I read The Wishing Game a few months ago and was happy to be able to read this one as well. What a great adult fairytale. If you enjoyed Chronicles of Narnia then I would bet you’ll enjoy The Lost Story.
Jeremy and Ralph (dubbed Rafe by Jeremy) are thought to be lost for 6 months. But when they’re found, they are healthy, they’ve grown and they’re happy. Were they lost?? What happened in that 6 month’s?
15 years later, Jeremy is an investigator for missing persons. He answers an ad placed by Emilie who is looking for her lost sister who disappeared into the same woods that Jeremy and Rafe had been. But Shannon has been missing for years. Jeremy immediately knows he has seen her sister. He takes her to meet Rafe and together they decide to go back to the place they haven’t even talked about for the last 15 years.
Thank you to NetGalley, Meg Shaffer and Ballantine books for allowing me this arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5

Shaffer has a true talent of taking children’s classics (think Narnia) and putting an adult twist on them. She transported me back to my childhood while simultaneously reminded me of the struggles/joys that being an adult has. So yes I am officially an adult fairy tale fan.

Ten years ago, ten year old Jeremy and Rafe went missing. After months of being missing, the police deemed them “The Lost Boys” until one day two hikers stumbled upon two strong healthy looking boys in the forest. Everyone was baffled at their reappearance and how healthy they looked despite being missing for months.

Fast forward 20 plus years, Jeremy is a famous finder (finds missing people) and Rafe lives in the woods where he does NOT want to be found. Emilie needs their help finding her sister. Jeremy tells them they have to revisit the woods they got lost in as boys. Rafe is hesitant but agrees. They begin their quest to find Emilie’s missing sister and find themselves in a different world. A beautiful world of love and beauty. A world where ANYTHING is possible (unicorns, magic, foods). Jeremy and Rafe find themselves reunited with creatures and people they never thought they’d see again. Danger quickly approaches as the Ghost Town (think dark creepy hell) is made aware of their arrival. The world of beauty battles with the world of gloom and the battle could result in the boys dying or reining victorious.

I would add this to your TBR immediately if you need a quick escape from reality. Thank you so much to Penguin Random House for the ARC!

The Lost Story
I Just finished The Lost Story, and this book also took me back to my childhood and gave me all the Narnia Vibes. Meg knows how to write an “out of the box” story that keeps you on your toes! Thank you to @netgalley for the arc!

Synopsis/ Review:

Jeremy and Rafe emerge from the Red Crow forest after being “lost” for 6 months and assumed dead by the local police. Rafe cannot remember a thing about his time in the forest. 15 years later Rafe is a recluse and Jeremy spends his time finding missing girls. The two haven’t spoken since their return from the forest. Jeremy and Rafe reconnect when Emilie asks Jeremy to help find her sister who went missing in the Red Crow Forest many years prior. The 3 go on an incredible journey into the Red Crow Forest that leads them to a faraway land complete with a knight, a prince and a princess!

I absolutely loved this right from the start. It hooked me right in and I was invested in the characters and their storylines. I enjoyed how the author weaved the magic into the “real world” and how the characters all dealt with, and faced their childhood trauma
,even when they tried to leave it behind. Will all of the characters get their happily ever after? You’ll have to read to find out!

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was a nice escape from reality! It was fun, enchanting and had me feeling many emotions. The set up was good as well as the chemistry and banter between the three main characters. If you loved “The Wishing Game” you will love this book. I would recommend this read for anyone!

#TheLostStory #NetGalley

This book is everything I hoped it would be and more. As someone who loved The Chronicles of Narnia as a child, this story filled a fantasy/fairytale void I have been searching for as an adult. Meg Shaffer creates the most enchanting world and characters you will love from the first page!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine Books for this ARC!

I love C.S Lewis and this book, The Lost Story, by Meg Shaffer, reminded me so much of his stories. It had me with the prologue and didn't slow down. I kept seeing things in the story that reminded me of past favorites, yet presented in a way that was fresh and intriguing. I am looking forward to more books by Shaffer!
Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

The Chronicles of Narnia is my favorite book series, and I loved The Wishing Game, so when I saw this one come up I was so excited!

