The Lost Story
4.5 ⭐️

All of the nostalgia for Narnia wrapped up in this story 🥰 and I loved it.

Pitched as a retelling of Chronicles of Narnia, this book is an adult reliving a childhood memory both in the story and for those who loved the Narnia world. Rafe and Jeremy must travel back to where they were lost for 6 months as children in order to help Emilie find her long lost sister.

This book is filled with beautiful characters and a magical land. Parts were so melancholy and wonderfully done. I can’t wait to read more of Meg Shaffer’s writing!

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC!

While I haven't had the pleasure of reading Meg Shaffer's other works, she gained an instant and lifelong fan with this book. It definitely required some suspension of belief, but it was so worth it! I loved the characters, the plot and the imagination. It was wonderful.

Thank you again for the ARC!

I adored The Wishing Game when it came out and so this review pains me to write. I had all the expectations for a beautiful, fun, and magical story and The Lost Story just did not live up to the hype for me.

Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell, known as The Lost Boys, mysteriously vanished in the Red Crow Forest and reappeared six months later. Fifteen years later, Emilie Wendell is on the hunt for the sister she never knew about, and Jeremy and Rafe are the perfect people to help Emilie find her, especially since her sister Shannon went missing in the same forest just a few years before Jeremy and Rafe. But Jeremy and Rafe haven’t spoken since they were found, and only Jeremy knows the truth of where they were. As the events of fifteen years ago come to life, so does the impossible.

The plot sounds amazing and with Shaffer pulling inspiration directly from C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narina, you go in already knowing the impossible is about to happen. Instead of getting a glittering fantasy with adventure though, this read like a poor imitation of Narina and/or almost a fan fiction. I’m a huge fantasy and science fiction reader – Narina, Harry Potter, Magic Tree House, etc were my life when I was a kid, but The Lost Story tried too hard to be what Narina was to kids but to adults. And honestly it didn’t work for me.

The narration of the story is an interesting choice and switches between our main characters and an anonymous Narrator. I didn’t mind the switch up, but the story would have been 100% the same if the ‘Narrator’s’ parts had been taken out, so it just didn’t add anything for me.

Our characters were just fine. Emilie was setup to be much more than she was, and she ended up just being there as to prop up the plot. Jeremey and Rafe were a bit deeper but still neither felt terribly complex or compelling.

Shaffer is a great writer, but I think her Narina inspiration hindered her ability to really create a captivating story and magical new land. The incorporation of Narina ideas and comparisons were a bit on the nose and this felt more like a YA read with some adult topics (ie: childhood trauma, kidnapping, some child abuse etc). I know so many people are probably going to love this book, and I didn’t hate it, I just also didn’t love it and it made me wish I was just rereading The Chronicles of Narina rather than a spin off.

The Lost Story comes out July 16, 2024. Thank you to Ballantine Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.

Thank you SO much to netgalley and to the publisher. I could not get enough of this read, it truly felt like a fairytale but didn't seem childish or immature. I could NOT put this down and it had this magic that I haven't found in a book in a long time. I think other readers will relate to the fairy tale like feeling of this book that transports readers into another world. I cannot wait for wherever the author chooses to go next in her stories and I will be early awaiting! The general plot is 15 years ago, two boys had gone missing in a West Virginia forest. They were found 6 months later with little details on their survival. Now, one of the boys is someone who had dedicated his life to finding missing girls and the other boy is a recluse artist. Jeremy is hired by Emilie to find her missing half sister, Shannon, who disappears from the self same State Forest many years ago.

This book was...fine. I liked some of the aspects of the magical kingdom. I also liked Emilie as a character, so I was bummed when she ended up as kind of a side character with no depth. I was expecting it to feel more like Narnia than it did. I really didn't like the Storyteller Corner. I found it pointless and distracting when it wasn't just a way to poorly summarize other events. The fantasy kingdom felt very juvenile, which I understand was kind of the point due to some spoiler-y worldbuilding, but I fell like there had to have been a better way to write it so it still felt more polished. Overall, it was decent, but I don't think it's a very good comparison to Narnia. I'd rather just go reread the original Chronicles of Narnia again.

I loved The Wishing Game, but The Lost Story was even better! Meg Shaffer has a wonderful gift for capturing the nostalgia of beloved childhood stories while spinning it into something completely new. The Lost Story had a lot of the Narnia elements that I loved woven into a fresh story of love, mystery, adventure, and family. Jeremy, Rafe, and Emilie all captured my heart. I couldn’t put this book down and I wasn’t ready to leave Shanandoah or these characters behind when the story ended. I rarely say this, but I think this book could have been longer and I wish more of the book took place in Shanandoah. There are small tidbits from the first time Jeremy and Rafe “disappeared”, but I’d have loved longer flashbacks. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

I feel like this was marketed to me. I love Narnia and even books like the Magicians that use Narnia-like lands. Unfortunately this book was a bit too, cozy for me. It was light and cute, but too light and cute for my taste. It also seemed like all the characters had very similar voices especially since they were all cracking jokes all the time. I thought the Storyteller part was unnecessary and just drew you out of the story without adding anything of substance.

