A gothic tale about what it means to be monstrous, CG Drews' YA novel Hazelthorn follows its teenaged protagonist Evander as he investigates the murder of his guardian. Evander has been confined to the Hazelthorn estate for seven lonely years, a time marked by the infrequent glimpses of Laurie, whom Evander loathes and longs for. Free of his enforced confinement and oppression under his guardian, Evander works with Laurie to unravel the poisonous secrets of Hazelthorn.

Drews gifts his book with lush imagery and a skillful comprehension of being othered. He uses the darkly fantastical world of Hazelthorn to tell a story of "queer and autistic rage." The story is richly detailed and delightfully evokes a quiet horror. A must-read.

Yes yes yesssss! This was absolutely everything I hoped for and 10000x more. How incredible. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and I will be telling everyone I know to read this dang book! Wow! CG Drews, you wrote one of my top reads of 2025!

5/5 stars! Amazingly dark and developed, this book will sink it's claws into you and (hopefully) let you go at the end. This is a queer gothic YA horror story featuring a haunted mansion and a lonely, broken boy. I could not put this book down. Masterfully written and heart-breakingly beautiful!

Just remember...do not go into the garden!

Hazelthorn is a beautifully eerie and emotionally rich gothic horror novel that pulls you into a world of secrets, shadows, and slow-burning tension. C.G. Drews crafts a haunting atmosphere with lyrical prose and a setting that feels as alive as the characters themselves. The story balances a chilling mystery with a deep emotional core, exploring themes of identity, resilience, and unexpected connection.

With its lush writing, subtle suspense, and quietly powerful character development, Hazelthorn is a compelling read for fans of gothic fiction and atmospheric storytelling. It’s the kind of book that leaves you thinking—and feeling—long after you’ve finished the last page.

I will start by saying that while I enjoyed Don’t Let the Forest In, I was not the biggest fan of it. However, when I read the description for Hazelthorn I was so intrigued that I decided to take another chance with CG Drews, and I am incredibly glad that I did.

This book had everything I did love about Don’t Let the Forest In. It had an unreliable narrator, nuanced characters, and breathtakingly horrifying description. While I also found the plot of Hazelthorn easier to follow, it was somehow less predictable for me, as there were multiple gasp out loud moments and parts where everything clicked stunningly into place. This book was a reminder for me of why I love reading so much, because Drews just masterfully weaves their words and descriptions and characters in a way that is incomparable. I loved the concept of a sentient garden, and I felt fully immersed in said garden while reading. I am thoroughly obsessed with this book and I really appreciated the complexity of the messages that Drews conveyed about being autistic and queer and trying to survive in a world constantly and violently trying to write you out. I am a thoroughly converted fan and I encourage anyone with a love of literature to pick up this book because it is a work of art.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Hazelthorn in exchange for an honest review.

A crumbling estate. A boy on the spectrum. A love that blooms in the shadows. Hazelthorn is a gothic MM romance wrapped in grief, greed, and the stubborn hope that even in the darkest corners, love can still take root. Evander is grieving the death of his parents and trying to survive his emotionally unsafe new life in Hazelthorn Estate—a decaying, oppressive mansion filled with secrets and cruelty. As an autistic protagonist, Evander’s world is filled with isolation, rules, and constant medication. Laurie enters the picture—a sarcastic boy with his own secrets—and Evander is obsessed with him. But the estate holds dangerous truths, and when his guardian dies mysteriously on the day Evander’s bedroom door is mysteriously left unlocked, his search for answers slowly begins to reveal the monsters lurking behind the walls.
This is a dark YA gothic MM romance with neurodivergent rep and mystery elements. Perfect for fans of dark settings, crumbling estates, and tender slow-burn love stories. C.G. Drews writes with an aching beauty. The prose is lyrical and immersive, every sentence steeped in emotion and atmosphere. The descriptions are so vivid that you can smell the must and mildew, feel the cold drafts slithering through old halls, and hear the creaks of a house that remembers too much. But beyond the gothic aesthetic, the real power of the voice lies in how authentically it lets us into Evander’s mind—his looping thoughts, sensitivities, fears, and small victories.
I loved that this isn’t a token representation of autism. It’s a deep dive into autistic experience, from overstimulation to masking to the quiet comfort of repetition and routine. Drews doesn’t “explain” Evander to the reader. Instead, she invites us to feel with him. This was also my first MM romance, and it was a phenomenal introduction. The dynamic between Evander and Laurie was distanced at first, but by the end it is full of understanding, gentleness, and respect. It’s the kind of queer love story that feels safe, healing, and grounded–even as the world around them is anything but.
Evander is complex, raw, and brilliantly written. Seeing him navigate grief, fear, and sensory overwhelm while battling his complex emotions toward Laurie was actually quite beautiful. Laurie is an absolute gem. Beneath his guarded layers there is gentleness and patience that didn’t feel performative–it was steady and rooted in real affection. The way he chose Evander, broke through their separation to save him, was heart-melting. The Lennox-Hall family and the lawyer, Mr. Dawes are exactly what good gothic villains should be–self-serving, cold, and full of disdain for anything soft or sincere. You love to hate them.
The pacing is just right–a slow simmer of tension and mystery that builds steadily toward a gut-punch twist. I suspected something was off… but when the truth came out? It landed! It didn’t feel cheap or out of nowhere–it felt inevitable, tragic, and well-executed. There’s an incredible balance between sensory intimacy and mystery-driven suspense. Each chapter layers emotion with just enough danger to keep holding your breath. This book feels. You don’t just read it–you live inside it. The sensory details, the emotional rawness, the whispered fears, the slow bloom of love–all of it hits hard. From the ache of grief to the flutter of hope, it’s an emotional ride that doesn’t let go. Hazelthorn is a gorgeously written, emotionally resonant gothic romance with autistic representation that matters. It’s immersive, it’s mysterious, and it’s profoundly human. Hazelthorn will press its ghostly hands to your chest and leave fingerprints on your heart. I’d recommend this for readers looking for authentic, immersive autism representation, fans of MM romance who want soft, slow-burn love with emotional depth, anyone who loves gothic novels with decaying estates, secrets, and emotionally rich prose, and lovers of stories that make you feel seen, held, and wrecked in the best way. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this title.

