I was hoping for a bit more of the "Narnia inspired" that I had heard about, but still really enjoyed this story. Jeremy and Rafe went missing for 6 months as teenagers and didn't speak much about their time away when they returned healthier than before. 15 years later Emilie recruits Jeremy to help her find her lost sister that she just learned she had, who went missing in the same woods. I loved the fairytale vibes and how things were revealed as the story played out. I loved the found family aspect and how it deals with processing trauma. I enjoyed the good vs evil aspect in it as well. There was a romance in the story that I didn't feel was necessary at all. I wished those two had just had a very close friendship. Overall this one gets 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars from me.

What a wonderful story! This was a whimsical and wonderful adult type fairytale. The characters were wonderful and the story quite mysterious.

Thank you to Net Galley for provide an ARC for review. I really enjoyed this plot which combined an intriguing story in the "real" life as well as a crisis in the fantasy world. A truly surprising premise with an equally surprising conclusion. Highly recommended!

I thought this was really unique read and def loved the first half a bit more! i did love the main charaters alot but also soemtimes the narrive style felt a little confusing to me but it was fun time and i loved the vibes and the characters. I def would recommend this book as early winter read!!

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe for grownups. I gulped this down as fast as I could and I plan to read it again, because it’s such a perfect comforting fairy tale of a read. I loved it.

I was shocked at how much I loved this book! It’s a fairy tale that explores themes of yearning, grief, hope, and love and I didn’t want to put it down. If you’ve ever wanted to discover your own Narnia, a fantastical and magical world, this book will pull at every childhood heart string. It is wild and wonderous, and I loved every page.

I had high hopes for this after loving The Wishing Game, but unfortunately this was a case of great potential, lackluster execution. I really liked the concept and the beginning of the story, but it lost steam for me along the way. I also felt that for a story that deals with a lot of heavy themes, it felt a bit shallow and surface-level. It didn’t quite pack the emotional punch I was expecting. Still, I liked this well enough and don’t think it’s a bad book, and I’ll definitely check out whatever the author writes next.

Meg has delivered on magic and intrigue. Overall, I thought this story had a fun premise and the execution was great. The only part that felt lacking was the time spent in the actual world of Shanandoah. I felt like while we did get a small picture of what life was like, I just craved a little more. I am excited to dive into any more of Meg’s stories!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Meg Shaffer writes pure magic -- literally. It's a fairy tale with depth. It's whimsical, it's eerie and it's emotionally layered. It blends fantasy and realism perfectly (and sometimes jarring, tbh) and the multiple timelines worked well. It's tender, lovely and gut-wrenching.

The Lost Story had all the nostalgic feelings I got from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe when I was young! Meg is the master of creating stories that make you feel something while also being magical and captivating from page one.

**The Lost Story** by Meg Shaffer feels like a magical grown-up fairy tale in the best way. It’s whimsical and nostalgic, almost like stepping into a secret portal world you always dreamed of as a kid — but with real, grown-up emotions and healing woven in.

I loved how it explores friendship, grief, and found family, and the little bits of romance are so tender and sweet. The beginning is a bit slow, but once the story takes off, you really get swept away. There’s also a fun, quirky narrator voice that some people might find silly, but I thought it added charm.

If you enjoy heartfelt fantasy with a touch of magic and deep emotional layers, this one is a cozy, comforting escape. Perfect for curling up and getting lost for a few hours!

I really enjoyed this one! It kept me immersed and entertained. What more can you ask for? I recommend it!

I went into this one a little hesitant—*The Wishing Game* didn’t fully land for me—but I’m so glad I gave *The Lost Story* a chance, because I really enjoyed it! Shaffer delivers a fairy tale for grown-ups, with clear echoes of *Narnia*, and I found myself much more drawn into the magic this time around—though I *still* wanted just a little bit more of that wonder and enchantment.

