“Don’t Let the Forest In” follows two young boys at a boarding school: Andrew and Thomas. One a writer, the other an artist. They write and draw of monsters and darkness, until they begin to manifest in reality. The story follows them as they fight these creatures and discover realities about themselves they would not have otherwise confronted.

What really works in this book is Drew’s descriptions of the violent and natural world she’s built. The folklore and dark fantasy vibes here remain unique while also feeding into everything folks who read this genre frequently love.

What does fall apart a bit are the two main characters themselves. There isn’t enough differentiating them for me that I found them both necessary. Thomas often feels like an extension of Andrew, which often does make sense but does have its faults throughout nonetheless.

Overall though, a wonderful tale that just could be a bit more sure of itself than it is.

4.5 stars

Wow. I dont know what I was expecting but this is so much more than I could’ve hoped for, this is an amazing story filled with horror but more than that, a lot of heart.
I honestly wasn’t sure when I requested this, if it was really going to be for me. I have zero regrets now.
This is a must read/buy

Phenomenal, beautiful,terrifying. It was so serenely horrific, but yet full of love. One of the best psychological horror books I have ever read. It was vividly descriptive and dark, while expertly maneuvering through themes such as anxiety and coming to terms with sexuality.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Holy …. my words will never do this story justice.

‘It hadn’t hurt, the day he had cut out his own heart … No one would want a heart like his. But he’d still cut it out and given it away.’

Sometimes, when I’m writing a review, all I want to do is quote. Because the writing of an author is so stunning and poetic, it hypnotizes me, and I can’t put into words what that book did to me. This is such a book. 

‘Everyone saw Andrew as shattered and fragile, and maybe he was to them. But when Thomas looked at Andrew’s sharp edges, he thought them dangerous and beautiful—not weak.’

Don’t Let the Forest is about an asexual boy …
‘People didn’t just kiss and continue on with their lives. They undid buttons and touched mouths to hot skin and lost themselves within each other.’

… and his feelings for his best friend, the boy with hair like autumn leaves …
‘Thomas was a wild machete with blazing emotions he’d never learned how to moderate properly … this boy made of angular frowns and thorny words. He was brilliant and terrible and unmanageable.’

It's about monsters, but in the end, it’s about hurt and our own fears and how we handle them …
‘When something moved in the dark, everyone’s first instinct was to go inside and hide under the covers. As if monsters couldn’t open doors and crawl into bed with you.’

Let me tell you, I’m not much of a horror fan, but I devour books like these. You know when tension and pain is clawing itself into your body and trying to tear your heart out? Like an undercurrent so strong it will leave you gasping for breath? A story that digs and digs and, despite all the discomfort and angst, embraces you and warms you on the inside? Don't Let the Forest In is gruesome at times but oh so soft and comforting simultaneously.

‘This was the place where he roared and grew taller, where his smile could make flowers bloom and his energy could flow endless and untamed.’

For those who love Jeff Zentner's writing and can handle more angst, this one is for you. C.G. Drew’s writing reminded me so much of his’. Both authors juggle with words and put them together in stunning sentences, and I want to read those sentences on and on and on. 

‘They were beautiful together; they were magic and monstrous, and they had created a whole vengeful world between them.’

Please read this book!

I never found myself a major fan of fairytales. Maybe it’s because they all end up neatly tied with a bow, a moral learned and lives lived happily ever after. Maybe I would’ve fallen in love with them if they were all as heart-wrenching and ambiguous as this book. I was warned to not let the forest in, but I did let Andrew in as he navigated typical teen woes (sexuality, anxiety) alongside fantastical foes. It was easy to connect with Andrew even if I didn’t believe him half the time. Despite his unreliable narration, I believed Andrew as a person, which is why this book works. I adored the style of both Andrew and the author’s writing and wish I had read this while sitting under some humongous tree at least a century older than me to give this book its due. Perhaps I’ll keep that in mind when I inevitably reread this book to find all the bits I missed the first time around.

ARC provided by NetGalley

I'm honestly not sure what to write here, how to capture the feelings this book managed to tear out of me. This is one that will stick with me for a very long time.

I went into this book not expecting much and found everything. This is so much more than a horror story. It's a story of love and loss, of discovery and growth. This book managed to make me care for its characters more than I've cared for half of the people in my life. The LGBTQIA+ representation was phenomenal as was the depiction of panic attacks, anxiety, and social anxiety. The monsters were also great fun, each one described in such a way that they truly came to life.

If you're looking for a scary story that will also make you cry, look no further. Just don't blame me when your heart is ripped out of your chest.