of this book that handled heavy topics most of it had the light hearted whimsical feel of a fairytale. I loved the narrator getting chapters to provide input and extra insight on the characters. The mysteries in the beginning of the book were interesting and I liked how she slowly started revealing the truth.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it! It’s great for anyone why enjoys a fairytale themed fantasy.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this novel.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer is a fascinating and unique tale about what happens after 2 teenagers are found after being lost for 6 months. 15 years later, they are both struggling to reconcile what happened to them - Jeremy is now a world famous finder of lost girls, while Ralph is a struggling artist who sequesters himself in his father's cabin and has no memory of what happened when they were missing. Brought together by Ellie, who is looking for her long lost sister, who was last seen in the woods where Jeremy and Ralph were lost, they are forced to confront their past about what really happened.

It's hard to describe the plot without giving away spoilers, but it was an interesting story with a fun structure. i enjoyed it. It was a fast read and held my attention.

I really enjoyed the authors last book and was excited to get a copy of this one. The Lost Story did not disappoint. I found it to be a perfect little fantasy. It’s funny, it’s quirky, it’s whimsical. I laughed. I cried. I highly recommend this one!

The Lost Story drew me in with incredible magic and intrigue, but it lost me with its incredibly derivative and loosely structured nature. It strongly resembles The Last Battle, the final installment in The Chronicles of Narnia, but it is a warped, darker version that feels like a bit of a rewrite.

I loved the characters and the banter. The world of Shandandoah exudes ethereal, fun magic; but I can't seem to figure how the world was bit and the logic behind the fantasy in this one. Additionally, there is a vague Scripture reference thrown out blithely: "Love casts out fear." It is misquoted and taken out of context. See 1 John 4:16-21 for the correct wording and full context.

I really wanted to love this one based on the premise and synopsis. I just didn't vibe with it.

My thanks to NetGalley for the eARC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

WOW! This book was magical and I am so in love. I don't have anything bad to say about it. It truly felt like a Narnia for grown ups but with the same childlike whimsy. There was magic, love, friendship, action,.. I will be thinking about this book for a long time and recommending it to everyone.

Rafe and Jeremy were lost together for 6 months in the woods when they were kids. After their escape and homecoming, they don’t see each other until 15 years later. Jeremy has become famous in helping families locate their missing loved ones. Emilie has approached Jeremy to help her find her missing sister and Jeremy enlists his long lost friend, Rafe, to join them on this quest. They embark on a magical journey that leads them somewhere they didn’t expect.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I kept hearing it being compared to The Chronicles of Narnia, which I know absolutely nothing about, so I didn’t know what to expect. The build up was a bit slow, and then it took me in a direction I was not expecting. I’m typically not a fan of fantasy, but I do enjoy magical realism, and this book had a healthy dose of each. Once I got over the whiplash of the flip in the story, I settled in and came to enjoy it.

I became invested in the characters and their journeys. The story was clever and well done. As skeptical as I was at first, I ended up enjoying the ride!

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. I really wanted to read this because I loved The Wishing Game so much. This book was definitely out of my comfort zone — I am not a fantasy fan. There were a few times when I contemplated stopping, but I’m glad I finished. The creativity displayed in this story was amazing.

I am a child at heart and if there is one thing about me, I will always pick up a fairytale! While the book is loosely inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia, it had similar aspects of Peter Pan as well. It encompassed so many aspects of a fairytale and it was a breeze reading the last half of the book.

The beginning was a bit slow for me as we were being introduced to the characters and story. Despite the slowness, it helped me feel more connected to the characters. I enjoyed Meg Shaffer's lyrical writing and the addition of the storyteller! I wish we had spent more time in Shanandoah and less time in the real world, but I enjoyed the snippets nonetheless. I found it hard at times to read Emilie's point of view, but in a way her childlike wonder felt intentional. I loved the explorations of love and friendship through this story.

