I don't know what this brand of horror is but I can’t get enough of it. The imagery is amazing. I can’t explain it but the horrors are both beautiful and disgusting to imagine.
Every time I thought I had a theory on what was going on, the book spun me around and said no you don’t.
Adding the author to my instant buy list.

This was a brilliant read. I couldn’t stop reading it because I wanted to know what on earth was going on. The prose, the descriptions, the plot twists, everything was fantastic!

I could not put this down. Hazelthorn is terrifying but beautiful and intriguing in a twisted, menacing way. I was immersed and left speechless by this absolute masterpiece. The setting is atmospheric, with an old, remote mansion that has an eerie, hungry garden. The main character, Evander, has been silenced and trapped for years and isn’t sure that he can trust his own memories, which makes for a very interesting narrator. The dynamic between Evander and Laurie was full of tension and compelling dialogue.

The things these boys say to each other had my jaw on the floor. There are times when they’re at each other’s throats, thinking they hate each other, and then they also have such tender moments where their affection is gentle and pure.

“Pain is meant to take up space or else we wouldn’t know how to scream. Fuck making your agony silent to avoid disturbing others. Maybe they should be disturbed.”

"I need you to hate me."

“There is nothing else to me but the hollow spaces I’ve carved out for you.”

Evander’s internal dialogue was absolutely beautiful. I saw myself in him in many ways. I felt the way he wishes he was normal and the anger he has towards himself for not fitting in that box. He feels so painfully alone, it makes your heart ache to read.

This line especially struck me like a knife:
“He has always known that to scream is to believe there is someone out there who cares.”

Overall, the writing is outstanding-- the imagery is gorgeous while unsettling and the characters are rich and layered. My only criticism would be that some of the descriptions feel a little repetitive. Still, I think Hazelthorn is near perfect. Thank you for this gorgeously poetic, haunting book that will be felt deeply by so many people.

Another banger title from CG Drews. I'm so glad I discovered this author, because they've become an all-time favorite, and I'm extremely, extremely excited to see what they will do in the adult space. Much like DON'T LET THE FOREST IN, HAZELTHORN creeps on you with its lush, dark worldbuilding, and renders your heart with emphatic, interesting characters. All propelled by quality writing--which can, if I am being honest, sometimes be rare in the YA space--HAZELTHORN is a book that will sink its thorns into you and not let you go until long, long after you've read it.

Visceral reactions GALORE. This book did some things to my system I think. Addictively unsettling, and gorgeously written. I’m generally drawn to “messed-up-stuff-happening-in-a-decrepit-estate” storylines, but the addition of a sentient threatening garden??? Excellence. The hunger steeping every page makes this one of the most haunting and visceral books I’ve picked up in a while. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I did not think I could love another book as much as Don’t Let The Forest In, but I find myself yet again telling CG Drew’s thank you, while she feeds me my own heart. Evander and Laurie are entangled on multiple levels as they try to unravel the mysteries of Bryon Lenox Halls sudden death. But these boys hate each other, and their feelings grow even more complicated as they navigate a world of dark family secrets in a decaying mansion, all while trying to unlock Evander’s unreliable memory. Drew’s uses such striking imagery, readers will be able to perfectly picture every scene, while their emotions are pulled in so many directions they won’t know which way is up. This book was devastating and beautiful and had me pulled in from start to finish. Set in the same world as Don’t Let The Forest In, I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for whatever emotion trauma comes next.

This book was devastatingly beautiful in so many ways. The story setup is so perfect with amazing horror vibes. The garden aspect of the story was so unique and I was absolutely loving it! The mystery was perfect and when the twist hit I definitely did not see it coming. Drews does such an amazing job a pulling you into the story with the characters and feeling all of the emotions! I was absolutely obsessed with this book and already want to reread it. 🥀

I'm still sorting through my feelings on this one, but I don't think I liked this book. I found the violence of the prose really started to grate on me. This coupled with the fact that I too often find gay love in YA fiction has a certain violence to the love stories anyway made me want to dnf. But I also think there was something really haunting about the text and it will stay with me for a while. 4 stars

The Pros:
LGBTQIA+
Atmospheric gothic horror. The first third in particular really gripped me as I was drawn into the story and the mystery surrounding the manor and grounds.
Lyrical descriptive prose

The Cons:
Trigger warning: Child abuse that was often hard for me to read
The mystery was relatively easy to deduce by by the first half of the book
The violence of the text started becoming redundant. I was like-I get it. He hungry. It's literal and symbolic. Move on.

