Inspired by C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, this wild and wondrous novel is a fairy tale for grown-ups who still knock on the back of wardrobes—just in case—from the author of The Wishing Game.
As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived.
Fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Rafe is a reclusive artist who still bears scars inside and out but has no memory of what happened during those months. Meanwhile, Jeremy has become a famed missing persons’ investigator. With his uncanny abilities, he is the one person who can help vet tech Emilie Wendell find her sister, who vanished in the very same forest as Rafe and Jeremy.
Jeremy alone knows the fantastical truth about the disappearances, for while the rest of the world was searching for them, the two missing boys were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger. He believes it is there that they will find Emilie’s sister. However, Jeremy has kept Rafe in the dark since their return for his own inscrutable reasons. But the time for burying secrets comes to an end as the quest for Emilie’s sister begins. The former lost boys must confront their shared past, no matter how traumatic the memories.
Alongside the headstrong Emilie, Rafe and Jeremy must return to the enchanted world they called home for six months—for only then can they get back everything and everyone they’ve lost.
As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived.
Fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Rafe is a reclusive artist who still bears scars inside and out but has no memory of what happened during those months. Meanwhile, Jeremy has become a famed missing persons’ investigator. With his uncanny abilities, he is the one person who can help vet tech Emilie Wendell find her sister, who vanished in the very same forest as Rafe and Jeremy.
Jeremy alone knows the fantastical truth about the disappearances, for while the rest of the world was searching for them, the two missing boys were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger. He believes it is there that they will find Emilie’s sister. However, Jeremy has kept Rafe in the dark since their return for his own inscrutable reasons. But the time for burying secrets comes to an end as the quest for Emilie’s sister begins. The former lost boys must confront their shared past, no matter how traumatic the memories.
Alongside the headstrong Emilie, Rafe and Jeremy must return to the enchanted world they called home for six months—for only then can they get back everything and everyone they’ve lost.
Title: The Lost Story
Author: Meg Shaffer
Publisher: Random House Ballentine
Expected Publication Date: July 16, 2024
Expected Publication Date: July 16, 2024
Review:
Thank you to Random House Ballentine and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Jeremey and Rafe went missing on a school field trip and dissappeared. When the two boys reappear 6 months later, no one can figure out what happened. One remembers everything. The other remembers nothing. Their story can't be told. But when Emilie is looking for her lost sister and approaches Jeremey, now a man who locates missing people for a living, he can't refuse what she's asking. But the truth of where her sister is is linked with the two boys, and no one can ever know about the enchanted world they entered when they all disappeared.
I loved The Wishing Game by Shaffer. Magical realism is so much fun for me to read. This book takes more of a turn towards fantasy. Set in modern day and tackling issues of friendship, found family, love, and second chances, it touches an many emotional aspects. It's an adult fairytale hitting all the fairytale bullet points, which really made it so much fun to read.
Shaffer really infuses the story with so much fun fantasy: magical lands, Valkyries, unicorns, villains, queens, princes, knights, and other magical creatures. It really hits all the fairytale highlights. Her verbal descriptors truly pull you into the fantasy world and make it so real. It was easy to picture it all in my mind. The story did give me some Peter Pan vibes with the villains introduced.
The story touches on being lost, being found, and finding family even if they may not be blood related.
I loved the idea of the storyteller for the story. Addressing the audience directly was such a great idea! It gave such an interesting perspective. I did figure out who the story teller was about half way through, but that did not make it any less enjoyable to read. The perspective allowed for backstory and a different view of the characters and who they are.
Jeremey and Rafe's story is sweet. I love their connection. I love them finding their friendship and more again during the story. It makes for a much more emotional story. And Emilie is a fun character, as well. She's not shy, and she knows what she wants/needs. My heart ached for her lonliness. She has no one but so wants to find someone to be her family. And the LBGTQ representation was a nice addition to a fabulous plot.
The pacing was great. Lots of action, some down time, a little romance, and true friendships made. Shaffer really ticked all the boxes to pull you along in her story.
I had high expectations for this book given my love of this author's first book and she did not disappoint. The book made my heart sing. It tugged at my emotions and ultimately made me so very happy. Definitely jump into this one if you are a fan of TJ Klune and fairytales.
Jeremey and Rafe went missing on a school field trip and dissappeared. When the two boys reappear 6 months later, no one can figure out what happened. One remembers everything. The other remembers nothing. Their story can't be told. But when Emilie is looking for her lost sister and approaches Jeremey, now a man who locates missing people for a living, he can't refuse what she's asking. But the truth of where her sister is is linked with the two boys, and no one can ever know about the enchanted world they entered when they all disappeared.
I loved The Wishing Game by Shaffer. Magical realism is so much fun for me to read. This book takes more of a turn towards fantasy. Set in modern day and tackling issues of friendship, found family, love, and second chances, it touches an many emotional aspects. It's an adult fairytale hitting all the fairytale bullet points, which really made it so much fun to read.
Shaffer really infuses the story with so much fun fantasy: magical lands, Valkyries, unicorns, villains, queens, princes, knights, and other magical creatures. It really hits all the fairytale highlights. Her verbal descriptors truly pull you into the fantasy world and make it so real. It was easy to picture it all in my mind. The story did give me some Peter Pan vibes with the villains introduced.
The story touches on being lost, being found, and finding family even if they may not be blood related.
I loved the idea of the storyteller for the story. Addressing the audience directly was such a great idea! It gave such an interesting perspective. I did figure out who the story teller was about half way through, but that did not make it any less enjoyable to read. The perspective allowed for backstory and a different view of the characters and who they are.
Jeremey and Rafe's story is sweet. I love their connection. I love them finding their friendship and more again during the story. It makes for a much more emotional story. And Emilie is a fun character, as well. She's not shy, and she knows what she wants/needs. My heart ached for her lonliness. She has no one but so wants to find someone to be her family. And the LBGTQ representation was a nice addition to a fabulous plot.
The pacing was great. Lots of action, some down time, a little romance, and true friendships made. Shaffer really ticked all the boxes to pull you along in her story.
I had high expectations for this book given my love of this author's first book and she did not disappoint. The book made my heart sing. It tugged at my emotions and ultimately made me so very happy. Definitely jump into this one if you are a fan of TJ Klune and fairytales.
Author:
Meg Shaffer is the USA Today bestselling author of The Lost Story and The Wishing Game, which was a Book of the Month finalist for Book of the Year, a Reader’s Digest and Washington Post Best Book of the Year, and has been translated into 21 languages. Meg holds an MFA in TV and Screenwriting from Stephens College. She lives in Kentucky.
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