This book is a love letter to children's portal fantasy and to the children we were when reading them, while holding up as a story for adults who can look back with adult perspective on tough issues like family trauma and lost opportunities.

While I didn't care for the contrivance of the Storyteller's Corner interruptions, it at least came clear in the end why they were included.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and the characters, as well as their shared love for the setting in both West Virginia and realms beyond.

Another magical read I enjoyed by Meg Shaeffer! I loved the characters and the unique story and the narrator. I will say I did think the writing was a little young adult/cheesy at times, but overall enjoyed it.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer is a good fit for those seeking a fantastical and adventurous tale of self-discovery, friendship, and the power of confronting the past.

I’m rating this one between 4.25 and 4.5 stars. This was a lovely story with such charming characters, but I spent the entire book feeling like I arrived too late at the party.

Instead of fuller descriptions and maybe some flashbacks, the author chose to display this fantastical world through the characters’ memories. And for that reason I felt disconnected to it and couldn’t partake in this feeling of absolute wonder and nostalgia, because you can’t miss something you never even felt like you had.

Regardless of that, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, the witty dialogue and the easy demonstrations of affection (both romantic and platonic). After my experience with The Wishing Game I had high hopes for Meg Shaffer’s next novel and I’m so glad she brought this beautiful story to life.

Many thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This review and many others can be viewed on my Goodreads page at the following link: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/80102102-ana

Meg Shaffer does it again.

I read The Wishing Game last year and loved it. Shaffer made such a cozy story just skirting the edge of magic -- I was so excited to see she had something new coming out and she does not disappoint. She reminds me of a combination of Erin Morgenstern and Alix Harrow - excellent company to be in.

I also want to add an interesting tidbit from the book description: It's not just inspired by Narnia, it's also grown from Shaffer imagining what happened to the boys from Lord of the Flies if a story took place 20 years after their rescue - luckily she takes things in a much lighter, whimsical, humorous, comforting way, but I just thought it was so neat how she took that idea and turned it into something as kind and hopeful as The Lost Story.

This truly is a book for grown-ups who like fairytales. The style and narration is a bit aloof - you get to know your characters and the plot but you're supposed to be having fun the whole time, not trying to deep dive into character motivations and dissecting plot points for what happens next. The story just happens and you go with it and it's a great ride. If it seems like certain elements are hidden or revealed when you feel things are settled or when you least imagine it - that's all part of it. The fairytale elements of storytelling are clever in their worldbuilding, and the adventure must always continue until you find happily ever after. I liked that the story itself was unpredictable and that the world of Shanandoah kept growing to encompass light and dark and love and pain and safety and danger. A fairytale can seem lighthearted and that happily ever after will always happen, but Shaffer makes the characters work for it and reminds us of how we write and change and shape our own stories.

The story starts slowly - we are introduced to Emilie, an adopted, now orphan, 23 year old who took a DNA test and found out that she has a half-sister who is believed to have been murdered 20 years earlier. Jeremy Cox, renowned searcher of missing children, is filming nearby and Emilie manages to catch him to ask him to help find her sister. At first he refuses, but when he sees her sister's photo he changes his mind. From there they must convince his former best friend to return to the woods where they were lost for 6 month as teenagers, because Emilie's sister is still out there and she's waiting for the three of them.

Around 35% of the way through the book our main characters find Shanandoah and from there it's a roaring adventure that looks at found family, love, magic, overcoming childhood trauma, and more. There is a point around 78% of the way through where I thought the story had reached a semi-peaceful conclusion and then there was more - so much more that I might have cried a bit for a whole range of emotions.

HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC of The Lost Story in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun novel filled with classic remembrance of Narnia. I’m more excited to the linkage of that. I enjoyed the characters and the adventures.

First I want to say thank you to the Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for allowing me to read the early copy of Meg Shaffer’s The Lost Story. I was thrilled to be able to dive into this world after absolutely loving The Wishing Game.

