“Trying to stay away from you. I’d split my bones, I’d open my throat, I’d do anything to be near you and have even one second with my mouth
against yours.”*

One of my favorites of the year so far.

Seventeen-year-old Evander has spent nearly eight years locked up in his room by his guardian, Byron Lennox-Hall, who took him in after his parents’ death in a tragic accident. When Byron suddenly dies, Evander becomes convinced he was poisoned, and he’ll need Lennox-Hall’s grandson, Laurie, to help unravel the mystery—fearing he might be the next target. The problem is, Evander can’t fully trust Laurie, as he once tried to bury Evander alive when they were kids, and Evander has never forgotten.

During his investigation, he uncovers horrifying secrets about the Hazelthorne estate, its lurking gardens, and the Lennox-Hall family itself. As he pieces together the truth about his past and where he comes from, Evander realizes he must unravel things he never wanted to know if he hopes to survive—because Hazelthorne may not let him leave.

What a ride this book was!

When I read *Don’t Let the Forest In* earlier this year, I instantly placed it in my top ten favorite books of the year. I simply knew very few books would be able to beat the atmosphere, the chills, the Romeo and Juliet vibes that tragic book gave me.

And then came Hazelthorne.

I’ll be honest—I couldn’t decide which book I liked more. If you loved *Don’t Let the Forest In*, you’ll probably have the hardest time trying to compare these two books.

Hazelthorne is gothic, it’s captivating, it’s chaotic, spine-chilling, and tangling.

This book felt like *The Secret Garden* (if you’ve seen the movie or read the book, you’ll agree that Evander reminds me so much of Colin)—but make it a dark, gothic murder mystery, and make it gay.

The atmosphere was so eerie, gothic, and truly immersive. You could taste the dirt; you could smell the flowers in the hideous garden. C.G. Drews has such a beautiful way of writing gothic, fairytale-like imagery. Everything felt so vivid.

One of the things I loved the most about *Hazelthorne* was how layered the characters are. Evander and Laurie don’t feel one-dimensional—they feel like real people full of complexities and emotions. I usually get frustrated when a main character feels powerless in front of their situation, but with Evander, it was different. I rooted for him with my whole heart. Even though he’s introduced as fragile, restless, and powerless, C.G. Drews makes you care deeply for him. The same goes for Laurie, who carries so much mystery.

*It’s a mess, all of it, and Evander doesn’t know what to think, but hurting over this is a waste of time. It’s lore between them now—he will always
be a bloodied plaything and Laurie will always leave him to die because this is what they are to each other: two boys forever trying to sink their
teeth into the other’s throat.*

Something I loved about *Don’t Let the Forest In*, and absolutely loved about Hazelthorne, is how layered the story is. One of my favorite things in horror is symbolism. Even though everyone reads the same words, each person can interpret them differently, and I think *Hazelthorne* is full of that. There are so many metaphors woven into the story, and I love being able to read a book, interpret it my own way, and then see how others see it differently. That’s what made *Don’t Let the Forest In* so special too.

And oh my god, the open ending! C.G. Drews did it again—leaving us wanting more. It’s a banger ending. This book is perfect and I don’t have anything else to say.

I loved this book and am so glad to see more lgbtqia literature hitting the market, especially with male characters. This discussed several relatable topics such as body changes and not being in control over one's self as a way to appease others. The aspects of body horror were also an aspect I've been loving recently and this was executed so well. Thanks Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for this ARC read.

thank you netgalley for the ARC !!!
C.G. Drews returns with another botanical body horror with traumatized, codependent characters 🌿
but this time, it's a murder mystery in a mysterious estate and a hungry garden.

C.G. Drews unsettling prose never fails to amaze me and the brilliant foreshadowing throughout the novel makes me so excited for a reread once this is officially released this year...especially after that ending!! Another thing this author does so well is the narration choice which makes the reader second-guessing the main character's words and actions. The story would've been completely different if it was from Laurie's POV compared to Evander's.