I did really like some of the magic elements of the fantasy world, and the lost boys concept. I think the Ghost Town scenes worked best for me, if the whole book had more of that bite I think I would have enjoyed it much more.

I also really love the cover, that's part of what drew me to this book, but there is no hinged door in the tree in the book so it seems like maybe the cover artist didn't actually read the book?

Wow! Just wow! Shaffer has created an amazing adult fairy tale that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the characters and wanted to live in Shanandoah. Excellent representation and palpable suspense. If you grew up on books like Narnia, you'll fall in love with this book.

Best friends Jeremy and Ralph went missing in the woods only to reappear six-months later unscathed. 15 years later, Emilie finds the boys and asks for help looking for her sister who disappeared from the same forest. But deep in the woods is a portal into a magical realm of a princesses, knights, and unicorns.

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve picked up a fantasy book, but when I saw this was inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia—a childhood obsession—I had to read!

The Lost Story is SO whimsical and immersive. Like the author’s debut, The Wishing Game, there’s adventure, cozy feel-good moments, and hard topics mixed in. I loved the exploration of friendship, belonging, and lgbtq themes!

I think many readers will love this upcoming read however, it’s important to know going in that it feels more YA than adult which threw me off. Head into this fantastical read with the right expectations and be swept into the magical world of Shenandoah. 🧚

Fairytales, found family, Narnia-nostalgia.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for the #gifted copy. THE LOST STORY comes out July 16th!

THE LOST STORY is an enjoyable, well-written, well crafted, imaginative read. Author Meg Shaffer has a gift for creating word images that focus the readers mind on just the right thing and creating just the right mood. She is also an expert and crafting a plot full of the necessary dots and dashes that move the overall story along without the reader being so conscious of it that they are drawn out of the story flow.

The “lost story” in this book involves six months during which close friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in the Red Crow State Forest in West Virginia. When they were found, Rafe had absolutely no memory of that happened during their absence.

During the next 15 years, Rafe stayed at home in West Virginia while Jeremy returned to the family estate in the UK. When Jeremy returned he told his friend that he had been commissioned to find a missing woman, the sister of an important person he knew. Quite by accident, Jeremy found veterinary technician Emilie Wendell who, coincidentally, what searching for an older half-sister who had likewise gone missing in the Red Crow State Forest. She was the very person whom Jeremy had been seeking.

Together the three again go into the forest with two principle goals: to reunite Emilie with her (still living) long lost sister and to help Rafe recover the lost stories of what happened during those six months so long ago. What Jeremy helps Rafe rediscover is the magical realm of Shanandoah and Queen Skya who is also Emilie’s half sister Shannon, after whom the land is named.

THE LOST STORY is an engaging adult fantasy told in “once upon a time” fashion by a Storyteller. The flow of the story is interrupted at key points by the Storyteller to add pertinent information. These interruptions never seem to slow the story but rather to move it along.

What we also discover is that Jeremy and Rafe had become lovers during their time in the forest—an affection that was quickly renewed. This LGBTQ element to the story was tastefully done and added depth to the overall plot. I appreciated it. I also appreciated they way the author laid the groundwork for future novels that involve the characters of Shanandoah.

I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next in the series. I thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read this with only my promise of a free and fair review.

I learned to read at 3 years old. If you had asked me at any point between age 3 and two days ago when I first started this book, I would have told you this: I hate fantasy. Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, even The Wizard of Oz were all a big “no thanks” for me growing up. But (West) my god (Virginia) did this book change my mind. Every character is so thoughtfully developed, the pacing is perfect, and it’s full of the kind of magic that every kid dreams about but is too afraid to admit they still believe in. It’s fantasy, it’s adventure, it’s magic, it’s romance. If you like any of these things, you’ll love The Lost Story. If you hate any of these things, you’ll still love The Lost Story. It’s the most unputdownable story you’ve ever read in your life.

Narnia, Neverland, and never noticed.

Reading in fantasy worlds is something that by brain doesn’t always follow, but the magic ingredients make this book a true fairy tale.
Emilie is looking for the only family she has left, a half sister that disappeared 20 years ago. She seeks out Jeremy, who is known for finding missing woman. The two together, and Rafe (another individual searching for answers in his life) begin a mystical journey searching for the missing young woman.
And just like that, a red crow invites you to the kingdom of Shanandoah….
I’m not used to this fantasy/magical drama, but the banter back and forth made me think less of the story.
Thank you to thank NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for this ARC opportunity, in exchange for my review. You will find Meg Shaffer’s new story July 16th!

