Hazelthorn defies easy categorization—part gothic horror, part tender romance, part psychological mystery—creating a fever dream that lingers long after the final page. C.G. Drews has crafted something truly extraordinary: a story about embracing the darkness within ourselves while desperately reaching for connection.
At the heart of this atmospheric tale lies Evander, an unreliable narrator whose fractured perspective draws you deeper into both his psyche and the secrets lurking within the sprawling botanical estate he calls home. His voice carries a raw vulnerability that makes every revelation feel personal, every twist a betrayal of trust you didn’t realize you’d given. As he pieces together fragments of his past, you find yourself questioning not just what’s real, but what you’re willing to believe.
Lauri serves as both complement and counterpoint to Evander—charming and magnetic on the surface, yet carrying wounds that mirror and amplify the story’s central themes. Their relationship unfolds with the delicate brutality of watching something beautiful bloom in poisoned soil. Drews handles their connection with remarkable nuance, allowing moments of genuine tenderness to exist alongside scenes that will leave you breathless with dread.
The botanical estate itself becomes a character, its overgrown gardens and shadowed halls reflecting the wild, untamed nature of the story’s exploration of identity and belonging. Drews’ prose blooms with lyrical beauty even in its darkest moments, creating a reading experience that feels both lush and thorny—appropriate for a tale where growth requires embracing what others might call monstrous.
This isn’t simply a book you read; it’s one that reads you back, forcing uncomfortable questions about the nature of love, acceptance, and the parts of ourselves we try to keep hidden. The horror elements never feel gratuitous—instead, they serve the deeper emotional truth of what it means to be seen, truly seen, by another person.
Hazelthorn showcases C.G. Drews’ exceptional talent for weaving together seemingly disparate elements into something cohesive and memorable. The prose strikes a perfect balance between accessibility and artistry, never sacrificing clarity for style or emotion for craft. This is storytelling that trusts its readers while rewarding that trust with genuine depth.
For those willing to step into its thorny embrace, Hazelthorn offers a reading experience unlike any other—beautiful, terrible, and utterly unforgettable

Evander is the sickly ward of a reclusive billionaire. He's spent the past 6 years of his life locked away following a murder attempt by his best friend Laurie. I started this book with so many questions and as it went on I just kept having more. The book reeled me and it seemed like as soon as I had the answer to one question two more popped up like weeds. This book was a twisty ride. I questioned Evander's narration, and his sanity. Laurie's motives and the motives of the rest of the blood thirsty family that moved in when Evander's guardian died.

⭐️ 3

I really enjoyed this one! The writing is gorgeous and atmospheric, albeit repetitive at times with its imagery, but the horror factor is definitely there. There were several moments that grossed me out or made my skin crawl, which is impressive since I don't get unnerved easily. There's this dream-like quality to Drews writing that I can't quite describe but I love how out of the ordinary it feels. The characters, however, never won me over. They were just...there most of the time. I never rooted for them, whether to be together or otherwise. I kept reading mainly to see how the story would be written rather than spend more time with certain characters, which automatically drops a score a good bit for me. I would read more by Drews, though. I'm sure this would be a fantastic Halloween read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for the opportunity to read Hazelthorn which I am giving 3.5 stars.
This is an intense and fast paced YA horror about Evander, a 17 year old who can’t remember his past but who follows three simple rules: don’t leave the house, don’t go into the garden and don’t be alone with Laurie.
Of course Laurie (Laurence) is the teenage grandson of Evanders caregiver and when Laurie has been kicked out of another boarding school and his grandfather dies it doesn’t take long for the rules to get thrown out the window.
I thought this book was incredibly creepy and disturbing. This book is one that I would absolutely recommend checking your trigger warning for. This book contains medical abuse, blood, gore, child abuse, eating disorders and body horror. Just to name a few of the ones listed in the authors note.
I think this book is perfectly timed to come out in October and will make sure to post about it on my social media (TikTok and YouTube) closer to its release date.

To say I love Drews’ writing would be a gross understatement. Anything Drews writes, I will devour. This was no exception. Though it was incredibly reminiscent of Don’t Let the Forest In, it Isas still marvelously unique. I fell so deeply in love with the tortured characters and ravenous garden. The plot twists didn’t catch me off guard quite as brutally as they did in DLTFI, but there were still some zingers in there. As a late-diagnosed autistic, queer person, my heart aches with the truth and validation I found within these pages. I cannot wait to own a physical copy of this masterpiece.

5⭐️

"Take me apart if you want, find where I keep all my secrets. But I'm not helping you do it."

Once again, C.G. Drews has left me speechless.