Inspired by The Wizard of Oz, The Chronicles of Narnia and a wee bit of The Lord of the Flies, The Lost Story is a magical adventure that takes us back into the fairytale lands of our (and the main characters) childhoods.

Fifteen years ago best friends Jeremy and Rafe vanished in a West Virginia state park, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived. Now, Jeremy is a famous missing persons investigator while Rafe is a reclusive artist who has no memory of what happened while they were gone. When Emilie hires Jeremy to find her long-lost sister, the former lost boys must come together to confront their shared past and reunite Emilie with her sister.

As I anticipated, I adored this book. It gave me the same giddy feeling I would get when I read fantasy as a child. I sunk into this book and the world it created, both imagined and real, and truly felt for every character as they confronted their grief, loss, and loneliness. I did my best to savor this book. I wanted to spend so much more time with these characters, but I was pleasantly surprised at “the end.”

I can’t recommend this book enough to those who enjoy books like The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and Percy Jackson. It perfectly captures the magic of stepping into a magical world for the first time.

For me, this was five stars and I will definitely be giving this a re-read when it’s published.

(Review to be posted on instagram closer to publication date @reading.rachie.)

The Lost Story is a cozy fantasy mixed with real, heavy topics. Meg Shaffer really knows what appeals to readers, and she brings childhood book nostalgia to the forefront here. She is especially good at appealing to adults who escaped childhood trauma by disappearing into books.

As teens, Rafe and Jeremy disappear for six months. Upon their return, Rafe remembers nothing, but Jeremy knows that they were in a Narnia-like alternate fantasy world. Fifteen years later, Jeremy, an incredibly successful missing persons' investigator, is approached by Emilie, who is searching for her sister, last seen in the very woods where Rafe and Jeremy went missing. When Jeremy agrees to help, he reunites with Rafe and the trio depart on a magical journey that forces them to confront both loss and their greatest fears.

Going into this I was expecting more Fantasy when comparing it to Narnia. I felt like the meaning of the book was more important to the story than world building. There was enough world building to understand the fantasy world, but didn't take away from the true purpose of the story. I loved the storyline and the characters Jeremy and Rafe.

"Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." - C.S. Lewis

I adored this book! It's a fairy tale for adults which was inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia! It is full of vivid descriptions of a faraway enchanted land called Shenandoah. It's magical, enchanting, gripping, moving, and wonderful. I was swept away and loved every page! This book is full of deep friendships, adventure, love, lost boys, romance, family, and found family.

"Books may well be the only true magic." - Alice Hoffman

Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell were best friends who were missing for six months after entering a local state park. They came back taller, stronger, and healthy. Where were they? What happened to them during their time away? The inseparable friends find distance between them when Jeremy moves to live with a family member after their return. Rafe, who was always drawing, continues doing his artwork while Jeremy goes on to find missing people.

"A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic." - Carl Sagan

Emilie approaches Jeremy to help her find her missing lost sister. Jeremy knows that he met Emilie's long-lost sister while he and Rafe were lost themselves. Jeremy remembers where they were and what occurred while they were lost, while Rafe has no memory. After being approached by Jeremy and Emilie, the three set forth for an enchanted land....

"Books are a uniquely portable magic" - Stephen King

I love Meg Shaffer's writing. I love being transported to Shenandoah. Ahh, to spend some time there. It was such an engrossing and lovely read. It's full of being lost, being found, and all the things that come in-between. The descriptions are lush and vivid. I found this book to be atmospheric and lovely. I adored the characters, their connections, their humor, and their vulnerability. This book had moments of humor and I found myself smiling throughout the book.

"Books are where the true magic happens." - Jen Wilde

What a lovely magical journey Meg Shaffer took me on! I know this is a book that I will be re-reading. I found this book to be beautifully written, well thought out, endearing, and hard to put down. This book is inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia but also reminded me of Peter Pan as well. If you have read Meg Shaffer's other book, The Wishing Game, you will love this book as well.

