3.75 stars. I thought this book was entertaining and enjoyable. I liked all the characters and the Chronicles of Narnia inspiration; however, it very much felt like a middle grade or YA novel. I understand the main characters are adults but even in the present day parts of the book, it never felt like they grew out of being teenagers. Perhaps that is the point if we are going for a “fairytale for adults,” but it did cause me to not be fully invested in the characters and their story. I think this a good book, but I would not necessarily recommend it as a novel for adults.

Jeremy Cox and friend Rafe went missing during a school trip.Shortly, the boys became considered “The Lost boys”. Surprisingly, the boys reappeared 6 months later, and their appearance had not changed. Who cared for the boys, why do they look quite healthy. 15 years later, Rafe has become a well known artist and does not remember one moment of the ordeal. Unlike his friend, Jeremy remembered the ordeal. Later, becoming a well known investigator.

Using his abilities, Jeremy was hired by Emillie to find her half-sister Shanon. Similar to the young men Shannon became lost in the same forest.The three headed into the forest to find her and the three went on a fairytail in order to find Shannon.

The fantasy is wonderful, how can you not love unicorns “unicorn on Jeremy’s lap.”
The characters are a part of the fantasy.

Thank you Meg Shaffer, Random house books, and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this exciting novel.

I can't find the words to describe how much I love this book. After reading her first book, The Wishing Game, I was cautiously optimistic about this title. I didn't love that book but I could see the potential. Well, I wasn't let down--the opposite, in fact. Shaffer's whimsical writing patterns and huge imagination made this story utterly fantastic. Ralph, Jeremy, and Emilie were fairy tale characters of the highest caliber, written on the edge between unbelievable and heroic. They will all be in my heart forever and I hope that, one day, they will be together again. I'll absolutely be recommending this book to my customers and coworkers.

Unfortunately, this book was a disappointment for me. I loved Meg Shaffer’s The Wishing Game last year, so I figured it would love The Lost Story. I struggled to get through it though, and didn’t end up liking the storyline. I wasn’t a fan or have read The Chronicles of Narnia that this book was inspired by. The pacing was so slow. Was not invested in the characters or the romance. I have a Bookstagram review post, that I have linked below.

I absolutely love everything Meg Shaffer writes! If you enjoyed The Wishing Game, you’ll eat this one up too.

This story is full of whimsy, lovable characters, mystical creatures, and a fantasy world accessed only through the West Virginian woods (as a West Virginian who lives pretty close to where it takes place, I loved this).

Shaffer is incredible at writing stories that are equal parts light & fun while also having emotional depth and life lessons.

Highly recommend for cozy fantasy lovers!!

I really loved The Wishing Game and was very excited to read this! It was a quick, fun read with mystery, adventure and enchantment. The story has a young adult/cozy fantasy feel with more serious topics of abuse and grief tied in. I loved the easy-to-root-for characters, their friendships and the realm they venture to - Shanandoah. I craved a bit more world building though, as many experiences within Shanandoah were from stories. Here’s hoping for a book two someday to get more of that world! I adore Meg’s whimsical writing style and also loved the Clock Island reference from her previous book.

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and Meg Shaffer for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was optimistic about this release as I really enjoyed Meg Shaffer's debut “The Wishing Game”. I loved her whimsy writing in that book, and the poignant way she covered heavier topics such as child neglect and loss of a parent. I could see Meg aimed for that same whimsical style in this story as well. But unfortunately the writing in "The Lost Story" fell short for me, and overall was too gratingly juvenile for my liking. The characters' dialogues were often nonsensical tangents that were just cumbersome to read. Instead of fun bantering, their conversations just came across as a bit immature for an adult fantasy. The childish dialogues were such an odd contrast with the heavier themes explored in the book (physical abuse, kidnapping, substance addiction).

Another issue I had with the book was the pacing. It took 40% into the story before things actually got interesting. It was pretty slow going for almost the first half of the book; there was a lot of telling and not showing in the story. We're given a lot of backstory but with the lack of showing, I never really felt fully pulled into the story. I still finished the book as it was fine enough for me to complete, but overall this was definitely a mid reading experience. As far as portal fantasies go, this wasn't one of my favorite

I am still interested in checking out the author's future works, and am hoping for better luck w/ her next work.

Overall, I really loved the story of The Lost Story. It was heartwarming and sweet.

However, I felt that the book overall was written a little more childish-ly than I was expecting. For it being an adult book, it felt more like middle grade.

What a whimsically captivating story!! It expanded my imagination to new realms.. Love the ending??

Thanks NetGalley, Meg Shaffer, and Ballantine Books for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

Absolutely lovely! I highlighted so many lines in this book. A fairy tale for grownups and I lived it completely.

