This is a creepy but beautiful story following Andrew who writes twisted fairytales for Thomas. Thomas is acting very strange and his parents have vanished. When Thomas comes to school with blood on his sleeve, people being to suspect had had something to do with his parents disappearance. What follows is creepy and hauntingly beautiful. Thomas wants to get to the bottom of Thomas' strange behavior and when he follows him into the woods he begins to understand what is happening.

This was such a sad and heartfelt novel. Very effectively addressing issues of bullying, homophobia, trauma, and mental illness, the author has crafted a superbly written story of tender high school romance and horrific monsters that live in the forest around an intensely wealthy and prestigious private school. Has a stunning ending, as well.

I am so thankful that I was also able to snag a physical copy of this ebook, I absolutely loved this book. It's a fantastic dark fairy tale, as well as a great psychological horror. It had enough twists thrown at me that I would think one thing would happen, but then it would switch it up. I loved the little short stories thrown in, and the unreliable narrator made the book so interesting. (However, I won't be able to eat any peanut butter sandwiches for awhile). It was honestly a great read, and I am so excited for the purchasable copy in October, it is a good choice for Gothic fantasy horror, just in time for Halloween!

I’ve followed C.G. Drews on social media for a long time and have always loved their vibes, so I knew I was going to adore Don't Let the Forest In. From the stunning cover to the intricate storytelling, this book didn’t disappoint.

In the oddest way, the atmosphere and setting of the book felt comforting to me—even with the lurking presence of monsters. It gave me strong Encyclopedia of Fairies vibes, a feeling that was both nostalgic and eerie, blending the familiar with the fantastical.

One of the standout aspects of this book is its handling of LGBTQ+ themes, particularly the representation of asexuality. It was refreshing to read from the perspective of someone who is asexual, as this is a viewpoint that isn’t often explored in literature. Drews handled it with care and authenticity, making it a central theme that felt well integrated into the story.

The relationships in this book are another highlight. The bond between Thomas and Andrew was both touching and heartbreaking, a poignant exploration of love and loss. The friendship between Thomas, Andrew, and Andrew’s twin Dove added depth to the narrative, creating a trio dynamic that was both complex and compelling.

Finally, the magical realism in Don't Let the Forest In was masterfully done. It kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly questioning what was real and what might be something else entirely. This sense of uncertainty added an extra layer of tension and intrigue that I absolutely loved.

Such a great tail with spooky vibes, and the dark academia tying! It’s almost in the same vein as if we were villains, and I can see anyone who enjoys that book or any other dark academia book to enjoy this one. Can’t wait to see what more comes from this author.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for approving me to read this book!
I absolutely devoured this book!! So so so good!! I highly recommend

Still trying to wrap my head around that ending!! The writing was so beautiful and atmospheric. I love how well Andrew and Thomas completed each other and were truly in their own horrifying fairytale.

This is the kind of asexual representation I wanna see!!! Seeing Andrew slowly come to terms with his asexuality and be able to communicate what he wants was everything.

Just finished Don't Let the Forest In by @paperfury. What a stunningly beautiful, touching, amazingly written book - I loved every moment. A wonderful story of love, monsters, horror and obsession which I could not stop reading. It was so well written, the author has such an amazing turn of phrase that it transported you to this dark, gothic place and didn't let go until you were done. I loved this book and didn't want it to end. But it did.

However, I will be picking up anything I can find by them and reading it voraciously until their next release. I give it five stars, because there are no more, but I would give it a million if I could.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book.

I was expecting to take days to read this book, but I finished it in a handful of hours. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. This was aided by the quick pace and the short chapters.

There were times in which I was begging the book to give me a little bit more information. Just a morsel so I didn’t keep asking the same questions, oddly enough the questions Andrew wasn’t asking himself. I was irritated that he wasn’t asking but as the story developed and a large plot point was revealed, it made sense.

The relationship between Andrew and Thomas was beautifully written. What queer magical story doesn’t need queer angst where every movement and heartbeat is examined, cataloged, and remembered later? I loved it so much.

And the ending? Perfection, no notes, I could see like a film in my head.

There were Lee Mandela’s “Summer Sons” vibes (another book I really enjoyed) along with magic that reminded me of Ronan Lynch and the Inkheart film.

Really 4.0-4.5 stars.

Well. Every time I tried to predict how this book would go, it found a new way to surprise me. I still am not entirely sure I know how it ended.