Rage, poisonous plants, a wealthy family's dark secrets

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Read if you like Belladonna, Knives Out, Andrew Joseph White novels, We Have Always Lived in the Castle
TWs: gore, child abuse, medical abuse, ableism, eating disorders

C.G. Drews has quickly become an author I deeply admire and can’t wait to read more from! I recently finished “Don’t Let the Forest In,” and it truly captivated me. The moment I learned they had another book on the way, I couldn’t help but request an ARC. C.G. introduced me to the unique and haunting realm of botanical horror, a genre I didn’t realize I was missing. The relationship between Laurie and Evander is both beautiful and deeply complex, and it really resonated with me. This book is filled with unexpected twists and turns, and that ending left a lasting impression! I absolutely loved every moment of it!

C.G. Drews never fails to amaze me with how many details they put into their books. I love how immersive the world feels, how it sucks you in entirely. You can feel everything through the page.
I also love Evander and seeing how his mind works similarly to mine. C.G. Drews never fails to write a stunning story.

One of the most lush, gorgeous, horrifying stories I’ve ever read. I loved Don’t Let The Forest In, but Hazelthorn is an entirely different beast. Every line was beautiful and every line hurt.

Autism and queer representation, abuse and trauma, hunger and rage were all deeply explored and delicately intertwined into a Knives Out meets Frankenstein botanical horror that I couldn’t put down.

Laurie, Evander, and Hazelthorn will have their teeth in me forever and I genuinely believe this book will give me nightmares.

I highly recommend that everyone read this book but I also need 5-7 business days to recover.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Children’s Publishing for the ARC!

Hazelthorn by C.G. Drews was basically like getting wrapped up in the most gorgeously haunted daydream—and I was into it. From page one, the writing was all lush and moody, like you could practically smell the crumbling walls and feel the garden vines creeping up your legs (in the horrifying, but enjoyable way!). I loved the two main characters and was 1000% rooting for their messy, fumbling friendship/relationship situation. Were there moments where I was super confused and had no idea what was happening? Absolutely. Did I mind? Weirdly, not at all. It felt like part of the whole vibe—like we were all lost together in the prettiest, creepiest mansion ever.

Honestly, I spent most of the book tossing out wild guesses about the Big Secret and being wrong every time (humbling). But the good news is, everything actually gets tied up nicely toward the end, and it all makes sense in a super satisfying way. My only tiny gripe was that after a while, the descriptions got a little repetitive. Like, okay, I get it, the house is falling apart and the garden is basically a green monster now. Tell me more about the DRAMA. Still, that didn’t stop me from absolutely inhaling the book in one sitting.

If you’re the kind of person who loves getting deliciously lost in an eerie, overgrown gothic setting while trying to untangle a whole bunch of juicy mysteries, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up. Big thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for letting me live my best spooky, confused life with this ARC!

Queer Gothic horror? Yes yes yes! I really enjoyed this book! I enjoyed the pacing. It made it hard to put down. I will be recommending this book to others for sure

4.5 stars.
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I quite literally inhaled Hazelthorn. I could not put it down, and the times I did—albeit reluctantly—I found myself aching to read more.

This book screamed CG Drews from the moment I read the beautifully written words on the first page. It was haunting and terrible and sinister, but I loved every minute of it. The twists were unexpected and surprising despite having experience with Drew's writing style with Don't Let the Forest In, and the ending astounded me. The characters Evander and Laurie were amazing, and I wished I had more page time with the two of them together. I also really enjoyed how this story went from a murder mystery to rivals to lovers to an interesting vampire-like plot. Every bit of this book was a joy, from the detailed descriptions to the mysteries of the mansions.

