"All books are magic. An object that can take you to another world without even leaving your room? A story written by a stranger and yet it seems they wrote it just for you or to you? ...Yes, books are magic. Maybe even the strongest magic there is."

A fairytale land exists in the confines of West Virginia, and for two boys it becomes home. The friendship formed by Rafe and Jeremy, two opposites, creates the story for which worlds are made with a Queen, her Prince, Princess and Knight. This whimsical fantasy lets you get lost in a fairytale reminiscent of Narnia.

Shaffer's world building was immersive, and its a story about love and family.

I definitely need more of Rafe and Jeremy!

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books

I thought this book was overall sweet and enjoyable but at the end of the day I don't think it was for me. I felt similarly about this author's other work so I didn't have terribly high expectations going into this. I can see someone really loving this, though.

I’ve been sitting on writing this review because I was finding it hard to put into words JUST how much I loved this book. If you grew up waiting for your Hogwarts letter, or checking the backs of closets for a sprinkle of snow and a doorway to Narnia… this one is for you.

This story follows the mysterious early adulthood years of two now-adults, then-teen-boys who went missing in the woods of Appalachia for 6 months and returned, suddenly and unexpectedly, one with no memory of his time away. Fate brings them together with the younger sister of a girl who went missing in the same woods twenty years ago, and the journey begins.

I will admit that I had some problems with the author’s previous book, but this one was a LOVE for me. I suspended my disbelief, buckled up for wherever she was going to take me, and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I loved the themes of found family, the magical and wondrous natural world, and the nod to the fantastical fictional worlds of our youth - marred by the unfortunate truth of the real world of adulthood. My only qualm is that the author absolutely and fully uses the concept of intrusive thoughts entirely incorrectly, and as a therapist, it felt like she heard it on tiktok and decided to make it mean whatever she thought it should mean and it totally took me out of the story. I’d love to see this edited before the final copy goes to print - a girl can dream!

Regardless, though, I really enjoyed this one and can’t wait to get a copy for my forever shelves. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read an early copy!

Ebook received for free through NetGalley

I am so happy I came across this book. It was the perfect blend of whimsy, strength, Narnia references, and awesomeness. Can’t wait to read a sequel if it happens!

Wishing Game by this author was one of my favorite reads last year so I was sooo excited to get this Arc. I wanted to love it but it wasn’t for me, unfortunately. I will still look forward to new releases by this author because of her unique storylines and the way she tells the stories.

"The Lost Story" by Meg Shaffer unravels the mystery of childhood friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell, who vanished in a West Virginia forest only to reappear six months later with no memory of their ordeal. Now, fifteen years later, Rafe is a reclusive artist while Jeremy has become a renowned missing persons' investigator. When vet tech Emilie Wendell seeks Jeremy's help in finding her missing sister, who vanished in the same forest, Jeremy knows the fantastical truth behind their disappearance: they were in a magical realm. As they embark on a quest to find Emilie's sister, Jeremy must confront his past and secrets kept from Rafe, while Emilie, Rafe, and Jeremy journey back to the enchanted world they once called home in search of answers and closure. Shaffer's novel is a gripping tale of friendship, mystery, and the enduring power of memory.

4.5 stars
The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer was so fun to read. I loved how imaginative it was and how even as adults, people need an escape. The description of the magical realm was so beautiful and I just wanted to immerse myself in the world and be there with them. I loved all the characters and rooted for them through the whole journey. Except the Bright Boys, I hope the river sweeps them all away. Wonderfully written story, easy to read, happy ending. I look forward to reading more works by Meg Shaffer.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I feel conflicted about the Lost Story by Meg Shaffer. I feel like there were moments of brilliance in this story (the entire arc of Rafe and Jeremy's relationship) that felt dulled by other elements of the story. For instance, I really struggled with the Storyteller Corner sections. The inclusion of these segments didn’t really make sense to me until the very end, so in the meantime, I found them frustrating and unnecessary. A lot of times, these segments would appear in between chapters in a way that broke the tension and interrupted the flow of the narrative; sometimes they were entirely pithy quips that felt reminiscent of AO3 author notes. I eventually started to skip over them, only to realize that some of these segments actually continued the plot. Maybe that was the whole point was for these sections to feel like juvenile author notes, considering some of the plot reveals, but this knowledge doesn’t make these sections more enjoyable for me.