Almost immediately I was drawn into Evander's claustrophobic life as a sick kid in a home where he was almost buried alive. His memory loss surrounding that day mixed with hatred that bordered on obsession for Laurie was so compelling that I couldn't wait to find out what actually happened. As the truth about Laurie's family and the history of the grounds the house was on became more apparent, the more on edge I felt. The way this book moved so effortlessly from psychological thriller to a mystery to a body horror to a forest rot story and back again is a master class in why Drews is royalty of the forest rot genre!

The way that Laurie's abuse and disability as well as Evander's chronic illness were handled was so well done. Laurie was such an interesting character and I loved the way his privilege of being the one to leave the house played against the scorn and abuse he received from his family. Watching Evander slowly begin to trust Laurie after hating him for so long was great.

Thank you Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing this ARC to me!

I loved the botanical type horror, it reminds me of one of my favorite books House of Hollow. It's grotesque, beautiful, and chilling but the main character fell flat for me, making it hard to really truly enjoy this story. I love the writing and will give this author another shot but this story just wasn’t for me.

This was uncomfortable, thrilling, and was heartfelt at moments.

This was mildly a whodunit, and honestly it kept me invested. Judging every character that was introduced while the This book had a great twist at the end. I found the characters sheltered and curious, which is a truly special mix.

There were a lot of moments in this book where I was super enthralled, losing track of time. When Laurie and Evander were having their moments together, I wanted it to last forever.

This was a great thriller for a young adult, the twists were great, maneuvering between daily traumas and HUGE twists it was well balanced.

Highly recommend for those who like macabre and well built characters.

I don’t often read YA but the cover and description of this one had me intrigued. I’m so grateful to NetGalley for the eARC and can’t wait to add a physical copy to my personal collection. easily one of my favorite books of 2025!

the writing is lush and atmospheric and dark, and the story is hauntingly beautiful in all of its grittiness. I’m a sucker for yearning and all-consuming obsession in books, and it was perfectly executed here alongside the horror elements.

if you, like me, often struggle with navigating being a person and feeling real, then I think Evander’s character will resonate with you in such a validating yet unsettling way. and if you’re a fan of atmospheric gothic gardens, botanical body horror, cannibalistic love, and aren’t afraid of some gore and heartache - this one is for you!

I was completely consumed by this story — I truly felt like I was in the deep labyrinth that is Hazelthorn and even after reaching the end, it still has its tendrils embedded deeply in my brain. I can’t stop thinking about the story, characters, and of course the ending.

I’m so obsessed with this book that I even created a Spotify playlist of songs that capture all the complex feelings the story stirs up, which can be found on my Instagram along with my review (@proseandfronds)

Deeply unsettling, deeply romantic. C. G. Drews has done it again! I cannot believe I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book, but I did!

First off, there are some very dark themes in this book, so be sure to read the content warnings. I read the warnings, but there were still some parts that I had to pause at and digest for a moment before continuing on. That said, the banter between Laurie and Evander (and Laurie's glorious sass throughout) gave the story a lot of humor and lightness that it wouldn't have had otherwise. And I definitely think that humor was needed given the heavy topics that the book deals with.

Can I tell you a secret? I'm not really a horror reader--I'm highly susceptible to nightmares--but I will make an exception for a few authors, and one of those is C. G. Drews, who can somehow make sentences gut-wrenchingly terrifying and heart-achingly gorgeous in the same breath. There are layers to this book. It twists and turns, and the further you dig, the more disturbing secrets you uncover about the estate and its inhabitants. I had so many jaw-dropping 'oh my god, it gets worse?!' moments. You will want to rage at basically everything by the end. But the relationship between the two main characters is the beating heart of the book, and the ending is extremely satisfying and I almost want to say healing, but it's a bloody kind of catharsis.

If you love Gothic horror that is truly (and I mean in every possible way) horrific but also truly (deeply and unendingly) romantic, you will love this book!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan for the ARC!

When the genre is 'what the f*ck?' and CG Drews says 'BET!' ✓

Yet another viscerally lyrical book from Drews. I first read their writing when I read Don't Let the Forest In last year which blew me away, and Hazelthorn is just as good.

A grotesquely delightful story with a claustrophobic and haunting atmosphere, a sentient manor and its garden, an unreliable narrator that has you questioning everything, topped off with some of the most lyrical prose I've read.

There is deep-rooted yearning, cathartic revenge, and a tangled plot that shocks you with each unfurling.

Queer botanical horror truly feels like Drews' calling and I'm so excited for their future work.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘦, 𝘵𝘰𝘰, 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦’𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘸, 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵.

