4.5/5 stars

Horror is not generally a genre I am drawn to, but honestly, this cover and the blurb drew me in. From the first line of the book, I knew I was hooked. It was atmospheric, mysterious, gruesome, and romantic. It was a page turner and I kept wondering what was happening to these characters. The story centers around twins Andrew and Dove and their best friend Thomas (whom Andrew is in love with). It was fast-paced and kept me intrigued the entire time. I absolutely loved the descriptions of the monsters and the forest creatures. The book is definitely dark, but so enjoyable and kept me thinking.

“If you’ve turned to the last page and are now frowning at the wall, then everything is as it should be.”

Well, dear author, mission accomplished. I am sitting here staring at a brick wall (thankfully not covered in ivy & roses) with my head spinning.

This book was hauntingly beautiful (is that too overused? Maybe but it’s true.) and heart wrenching. A modern Brother’s Grimm but with a twist.

This book left me incredibly confused but in the best way. The portrayal of anxiety was perfectly done. I loved Andrew and Thomas and Lana and Chloe. Their multiple views & variations of grief were also well done. There were a couple of errors towards the end of the book: “you you’re” and possibly even “stay” instead of “say”- but I could be perceiving that incorrectly.

Thank You, Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, for my copy of "Don't Let the Forest In" By CG Drews. I am looking forward to reading this goth horror story. I love an excellent woods setting with monsters.

"What would it even look like, to cut their feelings out, bloody and aching and raw, and compare them? To find they didn't match. To be left with guts vivisected and no way to sew themselves back up so they looked the same as before."

Don't Let the Forest In by CG Drews is a young adult psychological horror that tells the tale of two teen boys who find themselves fighting monsters at their private school in Virginia - monsters that seemingly come to life from the pages of Thomas' drawings. Andrew is Thomas' best friend and writes the stories that inspire his drawings. As the forest and monsters rise up against them, they become obsessed with finding a way to stop it... and with each other. Will they find a way... or will they need to destroy their creator?

I am in SHAMBLES. The way this book gripped me and wouldn't let me put it down was CRAZY.... even trying to type this now is so hard because my only urge is to sit and stare at the wall for the rest of my life. The writing was so beautifully haunting - I could imagine every second so vividly in my head, playing like a movie reel. The love, longing, and angst between our boys was also so beautifully done. The story could have gone so many ways and only once did I accurately guess what the plot twist was going to be (but spoiler alert, I was still NOT completely right). In fact, I had to put it down and take a brief walk at one point because my mind was spinning SO FAST!! This is not my typical genre, but I cannot recommend it more to anybody and everybody who has any interest in thrillers, horror, or just a book that you cannot. put. down. This is a MUST for your TBR...it'll be the perfect read when it releases in October 2024!

"Everything inside me is in ruins... for you." (And for this AMAZING book!!)

Before I started this book I said to myself “I can tell this book is gonna become my whole personality”, and my prediction was correct! This book was perfection from beginning to end and I loved every moment!

The writing was ADDICTING! I could’ve highlighted the entire book because the prose was so beautiful. The writing was so descriptive without feeling long winded. I got so lost in the story and in the writing that I flew through this novel and didn’t want to read anything else.

This book was highly creepy! The descriptiveness of the writing added so much atmosphere to the story. I loved the descriptions of all the monsters. And apparently, I am a huge fan of botanical body horror! It will become my new obsession. The forest horror was definitely my favorite part, but every aspect of the story was so creepy and mysterious!

Andrew was such a great main character to follow. I absolutely loved being in his head hearing his chaotic thoughts and feeling his intense emotions. His endless frustration with dealing with other people was very me. And the asexual representation was amazing! He said several things that resonated with my experience. I also want to mention how much I loved Lana and Chloe as side characters! They must be protected at all costs!

I also LOVED the way this book ended! It was the perfect ending to a beautifully heartbreaking story.

This is definitely one of my favorite books I’ve read this year, and possibly one of my favorite books of all time! It’s a story that you can really just get lost in. The writing, the characters, the creepy body horror, just everything was perfection. I need everyone to pick this book up when it comes out in October!