"Every time you open a book, a little magic falls out.” – unknown

Beautifully written, magical, and enchanting!


Highly Recommend!

Oh my goodness Meg Shaffer, you've done it again! The Wishing Game was one of my all-time favorite reads when I discovered it last year, and it marched Shaffer up to the top of my favorite authors list. With The Lost Story, her place is secured for good. At this point, I'd sign up early to read her grocery list... Seriously - she has an uncanny knack for crafting complicated, fragile-yet-steel-backboned characters that leap off the pages and into your head and heart. Pair that with an equally uncanny knack for crafting deceptively simple plots that reveal more about humanity and relationships than seem possible and the result is pure magic.

I loved the alternate worlds and the back-and-forth in perspective and location. Shanandoah was such a marvelous construct - clever and quirky and dangerous and utterly believable, particularly once its origin story was made clear. I fell in love with the world AND characters from the opening salvo, and didn't want this one to end... Given the ending, I'm hoping beyond hope that we might not be quite done with these characters - and I truly hope that is the case, as I'd jump back to this world in a heartbeat!

Well this was just a lovely story!

Two teenage boys went missing in the woods for six months. Now as adults, Rafe has no memory of their time away. Jeremy does, but he's not telling; what Jeremy DOES do is find missing people and things with seemingly supernatural ease.

Emilie wants to hire Jeremy to find the body of her sister who was kidnapped as a teen and has been missing ever since. What she finds instead is that what really happened to her sister has everything to do with what happened to Rafe and Jeremy all those years ago, and a magical fantasy kingdom a la C. S. Lewis's Narnia.

These main characters were DELIGHTFUL! They're funny and sympathetic and complex, and there is a nice LGBTQIA+ romance you find yourself rooting for from early on, before you even know for sure how the characters feel about one another.

The details of the fantasy kingdom are really pretty secondary to the story about the fact that this magical world exists, and how it came to exist. But I honestly didn't mind that the nitty gritty of being in a fantasy world seemed rather phoned in, because the rest of these things were so wonderful. If I hugged books, this one would definitely be deserving!

This was such an entertaining, fun read. It was sweet and felt adventurous ... the perfect escapism kind of book when you just want to read for fun.

This was stunning. Everything from the story, the characters, and the setting were just beautiful. There is no sophomore slump for Shaffer!

THE LOST STORY
BY: MEG SHAFFER

About 4.5 Stars!

"Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." --C. S. Lewis

This epic multilayered novel, "The Lost Story," is a fairy tale for adults and was inspired in part by author, Meg Shaffer's love for "The Chronicles of Narnia." I hope that the publisher will forgive me for my excerpted quotes, which I will check on publication for accuracy.

Two hikers on their fourth date at Red Crow State Forest, in West Virginia, spotted a flyer about two fourteen year old boys who are missing. They had been missing for approximately six months after disappearing at the end of the year field trip. Folks had stopped referring to them as "missing" which implied a temporary state of being, and now simply called them "lost." Usually missing children are still looked for. Whereas when children are considered lost they are usually grieved for. First you are thought of as missing. Next you were thought of as lost. Sadly when the search and rescue teams stop looking and you are forgotten except for your friends and family who never give up hope.

Imagine this couple's shock, who are on their fourth date hiking at Red Crow State Forest, suddenly see these two young boys come staggering out of the woods on their trail. Ralph Stanley Howell, who has blonde hair and blue eyes was with Jeremy Andrew Cox with red hair and hazel eyes. A dozen fire trucks showed up, a dozen police cruisers and four ambulances. There was also a red crow hovering nearby, where there weren't any red crows in this forest. Two boys that vanished into the woods, then magically reappeared after everyone thought that they were dead...if that's not a fairy tale ending, then what is?
"It actually wasn't a fairy tale ending."
"It was, in fact, only the beginning."
And that red crow was actually part of the fairy tale since it was their escort, guiding Jeremy and Ralph back to civilization from the magical land that they had visited.