This was full of magic and intrigue. I loved the story and found it hard to put the book down once I started reading— so I flew through this! This had such a fun fantasy feel and it really transported me to another world! The characters were believable and easy to relate to and there was just the right amount of action and story.

If you loved Chronicles of Narnia, Peter Pan, and other fantasy stories, pick this up for sure!

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to have an ARC version of the book.

This was a fantastic read, I cannot wait to read another book by Meg. I told so many people about the prologue. Such a great way to get readers sucked in. Her creativity is shown in this book and the wonderful world that she built. Very much recommend.

Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for my free E-book for review.

The Lost Story captivated me as one of my cherished reads in June. This book exudes an enchanting sweetness that is truly captivating. The narrative delves into the profound friendship and love between two boys, making it an exceptional highlight of my year in reading.

What truly captivated me were the characters - Rafe, Jeremy, and Emilie. Each of them possesses intricate layers that make them endearing. Rafe's vulnerability and inner strength, Jeremy's resilient exterior and selflessness, and Emilie's unwavering determination all add depth to their personalities. The special bonds they form leap off the pages, resonating deeply with me.

The world-building, featuring magical creatures, lost souls, and valkyries, is a realm I found myself easily immersed in. It's a mesmerizing landscape that, while not overly complex, holds an irresistible allure.

I breezed through the book at an even pace, never encountering a dull moment. The story delicately explores themes of regret, guilt, forgiveness, and above all, the power of friendship. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone seeking to lose themselves in a world teeming with magic, peril, and love.

This book was enchanting. I absolutely loved it. It is truly The Chronicles of Narnia for adults, and a solid 5⭐️ read for me. There is adventure, magic, romance, and the whimsical kingdom of Shanandoah. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 was captivating. I mean it when I say this book will have you hooked from the prologue. I honestly could not put it down. It’s the type of book you read in one sitting because you simply cannot wait to find out what happens next. I adored Jeremy + Rafe. I already loved each of the MMC’s individually and then put them together and it was pure magic. The development of their relationship was beautiful. There is so much goodness in this book, just do yourself a favor and read this ✨ magical ✨ book!

“𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴. 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘴.”

Read this one if you enjoy:
✨ Fairytales
📖 Adventure
🏳️‍🌈 Queer Rep
💕 Sister Stories

I received an advanced copy for review. This is my honest opinion.

This is for the kids who read The Chronicles of Narnia and grew up wanting to go back. Mostly cozy with a few allusions to difficult topics, The Lost Story is perfect escapism for those of us who miss the magical books of our younger days.

The Lost Story tells the story of Jeremey and Rafe, two boys lost in the woods fifteen years ago. Though they returned after several months, Rafe has no memory of their time missing, and Jeremy refuses to tell him what happened. Emilie's sister went missing five years before the boys did, and now, as an adult, Jeremy finds lost women and girls, so she seeks him out.

Except she's the one lost girl he's never been able to find.

Emilie and Jeremy must convince Rafe to join them for a trip to Shanandoah, where they must face evil spirits, ghosts, and reconnect with old friends.

Reminiscent of The Chronicles of Narnia without the overt Christianity (it's not <i> not</i> there, but it's not like IN YOUR FACE as with CS Lewis), the queer cast and themes of family, friendship, and love were heartwarming and bring a new life to a well-loved idea.

I would love to revisit this world and see more of Shanandoah, and it's definitely set up in a way that they could return!

Thanks to Netgalley, Ballantine, and Meg Shaffer for the ARC! 4.5/5

Special thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this advanced reader e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was full of whimsical characters, touching nostalgia, a hint of romance, and magic. Lots of magic.

I don’t generally read fantasy books but I’m so glad I made an exception for this one. The Lost Story has multiple plot lines so you’ll be sure to align most with at least one of them. 2 friends lost and then found together. 2 sisters reuniting after 15 years. A magical world that exists on the other side of reality. And a good old fashion struggle between good and evil. Pick your poison. This book is full of storylines.

