Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for this E-ARC.

Good lord. This book is actual magic. Imagine being able to create a book like this.

If you like Narnia, then read this book.

It’s about magic, love, unicorns and family. Rafe and Jeremy are meant to be. The end.

Jk, but also seriously. From the very first page this book hooked me. I loved everything about it. There better be another one coming out soon. I will not be okay if that’s the ending.

Rafe and Jeremy disappear in the forest in Virginia. 6 months later they are found. Only Jeremy remembers what happened but he won’t tell Rafe. Jeremy spends his time finding lost girls, Rafe spends his time in the woods. 15 years later they are reunited for more magic. And it delivered. It’s magic. And beautiful. And I love it.

I will now be packing my bags to go to the woods in West Virginia and checking every tree trunk to see what I can find.
In the meantime, you should read this book.

This was such a sweet sweet book! It exists somewhere between a 3 and 4 stars for me because the last 30% dragged a little and lacked the action, excitement, and mystery that kept me turning pages at the beginning. However, I really loved the ending and enjoyed the book overall. Readers who love a cozy magical tale akin to House in the Cerulean Sea will love this.

A main character who loves Stevie Nicks? A fancy rat? I’m in!

I had read the wishing game and liked it well enough so when I was asked if I wanted an ARC of the lost story, I thought, why not. I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. It was a cute easy read that didn’t take itself too seriously. I also appreciated that the author didn’t over explain things or add a lot of filler, it made for a quick enjoyable read. The way the book left off leaves room for a sequel and I really hope that happens.

I was so disappointed by the Lost Story. Maybe I went in with too high - or wrong - expectations. I adored The Wishing Game, but I was so bored by The Lost Story. The pacing was so slow, I did not connect to the characters, and the magical realism fell flat for me. I also really disliked the narrative structure where we would hop around povs somewhat randomly and have lengthy flashbacks interspersed. It made the narrative feel clunky and took away from the magic of the magical realism. I also felt a little bait-and-switched by the marketing and the romance set up - but I won't get into details because of spoilers. I'm so sad to not have loved this one, but I will definitely try Meg Shaffer's next book.

Thanks to Random House, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.25 stars.
It saddens me to say that I didn’t like this one. I loved the author’s debut novel, The Wishing Game and thought it was so charming and unique. Although The Lost Story had the potential to be the same, it just did not land for me. It took me so long (3+ weeks) to finish this story and looking back, I wish I would have DNFed and moved on to something I actually liked.

It felt really disjointed with the first and second halves being very different from one another. I didn’t really like the Storyteller breaks either. There were parts that seemed interesting or sweet, but overall it just did not keep me wanting to come back to read and didn’t keep me engaged when I was reading.

This one just wasn’t for me.

Meg Shaffer can do no wrong. Her writing feels so whimsical/nostalgic/immersive & I loved every second of this story. Perfectly suspenseful but also really character driven! 5 stars.

A contemporary Chronicles of Narnia for adults. The first chapters are mysterious and magical, and the vivid storytelling continues straight through to the end. I like the narrator's little side-chapters, but am confused by the fluidity of the relationships among this group of friends/lovers. I am glad the intimate scenes are "closed-door" because, as the narrator so eloquently relayed, it really isn't "that kind of story."

2.5 stars rounded up

The beginning of this book is Amazing. Pulled me in with mysteries and unexplained events, just gave you enough information so you wanted more. I was so hooked. About halfway through this book, it took a turn from sophisticated and dramatic to very elementary level fairy tale type of description, details and events. I am not sure what happened and why the drastic change. The first half had such a serious tone which I really appreciated. This book is supposed to be an adult fantasy but had a more young adult fantasy feel to it. The writing and the overall story were fine, but it just lost my interest in the second half. I wanted a more in depth, detailed and complex storyline, that really matched the first half. I would not recommend this book; it ended up not being for me.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

I really liked The Lost Story. I felt like it hit the feeling of a fairytale right on the head. The settings were lushly described and the plot was well done.

However, I think The Lost Story really flourishes because of the relationships between characters. I was absolutely rooting for Rafe and Jeremy, I loved Emilie from the moment she was introduced. Each of their relationships were fun and interesting. I wont spoil anything, but this holds up throughout the book with other characters as well. Even the relationships with the more minor characters are fleshed out and feel important.

This book was really good and if you find the summary in any way interesting, I definitely recommend it!

I requested this title as The Wishing Game was one of my first ever NetGalley reads that I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, this one just didn't click for me.

I was expecting to like this better than Shaffer's debut, as the premise for this book is much more up my street, but the writing felt flat, the character interactions felt oddly forced, and the ratio of showing to telling just didn't balance out correctly. I do enjoy her writing style and may still pick up her future works, but this one just wasn't for me.