Thanks so much Fierce Reads for the eARC via Netgalley.

Evander has lived in Hazelthorn after being taken in by billionaire guardian, Byron Lennox Hall. For Evander's own safety he must follow three rules: He can never leave the estate, he can never go into the gardens, and lastly he can never be alone with Byron's grandson Laurie. The last rule is the most important since Laurie attempted to murder Evander seven years prior. Everything is going well until Byron suddenly dies, leaving Evander sole heir of his fortune. Evander doesn't just believe Byron died of natural causes and sets out to find the murder amongst the scheming Lennox Hall relatives. While more and more family flock to the mansion all eager for a piece of the estate, Evander can't help but enlist Laurie's help in finding the killer. While they begin to work together, Evander slowly begins to obsess over Laurie, just like when they were kids. While the families secrets unravel, the garden around the estate has also been growing, and it's evident that the family isn't the only thing out for blood.
This is how you do a gothic novel, folks. This book is true perfection and I think I'll make it my entire personality for a while. It's truly got a little of everything you want in a gothic horror novel. It's got the poetic writing, the tortured lovers, the atmospheric gothic mansion, and of course the blood and gore. The book never lags in pace, and there is always another piece of the puzzle being added to this mystery. The twists and turns throughout this book truly kept me coming back for more and more and it was incredibly hard for me to even put down. Between the psychological horror, claustrophobia horror, and body horror in this novel there is truly something for every horror fan, and Drew writes all of these beautifully. The characters are all written so incredibly well to the point where I had feelings for some and absolutely hated others. The LGBTQ representation was phenomenal. I also very much loved how Drew wrote representation of loving an abuser from the perspective of the lover. One of my favorite things about this novel though is that Drew writes the garden as a character, with feelings, with hunger and with pain. While I obviously had many things I loved about this book, truly the best thing about this book for me was Drew's writing. The writing is so Sapphic and you can physically feel the horror and yearning through the pages, this is a novel that makes you FEEL.

Thank you NetGallery for the eARC!! 4.5 ⭐️

Spoilers ahead:

I absolutely adore the gore Drews writes. As a huge fan of writing horror/gore myself, I find a deep appreciation for how they are able to make me want to crawl out of my skin. This specific niche they have about gore with nature is really phenomenal. I quite enjoyed it.

There is also something about Drews’s prose that is so lovely. Certain lines that Evander and Laurie exchange/think are so beautiful. Especially toward the end and Evander’s expressed desire to consume all of Laurie. Chefs kiss.

Their toxic dynamic is also intoxicating. Evander’s desire to hate Laurie morphs into his obsession and desire for him in such satisfying ways. Again, the prose is just so delicious.

The plot itself was not my favorite all of the time, the reveal of Evander being nonhuman was not very surprising. I enjoyed the reveal of Laurie being Byron’s killer in the last moment, that I felt was much more satisfying than Evander being the killer. I felt that there was a lack of understanding in how the garden works (specifically in the creation of rubies). I wish there was more to understand there, but the greed of the family made up for a lack of complex understanding. I was more focused on Evander’s character, which I believe was the intention regardless.

I definitely recommend this read, especially to my fellow gore enjoyers and queer readers. Quite an enjoyable read.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Review:

I requested Hazelthorn without any prior expectations, having never read any of CG Drews previous works and simply being intrigued by the beautiful cover. Little did I know that this story would resonate so much with my heart and soul.

This book spoke to the child within me. It spoke to the child who grew up being told that she was different in a way that needed fixing. She was never told how she was different but rather told that, if she didn’t fix her differences, she would never find a place in the world. In a way, that’s what I have felt for most of my life, lost in a world that I don’t belong in.

Hazelthorn explores the lives of two teenagers, each lost in their own way. With the usage of beautifully lush prose and intricate metaphors, CG Drews illustrates ways in which the world abuses them for being different from those around them. Through this book, they raise the question of if you should try to belong in this world or if this is the kind of world you would even want to belong in.

CG Drews, through the relatives and their actions, the way greed can take a person apart and leave them in shambles. The world we live in is built upon a social ladder, and we see how those at the top are able to take advantage of those at the bottom with no questions asked. Greed causes people to keep taking more from those beneath them, for in order to be on the top of the pyramid, someone has to be pushed to the bottom. The relatives continuously want more, their actions turning increasingly horrific as their greed becomes unquenchable and ever growing.

Onto the writing itself, it was absolutely gorgeous. I was hooked on every sentence and savoured every word. I particularly loved the usage of botany to provide for metaphors, like Oleander, Azalea, and Bane (the relatives) all being named after poisonous plants. You can really tell how much thought went into each and every word, which I expect would make this book even more interesting on a reread.

