Who wouldn’t want to venture into an alternate land, filled with beauty. unicorns, and kind royalty?! Like all fairytales, there is danger, evil, and heartache, but also wonder, honor and love. A lovely “modern” fairy tale.,

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer is a multi-POV contemporary fantasy where Jeremy and Ralph disappeared for six months when they were fourteen and were later found not only, but in better health than when they had left. Years later, the two have separated with Ralph remaining in his hometown and Jeremy now a famous search-and-rescuer who has found multiple missing girls and women. Emilie approaches Jeremy to help her find her sister who has been missing for more than a decade, bringing Jeremy and Ralph back to where they disappeared to all those years ago.

Throughout the novel, there is a Storyteller’s Corner which discusses different aspects of fairy tales as it relates to the story and little bits of the story itself. Serving as a fourth-wall-breaking narrator, the Storyteller provides some insight into characters we don’t have POV chapters from while also speaking with a strong voice of its own.

Ralph and Jeremy’s romance was not something I was expecting but it clicked into place when Emilie brought it up. I found their romance to be one of my favorite parts, from the yearning to the years of being apart to Jeremy remembering what happened when they were missing and Ralph not, there’s some delightful angst without feeling drawn out or melodramatic. The pacing of the romance felt really good.

My favorite POV character was probably Jeremy. The moments where he focuses on Ralph are brimming with longing, but there’s also this reverence for their shared past. It reads really beautifully. The dialogue was another thing I really liked, as it felt natural and true to each character while breaking certain expectations that come with portal fantasies. The little references to Narnia were sprinkled throughout in a way that felt organic instead of gimmicky.

Content warning for mentions of child abuse and homophobia

I would recommend this those looking for portal fantasies that are self-aware, fans of contemporary fantasy that shifts from our world to a secondary world, and readers looking for a Queer romance that both is and isn’t established.

Meg Shaffer’s second book is filled with creativity and imagination, and I imagine it will be just as popular as her debut book. It’s a book that is hard to describe without giving away any details, but if you enjoy fantasy sprinkled with dollops of reality and hope then pick up this book and give it a chance. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I find it so interesting that this is tagged the same way on Goodreads (at least at the time of writing this review) as The Wishing Game; specifically fantasy and magical realism. While I loved the whimsical writing style of The Wishing Game, I didn’t consider it to be a fantasy at all. It was whimsical, not magical, and that’s where The Lost Story is different. This is a fantasy story full of magic.

Starting this book and seeing the map of Shanadoah made me intrigued as to when that element would come into the story because it started very realistic - not like a fantasy story. Unfortunately I personally preferred that to when the book turned more into a fantasy, but that ended less than halfway into the book.

I think this may just be that I’m not the target audience for this book. I saw that it was inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia, and think that’s an excellent comparison. I think the ideal reader of this book is an adult who read that series as a child and grew up loving it. I read it as an adult and disliked it, so I never got into that element of this book.

The main characters all won me over almost immediately after they were introduced. I love their banter and friendship. Comments like “plus tshirts are tops” literally made me laugh out loud (not giving the context for that one, y’all can read it and hopefully laugh too). I think the reason it lost me when Shenandoah was introduced was because I just didn’t feel such a strong connection when it had been 15 years, after a 6 month experience. While by no means did I feel like the story become YA, the way the past was reminisced on made it feel like (to me) at times the characters were trying to relive what their 15 year old selves went through as opposed to who they were today.

I’m still very glad that I read this, and overall I do think Meg Shaffer has a writing style I enjoy. I know that so many adults grew up loving books that will really make them connect to this story.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Books are magic. Maybe even the strongest magic to exist."

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐬𝐭:

In the vast expanse of a West Virginia state forest, childhood best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell vanished without a trace, only to reappear six months later with no recollection of where they had been or how they had survived.

Now, fifteen years later, Rafe is a reclusive artist still haunted by the scars of their mysterious disappearance, while Jeremy has become a renowned investigator of missing persons. When Emilie Wendell seeks Jeremy's help to find her missing sister, who disappeared in the same forest as Rafe and Jeremy, the pieces of a puzzle start to come together.

As they embark on a quest to find Emilie's sister, the trio must confront their shared past and the traumatic memories that lie within. Secrets must be revealed as they journey back to the enchanted world where they spent six months, in order to reclaim everything they have lost.

