I was really excited to read this book because I enjoyed The Wishing Game. However, I found the writing and characters to be a bit simplistic and juvenile. I did like the premise of the story. Thanks to NetGalley for this preview!

Meg Shaffer's debut novel was fantastic and this....it fell flat. I literally had to force myself to finish it. I would have maybe loved it if I was a kid, but the writing felt sloppy and rushed to me.

I think I had my expectations set a little too high for this one. The premise was very intriguing, and I really loved a lot of the world building. But for me, the characters didn’t have a lot of depth and the dialogue felt really stilted. It was hard to get through the dialogue at points. This book has been called Narnia for adults quite a bit, but I think there’s a reason Narnia was a children’s series. I think this book could’ve benefitted from making the characters younger as well. Overall it was enjoyable, if not my favorite read of the year. Thank you NetGalley and Randomhouse for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC copy for an honest review.

What a beautiful, magical ride this was. I really enjoyed the characters and the setting was so lovely. This was just full of whimsy. I didn’t love this quite as much as The Wishing Game and saw a couple of the plot twists coming. But overall still had such a lovely time with it. I think this is one that will stick with me for a while.

If you love fairy tales and the art of storytelling, then The Lost Story could be your perfect match. It's a story of whimsy, friendship, love, and adventure, all told through the lens of childhood stories we all wished would come true. We follow Emilie, a young women hoping to find her older sister; Jeremy, a man adept at finding things and desperate to return to the world he lost; and Rafe, a man who wants to reclaim his memories and the friendship that seemingly dissolved overnight. Together, they find what they've been searching for in a world born of imagination.

I enjoyed Meg Shaffer's first novel, The Wishing Game, immensely when I read it earlier this year, so I was excited to pick up her second novel. Unfortunately, The Lost Story fell a bit flat for me. I found the "Storyteller Corner" interludes frustrating because they pulled me out of the story every time. I'd become invested in a character or what was happening in the main story and then get abruptly pulled out when the storyteller interjected. I also struggled with the lead characters. I liked them as individuals, but not as a trio. The banter was fun and made me laugh out loud at times, but for the most part, I just couldn't understand their chemistry.

Despite my experience, I know this book is going to be perfect for so many people. It's the sort of book you curl up with on a rainy day with your blanket and cup of tea (or coffee, if you're me). I honestly just think this could have been a timing thing for me because, on paper, this book had everything I love in a story. I just couldn't connect in the way I wanted to. I enjoy the whimsical nature of Shaffer's stories and writing, so I'll definitely pick up her next book and give her another shot.

Having just finished The Wishing Game a month ago, I was ecstatic to be entering another world created by Meg Shaffer. Halfway through chapter one, I could see my inner-reader-self rubbing her hands together with glee, saying, “ooh this is going to be even better!” When I tell you that I could not stop thinking about this book from the time I finished page 1 to several days after finishing the entire thing, I am not exaggerating in the slightest.

We start with two teenage boys that have been missing in the woods of West Virginia and are suddenly found 6 months later, (larger, stronger, and healthier than they were before!). We/they have no idea where they’ve been but something traumatic seems to have happened to them. And this is all in the prologue, people! We then zoom forward 15 years to Emilie Wendell, a young adult, reeling from the death of her mother, on her journey to speak with Jeremie Cox, one of the lost boys, now 30 years old and an expert in finding lost girls. Emilie needs Jeremie’s help to find her missing older half-sister. Jeremie recognizes her lost sister from the time that he was missing AND to find her, they need to go to the forest that he went missing in 15 years ago (you can’t make this stuff up people! Well actually, Meg Schaffer can). We begin to suspect that Jeremie may actually remember the 6 months he was missing after all. Jeremie joyfully agrees to help her (why joyful? Oh, you’ll find out!) but says that he can’t help her without Rafe. Oh dear, dear Rafe. Rafe was the other lost boy and Jeremie’s best childhood friend, but they hadn’t spoken in the 15 years since they were found. It’s completely heartbreaking but also such a juicy storyline that my inner-reader-self practically slurped it up with a straw.

You can probably guess that Rafe eventually agrees to aid Jeremie and Emilie and they head into the woods to track down Emilie’s sister. I won’t say too much else about what happens next except, “Further up and further in! You’re going to Narnia, folks!” though, it’s not actually Narnia but “Shanondoah,” a mythical land of magic that Jeremie remembers, and Rafe does not (Heart. Breaking!).

The points of view alternate between Emilie, Jeremie, Rafe and a mysterious “Storyteller.” I tried for a while to decide which viewpoint was my favorite, but eventually I gave up and said, “to hell with it, I love them all!” I will say that the Storyteller’s viewpoints were really clever and fun. Essentially, the narrator interrupts the story every few chapters to give us some behind the scenes details or talk with us as if they were telling the story to us around a fire and would pause for comments and questions. I absolutely loved it.

