Evander is a boy who is confined to his room in the Hazelthorn Estate after almost dying as a boy. When his guardian suddenly dies, Evander finds he has inherited everything in the estate instead of the rightful heir, Laurie, the boy who tried to kill Evander 7 years ago. While extended family arrives to try and contest the will, Evander is busy trying to solve the murder of his guardian and uncover the mystery and horror of the gardens on Hazelthorn Estate.

I wasn’t sure CG Drew’s could top their previous novel Don’t Let the Forest In but they have completely outdone themselves with Hazelthorn. This book masterfully blends queer romance, mystery, body horror, and an absolute feeling of dread that will stick with you even after you are done reading.

“He really needs to pull apart the wicker cage of his ribs and see if he can find the reason he’s so obsessed with that boy hidden amidst the rot.”

What sets this book apart from others in the genre is the way the horrific descriptions and haunting prose get under your skin and stay there for awhile. I am going to need time to recover from this book but at the same time I cannot wait to reread.

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC.

I got an ARC copy of this from NetGalley and I'm so glad I did. My soul could not wait until October for this.

It is not enough to read this book. I wish for it to consume me. I can't think of how to write a review without mildly spoiling and I wouldn't do that. please please read this book

5/5 ⭐️

This book is most definitely my favorite read of the year thus far. Potentially a contender for one of my favorite books period.

I read the ARC for Hazelthorn several weeks ago, but I had been putting off reviewing it for quite some time. It is incredibly difficult to put into words how much I enjoyed and resonate with this book.

This book so beautifully analogizes the experience of longing for queer people, as well as neurodivergence in a world not built for those whose brains are wired differently.

The horror aspects of this novel are quite delicious (for lack of a better word). I was captivated by the way Drew writes. The descriptions are often beautiful, despite describing scenes of suffocating overgrowth and decay. I found the experience to be a fever dream that I didn't quite want to wake up from.
I WILL be purchasing a copy once this book officially releases. Once I have a chance to reread it and digest it more thoroughly, I will update this review with more details (I am a bit afraid my excitement over this book might lead to spoilers, and there are still a few months to go before it releases).

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. Any and all opinions shared are my own.

Hazelthorn is a remarkable and captivating masterpiece within the realm of gothic horror. From the very outset, the novel envelops readers in an atmosphere thick with eerie tension, where every meticulously crafted description is at once lush and chilling, painting a vivid and immersive world that feels hauntingly real. The story’s compelling mystery unfolds with measured precision, drawing you deeper into a web of suspense that keeps you riveted from beginning to end. What truly sets this work apart, however, is its seamless fusion of dark, brooding romance with the horror elements, creating a narrative that is not only thrilling but also profoundly emotional and resonant. The novel’s lingering presence in the mind long after the final page is a testament to its evocative power and exquisite storytelling. For anyone who delights in the haunting allure of gothic fiction, the richness of queer narratives, or the art of masterful, atmospheric writing, Hazelthorn comes wholeheartedly recommended as an unforgettable reading experience. I'd say it is equal in rating t0 that of CG Drews Dont Let The Forest In. 5 stars

once again this author has delivered a MASTERPIECE!! if you like nature horror and spooky plot lines just go read it ahhhhhhhh!!

Unsettling and hauntingly beautiful YA botanical horror!
Perfect for all of your creepy crawly, family intrigue needs! Twisty, turny, in the same vein as "Don't Let the Forest In" also by CG Drews. Fans of this author will not be disappointed! Loved it and can't wait for more from this author!
Every time I thought it might be getting slow, it drew me right back in!
*Check Trigger Warnings (it is a horror)

I loved this book! It was a perfect for me type of book. Fungal, botanical, Victorian, secrets, all the good stuff. I have been recommending it to people nonstop. I’m hesitant about romance stuff because it’s often unrealistic, but the amount in here was perfect, so sweet, and realistic. The book is finding oneself. It has sci-fi and horror. The plants are more intelligent than we think. I really really enjoyed it.