For the first 45 through 50 % this is pretty straight forward content that takes place fifteen years later and introduces where Jeremy and Ralph who Jeremy calls Ralph "Rafe," are doing in their present life. Jeremy and Rafe haven't spoken in all this time. Jeremy is approached by a young girl named Emilie whose mother just died of breast cancer. As far as Emilie knew her mother was her only family, but she grew up happy and felt well loved by her mom. Emilie knew she was adopted but her mother always encouraged her not to look for her biological family. Because Emilie loved her mother so much she listened to her, but after her mother is deceased Emilie learns that she has a half sister named Shannon who went missing when she was thirteen years old. Shannon went missing five years before Rafe and Jeremy did and Emilie wants to find her sister.

Jeremy is a well known expert at finding missing girls and women with a high success rate. He is approached by Emilie to find Shannon. Jeremy tells Emilie that he knows that Shannon is alive because he saw her while he and Rafe were missing in the Red Crow State Forrest. He tells Emilie that the only way he'll consider looking for Shannon is if Rafe goes with them.

Rafe has been living as a recluse and when Jeremy shows up at his cabin in the woods fifteen years later asking Rafe to go back to Red Crow Rafe is reluctant. He doesn't have any memory of the time that they were missing. Rafe asks Jeremy to fill in the details of the six months they were in the Red Crow. Jeremy tells Rafe that he can't tell him about what happened to them, but he will find out if he goes back there with him to search for Emilie's sister Shannon.

When the three of them set out in the Red Crow to search for Shannon they hike through the forest and it is at a certain point where you have to suspend belief at around 46 percent like I mentioned above. This will appeal to fans of the Science Fiction genre because I really like stories with magical realism, but this goes beyond that boundary in my humble opinion. It is a story of love that is deep that moved me. I loved the references of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. There is a storyteller who you find out at the end who it is. There is also a delicious recipe at the end for making the Golden Apple Christmas Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting which I loved. It is served in the mysterious land where these three travel. It really tastes delectable because I had to try it and I'm grateful Meg Shaffer shares it in her second novel.

"STORYTELLER CORNER
A Recipe for a Fairy Tale

Hello. This is your storyteller. You may already be wondering why I'm intruding
onto the story like this, which is a fair question. But this is a fairy tale and fairy tales
play by their own rules. I wanted you to be aware of these rules so we could, pun intended,
all be on the same page. First, what is a fairy tale? A wise teacher I once knew worked up
her own recipe. It went something like this...

MRS. ADLER'S RECIPE FOR A FAIRY TALE

For any fairy tale worth its salt, you will need most of, not all of, the
following ingredients...

.One princess in some sort of trouble and/or distress.
.One magician. If a magician is unavailable, you may
substitute a wizard and/or wise woman. Basically,
anyone with magic powers who knows more than they're
willing to tell.
.One hero, the more unlikely the better.
.One to three villians worth fighting (and don't skimp on
the evil deeds).
.A member of a royal family disguised as a nobody.
.A pinch of unusual animals.

Place all ingredients into a world that is not our own,
mix well, and let it rise.
You'll know you've created a good fairy tale if your
if your story ends happily ever after for the heroes and
badly for the villians.

You may have noticed "The storyteller" isn't listed in the recipe, but I'm there, I
promise you. We'll play Rumpelstiltskin's game, and I'll let you guess my name.
Oh, for this story you should know about the rule of three. In fairy tales, things
are always coming in threes---three bears, three wishes, three clicks of your
slippers to get back home.

And of course, fairy tales are fiction. Always.
Well, except for this one."

Publication Date: July 16, 2024

Thank you to Net Galley, Meg Shaffer and Random House Publishing Group--Ballantine, Ballantine Books for generously providing me with my eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheLostStory #MegShaffer #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantineBallantineBooks #NetGalley

A world created from the depths of cooping with abuse and the child’s need to escape. The book was sad and while I can see there’s a bit of happy ending, people needing to find their way while lost to the world is on its own, a tragedy. Still I loved it.

