🌲Book Review🌲
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Summary- As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived.

Fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Rafe is a reclusive artist who still bears scars inside and out but has no memory of what happened during those months. Meanwhile, Jeremy has become a famed missing persons’ investigator. With his uncanny abilities, he is the one person who can help vet tech Emilie Wendell find her sister, who vanished in the very same forest as Rafe and Jeremy.

He believes it is there that they will find Emilie’s sister. However, Jeremy has kept Rafe in the dark since their return for his own inscrutable reasons. But the time for burying secrets comes to an end as the quest for Emilie’s sister begins. The former lost boys must confront their shared past, no matter how traumatic the memories.

Alongside the headstrong Emilie, Rafe and Jeremy must return to the enchanted world they called home for six months—for only then can they get back everything and everyone they’ve lost.
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts- I thought this was going to be a 5 star read but I did enjoy this quite a bit. I loved chronicles of narnia so it was a fun inspiration to follow. I enjoyed the premise and mystery of this one and can’t really reveal my thoughts on this without revealing the plot. I loved the characters but I felt like it took a very long time for the book to actually get started. I really enjoyed the sassy narrator and how this was told as a fairytale. This was a sweet book with an amazing world built into it, definitely a story that will make your heart happy 🥰thank you @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for the advanced copy, this released yesterday so grab it where books are sold today ! 😍
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QOTD- what was your favorite book series as a child ?!
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#theloststory #megshaffer #bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookstagram #booksofig #booksofinstagram

What started out as what I believed was going to heavily be a book of adventure turned out to be mostly underwhelming.

The story starts with two boys, Jeremy and Rafe, lost in the woods for several months who finally show back up causing a lot of questions. Fifteen years later, a young woman wants to find her sister who went missing in the same woods 20 years earlier. The boys agree to help her.

While the story does take us to a land of imagination called Shanandoah, it lacked a lot of imagery and creativity. The fantasy I anticipated was overall lackluster, and I was left with a love story of two men. And while that doesn’t bother me, it just wasn’t enough to build a very captivating story.

I will rarely say a book needs to be longer, but in this case, it just did. And it took half the book to even get them to Shanandoah. I just wanted so much more from this story.

I requested this book because I was a fan of the author's previous work. And because of the inspiration from Narnia.

However, I don't think the book is for me, as I was not captured by the characters and the out of the story POVs from the Story Teller translated as confusing rather than quirky.

In a world where everything is serious, sometimes you need an escape and that is exactly what this book is. Not to say that there aren’t some heavy topics interwoven, because there are, but the story is so beautifully and creatively written, you won’t want to put the book down.

Rafe and Jeremy were best friends in high school, until they went missing in the woods. When they come back, nothing is the same and they go fifteen years without talking. Rafe is basically a recluse and Jeremy searches for missing girls, never boys. Emilie is a young woman who has no one, until she finds out she has a sister who was also lost in the woods. She enlists Jeremy to help her find her sister. He agrees, only if Rafe goes with.

Rafe has only ever wanted answers to what happened while they were gone, but Jeremy tells him he can’t tell him. The search begins and little by little you go on an adventure to find out what happened to these men. While I figured out some parts of the story, I still read on to see how it was wrapped up. But to my surprise, there story doesn’t seem to be over. At least I hope it isn’t.

The things Rafe went through as a child, how close they were and how my heart broke for Jeremy (I don’t want to give anything away) brought the story full circle. Will they seem Emilie again? I received an ARC and this is my honest, voluntary review.

A modern fairy tale, this book incorporates thriller, fantasy, romance and adventure aspects. Jeremy and Rafe were the “lost boys” who disappeared for six months in the Red Crow forest when they were 14 years old. Rafe has no memory of the six month period and Jeremy refuses to talk about it. But the boys became estranged from each other with Rafe living as a recluse and Jeremy using his special skills to find lost girls. Fifteen years after their disappearance, Jeremy and Rafe must work together to go back into the Red Crow forest to help Emilie find her sister.
This author is definitely a skilled storyteller. The story is very creative and the world building is done well - it was easy for me as a reader to picture the imaginary land that the characters travelled to. I enjoyed the mythical creatures and good versus evil themes. And the romance aspect was done well and didn’t take away from the fantasy. The ending of the book lends itself to a sequel or a trilogy or maybe even a series. I found the book to be entertaining and enjoyable. My only criticism is that there might have been just a little too much “fluff”.