I also struggled a lot with Emilie as a character. I understand that her mom abused substances while pregnant and Emilie has been neurodevelopmentally impacted by this, and Emilie states she does not have self-censorship because of this. However, as a neurodivergent person myself, it was so hard to read Emilie’s dialogue. Listening to her word-vomit about Fleetwood Mac to a stranger she pulled aside and is alone with in a national park as she’s about to ask for a favor created this skin-crawling secondhand embarrassment for me. At other points too, her dialogue dives entirely into adorkable, 2014-era-Tumblr-post level of talking (example being her saying she wants to boop death on the nose). Emilie deserves love and respect, but honestly, she is just too reminiscent of past versions of myself that she causes gut-wrenching cringe and she makes me want to throw my book. I just can’t read a book from her perspective.

Ultimately, this story was very sweet. I liked the different forms of love showed in this book. The found family elements were extremely tender, I loved the different moms in this story, I loved the power of Rafe growing beyond his father and accepting the love he has for Jeremy. This story felt whimsical and full of love. The frustrating elements of the story were made even more so by how delightful the rest of the story was. The Wishing Game didn’t really elicit a strong reaction in me, but it felt like a warm hug and I knew other people would love it for that reason. This book feels the same; I wanted to love it more, but if you need a story about love, feeling accepted, and being found, this is for you.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. The Lost Story was an extremely unique fantasy-adventure that feels nostalgic to those who loved the Narnia stories when they were younger. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, though I will say that it took me a while to get invested, as the beginning was a little slow to progress, but once you get through the beginning exposition, you're hooked. Another great book by Ms. Shaffer!

*ARC review*

After Meg Shaffer’s debut with The Wishing Game last year, her follow up novel, The Wishing Game, was less magical realism, and more *magic*.

This was such a whimsical tale, heavily influenced by The Chronicles of Narnia. I LOVED being taken to Shanandoah with Rafe & Jeremy, and I truly hope that this isn’t the end of their story!

The Lost Story was witty, so incredibly clever, and the characters were so lovable. Highly recommend this book when it comes out!!

What a fun and creative tale! A modern fairy tale, inspired by Narnia. I appreciated the humor and was captivated by the characters. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Lost Story" is a poignant and captivating novel that takes readers on a journey through mystery, adventure, and self-discovery. Shaffer's masterful storytelling weaves together intricate plotlines and complex characters, keeping readers hooked from beginning to end. The protagonist's quest to unravel the secrets of the past is both compelling and thought-provoking, leading to unexpected twists and revelations. Shaffer's vivid descriptions transport readers to different times and places, making "The Lost Story" a truly immersive reading experience. With notes of nostalgia for the beloved stories of our childhood (think Narnia), this tale reminds us what it's like to experience the innocence of childhood and that honor and loyalty are our greatest attributes.
Overall, it's a must-read for anyone who enjoys a blend of suspense and emotion in their literature.

Full of whimsy and wonder with just the right amount of romance, lovers of the The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer will love The Lost Story. The Lost Story explores the age-old question: What if we didn’t quell the child inside of us? What if we instead leaned into our curiosity and playfulness? What I love about Meg Shaffer’s novel is she explores the coming of age trope in a new way. We are used to teenagers going on voyages of self-discovery, but what about adults who are still lost and trying to find themselves? The Lost Story does just that as it follows Emilie, Rafe, and Jeremy.

The characters come together seamlessly as they uncover the truth about Red Crow Forest and the disappearances fifteen years earlier. The first character, Emilie, has recently lost her job and is on the hunt for her sister. Jeremy is a missing persons’ investigator using his uncanny navigating skills to help others who have become lost. Rafe is an artist, secluded in the wilderness. Together they embark on a journey to find not only Emilie’s sister but the truth about their disappearances as well.

The Lost Story is a lighthearted read with lovable characters. The characters of Jeremy and Rafe are strong, relatable, and charming. You want to root for them. You want them to find themselves, to find out what’s been lost, and if they’ll forge forward to the future.