Characters- honestly so dynamic and I just loved them. Nothing quite like tragedy to pull a makeshift family together. Overcoming so much, I just loved to see them find a(mostly) happy ending.

Atmosphere- the world was so easy to see- and for someone with Aphantasia, that’s not something I often say. Seeing the world that a child would create and the stories that go with it were fantastic. Also, I think the authors humor shone through well with what the story teller chapters!

Writing style- I know this is a new adult style book but it didn’t feel as childish as some others. I appreciated the romance without needing details.

Plot- it read a bit like Narnia. Children seeking to be lost outside of mundane world that couldn’t help or protect them. Searching in a world beyond to find that they were in fact a most special person- princes, queens… I’m not going to say I didn’t like it but there was thankfully so much more to it than that. The plot was good and I was surprised as to where the road travel to.

Intrigue- captivating story and it was sweet. I think it’s hard to read of people experiencing so much at such a young age but I am glad we got to know the entire story

Logic - I don’t have much for this because it was all so fanciful- but there are infinite possibilities in infinite dimensions.

Enjoyment- I wasn’t able to put it down for the last couple hours of the book. I enjoyed this and the story was worthwhile to read, and yet bittersweet at parts.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the opportunity on reading The Lost Story early. First, I LOVE Meg Shaffer's writing. I adored The Wishing Game and The Lost Story was no exception. She is an auto-buy author for me. The Lost Story begins with two boys, Rafe and Jeremy aged fifteen who were lost in the woods for six months, but can't recall a thing of what happened to them. Fifteen years go by and Rafe still can't remember anything. Jeremy finds lost girls, in particular for a living. One day while filming in Kentucky, Emilie finds Jeremy to convince him to help her find her sister. The problem? Her sister became lost in the same forest Jeremy and Rafe became lost in just five years earlier. The Lost Story features found family, LGBTQ, magical realism, fairy tales. I mean this book is everything and MORE. I love the magical whimsical feeling reading and I wish I could go to Shenandoah. After all, "All books are magic"

I loved The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer, so I was really excited to read The Lost Story. It was a really enjoyable book with some dark topics that some readers might want to avoid. I liked The Wishing Game a little bit more, but still would recommend The Lost Story.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer is an adventurous cozy fantasy set in rural West Virginia. Fifteen years ago, two boys (Rafe and Jeremy) get lost in the woods and months later mysteriously return with no memory of what happened. In present day, Emilie seeks out Jeremy to help her find her long-lost sister, as he’s become infamous for helping find missing people. Jeremy agrees but knows he’s got to get Rafe on board with the search, but they haven’t talked in fifteen years. The reunion happens and the three of them have to go back to the woods where the boys were lost all those years ago. What happens next is a tale of friendship, magic, adventure, love, and more.

The Lost Story was a magical fantasy with a lot of wonder and whimsy throughout but I just didn’t love it. I’m not sure why. I believe it’s marketed as adult but felt more YA to me. I appreciated the LGBTQIA+ representation and I enjoyed how the various relationships among all of the characters were developed. Other aspects of this book that I thought were well done include the pacing, the world-building of Shanandoah, and the storyteller’s commentary. Fans of Narnia-type stories and cozy fantasy will likely enjoy this book! It also could be a good “palate cleanser” to read between darker books.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for granting me an eBook ARC in return for my honest review. This book is expected to be published on July 16, 2024.

I adored this beautiful book about being lost and the importance of friendship. The Lost Story is the perfect book to read snuggled under your favorite blanket with a mug of hot coffee. It’s like reading a warm hug. Shaffer makes the reader fall in love with the lost boys of West Virginia. Rafe and Jeremy go missing in Red Crow park and miraculously reappear after 6 months. The two friends go on separate paths only to reunite after 15 years of not seeing each other to help find a girl who went missing in Red Crow. Shaffer creates a truly beautiful world for her characters to explore. I could read a whole series about Rafe, Jeremy and the friends they make along their adventure.