Cute. I’d read the sequel if one is written. 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

There was a lot to love about this modern take on fairy tales. I loved the blending of fantasy and magical realism, and I thought the queer representation worked perfectly here. There's also a lot of sensitivity surrounding trauma and domestic abuse, which is woven into the story pretty seamlessly. However, there was something missing from this book that kept me from rating it 5 stars, and I'm not even entirely clear what it was. Perhaps it was the fact that the dialogue didn't always work in some places, and although that's a minor thing, I think it might have prevented me from becoming completely entrenched in the story. Overall, I do think Shaffer is a talented writer, and I'm excited to read "Wishing Game" now.

This book was so good. I loved “The Wishing Game”, so I was really looking forward to this. It’s Chronicles of Narnia with a pet rat, found family (in more ways than one), and a love story. I didn’t want it to end. I could’ve read another 500 pages of this story.

This book was so good. I loved “The Wishing Game”, so I was really looking forward to this. It’s Chronicles of Narnia with a pet rat, found family (in more ways than one), and a love story. I didn’t want it to end. I could’ve read another 500 pages of this story.

I loved Meg Shaffer's first book, The Wishing Game, and was eager to read her second. And in this latest book, Shaffer's ability to write whimsical tales filled with heart and lovable characters continues to shine. Though The Lost Story begins slowly and it took me a bit to get into the story, it is a wonderful story inspired by Narnia. I enjoyed the fresh take on the tale and how I didn't know exactly how the book would end. I would recommend this to those interested in a story filled with adventure, found family vibes, and heart.

This was definitely interesting. The story didn’t go where I thought it was going to with them going back into the fantasy world but I liked the reminiscence to Narnia . There didn’t seem to be as much of a connection between the sisters even when they found her. This wasn’t as good to me as The Wishing Game but I think it was still a good fantasy read.

Thank you netgalley for the arc of lost story in exchange for my honest review. Jeremy and Ralph go missing in the woods and no one can find them. Eventually they come back but mysteriously they dont look starved and they have both grown. Ralph cant remember a thing and Jeremy is left with the gift of finding missing people. He then helps people find their missing family members. The story from there gets magical and unbelievable with unicorns and lost boys. Three stars

This is an interesting Chronicles of Narnia-esc story, with a door to a fantasy world hidden within a large tree in the Red Crow State Forest within West Virginia.

Emilie Wendell sequesters the help of Jeremy Cox a famous missing persons investigator and Ralph(Rafe) Howell to search the Red Crow State Forest for the remains of her sister who was kidnapped 20 years prior. Jeremy and Rafe themselves went missing around age 15 in Red Crow State Forest 5 years after Emilie's sister, and were found after six months in the same forest as healthy and fit (if not more so) than when they went missing.

It's a compelling story, and overall well written, though there were a few things that bothered me. First, after every chapter or two there would be a brief chapter maybe a paragraph in length called "Storyteller Corner" where the author would speak directly to the reader about things that just happened or were about to happen. At first I found Storyteller Corner strange and unwelcome breaking my immersion to provide commentary I felt was unnecessary, I quickly grew used to it and didn't mind it much. As the story progressed and things got interesting I found myself irritated as storyteller corner continued popping up with exposition I didn't want or need when I just wanted to continue on with the story.

The second issue I had (some decent spoilers here so if you don't want those skip to the next paragraph), it turns out the entire story was written and forgotten about by Emilie's sister Shannon before she went missing. Shannon's story didn't come to life plucking her out of her world because she was special or some fey creature took an interest and decided to make her fantasies a reality, but because of a certain apparently magical pencil she had written it with. It's just weird and in my opinion doesn't read very well.

Overall it's not a bad book, an easy read with a sort of redeeming action taken by the antagonist near the end. If you enjoy expeditions into other worlds, things like The Chronicles of Narnia, Peter Pan, etcetera, you will likely enjoy this book or at least a chunk of it.

Thank you for the gifted copy of this book.

I didn't think I would like this one as much as The Wishing Game, but I think I might have liked it even more!! I was hooked from. the first page, and I'm still thinking about this book a week after finishing it.,

I absolutely loved the three main characters and how their stories were divulged and intertwined more and more as I read. Yes, you have to really step outside of reality but that's the whole point of fantasy/magical realism, isn't it?

The more I read, the more I fell in love with Emilie, Jeremy, and Rafe, and the whole world of Shenandoah. I can't imagine how hard it was for Jeremy to keep everything from Rafe over the years, and for Rafe to know something was missing but not what. I love how it all played out in the end, and the last couple of chapters had me speed reading to find out how everything turns out.