This whimsical book will have you remembering what it felt like to read The Chronicles of Narnia for the first time as a child. Meg Shaffer takes you to an enchanting land, hidden in the hills of a state park in West Virginia. As boys, Jeremy and Rafe were lost for 6 months in these forests. Now 15 years later, Emilie drags Jeremy and Rafe on a quest to find Emilie's sister who went missing in those same forests 5 years before the boys did. Only Jeremy knows what happened to the boys when they were lost for 6 months but cannot tell Rafe who does not remember what happened to him. The three must work together to go back to an enchanting place filled with magic and unicorns, to get back everything and everyone who was lost.
I LOVED this book. The writing style and story were refreshing and stood out among the other books I have read this year. I loved all of the characters and slowly getting to know what happened to the lost boys pulled the story along. I also really enjoyed the storyteller. I should have figured out who it was a lot sooner than I did!

This was a cutie read! Meg Shaffer is a wonderful storyteller and I will keep coming back to her books! They do feel a little cheesy but I like it and after two of her books, I know what to expect! This was a magical journey and I was intrigued from the jump! The first half was so good but felt that the second half was a little busy. But again, still enjoyed! I liked the queer rep, found family, and nods to other fantasty books. Perfect cozy, fall read!

Unfortunately, I don't think Meg Shaffer's writing style is for me. This book missed the mark for me but I think people that enjoyed the Wishing Game will really enjoy this title as well.

This book was just not for me.

With the whole "Narnia-inspired" taglines, I was expecting so much more and was infinitely disappointed [was it ACTUALLY inspired or did they just wave The Chronicles of Narnia over the paper/computer and call it a day? Because that is what it felt like].

As someone who has read The Chronicles of Narnia almost every year [when I was younger, it was multiple times a year as I had few books and these were my absolute favorite books] since I was eleven [and I will be 57 this year...wait what?? LOL], to say I love Narnia is a ginormous understatement and my expectations are extremely high when it mentioned as inspiration for something and this book fell very short.

The dialogue [UGH! Do people really talk like this? I mean, no one I know ever talked like this, not when I was 23, not when I was in my 30's, not now. It is just so juivinial and off-putting {other reviewers have used the whole horse and berries example and I whole-heartedely agree} ], the characters [who are 23/30's but act and talk like they are all teenagers which is often very disconcerting and off-putting], the almost non-existent world building [I often felt we the reader were dropped into the middle of the story and were just expected to know what was going on and be able to keep up, even though there was no actual world-building going on], writing that felt VERY upper middle-grade to young YA [see above about dialogue and characters] and and and....you get the picture right?

I almost DNF'ed this and then realized I only had 20% left, so I just soldiered on - yeah, I kind of wish I had just stopped - THAT ENDING??? Sigh. Sigh. Sigh.

I am glad people love this [and fully recognize that not every book is for every person], but for me, it was just a huge miss.

I was invited to read/review this by the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine and I thank them, Meg Shaffer and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When best friends Jeremy and Rafe reappear after 6 months missing in the forest of West Virginia, there’s no explanation for where they’ve been. Fifteen years later, Rafe lives a life of solitude, hiding away from the media in his cabin with no recollection of what happened during the missing 6 months. Jeremy travels the world helping rescue missing people with his uncanny ability to find anyone who is lost.

When Emilie asks Jeremy for help in finding her long-lost sister, who went missing in the same forest that Jeremy and Rafe did, Jeremy knows that he must bridge the rift with his former best friend in order to return to the forest. The three of them venture into the forest and the magical realm where they spent 6 months of their youth. It’s a land of palaces and princes and magic, but it’s also a dangerous place where the characters must face trauma from their own pasts and reconcile what it means for their futures.

Written in the style of a children’s fantasy story but with adult characters and realistic dialogue, this novel was a clever adventure. Adult themes (like abuse and sexuality) are addressed in a way that feels moving but never heavy. I thought this story was a delight, and anyone who loved fairy tales as a kid will love this, too.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House – Ballantine for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

***Thank you to Ballantine Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

I'm not quite sure what to say about The Lost Story. It was exactly what I expected while also surprising me in so many ways. The plot was engaging, and the whole thing felt very much like a fairytale. The story structure was unique, though, and I enjoyed all of the storyteller asides that were integrated throughout the text. The writing was easy to read with beautiful descriptions that never bogged down the forward momentum. Although, it did feel a bit choppy at times because of a lack of variety in the sentence structure.

The world-building was one of the weakest things about The Lost Story for me. So much of the first half of the story was centered around the mystery of what happened in the woods when the boys were young. Then the reader is hit with some heavy info dumping that explained many of the mysteries. The characters didn't really do much exploring to discover answers because one of them just spilled all the secrets at the first opportunity. It just felt forced and kind of underwhelming. I did like how the author described both worlds, though. They felt authentic, beautiful, and magical. I just didn't love how a lot of the information about the mechanics of it all was imparted.

