This was freaking amazing and I wasn’t sure how much I would love that going into it but I couldn’t pass up the gorgeous cover and OH MY GOD THIS WAS PHENOMENAL I am going to shove this down everyone’s throats.

Don't Let the Forest In was such an interesting read! It's perfect for anyone craving a dark, macabre tale with eldritch horrors. The book nails that spooky vibe that will make you think twice about reading it at night, and the prose is immaculate.

The monster descriptions were especially vivid—my favorite was the wolf with stitches at its throat. Creepy and unsettling in the best way! I also loved the short macabre stories sprinkled throughout. I can’t wait to see the illustrations when the final version comes out.

However, as much as I want to rave about this book, I did have some issues with it. The plot felt a bit erratic -- somewhere in the middle, the pacing slowed down. Even though the characters kept saying the situation was dire, I didn’t really feel that sense of urgency.

The tension with the monsters, and between the characters' relationships, built up, only to fizzle out repeatedly. It's as if the book couldn't decide whether it would be a romance book with a horror subplot or a horror book with a romance subplot.

I loved how atmospheric this was, and I really liked Andrew and Thomas as characters. But, like a lot of horror stories, it felt abstract—maybe too abstract. The deeper meaning kind of flew over my head, but I’m sure someone else will get it.

You might be confused with my review, and truthfully I am too. I'm still unsure whether I like this book or not, but I would definitely recommend it based on vibes alone.

This book was the perfect choice to get me in the mood for spooky season. Creepy fairytales monsters come to life in a private school in the woods? SIGN ME UP. I enjoyed the atmospheric setting, the lyrical prose and the characters. The queer rep was lovely and I loved both the main and side characters. There were parts of the story that truly creeped me out and the ending had a twist I did not see coming. Very grateful to the author, Macmillan and NetGalley for this amazingly creepy ARC 🖤

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. Don't Let the Forest In was absolutely amazing. I had so many thoughts and feelings to process throughout reading it. I loved the LGBTQ+ rep, the dynamic characters & all of the layers they brought to the story, and the entire thing was SO atmospheric. The perfect book for spooky season! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

dear god this was one of the most incredible dark LGBTQ romances i've ever seen, with a strong psychological horror feel. poetic, gothic, ominous, and twisted. what's real? what's not? does that even matter at all? 5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for the eARC of Don't Let the Forest In in exchange for an honest review.

Don't Let the Forest In follows Andrew Perrault as he returns to Wickwood boarding school after summer vacation with his twin sister Dove who was noticeably distant from him all summer. Andrew couldn't decide if Dove's distance had to do with his anxiety and panic disorder, or the fight she'd had with their mutual friend (and Andrew's heartthrob crush and roommate) Thomas Rye the previous semester. However, when they get to school, Dove runs off, and Andrew finds out Thomas had a rough summer as well - his parents are missing and he may be the lead suspect. While trying to navigate the new dynamics of the school year, Andrew is hoping he and Thomas can continue to share their macabre fairy tales inspired by the Wickwood Forest surrounding the school - only one problem... the monsters from their fairy tales are now terrorizing the school. What will Andrew and Thomas do to save everyone else and themselves?

This was beautifully written. C.G. Drews had a wonderful way of pulling you into the story, making you feel like you were in high school again, wrote panic disorders extremely well - as well as someone who suffers from anxiety and what its like to live with it on a daily basis. I was not prepared for any of the twists and turns this book took and it was a perfect spooky read for the fall season.

"May this one haunt you." I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I finished it hours ago and I doubt I will stop anytime soon.

I finished this book earlier today and had to sit with it for a bit before I was able to write a review because I have sO many feelings. First off, I loved the premise of this and the forest being the backdrop for all the creepies at Wickwood was so beautifully done. The setting and storyline was perfect for a chilling fall read. There were multiple moments throughout that I had to stop reading because I felt sick to my stomach with some of the descriptions. (Please note I consider this a VERY good thing when reading horror)

My one con with this book was the pacing felt a little stiff in a few spots throughout the story where it felt a little disjointed from one scene to the next but for the most part it flowed really well. I didn't have any moments were I felt bored or like I was counting down until I had finished the story. The writing was beautiful and poetic and haunting with incredibly well done foreshadowing with Dove's storyline. By the end, everything made sense but also had the right amount of blurriness that you were questioning if Dove wasn't real... was any of it? The ending especially was all I could've hoped for. It was satisfying while also leaving me wanting more of the aftermath.