This story touches on all the different kinds of love people have for one another and the consequences of that love. There is magic and danger and I felt just like I did reading The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe for the first time, but make it adult. I can’t finish this review without mentioning my two favorite side characters, Fitz and Rafe’s mom. Fitz is Emile’s pet “fancy rat” and he spends a good chunk of time living in Emilie’s hoodie pocket and chewing Jeremie’s hoodie string. Rafe’s mom loves her son and, to quote the book, “loved everyone he (Rafe) loved,” as a mother should. If this book is not a Book of the Month pick, I might lose my mind.

There are a few trigger warnings I would mention. Off page child abuse and anti-queer sentiment from a specific character.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

i am so grateful to netgalley and ballantine books for the chance to read this ARC!!!


“you… are my kingdom. where you are is where i belong.”

i didn’t think i would love another book as much as i loved the wishing game, but i think i might love this book the tiniest bit more? i will read as many stories about shanandoah as meg shaffer wants to write. this book felt like a cup of warm apple cider on a chilly fall day, but the sky has some dark clouds that threaten rain. it’s a book full of beautiful and tragic love stories among family, friends, and lovers. the ending felt the tiniest bit rushed to me, but i also see how it’s perfectly setting up a sequel (please mrs shaffer, i need a sequel so bad i already miss rafe and jeremy and emilie and skya!!!!!) if you love fairy tales, adventures in far away lands, fancy rats named fritz, the mountains of west-by god!-virginia, and horses, this book will be the book of your dreams. i cried, i laughed, i gasped, i feared for the fate of our fearless heroes, and i felt the love of friends pour off the page. please read this book when it comes out this summer. that’s an order!!!
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I was fortunate to get my hands on an advanced reader copy of Meg Shaffer's latest novel, "The Lost Story". From the very first page of "The Lost Story", I was drawn into a world of mystery and intrigue that kept me turning the page. Shaffer's storytelling ability shines through in this captivating tale, weaving fairy tales, fantasy, and friendship together. For those of us who still hold a special place in our hearts for fairytales, this is a book that will leave you believing in magic all over again.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the chance to review this book.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

What to expect in this book:

-Fairy Tales
-Based on Chronicles of Narnia
-Magical creatures
-Found family
-Friendships
-Suspended belief/slight fantasy
-West Virginia setting

Thoughts

After reading and absolutely loving the author's debut novel, The Wishing Game, I could not wait to read her newest, set to publish July 2024. The Lost Story is much more fantasy-based than the Wishing Game and continues the themes of found family and self-discovery. Best friends, Ralph (Rafe) and Jeremy, went missing in a West Virginia state forest over fifteen years ago for six months. Now fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Jeremy has become a famed investigator of lost persons and Rafe seemingly remembers nothing of their time away. When Emilie Wendell seeks to find her sister, who has been missing for twenty years, she knows the only person who can find her is Jeremy. However, although Jeremy knows he can help Emilie find her sister, he knows that in order to do so, he will have to confront Rafe and a place that he has not seen or spoken of in over 15 years. A place of enchantment and fantasy, that might prove to also be dangerous to them all.

As a child, I grew up loving the Chronicles of Narnia and C.S Lewis. When I heard that this story would be loosely based on that, I was so enticed. However, I feel that the execution of that narrative fell extremely flat. The pacing of the story was very off for me and while my interest was peaked in the first 25% of the story, it quickly tapered off as it seemed to take too long to get to the place that readers will be anticipating. I love magical realism and magic, but the characters did not feel relatable to me, both human and mystical. I also felt this quickly dove into more of a romance in a way that did not feel necessary. I loved the found family elements, but felt like some parts were juvenile.

I would have loved to see more of Rafe and Jeremy's story within this world 15 years ago than just in the present day. There were also some tougher subjects mentioned such as physical and emotional abuse that I felt could have been worked through more. I think I was just looking for more nostalgia from this one and did not get that feeling like I did with The Wishing Game. I hate to compare a book to a debut, especially one that was so well-received, but this one just did not resonate with me. Overall, if you like more fantasy than magical realism, you might enjoy this one more than I did! Look for The Lost Story this summer!

Two friends, Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell have been best friends since they met in high school. When they go missing in the wilderness of Virginia, it begins an adventure of epic proportions. The forest holds many secrets, magical aspects are all around as well as danger. Fast forward, Jeremy and Rafe are now adults having walked out of the forest, six months after they went missing. Rafe lives in a cabin away from everyone. Jeremy finds missing people. When Emilie Wendell asks him to find her missing sister, who went missing in the same forest, will Jeremy and Rafe go back into the forest that held them captive for six months? Can they go back, what will they find when they go back and what does Jeremy know that he isn’t sharing?

