I admit that the descriptive blurb made me wary of this fantasy novel, but in the end it was a fun and satisfying read that I'm please to recommend to anyone who wants a book about true love, loyalty, swords, baby unicorns, healing trauma, swordfights, mysterious and horrible killers who get their comeuppance, ghosts, moms and sons, re-found sisters and sisterhood, castles with all the mod cons, happy queerness, mysteries, and the willing suspension of disbelief. What begins as a dark thriller-like novel soon gives way to one about persistence and cuteness, which opens doors into a magic world with both cuteness and sorrow, in which our cute characters have mighty adventures. Really: baby unicorns. It's a happy story.

This book... I don't even know what to say without giving away the story. The Lost Story is a fairy tale about the power of love, the magic in books, and the gift of forgiveness. I wanted to read this book in one sitting but forced myself to take breaks so I could enjoy it longer and put off that inevitable feeling of grief when you finish a book that has grabbed your heart. Five beautiful, falling stars.

Strong Narnia vibes (the series is even referenced in the book), but an adult fairytale is one of my favorite genres. Emilie never got to know her sister - now her adopted mom is dead, and her sister disappeared years ago, presumed murdered. Emilie enlists the help of Jeremy and Rafe, two boys who went missing for a time in the same area as her sister, before popping back into civilization looking no worse for wear. She quickly gets more than she bargained for, as Jeremy starts to reveal a fantastical tale of a secret land hidden within a local forest, where her sister is not only alive, but IN CHARGE. Rafe has no memory of their time there, but agrees to go back with them to understand what happened when they got lost in the woods many years ago.

This is a beautifully written story about love - the love of friends, blood family, and romantic love, as well as repressed trauma and the stories we tell ourselves to sleep at night. A powerful climax where childhood fears are conquered and Rafe comes into his full power as an adult was emotional to read. This book could have been twice as long and I still would have loved it. I'd love to read more of this world.

n general, I’m not a fan of most fantasy writing. I loved the author’s previous book, The Wishing Game, so I jumped at reading this one as well. It earned the same 4 stars! It made me realize that I do enjoy fantasy in the vein of Narnia, The Neverending Story, Legend…those fantasies of my childhood that were more magical battles of good vs evil and less weird fairy names and dragons.
There’s not a lot of description that can be given that wouldn’t spoil the magic of finding out about Shanandoah, but I did enjoy this book. Maybe this is what all of us expect to find when we’re out playing in the woods-those magical secret lands that are hiding behind giant trees.
Thanks to Meg Shaffer, Ballantine/Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.

I don't really want to give this a synopsis because I went into it blindly seeing it marketed as "Adult Narnia" and I am so glad that's all I knew! The author does mention she was inspired by Narnia and Lord of the Flies. It felt unexpectedly different than any fantasy I've read recently and I loved it!! Love a good standalone!! It felt whimsical and enchanting and made me re-believe in fairytales and second chances. It's a story of exploration, finding yourself, inner healing, and dreaming big, dreaming new stories. Whew all the feels!

This book, like all, had some imperfections, but the vibes were PERFECT!!! It's a story where your childhood fantasies and adult life collides, juxtaposing this childlike imaginative feeling with darker more adult themes. It's a portal fantasy, which felt very much like art imitating reality as it was pure escapism every time I opened this book. Well done to the author for all her hard work on this. It does not go unnoticed. I could see the writing techniques and thought went into this book.

I might be biased, (ok how could anyone not be), but I loved portal fantasies growing up and I loved the Storyteller in the book who played upon breaking the fourth wall. But I love screwball comedy/comedy of manners and it felt that way at times.

Really sweet romance between Rafe and Jeremy, and I do love the sisters' relationship as well. Lots of excellent lines in this book and MAYBE we will get a spin-off?!?!?!