I am SO glad that I decided to request it because this type of book is one that I hoped I would find. It was a stunning debut YA horror that I may not have gotten to read if not for NetGalley and I will be recommending it to everyone I know who likes psychological horror. 10/10 5 stars, fully recommend. I can't wait to see what CG Drews writes next.

I really wanted to like this book, but I don't think it's my vibe. I wanted to read it because I love CG Drews, but forest-core horror just isn't my thing. That being said, I loved the ace and Pride club rep in the 50% of the book I read!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy.

This book gutted me. The writing is just gorgeous, absolutely lush and brimming with emotion and atmosphere. The monsters in the book, both human and otherwise, are truly creepy and disturbing. It made me remember the feeling of being so in love with someone that it is physically painful to be both near them and separated. The tension and desperation in the story has me desperate to finish and find out what happened. 4.75 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this amazing ARC!
I absolutely adored Don’t Let the Forest In by CG Drews. This book was a gorgeously dark fairytale steeped in intricate nature imagery, magic, and love. I felt that there was just so much amazing representation laced throughout the book as it dealt with tough familial trauma as well as young adulthood. In short, this novel takes place in a dark and foreboding academy where sinister forces lurk in the nearby forest. However, Andrew and Thomas slowly learn that the monsters that they create have real world consequences and that they must come together to fight the darkness and defeat the evils of nature. This is a brilliant coming of age story that I will come back to time and time again.

First I have to comment on this books cover it just pulled me in for some reason and made me want to read this love it.
Now on to my thoughts
Overall, Don’t Let the Forest In
This is a thought-provoking story that will have you second guessing going into the woods.
fans of dark academia, horror, will enjoy this
Thanks netgalley

This book destroyed me, and I thanked it for the tears. The prose is downright poetic, every bloody, magic word, as all good fairy tales should be. I am bereft. One of my favorite reads of the year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars. This book was right up my alley. It is the perfect Halloween read!

The writing style is insanely good. I was eating up every line. It’s so descriptive. The scary and gross descriptions of the monsters and the forest were so creepy! I was gagging or cringing at some of the lines, in the best way possible.

Even each of Andrew’s stories that he wrote were so well written! Sometimes in books if a character is an author or writes poems or what not, what the character writes isn’t that good. This was not the case with this book! Every little story was so unique and creepy, it gave me chills.

I loved Andrew so much and my heart ached for him every time he was too in his head or looked down on himself. I related to him in so many ways, so his character really hit home for me. He has a special place in my heart.

I honestly didn’t like Thomas that much at first. I know we were supposed to like him because Andrew did, but he said some pretty harsh things, even if he was just protecting him. He also kept so many things from Andrew even though Andrew proved he wouldn’t get angry or look at him differently, which was frustrating. I think because I loved Andrew so much that if Thomas made him upset I got angry at him. Thomas is Andrew’s best friend and Andrew is obsessed with him, and they had a lot of history I did not get to see, so I wasn’t quite as forgiving as he was when Thomas did him dirty. Andrew did also say though they both knew how to push each other’s buttons and where to hurt each other the most, so Andrew wasn’t always innocent either.

Don’t get me wrong, I still wanted him and Thomas to get together. So many of the things they said or thought about each other was either so romantic or so heartbreakingly good, I was eating it up. I just didn’t like Thomas’ character as much as Andrew liked him.

I liked Lana a lot! She was in it quite a bit, but I could have used even more of her. I wish Dove was fleshed out a little more as well.

I need to reread this, almost immediately. So many signs were there showing what was going on but I didn’t connect the dots! I should have put the pieces together, but since we are in Andrew’s head I just took what he thought as truth.

The author’s note of this book made me laugh because that is exactly what I was doing! This will haunt me for a while! When it ended I thought to myself “that can’t be the end! I need more!!” But also it ended in the perfect spot. Two things can be true at once haha.