To backtrack--Don't Let the Forest In is author C.G. Drews's YA horror debut. It follows high school student Andrew Perrault as he struggles through his senior year while dealing with entitled rich bullies, ambivalent teachers, and his twin sister Dove apparently avoiding him. Then, monsters attack from the creepy forest bordering the gothic private school, and the only person who can fight them off is Thomas Rye, for whom Andrew has some very complicated feelings (and they were roommates). As if all of that wasn't hard enough, Andrew also has crippling anxiety and regular panic attacks. Buckle in--this ride pulls no punches.

It took me three tries to dive in, because I really wanted to devour this book in one sitting, and I'm very glad I did. This is a story that will swallow the reader from chapter one; it isn't for the faint of heart. Drews does a fantastic job of combing dark fairy tales with the horror genre--the Brothers Grimm would be proud. From the Victorian architecture to the detailed descriptions of Thomas's artwork and Andrew's flash fiction stories--'papercuts,' he calls them--the reader is fully steeped in the horror experience. As Andrew also increasingly questions his own reality, the reader is right there with him, trying to sort out fact from fiction, constantly propelled forward by the tantalizing foreshadowing dropped around Andrew throughout the book. The desire to know more becomes almost a compulsion when paired with Drews's lyrical prose.

My one qualm with this book is also a side effect of bingeing it: While I sympathized with Andrew's mental health struggles, it did feel a bit repetitive at times, especially when he did not accept the help offered to him; however, this all makes sense by the end of the book, so this wasn't as much of a distraction as it might have been. Rather, now that I've finished the novel, I want to immediately read it again so I can better understand how all the pieces slot into place.

With monsters galore, this is the perfect Halloween read, right up there with T. Kingfisher's What Moves the Dead. Fans of Holly Black and The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert will enjoy the dark fairy tale tone and structure of this book, while fans of The Dead Boy Detectives and The Babadook will enjoy not just the horror/supernatural aspect, but also the queer associations. I, for one, loved the ace protagonist and will look forward to the next world C.G. Drews has in store.

The writing style was phenomenal. I could feel myself breaking down a bit as I read, even though I felt the twist building, I still appreciated it, and there was further twist I hadn't expected. This is my book to get me out of a reading slump.

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞

for me, this book is about grief and the way we process it alongside love. there was such a hauntingly beautiful way about this book, to the way it was written, beautiful & creepy imagery, just everything about it set my insides on fire. the way the last chapter was set up had me in tears. it reminded me of the lyrics, ‘𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘰, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘨𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘦, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶’.

it was a heart breaking book & i’m definitely happy with it before my favorite read of 2024. my only negative & why it wasn’t 5 stars was just because it was truthfully a slower burn than i expected, i wanted more monsters & macabre fairytale stories than what was given.

*𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 & 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 100% 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣*

This one took me a while to chew through. And yes, I am in fact staring at the wall. Frowning. I don’t even know where to start or where to end with this book. Psychic damage level 10000 Anyone? This book is so dark and twisty, that even when you’re just this close to the end and you *think* you know you’re understanding what is going on? You don’t. Andrew, Dove and Thomas are three of some of THE most well written characters in any book I have read so far, in any genre. This one will FOR SURE stick with you: and you will give the tithes.

Thank you NetGalley and MTMC Tours for the e-ARC.

This book was intense, creepy and had me flipping the pages. The writing is beautiful and has so many descriptive scenes and quotes that I enjoy. Just the first line had me hooked “It hadn’t hurt, the day he had cut out his own heart.” (this quote is from an advanced readers copy which is an uncorrected proof)

Andrew and Thomas love intensely and I was not expecting the ending. I am still unsure what to make of it but the acknowledgments state "If you've turned the last page and are now frowning at the wall, then everything is as it should be." so I guess the author intended for this to happen.

I don’t normally read horror but I had to pick this one up as The Boy Who Steals Houses by the same author is one of my favourite books. So this one was on my most anticipated list for 2024!

Overall it is haunting & captivating.

Content warning this book deals with panic attacks, eating disorder, blood/gore, grief, bullying, body horror and self-harm

Holy smokes, this was so good.

It's my first book by C.G Drews and I can already tell I will be reading more. I long for more of this wonderful writing and I just finished Don't Let The Forest In 10 minutes ago.

I loved the story, the characters and not knowing if the events were real or not till the very last chapter. I still have questions about the ending, but I think it was intended that way.

