As young boys, Jeremy and Rafe went missing for six months, upon their return they could tell no one where they had been. Fifteen years later Emilie goes to Jeremy to have him help her find a long lost sister she didn't even know she had. They have to journey to the enchanted land that the lost boys called home for six months to get back what they have lost.

I was so happy to get on ARC for The lost story. It was a Chronicles of Narnia inspired story which I happen to love. But sadly this book fell short for me. I struggled with the pacing and the dialogue. The world building was lacking. I wanted so much to know about this magic world and we are giving nothing. The dialogue is hard to read too. It feels like a kid writing how adults sound like.

The relationships are tricky as well. Jeffrey and Rafe started a relationship while they were missing and when they came back Rafe has forgotten everything. Then when they get back they start the relationship back up like Rafe hadn't forgotten anything. I don't know it just didn't feel natural to me.
I really wanted to like this book but there was just too much that I struggked with. I appreciate what Meg Shaffer was doing with the story but it just didnt work for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher's for an Arc of Meg Shaffer's The Lost Story.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer, a good read that has all kinds of twists and turns. If you are a fan of nonstandard fairy tales. I would recommend this book.

I love portal magic, thanks largely to C.S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia." As this book is frequently compared to that vibe, I knew to expect an unexpected portal into another world outside of our time and imaginations. I was immediately gripped by the story as it unfolded from the point of view of a hiking nurse who stumbled upon two boys in the woods who had been missing so long that no one was looking for them, yet they were safe.

I was quite invested in the story in the first chapters because I was intrigued by the characters. However, once I got to know the characters, got through the setup of the story, and even made it to the magical world of Shanandoah, I struggled to stay interested in the story. I will be upfront and say that I'm not sure why I struggled to get through the story. The characters are endearing, there is an omniscient storyteller, the world is magical, but I think the balance between the darker themes and the more endearing themes was off. Understandably, all books need conflict, but the darker themes of homophobia, domestic violence, child abuse, and poverty weren't exactly what I expected and seemed to outweigh the positive aspects of the story.

Overall, it was a good book, and I will read others from Meg Shaffer. It just wasn't quite what I was expecting.

I received a digital ARC of this title via NetGalley in order to provide an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars

I loved this book! Lost kids, found family, adventures galore, a love story, The Lost Story has it all.

For all those readers who wanted to have a magical adventure as a kid, this is for you.

Once upon a time…….this story is literally a modern day fairy tale, and so enjoyable! A different type of fantasy and a breath of fresh air. Asin all fairy tales, the bad and evil are present, there is redemption, humor, romance and maybe an HEA, you will have to read, to know. Enjoy!

I began this book very excited for what the summary promised. There were some fun bits that made me smile, some things that were introduced and had a decent payoff, and I adored the romance between two of the characters. Unfortunately, there were some very present issues I couldn't ignore.
First is the pacing – in the first bit of the book, you learn that someone is lost in a certain part of West Virginia and that the main trio needs to go to that place to find her. You expect to find yourself in that place very soon to continue the story, but the characters don't end up there until 40% through the book. Before that, it's SO much character development in a very low-stakes environment. All you want to do is get to the actual plot, the actual mission. The anticipation and lack of payoff almost made me put the book down, but I carried on. Finally, around 40% of the way in, the trio gets to this place they've been discussing – only for one character to info dump a whole backstory, stalling the action yet again. As soon as you think you're FINALLY ready to get to the plot, the next chapter is a very, very long one, that takes you back in time to a year before, yet again pushing the actual plot and action off. That one chapter is about 8% of the whole book. Once that's over, you're 50ish% in, and we are ACTUALLY. GETTING. PLOT. Everybody clap!! Once the plot takes off, holy cow you better put the Crocs into sport mode because it runs at lightning speed. You learn about the bad guy and deal with the bad guy, all in 20% of the book. Whiplash is an understatement. Suffice it to say that the pacing was a massive miss for me.
There's also so much that is extremely predictable. When the bad guy first gets mentioned, you almost immediately know exactly who it is. Then there are about three more "hints" that all but reach out of the book and slap you with how obvious they are. So when the characters traipse through the woods and encounter the bad guy, the element of surprise has booked a two week vacation in the Maldives and is nowhere to be seen.
The most nitpicky issue I have is that in the summary for this book, C.S. Lewis and Narnia are mentioned as inspirations. That's great! That's why I wanted to read, because I love Narnia and that genre of story. However, there are two separate mentions of Narnia/Lewis within the actual book. The first time it happened, I was very thrown off. The second time it happens, one of the main characters is talking with a friend about wormholes and infinite vs. finite universes, with Narnia being the crux of the conversation, and I fully thought I was being Punk'd. I have so much more to say about this, but to avoid spoilers, I'll just say that I hated having the 4th wall broken so much in a book advertised as fairytale.
The Lost Story is categorized as women's fiction on NetGalley, but reads much more as a YA fairy-tale/fantasy. If that had been the case, I'd have less critiques about repetition and predictability, but as that's not what was advertised, I was reading through a the women's fiction lens.
All in all, I can't say I recommend because the first 50% of the book was brutal – I only powered through because I don't possess the capability to DNF.

