Don't Let the Forest In

by C.G. Drews

Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him.

Kill for him.

High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality―Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.

But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won't say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork―whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew's wicked stories.

Desperate to figure out what's wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster―Thomas's drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator...

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Young Adult, Queer, LGBT, Dark Academia, Gothic

352 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 2024

About the author

CG Drews is the award-winning NYT Bestselling author of Don’t Let The Forest In, Hazelthorn, and You Did Nothing Wrong. Their work has been translated into over 12 languages, was nominated for the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal, and won the B&N 2025 YA Book Awards, and are also Indie Next Picks and Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections. CG lives in Australia under a pile of unread books. Find on Instagram as @paperfury and TikTok as @cgdrews or at cgdrews.com.

Reviews

[annes_mesmerizing_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 are clawing themselves 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!

Thank you so much, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley, for this beautiful ARC. I'll never forget this story! 

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[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This masterful cover art speaks volumes about the creepy, sensational, ominous, yet uniquely artistic themes of this YA fantasy-horror, queer novel that you absolutely must add to your reading list immediately!

I devoured it in one sitting and found myself liking it even more than I expected, despite piecing together the mystery a little earlier thanks to my overworking spidey senses that are always searching for underlying meanings. The concept of monstrous drawings coming to life to hunt down their creator and loved ones is a perfectly creative plotline. The intense chemistry between Andrew and Thomas had me squirming in my seat, screaming at the chapters, “Just kiss him already, damn it!” I'm always a little impatient when I see smoking passion between characters. The gothic school theme, the detailed descriptions of the monsters lurking around the haunted forest, and the dynamics within the school, including popular kids, bullies, queer kids, and wallflowers, were portrayed realistically and made us care and root for Andrew even more. Even though I’m a middle-aged woman, I easily connected with Andrew's characterization, which helped me embrace my own quirky, outsider, sensitive childhood self.

Here's a recap of the story: it opens with Andrew Perrault’s return to Wickwood Academy with his polar opposite twin, Dove, who is a high achiever, competitive, and a social butterfly compared to Andrew's anxious, socially unadapted, shy demeanor. Andrew enjoys creating twisted fairytales with non-happy endings, ending in tragedies, and the only one who can see him as he is is Thomas Rye: rebellious, quick-witted, talented artist boy who becomes Andrew's guardian angel after the school bullies target him, becoming the third member of the tight bond he shares with his sister, Dove.

Thomas brings Andrew's twisted fairytales to life on paper, creating artistic, powerful, and extra-frightening monster drawings.

Andrew is thrilled to reunite with his friend after the tragedy that occurred nearly five months ago, changing their lives. But as soon as he steps foot into the academy, he realizes that nothing is as it used to be. Dove is still angry at Thomas after their fight, and Thomas is acting suspiciously, trying to hide a blood stain on his sleeve. The surprise visit from the police officers to question Thomas only makes things weirder. Gossip starts spreading around the school, with students speculating that Thomas may be the murderer of his abusive parents.

Could it be true? Why is Thomas distancing himself and disappearing into the woods every night? Could he have a secret relationship with Dove? Andrew grapples with jealousy over his unrequited feelings for Thomas and fear for him if he's involved in something malicious. What exactly is happening in the woods when darkness falls? Could it be related to the monstrous universe they created together?

Overall, this book is eerie, tragic, haunting, but also a heart-wrenching, beautiful love story that I highly recommend you read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends for sharing this amazing book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

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[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What. The. Actual. Fuck. Did. I. Just. Read.


This book is the closest decent into madness I have ever encountered and I am fucked up about it.









(4.5 stars)
(The asexual rep in this was neat)
(What the actual fuck is wrong with every adult in this book).

[chloé ✿ · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf @ pg 171

plain and simple — i’m bored

this was a wonderful cure for my insomnia but i have far too many books on my tbr to be put to sleep by this story anymore 😴

too much purple prose. i dislike all the main characters. not enough horror. repetitive.