The romance is the most heartwarming part of this story. It is the hope in the darkness of their cruel world. I adored seeing the way they grew from hating and distrusting each other to realizing they may feel something different, something more. I was rooting for them the entire time and smiling broadly at every little interaction. I can’t help but feel their romance reminds me of a lot of Hozier’s more romantic songs (possibly because I was listening to Hozier almost the entire time while reading this, and his songs fit the vibe of this book perfectly). I used to be a big fan of childhood friends to lovers, but I think I may like childhood enemies to lovers even more.

This book just hit home with me in a mixture of different ways. I expect this to be a book I will keep coming back to time and time again in the future. I’m so excited to read the rest of CG Drews current books and their future ones. I truly wouldn’t be surprised if they become one of my favourite authors.

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hazelthorn
By CG Drews
4 ⭐️

This botanical YA horror was atmospheric perfection. Think: a semi sentient secret garden that bites and eats people. It’s an instant Yes Please from me. I loved how engrossed this story kept me. It’s a closed setting mystery; there aren’t many characters coming and going. I feel so many things for Laurie. He’s my heart of this book. Evander’s story is interesting and heartbreaking, but Laurie’s is those things and more. I didn’t think this heavily reads as YA. The adults feel more immature than the 17 years old MCs. It is also gross at times – not meant as a negative, this is a horror story after all. It’s likely my trypophobia speaking, but I found pieces of this to be more creatively gross than heavy gore focused stories. E makes some choices that irritate me to my soul which is why this isn’t a blazing 5 stars for me – personal issues if you will.

This is a perfect fall read. The story has nothing autumnal about it but overgrown mucky, half dead gardens read best in the fall.

Good grief, rich people suck.

Thank you to NetGalley, CG Drews, and Macmillan Children’s Pub for this eARC.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

CG Drews once again proves that they cannot miss!
Hazelthorn was everything that I have ever wanted in a gothic and horror story.
From the botanical body horror to the mystery murder, Hazelthorn had me sucked in from the very first page.

I love CG's writing style isn't something that I would have ever imagined would fit this genre, but it's mastered so well. The imagery, the weaving of character interactions, and just the overall world building.

Reading this was a great change of pace to what I typically read.

Evander's struggles with navigating his way after the death of Byron.
But as we get to learn more about Evander we also get discover the truth right alongside him. It was such an wonderful way to read about discovering yourself, acceptance, and love.

Gah! I have so much more to say but I just cant get my thoughts to be cohesive! All I have to say is, this was just a remarkable story! I can't wait to go back and re-read it because it was just that wonderful!

You know a book is exceptional when it opens with a line like, "What is love if not devouring." Even without finishing it, I can confidently give **Hazelthorn** five stars. This novel is a beautifully dark, Gothic, gory, and poetic experience. It's an absolute must-read for fans of **botanical horror**.

Absolutely loved this! It was both atmospheric and haunting. The characters were so well developed, and the tension between Evander and Laurie could be cut with a knife. The setting was described so beautifully!

If petrichor was able to morph into a vision of drama, horror, and greed, it would look like Hazelthorn. Once again, C.G. Drews uses the very earth around us to create a hauntingly beautiful and grotesque story that pulls the reader deeper and deeper into the world of gothic, dark fantasy. The story follows Evander, a young man that has lived in Hazelthorn mansion has lived a life that is the very definition of sheltered. Only surrounded by an overgrown and wild garden, with the occasional visit of his so-called guardian and his servant, Evander fights with loss, horrifying memories, paranoia, and feelings toward the one person he hates that tear through is heart. As always, C.G. Drews uses the world around the characters to create a super descriptive story that hooks the reader from the very beginning and keeps them digging through the mystery. The use of terminology relating to plants and earth to describe the characters’ feelings (physical and emotional) is cleverly ingrained in the book. I could feel, smell, and even taste the world that is Hazelthorn. I would most certainly recommend this book to anyone looking for a gothic mystery with some horror sprinkled in. I can’t wait to read more from this author as the stories come out.

Please just do me the favor of reading this book if you loved Don't Let the Forest In!

This book gave that same dark eerie vibes and as told from the cover there is the botanical horror that was beautifully woven in throughout Don't Let the Forest In.

I can't get over how beautiful C. G. Drew's writing style is. It's so poetic and the story gives the perfect gothic vibes along with a sense of longing.

Key points: If you love gothic or botanical horror, a writing style that feels lyrical, darker topics, and revenge then here's the book for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for my advanced reader copy!