TW: Blood/gore, body horror, panic attacks, grief, eating disorder, bullying, self-harm, child abuse

Don't Let the Forest In by CG Drews is a masterfully crafted tale which tells the haunting story of life at Wickwood Academy, a private residential high school in Virginia where the protagonist, Andrew, and his twin sister Dove attend with their friend and classmate Thomas Rye. Wickwood Manor is set in a remote area surrounded by forest in which the students are forbidden to enter. The three classmates have been friends and inseparable since they enrolled as freshman four years earlier. Thomas and Andrew have an unshakeable bond; they are both obsessed with the supernatural, trees that turn into bloodthirsty monsters disemboweling humans and vines that infiltrate the body and mind. Their creativity and imagination knows no bounds. Thomas with his dark and ominous drawings and Andrew with his suspenseful enchanting words, they are kindred spirits who have an insatiable passion for the unexplained and each other. Andrew is timid, vulnerable and weak and needs his twin sister Dove to protect him. Thomas is under suspicion for killing his parents and is closely monitored by school administration and law enforcement alike. As both boys struggle to navigate their life at Wickwood, come to terms with their own demons, and the dangerous forest that threatens to destroy them, they find comfort and solace in each other.

CG Drews creates a compelling psychological tale of intrigue and suspense, which blurs the lines of illusion and reality. It has overbearing professors, unrelenting bullies, and a haunting engaging plot with twists and turns. This skillfully woven thriller has complicated characters with depth and vulnerability set in an atmosphere of enchantment, secrecy and foreboding. The verboten forest comes to life through the imagination of Andrew’s stories and Thomas’ drawings, leaving the reader to decipher what is real and what is imaginary. The story illustrates the complexity of the human condition, the fragility of the human psyche, and the limitless boundaries trauma plays while one seeks redemption and self-identity. Don’t Let the Forest In offers young adult readers endless possibilities; teenage angst, gore and carnage, dark and menacing characters with complicated relationships, forbidden passion and limitless imagination. It is a must-read and one I highly recommend.

The cover is what really drew me in and then the blurb. The writing was good, and I liked the topics that were touched upon and find them to be a great addition to a YA book, especially nowadays.
I am definitely not the target audience for this book. I thought from the blurb that the book was going to go a certain way and be about something else entirely and i found after reading the first few chapters that it wasn't really about what i thought. That doesnt make it a bad book by any means it just wasn't what I expected.

Don’t Let the Forest In is about a boy in his last year of boarding school and his life isn’t what it was last year, his hand is still scared from an injury, his sister won’t talk to him and his best friend Thomas is acting strange and won’t let him in. Soon Andrew learns that the art Thomas makes for Andrew’s stories are coming to life in the forest surrounding the school and together they must end them before they end the boys.
This novel had such beautiful and luscious prose and the atmosphere of the forest was eerie. I liked the ace representation given in the main character, Andrew and all of the queer rep in the friend group. And I loved all of the queer yearning: the breaking of one’s self to keep the other safe especially if that included wanting to put them in your chest. And the author was right I did have to stare at a wall questioning the book’s existence as well as mine. The adults in this novel were unhelpful to the brink of unbelieve and I found the plot to be a bit predictable at times. I felt like I wanted more out of this story, but unsure of what, so I give it four stars.

So good!!

This was a gothic horror YA psychological thriller with queer representation.

The plot was quite interesting and the characters well fleshed out.

This was a quick read and I ended finishing it in a single sitting

WOW. this book was absolutely incredible. i wasn’t sure what to explain but i was so throughly invested and impressed by this. this is the first book ive read by CG Drews and i’ll definitely be ready for future ones. if the cover isn’t enough to convince you to read- it’s a lgbtq+ horror/fansty novel. what more could you possibly want!!!! i loved andrew and thomas and im so happy i read this. Thanks for the ARC🤍

“Sometimes he'd lie awake at night and unpack all his feelings about this boy-shaped hurricane named Thomas Rye. He didn't know if he wanted to be Thomas, reckless and uncontainable, or if he wanted to kiss him.”