Narnia definitely comes to mind when you think of the fantasy aspect of this book. But in my mind, Shanandoah is even more magical. Maybe that is because the imagery and descriptions that happens are just so bright, and colorful, and whimsical compared to their darker world of Narnia. Is it bad a kind of pictures the color scheme of CandyLand? The nostalgia really kicked in with the imagery Shaffer uses so gracefully. (Especially with Fleetwood Mac playing on repeat in my head while reading.)

Even though the world is so magical, the human connections and relationships were so concrete it held you in reality. The friendships and sisterly bond that flow throughout the book keep you grounded and make you feel for every single one of the main characters. The emotions are so tender but real, it really leaves you rooting for every single person you meet on these pages.

The only dislikes I had about the book was the fact that it took to long to get to Shanandoah. It wasn’t until about 40% in where you are fully engulfed in the whimsical world. I understand the lead up but I feel like I wanted more of Shanandoah earlier on to experience more of the world Shaffer so craft-fully created. The other downside was the “storyteller” voice. It seemed that this narrator was a way to bridge gaps in the story that may lengthen the book just a little too much, such as gaps of time or character development that would’ve made the book too long. However, a couple of these breaks came at inopportune times and although the storyteller blatantly apologizes for this, it still took away from some moments for me.

Meg Shaffer created a world that only a child could create. I felt like a kid again and that was my hope when selecting this book to read. I wanted to be taken back to a magical place and meet some wonderful characters along the way. Mission accomplished. I will definitely not be a stranger to the fantasy genre any longer. It was as if Shaffer handed this new appreciation for fantasy and magic to me as a gift in a whimsical velvet bag.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5/5

Thank you Random Books and Netgalley for an ARC of The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer in exchange for my honest opinion. While I do enjoy a good romance, crime detective, horror, historical fiction novel, I also enjoy a good fairy tale. I appreciate the creativity it takes to write about something so magical.

Meg Shaffer is now 2/2 in writing books that I’ve loved. Both times, she has put her own spin on classic novels. This time, it was The Chronicles of Narnia.

2 best friends go missing for months in the forest. When they finally return, the whole world is confused. They don’t look like they been living off the land for months. They look healthy, well fed, great. Rafe can’t seem to remember anything that happened during those months. Jimmy remembers everything and leaves the US. Jimmy also has the ability to find lost things/humans now.

Years later, Jimmy is asked to find someone. Only, in order to find this person, he must go to Rafe and they have to return to the forest. To the land beyond the forest that nobody else knows about. With Queens. and princes and evil little creatures that turn into smoke.

This feels like a beginning. A start to a journey that’s still waiting out there. And while it isn’t labelled as a book 1 anywhere that I can find, it sure would be nice if it was.

Skya’s personality didn’t shine through, so I would like to see that developed should there be future books. She didn’t stick out enough to care about her one way or the other. And except for Emilie’s bossiness, I really liked all the other characters, even Fritz, which was a fun addition to the book.

I liked this one. I enjoyed the possibilities and the magic, and I liked how everyone related to each other. A fun read.

The Lost Story starts off strong with a premise that promises fraught relationships and a magical journey but takes too long getting there.
Once upon a time, two boys got lost in the Virginian wilderness. One boy can't remember what happened to them and the other refuses to tell anyone. When they reconnect 15 years later to help solve a missing persons case revolving around the same woods they once disappeared into, answers slowly, slowly, come to the surface of where they were for those strange 6 months. The book takes roughly 50% to actually get moving, and from that point, I was already annoyed with the characters and their often-odd banter. When the magical land enters the mix, the lackluster worldbuilding didn't assist in holding my attention. While I'm sure this will be a joy to others, I found myself getting bored and looking forward to my next read.

If you read Meg Shaffers The Wishing Game, You will love The lost Story. Get ready to go on an epic adventure full of fairytale magic, self discovery, finding your tribe, and a love story not to be forgotten.