While this book is most definitely my favorite read so far this year, there were some tiny things I didn't really enjoy. One being the way the timeline kind of jumped around a bit. It confused me quite a bit while I was reading, and I think there are still a few things I may have missed because I didn't make the connection. I also really wish I had more time to get to know Laurie's character. With the book following Evander's side of the story, I found that I couldn't really connect and sympathize with Laurie due to how little I truly knew about him. Don't Let the Forest In had a certain feel to it that just left me staring at my wall for a while. I'm not sure what it was, but this book was missing some of that.

I would also like to say that the book features autistic representation, which is a pretty big part of this story. Personally, I can't give my opinion on this due to not having any lived experience. I do appreciate that Drews has woven this element into the narrative, and I encourage readers who identify with this experience to share their thoughts.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend this to anyone who likes a good gay, gothic horror story. It was scary, sad, and funny when it needed to be, and overall, it just shows what a fantastic author Drews is.

Knives Out meets Gallant but nothing like I have ever read before. After reading Don't Let the Forest In I knew I had to get my hands on Hazelthorn. CG has put their roots in me and Hazelthorne delivered. I was as confused as Evander through the whole thing, each twist an unraveling, a blossoming, a tearing. Everytime I thought I had a grasp on what was happening, it slithered away. Never overwhelming, perfectly pruned words in a vicious tapestry of lyrical literature and earthy horror

I was so exited to read this after reading Don't Let The Forest In by this author which was a 5⭐ read for me and possibly the best book I've read yet. This book was amazing and I absolutely adore her writing and the way she describes with eerie vibes. I loved Evanders character (Or should I say Hazelthorn). This book just kept getting better and better, finding out who everyone really was. My jaw was on the floor at the end, the plot twists were crazy and I actually didn't figure them out. I love the relationship the boys have and realizing all Laurie has actually done for Evander. I genuinely hated the family and the hurt they put them through, Justice was served at the end💃.

Anyway I really enjoyed this book and overall it was another 5⭐'s for me!

After Don't Let the Forest In, I loved C.G. Drews' writing.

After Hazelthorn, I am obsessed with their writing. It's so darkly beautiful and it grabs me immediately every time.

I'm not going to say a ton, because I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but this almost exceeded my expectations. It's just as amazing as Don't Let the Forest In. It's darker and more gorey but still beautiful in a way that I think only Drew's can capture.

Definitely going to need a hard copy of this for my shelf when it comes out in October.

Hazelthorn is the kind of gothic horror that sinks its teeth into you from the first page and refuses to let go. Darkly romantic, deeply unsettling, and beautifully written—it’s everything I want in a haunted estate story.

The dynamic between Evander and Laurie is electric in that dangerous, intoxicating way. You know it’s toxic. You know it’s a terrible idea. And yet you can’t look away. Their shared history is twisted and compelling, filled with old wounds, forbidden obsession, and the kind of slow-burn tension that makes your chest tighten.

But it’s not just the characters that shine—the setting is phenomenal. Hazelthorn itself feels alive, eerie, lush, and rotting from the inside out. The garden? Pure nightmare fuel. It creeps, it breathes, it hungers. The supernatural elements are woven in so seamlessly that the horror grows almost unnoticed until it’s fully bloomed and you’re trapped right alongside Evander.

I loved the way this book handled inheritance, trauma, queer longing, and monstrous beauty. It’s creepy and tender, brutal and poetic. One of the most memorable gothic reads I’ve picked up in a long time.

Absolutely stunning. I’d give it six stars if I could.

I am in awe.
Don’t Let The Forest In still haunts my dreams months after devouring it and so I knew I had to have my hands on Hazelthorn.
From the very first page, I was a goner.. The way this author writes is so hauntingly beautiful and I am just speechless.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for sending me an arc of this exceptional YA horror and thank you CG Drews, I will read whatever you write.

Www.instagram.com/neverenhoughbooks

I really enjoyed this YA gothic horror, which follows a 17-year-old boy who has been confined to his room in a large dilapidated estate for the past seven years. I liked the main character, Evander, a lot, as well as the setting. I loved the body horror and gore. It's beautifully written, and the last quarter was so captivating. When I finished, I immediately preordered the hardcover.