Andrew is spiraling. Hard. He started his senior year of school, his twin sister won't talk to him and he desperately needs to crawl inside Thomas's heart just to feel alive again. It would be so easy, to die for his best friend. If only Thomas could see it...

As the event unfold we get more and more into that spiral with Andrew and at about 65% I just didn't believe anything going on. I like books with unreliable narrative that get you to overthink it all. I'm still not a hundred percent sure it all was real. But paired with the atmosphere and the stuff going on, it seems fitting that readers wouldn't know what exactly is the truth.

The ending got me crying, I just wanted to protect Andrew and kick someone, but we won't say who for now.

It's a great unsettling read that makes you question everything you read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC

THOUGHTS

I really enjoyed this book. There's just nothing quite like reaching the twist, the climax, and finding that a book you were already enjoying is now 10x better than before. The monsters here are appropriately oozy and rotten, and the escalation of these eldritch horrors proves masterful. I really, really enjoyed this.


PROS
Beware the Creator: There's a certain catharsis in creating horrors. In writing them, in drawing them. And this book really twists that catharsis by asking, "Yes, but what if those horrors you depict peel themselves off the page and come after you next?" After a spat of dark academia books that promised me monsters and gave me less-than-compelling monsters-within, it was really refreshing to dive into a book that had, you know, actual monsters. Monsters with fangs and vine-y tentacles and a thirst for blood. Monsters that drip maggots and rot. Monsters that are violent and disturbing--and thoroughly appreciated.

Ace Spectrum: It's also really refreshing to have asexuality representation. Ace rep is so rare, especially in YA where romantic subplots are king. I appreciate Andrew, who is falling in love with his best friend but isn't sure he can give his best friend everything a romantic partner would. The aro/ace distinction here is nice. It's appreciated. Andrew is utterly infatuated with Thomas, and his own insecurity with his sexuality adds a layer to his jealousy when he thinks Thomas might be interested in others instead.

Supportive Friends: Andrew really isn't in a good place, and the bad place he's in isn't the kind of place a friend can help him out of. He needs more professional help than that. But I really appreciated the help that Andrew does get from friends anyway. Thomas wants to support Andrew. Thomas sees how Andrew is struggling. And Thomas tries to push and prod Andrew back to somewhere better. But Thomas also doesn't take the burden of Andrew's failing mental health onto himself, which is very important, too.


CONS
Wallowing: As I've said above, Andrew isn't in a good place. I am sure the author has listed content warnings for this book more extensively than I will, but I will say here that severe anxiety and disordered eating are a big part of what's happening here. If you're not in a place where you can read about that, this book isn't for you. Because reading through Andrew's perspective if very much like wallowing in this mentally-unwell mire. It is uncomfortable and unhealthy, and while that fits the story and the character, it might not be the right place for every reader to spend time.

Too Far: For all its bloody, gory monsters, this book is otherwise set in a boarding school that is real, concrete, realistic. So the fact that one teacher just seems to have it out for Andrew to an extreme extent feels... not quite right. I get why this sort of monstrously-out-to-get-you teacher archetype is being employed in a YA book, but at the same time, Clemens feels a bit hyperbolic for the text as a whole.

Mild Confusion: I think the twist at the end is great. It pulls so many pieces together. It adds a lot of emotional impact. And then... it leads to an ending that left me mildly confused. Don't get me wrong. I don't dislike the ending. I just wasn't 100% sure how we were leaving things off. I read it a few times, trying to reorient myself, and I just couldn't ground myself in it fully. The payoff was still there, but that actual clinching moment in the conclusion wasn't.


Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8/10

Those who enjoyed Victoria Lee's A Lesson in Vengeance will like diving into a campus haunted by the students who have lived and learned there. Anyone who loved Kosoko Jackson's The Forest Demands Its Due will adore these new eldritch horrors clawing their way out of the forbidden woods.

I found the concept to be interesting and I really enjoyed the vibes the book gave off. I tend like dark and creepy and this delivered both.

This book has beautiful imagery. Highly recommend if you enjoy visualizing beauty horror. Author has a smooth voice.