If you enjoy fairytales and a bit of mystery, this book is perfect for you! There were many different elements to love in this story and I am happy I picked it up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for sending me a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Random House Ballentine and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Jeremey and Rafe went missing on a school field trip and dissappeared. When the two boys reappear 6 months later, no one can figure out what happened. One remembers everything. The other remembers nothing. Their story can't be told. But when Emilie is looking for her lost sister and approaches Jeremey, now a man who locates missing people for a living, he can't refuse what she's asking. But the truth of where her sister is is linked with the two boys, and no one can ever know about the enchanted world they entered when they all disappeared.
I loved The Wishing Game by Shaffer. Magical realism is so much fun for me to read. This book takes more of a turn towards fantasy. Set in modern day and tackling issues of friendship, found family, love, and second chances, it touches an many emotional aspects. It's an adult fairytale hitting all the fairytale bullet points, which really made it so much fun to read.
Shaffer really infuses the story with so much fun fantasy: magical lands, Valkyries, unicorns, villains, queens, princes, knights, and other magical creatures. It really hits all the fairytale highlights. Her verbal descriptors truly pull you into the fantasy world and make it so real. It was easy to picture it all in my mind. The story did give me some Peter Pan vibes with the villains introduced.
The story touches on being lost, being found, and finding family even if they may not be blood related.
I loved the idea of the storyteller for the story. Addressing the audience directly was such a great idea! It gave such an interesting perspective. I did figure out who the story teller was about half way through, but that did not make it any less enjoyable to read. The perspective allowed for backstory and a different view of the characters and who they are.
Jeremey and Rafe's story is sweet. I love their connection. I love them finding their friendship and more again during the story. It makes for a much more emotional story. And Emilie is a fun character, as well. She's not shy, and she knows what she wants/needs. My heart ached for her lonliness. She has no one but so wants to find someone to be her family. And the LBGTQ representation was a nice addition to a fabulous plot.
The pacing was great. Lots of action, some down time, a little romance, and true friendships made. Shaffer really ticked all the boxes to pull you along in her story.
I had high expectations for this book given my love of this author's first book and she did not disappoint. The book made my heart sing. It tugged at my emotions and ultimately made me so very happy. Definitely jump into this one if you are a fan of TJ Klune and fairytales.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Fantasy, Magical Realism, Queer Fantasy
Spice Level: Kisses and references to sex with some innuendo
Violence Level: Medium—the worst is off the page but referred to
Representation: Two of the three main characters are gay
Format: Omniscient with the narrator interjecting comments and chapters—which reminds me of THE PRINCESS BRIDE
Magic System: Soft magic with no explanation of how it works, though it follows generally accepted magic "rules" like the rule of three

THE LOST STORY is definitely written for adults, but it references children's classics such as THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE and THE WIZARD OF OZ. These children's fantasy books bring back such a feeling of nostalgia for me, which instantly makes me like this author's book even more.

I liked the sense of mystery within this novel and the way it unfolds. In amongst the tragedy and heartbreak, there is a sense of whimsy. This is a simple story with an emotional punch.

So, who will like this book?
Adults who love fantasy from childhood, people who want to experience the sense of childhood blossoming in an adult's life, and especially people within the LGBTQ community.

CONTENT WARNINGS: References to child abuse and kidnapping

Let me know what you think of this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel. All of the opinions in this review are my own.

I loved everything about this story. I feel like saying to much about it will lead to spoilers, and I do not want to do that. I think everyone who reads this should just read it without thinking about it all too much - do not try and figure it all out. Just read it for the sake of reading it. It is beautifully written, I did not want the story to end.

I read The Wishing Game by this author, and loved it as well. With The Lost Story, Meg Shaffer has become one of my favorite authors, and I will read everything she writes.

I was so excited to get this advanced copy! The Wishing Game was my favorite book from last year, and The Lost Story sounded like it would be just as amazing. Sadly, it fell short for me. All of the characters felt childish except for maybe Rafe. I feel like all of the characters were so connected and attached to each other, but i never saw that development. It just happened instantly, it seemed. I loved the main premise of the book about this amazing other world, but I don't feel like I got enough Shanandoah to commonality fall into that world and want them to stay. I will admit that it made me cry, though, near the end, which is ultimately why I have it 3 stars instead of 2.

Ralph (Rafe) and Jeremy meet as high school freshmen and bond instantly. A school trip to a local state park woods finds the two boys lost and don't reappear again for six months. One of them has zero recollection of what they endured while they were gone. Years later, the boys are drawn back to the same state park only this time to help a young girl find her long lost sister allegedly also disappeared in the same place. What awaits is the literal stuff of their wildest imaginations....

Having LOVED The Wishing Game, I snatched up this ARC the moment I could get my hands on it without knowing A thing about it other than the author. A couple things about me: I'm not -I REPEAT- NOT a fantasy reader. Also not a romance reader and really not romantasy (is that a word?) reader. If I had known this was a romantasy, I may not have snagged it or even bothered to read it. Well, I'm GLAD I did. Is it my genre? No.. Was it worth my time? YES.