I was enthralled by this story, it is well written and I enjoyed getting to know the characters but what I enjoyed most was the vision and imagination that went into the story. Without giving anything away, isn’t there a part of you that wants to find the world where magic does exist? A hidden place to explore and see the beauty of a place that makes you feel like a kid on Christmas morning, giddy and with wonder in your eyes? This story does just that, it reminds you about possibilities. Yes, there are some harsh realities but it is surviving and going through those hard moments that makes experiencing the beauty and wonder so worth it. Open yourself to this book, you won’t regret it.

This was such a good book! I could not put it down and read it in one sitting. I would definitely recommend this book to all my family and friends.

An interesting story. Comparison to the Narina series are not accurate. This is its own story that travels through time. I did not think the Storyteller Corner added much until the end. I did not guess it. Ended in what could hopefully be a follow up book.

OMG this book was SUCH a delight! After reading The Wishing Game I had super high hopes for Meg Shaffer's next release and it did not disappoint!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine books for the opportunity to read this e-arc!

Sweet, abstract, and entertaining. It's a wonderful story about people facing inner demons and I love how it's adults and not early 20 yr olds. Sometimes the dialogue does seem a little "high school" but it flows with the story progression. I love the multiple pov and the break up of the story. I feel the build up is a tad long and and then the story you want is to short. Overall, complex characters just wish there was a tad bit more.

I had extremely high hopes coming into this book. Inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia, which is one of my absolute favorites, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, I hyped this book up big time. And while it didn't exactly disappoint, it didn't quite live up to my expectations either. I loved the story and the way it was told, but I just wanted...more. More of the fantasy world, more of the romance (and I don't mean spice, I mean the heart), more of the friendship. It felt to me like reading a middle grade fantasy with all the magic and wonder but not taking anything too deep, but I am in a place where I want the deep. To be fair, Shaffer makes the point that the magical land of Shanandoah does not take itself too seriously, and maybe that was the goal. Shaffer mastered the balance of whimsy and depth in her first novel, but I didn't quite get that here.

In summation, I really did enjoy it, but my extremely high expectations may have let me down just a little.

"All books are magic. An object that can take you to another world without even leaving your room? A story written by a stranger and yet it seems they wrote it just for you or to you? ...Yes, books are magic. Maybe even the strongest magic there is."

A fairytale land exists in the confines of West Virginia, and for two boys it becomes home. The friendship formed by Rafe and Jeremy, two opposites, creates the story for which worlds are made with a Queen, her Prince, Princess and Knight. This whimsical fantasy lets you get lost in a fairytale reminiscent of Narnia.

Shaffer's world building was immersive, and its a story about love and family.

I definitely need more of Rafe and Jeremy!

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books

I thought this book was overall sweet and enjoyable but at the end of the day I don't think it was for me. I felt similarly about this author's other work so I didn't have terribly high expectations going into this. I can see someone really loving this, though.

I’ve been sitting on writing this review because I was finding it hard to put into words JUST how much I loved this book. If you grew up waiting for your Hogwarts letter, or checking the backs of closets for a sprinkle of snow and a doorway to Narnia… this one is for you.

This story follows the mysterious early adulthood years of two now-adults, then-teen-boys who went missing in the woods of Appalachia for 6 months and returned, suddenly and unexpectedly, one with no memory of his time away. Fate brings them together with the younger sister of a girl who went missing in the same woods twenty years ago, and the journey begins.

I will admit that I had some problems with the author’s previous book, but this one was a LOVE for me. I suspended my disbelief, buckled up for wherever she was going to take me, and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I loved the themes of found family, the magical and wondrous natural world, and the nod to the fantastical fictional worlds of our youth - marred by the unfortunate truth of the real world of adulthood. My only qualm is that the author absolutely and fully uses the concept of intrusive thoughts entirely incorrectly, and as a therapist, it felt like she heard it on tiktok and decided to make it mean whatever she thought it should mean and it totally took me out of the story. I’d love to see this edited before the final copy goes to print - a girl can dream!

Regardless, though, I really enjoyed this one and can’t wait to get a copy for my forever shelves. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read an early copy!

Ebook received for free through NetGalley

I am so happy I came across this book. It was the perfect blend of whimsy, strength, Narnia references, and awesomeness. Can’t wait to read a sequel if it happens!

Wishing Game by this author was one of my favorite reads last year so I was sooo excited to get this Arc. I wanted to love it but it wasn’t for me, unfortunately. I will still look forward to new releases by this author because of her unique storylines and the way she tells the stories.