CG Drews once again made me feel like I was losing my mind a little bit. I wasn’t sure who trust and how it’d all come together in the end. They kept me on my toes and gave me all of the creepy crawly vibes.

I loved how the mansion and the garden were as much characters in this as were the people. The ambiance is unmatched. I’ll honestly read anything CG Drews writes.

This was a masterpiece. It was beautiful, tragic, dark, suspenseful, twisted, and just PERFECT. CG Drews writes botanical horror in such a beautiful and vivid way that it consumed me. The way Drews writes emotions was so authentic and overwhelming (in a good way) that I found my heart racing, and felt genuine grief and anxiety right alongside Evander. Neurodivergent main characters are in such short supply, so I really appreciated how authentic and powerful Evander’s experiences were, his panic and sensory overload is something I also experience on a daily basis, and loved how this was something Laurie wholeheartedly accepted and uplifted. The angst, the atmosphere, the rage, the imagery, everything combined to make a beautiful and haunting story. Those that loved Don’t Let the Forest In will equally love Hazelthorn, and fans of gothic fantasy and botanical horror definitely need to pick this up.

Endless thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an early copy of Hazelthorn, all opinions are my own

“Bruh”

… My initial attitude towards the last like 50ish pages. Drews is a monster who needs to be stopped (not really keep going.) The way they build up the story and you’re all “Awe” “Yay” “Fight Nicely” and then left with the feeling of your brain pulped and heart minced leading up the ending. Just read it. Don’t question if yes, no, maybe. Just do it. The Garden demands it. (Not at all forced by the garden to have this so highly rated) For sure my top book of this year, and it will likely stay that way! Drews books are leaning into being my favorite reads of 2024/2025! Keep destroying us Drews! (Tenderly though)

This book isn’t my usual genre, but so many of my librarian friends loved it so much that I had to try it. Definitely perfect for fans of the genre.

Gothic horror?!? This was an absolute masterpiece! The whole novel was atmospheric, ripe with botanical body horror, a gothic style mansion, rich people being horrible, and a dash of romance. I will absolutely be reading more of CG Drews! This book was fabulous and watching as the MMC, Evander, has to live by three strict rules only to have his benefactor die leaving everything to him is crazy! In a good way, of course. The only problem I had was I wanted more of the book. A must read if you are a horror fan!

The premise of this book was interesting and original, but overall I just didn't like it as much as I'd hoped. I felt like it leaned more toward fantasy than horror. I think my main issue with it was that the description of emotion and the mental state of the protagonist was overdone. It seemed like a good portion of the book was taken up by the author describing these things in great detail. The rich description was welcome in some aspects, like the atmosphere of the gardens. However, with respect to Evander's mental state, it comes off as being very verbose and repetitive with overly flowery language. I couldn't even count how many times the state of his stomach was discussed. At this point, I feel like I know his bodily sensations and emotions better than my own.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Hazelthorn is a gothic mansion that is home to the Lennox-Hall family. It’s apparent from the beginning that something is very wrong with the family and their home. Evander is a ward of the Lennox-Hall family with a mysterious origin story and a debilitating illness that keeps him heavily medicated. With the patriarch’s death, the remaining family members gather with dishonorable intentions. Hazelthorn’s secrets are revealed, with deadly and terrifying consequences.

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Hazelthorn is the most haunting yet beautiful story I've ever read. Following Evander's heavily controlled and mysterious life in the Hazelthorn estate, this story takes readers on a journey that will stick with them in ways that can't be explained.

I loved this book so much that I'm almost terrified to review it. Don't Let the Forest In was one of my top books of 2024. I didn't think it could get any better than that story, but Hazelthorn shows us how lucky the book community is to have an author like CG Drews writing in our lifetime. They are such an undeniable talent and there will never be a time where I'm not desperate to read their next book.