Hazelthorn tells the story of a garden, where two boys forged a rather strange bond, when one apparently attempted to murder the other. Since then, Evander, our attempted victim, has spent his days locked away in the estate, too sick and frail to leave his rooms, and kept apart from Laurie, his would-be assailant. Except, as the years drag on, Evander is inexplicably drawn to Laurie. And now, years later, following the murder of Byron, Evander's guardian and Laurie's grandfather, it might not just be Laurie that he's drawn to, but the garden itself.

Having read and really enjoyed CG Drews' previous work, Don't Let the Forest In, I was excited to pick up their next work. In Hazelthorn, Drews continues to layer gothic imagery and lush atmospheric prose together to build a creepy and claustrophobic world. Drews clearly has a knack for all things gothic and for making the reader feel like you might actually be buried alive. However, there were times in this story where I felt like it was just a touch overdone. Scenes, and unfortunately the plot overall, seemed to drag out and become a little nonsensical in favor of using more imagery and metaphor than was really necessary.

Both Evander and Laurie are incredibly interesting characters separately. As a reader, I wanted to know more about Evander's illness and his ties to Hazelthorn - how did he come to be there, under the care of Byron? And, like Evander, I found myself drawn more to Laurie. While he was an alleged would-be murderer, there was a softness to him and a casual sarcasm that really made him rather likable. For as much as I enjoyed these two characters separately, I could have used a bit more interaction between them to feel really sold on this strange bond they were supposed to have. We were told that Evander supposedly hated Laurie and couldn't stand to be near him (but also couldn't stop watching him), but it felt a little superficial, especially with how quickly Evander seemed to get over that particular grudge.

Overall, I do think this book had brutally beautiful elements in it. If you're a fan of Drews' previous work, or just a fan of gothic gardens and gruesome imagery in general, then this one is for sure worth the exploration. Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for the arc of this book!

Hazelthorn by C.G. Drews is honestly one of the most beautifully eerie books I’ve read in a while. The writing is so vivid and immersive you can feel the decaying mansion, the overgrown gardens, and the sense that something isn’t quite right. It’s gothic horror with a slow, creeping dread and a constant pull of “what is actually going on here?”

We follow Evander, who’s been told to never go into the gardens, and to stay far away from Laurie, his guardian’s grandson. But the deeper we get into this strange and haunting world, the more those warnings start to unravel. Evander is isolated, unsure of his own memories, waking up with bruises and questions, and the house feels like it’s hiding something from him and from us!

There’s a complicated, emotional tension between Evander and Laurie that grows throughout the book. It’s intense, messy, and had me completely hooked. I felt everything - anger, fear, love, longing and by the end, I was crying! Within all the horror and mystery, there’s this unexpectedly beautiful story about connection and survival. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would!