The Lost Story

By: Megg Shaffer

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 🌶️😇


Is there anything more magical than childhood friends? Those long lazy days pact full of adventure. Where a tree branch is easily used for a sword and every tree must be climbed. Where there are plenty of shenanigans and hours worth of giggles.
Jeremy and Rafe were the best of friends from the very start. Jeremy had a great uncle who was an earl and Rafe had an uncle in prison named Earl. But, as the saying goes, opposites attract.

Best friends stick together no matter what. Your best friend is running away? Well, pack my knapsack, I’m coming too. When these two teens enter the great mountains of West Virginia, they never imagined they’d be walking into a world straight out of a child’s imagination.

Even in a magical kingdom you still miss your loved ones though. And eventually they have to return home. But what happens when one of them remembers and the other does not? Magic has rules and you must follow them. Jeremy gains the ability to find whoever is lost. Rafe is now perpetually lost. With the hope to one day return to the land they left behind. Every relationship has their ups and downs. And this friendship ended on a rocky note when they returned home with no explanation where they had been for all those months and Rafe not recalling a single moment of their adventures.

Jeremy is a finder. He can locate anyone who is lost. He is known nation wide for his abilities. He’s the man to see when you are looking for a missing sister.

Emily is on a quest to find her sister who went missing in the same woods as Jeremy and Rafe. So naturally, Jeremy is the one to call for the job. Jeremy won’t return without Rafe.

Will they find a way to mend their broken friendship and return to the magical kingdom? Will Emilie’s lost sister ever be found? Find out in this magical adventure full of the nostalgia reminiscent of Narnia that will have you wanting to find your own magical kingdom.


What I liked:

. Magical realism & fantasy vibe. The author always does a phenomenal job at bringing that whimsical feel to her books. She has an uncanny ability to transport you straight into the book and feel that magic.

. Discovering oneself. For a few characters there was a bit of the going on. It was enjoyable watching the characters find themselves.

. I enjoyed a couple of the relationships. The author does a great job at portraying love and friendship.

. I enjoy the authors writing style in general. While in my opinion The Lost Story was not as good as The Wishing, I still enjoyed this one and will be reading any of her future books.

What I dislike:

. The beginning was strong and the ending was strong. You do however get lost in the middle somewhat. I got the sense that the author was rushed to write this book and could have developed it more if given the time to do so. While I enjoyed the chit chat and banter of the characters, I would have liked to spend more time with them.

. While the magical world had been entrancing, I also felt like it was very underdeveloped. The author give you a quick glimpse of it and then your gone shortly after. I feel like she could have easily added 200+ more pages and still wouldn’t have been enough to continue the story
.
. It read at times a child’s book or YA to me. But with the sexual innuendos and relationships, it made it feel odd. I feel like the author could really thrive as a YA or preteen author.

. Occurring theme of relationships. While I don’t care whatsoever what the orientation of a character is, I do however don’t like it being overly hyped up. It definitely took center stage and I think it took away from the store.

If you enjoyed my review, please folllow me on instagram @ Hemingwayandearlgrey

This is the second novel by Meg Shaffer and follows a familiar theme of portal fantasy. Inspired by C. S. Lewis and Narnia this novel both met expectations and was surprising in many respects. While not my typical genre I did enjoy this novel as much as her first.

This novel takes us on a journey with Rafe and Jeremy as they relive the adventures in another land where they got lost in Red Crow Forest when they were 14/15. They went to help Emilie find her lost sister. However this storyline ends partway through and we get a new adventure to experience inside the new world. The second half of the novel was far more predictable and therefore a little less fun to read as there was little surprise left, until the very end which was an impeccable finish!

The highlight of the novel for me was the authors world building- the lands/locations were beautifully described and I felt like I was either seeing them or in them in some cases. Well described, beautifully built for the reader and absolutely perfect. Additionally the characters were wonderful, quirky, well developed. They each had a distinct voice and POV and plot points.

Because this isn't my typical/favorite genre it's hard to rate it against what I love to read but I did thoroughly enjoy the novel!