Adventure, love, magic, found-family. Emilie, Jeremy, and Rafe return to the Crow, the place where Jeremy and Rafe were lost years before. The return would be to help Emilie: can Jeremy and Rafe face their past? What will they find? What is Emilie searching for? What lies in the Crow?

"Further up and Further In"

4 ⭐

This book is probably for you, if like me, you devoured Chronicles of Narnia growing up. Especially if you have ever wondered what it would be like to visit a magical hidden world as an adult.

What to Expect:
LGBTQIA representation
Found Family
Magic and Adventure
Hidden World
Second Chance Romance
Love for West Virgina
Banter

I enjoyed this book. I wish I could visit Shannandoah and eat golden apple cake and pet a unicorn. I think I'd be willingly to face Bright Boys for a few months of magic. The map at the beginning was beautiful.

The characters made this story. The humor and banter between Emilie, Skya, Rafe, and Jay was well executed. The connection between all of them felt so real and strong. And the romance, the romance was beautiful. I am so happy Rafe and Jay found their way back to each other. The journey they went on together was heartbreaking, and watching them recapture there love for each other despite a disapproving parent filled me with joy.

The pacing of the plot in the last third did feel a bit off to me. After they defeated the not King, there was still 70% of the book left. I did not expect an entirely different conflict with new stakes to be introduced. The ending implied that there may be a sequel, which of that is the case, I'm okay if that was to set up book two. While I don't mind the breaking of the fourth wall (flea bag is on of my all time fave shows), the Storyteller breaks didn't really work for me. They frequency took me out of the story, and didn't add much additional info.

Thank you Net Galley and Random House for the eArc.


Review will be posted to Goodreads closer to publication.

This is grown up fairy tales. I wanted to be in Shanandoah with Jeremy, Rafe & Emilie. How many times do you wish you could be spirited away to another world? Tough choices, bittersweet reunions and a magical world awaits anyone who reads this book.

Well, Meg Shaffer, you did it again. I love the way your books can take me back to the books I read when I was younger. Fairy tales for grown ups! I fell in love with The Wishing Game and was excited to read this new one! And thanks to NetGalley I got to read The Lost Story early and it did not disappoint!! I loved it and love these books. Hope to read many more from you!

Starts promisingly but fails to maintain its allure, with the plot unraveling as the narrative progresses. Comparisons to "The Chronicles of Narnia" set unrealistic expectations, and the presence of heavy trigger warnings adds discomfort. The main characters' relationship, based during a brief, young teenage year, is depicted graphically and lacks emotional depth. The story felt stretched thin across multiple genres, ultimately contributing to its lackluster end.

3.5 stars, rounded up. I tore through this fantasy like it was a can of Pringles. Despite the adult protagonists, it felt very YA to me (a feeling which was actually explained quite well later in the novel). This is a portal fantasy, inspired by C.S. Lewis, and while it was very entertaining, it also felt rushed, with too much crammed into too few pages. Best friends Jeremy and Rafe went missing in the woods of West Virginia when they were boys, and they were mysteriously discovered alive and (mostly) healthy six months later, with no explanation for where they'd been. Fifteen years later, the friends aren't in touch at all. Rafe is a reclusive artist, and Jeremy is a celebrity who finds missing girls and women all over the world. When Emilie approaches Jeremy to ask for his help finding her half-sister, who disappeared in the same woods as Jeremy and Rafe did, the three adults set off on a wild and fantastical journey together. Ultimately this was a fun read but one that was missing something I can't quite put a finger on. Partly it was the boys' romance, which didn't feel authentic/organic to me. Partly it was because I would have liked more focus on Emilie, and she ended up feeling a bit one-dimensional and shunted to the side. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for a digital review copy.

Thank you so very much to both NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. I was thrilled to get a chance to read this author’s new release. I really enjoyed The Wishing Game and was greatly anticipating The Lost Story.

The imagery was lyrical and immersive and I enjoyed the quirky magical elements, but the character development felt disjointed and I wasn’t sold on the romance. I think it tried to cover too much ground in a short amount of time and it felt more YA than a fully fleshed out adult novel. I still look forward to future work from this author.

I chose to DNF this book around 35% of the way through. While I initially thought the premise was intriguing and was enjoying the writing style there was some unexpected content that I prefer to not read.
I think other readers will find this book to be whimsical and nostalgic and am sure it will find it's audience.