Together with Emilie's determination, Rafe and Jeremy must navigate the dangers of the magical realm once more, for only there can they uncover the truth and find what they seek.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬 & 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
💫 Cozy fantasy
🗺️ Quest
🔎 Secrets & mystery
🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ representation
🫂 Found family

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖:
✳︎ Narnia inspired fairytale
✳︎ A Storyteller that occasionally breaks the fourth wall
✳︎ Heavy topics tackled in a sensitive manner

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer has woven its way into my heart in a way I never expected. From the first page, I was drawn into a mesmerizing world of emotion and mystery that I never wanted to leave. The characters - Emilie, Jeremy, and Rafe - felt like old friends, their struggles and triumphs resonating with me on a deep level. As they set out on a quest to find Emilie's sister Shannon, I felt like I was right beside them, cheering them on every step of the way.

But it wasn't just the characters that captured my heart; it was the world of Shanandoah itself. Meg Shaffer's vivid descriptions brought this magical place to life, making me feel like I was walking through its enchanted forests and feeling the breeze on my skin. The relationships between the characters, the bonds they shared, and the magic woven by the Storyteller all combined to create a symphony of love and adventure that left me longing for more.

The Lost Story is a masterpiece that delicately handles heavy themes while whisking readers away on a journey of enchantment and excitement. It's a book that will stay with me for years to come, and one that I'll be recommending to everyone I know.

𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (𝟺/𝟻)

𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝙽𝚎𝚝𝙶𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚁𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚖 𝙷𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙶𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚙 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙰𝚁𝙲!

I was really excited to read this book because I enjoyed The Wishing Game. However, I found the writing and characters to be a bit simplistic and juvenile. I did like the premise of the story. Thanks to NetGalley for this preview!

Meg Shaffer's debut novel was fantastic and this....it fell flat. I literally had to force myself to finish it. I would have maybe loved it if I was a kid, but the writing felt sloppy and rushed to me.

I think I had my expectations set a little too high for this one. The premise was very intriguing, and I really loved a lot of the world building. But for me, the characters didn’t have a lot of depth and the dialogue felt really stilted. It was hard to get through the dialogue at points. This book has been called Narnia for adults quite a bit, but I think there’s a reason Narnia was a children’s series. I think this book could’ve benefitted from making the characters younger as well. Overall it was enjoyable, if not my favorite read of the year. Thank you NetGalley and Randomhouse for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC copy for an honest review.

What a beautiful, magical ride this was. I really enjoyed the characters and the setting was so lovely. This was just full of whimsy. I didn’t love this quite as much as The Wishing Game and saw a couple of the plot twists coming. But overall still had such a lovely time with it. I think this is one that will stick with me for a while.

If you love fairy tales and the art of storytelling, then The Lost Story could be your perfect match. It's a story of whimsy, friendship, love, and adventure, all told through the lens of childhood stories we all wished would come true. We follow Emilie, a young women hoping to find her older sister; Jeremy, a man adept at finding things and desperate to return to the world he lost; and Rafe, a man who wants to reclaim his memories and the friendship that seemingly dissolved overnight. Together, they find what they've been searching for in a world born of imagination.

I enjoyed Meg Shaffer's first novel, The Wishing Game, immensely when I read it earlier this year, so I was excited to pick up her second novel. Unfortunately, The Lost Story fell a bit flat for me. I found the "Storyteller Corner" interludes frustrating because they pulled me out of the story every time. I'd become invested in a character or what was happening in the main story and then get abruptly pulled out when the storyteller interjected. I also struggled with the lead characters. I liked them as individuals, but not as a trio. The banter was fun and made me laugh out loud at times, but for the most part, I just couldn't understand their chemistry.

Despite my experience, I know this book is going to be perfect for so many people. It's the sort of book you curl up with on a rainy day with your blanket and cup of tea (or coffee, if you're me). I honestly just think this could have been a timing thing for me because, on paper, this book had everything I love in a story. I just couldn't connect in the way I wanted to. I enjoy the whimsical nature of Shaffer's stories and writing, so I'll definitely pick up her next book and give her another shot.

Having just finished The Wishing Game a month ago, I was ecstatic to be entering another world created by Meg Shaffer. Halfway through chapter one, I could see my inner-reader-self rubbing her hands together with glee, saying, “ooh this is going to be even better!” When I tell you that I could not stop thinking about this book from the time I finished page 1 to several days after finishing the entire thing, I am not exaggerating in the slightest.