I had high hopes for this Narnia-inspired tale, but ultimately it just didn’t resonate with me in the way I had hoped. It is a heartwarming story that I’m sure many readers will enjoy, but I personally wish there had been more depth to the characters, better dialogue, and better worldbuilding. I’ll still be reading Meg’s other book, The Wishing Game, because I’ve heard such great things!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

I have not yet read Meg Shaffer’s debut novel, The Wishing Game, but when I heard about her latest novel - a story inspired by C. S. Lewis and Narnia - I had to give it a try. Portal Fantasies are one of my favorite subgenres of the fantasy realm. Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children’s series being one I follow and read each new iteration as it comes out. If to is about a mystical doorway to a mystical realm beyond, you bet I’m going to read it. And as excited as I was to get my hands on a copy of The Lost Story, I did not love it with all my heart, sadly. I will attempt to walk through each thing I like to review and talk about why.

PLOT: There was more here than I had originally thought there was going to be which is always great. Don’t give all the good stuff away in the synopsis! We go on a journey with Rafe and Jeremy as they relive the adventures in another land when they got lost in Red Crow Forest when they were 14/15 to help Emilie find her lost sister. But that plot point ends at about the 50-60% mark and then we get a new adventure to deal with inside this new world. All very exciting… except for the fact that everything is so heavy handed and Shaffer has this thing where she repeats herself kinda heavy handedly, to the point where nothing was a surprise. At that 60% mark I could have written the rest of the book myself. I actually started skimming because I knew what was coming and just wanted to get through it. There was no suspense or anticipation. Honestly, as we hear from the “Storyteller” in the beginning the recipe for a good fairy tale, it was a very basic tale. Felt more like the plot was written for middle grade or a younger YA novel than for adults. 5/10

WRITING: Some of the stylistic and technical writing choices were not to my taste. I can see how they could work for some people, but many times throughout I found the style would jar me out of the story or I would have to go back and reread a sentence/paragraph because I did not understand what she was trying to say in context to the narrative around it. The biggest example of this for me was the addition of the omnipresent “Storyteller”. This entity inserts itself in ways that reminded me of the grandpa with the kid in Princess Bride. But where the movie (and I’m specifically referencing the movie as I haven’t finished the book) does this to be quirky, I don’t think that was the intention of Shaffer. And if it was, then I misread the whole narrative of the book. Much of what the “Storyteller” imparts to us could have been told through on of the main characters in the story who seems to have the same level of knowledge on the subject based on their comments to other characters. Also, there is so much repetitiveness. Subtly is not her forte (see plot above). 6.5/10

ATMOSPHERE: I think this is really where Meg Shaffer and this book shinned. There was not a location where I did not feel like I was there. Having never been to West Virginia, but having seen beautiful pictures of its rolling mountains and the statuesque trees, every descriptor got that spot on. Then we get to the magical world of Shanandoah. It feels like everything was filled with light and awash with watercolors. I would love to end up in a world like this. 10/10

CHARACTERS: I actually loved all of our characters… except when they were purposefully playing into the caricatures they were meant to be portraying. Either the knight, the wizard, the prince, the princess, the queen, the storyteller, etc. It was all very on the nose. Outside of that, they each had their own voice, their own motivations, their own desires, their own hardships, etc. 8/10

ENDING: I wasn’t originally going to add a fifth category, then Shaffer pulled off a great ending. An ending that was EVERYTHING I wanted the first 90% of the book to be. The suspense, the vulnerability, even the storytelling of the “Storyteller” became elevated. It just sang. 9/10 (heavily weighted)

So, overall, did I enjoy this book. Partially. Would I give another book by this author a try. Yes. Overall a 3.5/5 🌟

I loved this. Just as fun and enchanting as the wishing game if not more. I love the family dynamics and romance. A bit of a slow start but the setup was good and great banter among the 3 main characters.
I do wish there was more world building but I do understand why there wasn’t. This books made me cry multiple times from sadness and joy.
Shanandoah was so magical. I can only hope for a sequel though it is fine as a stand alone.

I so look forward to any upcoming books by Meg Schaffer.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.