This book is beautifully written. I read it in a single sitting, because I wasn't able to put it down once I started. I loved Andrew and Thomas, although I would have loved to have parts of the book from Thomas's perspective in addition to Andrew's. My favorite parts of the book were the parts set in the forest, because the writing truly made the setting feel like it came alive during those sections. I didn't see the twist coming until right before it was revealed, and I will definitely be rereading this book in the future, and recommending it once it comes out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC.

Thomas, Andrew and Dove are three best friends who have lost contact over the summer after an intense argument between two of them. When the fall semester begins, Andrew and Thomas begin to mend their friendship by fighting monsters that are emerging from the woods that seem to be based off Thomas’s drawings. But all Andrew wants to do is mend the friend group, while keeping his romantic feelings for Thomas hidden.

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Spice 🌶️ 0/5

Tropes:
Forbidden Romance
Flashbacks
Touch him & d!e

Triggers:
Homophobia
Intense Grief/Depression
Gore/Mũrd3r/D3ath
Bullying
Loss of Parents
Su!cidal ideation

My thoughts:
Wow, this book is beautifully written. It’s a gothic, haunting queer romance that deals with grief, depression and finding oneself through love and friendship. The descriptive nature of the MC dealing the panic attacks and depression was captivating. This book deals with some heavy themes, so I’m not sure it should be read by someone under the age of 16.

I LOVED this book. This was a horror/psychological fantasy thriller that satisfied a horror-desire I’ve had since The Magnus Archives podcast ended. I loved having an Asexual/Homoromatic character. This book did representation in a way that didn’t feel forced or unnatural. The relationships felt authentic and well crafted.

Honestly, it’s taken me a while to review this book because I don’t want to give anything away. It’s just a read I think everyone needs to experience head-on.

I plan to reread this book and make everyone I know read this book so I can talk about it with them.

This book was beautifully written and the perfect read for spooky season. The main character doesn't a large chunk of it in the midst of a panic attack which made it difficult to get through as a pressing with anxiety issues. I did not see the plot twist coming and the ending was perfect for the story.

*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Don't Let the Forest In had the character dynamics of These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever with the isolation of The Wicker King. And the folk horror setting/atmosphere of Summer Sons. So if you like any of those three, highly highly recommend this. Adding this to the list of books where I need 3-5 business days to stare at a blank wall and process.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! Just a side note: I've noticed a trend where people feel bad rating an ARC less than 5 stars. This is not one of those reviews, it was actually that good. I need to reread this immediately. Oh my god.

This is definitely a dark, upper YA book. I've seen people leave reviews that didn't seem to be aware of dark this was, so please look up the triggers. I mean, if I mention a YA version of Paul/Julian, I feel like that's already saying a lot. Being inside Andrew's head is tough and that's a bold choice for a YA book.

The prose was beautiful and visceral and perfect for the genre. The first half of the book established the characters and relationships, while the second half had more of the traditional psychological horror elements. I wasn't too positive of some of the more magical elements, but the ending really worked and solidified the every choice the author made. The ace representation was also fantastic and a unique aspect to their co-dependency (and this feels like a good space to say that asexuality is a spectrum).

A physical copy of this book is not a want, it is a need.

While I was reading this I was trying to remember a version of myself who would've liked this, and felt as if maybe my YA self would've enjoyed this. But, I don't think so--she would've finished it for the sake of finishing (as I have) but she wouldn't sing any praises about it (as I won't).

The writing style is a bit incongruous with the horror/mystery elements it's trying to depict. The relationships between any of the characters didn't feel compelling.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan's for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending an ARC.

Much like it's cover, this one clawed at me. Face, body and soul.

I connected with Andrew on every level, especially as a queer youth--both sensitive and feeling like an outsider. One of the best protags in all of YA horror. The school and the surrounding woods were drenched with that delicious gothic atmosphere. I couldn't wait to find out what Thomas was hiding, and what monsters lurked in the shadows.

The strongest YA horror of 2024 so far.

andrew, a senior at wickwood academy, enjoys writing twisted fairytales to share with thomas, who brings these stories to life through drawing them. but as their friendship gets rocky, and secrets come to light, something is happening in the woods surrounding the school that could disrupt everything.

this is the kind of 5-star read that makes me want to go change the ratings of all my other 5-star reads. i so easily lost myself in this book, with the appalachian setting perfectly fitting the eerie writing style and plot. i really can’t put to words just how much i loved andrew and thomas, and how much i missed them as soon as i put this book down. i highly recommend this to fans of YA horror.

I‘ve never read anything like this before but I‘m so glad that my request got accepted because I never would have found this otherwise, so thanks netgalley!!

The story and characters were so eery. Every time I had to put the book down I wanted to continue reading. I definitely enjoyed the mystery vibes the story had to offer! But not only that, the stories Andrew writes and the description of the monsters Thomas draws were so good and creepy and gory.

The dynamic between Andrew and Thomas was also so interesting. I loved their friendship even though the circumstances made it hard for them. Loved most of the side characters, hated the ones you 100% should hate!!! and overall I loved that this book got so many emotions out of me! I bawled my eyes out at the end and I can‘t really say why.

