As the Storyteller breaks in from time to time during the book, Fairy Tales have rules. You cannot try to change the story or break the rules.

Best friends Jeremy and Ralph set off into the Red Crow Wilderness in W. Virginia planning to run away from Ralph's abusive father. Artistic and sensitive, young Ralph is not growing up to be the "wilderness man" that his father envisioned his son would be. Ralph finds refuge with best friend Jeremy, both physically and mentally. But when their "walk" turns into six months missing the parents and the authorities are stumped. They've searched the area multiple times and never found evidence of the boys. When the boys return on their own, they seemingly have no knowledge of how long they've been gone or where they were. At least that's what Jeremy tells them.
Fast forward and Ralph (Rafe) and Jeremy haven't see each other in 15 years. Rafe is practically a hermit in his cabin and Jeremy is a world-renowned tracker of lost girls. When an orphaned young woman named Emilie asks Jeremy to find her lost sister, Shannon, Jeremy is torn. Shannon was abducted five years before the boys entered the woods and yet, Jeremy knows her. He's seen her in that magical place that he and Rafe lived while they were missing.
Convincing Rafe to go back to the Red Crow Wilderness with Emilie and himself is an almost impossible task. But something about Emilie convinces Rafe to go on this quest. Maybe he will finally find the answers he seeks about his lost memory of their time away and why Jeremy has not spoken to him in 15 years.
Weaving traditional fairy tale themes into a modern love story and the basic human need for friendship and love, Meg Shaffer has created a magical world of unique characters and settings that readers will want to visit again and again. Let's hope a sequel is already in the works!

I loved the story and ideas in this book, but the way everything came about made me not completely love it. The main girl was labeled as quirky but not in a natural way. It was pointed out that her hot pink Vans looked odd against the ancient stone while she wore her Stevie Nicks shirt.

Those things are fine, but just the way it was introduced felt unnatural and then the second half of the book basically threw her story away to focus on the boys. She had a very clean and simple ending, and maybe she deserved to have her story match up with the main climax in a more interesting way. It felt as though she was a major component to the story, in a quirky way, then her character and story became two dimensional as the boys’ story took center stage.

Basically, I enjoyed the book, it’s not a new favorite of mine, but I’m really glad I read it.

I received this from net galley in exchange for a review.

The Lost Story is a magical fairytale about friendship and accepting ourselves for who we are and who we need in our lives.

I found the relationship between Jeremy and Rafe to be particularly compelling, and loved the two of them as characters. The world building in this story was lovely, and it was so interesting to read about the different animals and beings of another world. I found myself wanting to know more about Emilie and her sister, but still thought both were lovely characters.

Reading this book felt like a warm hug, and I would definitely recommend it. It’s a great read for when you want to immerse yourself in another world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to review!
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 5
Pace: 4
Plot development: 5
Characters: 4
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of Reading: 4

Overall rating: 4 out of 5

“Yes, books are magic. Maybe even the strongest magic of all!”
There aren’t enough words for this book!! When I read Meg Shaffer’s first, I thought it was the best book I’d read in a long time, but she has somehow done it again! The Lost Story is a timeless tale, I couldn’t put it down, and I laughed and cried in equal measure!!

First, a synopsis:
As young boys Jeremy and Rafe go missing in the vast wilderness of West Virginia, before reappearing six months later with seemingly no memories of their fantastical time away. Jump forward 15 years, and the boys haven’t spoken since, but why? Rafe is a recluse in the mountains, still bearing scars (inside and out) from the time they were gone. Jeremy has become a famous missing persons’ investigator, and is the only one who can help Emilie find her sister- who went missing in the very same wilderness as Jeremy and Rafe. Filled with adventure, action, deep emotion, and astonishing characters, this story pulls you into its very heart. You’ll have to decide whether to stay, or not!

