3.5 stars, rounded up. I tore through this fantasy like it was a can of Pringles. Despite the adult protagonists, it felt very YA to me (a feeling which was actually explained quite well later in the novel). This is a portal fantasy, inspired by C.S. Lewis, and while it was very entertaining, it also felt rushed, with too much crammed into too few pages. Best friends Jeremy and Rafe went missing in the woods of West Virginia when they were boys, and they were mysteriously discovered alive and (mostly) healthy six months later, with no explanation for where they'd been. Fifteen years later, the friends aren't in touch at all. Rafe is a reclusive artist, and Jeremy is a celebrity who finds missing girls and women all over the world. When Emilie approaches Jeremy to ask for his help finding her half-sister, who disappeared in the same woods as Jeremy and Rafe did, the three adults set off on a wild and fantastical journey together. Ultimately this was a fun read but one that was missing something I can't quite put a finger on. Partly it was the boys' romance, which didn't feel authentic/organic to me. Partly it was because I would have liked more focus on Emilie, and she ended up feeling a bit one-dimensional and shunted to the side. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for a digital review copy.

Thank you so very much to both NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. I was thrilled to get a chance to read this author’s new release. I really enjoyed The Wishing Game and was greatly anticipating The Lost Story.

The imagery was lyrical and immersive and I enjoyed the quirky magical elements, but the character development felt disjointed and I wasn’t sold on the romance. I think it tried to cover too much ground in a short amount of time and it felt more YA than a fully fleshed out adult novel. I still look forward to future work from this author.

I chose to DNF this book around 35% of the way through. While I initially thought the premise was intriguing and was enjoying the writing style there was some unexpected content that I prefer to not read.
I think other readers will find this book to be whimsical and nostalgic and am sure it will find it's audience.

3.75 stars. I thought this book was entertaining and enjoyable. I liked all the characters and the Chronicles of Narnia inspiration; however, it very much felt like a middle grade or YA novel. I understand the main characters are adults but even in the present day parts of the book, it never felt like they grew out of being teenagers. Perhaps that is the point if we are going for a “fairytale for adults,” but it did cause me to not be fully invested in the characters and their story. I think this a good book, but I would not necessarily recommend it as a novel for adults.

Jeremy Cox and friend Rafe went missing during a school trip.Shortly, the boys became considered “The Lost boys”. Surprisingly, the boys reappeared 6 months later, and their appearance had not changed. Who cared for the boys, why do they look quite healthy. 15 years later, Rafe has become a well known artist and does not remember one moment of the ordeal. Unlike his friend, Jeremy remembered the ordeal. Later, becoming a well known investigator.

Using his abilities, Jeremy was hired by Emillie to find her half-sister Shanon. Similar to the young men Shannon became lost in the same forest.The three headed into the forest to find her and the three went on a fairytail in order to find Shannon.

The fantasy is wonderful, how can you not love unicorns “unicorn on Jeremy’s lap.”
The characters are a part of the fantasy.

Thank you Meg Shaffer, Random house books, and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this exciting novel.

I can't find the words to describe how much I love this book. After reading her first book, The Wishing Game, I was cautiously optimistic about this title. I didn't love that book but I could see the potential. Well, I wasn't let down--the opposite, in fact. Shaffer's whimsical writing patterns and huge imagination made this story utterly fantastic. Ralph, Jeremy, and Emilie were fairy tale characters of the highest caliber, written on the edge between unbelievable and heroic. They will all be in my heart forever and I hope that, one day, they will be together again. I'll absolutely be recommending this book to my customers and coworkers.

Unfortunately, this book was a disappointment for me. I loved Meg Shaffer’s The Wishing Game last year, so I figured it would love The Lost Story. I struggled to get through it though, and didn’t end up liking the storyline. I wasn’t a fan or have read The Chronicles of Narnia that this book was inspired by. The pacing was so slow. Was not invested in the characters or the romance. I have a Bookstagram review post, that I have linked below.

I absolutely love everything Meg Shaffer writes! If you enjoyed The Wishing Game, you’ll eat this one up too.

This story is full of whimsy, lovable characters, mystical creatures, and a fantasy world accessed only through the West Virginian woods (as a West Virginian who lives pretty close to where it takes place, I loved this).

Shaffer is incredible at writing stories that are equal parts light & fun while also having emotional depth and life lessons.

Highly recommend for cozy fantasy lovers!!