If you loved The Secret Garden as a child but wished the garden was evil and dangerous, this is the book for you. Hazelthorn is botanical horror meets gothic in a beautifully twisted, atmospheric story that subtly grows its way beneath your skin and takes root. While this book is Young Adult, the writing and story feel older; I would recommend Hazelthorn to adults as well as teenagers. I love the gothic genre, and this book is perfectly gothic; atmospheric, creepy, filled with toxic broken characters in an old manor that hides something dark and hungry. I would recommend Hazelthorn to readers who love the gothic and the strange, botanical horror, and deeply atmospheric stories that read like a dark fairytale.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Publishing Group for the arc! All thoughts & opinions in the review are my own.

C.G. Drews has done it again!

Evander is so scared but also so much stronger than he knows. Laurie isn’t as confident as he seems, but he’s carrying far more than anyone realizes. Everyone around them has been pulling all sorts of strings. And their shared past might just be the key to everything.

I laughed. I tried to play Sherlock and piece the clues together as they came. I fell in love. I yelled, “Just kiss already!” quite a few times. And I cried. A lot.

The writing is so poetic and beautiful. The story was viciously compelling. The range of emotions was endless, and that’ll stay with me for a long, long time.

If you enjoyed Don’t Let the Forest In, you’ll definitely love Hazelthorn. And if you didn’t enjoy DLtFI, then there’s honestly still a chance you’ll enjoy Hazelthorn.

This was a perfect story, and I will be devouring everything C.G. Drews writes.

Taken in by an eccentric billionaire at a young age, chronically ill Evander is surprised when his benefactor suddenly dies, leaving his entire estate to him. Having not left his room in years, Evander fears that his foster parent has been murdered, but must grapple with bloodthirsty relatives, his health, and being exposed to Laurie, the boy to tried to kill him years earlier. As Evander begins to tour the estates gardens, he learns that the family, Laurie, and the lush plants all have a secret that they are dying to keep hidden.

Rating: 5/5
Spice: 0/5 but plenty of angst and yearning

Tropes:
Body Horror
Unrequited Love
Blood Money
Enemy of My Enemy

Triggers:
Murder
Attempted Murder
Physical and Mental Abuse
Poisoning
Body Gore
Grief

My Thoughts:
CG Drews once again unravels a tale full of yearning, finding oneself, and body horror, all entrenched in a deeply rich prose. This story kept me guessing all the way up until the end, and the author made me fall in love with their deeply flawed characters. I adore how CG Drews writes beyond the narrative and makes y0u feel every twinge of yearning that the main character feels, all while writing some amazingly grotesque horror.

CG Drews book "Don't Let The Forest In" instantly made my auto=read author list. Drews writing creates a descriptive imagery that I adore and admire. I read the book so slowly so I can soak up every word, I felt like I was there inside Hazelthorn and the botanical gardens, described as if they were characters themselves.

Hazelthorn is another story about a mysterious death of a master of a home who then leaves their fortune to someone that no one in the family suspects, and everyone is suspicious of the reason why, even the one inheriting the fortune. Evander and Laurie have an intense relationship and you can feel right away that they have a strong emotional history. Evander hates Laurie for trying to kill him years prior, but at the same time can't stop thinking about what it would be like to kiss him. My favorite kind of teenage boy angst. The story is told from the perspective of Evander, who has lived in Hazelthorn since the death of his parents, and he has a lot of gaps in his memories which makes him an unreliable narrator. Evander is told by his guardians that he is very sick and they need to keep him locked away to protect him, but when Evander starts spending more and more time with Laurie, he is starting to realize Laurie has a very different idea of what was going on in Hazelthorn.

"If you start unlocking doors, you might find things you don't want to see. Or worse, you might wake up."