I do wish we had a little more answers on what happens in the aftermath, especially because some pretty major things happened. I want to see more of Andrew and Thomas together. Who knows, maybe we will get a sequel or a short story of them! I hope.

I highly recommend this. What you see is what you get, and it is very much so worth the read.

First of all—this has the most stunning cover and that will definitely be why a lot of people pick it up. Unfortunately, the words inside are less stunning. In many parts, the prose felt very try-hard and it ended coming off convoluted and nonsensical, and the characters felt like caricatures to me. TBH if you want a YA horror with deep themes and lyrical prose, pick up Kelly Andrew instead.

First off I love that the book takes places in Virginia because that’s where I’m from so it was cool to see it. Second this book took me on an emotional roller coaster and the ending absolutely shocked me. The dark academic vibes were fantastic as well. Very well written and the LGBTQ+ with the main character being asexual but still maintaining a romantic relationship is a nice reminder that relationships come in all shapes and forms and does not have to be physical for it to still be a valid relationship

This was an interesting story with some great writing, but as it progressed I found it harder and harder to get the pieces to fit together. The plot just got too far out there for me and it didn't feel grounded in anything. It felt like anything crazy out there could happen on the next page which made it hard to care. The ending also doesn't really resolve most of the story and it just feels like there are gaping holes left behind.

I did enjoy the atmosphere of the book though and the creepier parts where well executed.

CG Drews' Don't Let the Forest In, set to release on 10/29/24, is a gripping exploration of love, loss, and the shadows that lurk within us. Following high school senior Andrew Perrault, the novel weaves a dark fairytale that reflects both the magic and the terror of self-discovery.

Plot Summary: Andrew finds solace in the twisted fairytales he writes for Thomas Rye, a boy with ink-stained hands and hair reminiscent of autumn leaves. As Andrew navigates the challenges of his senior year, he grapples with his twin sister Dove's sudden coldness and the growing bond with Thomas, who is hiding troubling secrets. When Thomas’s abusive parents disappear, and he shows up at school with blood on his sleeve, Andrew’s concern for his friend intensifies. The discovery of Thomas battling nightmarish monsters—creations of his own artwork—propels them into a fight for survival and the unraveling of their relationship.

REVIEW:
While the love story between Andrew and Thomas is beautifully crafted, Andrew's character initially feels a bit weak, often playing the victim in the face of his challenges. However, by the end, he embarks on a journey of redemption, showcasing growth that makes his character arc satisfying. Thomas, in contrast, emerges as a well-written, complex figure—both a hero in Andrew’s eyes and a vital source of support.

The novel explores rich themes of identity, love, and the struggle against one’s inner demons. The forest serves as a powerful metaphor for the unknown aspects of their lives and the monsters they must confront. A particularly striking twist—a revelation about a character presumed alive—adds a layer of depth that resonates long after the story concludes.

Drews’ lyrical prose immerses readers in the vivid and haunting world of Wickwood Academy and the mysterious forest. The blend of whimsy and horror creates an atmosphere that perfectly complements the emotional undertones of the narrative.

Final Thoughts:
Don't Let the Forest In offers a poignant love story intertwined with a thrilling fantasy narrative. Despite some initial reservations about Andrew's character, the novel ultimately delivers a compelling tale of bravery and connection. With its LGBTQ themes and unexpected twists, this book is sure to resonate with readers looking for both heart and depth.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

First, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’ll start by saying that the premise of this book, the prose, and the scenery/imagery were all lovely. It felt so haunting and I was hooked pretty early on. It handled some pretty heavy topics in beautifully gruesome ways.

But it also felt like it was trying too hard to be edgy and gruesome and horrific in some places, and I feel like it took away some of the punch from where it was important to have that horror the most.

All in all, this was a great read if you want something substantial, something that makes you want to keep sinking your claws in deeper.

I really loved this book! The writing was phenomenal and the characters were very well developed. I think my only complaint is the ending was pretty abrupt.

I liked this book so much! The creepy atmosphere and constant tension/anxiety kept my attention. The way the horror entered the story was really interesting. The desperate tension between the two main characters had me utterly hooked