When I was approved for this ARC, I was PUMPED! I really loved The Wishing Game and had been so excited to read The Lost Story.

The whole story line is beautiful and magical. I am not much of a fantasy reader, so The Wishing Game was a bit easier for me to get into because it was more “realistic” than this one, but The Lost Story still kept my attention and kept me wondering what was next. The characters and relationships were so well done. The whole book gave Narnia vibes.

Thank you so much for the chance to read and review this beautiful story!

Happy release day to The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer! What an incredible follow up to last year's debut The Wishing Game which I also loved. Meg Shaffer does an amazing job mixing in fairytale aspects to her stories that are so captivating. Her characters are so easy to connect with and you find yourself rooting for them every time. I loved the progression of this story and the journey that Rafe, Jeremy and Emilie went on together. Meg has solidified herself as an auto buy author for me and I look forward to seeing what she puts out next.

In The Lost Story, Jeremy and Rafe went missing in the West Virginia wilderness as teenagers. After months, they reappear- Rafe with no recollection of anything and Jeremy unwilling to tell their story. Years later, Jeremy works as a famous missing persons’ investigator and is approached by Emilie, who is looking for her missing sister. Jeremy knows he can find her, but he’ll have to enlist the help of Rafe (whom he hasn’t talked to in years) and return to the forest and magical land beyond where they went missing.

The Lost Story is such a whimsical, fun fairytale of a book. I think one of my favorite parts of the whole story was the description of the beautiful land of Shanandoah. It was so descriptive and immersive that I felt like I was right there in that fairytale world with them! I thought it was interesting how we learned the story of their childhood disappearance along with Rafe as he regains his memories of their time in Shanandoah. I loved Jeremy and Rafe’s relationship and how it evolved and changed as those memories were uncovered. This was just such an enchanting story from page one! There were a few parts that lost my interest a bit and I thought the beginning and the end felt a bit disjointed, but overall I really enjoyed it! It’s a unique read for sure!

Thank you to @netgalley and publisher Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read The Wishing Game last year and *loved* it. I listened to The Lost Story and, while I didn’t get into Shannondoah as much as Clock Island, it was still a magical journey. As Jeremy and Rafe return to the land one of them has forgotten, the mysteries unfold. It felt like a blend of Narnia, Peter Pan, Hansel & Gretel, and many more! I challenge you not to swoon at the end!!
*Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the review copy

Going into this book I honestly had no clue what it was about or what to expect, but I really loved it! I had no clue this was sort of a Chronicles of Narnia/Alice in Wonderland retelling (or at least had elements of those iconic stories) but it felt so magical and nostalgic. I thought the concept was so cool, with it being almost a mystery that you are trying to solve the entire book of why these boys went missing, a magical world that they get lost in, and such cute undertones of romance.

Rafe and Jeremy went missing 15 years ago in a forest and haven't seen each other since then. Rafe has been stuck with visions and nightmares of a fantasy world full of magical creatures, while Jeremy has a talent for finding girls who go missing. When Emilie approaches Jeremy to find her missing sister, Jeremy realizes he must see Rafe for the first time and go back into the forest.

This book is so magical and whimsical and exactly the type of fantasy world I wish I could've stumbled into when I was a kid, just like the Chronicles of Narnia. I loved the way that Queen Skya was the narrator and the concept of young children writing themselves fantasy worlds to escape into to avoid the horrors of the real world. I found Rafe and Jeremy so endearing and loved watching them come back into themselves. Overall the book was so cute, so nostalgic for the fantasy worlds I wished to escape in when I was younger, and the vibes all around were fantastic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Group - Ballentine Books for providing me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!!

Jeremy and Rafe vanished for six months during their teenage years. When they returned, Rafe couldn't remember anything about their disappearance, and Jeremy refused to share what he knew. They had been in a magical fantasy land hidden deep within the forest. Now, Emilie seeks their help to find her sister, who vanished in the same area 20 years ago.

If you enjoyed Meg Shaffer's previous book, The Wishing Game, you'll love this one too. It’s an easy read, reminiscent of a YA novel.