So well done - and now I'll be anxiously awaiting her next book!

I was so excited for this one. Right away, after just a few chapters, I knew this was the type of story I'd have to read out loud. Every now and then they come along, books that it's not enough to just read or listen to. I need to be surrounded by the book, hearing and reading and saying each word.

I loved the voice, and the way that story was told. I was disappointed in the world building though. There was so much potential, and mentions here and there, but we got to see and experience so little of it.

There was a big conflict that resolved surprisingly early, and I felt like this could have been drawn out more. Ultimately, I enjoyed this, but I wanted so much more from it.

I love Meg Shaffer and anything she writes. Anyone who loved The Chronicles of Narnia will love this book and the chance to feel like a kid reading a fairytale again. Highly recommend!

I wanted to like this book but unfortunately this one fell flat for me. The premise sounded excellent, but the execution just wasn't there. I felt like I couldn't get to know the characters as well as I wanted to and that this story needed a few more chapters to come together. Meg Shaffer shows a lot of promise as an author, but just needs a little bit more to end up with some true masterpieces.

The Lost Story is a tale of 2 boys that go missing in the Red Crow Forest and stumble upon another world. I enjoyed the stories of Jeremy, Rafe, Emilie, and Skya. I didn’t love how fairytale Shanandoah was. It had me feeling like this was a children’s book not an adult novel. Overall I would recommend this book.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer is a little dose of comfort in a book. It was a sweet, heart whelming story of fantasy and self discovery and I really, really enjoyed it. The description describes it as being inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia which I can definitely see what with the magical door to another world and how the characters truly find themselves on the other side.

I thought the cast of characters were very interesting and well fleshed out. I liked the descriptions of the other world and the fantastical elements. I liked how it was a story within a story and played off of the tropes in a way that made things a little funny sometimes. But in the end I'd just really say the story was cozy.

I would suggest this book to people who enjoy light and cozy fantasy books or things like The House in the Cerulean Sea.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this!

Published: July 2024

The Lost Story is about a lost prince who rediscovers who he is meant to be (in a nutshell). It took me most of the book to realize this was very similar to The Silver Chair (Narnia book) and felt it was more along the lines of Peter Pan (e.g. Bright Boys vs. Lost Boys, etc.). The story follows Emelie who is seeking help of a renowned missing person finder: Jeremey, who he himself disappeared for six months in the very woods her sister disappeared in 5 years prior. Using Jeremey's help, along with his friend Rafe, they enter into a hidden world where not all who wander end up lost, but rather where they are meant to be.

I felt the dialogue and characters overall very juvenille. The boys originally got lost in their teens and I felt they were still teens even though they were well into their twenties. That being said, it is a really beautiful story about dealing with domestic abuse, guilt/shame, and finding family. I thought the LGTBQ storyline was rather good- and fans of Under the Whispering Door would enjoy this one! I also felt that some the platonic friendships teetered on something more which had me scratching my head. Also the narrator was a very good addition I thought.

I teetered not finishing this one, but decided to rate it three stars solely because several friends/family members really enjoyed it and I might be the odd ball.

Content: very mild language, descriptions of domestic physical abuse

I struggled with so much of this book. The characters felt two-dimensional, the dialogue was clunky, the pacing felt off, etc. The bones if the story itself are good, but this one just wasn't it for me unfortunately.

I will read anything Meg Shaffer writes. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint! This book gives you all the feel good feelings of your childhood favorite books. I don’t have any note, it was just perfection!

This was such a beautiful book! I was pulled in from the very beginning...the story and characters made me fall in love almost instantly and I absolutely devoured it!! It felt so magical and had moments of pure joy and adventure, but also had me unexpectedly emotional (i.e., a crying mess). I highly recommend it!

3.5 Rounded

The Lost Story is captivating and moves quickly, but the writing style and pacing was not to my taste. As magical as the world built in this book it, I didn't feel that we got enough time inside of it and the descriptions were not as robust as I would have prefered. That being said, I whipped through this book in about a day and a half and couldn't seem to put it down.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Netgalley, and Meg Shaffer for the ARC of this book. All opinions shared are entirely my own.

I loved everything about this book. At first, I didn't think it was going to be my cup of tea. But the queer romance was excellent, the magical elements were fun and cheeky, and the story itself was uplifting. I gave this one five stars because I enjoyed it, would recommend it to a friend, and would definitely read it again.