I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review!

“It’s all rotting, the Hazelthorn estate.
And he’s rotting along inside it” (6).

I don’t know where to start. When I got the email I had been approved for this, I got so excited. Dropped all of my plans for today in favor of spending the entire day reading this. And it was well worth it. Gut wrenching, a bit traumatic, but so, so worth it. It fully immersed me into the world and the characters, as well as the mentality of Evander. I had a playlist of dark academia movies while reading that most certainly helped the vibe (Kill Your Darlings, Saltburn, and The Goldfinch). The yearning, the eco-horror, the dark academia vibes, the devotion?! Perfection.

Firstly, the wording. The artistry Drews uses when writing is something that I have been obsessed with since Don’t Let the Forest In, and it only multiplied today. The ways that they string together words to turn emotions and feelings into fantastical, horrific art is just inspiring, to say the least. I ate up every metaphor, every description, every feeling Evander was having. In part, because I understand him. As a queer, neurodivergent, disabled person with people-pleasing tendencies, growing up in a household my anger wasn’t allowed, it felt almost as if I was rereading old diary entries at points. I understood him, and I wanted to give him some hot soup and a nice candle and a really soft blanket.

I take notes with some media. Usually for things I really like or for mysteries to solve, so of course this book, being both of those, earned many frantically scrawled thoughts and ideas. It was just a bit of a call out when Evander was, essentially, doing the same thing, not gonna lie. But it was endearing.

Laurie was a character so well written and well done. Drews wrote this yearning, lonely boy so, so perfectly. Meeting him and truly feeling his hatred for Evander, the disdain and such. Then, as the story progresses, seeing all of his actions in different light. Not making his standoffishness just a cruel act, with no real ‘aftercare,’ so to speak, for Evander, showing how all of his actions were built from devotion. I don’t want to risk going into spoilers so won’t say more, but hopefully what I’m saying makes sense. The ‘act’ he was putting on was perfectly construed. And their relationship, good god. I can’t get over it. Drews wrote it so viscerally devoted and obsessed with each other in a way I won’t forget for a long, long time. Not only did Laurie love Evander, he always loved Evander. While knowing all of Evander’s darkest moments. And he didn’t love him in spite of it all, he just loved him with it all.

The story itself grew like ivy. I don’t know how Drews did it, and maybe reading it in one sitting made this even more prevalent, but I could feel a change as I read. No, I don’t know a change in what, or how. But it felt as if I could feel ivy and vines wrapping themselves around my thoughts the deeper I got into the story. Not in a negative way, but just like a lighting change, in a way. I truly don’t know how else to describe what I mean by this, and I don’t doubt it makes no sense, but hopefully you understand that this is a good thing. I had to take multiple moments just talking to my cat whether it be my theories or just about what was happening because I’d get so worked up over it. The emotions put on the pages were conveyed perfectly. At times, mainly in the beginning, it reminded me of some cozy-feeling Tennant-era Doctor Who episode. Not even close to the same as, but those feelings of nostalgia were there nonetheless.

I loved this book. The tendrils of Drews’ words are wrapped around my brain and, I fear, are putting up a massive fight and will settle there for a while, matching the ones that set down roots last year after Don’t Let the Forest In.

Hazelthorn must be infused with Heart Rot tea because my heart exploded by the end of this book. I genuinely couldn't predict any of the twists (there was one at 98% I kid you not), turning the page and crying at least five times, and I sobbed for Laurie and Evander. I've never fallen more in love with characters than I did with these two. The pining, the longing, the banter, and their past-- everything culminated in the ending, no loose strings to be found. The foreshadowing was at once subtle and glaring. I need to reread this book over and over. The life-wrecking tropes? The forest rot signature of CG? Hazelthorn put me through a lot, but not as much as Evander and Laurie went through. I feel like I lived a lifetime and a half just by reading their story. The mystery was insane but the love story was even better, because tell me why CG gave us a happy ending? Look at the cover and expect a happy ending-- you can't. But we got one and I am sobbing at their feet. I'm a sucker for all-consuming love, and this book took cannibalism as a metaphor for love to a whole other level.
If you loved The Secret Garden, you'll love Hazelthorn; just throw in a murder mystery, two boys in over their heads, and drawings of poisonous plants. Hazelthorn is just as good, if not better, than Don't Let the Forest In. Utterly, captivatingly, hauntingly obsessed with CG Drews' thorns.

Okay, so I knew this was gonna be good but I don’t know HOW good. Don’t Let the Forest In was the best book I read in 2024, and now Hazelthorn is definitely going to be the best book I’ve read in 2025 and we’re less than 2 months in! Also, I didn’t see this coming but I loved this even more somehow??? It’s just so good - the writing is phenomenal, the setting is gorgeously crafted and vivid, the characters pull you in leave a mark immediately. The plot itself is extremely well thought out and well-paced, with hints and twists at every turn of the page. I kept putting it down while reading it because I didn’t want it to end, but alas, here we are. I’ll just have to reread it when it comes out!!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
I absolutely devoured this book. The writing was incredibly haunted and beautiful; I loved all of the botanical descriptions. I was on the verge of tears from the yearning, mystery, and plot twist. Really, really enjoyed this one.

“If he is to be held, to be touched, he wants it to be like this and only by this boy.”

Hazelthorn was gruesome and lovely. Read the first sentence of chapter 1 thinking, "oh hell, wow," and the feeling just slowly amplified to the end lol. Evander and Laurie’s slow crawl to radical rage and the reclamation of autonomy was the racing pulse of this story, and I think it’ll make an impactful addition to YA and horror shelves.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the eARC! Buzzing to get my hands on a copy this October~

SHUT UP THIS WAS SO GOOD.

I'm not sure a book has ever made me cry, gag, and yearn before.

This was such a wild ride, I absolutely loved it, easily a new favourite. The prose was absolutely beautiful, the themes hit me, the plot twists had me by the throat.

Everything about the book is unique: the way the genres morph from a murder mystery to botanical/folk/psychological horror to a unhinged gothic retelling and back again; Evander and Laurie's dynamic (which had me gnawing on my kindle); Evander's entire characterization.

I stayed up until 2:30am to finish this - the last 70% of the book had me TENSE, okay.

I loved Don't Let the Forest In and it was one of my favourite reads of 2024, but there was something about Hazelthorn that drew me in and devoured me in a way that I haven't felt with a book in a long time.

A huge thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for the ARC! I am going to be so obnoxious about this book, oh my GOD.

After reading Don't Let The Forest In I knew I'd read, and love, anything by C.G. Drews. The way they write their characters feels so real, emotions are raw and visceral and haunting.

Hazelthorn beautiful and scary, I could not put this book down. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me look at myself in a new way.

Remember:
the garden
wants you
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