For lovers of fairy tales and nostalgia, this is a must read!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Instagram: english_versevoyager
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/163308591?ref=nav_profile_l

Shaffer’s first novel was the first with a fantasy component that I’ve had any appreciation for, so I was super stoked to read her second book. Her ability to develop maturing and childhood processing themes we all work through and weave them through to our childhood ideals is her special gift! An author local to Louisville, Shaffer features Bernheim Forest at the start, and makes Kentucky gestures throughout the first half. I loved the development of a once lost boy who now, almost magically, helps families find their lost children. Though the fantasy portion of the book didn’t hit as strongly for me as her first book’s, the way the character’s healing journeys develop and expand are light yet involved and so many readers can find themes to connect with. While it wasn’t the door to fantasy I was hoping for, it was a highly readable fun afternoon reading adventure through Ky locale and Wild West Virginia.

May be one of my favorite books…ever. This was so phenomenal. The fairy tale of my adult dreams. How is Shaffer such an expert at breaking your heart and putting it back together?? I thought The Wishing Game was great and this blew it out of the water. The way this story was told worked SO well for me. I truly felt like I was reading a fairytale in the same way I did as a child. Reminiscent of Narnia, The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, and others. This was so different than what I was expecting in the most amazing way. Ultimately about facing the past, what we have thought we have forgotten, and what we have tried to forget but maybe never really did. And you may just cry a few (or several) tears.

Thank you netgalley and Ballantine for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Net Galley, Random House Publishing/Ballentine Books and Meg Shaffer for this ARC to review. These are my honest opinions.

There were parts of this book that I enjoyed. The story was great and has a lot of potential. But, it felt flat for me in too many places.

I couldn’t wait to get into the “fairy tale for adults” part of this book. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until 41% into the book before anything like a fairy tale came about. So, that only left 59% of a fairy tale book to be about a fairy tale. I did like the how and why of Jeremy and Rafe and the last fifteen years.

The Storyteller: meh. I’ve never read a book that had anything like that in it. It wasn’t a bad thing, but maybe too much telling and not enough showing.

Emilie took a backseat too quickly for my taste. She was the one I was rooting for, but she didn’t play as big a role as I would have thought.

And, I guessed the foretelling every time. I hate when that happens as it disappoints me when m not at least a little surprised.

The Lost Story was okay, but I most likely won’t read book two if there is one.

I fell in love with Jeremy. Honestly all the characters are love able in this magical story about the lost, how they’re found and most most importantly how they heal and forgive. It’s beautifully written and Shaffer has some wittiness. I love that family can be chosen.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this one better than her debut novel.

Thank you Net Galley for this advance reader copy. #netgalley #TheLostStory #ballentinebooks #randomhousepublishing #megshaffer @meg_shaffer #scifi #womensfiction #romance

This book was just what my heart needed! A magical land, endearing characters, and a beautiful story. I did not want this book to end and hope that more are to come.

This is my first-ever ARC review, and I am grateful for the opportunity. The book has some positive moments but I found it to be juvenile at times, which seemed more suited for a middle-grade audience despite the deep topics. The dialogue and banter were disjointed and unnatural. I have previously read Meg Shaffer's The Wishing Game and found the dialogue and storytelling similar in that book. Still, I preferred the storyline of this book and found it more interesting.

Without giving too much away, the fantasy element seemed immature and the timeline was too long. 15 years is a lot, and it is unlikely for 30-year-olds to be reliving their 15-year-old experiences.

Despite these shortcomings, I appreciated the themes of acceptance, forgiveness, and vulnerability. Additionally, I found the narrator to be a cute addition. Overall, this book is 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer

This is a fairy tale with a narrator. That may appear off-putting but surprisingly it is not. The story has a seemingly naivete but has an underpinning of social awareness. If the book-banning bigots read this they’d probably ban it but the title doesn’t announce its underpinnings and face it most of the book-banning bigots don’t read. Two boys are lost or kidnapped. What happens next is the story.
The perspective of the book is focused on a different kind of bigotry. Rafe’s dad is determined to make a man out of his son and his methodology leaves much to desire.
Emile, adopted, wants to find her biological sister. Jeremy is an internationally known people finder. Emile turns to him for help without realizing she is the catalyst for a more in-depth story.
In a faraway land with unicorns and dragons, the story uses fantasy as an allegory.
Shaffer handles questions of gender identity tactfully. The story carefully incorporates some LGBTQ issues in a manner not likely to offend anyone.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it.