It’s better if you go into this book without a lot of knowledge, so before I dive into anything more specific let me just say that this is an unexpected gem of a book. It’s queer as hell with an emphasis on asexuality, and it’s the perfect little campus horror novel. While I have a few critiques from a craft perspective, I think emotionally this book hits all the right beats. It’s so creative and unique and even though I can think of a couple great comps to entice you into reading it, just know that it’s unlike almost anything I’ve ever read before. It deals with asexuality in such a real way, and I really appreciated that we got an ace main character who isn’t necessarily aromantic. All in all, maybe not a totally perfect execution but I think the dreamlike quality of the story really smooths over a lot of my main critiques - it ripped me to shreds and I will be thinking about the ending for a very long time. Cannot recommend this enough!!!!

-

If you need a little push to get going, let me tell you that this book feels like if Oliver and James from If We Were Villains were combined with Nick and Charlie from Heartstopper and they happened to end up in a world where Stranger Things and Annihilation morphed together.

Okaaaaaaaaay. Lots to say here. There are a lot of ways to spoil this book, so I'm sorry if I accidentally do.

This book has some good, but it's kind of a slog through some of the lesser stuff.

At the heart of this story is grief. Andrew and his twin sister Dove have been friends with Thomas since they started at their boarding school, several years ago. As they return for their senior year, we get some very deliberate foreshadowing about an incident that happened last year. (Don't worry, you find out what it is toward the end of the book.) Apparently, this incident has driven a wedge into their group dynamic because Dove is refusing to talk to Thomas. She is steely and strong in all of the ways that Andrew is weak. He has severe anxiety that co-relates to his general teenage angst. He's also coming to terms with his asexuality despite his intense attraction to Thomas.

Andrew and Thomas are a strange duo. Andrew is a storyteller, but he only tells what can be likened to horror fairy tales. Thomas, inspired by Andrew's tales, creates beautifully detailed drawings of the monsters in Andrew's stories. The "argument" between Thomas and Dove has essentially pushed her ALL the way away from the boys and she delves into studying hard constantly. Andrew believes that Dove and Thomas were involved in a relationship of some sort, and that Thomas possibly said or did something to break Dove's heart.

Unfortunately, he doesn't get a conclusive answer about what their feud is because suddenly, for some unknown reason, Thomas shuts him out too. Things are difficult for the boys as they try to make their complicated, messy, violently co-dependent relationship functional. But stuff takes a turn when Thomas's drawings start coming to life.

*****THERE BE SPOILERS BELOW*



*The Bad*
First things first, the romantic relationship at the core of the story is problematic. Andrew and Thomas have a terribly unhealthy dynamic. I get that in YA lit, it's one of those tropes that is intended to "show their devotion" to one another. Unfortunately, those of us who have been in all-consuming relationships like that KNOW how scary it can be to feel that way. My take is, if you intentionally write for teenagers, and you normalize these borderline abusive relationships, teenagers who don't have enough life experience are unable to automatically notice how unhealthy the romance is. Which is irresponsible. Now, the unhealthy dynamic between the boys is essential to the plot - I understand that much. But... damn.

There are two very rapid twists at the end of the story which are deliberately contradictory. I don't see the point of the first twist, because we're absolved of it very quickly by the second twist. While I did predict the big reveal, it was fairly late in the story. I'm sure that less astute readers may not come to the same conclusion beforehand.

Andrew's stories fucking suck. They're super emo and sound exactly like the sort of shit that artsy, "troubled" boys write. Andrew's shtick is that there are no happy endings, so all of his stories end in despair. But there's no real plot to drive the stories and at a certain point you realize that the connection between the book's plot and Andrew's stories is tenuous at best.

The body horror is... eh? I felt like most of that was connected to the monsters, but eventually it found its way to Andrew and Thomas.

After learning what was going on with Andrew, it seems ridiculously callous for him to be attending school without more oversight. It's pretty obvious that he's messed up and the ending seems inevitable.

Why the hell can they not tell the people at the school about the monsters? Because no one will believe them? Well, it's a good thing that you stood back and said nothing. It sure made a difference.



*The Good*
The depiction of Andrew's panic attacks was a very real reminder of how overwhelming those can be.

Andrew's attempts at untangling his own mess of emotions were kind of heartbreaking. You could really see some depth in his character that was well below the surface.

The monsters were definitely scary. Some of the imagery is going to be in my brain for a while.

I really was unable to determine if the monsters actually were real or if they were hallucinations/ justifications for erratic behavior.

The ending is brutal. As it should be.


*****SPOILERS ABOVE*****

Overall, the book was okay. It has a lot of tropey vibes that don't necessarily pan out as expected, which is nice. However, the lack of a healthy relationship dynamic at the center of the book makes it a less than stellar choice for impressionable minds.