Andrew Perrault is a Senior at Wickwood Academy who feels himself to be forgettable and takes solace in writing dark fairytales. He doesn’t feel seen by anyone, except Thomas. Thomas Rye is Andrew’s Best friend, ultimate bad boy, and a talented illustrator with unstable (and abusive) artist parents. Andrew is the quill to Thomas’s inkwell. Together they create lovely and macabre stories with blood thirsty monsters and princes. When their monsters come to life and begin haunting the forest near school, Andrew and Thomas work together to slay them. Can they overcome the forest before it overcomes them?

I am such a simp for a cover that ENCHANTS, and if I were to base this review solely on vibes and imagery, this would get the highest marks. I really enjoyed the romance between Andrew and Thomas. The inclusion of intrusive thoughts like cracking open your lovers ribs to climb inside is psychotically human and I love it. AND WOAH WICKED SURPRISE ENDING. It is as beautifully evocative as an Ava Reid novel. The issue I’m having is that I didn’t REALLY understand how good story was until the end. To me, there didn’t seem to be a lot of rhyme or reason to the plot and conflict, until you get to the last thirty pages where it all unfolds. This is where my mind was blown and I was saying to myself “oh wow this is good stuff”.

Note: In the beginning it says his dad has an Australian accent but then later goes on to say he is French? I suppose those two things aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive but it does seem unlikely that his French accent would disappear.

#DontLetTheForestIn #NetGalley
I like how the "stories" are beautifully written throughout the novel. I enjoyed the lgbt+ representation and can relate to the mental health struggles of the main character. My only issues is how the plot is a bit rocky throughout the story, the lack of character growth from the main character, and how there's no set conclusion.

This novel is devastating. The writing is lush and evocative, the characters complicated and real and messy, and the story a ravaged mixture of frenetic energy and folk-horror fecund silence.

I couldn’t put this story down once I started. It wrapped its way around me, biting into my skin and holding my heart hostage, but never promising what it would give in return. There is a painful intimacy and desperation that pulls you into the story, and the writing and pacing really bring you to this place where you can feel moss crumbling under your feet as you constantly look over your shoulder for the unseen force that you know is haunting you but you can never look at directly.

It is hard to be critical of this story. There are things I would have liked to see. For instance, there are some secondary characters who we get little tastes of that I would love to spend more time with. But the way the story is structured, and is experienced, it is through the bleeding, terrified, isolated experiences of our main character, and to peel away from that to give us a broader picture of this world and its inhabitants would destroy the intimacy, the feeling of being an accomplice. It is possible to guess where it is going form the start, if you are someone who lives in the genre space and does such things, because the seeds are planted and it is clear that something isn’t right, or, rather, there is more that is wrong than what we are being told. But none of that takes away from the book, and in fact it almost makes it more tragic, in the same way that by the end of a Shakespearean opening monologue we already know what fate awaits our princes, our ship-wrecked kings, our star-crossed lovers. Of course, like many stories, if there was just better communication between central characters then, well, there would be no story. But here that miscommunicating feels natural, not forced. The heavy weights of society and identity and general teenage malaise and emotional turmoil make it natural that truths are hidden, bottled up, fermented, instead of being shared and communicated plainly. This story is a journey, one that asks what happens when our inner monsters are so terrifying we invite external monsters in to show us how to wage war upon ourselves. It is heartbreaking, and compelling, and familiar. It hurt to read this story, in places, because, while my teenage years weren’t as emotionally fraught as the characters, I could see myself and my friends and others I care about in these characters, in their struggles with living as they are, constantly feeling attacked from all sides. C. G. Drews managed to make a fantastical story filled with horrific monsters feel real and personal, and I am glad I had the chance to read it.

(Also, just as an addendum, throughout the novel there are a few short, one-paragraph long, dark fairy tales, written by our main character in the context of the novel. These are really great. On their own they would be nasty, dark littles bite-sized tales, but in context they add to the ambience or the feel of the novel. There aren’t so many of them that they are a distraction to the narrative, and in fact they complement it really well. It would be amazing to see a small, illustrated collection of these fairy tales, they were that much fun).

