Once I started this one, I simply couldn't put it down. No review I can give will ever do it justice. Don't Let the Forest In is a tale with love, monsters, and incredible heartache that will take root in your mind and never let go. Thomas and Andrew's story will haunt me forever - and I'll be all the better for it.

This book is a perfect dark read for its autumn release. Skip the Halloween party and settle in with this beauty!

I received an advanced copy to read in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publishers - and thank you CG Drews for a new favorite! Never stop telling stories!

I want to start by saying check the trigger warnings when you read this. Since there's no standard for them that I know of yet, you can find them on the copyright page, which might make them a bit harder to find. Quite honestly I think they deserve their own page because they really are quite severe in this, to the point where even things that don't normally bother me did.

This really is an excellent horror book. It starts off strong and just grows from there, using both the traditional monster jump scares and a growing sense of horror as it goes on. I do want to say I'm a fan of Andrew Joseph White's books, and this is not like his at all. White's books (the ya ones anyways) are promised to have everyone as okay as they can be in the end, and at no point does this book have that. I think that CG Drews was determined to traumatize their characters as much as possible, but it works for this story.

The main thing I did not like and major reason for starting loss here is how codependent Andrew and Thomas are. I know that this is intentional for the book, but it is seriously toxic and maybe I'm just too old for ya now but I wonder why no one intervened.

There is ace rep in this book as a last note. I think it was very good, though it also describes ace as not getting crushes either, which isn't right and I believe falls more under aro. Otherwise, it's very good, especially considering how hard it is to find ace mlm books, in my own experience.

I fell in love with this YA fantasy-Horror book quite unexpectedly, it was as beautiful as it was haunting, and I loved every minute of it. Andrew is an awkward teen who is driven to write dark stories full of monsters with unhappy endings. Thomas is an artist who sketches the monsters in Andrew's stories. Once upon a time Andrew ripped out his heart and gave it to Thomas, not sure if he would understand or feel the same. But what Andrew doesn't know is that Thomas will do anything for him, protect, even kill for him. But when Thomas's parents go missing, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve, rumors begin to take hold that Thomas is responsible for his parent's death. When Thomas begins changing, looking disheveled, tired, and losing interest in his art, Andrew is determined to help his friend even if it means gong into the dark forest to find him fighting off a nightmarish monster. Thomas's drawings have come to life and are killing those close to him. The boys try to protect the other's Thomas and Andrew battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters and Andrew fears the only way to truly stop them is to destroy their creator.
This book will be one that stands out in my mind for a while to come. It was beautifully written, gripping, heartbreaking and terrifying all in one, a must read for 2024.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley for early access to this book.

If you are terrified of what lurks in the forest or wish Doodlebob was allowed to be murderous, this book is for you.
"Don't Let the Forest In" made my skin crawl and heart race. I tried to figure out what was causing all the insane things to happen and every time I thought I was right, I was wrong. CG Drews crafts a story that is creepy, beautiful and haunting. It is simultaneously a coming-of-age story and a ghost story to be told around a campfire.
Andrew and Thomas are characters that I loved, despite their glaring flaws. I felt at any moment they may shatter under the pressure they placed on themselves while also recognizing how strong they were as two teenage boys taking on the world together. I wondered what was real and who was telling the truth as I quickly turned each page to soak in what was coming next. The characters simultaneously process who they are and who they want to be while determining the best way to battle supernatural forces.
Anyone who loves the idea of mutant forest creatures escaping from a sketchbook, not quite knowing what to believe and teenagers sorting their weird teen emotions will devour this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s publishing for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have extremely mixed feelings when it comes to this book. Starting with the positive, I loved the concept of this story and it a lot of creative elements that made it very enjoyable, like the descriptions of the monsters and the forest growing inside of characters. The writing in general was also a highlight, there were a few quotes that I even decided to highlight which isn’t something I often do. There were a lot of forest and woodsy metaphors that really helped to create the atmosphere and I liked that as well. I also enjoyed the incorporation of the main characters stories throughout the book and I loved the obsessive nature of the main relationship.

In terms of things that I didn’t like so much, the psychological aspect to the horror would have to be one. It only really appeared close to the end and for a few moments, at which point they were well done , and so I would have liked to see it appear more throughout. In general the horror part of the story seemed to be overshadowed by the romance and theme of finding your identity, and while I liked that, I wished it would have taken a backseat and let the horror be the focus because that was really when the story worked the most for me. It might not bother others as much if they are able to connect with the main character and therefore have more investment in those elements, which was something I wasn’t able to do. I thought his anxiety was well written but aside from that I had very little investment and interest in his character.

