Don't Let the Forest In is a haunting and beautifully crafted tale that lingers long after the final page. C.G. Drews masterfully blends elements of psychological horror with deeply emotional storytelling, creating a narrative that is both eerie and profoundly moving.

The story follows Andrew, a high school senior at Wickwood Academy, who finds solace in writing dark fairy tales for his friend Thomas. As the two become entangled in a mysterious and dangerous situation involving monsters from Andrew's stories, their bond deepens, revealing complex layers of love, identity, and trauma.

Drews' prose is lush and evocative, drawing readers into a world where the boundaries between reality and nightmare blur. The atmospheric setting of Wickwood Academy, coupled with the sinister presence of the forest, creates a palpable sense of dread that permeates the novel.

The characters are richly developed, with Andrew's internal struggles and his evolving relationship with Thomas portrayed with sensitivity and depth. Themes of grief, mental health, and the complexities of queer identity are explored with nuance, adding emotional weight to the horror elements.

Don't Let the Forest In is a standout in the YA horror genre, offering a compelling mix of spine-chilling suspense and heartfelt storytelling. It's a must-read for fans of dark fairy tales and those who appreciate a narrative that delves into the complexities of the human experience.

This book absolutely wrecked me—in the best way. It’s dark, dreamy, and beautifully written, with that kind of poetic prose that makes you stop and reread lines just to feel them again. C.G. Drews pulls you into a world that feels part fairytale, part emotional gut-punch.

The story follows two siblings trying to survive a toxic home and the shadows that come with it, both real and imagined. The forest is eerie and metaphorical, and the way it blurs with their trauma is just wow. It’s not an easy read emotionally, but it’s so worth it if you’re into books that explore mental health, grief, and survival in a raw, honest way.

If you like atmospheric, character-driven stories that aren’t afraid to go dark—but still leave space for hope—this one’s for you.

There is perhaps nothing more monstrous than love. It's the one beast to which we all feed ourselves willingly, the one which takes the most infinite number of forms. It is timid and bold both at once, sneaking up from the shadows or crashing headlong in the daylight to consume us wholly. It's the one creature we all aspire to meet; the one Thing we wish to protect and nourish our whole lives through. A pet that keeps its counsel within each of our chests. 

Recently, however, there has felt to be an increase of fear. In the US, at least, and many other places besides, the fear and anxiety for the future - and the present - is palpable. Perhaps nowhere is this more true than in the arts and in how we engage with others. In the one hand, artists are beating down every door and yelling into every ear that destruction and censorship, the chewing up and spitting out of a soulless program over a human being, is the equivalent of willingly and joyfully watching both the death of the world and the death of the soul. In the other, we've not quite ever recovered from the isolation necessitated by early COVID-era shut downs and isolation; often it feels like so many have become so emboldened by speaking behind a screen that they forget the human being on the other side of it. Not even to speak of the current sociopolitical climate that festers around us at the time of this writing. 

All this to say: every willful act of pen to paper, charcoal to canvas, physical craft and interaction is feeling ever closer to a statement of defiance in the face of a world that seems to want nothing more than for us to forget the world outside of our immediate surroundings. Forget our humanity in favor of complacency. Forget the all-consuming monstrous love for one another we must feed in order to keep going.

When I first got CG Drews's Don't Let the Forest In from NetGalley for review in the latter part of 2024, I did not anticipate receiving it as such a statement of humanity and creation. I was, quite frankly, amid a period of darkness within myself that comes calling toward the winter months and, while Don't Let the Forest In was a sharp little bit of comfort, I had been sapped of all mental energy to articulate exactly what it brought out for me. It is full to bursting with thorns and yearning, love and twisting vines of trauma, darkness and fire in equal measure. It is sad, and angry, and queer. Unapologetically violent and strange and beautiful. Don't Let the Forest In is a Gothic bit of YA with enough bite in all the right places to remind readers of the value and necessity of gaining strength from open vulnerability.

We follow Andrew and Thomas as they return to boarding school after a summer break in which a trauma has occurred. Andrew only feels safe and whole with his sister Dove and Thomas around, and Thomas is all bite all the time to everyone but Andrew. The two complete each other even down to an artistic level - Andrew writes fairy tale vignettes full of longing and suffering; Thomas draws creatures brimming with teeth and claws. They're a brutal pairing, a hard outer shell and a fleshy, bleeding core. When the relationship structure that keeps them all whole starts to feel like it's straining - not to mention the whispers of monsters in the woods - and the violence hits too close to home for their liking, Thomas and Andrew must confront several incalculably difficult things at once if they wish to survive intact.

Forest is a story about shaping and sharing reality through creation, longing for connection and not knowing how to grasp for it. It is a story about creation as an act of love and survival all in one. It is absolutely necessary to the heart of this work that the boys' artistic outlets be physically a part of themselves. A compulsion they are not complete without, and the one tool in their respective arsenals that ensures they remain grounded and together with the things, people, and places they value most. It is also just as much a twisting heartbreak of a tale that will sink its roots into you and propel you along its pages faster than you realize, until you reach the great monstrous crescendo that whispers its end.