My review!
I couldn’t believe my luck when I got approved to read an arc of this story! The Wishing Game blew me away, and The Lost Story only further convinced me that Meg Shaffer is a unique and gifted storyteller! From the moment I started reading I could hardly put the story down! Emilie, Rafe, and Jeremy feel like long lost friends. Their camaraderie, banter, joy, and love made me feel like I wanted to gallivant through the heart of Shanandoah with them forever! The middle of the story stalled a little bit, but I felt like the pace picked up well at the end, and I was surprised by the events that took place near the end!
It tugged on so many of my heartstrings, calling me back to my favorite childhood stories, but in a fresh and new way.
Meg Shaffer is a genius with a magical unicorn pencil.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, NetGalley, and Meg Shaffer who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I will be posting my public review July 1 (in accordance with Random House Publishing Group's publishing preferences) on my Goodreads, The StoryGraph, and Instagram.

Was slightly disappointed with this one. I loved the wishing game and I thought by the description of the lost story I would love it too I just didn't.
I wanted more of shanandoah. If there is a second book I would still probably read it just to get more of this amazing land. I wanted more of skya and emilie
I love the cover of this book but after reading it I wish it was more colorful and that it included a pencil with a unicorn eraser somewhere

Anyone who has ever been in love with the Chronicles of Narnia and spent their childhood wishing to disappear through their closet or wardrobe into another world should read this book. As an adult who loved the world of Narnia, this truly felt like coming home. Bonus! (and minor spoilers) that the story involves a queer relationship which just makes this book even better. The only reason I'm giving it four stars instead of five was because I felt that a lot of information got repeated throughout the story. Being a trio, one character tells one of the others in the group something and then repeats it to the other member in the trio. Although it did not entirely dampen my enthusiasm for the story and the fantasy world that Meg Shaffer has created. As our storyteller tells us, there are key ingredients to any fairy tale and The Lost Story has them all.

I was given a copy of #TheLostStory by #NetGalley as an ARC for an honest review.

There are some spoilers here.

I have read this author's previous work. She has a beautiful way of showing you how much Jeremy loves Rafe before Rafe gets his memories back. It really touches your heart. Yes this is a fantasy novel but it feels like a long lost love story with some action. In a good way!

The use of a narrator and tying it in at the end was brilliant. I didn't see that coming. And is there a sequel teaser at the end?

Now I don’t usually like fantasy, but I love Meg Shaffer’s writing style and her strong imagery in The Lost Story. This book is basically a fairy tale; it’s innocent and modern. The story follows Emilie who needs the help of two young men to help her find her missing sister of 20 years. The storyteller chapters had to be my favorite. I would recommend to those looking for a sweet (not smutty) fantasy tale. Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine for the ARC!l!

Fifteen years ago, Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in the Red Crow woods of West Virginia, six months later they made a miraculous return. Present day, Jeremy spends his time helping find girls who have gone missing. After the dead of her adoptive mother, Emilie seeks Jeremy out to help find her missing sister Shannon who went missing in the same place as Jeremy & Rafe years ago….initially Jeremy refuses until he recognizes Emilie’s sister. He reunites with Rafe for the adventure of a lifetime.

I have had Landslide by Fleetwood Mac stuck in my head since reading this so be warned that there are lots of references to Steve Nicks.

Narnia is near and dear to my heart - so when I saw that this fairy tale was inspired by the aforementioned I was ready to give it a shot. I enjoyed Meg Shaffer’s “The Wishing Game” so I had high hopes for this one.

With that being said - I think this book was pretty okay. There were points where I was captivated in the story and then other points where I felt it was dragging on. I thought the romance that unfolded was endearing - I liked that the FMC didn’t end up being the love interest. We have an interjecting narrator who breaks the fourth wall and adds some comedic relief and reminds us not to take the book too seriously. I think there are a lot of unique qualities to this book that stand out from other stories in this genre.

I would definitely recommend this book to fairy tale lovers looking for an enchanting fantasy that’s somewhat cheesy. Shaffer has a whimsical imagination that she brings to life through the pages of this book. The ending will leave you feeling sentimental and tugs at your heartstrings.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

To start off, a few things I liked were the whimsical writing, the fairytale elements, and the Chronicles of Narnia vibes. The story definitely had promise and I was intrigued by the mystery right away. There were also some good characters (shoutout to Rafe), but as it went on I found myself becoming less and less invested.

There were some predictable moments, certain relationships started to weird me out a bit, the Stevie Nicks references were way too much, and there was some dragging. The “storyteller” interjections were a nice idea but I found them a little unnecessary. Negatives aside, I did enjoy the romance and there were some funny & touching moments. I’m sure there are many people who would enjoy this.