I earlier talked about how good the writing was, and while that is true, the dialogue didn’t measure up to the descriptions of the woodsy things sometimes. There were a couple instances where to me it came off as unnecessarily melodramatic, in a way that made it feel contrived. This was even more annoying since there were already so many instances of the book being very poetic and so in those moments it really felt like it was trying to hard to keep doing that.

The other issue for me was with the ending, and that’s because I can’t really tell you what happened. It was written in an extremely vague way that I felt should have been expanded because as it was it wasn’t only confusing, but super short which made it almost feel abrupt.

Overall while this book definitely had its positives, mainly in the writing area, I would have enjoyed it more had we seen more of the monsters and had a more of a polished up ending. Since it had its ups and downs it ends up being a three star read for me, though I could definitely see this working more for other people.

~Rating: ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰~

“Don’t Let the Forest In” has got to be one of my favorite reads recently, and maybe one of my favorite of the year. The writing is dark and beautiful and gross, the story incredibly unsettling and tragic and lovely all at once. Andrew and Thomas were very interesting characters, and I had a lot of fun reading their story.

Fantastic read! Thank you NetGalley for an eARC.

This was a phenomenal read from start to finish. It was spooky, whimsy, tense, brilliantly told and just so so good. Definitely add this to your TBRs..

I loved how relatable the characters were despite not having come from the same background/upbringing. There are pieces of the story to collect along the way and at the end I was wrong. But at least my fears didn't come true at the end.

Beautifully told haunting story.

3.75/5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing for an ARC of this book!
This was quite the intense reading experience, it kept me on the edge of my seat that I had to finish it in three sittings! "Don't Let the Forest In" is a psychological thriller/horror novel that follows the friendship of Andrew, Thomas, and Andrew's twin sister, Dove. The novel takes place at Wickwood Academy, in the beginning of the fall semester. The dynamics of the friend group are tense, Dove is keeping distance from Andrew and Thomas, and Thomas' parents have strangely gone missing prior to his entrance on campus. The novel is a surreal and mind boggling experience.
The pacing of this novel was so fast, that it felt like the chapters were flying by. Right from the first page, the novel was already tense and suspenseful. In some ways, I thought the passing was almost too fast. I would have loved more flashbacks or moments where the reader can first-handedly see the dynamics between Andrew, Thomas, and Dove prior to the tense beginning of the plot.
The ending of the novel was packed with twists and turns. My jaw literally dropped during the last 20% of the novel.
This book has a lot of discussion surrounding gore and violence, so I would suggest caution to any reader. I am not someone who is bothered by this description of gore, but there were some parts in the novel where they violence felt gratuitous, and I needed to take a pause while reading.
Overall this is a perfect book to get anyone out of a reading slump because of its fast paced and innovative plot!

I am absolutely haunted by this book, it will follow me and eat away at me until I pick it up again. I was immediately transported into the world of Don’t Let The Forest In in a way I had never experienced before, it was all playing out in my head with the way CG Drews managed to tell the story.

The foreshadowing, writing style, and something always being a little off all tie together in the end and made my brain implode once I realized what was happening. This book will have you questioning everything you thought was real in the best possible way.

This was a wonderful read and I want it to share it amongst my peers in hopes they’ll feel just as entranced as I did.

E-ARC was generously provided by Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and Netgalley, thank you so much!!

There are monsters in the forest, and they are coming for us all.

Don’t Let the Forest In follows Andrew, a boy who writes twisted fairytales for his best friend Thomas who draws them. Monsters who shave the skin off your face and others who have roses for eyes. Their senior year is full of secrets - arguments, feelings, and the monsters in the woods.

By chapter 2, I was hooked and couldn’t come up for air until I saw Andrew through to the end. The relationship between Andrew and Thomas feels like suffocating or plunging into water so deep you can’t come up. There are so many twists and turns to this story, just like being lost in a forest. I feel like I can’t dissect the plot the way I want to without giving things away.

My only negative is that some descriptions became repetitive after a point, but I don’t think it detracts from the story. If you like dark, twisted stories set at a boarding school next to a forest full of secrets, then you will like this book. The magical realism is done well and just adds to the layers in the story. The horror in this reminds me of Mexican Gothic but done a million times better which is impressive since this is YA, and I find that YA usually holds back q but more.