There was so much mystery at the heart of the story, I kept coming up with my own little theories of what was going on. Be weary that there are a lot of descriptions of body horror and child abuse, but they are important to the story and not just thrown in for the horror aspect. This is the kind of horror book that has a deep emotional impact on the reader, it is going to touch a lot of people who are going to relate to these characters and see themselves in them, and that is something special.

I look forward to reading more from this author, I can't wait to see what kind of hauntingly beautiful story they come up with next. Thank you netgalley for the e-arc!

This is a creative story with beautiful art that keeps you wanting more and isn’t easy to put down. It has plant/garden horror (love, almost as good as sentient/talking plants), an enemies-to-lovers subplot, and more twists than I expected. I personally did not enjoy it as much as the author’s previous horror novel that was just unbelievable and fantastic and so good. Hazelthorn was excellent, but not quite as absolutely astounding. I feel badly / it’s tough because such a high bar was set, and this doesn’t quite meet it, but does have merit and was enjoyable in its own right. CG Drews is still essentially a must-read author for me and I hope they keep writing stories like this.

Thank you to Feiwel & Friends, MacMillan Publishers, and NetGalley for the eARC.

A Gothic fairytale that's queer and leaves you wanting more!

I was absolutely pulled in and found myself rereading some points because of how absolutely (and hauntingly) it was written. At points almost written like a song to lure the reader in like a siren and leaving you wanting more.

I definitely am going to get a physical copy when I can

i said 'don't let the forest' in was like if you put vicious and dorian gray in a blender and added steroids, and now 'hazelthorn' is like knives out and frankenstein in a blender if you added the same steroid infused dirt from DLTFI.

c.g. drews is beyond an absolute marvel, i think i would wait in a line for days just to read their fucking grocery lists at this point. the botanical elements seeping into the most subtle metaphors and descriptors of even the most regular things. i am obsessed and i will never be moving on.

another gorgeously written book by CG Drews. a cousin, perhaps, to “don’t let the forest in,” this book explores rage, grief, paranoia, happiness, longing, and more.

as always, the book is well-written with fantastic pacing throughout. the prose is absolutely second-to-none, and CG Drew’s’ books are possibly the most unique YA horror books you will read.

highly recommend to all who are getting into horror and who love botanical themes. 4.5 stars rounded down!!

CG Drew is a force! If you’re looking for eco/body horror, don’t let the YA classification fool you. Atmospheric and creepy, you’ll be left begging for more!

This book is stunning!

The writing and the prose was like nothing I had ever read before!

This author will forever be an autobuy author and I can’t wait to see what they write next!

I was so very excited to read this one after reading Don’t Let the Forest In and oh my god did this exceed every expectation that I had. This was written so beautifully, and extremely engaging, I didn’t want to put this down.
CG Drew’s knows how to write haunting, gothic literature that you don’t want to escape from.

I knew I would love this book after Don’t Let the Forest In, but love isn’t the right word. Hazelthornhas left me breathless; yearning; haunted. The botanical body horror, the crumbling mansion with its deadly secrets, the feral longing that make up the most poetic murder mystery you will ever read. I adored the boys with my whole heart; Laurie with his sardonic wit & effortless charm, & Evander, constantly berating himself for his autistic tendencies & the hole where his memories should be. The plot is as full of twists & turns as the vines that snake along ribcages & every shock feels like being bitten by thorns in place of teeth. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough & am left hollow with loss at finishing this visceral, suffocating, gothic masterpiece.

Thank you NetGalley and CG Drews for this ARC!

This book was delicious in every way.
Creepy and morbid, dark and delectable.
A curious adventure with secrets and twists and turns.

Drews writing has captivated me in ways I didn’t know possible and I want to live in every world they create.
Giving life to the things that go bump in the dark while praising the strange kids who are fascinated by the unknown, the weirdos who come home with blood on their knees and dirt under their fingernails.

I can’t wait for everyone to be able to experience Hazelthorn and get to fall in love with a garden, an old house, and a boy named Laurie.