I really adored the characters in The Lost Story. Rafe resonated the most with me. I wanted him to get his memories back so bad, and parts of his story made me super emotional. I loved getting to see his friendship with Jeremy rekindle, and the two of them had a very great dynamic. Emilie's search for her sister was engaging, as well, especially in the beginning. I do think her storyline took a bit too much of a backseat in the latter half of the novel, though. Rafe and Jeremy coming to terms with their past took up all the oxygen. However, I didn't mind it because I was moved by their story and their entire found family dynamic.

I loved how The Lost Story explored the power of a story, especially how they can be used for safety, healing, and finding oneself. Through the fairytale, each of the characters found something they had lost. However, I was not expecting the level of trauma in this story. Please be careful if you are sensitive to stories about dealing with the impacts of child abuse and abduction. The message is ultimately hopeful, but a lot of pain accompanies the healing, as well. So, just be mindful.

Overall, The Lost Story was a beautiful fairytale about the power of stories to heal and help find parts of oneself lost to the pain of the past. The characters were easy to love, and the plot was intriguing with a unique style of storytelling. The world-building wasn't always the best, but I did enjoy my time in each of the settings despite the minor imperfections. Therefore, I do recommend The Lost Story to anyone who enjoys magical realism and stories about stories. My final rating is 3.75 out of 5 stars.

With a respectful nod to the classics that have come before in the Portal Fantasy niche, The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer caught my fancy the moment I read the blurb. It has been a while since I was in the mood for such a tale, but The Lost Story had a way of winding me up in its magic from the start and keeping me turning the pages until the very end.

The Lost Story begins when Emelie tracks down the famous missing persons finder, Jeremy Cox, and persuades him to hunt for the older sister she recently learned she had. Emelie has social struggles, but she is good with animals. However, after the loss of her adopted mom, she is keen to find the last chance at a family connection and understands the emotional risk when the enigmatic Jeremy warns her about the West Virginia woods where her sister was last seen- and he would know since he’s one of the infamous Lost Boys who went into the woods and was missing for six months before coming out again.

I loved the mysterious tone the author created with her writing. There is an ominous feeling, but also a light and quirky one once Emelie sets out with Jeremy to rouse the third member of their search team to help. Rafe is the second Lost Boy and now a recluse who lives in the forest creating art based on his disturbing dreams. He remembers nothing of his time lost in the woods and resents that Jeremy, who does know what happened, has kept silent for fifteen long years.

But, as events push forward, Jeremy promises the silence is at an end. The narration is told from three main point of views with a linear plot thread and sprinkled with flashbacks that heighten the sense that something fantastical happened to these men, but also sketches in their backgrounds, characters, and relationship which all plays a strong role in what came after.

The Lost Story is slow build with a long set up before the adventure side really gets rolling. There is a superb suspenseful climax and a situation that left the reader wondering how it would resolve. This is also a story that hits some themes hard, but also likes to wink and laugh at itself, too. There is romance, but the heart of the story is actually friendship and quest for acceptance and family.

The Lost Story hit the spot for a fantasy adventure with some mystery and romance. Recommended to those who enjoy Portal Fantasy with light LBGT romance.

Just like with The Wishing Game, Meg Shaffer’s sophomore novel THE LOST STORY again delves into bookish nostalgia. Here it’s a love of Narnia and portal fantasies, which I certainly possess. I appreciated Shaffer's take on what it would be like if the Pevensies went back to Narnia as adults. What would be the same? What would be forever changed?

The first half of this book is set in West Virginia, and the sense of place here was fully realized. It made me wanna visit! Unfortunately the second half, set in the fantasy realm of Shanandoah, was a bit rushed. I could tell that Shaffer had thought a lot about this world, yet she didn’t really allow it to breathe.

Another little quibble is the tone of the dialogue - the characters are all 30-something yet still talk like teenagers. Maybe there’s something there about arrested development, but I couldn’t quite tell.

Overall though, this is a quick and easy read I’d recommend for fellow Narnia fans.

A fantasy fiction story about two young men, Jeremy and Rafe, who were best friends but have developed feelings for each other. They went missing when they were teens, and only Jeremy can remember what happened. He also came back with the ability to find those who are lost. Then a girl named Emilie finds him, seeking his help to find her missing sister who disappeared before she was born.
It all leads to magic land that can only be found through a tree in a forest in West Virginia…
A book for fans of gay, LGBTQIA fantasy fiction and fairy tales.

The pacing of this one was really strange. The first 30% -to 40% or so was just expository lead-up that ultimately led nowhere in particular, and did not actually add to the story in any meaningful way, especially provided that the transportation back to the ~magical lost alternate reality kingdom~ was very... well... anticlimactic.

At no point did I find myself wanting to pick this up because the characters read so... clunky. I thought the one selling point was the romance, and even that fell flat. I did actually enjoy some of Emilie's "quirky" dialogue, though others may disagree and perceive it as cringe-y.

I also did NOT love the continuous attempts at breaking the fourth wall made by the author. I get the ironic element and the meta angle that she was going for, but it did not actually perform its function in quite the way she hoped.