We start with two teenage boys that have been missing in the woods of West Virginia and are suddenly found 6 months later, (larger, stronger, and healthier than they were before!). We/they have no idea where they’ve been but something traumatic seems to have happened to them. And this is all in the prologue, people! We then zoom forward 15 years to Emilie Wendell, a young adult, reeling from the death of her mother, on her journey to speak with Jeremie Cox, one of the lost boys, now 30 years old and an expert in finding lost girls. Emilie needs Jeremie’s help to find her missing older half-sister. Jeremie recognizes her lost sister from the time that he was missing AND to find her, they need to go to the forest that he went missing in 15 years ago (you can’t make this stuff up people! Well actually, Meg Schaffer can). We begin to suspect that Jeremie may actually remember the 6 months he was missing after all. Jeremie joyfully agrees to help her (why joyful? Oh, you’ll find out!) but says that he can’t help her without Rafe. Oh dear, dear Rafe. Rafe was the other lost boy and Jeremie’s best childhood friend, but they hadn’t spoken in the 15 years since they were found. It’s completely heartbreaking but also such a juicy storyline that my inner-reader-self practically slurped it up with a straw.

You can probably guess that Rafe eventually agrees to aid Jeremie and Emilie and they head into the woods to track down Emilie’s sister. I won’t say too much else about what happens next except, “Further up and further in! You’re going to Narnia, folks!” though, it’s not actually Narnia but “Shanondoah,” a mythical land of magic that Jeremie remembers, and Rafe does not (Heart. Breaking!).

The points of view alternate between Emilie, Jeremie, Rafe and a mysterious “Storyteller.” I tried for a while to decide which viewpoint was my favorite, but eventually I gave up and said, “to hell with it, I love them all!” I will say that the Storyteller’s viewpoints were really clever and fun. Essentially, the narrator interrupts the story every few chapters to give us some behind the scenes details or talk with us as if they were telling the story to us around a fire and would pause for comments and questions. I absolutely loved it.

This story touches on all the different kinds of love people have for one another and the consequences of that love. There is magic and danger and I felt just like I did reading The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe for the first time, but make it adult. I can’t finish this review without mentioning my two favorite side characters, Fitz and Rafe’s mom. Fitz is Emile’s pet “fancy rat” and he spends a good chunk of time living in Emilie’s hoodie pocket and chewing Jeremie’s hoodie string. Rafe’s mom loves her son and, to quote the book, “loved everyone he (Rafe) loved,” as a mother should. If this book is not a Book of the Month pick, I might lose my mind.

There are a few trigger warnings I would mention. Off page child abuse and anti-queer sentiment from a specific character.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

i am so grateful to netgalley and ballantine books for the chance to read this ARC!!!


“you… are my kingdom. where you are is where i belong.”

i didn’t think i would love another book as much as i loved the wishing game, but i think i might love this book the tiniest bit more? i will read as many stories about shanandoah as meg shaffer wants to write. this book felt like a cup of warm apple cider on a chilly fall day, but the sky has some dark clouds that threaten rain. it’s a book full of beautiful and tragic love stories among family, friends, and lovers. the ending felt the tiniest bit rushed to me, but i also see how it’s perfectly setting up a sequel (please mrs shaffer, i need a sequel so bad i already miss rafe and jeremy and emilie and skya!!!!!) if you love fairy tales, adventures in far away lands, fancy rats named fritz, the mountains of west-by god!-virginia, and horses, this book will be the book of your dreams. i cried, i laughed, i gasped, i feared for the fate of our fearless heroes, and i felt the love of friends pour off the page. please read this book when it comes out this summer. that’s an order!!!
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I was fortunate to get my hands on an advanced reader copy of Meg Shaffer's latest novel, "The Lost Story". From the very first page of "The Lost Story", I was drawn into a world of mystery and intrigue that kept me turning the page. Shaffer's storytelling ability shines through in this captivating tale, weaving fairy tales, fantasy, and friendship together. For those of us who still hold a special place in our hearts for fairytales, this is a book that will leave you believing in magic all over again.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the chance to review this book.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

What to expect in this book:

-Fairy Tales
-Based on Chronicles of Narnia
-Magical creatures
-Found family
-Friendships
-Suspended belief/slight fantasy
-West Virginia setting

