I was so excited for this and went in expecting an easy 5⭐️ read because The Wishing Game was in my top 5 books of 2023. Unfortunately I was a left a little underwhelmed.

The premise is so great and had so much promise but things felt very stilted. Pretty much nothing of major note happens in the first 50% and the second 50% is fairly predictable. A lot of the dialogue also felt very strange and stilted. It was lacking something that I can’t exactly put my finger on but I finished it knowing I won’t really think much about this book again.

The characters were lovable and quirky, but there was no major depth built in to the relationships—especially Emilie & Skya.

I would still recommend this to the right person but it wasn’t one of my favorites.


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6354570539?book_show_action=false

This was such an imaginative and fun story! The characters are so lovable and it really is written in a way that reads like a fairy tale for adults. I was immediately pulled into the story that felt like a mystery at first, but then it quickly started filling in the characters’ history. I loved how the book was showing the stories of two time periods intertwined.

If you want a heartwarming story, this is a good one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I was really excited to get the ARC for The Lost Story. Thank you Netgalley and the publishers. This is my honest review.

I was immediately drawn into this book and stayed that way for about 50% of the way. From that point the story began to drag.

For the most part, I enjoyed the characters and their banter. However, knowledge of the characters was limited. I would have preferred more backstory.

Lastly, the main baddie in the story wasn't evil. He was more of a broken old man than a monster.. There was no real good vs. evil conflict.

My hope is that that there will be a sequel that fleshes out these issues. Despite its flaws,this was a charming book. I recommend giving it a try.

Wow. I was drawn into this sorry immediately. The way it was told and the events were woven together were truly magical. If you want a return to your first feeling of being lost in a magical world within a book, look no further. It was 100% Narnia for adults. It was wild how the author spun magic and light with darkness and abuse. I can’t say I would recommend this one to everyone, but I loved the way it was told and I’ll be reading Shaffer’s next book too!

3.75 rounded up. Absolutely magical. Unlike any story I’ve ever read before but it did remind me, like others also said, of my beloved reading of Chronicles of Narnia.

There were a few sections that made me cringe a little but overall i enjoyed this mystical journey.

✨This is not my normal type of read, but it really hit the spot for me. There was so much love for storytelling, fairy tales, lost dreams and even Stevie Nicks. It’s an ode to lovers of books and stories everywhere.

✨At its heart, this is a story of forgiveness, second chances and everyday miracles.

✨The ending leaves room for a sequel or maybe even a series. I’m anxious to see what, if anything, comes next for our characters.

✨Maps and recipes are two of my favorite additions to books, and this one has both!

✨I can easily see this being five stars for lovers of magic and fantasy.

🌿Read if you like:
✨Fairy tales
✨Narnia
✨Stevie Nicks
✨LGBTQ+ rep
✨Closed door romance
✨Appalachian settings

My thanks to @randomhouse and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

The hook of this story pulled me in deep, and I loved all the characters. They all had journeys to go on, and I enjoyed the imagination and detail infused in every chapter. The love story was epic. The only thing keeping it from being a 5-star read for me is that I wanted the fantasy world sections to slow down a bit—too much was glossed over and quickly referenced that it almost made me feel left out. I wanted to feel at home in the world, but it felt more like I was being told about someone's wild adventures second hand,

4.25 out of 5. A beautiful whimsical Narnia style take that makes you believe in Happily Ever After. This was not an easy book to get into, it took me a while to fully emerge and I have to accept that I put it down quite a few times. But once i fully got into the story and it started picking up speed, I was all in! The relationships are beautifully written and you have a plethora of them. I also fully commend the writing in painting this world for me. It is hard to describe not only the whimsy of a fantasy world but the intricate art that Rafe does and I could picture it all in my head. Its super sweet and I kind of want a part 2 now?

"All books are magiv. An object that can take you to another world without even leaving your room? A story written by a stranger and yet it seems like they wrote it just for you or to you? Loving and hating people made out of ink and paper, not flesh and blood? Yes, books are magic. Maybe even the strongest magic there is." And that's exactly what this book is; pure magic!

Last year I read the Wishing Game and loved the whimsical fantasy aspect of it so I was very excited to be approved for Shaffer's next journey. This book revolves around two boys who went missing for 6 months when they were 15, but when they came back they were obviously well cared for and mostly unharmed, and only one of them remembered anything.

Now all grown up, Rafe and Jeremy are on a mission to help Emilie find her missing sister. I don't want to give anything away so I'm not going to give more details but this was such a fun story with fantasy, imagination, love, heart break, family, found family and tough choices.

There are some trigger warnings and also love the representation in the story as well. This book comes out in July and I could definitely see myself even giving it a reread from now until then for an escape. Loved.

THank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for a review.

