"What is love if not devouring?"

Evander is sick. At least, that's what people have told him for the majority of his life. Locked in a small room and left to his devices for the majority of adolescence, he has watched the gardens and its inhabitants through his window with a longing curiosity. He thinks he'll never be free of the routine of medication, meals and melancholy until one day, his grandfather suddenly dies. Embarking on a journey to solve the mystery of who killed the patriarch of the house, he uncovers answers about the family's history and his own twisted past that might have been best left in the dark.

This is my first dive into gothic fiction, and when I tell you every page turned had my heart on the floor. What started as a slightly creepy story led me down corridors of horror, betrayal, yearning, and trust I never could have imagined, At almost every point where I thought I knew what was happening, I was proven wrong, and at the end of the book? I had to turn off my reader and sit in silence for a moment.

The way Evander is written is breathtaking. The raw confusion and anguish he feels throughout every part of this story, the need for Laurie to both be close and stay away, the desperate clamor for answers, for someone to tell him something - anything - adds so much to the story it weighs heavy on the heart. Laurie, who we believe to be the main antagonist of the story for nearly half the book, transforming into the one person Evander can trust and the key to unlocking his memories is such a beautiful pivot.

This is an absolute banger of a book, and I'm off to read the rest of this author's catalogue.

This was a wild ride in the best way, a masterclass in plant horror.

At times heart wrenching to read, but this is one of the first books with autism rep that really made me feel seen.

4.5 Star

I received a copy of Hazelthorn from NetGalley for my honest review; thank you NetGalley and MacMillian Children's Publishing Group.

I really liked this book, the only thing stopping it from being a 5 star read was it was a little slow moving...which isn't necessarily a bad thing--it almost has a comfort read feel to it in a tormented mind sort of way; which for me is a fabulous thing!

The story kept you guessing in a lot of different ways--I don't want to spoil anything so I don't want to go into specifics-just know there are lots of twists and turns. I loved the way CG Drews keeps everything in the botanical world from descriptions to metaphors and everything in between. There are also drawings of the different plants throughout the book which is super fun as a reader to see that the author has envisioned and brings you deeper into the story (again, don't want to spoil anything).

For me this is definitely have to have and probably going to need a special edition or 2 as well.

Hazelthorn is a must-read for fans of plant horror! The interior of the old house and surrounding gardens of Hazelthorn were beautifully and grotesquely described which created a great gothic atmosphere. I loved both Evander and Laurie as characters and the chemistry between them was one of the major highlights for me in this book as they go from childhood friends to enemies to something more. I did feel like it began to drag just a little around the 50-60% mark until we began to get answers about the mysteries of the house, but I absolutely loved the ending and that's why I can't help but give this book 5 stars. I would especially recommend this for fans of The Raven Boys and Saltburn.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC!!! This was definitely one of my most anticipated reads for the year, and it did not disappoint.

CG DREWS HAS DONE IT AGAIN

Ever since Evander was taken in by his guardian, Bryon Lennox-Hall, he's been tucked away in the sprawling Hazelthorn estate. Seven years ago, Laurie, his guardian's grandson, tried to kill him. After the incident, Evander hasn't been allowed to be alone with the boy—he isn't even allowed to leave his room, which is always locked...until it isn't. Byron Lennox-Hall dies suddenly, and Evander is convinced he's been murdered. He must manage the estate and the wild Lennox-Hall relatives until he turns 18, which isn't easy when the forbidden gardens begin to unravel the family's dark secrets.

I read "Don't Let the Forest In" a few months ago for one of my writing classes, and I was BLOWN AWAY. So naturally, my expectations for this were very high. At the start, I was a little concerned because the plot was moving pretty slowly until about 40%. I was still so interested, though, so I kept reading...then I couldn't stop. Everything started moving so fast, and I did in fact stay up until 2 am to finish it.

Drews's writing style is brilliant, which kept me hooked throughout the story. Everything was so vivid, disgusting, and so gory...and considering the fact that I have read one of their other books before, I was expecting this...to an extent. This was on a whole other level. I'm not one to be creeped out or disturbed by books, but this one got me. The descriptions and just the overall vibe of this book were so eerie, and I couldn't shake this feeling of HEY SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY WRONG HERE!

Drews is a master of a few things: beautiful prose, obsessive relationships (and yearning, of course), and unreliable narrators. If you like any of these things, you'll love this, especially if you also love creepy gardens and body horror.

The last half earned this book 5 stars for me, but I did have one tiny problem. With this being said, it didn't affect my rating because of how much I ended up liking it, but I thought it was worth mentioning. It is very similar to "Don't Let the Forest In." In my opinion, it was a bit repetitive, but I loved that book, so honestly, I didn't have much of a problem with it. I was afraid that it would be a little predictable because of this, but...nope!

Anyway, I can't wait for this to be released so I can get a physical copy because the cover is gorgeous. So, please look forward to release day, I would definitely recommend it!!!