I liked this even better than The Wishing Game.

I have no idea how to classify this genre. Maybe nostalgic kid lit fantasy homage? Or something.

So very well written, character and setting and emotions.

I cried a bit at the end (in a good way.)

Highly recommended for all book loving children who grew up.

This heart wrenching, fairy tale adventure is absolutely delightful!! I enjoyed this book so much. It made me laugh, question, grip my kindle, cry my eyes out and then finally sit here in relief for a possible second part of the story? Such fun, unique & creative writing!!

Overall this was a fun, whimsical story that definitely has that fairytale like feel throughout it. I liked the added “storyteller corner” sections, that really sprinkled in the whimsy. The book was dialogue driven which at times felt a little much for my taste.

4.75. Meg Shaffer is one helluva storyteller. This is a mystical, magical, magnificent journey through doors of wonder, bewilderment and amazement and I thoroughly enjoyed every single moment.

The Wishing Game, Shaffer’s debut book, was one of my favorite books of 2023 and one of my highest referred books to friends. I went into this one a bit skeptical knowing how hard it is to surpass the expectations that her first book soared past for a second book. It couldn’t be as good as the first, could it?

It could. Another book that draws you in right away and you just have to go with it. Don’t think …. Just dream. Just believe. This book offers a great escape to a world where we all wish could be a reality. I loved Shaffer’s references throughout the book of Wizard of Oz, Chronicles of Narnia and even her own Clock Island.

Two boys go missing for 6 months and then come back home. This book picks up 15 years later. One of the boys has become quite the expert in finding missing persons. One has lived quietly in a cabin in the woods.

I plowed through this book in one day - it was that good. I cannot thank NetGalley, Meg Shaffer and Ballentine Books enough for allowing me an ARC. I absolutely cannot wait for her next book.

“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? 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.“- @meg_shaffer

I don’t know how to start this review except by saying that @meg_shaffer is my favorite author. Her books have left my heart so full. She makes me want to read every word in one sitting and also tell myself to slow down and drag this perfection out as long as I possibly can.

This book is a fairy tale in true fairy tale form- it creates light and beauty around those things in our life that are the darkest. It allows for the belief that happiness can exist but there’s some pretty heavy stuff you have to battle to get to that happy ending.

Rafe and Jeremy are the best of friends. They go into the woods. They are lost for quite some time. Then they mysteriously are found again. Fast forward to now, Emilie needs to find something… Jeremy is world renowned at finding what no one else can find. They’ll need Rafe though, and 15 years ago Jeremy and Rafe’s paths diverged just as quickly as they once intersected.

Hold onto your seats and enjoy this ride. The narrator’s chapters are the fairy dust on this perfect story of how to find what you’ve lost and then never let go.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

@netgalley THANK YOU for this advanced copy. Out of all the books I’ve requested this is the one I wanted the most.