I know I read that the author has made significant changes for final print since this ARC version, so I am excited to read the newest one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Meg Shaffer, and Random House Publishing group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fantasy isn’t normally my genre so I don’t think my review is as reliable as someone who enjoys reading fantasy. The characters were well developed and I wanted to know how the story ended. I thought the story was a bit too long and the dynamic between the characters in the fantasy world kind of grated on my nerves. Overall, I did enjoy the book and thought the writing was good. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
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I loved The Wishing Game by this author and was excited to see her new book being released. This was a fun reimagining of The Chronicles of Narnia.

I loved the relationships between all the characters, especially Jeremy and Rafe. The banter could be snarky, but in a teasing, loving kind of way.

This was a wonderful story, but it had an abrupt ending. It leaves you with the feeling that the story continues and you think you know what will happen, but it isn't actually written out. For this type of story, I would have preferred it to be a little more wrapped up.

As expected, this story was enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it to anyone that loves an easy, whimsical fantasy read. I can't wait to see what Meg Schaffer comes out with next.

I was a fan of Meg Shaffer’s after the wishing game, and I am an even bigger fan after this book!! Her books have a way of feeling like they’re giving your heart a hug, and what more can you ask for from a book??

Rafe and Jeremy went missing in Red Crow State Park for 6 months when they were teenagers. Now, 15 years later, Rafe remembers nothing of those 6 months, and Jeremy won’t say a word. However, when a girl comes asking for help finding her sister who went missing in the same woods years before the boys did, they must go on a journey back to their pasts— and what a magical journey they find.

a storyteller, lost boys and lost memories, a magical land, found family, love and friendship, adventure, and facing your past— this book truly has it all. The writing is beautiful, the storytelling aspect of fantastic, and I truly could not put this book down. I wish everyone could read this book right now!!!!! so make sure you pick it up in July 🤩🤩🤩

thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the arc!!

What a beautiful little gem this story is. It is a magical wonder filled with all the great and scary things that fairy tales give us. I am not a huge fan of this genre, but this one doesn't take itself too seriously. The main characters are funny, snarky, irreverent, and a bit damaged. They are very real in a world of make believe, and it's just the perfect mix to keep someone who is a bit of skeptic entertained. I read this in one day, and if that isn't a crowning endorsement, I'm not sure what else I can add to make sure you don't pass this by. Oh yeah...there are unicorns and a very fun rat!!!

Fans of Wishing Game, what are you waiting for? Don't risk going blind to the magic Meg Shaffer offers in another book inspired by C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. It makes us believe dreams can come true at any time in our lives, as long as we open our hearts to embrace them. - Goodreads Reviewer

I loved the magical realm of Shanandoah (no, not like the river) and wanted to spend more time there. The world building and Easter Eggs made me so happy. There's romance and friendship blended with magical realism (my favorite)

I was hooked from the first page! 4.5/5

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for providing me with a digital review copy of this amazing book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I was instantly hooked by this story. The first half was particularly well paced where every time a small mystery was explained, the plot deepened to reveal multiple new mysteries to wonder about. I was dying to know what happened to the boys while they were missing. I loved the humor throughout, and I felt like the characters were distinct and believable. I especially loved the dynamic between Jeremy and Rafe, people with an incredibly deep friendship who had grown completely apart. Seeing them bridge that gap was so satisfying.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer

My first ARC review. I loved the Wishing Game last year so I was very excited to read this one. It immediately drew me in and I read the first few chapters in one night. However the middle slowed down for me and I found myself picking it up less.

I loved the love story and the premise was very original. I would recommend for anyone who likes YA fantasy as it read more as a YA or even middle grade fantasy.

Overall I gave it 3.75⭐️

This book releases July 15 from Ballantine.

I am a Meg Shaffer super fan and oh how I wanted to LOVE this book.
I certainly enjoyed it but it fell short for me in a couple of areas. I feel like it was almost YA? Adult Rafe and Jeremy seemed super juvenile- I felt that a lot of the dialogue was immature and a bit cringey? The narrator was jarring and took me out of the story every single time. That said, it was certainly whimsical and sweet. I'll definitely continue to read anything Meg Shaffer writes.