The biggest (and best!) surprise for me was the queer romance woven into the story. I didn’t realize it was going there, and when I noticed the subtle pining between friends, I was *so* excited. That emotional arc added so much depth to the narrative and made the story even more compelling for me.

Overall, this was heartfelt, dreamy, and just mysterious enough to keep me turning the pages. While I still finish Shaffer’s books wishing for a touch more magic, this one came much closer to delivering it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I think this was fine? A little juvenile at times, and the symbolism was kind of heavy handed. It was fine.

Two boys vanish into a West Virginia forest and return six months later with no memory—except one of them remembers everything. Years later, they’re pulled back into the magical world they left behind to help a woman find her missing sister.

Thank you Net Galley and Ballantine Books for this arc!

The Lost Story is a beautifully written, emotionally gripping novel about the ties that bind us to the past and the stories that shape our present. Meg Shaffer crafts a compelling tale of family secrets, self-discovery, and healing, with an undercurrent of mystery that adds intrigue to the emotional depth. Olivia’s journey of uncovering the lost story left by her grandmother is both heartbreaking and hopeful, exploring the power of memory, love, and forgiveness.

This book had me in a chokehold, y'all. This was portal fantasy for all of the adults who still hold dear their childhood hearts. It was not without its ugliness and its challenges (we are adults now, afterall....sadly). But the contrast made this book so much more beautiful.

So what was it about? Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing and vanished following an end of school field trip to Red Crow State Forest in West Virginia. The boys were missing for six months after entering a local state park but they came back far taller, stronger, and healthier than expected for being lost in the woods. Where were they? What happened to them during their time away? Unfortunately, neither of them remembers anything about their disappearance. Especially Rafe, who shows signs of PTSD, short-term memory loss, and sleepwalking issues. After their return, Jeremy leaves town to live with his grandmother in England, severing ties with Rafe when he needed his friend the most.

Fifteen years later, 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....

Overall, I was hooked from the first page, enjoying the characters, the sacred love story, and the reimagining of the Narnia world. I look forward to reading Meg Schaffer's next magical adventure.

Jeremy and Rafe, best friends, went missing in the woods for six months while they were in high school. 15 years later, they haven't spoken since their return. Rafe can't remember anything about the experience except his best friend moved away when they got back. This is the story that brings them back together to find a girl that went missing in the same woods and the memories Rafe finds in the process.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. It has everything from mystery to romance to fantasy. The characters have lots of backstory, and you can feel the chemistry between the two leads. Between each chapter is a "storyteller" commenting on the narrative and filling in the gaps, something I found unique and intriguing. I genuinely loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes romance and fantasy novels.

If you like Chronicles of Narnia this definitely has similar vibes. I really enjoyed this book even if it is a bit out there...

Two boys: Rafe and Jeremy go missing in a forest in W. Virginia. They reappear months later and life takes them away from each other. Rafe ends up being an artist - living life away from most people. He has no memory of what happened while they were missing. Jeremy on the other hand has taken to finding missing people. Jeremy remembers everything but refuses to share the info. Not even with Rafe.

Emily comes into the story, a vet tech who wants to find her long lost sister who just happened to go missing in the same forest as Rafe and Jeremy. There's only one issue. Jeremy needs Rafe to go too and he's kept this secret from Jeremy for 15 years.

I loved this story. It's definitely out there. 100% fantasy. It's very well thought out and you can tell Meg Shaffer has an incredible imagination. I highly recommend this book. It's listed as a romance and it's definitely a sweet romance. Nothing steamy.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was a beautiful and heartfelt story based on the Chronicles of Narnia. It is endearing and heartfelt in its descriptions of being lost and found. At its core it is the story of two young boys, Jeremy and Rafe who go missing for six months at a local state park. They come back strong, healthy and aged with no explanation of what happened. Life separates them as does the fact that Jeremy has memories of what occurred while Rafe does not. What follows is a magical story that takes the reader away to a magical and enchanting land.
Take this journey with these characters and you too may believe!