This book blew me away. "The Lost Story" by Meg Shaffer is a captivating tale that weaves together themes of friendship, love, and adventure into a mesmerizing narrative. Shaffer's creative writing style breathes life into the pages, immersing readers into a secret world filled with vivid imagery and unforgettable characters.

One of the highlights of the book is its cast of lovable characters, each with their own unique quirks and personalities. From the courageous Rafe to the kind-hearted Jeremy, and from the enigmatic Queen Skya to the spirited Emilie, every character feels real and relatable, making it easy for readers to become emotionally invested in their journey.

Shaffer's ability to create such a rich and imaginative world is truly impressive. The vivid imagery she employs allows readers to visualize every scene with remarkable clarity, making it feel as though they are right there alongside the characters, experiencing their adventures firsthand.

Overall, "The Lost Story" is a captivating and heartwarming read that is sure to delight readers of all ages. With its engaging plot, lovable characters, and creative writing style, it is a book that will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Chronicles of Narnia Re-Telling? Okay… you’ve got my attention. Shaffer was known this last year for her big re-telling of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory novel – which was a hot topic – So I thought, why not? Let’s dive in and see what she can do with a childhood classic about a wardrobe. What I did not expect was a story that spun off the essential ideas of Narnia and took every chance possible to weave in Oxford, C.S. Lewis, Oxford, the books of Narnia, and Oxford.
This book is about two boys who are lost in the woods of W. Virginia for 6 months who come back, buffer, hotter, and a little lost mentally (well, at least one comes back with lost memories - the other comes back with a special ability to locate anyone who is lost0. 15 years then pass, and a young woman finds the man with the special powers and asks him to help find her missing sister. This new escapade brings the team back together and takes them back to Neverland… I mean Narnia… I mean a place that has both elements but is called Shanandoah… Whew, that was a wild ride.
First, I enjoyed Shaffer’s writing style and was kept interested throughout the book. I did feel like I was a little whiplashed with all the story elements she put into one book. Childhood trauma, kidnapping, being lost, romance, forgotten romance, ghost towns, repressed memories, sisters, neglect, going back between worlds, punctured lung, etc. You get what I am saying… a lot was going on. It felt a little forced to me. I wouldn’t read it again, and I wouldn’t relate it to Narnia… because people might get disappointed. But I would say, give it a try! I was definitely entertained!


Content Warning: child abuse, hinting at child sexual abuse, kidnapping, getting lost in the woods, repressed memories, death, ghosts, neglect, mention of murder.


Would I Recommend: I did not read Shaffer’s other book, so cannot compare – but if you liked her other book, it is most likely you will like this.

2.5 stars rounded up

I couldn’t put Meg Shaffer’s newest masterpiece down. The story was so magical, so compelling, so endearing…I felt like I’d wandered back in to beloved Narnia or Hogwarts. The world Shaffer created was so impeccably described that you are easily transported right into the middle of the action with our main characters. I will be talking about this one for some time - I absolutely adored every page!

Fans of Meg Shaffer's "The Wishing Game" will be more than pleased with her next novel. There is something nostalgic in the way that Shaffer writes her stories. "The Lost Story" reminded me of reading the young adult fantasy novels of my childhood. This is not to say that this book is for children, but rather that the novel has an earnestness and melancholy to it that feels true to the dreams of youth. Our main cast of Jeremy, Rafe and Emilie are so relatable and likable that I wanted to be friends with them. I think many adults feel lost and are craving the wonder and possibility of childhood. I love how Shaffer explores recapturing those feelings through various art forms like writing, painting, poetry. To live happily ever after you have to embrace love and escape fears of being who you are. Also! This is book is for all of the animal lovers, even the most humble of creatures can be truly magical!
Thank you to Random House, Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Such a lovely second novel from Meg Shaffer. I adored The Wishing Game, so I had a good feeling about The Lost Story, and I was proven right!

This hit all the right notes for me--found family, queer representation, and a Narnia retelling. It took a little bit for me to get into it, but once the story took off, I couldn't put it down.

Cannot wait for this one to be out in the world! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC.

I really loved the found family element of this book, the queer representation, the continuous element of grief and difficult family dynamics, abuse, etc. It touched on a lot of heavy topics, but the fairy tale element of the story really lightened it up.

Sometimes the story and characters almost seemed too simple, too perfect. Their dialogue a little cheesy, the plot a little easy to predict. But that, I think, is the point. Those instances are what the characters wanted, needed, hoped for. A perfect place where they could run away from the hard parts of their lives and find simple, enduring love. The “fairytale” was written by a teenager and it showed. The parts of the book that were “real life” and not the fairytale were less cheesy, a little deeper, more real life. It was an interesting juxtaposition.

Things I loved: Fritz the rat, the unconditional platonic love between characters, the queer romance, West—by God—Virginia!, the art (painted and written) and the storyteller corner between chapters.