Pub date 7/16/24

#favoritebookof2024

This was a magical modern fairy tale perfect for the people who always wished they could visit Narnia or Oz and always imagined what life would be like if they entered a magical world of their own. Heartwarming and charming The Lost Story was a great sophomore book for Meg Shaffer.

Thanks to NetGalley & Ballantine Books for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

As a book lover, I was THRILLED to get an advance copy of Meg Shaffer's latest book! This book was a bit different than the genres I usually gravitate towards. I found that it took a little while to really get into the story. Think Outlander (with the stones) and adult Chronicles of Narnia with a touch of extra magic!

While I don't know if I would have chosen this book had I not loved Shaffer's first book, I'm glad I was given the opportunity to read it! I'd give it a solid three and a half stars.

As a book lover, I was THRILLED to get an advance copy of Meg Shaffer's latest book! This book was a bit different than the genres I usually gravitate towards. I found that it took a little while to really get into the story. Think Outlander (with the stones) and adult Chronicles of Narnia with a touch of extra magic!

While I don't know if I would have chosen this book had I not loved Shaffer's first book, I'm glad I was given the opportunity to read it! I'd give it a solid three and a half stars.

For fans of The Wishing Game and The Chronicles of Narnia comes this ambitious fairy tale of a book.
For me, I thought the first part of the book revved up and really moved me to want to read about men going back in to the woods where they were once lost. You knew once there, something magical was to come. Sadly the second half of the book just didn’t grab me in the same way. I think those who grew up enjoying stories of fairies, knights and princesses will enjoy it, but for as much as I truly enjoyed The Wishing Game, this novel was not for me. Still I give it 3*

What a fun fantasy read. The Lost Story was such an easy enjoyable read, I read it in less than 24 hours. This Narnia inspired fairy tale features love, friendships, magical realism, found family, both literal and actual, and all sorts of magical creatures.

The character development was so nicely done, I loved all four of the main characters, and the Narnia inspired world building was wonderfully written.

This is one of those books that you just hope to see made into a movie one day, all the fantasy elements are so imaginative, you know it will make a beautiful movie.

Highly recommend for anyone who is looking for a fantasy book with childlike imaginative details. Not a children’s book though, more geared towards upper YA and adult.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Story is a fun adventure with a really interesting magical world and a few bizarre elements. The plot read a little wonky to me; it felt like we reached the climax early and then wound down for many pages. I was surprised to see strong LGBTQIA representation, so that would have to be the reader’s thing. I would classify this as more YA with adult themes rather than women’s fiction. Overall, I was glad to be introduced to a new fantasy and I would read more from Meg Shaffer just for her worldbuilding.

Thank you to Random House - Ballentine Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Normally magic isn't my thing, but Meg Shaffer does it beautifully! This book completely swept me out of this realm and into the Forrest with our characters. I couldn't get enough!

“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? Loving and having people made out of ink and paper, not flesh and blood? Yes, books are magic. Maybe even the strongest magic there is.”

This story was magical. The world of Shanandoah (spelled this way for a reason) was whimsical, magical, heartfelt, inspiring, and funny. This book deals with a minor theme of abuse, but more than that it deals with love, friendship, and finding your place in this world (or another, if you’re lucky).

The only thing that caught me off guard was the LGBTQ storyline, and only because the synopsis compares this book to the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. And while the worlds are actually very similar, I think it caught me off guard because Lewis was a renowned Christian author, and the comparison to his stories is what drew me into this book initially. So I was not prepared! But even though LGBTQ fiction/romance would not be my normal taste of genre, I did love the couple and their story in this book ◡̈

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book! The Lost Story is expected to come out in July 2024.

MEG. She be writing my favorite books lately. I love this magical realism, I loved that there wasn't 15 chapters of world building and names I can't even begin to pronounce. This novel felt so wholesome, truly just like playing pretend as a child. It had everything a good fairytale should.