I will say there were some parts I thought dragged and kind of wish there'd been more action and/or details about their time in Shanandoah (both current and past). I would have also liked more character development of all the characters. I did love how the relationship with Rafe and his dad are key elements that weave in and out of the story. I didn't quite love the cliff hanger but (hopefully) something to look forward to...hint hint!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review.

Alright, I am admittedly a person who did not like The Wishing Game, with that being said I absolutely adored The Lost Story.

I loved the story-telling method of the story and how each section started like reading a fairy-tale book. I thought the story was well organized, pacing was perfect, and I enjoyed the amount of time the book spent with the characters in Shenandoah.

My favorite part of the book was Jeremy and Rafe’s connection and how natural their love story felt. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and rooted for them the entire time.

This was such a lovely book! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

As children, Rafe and Jeremy disappeared into Red Crow Park for six months. When they returned, Rafe had no memory of their time away and Jeremy refused to speak about it. Now, 15 years later, a young woman name Emilie comes knocking at Jeremy's door. He has made a name for himself as the finder of lost women and girls and Emilie needs his help locating her missing sister who disappeared twenty years before. The only problem? Jeremy and Rafe will have to return to Red Crow and everything that happened there.

The Wishing Game was my very first read of the year and it was also my first 5 star, so when I saw that Meg had written a new book, I had to get my hands on it. The chances of it being a BOTM pick were highly likely but I didn't want to wait until then so off to Netgalley I went and wouldn't you know, I was approved!! (Thanks Ballantine and Netgalley)

I was at dinner one night with some other booklovers and I brought up this book. I said that I think Meg Shaffers writing speaks to our generation because of the books that we grew up on. We learned to love to read through Judy Blume, The Boxcar Children, Chronicles of Narnia and The Babysitter's Club. Many of our favorite reads featured magical realism before we ever even knew what it was called. Meg returns us to that time, to the joy of childhood reading with her prose.

"You kill an artist, you kill all their unmade art too." - Skya

The Lost Story begins with a finding. Rafe and Jeremy have been missing for six months when a young nurse spots them while hiking in Red Crow. When next we see the boys, they are adults and haven't spoken in fifteen years. I really enjoyed the way that their history together unfurled and that Rafe learned about their past along with us. While I became lost in the lives of the two boys, I completely forgot about the girl. Emilie's character felt fairly flat for being the catalyst for the two connecting again. I totally get that this book was their book. It is Rafe and Jeremy, but Emilie felt less real than the world that they traveled to.

I had so many ideas of where I thought that this book was going to go, but it didn't. I have been reading far too many mysteries and thrillers lately because I totally expected this book to end in a completely different way than it did. I am so glad I was wrong. I really truly enjoyed the journey the two boys/men went on in The Lost Story. If C.S. Lewis and TJ Klune had a baby, it would be this book. My only complaint being that Emilie was as much of a side character as her rat Fritz even though her role seemed to have intended to be much bigger. For that The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 from me.

This book will make a fantastic read for anyone who enjoys Alice Hoffman, TJ Klune, and The Chronicles of Narnia.

DNF at 70%. Sadly, this book started out as one thing and became another. From the description, I expected this to be about Jeremy, Emilie, and Rafe in a magical realm defeating darkness. I expected it to have themes like The Chronicles of Narnia. Anyone who has read these books know that they contain Christian themes. I was really caught up in the mystery and fantasy. Then it became a gay romance. Not what I signed up for. At all. Why is it that we can no longer have books where two guys are best friends without being in love with each other? The description specifically says "best friends" Jeremy and Rafe. Even at the point that I realized that this was heading to the gay angle, I kept reading thinking that it wouldn't be the focus. Nope. It definitely became the focus, and I just got fed up with the fact that apparently authors don't think that men can have friends and care about each other without having to be in love. I think that the description of this book needs to be rewritten letting people know that it's a fantasy with elements of mystery and gay romance. People deserve to know what they're going to get when they read The Lost Story.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

This is an awesome adult fairytale. It has fantasy, magic, and romance which are all the elements that make it intriguing. The story has a fun narrator who guides the story and keeps the plot flowing. The characters are interesting and fascinating. The description of the setting is vibrant and visually appealing to the reader. The wonderful characters use dialogue that is witty, funny and easy for the reader to understand. This is a great fun read.

This was such a delight that I liked immediately. It was completely different than anything else I had read recently.