I thought The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer was an absolutely delightful read. That is not to say that there weren't painful aspects to the story, but I thought those aspects of the novel were done well and somehow written with the same deftness that categorized the fantasy portions of the book. I believed the characterizations in the story, though not deep and detailed, hit the right notes for me (and I truly liked all four of the main characters). Similarly, though the world-building was not as intense as many fantasy lovers might prefer, it was perfect for me. I also enjoyed the "storyteller" interludes of the book and felt they provided the break and balance needed. And finally, I truly enjoyed the voice in this book. The writing was touching and funny and I thought the repartee was excellent. This is definitely a book I'll be recommending.

Thank you NetGalley and Meg Shaffer for the chance to give my honest review about this book.

I don't have to much to say on this book. It was alright. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. This was my first Meg Shaffer book and to be honest I hadn't heard of her until I got the request for this book, smack me on the wrist it's okay lol! It honestly just wasn't my jam but maybe I'll pick it up in the future and give it a reread

A fairy tale for grown ups. A journey of redemption, love, and the enduring magic of forgotten places.
May thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a solid 4.5 star for me. I loved the characters and the plot. For fans of C.S. Lewis's Narnia but all grown up. It was charming and cozy like a warm blanket. I loved the camaraderie of the characters and the world that Shaffer has built. If you liked her previous novel, I highly recommend picking this up.

To me, this was another retelling of a story that was better the first time. I did not like the Wishing Game as I thought it was a rip-off of Roald Dahl and other novels with a game element. This was trying too hard to be Narnia.

This was billed as a fairytale for adults. And it certainly is! The novel was basically well written. However, when it got to the fairytale portion, I found it got a bit childish in the telling. The book has humor, heartbreak, and adult issues and situations that the characters must deal with. Thereby giving it an adult quality. I really liked this novel because the story was so compelling and the characters were so appealing. I highly recommend it.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer is a fantasy adventure novel. What if there was a magical realm ruled by a queen and her attending valkyries? What if lost boys and girls aren’t really lost?

Inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia, this also reminded me of Alice in Wonderland. Why? Because not everything in Wonderland is wonderful.

While I enjoyed the novel, it has some issues preventing it from being a 4 or 5 star read.

The novel feels like a mishmash of a lighthearted, YA fantasy rom-com and a more serious adult novel touching on grief and abuse.

Additionally, I felt the world-building for Shanandoah could have been better. We learn most of the good bits only second and third-hand, in retellings and stories, and not through the direct action of the plot.

And finally, the novel includes a fairy godmother-like storyteller who inserts themselves between chapters. I didn’t care for this, and I felt it mostly pulled you out of the (already) disjointed story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for an advance copy in exchange for sharing my opinions. All opinions in this review are my own.

This book was AWESOME. Perfect for fans of Bruce Coville, CS Lewis, and the Neverending Story. A modern fairy tale, true crime junkie's fever dream,. The best book of 2024 so far..

This is the perfect book for the young and the young at heart (and any millennials hungry for a return to Narnia). Shaffer does an awesome job alluding to many of the fantasy genre’s best novels with clever nods to Oz, NeverEnding Story and many more. Despite the connection to the past, this story is uniquely modern and is gripping from page one. Hopefully many many readers will get their hands on this fantastic novel. Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

I think I can be classified as an all-out fan of Meg Shaffer. I adored her book <i>The Wishing Game</i>, and I feel the same way about her newest release, <i>The Lost Story.</i> Both books are emotionally-gutting with intricate characters and innovative approaches to storytelling.

<i>The Lost Story</i> begins with a news story about two missing teenage boys in the wilds of West Virginia. After six months, the presumed-dead best friends emerged in good health and no trustworthy account of what happened when they were missing. One of them, Rafe, has no memory of the time at all; Jeremy remembers and says little, but as he grows up, he becomes a famed missing persons investigator. Rafe becomes an artistic recluse in the woods.

When a vet tech, Emilie Wendell, approaches Jeremy for help in finding an older sister she just discovered through DNA testing--a sister who vanished long ago--she has no idea the scope of the story she is within.

This is in many ways a fantasy story told within literary framework, and it works. It's an ode to the power of fantasy, but approaches it from a different way than in <i>The Wishing Game</i> (and I did appreciate the quiet nod Shaffer made to her previous book). There's a beautiful, banter-filled queer romance and a profound found family narrative that powers the book through the end. I was fighting tears through the last 10%, which was rather awkward as I was on an airplane and masked up. This book is just.... stunning. Deep. It delves into some hard topics around abuse, but overall is hopeful and resilient.

Wow I’m not sure I can love this story anymore. My heart strings are pulled, my emotions are stretched, and my wish for more is growing larger and larger.

Rafe and Jeremy went missing 15 years ago and after they were found lost contact with each other. Until Emilie approaches Jeremy to find her missing sister and Jeremy knows he can’t find her without Rafe’s help.

Together these three set out on an adventure no one expected, learning about themselves and each other along the way.

In Meg Shaffer style the twists are fun, the ending is satisfying, and the characters are your new best friends.