Thank you to Random House for the ARC!

4 stars★

🌌✨“Yes, in an infinite universe, wormholes have to exist. All possible worlds exist. In fact, there are no possibilities in an infinite universe, just eventualities.”🌌✨

This story follows around three characters: two teenage boys, Jeremy and Rafe .They share a bond of pure friendship, and maybe even something more. But things take a wild turn when they go missing in Red Crow State Park for six whole months! Everyone assumes the worst, thinking they're gone forever. But then, out of nowhere, they reappear, looking stronger, healthier, and taller than ever. It's a total mystery! How did they manage to stay well fed and in such great shape? Were they kidnapped? And why can't they remember a single thing about what happened to them? Poor Rafe, in particular, is dealing with memory loss and sleepwalking. To make matters worse, Jeremy up and leaves town to live with his grandma in England, cutting ties with Rafe just when he needs his friend the most.

Fast forward fifteen years later, and Jeremy is now a famous investigator specializing in finding missing girls and women. Rafe, on the other hand, has become a bit of a recluse, living in the mountains and creating incredible paintings and sculptures. Throughout all these years, Jeremy and Rafe haven't spoken to each other, nor have they uttered a word about what happened to them in the forest. Rafe genuinely doesn't remember, and Jeremy is bound by a secret he can't share, not even with Rafe. But now, the past is about to resurface when Emilie Wendel tracks down Jeremy and seeks his help in finding her long lost sister, who mysteriously disappeared in the same woods where Jeremy and Rafe were lost. The three of them join forces and return to the Red Crow Forest, diving back into a world of enchanting magic and breathtaking landscapes in their quest for lost memories and missing people. ✨🔍

Going into my first Meg Shaffer book, I didn't have any expectations at all. But let me tell you, if I did have any expectations, they would have been completely surpassed! The world building in this story was absolutely amazing. It was so immersive, like I could picture myself right there in that magical land. And the characters? They were so complex and captivating, I couldn't help but fall in love with them instantly! The way the author explored friendships and romance was truly exquisite. I give major props to the author for their incredible storytelling skills. This book had all those cozy fairytale vibes, with a queen, princess, knights, unicorns, sword fighting, mermaids, magical land and even a charming prince. Plus, this book tackled important issues like suicide, adoption, and family drama, which added depth and emotional resonance. And I absolutely loved the LGBTQ representation in here. The writing style had me completely hooked from the very beginning. And those moments where the storyteller directly addressed the reader. It added such a unique and engaging element to the story. But you maybe be wondering why wasn't this a 5 star since you loved it so much, well around 78-80 % marked i thought that story could have ended there imo and i just didn't get that 5 star feeling for this. But I would recommend this to anyone who loves whimsical fairy tales that have a mystery going on.

I was so zazzed about this book and I think the concept is great. I love the different dynamics that each character brings to the story. However, I ended up dnfing this 50% through. I wanted to love it and push through but to me, there is way too much exposition for this to be a stand-alone adventure book. Also, this book is screaming and crying for there to be dual timelines or even little vignettes of flashbacks. It was frustrating for me to read because the characters were trying so hard not to talk about "narnia" while giving no information to the reader, I felt fomo from what they were talking about and experiencing. I loved the use of an anonymous narrator talking about the concept of fairytales but for me, having a story based on Narnia and not having any characters enter the Narnia world until 45% through is criminal! The concept, characters, and whimsical writing were so fun but I found this to be frustrating to read and a bit slow!

I really enjoyed the first 40 percent or so of this book. The mysterious set-up of two high school friends who go missing in the woods only to reappear six months later completely healthy, taller, and seemingly without any memory of where they were the whole time was like catnip for me. Fifteen years later, the two boys are estranged and one now finds missing people for a living. How intriguing!

The section where is fell apart for me was when they set off on the quest to find the missing sister of a new client and you discover where they lived for the time they were missing in the woods. The male main characters still interact and talk to each other like they’re still high-schoolers and not grown men. The worldbuilding was too cutesy and precious. It turns out of course that it was created by a preteen girl so it makes sense, but it seems a silly place for grown men to want to live. The dialogue is rarely serious and too jokey and when Emilie “boops” a bad guy on the nose while vanquishing them, I wanted to throw the book. The whole second half read like a middle grade novel (and not in a good way.) The concept was so interesting, but the execution just felt so silly.