Evander is the seventeen-year-old ward of the reclusive billionaire Byron Lennox-Hall at the Hazelthorn mansion. He never leaves the estate and he never goes into the gardens. Because that’s where Byron’s grandson, Laurie, tried to kill him seven years prior. But when Byron is murdered and Laurie’s less than favorable relatives start swarming the estate, Evander will have to uncover just who he can and can’t trust in this intensely addictive YA horror. Oh, and…something is definitely wrong with that garden.

Wow! This is my first CG Drew’s book and wow! This was so good from the very beginning. The plot itself hooks you in immediately, and once I started, I couldn’t put it down. Genuinely. I finished this at 4 am last night. I honestly couldn’t predict anything of the plot, and I think that’s because the story took so many shocking turns I wasn’t expecting. It helped that I was so lost in the writing too.

The writing itself is gorgeous. Drews has a unique voice and style that pulls you in (at least in my sleep deprived case) and never lets you go. Evander’s voice was so clear and consistent throughout the entire novel and I really enjoyed his narration. Especially when the further into the novel I got, the less I trusted his viewpoint of things. Not only did I love Evander, Laurie’s character was amazing. I love his characterization and every time he was on page, I found myself reading just a little faster.

This is a YA horror but don’t let that fool you. I was terrified at nearly every turn and mumbling a distressed “oh my god” whenever something truly visceral happened. Additionally, there is a good amount of gory detail, so keep that in mind. I could talk about how good this book was for hours, but I’ll stop there. Just please please read this as soon as you can.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!!

GAHHH I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!! I was so happy how quickly I became enthralled with the story. I felt all the fear and anxiety that Evander was going through and just wanted him to find some peace! And the mystery of it all had me going in circles trying to figure out what was going on and the ending did not disappoint at all! I also loved the complex relationship with him and Laurie and trying to untangle his mess of memories.

Truly a one of a kind story and you should read if you liked haunting of bly manor and knives out.

✨Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review✨
Special thank you to CG Drew’s for answering my Instagram DMs and letting me spout my theories as I read through Hazelthorn ❤️🥀

Listen, this book… you need this book if you loved Don’t Let the Forest In.. baby this will feed your botanical horror needs.

I took my time reading this one, but it was all I thought about-every day-and I couldn’t wait to pick it back up, even though I was terrified to read every chapter for fear of what would happen to our MMCs.

Laurie and Evander will rip your heart out with their own stories, but what they have to go through-sickening and so sad.

Pick it up is all I can say, and you won’t regret it!

Breaking my heart and cracking it open to spill out into my rotting garden. Will never get enough botanical horror, especially when it is as unique as this

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the Arc of Hazelthorn!

My honest review is that no one writes like C.G. Drews. They create beautiful and disturbing imagery that somehow makes the most wonderful and unsettling love story. Their depiction of an autistic meltdown and the help of coregulation was impeccable and accurate. I loved the conflict of emotions and how muddy feelings got. I loved that my heart was POUNDING in chapter 15 and I had to step away from the book to get work done because like the garden, it kept drawing me in.

This book is immersive and and captivating and incredibly hard to describe. So I will just say this: read it. Give yourself over to the book. It owns you now.

I devoured Hazelthorn, and Hazelthorn devoured me. As a plant and garden lover, I had no idea how beautifully plants, desolation, murder, and love could all be so perfectly intermingled. Evander has 'episodes' so he is medicated regularly and shut into his room at the sprawling Hazelthorn estate. He lives with a caretaker, Byron Lennow-Hall, because his parents died in a car accident when he was young. And sometimes, Laurie comes home and graces the halls with his stubborn petulance. Evander knows little of the outside world, but he watches Laurie and the wild garden that grows all around the house. One day, he hears his door unlock, but that can't be right. Opening it, he sees no one there, and he's free to explore the darkness that surrounds him, seeking out the elderly man who cares for him. Is it truly care, though? This book is a tale of murder, abuse, love, and an anger so strong that it will tear everything down around it. Oh, and plants that no one has ever seen before, poisonous plants that can kill with a touch. The secrets and evil are rampant, the garden wants something and will stop at nothing to get it back. CG Drews is a wonder, and I can't wait to read more.

“The best way to fertilize hungry soil is with blood and bone.” Hazelthorn by CG Drews

Evander haunts the Hazelthorn estate as much as it haunts him. Kept under lock and key by his reclusive caretaker, he has three rules he must follow:

He can never leave the estate. He can never go into the gardens. And most importantly, he can never again be left alone with Byron's charming, dangerous grandson, Laurie.

In twisted body horror and compelling, complicated relationships, Hazelthorn perfectly balances evocative, skin-crawling prose with the obsession of two boys ready to spiral in either hate 0r love. One of my favorite parts of CG’s writing is the exploration of relationships that have so much emotion, that it may be the end of the characters.

As a huge fan of Don’t Let the Forest In by CG, I had very high expectations for Hazelthorn and was not at all disappointed. CG’s writing is truly a force to be reckoned with, and I cannot recommend their books enough.