3.5 stars

Thank you again to NetGalley for the free ARC. This had a very good concept, I just think this particular story would have done better as a sequel. I kept feeling like I would have enjoyed Jeremy and Rafe’s childhood story more as a full novel instead and that a lot of the current plot points were missing details as if this were a sequel. I also did not like Emilie very much and thought her reunion with Skya was not as dramatic/emotional as it should have been. One of Emilie’s first words to her sister is “Wow possessive much?” And I know she doesn’t have a filter, but I’d think after searching for so long she’d not be so sarcastic? There were many moments that as the reader I was told background and events when I much rather would have been shown through active language rather than passive.

This was such a fun read. a BEAUTIFUL story - a fairytale for adults. I also really enjoyed adults playing such a major role in a fairytale, which made me feel like I was reading something from my childhood - reinvented. Hoping the story doesn't end here!

I just reviewed The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer. #TheLostStory #NetGalley
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The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer was just lovely. I didn’t read her first book by her, but immediately requested it after reading this one. She is a great storyteller. The imagery was amazing and I loved all the characters. If had a little bit of everything, magic, mystery, love, adventure. It was gentle, yet suspenseful. I just loved it.

Emilie approaches Jeremy to help her find her lost sister. He has a canny ability to find lost women. He, was missing and found in the woods as a teenager with his friend Ralph. There is a sense of mystery of what happened to them and Ralph does not remember it. Jeremy has not seen Ralph in years, but must reconnect with him in order to help Emilie find her sister. The three go on an epic adventure together.

Thank you @netgalley for my ARC

This was an interesting story from beginning to the end! I loved the multiple POVs but the 3rd person writing did keep me a bit more disconnected than I would have enjoyed. I really loved the love story between Rafe and Jeremy and really appreciated the author bringing in a M/M relationship. I wish there were more stories like this.
I read this in two days and would highly recommend it!

As a fantasy lover and someone who LOVED The Wishing Game, I was so excited to read an arc of The Lost Story. Ultimately, I think my expectations were too different from the book itself that led to disappointment. Let me start with saying I loved the humor, the characters, and Shanandoah. I wanted to spend hundreds of pages there, but that's not what happened. The first 40% of the book is set in the real world and introduces the main characters. I was so antsy to get to the fantasy portion that I didn't allow myself to enjoy the buildup. Once the fantasy/magical realism portion began, I wanted more from the world and the characters. I think I forgot that fairy tales have darker moments too.

I think if I had gone into this book blind or expected a darker story, I would've enjoyed it for what it was. It was very well-written. I will continue to read Meg Shaffer's future works and hope to get a glimpse into Clock Island or revisit Shanandoah in length one day.

Meg Shaffer’s debut novel was a stunningly, beautifully written book. The characters and relationships tugged at your heart strings. With that said, her sophomore novel had a lot to live up to, and this reader feels her second novel was an equally compelling read. In this tale, she takes her inspiration from the classic novel The Chronicles of Narnia. 

When Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell were kids, they disappeared in the Red Crow Forest for more than six months. They reappeared out of the blue with no real answers to where they had been.

15 years later, Emilee Wendell asks Jeremy, a now famous missing person investigator, to help find her missing sister. Jeremy agrees on one condition. She and Rafe must join him in the search. And thus begins their journey into a land of magic and fairy tales. 

This book has a slightly less whimsical feel to it compared to her first novel. Her writing style still carries all the ambiance of a fairy tale. The development of the found family aspect was rather sudden and didn’t feel completely fleshed out. This meant their emotional connection was slightly lacking for me. I did, however, like the character development for each of the main characters and the vulnerabilities and strengths each character portrayed and the challenges they each had to overcome over the course of the story. 

This book does touch on some heavier topics while still trying to keep the book light and moving forward. If you were a fan of The Wishing Game, I think you will also enjoy her newest novel.

This book was different and I loved it. It was a perfect fairytale that kept you wanting to read. I enjoyed the Wishing Game and the author did not disappoint with this book. I didn’t want it to end.