I was surprised how much this story gripped me and definitely recommend checking it out when it releases this October! It would definitely be a perfect fall read.

*will be posting this review on Instagram closer to the release date

3.75

Got as an eARC from Netgalley. There was a lot I liked about this book. The characters were all endearing. I love an enchanted forest, even when it’s beyond creepy. I nailed down the plot twist about halfway through but it wasn’t so obvious that it was ridiculous that our main character didn’t know.

I feel conflicted about the ending as it’s vague and not many questions were solidly answered. There was also a fakeout that happens near the end that almost soured my whole reading experience. But, overall I enjoyed reading Don’t Let the Forest In and think it’s a really good October read.

Shy, anxious, neurotic Andrew Perrault's senior year at Wickwood Academy begins unhappily: his pragmatic, studious twin sister Dove is avoiding him, and his fiery best friend, Thomas Rye, is under suspicion for murdering his parents. When Andrew starts seeing grotesque monsters around campus, he and Thomas discover the sinister consequences of their penchant for dark fairytales.

Don't Let the Forest In is yet another title in the recent spate of YA horror releases. Drews's sharp, savage, evocative writing creates a dark, dangerous setting and vulnerable characters who realistically struggle to cope with their newfound burden and stressors. In particular, the horror action scenes are especially tense and fraught, and the descriptions of the monsters are delightfully nightmarish. However, Drews's writing veered into overdramatic too often for my tastes. The book filled with sentences that are atmospheric and pretty, but are ultimately incoherent: "But his ribs were a cage for monsters and they cut their teeth on his bones." This dramatic writing style also leads to more telling than showing; it is especially noticeable in the paragraphs that describe the relationship between Thomas and Dove, who don't interact for over half of the book, and then behave inconsistently from what the reader was previously told.

Don't Let the Forest In isn't a bad book, per se. There's a particular type of teen who is going to love the lush, vicious descriptions and become absolutely enchanted with Andrew and Thomas's slow burn romance. But for general readers, good diction isn't enough to distract from the shallow plot.

I'd like to thank CG Drews, NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was brilliant. I wish there was more, the ended had me gasping for air as if my lungs were being wrapped in vines. This YA Psychological Horror was absolutely breath taking.

Our story takes place at Wickwood Academy, a school for rich kids to send their kids, and its surrounded by a forest. Andrew, our main character, loves to write macabre stories, beautiful and sad with a twist to turn them dark. Andrew's twin sister Dove is an academic, and this year she's upset with him and giving him the cold shoulder. Thomas is Andrew's best friend, he's fiery and protective and violent, but he's withholding something from Andrew. Andrew has secrets too, he's in love with Thomas, but he's asexual and not sure how to approach the idea of a romantic relationship. Besides the usual teenage angst there's something going on with the forest, monsters are trying to get into the school, and the only ones who can stop them are Andrew and Thomas, their creators.

This book was the epitome of gothic literature with fantastical dark academia. Filled with wild fantasy creatures with a thirst for blood, and body horror with an angsty queer love story. I wish there was more, I ache for it. The ending left me staring at my ceiling, wondering what I'm supposed to do with my life now that I've finished this book.

Trigger Warnings I've Collected: Disordered eating, body horror, homophobia, bullying, child death

WOW WOW WOW.....THIS BOOK WAS SO DAMN GOOD.

I.
Have.
No.
Words.

I did not see it any of it coming. As I sit here, staring at the wall and absorbing the last few chapters... this book will indeed haunt me.

What a beautiful story of loss.

This is a perfect spooky season read that is just more than your average story.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the opportunity to read this eARC.

This was the most painstakingly beautiful read of the entire month and then some. If you’re ready for poetic angst and STUNNING representation, you should most definitely check this one out. I really enjoyed the characters and the writing brought them to life almost. The horror aspect sold me but this book is so much more and it really takes you on a journey.

I’m so very excited to have gotten the chance to read this book early ( thanks to NetGalley) so I can tell people to READ THIS BOOK ( it comes out October 29th).