I will be checking out the other books by this author!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I will start by saying horror is not my usual genre but I was intrigued by reviews I had seen and the BEAUTIFUL cover of this book. I was NOT disappointed. This book was haunting and so beautifully written. It had a chokehold on me from the time I hit the 25% mark until I gobbled the entire rest of the book whole. Don’t Let the Forest in is the story of an asexual boy, Andrew, and his struggles with his sexuality and internal monsters while navigating his senior year of high school with his best friend, Thomas, and his sister, Dove. Andrew and Thomas’s chemistry instantly pulls you in. And the prose in this novel is just so wonderfully written. Did I say that already? Oops. Everything about this novel just pulls you in deeper from the relationships to descriptions so vivid, you feel like the monsters Thomas loves to sketch from Andrew’s stories are literally in the room with you.

The author ends their acknowledgements saying “May this one haunt you.” It most definitely will…

I wasn't sure what to expect when starting this book, but it wasn't this. "Don't Let the Forest In" is queer YA fantasy horror novel that was a nail-biting experience, especially for someone who's forte really isn't horror.

Andrew Perrault is returning to Wickwood Academy for his final year, alongside his twin sister Dove and their best friend Thomas Rye. Andrew is shy, and painfully awkward, and he has always survived on the steadfast normalcy of his sister and the dependable understanding of Thomas. But things are different this year. Dove and Thomas are at odds, fracturing the shelter of their friendship. Andrew has become a social pariah after an incident last year left him with a hand through mirror and a spotty recollection of what exactly happened. And Thomas is shifty and afraid of something and for the first time ever is lying to Andrew.

This book is beautifully written, and it is almost perfectly paced to keep you grappling for more. Each chapter built more dread and this apprehension of what was to come. I was a chapter from The Big Reveal when I was questioning everything and thinking "...wait, is this really what's happening??" In hindsight, it makes so much sense and all the pieces fit together like a fractured puzzle, but the beauty of it was that I only saw it coming when it was right in front of me. I cannot overstate how good this book is and what beautiful prose it has.

This book was a solid 4★ as it just left me unsatisfied and wanting for more. That being said, as imperfect as it was for me, it was perfect for the story being told.

In the last line of the Acknowledgements, CG Drews writes "May this one haunt you" and I promise you it will.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this fantastic and devastating arc! I definitely recommend reading this book twice, once for the story and then a second time for the detail because man alive that plot twist had me reeling. As a twin I feel utterly betrayed. Why do stories always have to do the twins dirty? But as a queer person, this book was everything I wanted and more. Haunting and beautiful in every way. I'm such a huge fan of monsters being a metaphor for grief and the way this author wrote them was fantastic. I will definitely be recommending this book to all my friends!

“Don’t Let The Forest In” has some of the best asexual representation in teens that I have read. Andrew’s confusion and struggles with his sexuality is very real and important, and I was overjoyed to see it represented on page.

The story itself was heavy with hidden grief, identity, and trauma. Andrew is struggling with so much, things he can’t name or come to terms with, and Thomas is his one constant. I loved their dynamic, but I do wish that we had more of Thomas’s story. Andrew is an unreliable narrator in a limited third-person POV, so the mystery that lies over Thomas is warranted, but I felt that I while I loved Andrew and related to him, I couldn’t quite connect to Thomas.

The story itself was heavy but easy to follow, quick paced, and rested in the balance between too-much and just-right—definitely something for older YA-age readers, as it deals heavily with body-horror elements. It was engaging, bloody, and still boasted a sweet, blossoming romance between two queer boys at boarding school.

I would recommend this book to people who enjoyed K. Acrum’s “The Wicker King.”

Andrew is eager to return to his boarding school with his twin sister Dove, only to see his best friend Thomas, who he hasn't heard from. He and Thomas have a special relationship: Andrew writes strange little horror stories about the forbidden forest on campus and Thomas illustrates them. But on the first day of school, Thomas is pulled into the office and the rumor is that he killed his parents. Now the forest is attacking people, and Andrew thinks it's connected somehow.

I'm a big fan of the author on social media, so I was excited firstly that they'd written a book that ticked a lot of my favorite boxes (creepy forests, mutual pining) and secondly that it was available on Netgalley. The writing was lovely and lyrical and set a timeless tone, while at the same time conveying a sense of dread and surrealism. Both Andrew and Thomas's longing for each other pulled me through the story, even though they were at odds with each other half the time. If I hadn't been reading this as an ebook, I surely would have stayed up late into the night finishing it in half the time.

The prose is gorgeously textured, scraping against your bones as it goes straight for the heart. I am going to cry over this book. Then I’m going to go back and read it again.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, for the ARC copy they provided.

It’s rare I find an author at that perfect intersection of all the things that make me, me (neuraldivergence, queerness, and darkly beautiful aesthetic), but Drews is right there in that niche, and I am here for it.