The first thing I noticed when starting this book was the breathtaking atmosphere. It's incredible to see how Drews can reach out and pull readers into the setting they've created. It's impossible to read this book and not feel like you're right there in the Hazelthorn estate with the characters. Description and setting are my favorite parts of any fantasy book and I don't think I've ever seen them done so well.

I'm not sure where to begin with how incredible the characters are. Each individual has an outstandingly deep and unique personality. Without a well-written character, it's easy for a book to struggle. Drews, however, has mastered character building in a way where even inanimate objects seem to have personality and depth. The story is emotional on its own, but the connection readers will form with these characters makes those more intense plot points hit so much harder.

Along with the characters, Drews writes the most wonderful relationships. Whether it's love or hate, everything is incredibly well thought out. The love stories in their books are eternally complicated but still so beautiful that you'll never be able to stop thinking about them.

And the ending... I never knew what was coming with this story. The last few pages took me on a rollercoaster I wasn't quite sure I wanted to get off of. Without saying too much about how it made me feel for spoiler reasons, I want to make it known that there could not have been a more perfect ending for this book. The last pages were exactly what they needed to be and I love them with my entire heart.

I could truly go on and on about this book forever. There is so much to love about this story. There's body horror and a garden with a mind of its own. There's love and hate. There's beauty and terror. Everything you could ever want is placed carefully onto the pages of this book. Hazelthorn wrapped its vines around my heart and squeezed as tight as it could, only letting go when the time was right. The seeds of this story have grown in my mind and taken their permanent place there. If any book will stick with me forever, it's this one.

Review on Goodreads (sophreadingbooks https://www.goodreads.com/sophreadingbooks) as of 3/16/2025
Review on Instagram (sophiesreading https://www.instagram.com/sophiesreading/) expected 3/19/2025

Don't Let the Forest In was one of the first books I reviewed on NetGalley so I was so incredibly excited when I was approved for Hazelthorn. Overall, just what another amazing book by C.G. Drews. Gothic horror/fantasy is my favorite niche-genre so I've read a ton of these kind of books and this was just a home run. Once again, Drews did an excellent job making the garden just as creepy and dangerous as the human villains of the story. Honestly, by the end it was more of a complicated character than some of the people ever were. I love how the author makes them autonomous beings, without being overly fantastical. They added enough conflict and ambience without overtaking the importance of the other characters.

Speaking of the characters, they were all so well done and interesting, even the antagonists who were honestly kind of one-note. Evander was a sympathetic and exhausted character who went through an amazing character journey throughout the book. His fight to overcome his "weaknesses" and find his own form of strength was so heartwarming and compelling. He was a great representation of how society often wants to "other" people with disabilities and/or mental health issues by vilifying them pushing them out of the public eye. Laurie was a complex and tragic character who was trying desperately to get out from his family's thumb while also trying to help the boy he loved. Their romance was so endearing and had a very natural development that had me rooting for them, even when I probably shouldn't have been. And then the rest of the Lennox-Hall family played a great true villain role with absolutely no chance of redemption. They did great in adding to the dread and unsettling nature of the story.

The best way to describe this book was that it was a perfectly atmospheric and creepy story, that didn't sacrifice character development or plot just for scares. In the end, Drews is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I will always be eagerly awaiting their next book.

<b>ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.</b>

<i>5 ☆</i>

This is a mind consuming book. There was so much to this book I can’t believe I thought it would be normal in the beginning. It was messy but also beautiful. I was actually really surprised with the twists and turns. I felt the same fascination as I did when reading The Spirit Bares Its Teeth.

Whoever wrote in their review that this was the most autistic book they’ve ever read… I kind of understand what they mean.

This was seriously so incredible. At first I was worried that the rich mansion wayward kids thing has been done before, but this read was absolutely exquisite.

The writing in this book was so engrossing - the way that Drews brought the language of the garden into all aspects of this book was fantastic. There are some definite content warnings re: abuse, and I peeked at the end too early and got unnecessarily sad but I actually really loved the the way the two main characters' history developed over the course of especially the second half of the book. I'm excited for pub date - I am definitely recommending this to all my horror people in October. Thank you Macmillan for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.