Just Wow. This story hit all my magical feels. It has heart, it has whimsy, found family and a wonderful adult fairy tale that just make you happy. It has an amazing story with an adventure to find a missing long-lost sister, a race to unlock forgotten memories, a magical land that is plucked from every thirteen-year-old girls head. While the overall story isn't hard to figure out, the overall feel of the story just leaves you with all the warm and fuzzy feeling of reading an amazing story.
I love all the characters but especially Jeremy. I just felt for him so much as he protected Rafe, as he was the holder of the secrets, as he knew what had to be done and how to get there. He was a little gruff, a little sarcastic but just full of heart. Yup, major crush on Jeremy.
The storyland characters are all amazing and fun and of course a fairy tale magical land wouldn't be right without a scary desolate land with a big bad evil. All true fairy tales have a hero that must overcome the big bad evil and, in this story, we find that with Rafe. Rafe's love of his father is so complex. He wants his approval and love so much that he would lie about beating his dad in an archery contest and his dad's judgement and prejudice is so twisted it turns him to true evil in this story land.
The writing is beautiful. I found myself highlighting several sentences and paragraphs because they resonant with me as a lover of stories. I adore the break in from the storyteller. They are like a breaking of the 4th wall in a movie and I love that feeling that we are being included in the story. I
I will be highly recommending this book to anyone that loves a good love story, found family and magical land. A true fairy tale that is just beautifully written and a joy to read.

An absolutely incredible fantasy story!! I loved the interruptions from the narrator, it gave the book such a whimsical feel! I was hooked within the first few pages and didn't want to put the book down after that! The characters are so detailed and easily to fall in love with. This was such a wonderful story!!

5 ⭐️

I went into The Lost Story pretty blindly. I heard things about it being similar to Chronicles of Narnia and mystical/matical, but that’s it. I’ve never read anything by Meg Shaffer before!

I absolutely adored this little magical story. 🥹😭

I was invested the entire story. It was mysterious, magical, mystical, cozy, sweet, homey, and all around good vibes.

I lovedddd the storyteller aspect, I thought it was cute and funny!

Each of the characters had such a personality, and I felt like they were all very connected and close knit. There were a couple relationships that hinted at what they were, but never clarified. I did enjoy that, but also want to know more!!!

The sister relationship in this story is so heartfelt and emotional. I was not prepared for that, at all. It was beautiful, heavy and well rounded.

I was not aware of the LGBTQ+ aspect of this novel and LOVED it, but some people may not. It was super interesting how that came to be.

Watch the trigger warnings, please please please. They are heavy.

I could see kind of why people say Chronicles of Narnia vibes, but just the ideal - not really the same at all, imo.


I thought this was SUCH a cute mystical and magical fantasy book. It felt youthful and pure, without feeling like I was reading a YA or child’s book. Just gave me so many good feelings. I felt warm and right at home. 🥹💗

I want to read it all over again!

Thank you Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the early read!

The book came out todayyyyy 7/16!!!

"The Lost Story" is a captivating tale that intertwines fantasy with heartfelt character development, set against the mysterious backdrop of the West Virginia mountains. This novel is a must-read for fans of portal magic and otherworldly adventures, reminiscent of the Chronicles of Narnia or Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series.

As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell vanished in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to reappear six months later with no memory of where they’d been or how they survived. Fifteen years after their miraculous return, Rafe is a reclusive artist scarred by the unknown experiences of those lost months, while Jeremy has become a famed missing persons’ investigator with uncanny abilities.

Jeremy is the only one who knows the fantastical truth about their disappearance: while the world searched for them, the boys were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger. Now, Jeremy’s unique skills are needed again to help vet tech Emilie Wendell find her sister, who vanished in the same forest. To save Emilie’s sister, Jeremy, Rafe, and Emilie must return to the enchanted world they once knew. This journey forces Jeremy and Rafe to confront their traumatic past and the secrets Jeremy has kept since their return.

The narrative shines brightest through the characters of Rafe and Jeremy. Their shared history and the mysteries of their past drive the story forward, making their relationship both compelling and heart-wrenching. Emilie serves as a catalyst for their reunion and the quest, though her quirky personality and inability to "self-regulate" can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.

Shaffer masterfully creates a magical world teeming with mermaids, ghosts, valkyries, and unicorns, making the adventure both enchanting and perilous. The Lost Story is an engaging read that balances the fantastical with deep emotional stakes, making it a standout for those who love immersive fantasy worlds and character-driven stories.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Oh, what a nice escape from reality while reading this magnificent book. What a delightful story with wonderful characters. If only there was really a place like this where one could escape from the horrible things that are happening in this world, I'd be there. I consider this a fairy tale for adults that was beautifully written and magical. I just loved it. You're never too old for fairy tales. If you like fantasy and fairy tales, this is the book for you. I loved Meg Shaffer's first book and after reading this one, I will continue to read her books. I'm a fan!