I think lots of people will like this book, which is basically a cozy fantasy. But I started it with different expectations and was disappointed.

Shaffer has a talent for writing books that leave you feeling happy. With the Wishing Game, she became an instant buy author for me. I smiled my way through this book. I loved Jeremy and Rafe. I loved the Narnia references. I loved all the unique elements of the secret world. And I especially loved how Shaffer managed to make this whimsical while also recognizing so many awful things that happen in the real world and the impact they have, especially on children. The ending made me wonder whether we'll be lucky enough to get a sequel (which would be incredible) but the ending stands on its own if we don't. I did think that Emilie read a bit young for the age shes stated to be, but overall this wasn't enough to bring the story down and I liked her character arc almost as much as Jeremy's and Rafe's.

Pick this one up if you have a nostalgic memory of Narnia - or even if you don't. It's a wonderful fairy tale for grown-ups.

A fantastical story in the vein of Chronicles of Narnia. Emilie’s mother made her promise not to look up her real family (she’s adopted), but her mother has died. She finds out that she has a sister! Who was kidnapped years ago in the Red Crow. Years after her sister went missing, a pair of boys also went missing only to turn up six months later, healthy but with no knowledge of where they’d been. Best friends, they drifted apart and for fifteen years haven’t seen each other. Now Emilie has come to Jeremy, who seems to have a gift for finding lost girls, to find her sister or at least her remains. He ultimately agrees if Rafe also agrees. It’s the first time they come together in fifteen years. Can they come back together to help Emilie? What is in the forest? Where did they go for all those months?

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for an advanced read copy of The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer.

After reading the Wishing Game earlier this year, I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Meg Shaffer's newest novel.   I love C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia and was immediately draw to the description of the plot of this book. I anticipated enjoying it even more than The Wishing Game. I ended up not as “in love” with it but it was still an engaging read.

The Lost Story is an adult fairytale that tells the stories of two friends Rafe and Jeremey that get lost in the West Virginia forest and fined themselves in the magical land of Shanandoah where they are crowned a prince and a knight.  It also tells the story of Emilie who is looking for her lost sister.  When Rafe, Jeremey, and Emilie's worlds collide they find themselves on a great adventure in the magical land of Shanandoah where they each find belonging, love, friendship, and an end of their loneliness and searching.   

This book offered such a great story line and once again is an indicator of Meg Schaffer’s incredible creativity.

The character development for both Rafe and Jeremey and the history of their relationship was well written. Rafe and Jeremey’s connection and relationship with Emilie seemed a bit further stretched along with Emilie’s instant bond with Skya.

Overall, the storyline was original and imaginative but there were just certain parts of the book that felt like they should have been longer and more detailed allowing for a greater connection to the setting, especially the last several chapters which just felt rushed at times.

This book definitely deserves 3 stars. It is a very well written fantasy with lots of similarities to CS Lewis with a very nicely done LBQGT twist.

“The Lost story” hooked me in immediately when Emilie approaches Jeremy, a tracker of missing people, to help find her sister. I loved the intrigue of the story because Jeremy and his best friend went missing 15 years early in the same location that Emily's sister disappeared. What first comes across as a fast paced almost dark tale later evolves into a slower fantasy where we learn a lot of Jeremy and Rafe’s missing time through “telling”. I wish that readers could experience a lot of their adventures first hand as it happened instead of explaining the past. The book can’t seem to decide if it is a YA or adult book and the characters often seem younger than their 29/30 years. I did like the romance although there are hints that other characters have romantic feelings for the couple too (which was confusing), However I look forward to reading this when it’s released since I've read there have been more revisions since this galley.

I was honored to have received this arc from the publisher and Netgalley.

This book is really very adorable. This is definitely, mostly a book for adults, but also a fairy tale. The author creates a brand new fairy tale that is unlike her previous book but also unlike other books I have read in this fantasy genre. This book is like a warm hug. Books like this are important, in my opinion, because sometimes you need a hug and this one definitely delivers. I loved all of the main characters. They felt like people that you want to be friends with and protect from adversity. I definitely recommend this.