CG Drews has done it again! Lovers of Don't Let the Forest In will FROTH!

With immersive botanical prose you will be able to see, smell and taste the mud, woods and blood. Absolutely loved it! Evander and Laurie are super endearing characters with neurodivergent representation to boot. I've said it once and I'll say it again...CG Drews perfectly captures what it's like for someone who's love language is Physical Touch but make it "I want to live INSIDE your skin, not next to it". #relates haha

I'll be thinking about this one for a very very very long time.

5 stars for this sick and twisted, feral, angsty, dark and romantic book!!!!!! Will be sharing more on Instagram soon!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc of Hazelthorn. This has to be one of the most lyrical, beautiful, haunting books I’ve ever read. The characters were phenomenal and felt real. The story sucked you in from the beginning and didn’t stop until the end

CG Drew's knows how to write antmosphere! So good and gothic and haunting. I absolutely devoured this. It's haunting and intriguing and amazing!

Oh. My. God. What a masterpiece!
The twists, the turns-I was shocked and gasping at every new chapter. I never knew what to expect. The entire plot was a rollercoaster!
The author portrayed what it feels like to be autistic and alienated from the world and your family so eloquently, but in a way you don't expect and I loved that, it fit the story perfectly.
Every character had depth and personality, but Evander and Laurie made my heart ACHE. They're yearning, their need for each other. It wasn't love, it was obsession.
I'm going to be rereading this many times in the future. Adored it.

Hazelthorn is so beautifully written, with such atmospheric descriptions and details. I truly felt like I was there, seeing everything happen. I really enjoyed getting to know advanced and Laurie and discovering the truth alongside Evander, who had been lied to for so long. Evander has to go through a journey of self-discovery and acceptance after spending so long succumbing to the whims of others. This story was handled wonderfully.

My main issue, and the reason I gave this a 4 instead of a 5, is that l wasn't aware of the body horror aspects of the story, which isn't really for me. The descriptions were very gory at times, and I often had to take breaks from reading. That's my own fault for not looking more into it beforehand though.

I also didn't feel fully engrossed and committed to the story until about halfway through when the action started to pick up and the truth started to come to light, but once that happened, I started to fly through it!

Even though this book wasn't fully for me, I still truly enjoyed it and thought it was extremely well-executed.

⭐️ 4.7 ⭐️

I love this more than Don’t Let the Forest In, which I didn’t think was at all possible!

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

The eerie, bone-chilling atmosphere in Hazelthorn is even more intense than in Don’t Let the Forest In! If you loved Knives Out or The Inheritance Games, this book delivers the same intrigue and high-stakes mystery—only with a haunting twist.

Evander has spent his life confined to his room, plagued by unexplained “episodes.” Orphaned at a young age, he was taken in by the enigmatic Byron Lennox-Hall and raised in the sprawling, reclusive estate of Hazelthorn. One day, his door is left unlocked. Seizing the opportunity, Evander explores the mansion—only to stumble upon Laurie, the boy who once hurt him so badly that he still bears the scars, both physical and mental.

Seeking answers, Evander confronts Byron, only for the man to take a sip of tea and mysteriously drop dead. In a shocking twist, Byron leaves his entire fortune to Evander. But before he dies, he offers one cryptic warning: stay out of the garden.

With no one else willing to investigate, Evander takes it upon himself to uncover the truth behind Byron’s death—and the deeper secrets lurking within Hazelthorn, especially the garden. But with Byron’s vulture-like family circling and only his sworn enemy, Laurie, at his side, Evander is in more danger than ever.

Why did Byron leave everything to Evander? What dark secrets lie hidden in the garden? And why were Byron’s last words a desperate warning to stay away?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely devoured Dont let the Forest in by C.G so when I saw the cover and synopsis of Hazelthorn I was sold, I ran so fast for those arc sign ups. Dare I say… Hazelthorn is even b e t t e r !

“N̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ h̶a̶s̶ t̶h̶e̶ g̶a̶r̶d̶e̶n̶ l̶o̶o̶k̶e̶d̶ s̶o̶ a̶n̶g̶r̶y̶ t̶o̶ b̶e̶ k̶e̶p̶t̶ o̶u̶t̶.”

Evander is 17, after a tragic accident he’s left an orphan and placed in the care of billionaire Byron Lennox-Hall who keeps him confined to his room especially after Byrons grandson Laurie tried to bury Evander alive 😳🌱 but why can’t Evander remember anything before he was almost buried alive? and why does Evander find himself increasingly obsessed with Laurie, watching him in the garden from his window..