I am delighted to have received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, but I am equally as happy to have revisited it and gotten to see the illustrations peppered throughout that serve as peeks into both Andrew and Thomas's minds. If dark fairy tales, Gothic hungry monsters, and queer yearning are your thing, CG Drews has crafted just the book for you with their own two, viny little hands.

4 🌟
This book completely got under my skin—in the best way. It’s creepy, emotional, and beautifully written. The mix of horror and heartbreak really worked for me. Andrew’s voice felt so real, and I appreciated how his asexuality was written with care.

The friendship between Andrew and Thomas, the blurred line between stories and reality, and the forest itself—it all gave me chills. Some parts were tough to read emotionally, but that just made it hit harder.

If you like dark, character-driven stories with a touch of surreal horror, this one’s worth it. I won’t forget it anytime soon.

Andrew is a socially awkward senior in high school who finds comfort in his best friend, twin sister, and his writing. The school year gets off to a strange start, with his sister giving him the cold shoulder and his best friend acting weird and distant, no longer interested in illustrating the monsters from Andrew's stories. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Andrew follows Thomas into the forest and catches him fighting off one of the very monsters he illustrated! The two join forces to try to take down the evil they seem to have brought into the world.

I absolutely loved Drews's writing style. This is the type of writing that makes me understand why people annotate books. I thought that these characters were so lovable. I just wanted to jump into the book and protect them. I also really enjoyed the ending of this book and did not see it coming. Really, I didn't see anything coming at any point haha. I'm really looking forward to reading more of Drews's work.

I did have a minor issue with the pacing of each book. The beginning was VERY strong and sucked you right in and the ending was un-put-downable for about 100 pages. Unfortunately, there is a bit in the middle where things sort of slow down. During this, I lost sight of the point a little bit and the mystery lost some of its intrigue. Luckily, the book picked back up and sucked me back in for the ending.

I would recommend this for horror lovers and those seeking out lgbtqia+ books outside of the romance genre.

What an absolutely amazing book. Queer dark academia with semi-sentient forests, aro/ace representation, botanical body horror... I could go on!

Andrew is returning to his boarding school in the new academic year with his twin Dove and his best friend Thomas. Except that Dove isn't speaking to him, Thomas disappears into the woods every night, and something is bringing Thomas's drawings to life.

"Andrew hated the way his brain did this. Destroyed beautiful things. It was like he couldn't just hold a flower, he had to crush the petals in his fist until his hand was stained with murdered color"

"Life didn't fit against his skin and it never had and sometimes everything was just too much"

I have never felt more represented in a character than I have with Andrew. From struggling with social interactions, not knowing how to do life, to struggles with sexuality, everything about Andrew was relatable to me. And I'll be honest, that's really what did it for me with this book. It was so enjoyable to feel so represented on these pages.

Drews writing is impeccable, and the imagery in this book was top notch. Watching Andrew and Thomas explore deadly creatures come to life with art and writing and how their lives intertwine was such an experience. I did not see the twist or the ending coming and it definitely left me wanting more!

While there are characters I wish we could've seen more of, I think this was a beautifully written book with fantastic representation, a great representation of how teens, especially those with mental illness and neurodivergencies, navigate society and the pressures they are put under, as well as an exploration of finding sexual identity.

And to top it off, the finished copy of this book is illustrated! I am so excited to go pick up a finished copy! This is the perfect spooky read for the season!

I recently got into the eco-horror genre and this is the perfect read for anyone who loves folklore and eco-horror. Love the concept of monsters coming out of the page and the boys who created them having to protect the world from them. And it is super impressive this was a debut novel. The pacing was a little odd at times, but was not the worst.

This was an amazing YA read during spooky season. It has a lot of elements I like including:
- Dark Academia Setting
- Emotional Roller Coaster
- Lots of tension and suspense
- LGTBQ Setting
I will definitely recommend this in my shop!

I absolutely devoured this book. I was gasping, squealing all the way through the book. I loved the relationship between Andrew and Thomas. The LGBTQ+ representation was spot on. Horror books aren’t ones that I usually reach for but when Drews releases more horror books, they will be going straight to the top of my TBR.

Dark and poetic, Don't Let the Forest In was a creepy ride. I was thrilled to see a variety of representation along with a thrilling story.

This wasn’t a bad read and for a debut it’s pretty decent. Unfortunately I just didn’t love it as much as I had hoped I would. The pacing was a bit too slow. I’d still read another book by this author though

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This is another DNF. I couldn’t get through this book not matter how hard I tried. I put it down, picked it up. Put it down, picked it up. You get the picture.

We follow two boys who have been best friends for a long time. They’re at a boarding school, one is an artist and the other is anxious about everything to the point of debilitation. I thought I would like this book because I can relate to that. Generalized Anxiety club anyone?

But no.

Not only are they best friend but our anxious character has feelings for his best friend. But only for him. Otherwise he’s ace. And that’s cool! I thought it would be a really interesting part of the story.