Some of the themes in Hazelthorn reminded me of Brom's Slewfoot and Gerardo Sámano Córdova's Monstrilio. I don't have autism, so my opinion on the representation is not the most well-informed. That said, the depiction of Evander's feelings felt realistic. As someone with ADHD, I related to the frustration of being told to be quiet and be <i>less</i>. I also enjoyed the LGBTQ representation.

A couple of things kept it from being a 5-star read. One critique is that, at times, the flowery language was repetitive. But overall, after getting used to it, it was very atmospheric and contributed much to the story. My other critique is that I wish the story had started earlier so we could experience the dynamic between Evander, Laurie, Byron, and the Hazelthorn estate before the initial action begins. The tell-versus-show of Evander's lifelong repression makes the ending less cathartic. In general, the beginning was also slow, and my preference would have been less of a focus on the murder mystery aspect and increased supernatural elements earlier on.

I flew through this book and read it almost all in one sitting on the plane. It really caught my attention and held it with interesting twists and turns! I’m so glad it had a happy ending because these poor boys went through a LOT

After reading Don’t Let the Forest In, I knew I needed more! Hazelthorn felt about loving all the things that break you. Holding on through the pain, maybe even because you think you earned it somehow.

The writing is gorgeous, packed with vivid imagery, and witty dialogue. The banter between Laurie and Evander was so delicious. The sharp remarks they threw each other beyond their tangled past just worked.

The story dives deep into the healing and acknowledgement towards your victimization. The chapters towards the end where Laurie and Evander can speak freely and without repercussions made me tear up many times.

It also got me wondering of what really happens when no one’s looking. I will be taking a second look to those empty and abounded homes around my neighborhood…

I know I will revisit this book in the future. Can’t wait to see what else Drew’s has in store for us.

thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! 🪴

C.G. Drews’ *Hazelthorn* is a haunting, lyrical fairytale threaded with grief, love, and longing, all wrapped in an atmosphere that feels both delicate and dangerous. With her signature poetic prose, Drews crafts a story of a boy made of flowers and a girl trapped in a world of thorns, exploring the ache of being different and the beauty of finding someone who sees you.

This is a novel where the setting feels like a character—lush, eerie, and impossibly vivid. The emotional depth is quietly powerful, and the romance, though soft and slow, pulses with intensity. Readers who enjoy whimsical darkness and stories that balance heartbreak with hope will find *Hazelthorn* unforgettable.

It’s a quiet kind of magic that lingers.

It seemed like fate that I received an advanced copy of Hazelthorn shortly after finishing Don’t Let the Forest In. If you like Don’t Let the Forest In, you will absolutely love this! And for those of you who haven’t read any of C.G. Drew’s books, would absolutely recommend this one. C.G. Drews has such a unique writing style that some would call “purple,” but I would call beautiful. They have this amazing ability to create an almost gothic and oppressive atmosphere that shapes who the characters are in this book and how they see the world. Speaking of characters, Evander and Laurie are both great characters that will live in your heart long after you’ve finished the book. What makes them so unique is how they blur the line of what it means to be delicate and brutal. While, in reality, I would rate this book 4.5 stars only because some of the antagonists feel somewhat one-note, that didn’t detract from how much I loved reading this book.

The story of Evander and Lawrence was beautiful and hauntingly written ! Two boys once friends , until something goes horribly wrong. Evander has been locked away for years by his guardian due to sickness and for his own safety, until his guardian dies. I don’t know how I would categorize this story but it definitely gave gothic vibes, every sentence was seamless. We get to learn about the two MMCs past relationship and see how things unfold in the present. As soon as I thought I had things figured out , I would realize I had no clue. It kept me guessing until the end. This was easily a five star ! The best word I can use for this book is stunning.