I went into this book, viewing as a Knives Out YA horror scenario and instead was graced with a thing of beauty that touches on complexities of human nature and greed and what it means to be loved for who you are. This book is hauntingly beautiful. It's a book that I have not been able to stop thinking about this book or it's characters. Evander is such a complex character who brings you through so many emotions of betrayal, obsession, fear, and rage. The rage of this book is like poetry, to feel it and see it described so well brought tears to my eyes. The story beautifully captures the importance and all too true narrative of hiding away or punishing those who are not considered "normal" and what it is to come to terms with who you are and how your differences do not make you less or a monster. The underlying love story that is based in a horror setting book, gothic mansion and overgrown garden included, was written and integrated so well. The body horror and realizations coming to light for the characters and reader were amazing and something I will think about. I gasped, cried, and laughed while reading this book as well.

Absolutely love this twisted story, the writing style of CG Drew’s is spectacular! So many things were unexpected in this beautiful book and I love the way her words bring so many images to my mind as I’m reading. The story is very well written, the characters, the twists, and the pure thoughts and imagination that went into this book is incredible. Thankful to have been able to do this ARC read!

Think Knives Out but let’s make it darker, add some body horror, mix in some really great autism representation, all the creepy plant imagery you could want, some deep devotion and obsession, and a beautiful love story. And that’s how I would write the recipe to make Hazelthorn.

This is my first read by C.G. Drews and I am already a major fan now. This book was absolutely beautifully written. It felt so poetic, I was constantly highlighting lines that I fell in love with.

This book is definitely character and vibes focused and it does both so well. I really loved Evander so much, I just wanted to reach into the story and protect him. Laurie was so interesting, that even when I thought he was acting like a brat in the beginning, I still was (not quite as much as Evander is) obsessed with him and wanted to know more about him.

Everything is described so well that you really feel transported to Hazelthorn manor yourself. The story sucks you in, I was flying through the book trying to figure out what was going on and anticipating where things would end up. And the conclusion was very satisfying to me even with having guessed some of the things while reading.

C.G. Drews is definitely an instant buy author for me now just based on the quality of writing, the depth of the characters, and the beauty of the words chosen.

This book was atmospheric, mysterious and really fascinating. I couldn’t put it down and I loved the mmc’s snarky banter throughout the book! The reason I rated 3.5 stars is because I didn’t connect with the second half of this story the way I wanted to. There was just a lot going on and many questions I was asking myself before I got any answers, and that became pretty frustrating for me. The writing at times felt really clunky although I was still interested the whole way through. It is still a very interesting read. I think I just wanted more answers or background of the fantasy aspect of it all.

Seriously one of the best books I have read this year! I was a fan of CG Drews when I read Let The Forest In, and Hazelthorn was even BETTER. Botanical horror at it's finest and I found myself not being able to read this at night because I was so spooked. I loved the creepy old manor setting and the tension between the two adopted grandsons. I was immediately hooked from the first page, constantly trying to unravel why anyone would want our main character (Evander) dead. This is going to be a hit this fall.

C.G. Drews' *Hazelthorn* is a hauntingly beautiful gothic horror novel that masterfully intertwines themes of trauma, identity, and forbidden desire. Set within the decaying halls of the Hazelthorn estate, the story follows Evander, a seventeen-year-old boy confined by three unbreakable rules: never leave the estate, never enter the gardens, and never be alone with Laurie—the grandson of his reclusive guardian, Byron Lennox-Hall. These rules, especially the last, stem from a dark past where Laurie once tried to bury Evander alive. However, when Byron dies under mysterious circumstances, Evander inherits the estate, and the carefully maintained boundaries begin to erode.

Drews' prose is both lyrical and unsettling, drawing readers into a world where the line between reality and nightmare blurs. The narrative delves deep into Evander's psyche, portraying his struggles with isolation, suppressed memories, and a yearning for connection. The relationship between Evander and Laurie is particularly compelling, evolving from animosity to a complex bond filled with tension and vulnerability.

The novel's atmosphere is rich with botanical horror, as the estate's gardens seem to possess a sinister life of their own. This element adds a layer of dread, making the setting itself a character that influences the story's progression.

For fans of gothic tales that challenge and captivate, *Hazelthorn* is a must-read. Its release is highly anticipated, and it promises to leave a lasting impression on those who venture into its pages.

Evander has been locked away in the estate of his guardian ever since that day in the garden when his guardian's grandson Laurie tried to kill him. Plagued by blackouts and illness, Evander believes it's dangerous for himself and everyone else if he leaves his room... and on the day his door mysteriously opens, he discovers his guardian dead, poisoned. Evander is left the estate in the will, but as other members of this ruthless family descend upon Hazelthorn, Evander is left to wonder if one of them murdered his guardian, or if he himself did it - and what really happened in the garden, all those years ago?