Some of the characters, Skya, were not explored as in depth as I would have liked but I’m guessing maybe we will explore her character more deeply in a sequel? Overall, I really loved this book. It was unique and I really enjoy Meg’s writing.

Favorite quotes:

“If you had died in Red Crow that day, she said, all the paintings you ever could have painted would have been lost. You kill an artist, you kill all their unmade art too. Why don’t people think about that before they hurt each other?“

“Joy is quieter than people think it is. Especially the joy of getting back something you thought was lost forever.”

“Grief and joy warred in his heart. Joy of rediscovering what was lost. Grief when he thought of the past fifteen years and what he’d missed out on.”

For lovers of Alix E. Harrow, Seanan McGuire and Simon Jimenez

I love portal fiction, books where our heroes go through a door or a wardrobe or a pond and find themselves in another world.

This was fantastic. I picked it up because I’d read and liked The Wishing Game. This one is 10x better: the prose itself is much stronger, and the story just feels like one that Shaffer was dying to tell. It comes together really well, and the characters felt like real people.

Years ago, two boys disappeared in the woods and were found again months later. In present day, one has a preternatural ability to find people who are lost while the other is a reclusive artists who doesn’t know where the inspiration for his art comes from. They haven’t spoke in 15 years.

They are brought back together to help a young woman find her sister, who disappeared into the same woods they had.

The story moves along quickly—I finished this in two settings—and the love and support between the characters was beautiful. I definitely recommend this one for anyone who likes portals, fairy tales, cozy romance stories and the motto “scared is a feeling, not an excuse.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books!

From the author of “The Wishing Game” comes a new adventure that unites the wonder and imagination of childhood with the harsh realities of growing up. As high schoolers, Jeremy and Rafe went missing on a class field trip to a state park. Presumed dead, the pair mysteriously reappeared six months later. Since then, the best friends have hardly spoken.

Fifteen years later, Jeremy is renowned for his ability to locate missing persons, and he’s sought out by Emilie Wendell to look for her sister, who disappeared in the same forest Jeremy and Rafe did. While Jeremy is in the spotlight, Rafe keeps to himself in a reclusive cabin, working on his art and trying to piece together what happened all those years ago.

Jeremy knows the truth of their disappearance but can’t tell anyone – who would believe they were heroes in a magical world they happened upon in the forest? To find Emilie’s sister, Jeremy knows he’ll need to involve Rafe, because as beautiful and wild as the enchanted land was, it hides many dark secrets as well. Can this adventure reunite Emilie with her sister and help Rafe and Jeremy heal from their pasts?

I loved this book! A fairy tale for adults with creatures from our childhood fantasies meeting real life darknesses that everyone experiences in some shape or form. Meg Shaffer has another hit on her hands!

A million stars. This book is perfect. I wouldn’t change a single word.

This book is billed as an adult fairy tale, and I would 100% agree with that. To paraphrase Fred Savage's grandfather, this book had everything - swordfighting, princes, knights, unicorns, mermaids, chases, escapes, true love, magic. The feeling I had while reading this was so reminiscent of the feeling I get every time I re-fall in love with reading (and if you think that sounds overly romanticized, you're absolutely right - but it does not make it any less true.)

Thank you Meg, for writing a story that felt like it was written just for me.

And thank you to NetGalley + Random House Ballantine for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I felt like this story was a continuation of another story. I wanted a prequel to what happened with Skya and how she came to be queen. I wanted more time in this fantasy world and more details about the magic surrounding it. The reader picks up in the middle it seems where we are just supposed to accept that this world exists and Skya is the queen because she wrote about it in a notebook with a magical pencil. I needed more world building and the story itself fell flat for me. I didn't see Emilie's relationship with the boys fleshed out enough but suddenly she deeply cares for them like brothers.

Let me begin by stating that I absolutely loved Meg Schaffer's 'The Wishing Game.' I feel the need to state this because I had such a different reaction to this novel. I'm not sure if it is because the bar was set so high, or because this novel just had characters and themes I could not relate to as well. Since there is not a label classifying this as LGBT in the description, I think that would help people know if it is in their normal wheelhouse. I generally enjoyed Schaffer's writing style in this, but there were points that it felt like she couldn't necessarily match the tone to the moment and the character's bandied back and forth between seemingly responsible adults and crass children. The memory loss thing impeded the love story in a way that, I suppose, made sense in the story line, but just felt odd. It also felt like the characters were put in traumatic situations only to kind of brush off the trauma. I don't really know how I feel about this book or that it sort of seemed like it was resolved enough to stand alone, but open enough that there could be a sequel. If there is a sequel, I doubt I will read it, but I will continue to look forward to other Schaffer stand alone books. I wanted to love it, but I'm just left feeling kind of torn on whether or not I liked it.