I want to thank the author, the publisher Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I will always recommend well done ace rep as there just isn't nearly enough of it in the world.
I don't know if this quite grabbed me the way I anticipated it would. I felt like I needed to exist with the characters a bit more before diving in as there was an intense "I would do anything for him" from the getgo that I didn't feel attached to. Very much like watching a second season of a show before the first--I understood what was happening, but I also felt like I was missing something.

I think there was a good level of horror that I know teens will devour and I can't wait to get it in their hands.

Omg I did not want to put this book down! The writing was beautiful and disturbing and perfect! The only reason it isn’t getting five stars from me is because I don’t handle gore well, and some of the scenes were a little much for my comfort level.

Content warnings: gore, eating disorder, self harm

4.5 stars. My review is posted to GoodReads (link in my profile)

I really enjoyed this book The pacing was well done all throughout the novel, and I wasn't bored at any point. This was the fastest I've ever read a book because it was too good to put down.

As a reader you get the feeling that you're dropped into a story that's already begun, which I felt was really interesting. Andrew was relatable, and I enjoyed reading about a fellow anxious introvert. Thomas' personality was so unpredictable that it kept him exciting every time he was on page. I liked the cast of main characters, but I didn't really connect with any of them too much.

I thought the plot was intriguing as well. It took many twists and turns so I never knew what to expect or predict, which was great. As soon as I thought I knew where the plot was going, it would shift in a more interesting direction. By the 50% mark I finally understood what was going on and was very excited for the rest of the book. The descriptions of the school itself and also the (minor spoiler) creatures that show up were very nicely done. The overall aesthetic matchs the beautiful cover of this book.

There were a few things I felt were under explained and I kept waiting for them to be discussed but they ever were. I don't mind things being open ended or very up for interpretation, but these points felt pretty important to the story and needed a little more explanation.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a bit darker Urban Fantasy story. It's labeled as YA, but I still think it holds up well for adults.

My main issue with this book can't be discussed without giving some minor spoilers, so that is marked separately below. It is not a huge spoiler, as it's brought up a few chapters into the novel.

Minor Spoilers:

Early in the book, one of the characters is tied to a missing person's case, and is the main suspect. This character also has a history of being a trouble maker in general, so much so that everyone in school talks about him (his teachers, principle, and peers). Even though he's a main suspect, no one is really keeping an eye on him. He spends his time doing some things the school would definitely not approve of, due to not being watched. It just seemed too convenient that he was able to get away with the things he did in this novel without the school or police being on top of it.

Thank you author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!!

Have you ever felt like a narrator was so unreliable you seriously don’t know what is real and what’s in their head? I’m 100% serious when I say that even from the beginning I was like ummmmm sir are you seeing things. Also, wow I still don’t know what’s going on. So yeah this was a good read but if you want a wrapped up satisfying ending leave now.

Side note when they were all like oh your drawings are coming to life I just thought about that one goosebumps movie with Jack Black so I know I was supposed scared but I just kept thinking about Jack Black lol

What an absolutely insane book. This is the kind of book that reminded me why I love YA horror—authors are so creative with their prose and storytelling, treating the page and sentence structure like an art form. I was blown away by the prose and terror I felt in this book, it genuinely made me feel sick, in the most addicting way. It combined some of my favorite horror aesthetics—schools/academia, forests, vines, dirt, etc. But also, with enough unique elements to stand out.
I did find some of the nitty gritty sentence structure things to be annoying (lots of stuttering), and some of the side characters felt cookie cutter to me—there were parts and subplots that didn’t enthrall me. The ending also brought in one of my least favorite tropes, although I will say I didn’t even see it coming and it still didn’t ruin the book for me.
I just had such a good time—I love gay and asexuality representation!
Full book tok review to come!

Shoutout to CG Drews, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for letting me read this as an ARC!

Don't Let The Forest In had me hooked from the first line, so much so that I read it straight through in one sitting! I'm not usually a horror fan, but this hit a creepy decaying forest / body horror / psychological thriller sweet spot for me, with an interesting plot and relationships that also kept me engaged. I think the writing throughout the book really brought us along with Andrew and Thomas as their reality got more and more out of control and the tension ratcheted up. Their world narrowed as they got caught up in fighting the monsters, and I the author did a great job showing the divide between them and the students living normal lives in the moments when they interacted with other characters.