Hazelthorn by CG Drews is publishing Oct 28, 2025. Thank you to Netgalley, CG Drews, and Feiwel & Friends for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

CG Drews did it again! I was enthralled from the first page to the last. I can't wait to read the next one.

Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for the advanced ecopy of this book.

This was such a a stunning piece of gothic horror and I was thoroughly surprised at how much I love it. This was my first book by C.G. Drews and I'm definitely going to be reading another. Honestly gothic horror and settings are not always books I gravitate towards. I always think I'll like them more than I do but this one was so stunning.

The setting was beautifully described yet still also so horrifying. I loved that there were a few plant drawings scattered throughout. I would kill for a special edition of this book with garden sketches scattered throughout and maybe a sprayed edge with the ivy that slices skin that's mentioned.

Not only is the setting beautiful but the characters are rich and complex. As someone who is still struggling to get diagnosed as Autistic, the book really captures the feelings of growing up trying to fit in a box that was just never meant for you. I want to wrap Evander up in a comfy blanket and help him and Laurie feel safe forever. Evander has so many emotions yet no way to express them and honestly I related to him so much at times it was hard to keep reading. He really touched me in a profound way. And Laurie deserves so much much better than he was ever treated growing up. They are such flawed and beautiful characters trying to navigate a world that was made so difficult by the cruel people around them. I will definitely be revisiting this book in the future.

"Hazelthorn" is a beautifully written, unsettling gothic horror.
This story had me hooked from the start and never stopped surprising me. I loved following Evander as he tried to solve the mystery of Byron Lennox-Hall's death, unfog the memories of his past and discover Hazelthorn's secrets.
CG Drews creates such layered characters, including Hazelthorn and its garden. And the tension and yearning between Laurie and Evander was fantastic.
This is the perfect read for anyone who loves a story filled with monsters, both human and botanical, the slow burn of enemies-to-lovers and feeling the suffocation of a deadly garden.

4.5 stars!!

This book is a gothic masterpiece with a garden horror twist. We meet Evander who is almost an adult and who has spent the last seven years of his life locked in a room in a sprawling mansion. He hasn’t been able to leave and is forbidden to enter the garden. When his caretaker dies in an unexpected way, he has to come to terms with the fact that things he believed to be true maybe weren’t. And the boy who he believed was his childhood enemy, well, maybe he wasn’t after all.
Full of twists and turns. Secrets held. Revenge exacted. All around satisfying tale.
Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Hazelthorn by CG Drews follows as Evander, a 17 year old boy living in a lonely manor. He is in the care of a family friend after losing his parents years before. He spends his days locked in his room but when an incident occurs and he is told to stay away from the garden, Evander starts looking into the secrets of Hazelthorn manor.

I loved this book. I haven’t read the author’s previous book, Don’t Let the Forest In, but when I got to the halfway point of this arc, I drove to my closest bookstore and bought a copy of it so I can read it soon because of how much I was enjoying Hazelthorn.

This book is so creepy and atmospheric. Evander is autistic and has anxiety and the way the author was able to write the scenes of high anxiety was amazing. Anxiety can be a hard feeling to capture but I love the way it was portrayed in this novel.

Evander has a tense relationship with his guardian’s grandson, Laurie, and I thought the way that was explored was really interesting. I also thought the family dynamics added an extra layer to the store.

If you are looking for a perfect read that captures gothic atmosphere and fall vibes, this is a must read! I can’t wait to get a physical copy when it releases!

This is officially my most hyped book of 2025. It's probably going to be my favorite. Drews creates such a compelling narrative that keeps the reader turning pages and waiting for the next twist or turn. Everything builds deliciously. I can't wait for this one to come out so I can buy it and annotate it because the LAYERS.

I had very high expectations for this book after absolutely loving Don't Let the Forest In.

Fortunately, Hazelthorn is just as unsettling and captivating, and also full of wonderfully creepy plants. I really liked it!

Hazelthorn is told through the eyes of a sickly boy, Evander, kept by his billionaire guardian in a locked room in the north wing of Hazelthorn. Hazelthorn is surrounded by a huge, overgrown garden that has a mind of its own. However, Evander can't set foot outside his room, much less go into the gardens, which are strictly forbidden. Evander accepts these rules--they're there to keep him safe, right? But after the sudden death of his guardian, Evander begins to question everything. As Evander begins to dig, he uncovers lie after lie and discovers that everything he thought he knew was never real at all.

This book was lovely and atmospheric and overflowing with emotions. I really enjoyed the botanical horror, which was fascinating and mildly disturbing. Overall I really enjoyed reading Hazelthorn. It's an all around great book.

A solid 4 stars!

Thank you so so much to NetGalley for this arc!

This is my first book by the author and it certainly won’t be the last. I grabbed this due to the gothic vibes and stayed for the prose and storytelling.

It was one of those books that once the pieces starting falling into place you are ready to lose sleep over and not eat until you finish.

If you like horror elements, insanity, and beautiful backdrops this book is for you