“A̶n̶d̶ h̶i̶s̶ g̶h̶o̶s̶t̶ i̶s̶ t̶h̶e̶ t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ n̶o̶w̶ r̶a̶t̶t̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ a̶r̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ t̶h̶e̶ h̶a̶l̶l̶o̶w̶ e̶x̶p̶a̶n̶s̶e̶ o̶f̶ t̶h̶i̶s̶ b̶e̶d̶r̶o̶o̶m̶ i̶n̶ t̶h̶e̶ a̶n̶c̶i̶e̶n̶t̶, m̶o̶t̶h̶-e̶a̶t̶e̶n̶ m̶a̶n̶o̶r̶ o̶f̶ H̶a̶z̶e̶l̶t̶h̶o̶r̶n̶.”

wowowowowowowowow This was such an amazing story I could not put it down the descriptive botanical horror tickled all the right parts of my brain! Drews writing is so immersive I couldn’t help but feel like I was in the Hazelthorn Estate trying to unravel the mystery along side Evander and his unlikely ally… Laurie

This story will have you asking wtf is wrong with the garden, wtf is wrong with the Lennox-halls, and most importantly wtf is wrong with Evander

“T̶h̶e̶ t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ h̶e̶ t̶r̶u̶l̶y̶ w̶a̶n̶t̶s̶ t̶o̶ u̶n̶d̶e̶r̶s̶t̶a̶n̶d̶ i̶s̶ h̶o̶w̶ h̶e̶, t̶o̶o̶, c̶a̶n̶ h̶a̶t̶e̶ t̶h̶i̶s̶ b̶o̶y̶ a̶n̶d̶ y̶e̶t̶ l̶o̶n̶g̶ t̶o̶ u̶s̶e̶ h̶i̶s̶ o̶w̶n̶ b̶o̶n̶e̶s̶ t̶o̶ b̶u̶i̶l̶d̶ a̶ s̶h̶e̶l̶t̶e̶r̶ a̶r̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ L̶a̶u̶r̶i̶e̶’s̶ r̶a̶w̶, b̶l̶e̶e̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ h̶e̶a̶r̶t̶.”

Thank you NetGalley and Maximillian for this amazing arc!

This was such a clusterfuck.
In a good way.

I recieved an eARC from Netgalley and MacMillian and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Drews' writing style is like no other, I could imagine everything perfectly. The beginning was a bit slow but it was so quick to pick up and really just give your thinking skills a run for their money. I had no clue what was up and what was down, my jaw left hanging on the ground by the end. It was also such a beautiful story? I don't want to say more as I'll give it away but for those that know... let us cry together.

This wasn't as captivating to me, initially, as Don't Let the Forest In was but it definitely held its own by chapter 25. I can't wait to purchase this as a physical book and I'm looking forward to CG Drews next novel!

I absolutely loved this book ! It kept me on the edge of my seat , I wasn’t able to stop reading and finally finished at two am . The author writing style is perfect and kept me engaged for the entire book .im so happy I was able to get an advance readers copy . I loved the gothic and plant horror in this book !

“Laurie murmurs something that sounds like, “I told you, right from the start, I wanted Hazelthorn.”

This book was horrifyingly beautiful and absolutely enthralling. I cannot remember the last time I was so impressed by the actual writing and language of a book like I am with Hazelthorn.
The plot, the love story, the incredible correlation between the theme and the writing, the vivid detailing, I’m blown away by it all.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC, as well as the opportunity to read this incredible story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I can picture Evander watching Laurie from his room everyday. It must have been so frustrating seeing the perfect boy just out of reach and having that undeniable attraction. This book played out like a movie to me. I loved the characters, I loved the plot, I loved the mystery. I’m usually guessing what is going to happen next but I let this book take me on a journey. The ending felt like poetic justice. I recommended this book to my friends before I finished it because I enjoyed it so much. I just bought “don’t let the forest in” because I really enjoyed this authors style. Most anticipated read!

A more mature Secret Garden!

Evander lives at the estate of Hazelthorn and after a recent poisoning and will reading he now owns the estate.
Horrible memories haunt him of a younger Laurie burying him alive. Constant warnings to never go out into the garden again, are now being ignored since he owns the estate. Not only is Evander on a mission to find out who's killed his guardian but he's on a mission to uncover the secrets of the garden.
The relatives have descended on Hazelthorn and they all want their piece of the estate and a piece of Evander.
Laurie seems to be his only Aly.
A great ending that answered all of my questions. Interesting look into a monster.
The writing at some points verged on poetry and splatterpunk. Very Gifted writer!! I would read more of their books!

i am honestly so obsessed with this book. this is my first time reading a novel by CG Drews, and they did not disappoint! i really love their writing style and how insanely descriptive it is! as someone who sees a novel's writing to some extent in a visual format, it was really awesome to read this book and be able to imagine exactly how things would look!!

this book is compelling and captures your interest right away, it has horror, suspense, twists and turns that keep you guessing... it's absolutely wonderful and is for sure a must-read!

evander has lived in hazelthorn his entire life, and has never questioned anything. until one day, his door is mysteriously unlocked and so many mysterious things arise in the events that follow. from events taking place in the manor itself, to strange gaps in his memory, hazelthorn will take readers on an insanely wild ride that they'll love every second of!!

Firstly, I’d like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book. I’m not entirely sure what words I want to use to describe it. I’ll start with my expectations. I read “Don’t Let The Forest In” last year, the book came to me in a time I really needed and helped me with processing the death of a loved one. I devoured the book quickly and intensely. When I saw CG Drews was writing a new story, I was hyped. I knew I wanted to read it.