[Teru · Rating 5 out of 5]

...what 👁️👄👁️

I mean...what the actual fuck 👁️👄👁️

Sweet baby jesus this feels like Andrew Joseph White but on crack. This book made an absolute mess of me, scrambling my brain and wrecking my heart while snickering in my face (...ignore me I'm still in shock).

I can't say anything because this kind of story is unexplainable and needs to be experienced (and what an experience it is wow). Just go find it and let it sink its claws right into your brain and consume you. What I can safely say is that the prose is stunning - haunting and atmospheric, immediately setting the tone as sinister and mysterious.

And as a little treat for AFTG fans - Andrew and Thomas look practically the same as Andrew and Neil ❤️

Oh, and the asexual rep? Gut-wrenching, I didn't expect it to hit this close to home. It's not very often I feel seen this much, with asexuality being such a wide spectrum, but this one...my god. Poor Andrew is my spirit animal.

How am I meant to function normally after something like this?

[❊ maddie kay ❊ · Rating 2 out of 5]

"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐞, 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭."

2.5 Stars

Have you ever seen a book cover so beautiful and macabre that it just screams "read me" and then the story itself is a total let down? For me, this is that exact situation. Judging a book by its cover art really can be a double-edged sword... you either miss out on a GREAT book with less impressive artwork or you are completely underwhelmed after falling in love with it. Clearly, I am in the VERY slim minority here when it comes to how I feel about this story. The beginning was hard. Hell, even up until about 50% thru, I was considering DNF'ing.

Before I get into my issues and why I rated the way I did, let me praise the two things I think are great about this story. First off, the spectrum of representation in this story is refreshing. The author touches on themes of identity, mental health, and even eating disorder. While these are not easy topics to discuss or convey, they are very important to talk about - especially for the target audience of this story (teenagers). Second, Drews has a gorgeous writing style. Despite my enjoyment of the story being what it was, the prose is beautiful and I'd absolutely be willing to try another book by this author just because of that.

Onto the things that I really wasn't feeling:/

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤. I struggled here so much. This story is labeled as "YA psychological horror" and based on the blurb, I was expecting to be thrown into this insane world of horrors come to life. What I was not expecting was how focused this book was on sexual identity and being okay with one's self the way they are. While that is an EXTREMELY IMPORTANT aspect of a story, especially for a YA book, I wish there would have been more indication that desire and romance was a major part of the plot. While that's not a bad thing, I wish I had known that that's how the story was going to move forward. The only thing that kept me going was the author throwing a bone here and there with something creepy to make me think that something was actually going to happen (spoiler, nothing really happens until about 75% of the way through).

I also found that I was 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫. I don't know what about him put me off, but something about his attitude throughout the story really kind of threw me. I think it's the angsty teenager vibe that surrounded the story... though I'm not so sure, because I did enjoy Thomas' character for the most part.

Lastly, the story as a whole/the ending. Without spoiling anything, I truly had a hard time connecting the pieces. 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞/𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐝. I did enjoy the creepy parts, I just don't quite know... how it fits together? I guess? I can make the basic surface-level connections, but to me, the two stories kind of felt disjointed from one another. Maybe it would be worth rereading just to see if I'm missing something or can see the foreshadowing, but I don't think that I can drag myself through what I struggled through the first time.

Overall, I think it definitely fits into the YA category and will do really well there. While I didn't enjoy it as much as I had expected to, I think had I went into it knowing that 'horror' was more of a vessel to move a story along rather than then entirety of the plot I would have liked it the slightest bit more.

Thank you to the publisher, CG Drews, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a forest here, one that is haunting yet beautiful. That is where the monsters emerge, hunting and gorging on the deep and blackened depths of the boys’ souls. Not only is it a ground wherein horror unfolds, it is also a psychological site where denial becomes its sustenance — the longer it feeds on it, the stronger it gets.

Drews writes raw, visceral, and untamed desire with a deep, passionate intensity. Here, they reveal what mental health, emotional instability, and self-esteem do to a person. This story isn’t just about two boys on a journey of understanding and transformation; it also stands as an epic, tragic, and truthful love letter to grief.