But I couldn’t get through it because holy crap is it toxic. This boy is obsessed, I do mean it, with his friend. It’s not cute, it’s not something I enjoyed reading. Even when the monsters show up and his friend is badly wounded but still forced to go to classes, his friend is being so weird about him!

The pacing is slow and the dialogue was hard to swallow. There was a lot of purple prose as well. Like it just dragged.

I wanted to know more about the story but actually getting there was just too painful and I’ve got more books to read and other things to do with my time.

For me this wasn’t worth it.

I give it two stars, for mental health rep and ace visibility but that’s it.

First of all the writing was beautiful, it was so captivating and I loved reading it. For a debut novel I'm super impressed not only with the writing but also the creativity, it was so unique and beautiful in its own way. I loved Andrew so much, he was so broken and scared, he almost made me cry multiple times. I was definitely not prepared for the plot twists at the end, my eyes were popping, my jaw was dropping. A fantastic book with a gorgeous cover, I can't wait to read more by this author.

What a wonderful book! It was ominous, creepy, sensational, and had me from the very beginning. I loved the gothic school theme and I felt so much for Andrew. It's eerie, tragic, and a beautiful story I definitely think anyone a fan of queer horror should be reading. The cover is also amazing and that's honestly what drew my attention to begin with.

3 stars. I was immediately drawn in by the cover, and luckily, the writing lived up to it. This book has such a strong atmosphere, with great prose that really leans into themes of grief, mental health, and codependency.

That said…I have mixed feelings. While the vibe was definitely there, I found myself kind of bored through and felt the author tried to cover too many topics. The pacing dragged, and even though I wanted to be more emotionally invested in the romance, it just didn’t quite land for me.

The plot twist? I saw it coming early on, so it didn’t have the impact I think it was supposed to. Despite this, the ending still saved the entire book and was absolute chaos in the best way. It pulled me back in and made me appreciate the build up a little more.

Also, I really wanted it to be just a bit spookier. The setup had all the eerie potential, but it never quite went there. I'd recommend this one to readers who love character-driven stories, poetic writing, and soft horror vibes with a twist of emotional unraveling.

✨Big thanks to Hachette Children for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!✨

Finally got around to reading this one and it was just okay. I loved the author’s voice which could be felt throughout and I love how asexuality was handled. However, the overall story wasn’t everything I had hoped for.

I forced myself to finish this book. And even when I got to the end, I was confused as hell.


The book started out in the middle of the plot. Barely going over anything, not really explaining much about Thomas and Andrew or Dove.

Once it got into the nitty gritty, I just felt that I needed to stick it through to the end to find out what’s actually going on. Now, did I find out? No. Would I consider reading this again, at another point in time if I can find reviews that have more insight than I do? Possibly.


This was a 2.5star read rounded up.

Don't Let the Forest In by CG Drews is a haunting, heart-wrenching masterpiece that grips you from the very first page and doesn’t let go. With lyrical prose and unflinching emotional depth, Drews crafts a psychological thriller that explores trauma, survival, and the blurred lines between memory and reality. The forest isn’t just a setting—it’s a character, a presence, a metaphor for everything the protagonist is trying to outrun. Every page feels like it’s holding its breath, and the tension builds in a way that’s both eerie and utterly beautiful.

What truly stands out in Drews’ work is the visceral emotionality. The interiority of the main character is so finely drawn that even their silences feel loud. Flashbacks and fragments are used to devastating effect, and Drews doesn’t shy away from showing the gritty, terrifying truths of PTSD while still offering glimpses of resilience. The writing itself is stunning—poetic without being purple, evocative without ever losing clarity. This is a book that feels everything, and invites the reader to feel it too, no matter how uncomfortable or raw it gets.

If there's any gentle note to offer, it's simply that this story might hit hard for readers sensitive to depictions of abuse and psychological trauma—but that's also what makes it so powerful. Drews handles these themes with immense care and honesty. Don't Let the Forest In is not just a novel; it’s a storm of emotion wrapped in prose. It’s deeply affecting, beautifully written, and impossible to forget.

i loooove a spooky gay forest story and this fucking delivered. in the leagues of the raven cycle, summer sons, and the secret history, Don’t Let the Forest In takes you on a journey of suspense, grief, fighting your demons. literally. i thought i was going crazy right alongside andrew. perfect plot twist.

Monstrous forests and even more monstrous boys!

DON’T LET THE FOREST IN follows high-school senior Andrew, a boy who takes refuge in writing dark fairytales, and his best friend Thomas, who illustrates his monstrous creations. Upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew is baffled by the icy reception from his twin sister Dove, Thomas’s stranger-than-usual behavior, and the rule banning students from entering the forest around the school under threat of expulsion.

A totally creepy YA gothic novel, with unique writing that develops the eerie atmosphere on every page. C.G. Drews makes a joke in the Acknowledgments about spending a few minutes staring at a wall and that was 100% what I did after I finished this. This story creeped and crawled inside my brain and I fear it will stay there for some time (positive).

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!