Don’t Let the Forest In feels like a modern fairytale and actually ends like a fairytale depending on what you know about fairytales (remember this if you decide to read it). I truly loved this story from the beautiful writing full of metaphors and haunting descriptions to the characters and their love of words and art. Andrew loves writing and Thomas loves drawing everything Andrew dreams up. Their creations hold the secrets that hide deep within them and they become very real and very dangerous monsters. Set in a boarding school in Virginia, Andrew and Thomas have to deal with their own feelings, issues, school, and bullies while fighting these monsters each night. This book kept creeping into my thoughts throughout the days I was reading it. I kept thinking about the characters as if I knew them personally. It reminded me about other books I love such as Bridge to Terabithia and Some Kind of Happiness in the way the characters use fairytales to understand or cope with their feelings or traumatic experiences. It made me think of The Raven Boys in the way you can feel the devotion in friendship these characters have as soon as you meet them. It reminded me of Mexican Gothic with its naturalistic horror and gore. And it felt like watching Guillermo del Toro’s haunting fairytales on screen.

This book felt very human in the way the author wrote pain, sadness, angst, unrequited love, and friendship. I wanted to start the book all over again right after I finished. I felt this book very personally and I’m excited for people like me to find and read it and call it their favorite someday soon.

And I’d like to use this space to thank the author for writing something with everything I look for in a perfect book. It was really magical reading your words.

This was absolutely beautiful, eerie, tragic, haunting, it was just everything.

It’s about our lovely boy Andrew, an asexual story writer, the boy he loves Thomas, and them fighting the monsters they brought to life through Andrew’s writing and Thomas’s drawings. I wont go into it more than that, but it’s a story of suffering and you should check trigger warnings!

The writing of this book is so lyrical, there were so many quotes I highlighted I can’t wait to grab a finished copy and tab the entire book up. Plus the cover…. Just absolutely stunning.

Plot: Though it was the middle of spring when I started this ARC, I could feel all the creepy vibes lingering, with six months until the spooky season. The overall plot of this book was quite intriguing and addicting, which made the story engaging. I loved the combination of writer, artist, dark academia, and forestry happening here, which feels like an odd combination, but clearly, C.G. Drews knew how to weave these components in. The plot of this story is quite linear until you get to the end, which is such a twister for me and unexpected.

There was quite some mystery in this plot that would first leave you wondering throughout the pages, but it didn’t feel abrupt. It adds to that “Am I going crazy?” feeling that the readers are also immersed in with the characters. The forest horror was truly wonderful, and this was a great experience for me as this is the first psychological horror book I’ve ever read. The ending is *chef’s kisses.* I haven’t enjoyed an ending like that in a loooooong time!

Characters: The characters we meet through this story all have unique characteristics that make them special. I loved how C.G. Drews shaped their characters, and I believe that every one of them was captivating in their own way. While this book mostly focused on Andrew’s point of view, I find that we were all able to learn about all the characters equally. I especially loved how Andrew was able to create more relationships later with other students at Wickwood, and C.G. Drews caught the essence of inequities and struggles occurring with adolescents around the age range of both Andrew and Thomas authentically.

Writing style: The writing was wonderful, and I deeply enjoyed the world-building that took place in the first half of the book. I feel that the writing style is appropriate for YA readers, as it can be both easy and challenging at the same time. Overall, the writing flowed quite well, despite some hindering points with repetitiveness that I will soon get into. Also, it was interesting that C.G. Drews wrote in a third-person limited instead of first-person, but reading the book proved why this choice was best!

Critiques: At times, the metaphors and certain word choices became repetitive, and one of the chapters where we get the flashback is double that of all the other chapters, which made reading that part of the book quite draggy and slow. I recommend having that chapter split in half if anything, and the flashback is a perfect spot for it.

My Rating: 5/5

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan, for providing this ARC!

This had such an atmospheric quality to it, I could envision the characters and especially the setting so well, it made it eerie and very memorable.

I found this book to be incredibly atmospheric and horrifying. The YA nature of the text didn't retract from that horror, in fact, the fact that these are teenagers made the horrors that much worse. The horrors of being a teenager are hard enough. I really liked the asexual representation as I haven't read much with that sort of representation and it was really lovely to read about it.

I also enjoyed the unreliability of our narrator, Andrew. He is a fascinating character and I was intrigued to see what he would say next because I wasn't sure if I could trust him or not. The questions of what was real and what wasn't have been haunting my mind since I finished the novel. I think I read that final page maybe a hundred times.

Drews's use of language and the writing style is impeccable. The way the moments flow deep into the back of your mind, viscerally, like the vines and forest itself, is absolutely a huge feat in and of itself. The body horror was a bit much sometimes, but I think it contributes to a greater purpose--like it's not there for no reason, it is there for that horror, for that insanity, for that unreliability of the narrator.

Great novel. In desperate need of a reread already.