But my mental space, for the purpose of reading, has not been great since getting this book. Unlike the previous book by Drews I took this one slow. I lived in the pages as I read through with time. This book did not disappoint.

A book with teeth of thorns indeed. An ending that leaves you wanting. But wanting in the best way. Wanting to know more. Wanting to have this story a little longer.

Evander is a boy that was once buried alive. Seven years later his guardian dies and leaves the estate that they are in to him. Evander is now trapped in a mansion with the greedy monstrous family of his dead guardian. What will they do to get the estate back from Evander? What would the do to steal the estate in the first place, murder? And to further complicate things, something isn’t right with the garden outside.

There was so much growth in Evander from the timid boy in the beginning to how much more free he lets himself become. So much self empowerment when he finally chose to let ourselves just be. I think the world could use a little more of that.

The story plays out so much like a film running through your head while you’re reading, the imagery, the taste and feel, the passion and sorrow. There were twists that I was able to guess correctly, but also some I didn’t expect. Both outcomes however didn’t hinder my enjoyment of this book. The story simply devours you.

No notes, this book was just amazing, I can't recommend it enough, it had me doing laps. CG found their calling and that is creepy and unsettling books (in the best way possible) that makes your skin crawl and sinks it's branches into you, you can't 'just one more chapter' your way out of this one, it's all in one go.

Hazelthorn is a haunting, beautiful, and a terrifying masterpiece that left my heart shattered and whole at the same time. C.G. Drews has crafted a story that doesn’t just touch on pain—it dives deep into it, exploring the lives of two abused boys, Laurie and Evander, who have only ever known suffering.

Drews masterfully weaves a horror story that combines viscerally grotesque depictions of gore and monstrous creatures with a deeply emotional and psychological undercurrent, powerfully highlighting the trauma and helplessness the characters endure.
The prose is both lyrical and brutal, striking a delicate balance that makes this story as readable as it is devastating.

This book does not shy away from the harrowing realities of abuse, gaslighting, and the torment of having no control over your own life. It examines the deep-rooted self-loathing that trauma can plant in the heart and the many ways people learn to hide their pain—through anger, silence, deflection, or pretending to be okay. Drews writes these emotional complexities with such raw vulnerability and lyrical power that it feels like every word is drawn from a wound.

The connection between Laurie and Evander is breathtaking in its intensity. It’s painful and feral while also quiet and tender. Their love is a lifeline in a world that has done everything it can to break them.

I won't go into detail about the plot because I truly believe it’s best to go into this story blind.

Hazelthorn is the kind of book that lingers long after the final page. It's devastating and unforgettable, and it deserves to be read by anyone who has ever felt broken—and anyone who believes in the beauty of being seen, even at your most scarred.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

Reading Hazelthorn felt like walking into a gothic greenhouse and suddenly finding my own reflection in the glass.

As a late-diagnosed autistic adult, I didn’t expect to see myself so clearly in a YA gothic horror novel—but I did. Not in some surface-level representation, but in the raw, sensory, and emotional truths woven into Evander’s point of view. The way he experiences the world—through scent, sound, silence, overwhelm—was visceral. The discomfort with people in his personal space, the jarring impact of unexpected touch, the spirals of hyperfixation and the deep-rooted social anxiety—it wasn’t dramatized or pathologized. It simply was. Real. Familiar.

But what struck me most wasn’t just the accuracy of his sensory world—it was the way Drews gently guides us through Evander’s journey of self-discovery. The ache of not knowing who you are, the quiet shame that builds when you believe your sensitivity is weakness, the desire to disappear just to survive… I have lived that. And like Evander, I’ve had to learn that the very things I was told to be ashamed of—my intensity, my focus, my emotional depth—were actually the roots of my strength.

Watching Evander move from confusion and self-rejection into clarity and empowerment was healing. His journey echoed mine: realizing that I wasn’t broken—I was just growing in a world that never made space for my kind of bloom.

Hazelthorn isn’t a book about autism. But it’s a book that understands what it feels like to be other, to feel too much, to love dangerously, and to fight for your place in a world that wants to contain you. And in that, it becomes something so much more than a story. It becomes a mirror.

This is the kind of book I needed as a teenager. I’m grateful I have it now.

If you’ve ever felt like too much or not enough, if you’ve ever craved silence while the world keeps getting louder, Hazelthorn might wrap its thorny vines around your heart, too.

Very interesting ,dark,cool and mysterious
I like this plot book very much and i liked the ending of this book

Hazelthorne is a fast paced, twisty delight. I loved the imagery the broken crumbling all consuming garden, the bloodlust, the tumultuous love.

Masterfully written and executed, Hazelthorne kept me intrigued, never able to guess what was next. It left me on the edge of my seat, anxious for what was next.

Absolutely obsessed with this novel-- a true masterclass in horror. No notes. I now plan to read everything else CG Drews writes/has written.