Did I make the mistake of reading this on a plane that felt like it was shaking out of the sky? Yes. Do I regret it? No. This book is a beautifully painful delight from beginning to end, and the way Drews writes is pure magic and poetry, wrapped in a dark tangle of thorns. One hundred percent could not get enough of Don’t Let the Forest In, and was left wishing for more after the last word.

Somewhere in the middle of her book Drews writes, “Andrew would write them as a story someday. He’d make the blackest parts beautiful and he’d write the kisses bloody and the vengeance sweet.” Reading these lines, I couldn’t help feeling Drews was describing her own work; she couldn’t have written a more apt description of her book if she’d tried. Don’t Let the Forest In is full of blackly beautiful nightmares and sweet, bloody kisses. The love is as sharp-edged as violence of the monsters.

I am not exaggerating in any way, Drews’ style, deeply alive characters, and vivid depictions of what it is like living inside a neurodivergent brain left me feeling seen and validated in so many ways it would take hours to express them all.

On the same note, Drews’ complex and utterly virile queer characters gave me another sense of validation. Truly, it is shitty to have to feel as though you need to have luck to be loved as you are. The heartrending reality of that fact is one Drews captures effortlessly in a book about monsters, not queerness in and of itself. Reading this gorgeous blend of all things that can make a person a person just made me love Don’t Let the Forest In more because this book is as multilayered as any individual.

deep breath

I could ramble about all the things I enjoyed in this book, like ramble on and on and ON. I was completely obsessed for days, and left wanting more when I read the last lines. And yet… the end was satisfying. In Drews’ own words, “He needed to think up an ending cruel enough to appease the monsters, but soft enough so when this was all over he could fit himself against Thomas’s side and be safe.” The moment I read those words, I knew this was Drews speaking about herself, yet again, and held my breath to see what ending she would give me.

And Drews did not disappoint.

The last line in the acknowledgements of Don’t Let the Forest In is, “May this one haunt you.” Drews, I am haunted, thank you.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Don't Let the Forest In" by C.G. Drews presents a haunting blend of fantasy and horror, wrapped in a package of captivating prose and complex characters. This is a book with an absolutely wonderful and creepy atmosphere with vivid descriptions that may just haunt you after finishing the book. Before I get into the review, I wanted to provide some content warnings including body horror as well as eating disorders (as I feel like this was not obvious in the summary of the book, but the author goes into detail on this in the book).

Set in the atmospheric Wickwood Academy, the story follows Andrew Perrault and his twin sister, Dove, as they navigate a world filled with twisted fairy tales, monstrous drawings brought to life, and secrets lurking in the shadows. Drews crafts a tale that explores themes of identity and mental health, drawing you into a world where monsters—both literal and metaphorical—threaten to consume everything in their path. The cover is absolutely gorgeous and creepy, which is perfect for this book.

Drews' prose is both beautiful and macabre, weaving a tale that is as lyrical as it is grotesque. I almost wish the book included illustrations of the monsters so that I could better visualize them, but Drews’ writing definitely did bring them to life, especially with some of the body horror aspects. The book also focused on sexual identity quite a few times, which is something I wasn’t expected, but I definitely enjoyed with asexual representation through the main character. I did find that the juxtaposition of normalcy and horror sometimes felt jarring, pulling me out of the immersive world Drews has created. Sometimes, the tonal shift came out of nowhere where the focus was on horror and then suddenly Andrew is talking about him being asexual with two other students.

At the heart of the story is the dynamic between Andrew and Thomas Rye, which is what I enjoyed the most, besides the vivid imagery. Their relationship is fraught with tension and longing, adding a layer of depth to the story as the two of them are both suffering in different ways and they find themselves coming together because of their shared experiences as they try to find solace in one another. I also enjoyed the twist at the end as it was one I was definitely not expecting, but I feel like it answered some questions I had in the back of my mind.

Overall, "Don't Let the Forest In" is a compelling read that will leave a lasting impression. I definitely can’t wait to read more from Drews.

While I enjoyed the descriptions of the woods and monsters, I felt disconnected from the characters. That may be because they are a bit youngish for me which I did not know this was a YA novel until I started reading. I think it has great representation and it would be better suited for a younger audience interested in fantasy and horror.

This book grabs you by the collar, and pulls you in, hard to put down. I ended up staying up quite late to finish it, checking to see if I was getting close, and I worried for the two protagonists.


The forest is full of monsters, and they are monsters that Andrew has written about and Thomas has drawn. Bringing the horror to life, at the boarding school where they reside. Andrew is deeply in love with Thomas, but can't tell him. Thomas wants to protect Andrew from the monsters.


The books can best be described by a conversation the two boys have:
“It could be witchcraft.”
Thomas chewed the end of the pencil. “You believe in that?”
Andrew closed his notebook. “You’ve kind of warped reality. I’m pretty sure we have to believe in everything now.”


Deeply haunting, as it should be. There is one scene, where, despite the reader being afraid of the monsters, where they do the right thing, and kill the right person.


While I normally don’t read horror, I felt I needed to read this, because I had read other books by the author and enjoyed them. I couldn’t put it down, it is that gripping.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 29th of October 2o24