I really loved The Wishing Game and was very excited to read this! It was a quick, fun read with mystery, adventure and enchantment. The story has a young adult/cozy fantasy feel with more serious topics of abuse and grief tied in. I loved the easy-to-root-for characters, their friendships and the realm they venture to - Shanandoah. I craved a bit more world building though, as many experiences within Shanandoah were from stories. Here’s hoping for a book two someday to get more of that world! I adore Meg’s whimsical writing style and also loved the Clock Island reference from her previous book.

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and Meg Shaffer for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was optimistic about this release as I really enjoyed Meg Shaffer's debut “The Wishing Game”. I loved her whimsy writing in that book, and the poignant way she covered heavier topics such as child neglect and loss of a parent. I could see Meg aimed for that same whimsical style in this story as well. But unfortunately the writing in "The Lost Story" fell short for me, and overall was too gratingly juvenile for my liking. The characters' dialogues were often nonsensical tangents that were just cumbersome to read. Instead of fun bantering, their conversations just came across as a bit immature for an adult fantasy. The childish dialogues were such an odd contrast with the heavier themes explored in the book (physical abuse, kidnapping, substance addiction).

Another issue I had with the book was the pacing. It took 40% into the story before things actually got interesting. It was pretty slow going for almost the first half of the book; there was a lot of telling and not showing in the story. We're given a lot of backstory but with the lack of showing, I never really felt fully pulled into the story. I still finished the book as it was fine enough for me to complete, but overall this was definitely a mid reading experience. As far as portal fantasies go, this wasn't one of my favorite

I am still interested in checking out the author's future works, and am hoping for better luck w/ her next work.

Overall, I really loved the story of The Lost Story. It was heartwarming and sweet.

However, I felt that the book overall was written a little more childish-ly than I was expecting. For it being an adult book, it felt more like middle grade.

What a whimsically captivating story!! It expanded my imagination to new realms.. Love the ending??

Thanks NetGalley, Meg Shaffer, and Ballantine Books for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

Absolutely lovely! I highlighted so many lines in this book. A fairy tale for grownups and I lived it completely.

I thought The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer was an absolutely delightful read. That is not to say that there weren't painful aspects to the story, but I thought those aspects of the novel were done well and somehow written with the same deftness that categorized the fantasy portions of the book. I believed the characterizations in the story, though not deep and detailed, hit the right notes for me (and I truly liked all four of the main characters). Similarly, though the world-building was not as intense as many fantasy lovers might prefer, it was perfect for me. I also enjoyed the "storyteller" interludes of the book and felt they provided the break and balance needed. And finally, I truly enjoyed the voice in this book. The writing was touching and funny and I thought the repartee was excellent. This is definitely a book I'll be recommending.

Thank you NetGalley and Meg Shaffer for the chance to give my honest review about this book.

I don't have to much to say on this book. It was alright. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. This was my first Meg Shaffer book and to be honest I hadn't heard of her until I got the request for this book, smack me on the wrist it's okay lol! It honestly just wasn't my jam but maybe I'll pick it up in the future and give it a reread

A fairy tale for grown ups. A journey of redemption, love, and the enduring magic of forgotten places.
May thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a solid 4.5 star for me. I loved the characters and the plot. For fans of C.S. Lewis's Narnia but all grown up. It was charming and cozy like a warm blanket. I loved the camaraderie of the characters and the world that Shaffer has built. If you liked her previous novel, I highly recommend picking this up.

To me, this was another retelling of a story that was better the first time. I did not like the Wishing Game as I thought it was a rip-off of Roald Dahl and other novels with a game element. This was trying too hard to be Narnia.

This was billed as a fairytale for adults. And it certainly is! The novel was basically well written. However, when it got to the fairytale portion, I found it got a bit childish in the telling. The book has humor, heartbreak, and adult issues and situations that the characters must deal with. Thereby giving it an adult quality. I really liked this novel because the story was so compelling and the characters were so appealing. I highly recommend it.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer is a fantasy adventure novel. What if there was a magical realm ruled by a queen and her attending valkyries? What if lost boys and girls aren’t really lost?

Inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia, this also reminded me of Alice in Wonderland. Why? Because not everything in Wonderland is wonderful.

While I enjoyed the novel, it has some issues preventing it from being a 4 or 5 star read.

The novel feels like a mishmash of a lighthearted, YA fantasy rom-com and a more serious adult novel touching on grief and abuse.

Additionally, I felt the world-building for Shanandoah could have been better. We learn most of the good bits only second and third-hand, in retellings and stories, and not through the direct action of the plot.

And finally, the novel includes a fairy godmother-like storyteller who inserts themselves between chapters. I didn’t care for this, and I felt it mostly pulled you out of the (already) disjointed story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for an advance copy in exchange for sharing my opinions. All opinions in this review are my own.