The writing was also beautiful and gross (in the best way), which really added to the atmosphere of the story. I especially enjoyed all of Andrew's stories scattered between chapters.

This is going to be such a hit for fall when it releases, and I'm looking forward to having a paper copy to highlight all over and seeing the fan art that people make! I can already think of students at my school library who will love this one.

I think fans of House of Hollow, I Feed Her To The Beast And The Beast Is Me, & The Spirit Bares Its Teeth will enjoy Don't Let The Forest In.

ARC REVIEW— I keep bouncing between 3-3.5/5 stars for this book. It’s subject to change after reading the final copy of the published book in October!

In this review, I’ll do a brief summary and follow it up with what I enjoyed, and what could improve or things I just didn’t love.

Andrew’s senior year at a Virginian boarding school starts off with his best friend, Thomas, being accused of a horrible crime. Andrew practically becomes a shell of himself, pushing others away, even Thomas for a period of time. His twin sister, Dove, completely deserts him.
Andrew wakes one night to find Thomas gone, he follows him to the forest where he finds Thomas slaying monsters. This becomes their nightly routine throughout the next few months.
Andrew and Thomas believe it’s Thomas’s artwork coming to life, so they set out to destroy every form of his art they can find.
Andrew begins to feel the effects of the forest under his skin. He can’t eat normal food anymore, he feels vines growing in his ribcage, moss covering the back of his throat. He hears voices in his head, he can’t pinpoint where they’re coming from.
The monsters no longer keep to the shadows of the forest, they invade the school in broad daylight, attacking and murdering a few individuals.
It all comes to a head on Halloween night at their annual holiday party, when Andrew feels almost completely consumed by the forest inside him. He and Dove go to the forest, where he knows the monsters are, where he hopes Dove believes him.
Are the monsters real? Can Thomas or Dove save him from turning into a monster himself?
——

“I think someday you’ll hate me.”//“You’ll cut me open and find a garden of rot where my heart should be.”
“When I cut you open, all I’ll find is that we match.”

First, I loved the creepy, macabre theme of the story, it gives a similar vibe like Wednesday, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and a dash of Stranger Things. I like how in depth the scenes or monsters are described, making the mental picture easily clear. I like how we get tiny bits of Andrew’s stories throughout the book too. I was definitely unsettled with the idea of what was happening to Andrew inside while the story progressed.

The book itself was hauntingly beautiful. I found myself highlighting a handful of quotes that I thought were beautifully worded or I felt I resonated with. I love how negative thoughts/the voice in Andrew’s head is lowercase to show the difference of his normal thought process through the story.

Super stoked about the inclusive representation of the characters. An asexual main character who craves a life with his bisexual best friend. We have GSA club representation at the school as well, which is a nice touch.

I loved Thomas specifically. He has a soft and tender side for Andrew and only Andrew. He’d do anything for him, even if they’re not speaking. Throughout the book, I never found myself hating this character.

Disliked:

There was a hint of the miscommunication trope and it’s my one of my least favorite tropes in literature.

Even though, I’m glad there was discussion about sexuality and representation in the story, I feel like it was very surface level. I wanted more internal dialogue from Andrew about how he felt, or even have a Thomas POV.

Speaking of Andrew, I felt like he was not the best character to be the main character. I feel like he was just there with really negative emotions, and you can see his daily struggles with his family, his sexuality and his overall relationship with writing and the forest being intertwined, however, I feel like he just wasn’t the best character.

There were certain moments while I was reading, I felt like we were losing the point of the story, seemed a little bit disjointed in a way I can’t put my finger on. I’m used to adult psychological thrillers/horror, so maybe that’s why I’m feeling like I’m missing something? I feel like adult level in this genre is super descriptive, whereas YA is a little more reserved with the horror and gore?
——
With that being said, I’m leaning towards a 3.5 stars for the book. I genuinely will recommend this once it’s published. I just wanted more about Andrew’s character. The ending twist left me wanting more and I have so many questions. What happens to Andrew? What about his father? What happens to the school? HOW DOES THE ART TEACHER REACT?!?!?!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this copy!!