Thoughts

After reading and absolutely loving the author's debut novel, The Wishing Game, I could not wait to read her newest, set to publish July 2024. The Lost Story is much more fantasy-based than the Wishing Game and continues the themes of found family and self-discovery. Best friends, Ralph (Rafe) and Jeremy, went missing in a West Virginia state forest over fifteen years ago for six months. Now fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Jeremy has become a famed investigator of lost persons and Rafe seemingly remembers nothing of their time away. When Emilie Wendell seeks to find her sister, who has been missing for twenty years, she knows the only person who can find her is Jeremy. However, although Jeremy knows he can help Emilie find her sister, he knows that in order to do so, he will have to confront Rafe and a place that he has not seen or spoken of in over 15 years. A place of enchantment and fantasy, that might prove to also be dangerous to them all.

As a child, I grew up loving the Chronicles of Narnia and C.S Lewis. When I heard that this story would be loosely based on that, I was so enticed. However, I feel that the execution of that narrative fell extremely flat. The pacing of the story was very off for me and while my interest was peaked in the first 25% of the story, it quickly tapered off as it seemed to take too long to get to the place that readers will be anticipating. I love magical realism and magic, but the characters did not feel relatable to me, both human and mystical. I also felt this quickly dove into more of a romance in a way that did not feel necessary. I loved the found family elements, but felt like some parts were juvenile.

I would have loved to see more of Rafe and Jeremy's story within this world 15 years ago than just in the present day. There were also some tougher subjects mentioned such as physical and emotional abuse that I felt could have been worked through more. I think I was just looking for more nostalgia from this one and did not get that feeling like I did with The Wishing Game. I hate to compare a book to a debut, especially one that was so well-received, but this one just did not resonate with me. Overall, if you like more fantasy than magical realism, you might enjoy this one more than I did! Look for The Lost Story this summer!

Two friends, Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell have been best friends since they met in high school. When they go missing in the wilderness of Virginia, it begins an adventure of epic proportions. The forest holds many secrets, magical aspects are all around as well as danger. Fast forward, Jeremy and Rafe are now adults having walked out of the forest, six months after they went missing. Rafe lives in a cabin away from everyone. Jeremy finds missing people. When Emilie Wendell asks him to find her missing sister, who went missing in the same forest, will Jeremy and Rafe go back into the forest that held them captive for six months? Can they go back, what will they find when they go back and what does Jeremy know that he isn’t sharing?

I was enthralled by this story, it is well written and I enjoyed getting to know the characters but what I enjoyed most was the vision and imagination that went into the story. Without giving anything away, isn’t there a part of you that wants to find the world where magic does exist? A hidden place to explore and see the beauty of a place that makes you feel like a kid on Christmas morning, giddy and with wonder in your eyes? This story does just that, it reminds you about possibilities. Yes, there are some harsh realities but it is surviving and going through those hard moments that makes experiencing the beauty and wonder so worth it. Open yourself to this book, you won’t regret it.

This was such a good book! I could not put it down and read it in one sitting. I would definitely recommend this book to all my family and friends.

An interesting story. Comparison to the Narina series are not accurate. This is its own story that travels through time. I did not think the Storyteller Corner added much until the end. I did not guess it. Ended in what could hopefully be a follow up book.

OMG this book was SUCH a delight! After reading The Wishing Game I had super high hopes for Meg Shaffer's next release and it did not disappoint!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine books for the opportunity to read this e-arc!

Sweet, abstract, and entertaining. It's a wonderful story about people facing inner demons and I love how it's adults and not early 20 yr olds. Sometimes the dialogue does seem a little "high school" but it flows with the story progression. I love the multiple pov and the break up of the story. I feel the build up is a tad long and and then the story you want is to short. Overall, complex characters just wish there was a tad bit more.

I had extremely high hopes coming into this book. Inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia, which is one of my absolute favorites, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, I hyped this book up big time. And while it didn't exactly disappoint, it didn't quite live up to my expectations either. I loved the story and the way it was told, but I just wanted...more. More of the fantasy world, more of the romance (and I don't mean spice, I mean the heart), more of the friendship. It felt to me like reading a middle grade fantasy with all the magic and wonder but not taking anything too deep, but I am in a place where I want the deep. To be fair, Shaffer makes the point that the magical land of Shanandoah does not take itself too seriously, and maybe that was the goal. Shaffer mastered the balance of whimsy and depth in her first novel, but I didn't quite get that here.

In summation, I really did enjoy it, but my extremely high expectations may have let me down just a little.