This is horror, but in that lovely way where nature is vicious and unforgiving. Evander is a bit of an unreliable narrator, and I had the ending guessed a little bit before the reveal, but there were several mysteries to solve, and the relationship between Evander and Laurie was so, so good. The entire book feels lush and wild and will certainly satisfy fans of [book:Don't Let the Forest In|200982373].

I didn’t know exactly what I was walking into with Hazelthorn—I just knew I needed to read it. And honestly? It exceeded every hope I didn’t realize I had. This book is eerie, visceral, and gutting in the most beautiful way.

Evander lives in the decaying grandeur of Hazelthorn, a haunted estate both metaphorically and very literally alive. He’s queer, autistic, and drowning in the sensory overload of a world that was never made to accommodate him—let alone love him. And he’s been surviving by following three ironclad rules: never leave the estate, never enter the garden, and never be left alone with Laurie.

Laurie, of course, is the beautiful, chaotic grandson of Evander’s reclusive billionaire guardian—and the boy who tried to kill him seven years ago. Naturally, Evander is still obsessed with him. (Listen. We all have our trauma coping mechanisms.)

Then Byron dies, and everything unravels. Evander inherits the house, the fortune, and the seething resentment of the worst family on Earth. Also: possibly a murder. Definitely a cursed, bloodthirsty garden that’s starting to slip its vines into the halls. And maybe—just maybe—a chance to finally figure out who he is, outside the rules that were built to control him.

The writing is lyrical and lush, the horror creeping and elegant, the emotional beats absolutely brutal in the best way. And the portrayal of Evander’s sensory experiences? Phenomenal. Every texture, every flicker of light, every unbearable experience is rendered so vividly you feel it clawing at your own skin. This is a book about legacy, trauma, longing, and rot—inside the walls and inside ourselves.

Hazelthorn won't be for everyone. But for readers who want a queer, neurodivergent gothic horror with teeth, vulnerability, and a protagonist you’ll want to protect with your whole damn soul—this one digs in deep.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review—Hazelthorn left claw marks on my heart, and I’m letting them bloom.

4.5 Stars. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. This book was so creepy and delicious. If you’re a fan of Don’t Let the Forrest In, you will also really like this book. I loved Evander and Laurie so much. They’re dynamic and how the 2 of them unrolled the story. I didn’t see the twists coming and man, I gasped aloud. Definitely recommend checking this one out!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the eARC.

CG Drews is now my go-to for YA horror. I love anything nature horror and CG delivers. And if you liked Don’t Let the Forest In, you’ll like this one.

I just wanted to protect Evander. All he wanted was to understand and be loved, and his anger was valid towards those who are greedy and have harmed him and others. His relationship/obsession with Laurie was intriguing and sweet. I love me some pining with some mystery.

The mystery of whodunit, Evander’s past, and the garden was well done. I was hooked and the revealings were fascinating and unpredictable. I really thought they would be done differently and predictably (but still amazing concepts) but I was fantastically wrong. The creepy atmosphere was subtle and was maintained well throughout.

The villains were as atrocious as I expected because most rich people are in horror genres. Greed makes monsters of us all. I just wish we saw more of their demise like we did in Don’t Let the Forest In, but this time a majority of them were closed door and they were the ones I want to see suffer the most. However, I can understand Evander not wanting to give them any more of his time.

I love the message of embracing one’s anger and self, which is understanding one’s differences and the answer to “what is wrong with me?”

Oof ouch my heart.

The theme of this book seems to be loving what hurts you. Loving despite pain or because you think you asked for or deserve it. I got to read an ARC of this book through NetGalley and I absolutely loved it.

The writing is beautiful and full of imagery. I loved Laurie and Evander, their banter and their messy history. It's a dark look at what rich people can do when no one is watching.

This is a book I can definitely see myself rereading, because there are already lines that are stuck in my head. I'm looking forward to reading this author's other work!

This was my first CG Drews book and I’m in love. It was moody and atmospheric and did a spectacular job of handling the heavy topics that it covers (ableism, medical autonomy, autistic erasure and queerness). It’s incredibly description heavy and immersive so if that’s not your jam, you may grow weary of the setting but for those who LIVE for spooky, gothic horror and a building sense of oppression and suppression and fury as the story builds, you will devour it. I think it’s a perfect introduction to body horror and the gothic genre for young teens and have already begun recommending it. There’s nothing inappropriate for children ages 13+ and I think many would feel seen within these pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the chance to read this ahead of time.