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the review copy.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer presents a promising premise of a magic portal in the mountains of West Virginia but falls short in execution. The odd pacing delays entry into the enchanting world until halfway through the book, only to rush its exploration thereafter. While the ending offers moments of redemption, it draws out unimportant details. Shaffer's writing style attempts to juxtapose reality with fantasy but often misses the mark with awkward dialogue and trite humor, particularly in the first half. Although the characters and romance are engaging, and the magical elements intriguing, the fairytale realm feels underdeveloped and unconvincing, resembling adults playing make-believe rather than a fully realized world. Ultimately, while The Lost Story has its strengths, its poor execution detracts from its potential.

I absolutely loved Meg Shaffer’s debut, The Wishing Game. It was charming, poignant and an utter delight, making it one of my admittedly rare 5-starred books. So when I saw she had a new book coming out, I snapped up the advanced readers copy. I’ll say up front that The Lost Story did not give me all the reading feels Wishing Game did, but it’s still quite good (4 stars).

When they were about 14 or 15 years old, Jeremy Cox and Ralph Howell went missing in a forest near their homes in West Virginia. They were gone for six months and everyone assumed they were dead. Then, one day, they just reappeared.

In the 15 years since then, Ralph has kept a very low profile; as an adult, he’s kept to himself, living in his father’s cabin in the woods. Jeremy, on the other hand, has become well known as an expert at finding missing girls and women.

Emilie, a veterinary aide from Ohio, finds Jeremy and asks him to find her sister. Emilie’s sister, whom she never knew, disappeared in the same forest the boys did five years before they went missing. She wants to know what happened to her, and Jeremy is her best hope.

What she doesn’t know, until after Jeremy finally accepts her request, is that Jeremy and Ralph (whom Jeremy always called Rafe, a nod to Jeremy’s British roots) weren’t just surviving in a forest for six months. They found a doorway that led them into a magical world called Shanandoah. And they will have to go back there to find Emilie’s sister.

While this is a journey to help Emilie, it’s just as much about Jeremy and Rafe’s unfinished business. Best friends (and possibly more?), the two hardly spoke again after their time in Shanandoah. Rafe doesn’t know why, and Jeremy has had to keep a lot of secrets, even as it broke his heart. Going back will open up old wounds but will also be the means to heal them.

The Lost Story is a magical tale about the lure of fanciful kingdoms just on the other side of secret doors, the power of writing and imagination, the bonds of family and friends, and forgiveness. A lovely nod to C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia.

What a world Meg Shaffer has created in Shenandoah! An adult fairy tale I couldn’t put down, I was instantly drawn in with Emilie’s character as she met Jeremy, she needs his help to find her half sister she just recently learned she had. As a teen Jeremy and his best friend Rafe disappeared for six months into the same forests of West Virginia as Emilie’s sister had five years previously, the difference was Jeremy and Rafe reappeared, but were unable to tell what happened to them. Their story takes us to an enchanted world where forgotten memories are uncovered, and explores friendship, good vs. evil,, fairy tale motifs and so much more, I was swept into it and loved each moment. A storyteller fills us in on background and what I thought of as ‘reality checks’ between different chapters, they were witty and added a fun twist to an already incredible ride. I’ve not read the author’s earlier book, but have already ordered it. I highly recommend it to those who love magical realism, and if you’ve shied away from the genre until now, give this amazing book a try as an introduction to it,
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for an advance copy and the hours of pure joy it gave me.

The Lost Story is a book for anyone who still checks the back of every antique wardrobe they encounter for the entrance to another world. It is a love letter to children's fantasy books and those of us who loved them. Written for those who never felt like they belonged in this world, but hoped to find our place in another.

The book starts with two boys who were lost in the woods, only to return six months later with no one knowing where they went or how they survived. As adults, one builds his life on finding lost children, the other is more or less a recluse. Emilie seeks out the former to help her find her sister who went missing in the same park as the boys five years before they disappeared, only she was never found.

Meg Shaffer has once again written a book that is so profoundly special, that captures something we lose as we grow up but never stop seeking. Hopefully in reading this book, you too will find what you have been missing.

Thank you to Meg Shaffer, NetGalley, and Ballantine Books for the advanced copy of this book. I was completely blown away.