While the story propels mainly through its unflinching horror and fantastical elements, I think it is evident that this serves as an allegory revolving around acceptance. At times, it becomes difficult to comprehend what was going on, which then made it clear that Andrew is another unreliable narrator we are doomed to follow.

At the core, however, lies the profound connection forged between Andrew and Thomas. They are, essentially, the epitome of ‘one half of the other.’ Drews crafted a relationship that is built upon trust and understanding and complexity, while also illustrating the struggles they go through in hopes of overcoming their fears and challenges.

Still, there is another side to the story: that is where the world begins to feel absurd. The mind distorts and therein emerges an alternative that feels less consuming — less painful. Imagination becomes reality and, when it is too late, the only way to move forward is to succumb to it.

4.2 stars

[ariyel ⟡ [semi-ia] · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars! ☆
⤿ major spoilers ﹒⟢

what the fuck. like genuinely what the fuck.

this book completely messed me up. like i finished it and just sat there staring at the wall. i really think this might be one of my favorite reads of the year. i picked it up so randomly—had it sitting on my tbr for months, didn’t reread the blurb, just dove in—and somehow it was exactly what i needed. i didn’t know where it was going, i didn’t know what was real, i didn’t even care. i was fully in it.

the writing is so haunting and strange and lyrical. there’s this heaviness to the atmosphere—like you’re reading something poisonous and beautiful at the same time. the way the monsters are described, the little story fragments and illustrations woven in, the forest itself—it’s just creepy and gorgeous and terrifying all at once. and the pacing? the way it slowly descends into horror? i kept forgetting this was horror until something absolutely deranged happened and i had to stop and go “oh my god.”

andrew fully broke my heart. he’s anxious and lost and holding himself together with tape and stories. he spends so much of this book not knowing what’s real, not knowing who to trust, and just trying to survive—and not in a horror way, in a mental breakdown way. the reveal that dove was dead for five months and he didn’t know? that he was hallucinating her and everyone else was trying to tiptoe around it? that completely destroyed me. and it made everything earlier in the book so much sadder. like him ripping up that drawing of the three of them and not understanding why thomas looked so devastated? yeah. because she was dead. andrew not knowing what’s real, begging thomas to be real, realizing his stories might be killing people—he spirals so hard and i was right there with him.

thomas was a disaster in the best way. he’s reckless and guarded and constantly holding back some horrible truth. and i wanted to shake him half the time but also he’s trying so hard to protect andrew and it made me feel worse. like him pushing andrew away because he thinks the monsters are killing everyone close to him? horrible. and then he comes back anyway. every time. and then we get that scene. “i’ve loved you since we were twelve.” the reveal that the fight with dove was about him. the way he’s angry and devastated and still shows up? love him.

their relationship is so messy and painful. andrew would literally die for thomas. has probably tried. he says at one point that he’d kill for him. and thomas just knows that. they keep hurting each other but never actually let go. the tension between them was insane. like the scene where andrew thinks thomas isn’t real and thomas puts his thumb over his pulse and kisses him like it’s the only way to prove he exists? actually unwell. and then the fight about dove. andrew asking if they kissed. thomas not answering. like i was already spiraling and then that scene just made it worse. it’s not even a romance in the traditional sense, but it’s so charged and devastating.

dove gutted me. i didn’t even like her at first. she felt cold and distant and mean, and then the reveal hit and suddenly every scene with her broke my heart. andrew was hallucinating his dead sister and had no idea. and everyone else knew. they just didn’t say anything. didn’t bring her up. didn’t correct him. they acted like it was normal because no one knew how to tell him. the scene where thomas says “that thing you were talking to wasn’t her”?? one of the scariest and saddest moments in the whole book. and then the memory coming back. what actually happened in the forest. actually insane.

even the side characters felt layered. lana, especially. her anger at thomas was so sharp, and once you realize what she knows and what andrew doesn’t, it hits different. her calling him a murderer. the way she clearly still cared about dove and felt betrayed by all of it. and clemens. actual worst teacher in existence. the way he treated andrew and thomas? insane. and then what happened to him. i was like okay… good. and then immediately spiraled over what it meant for andrew. the book is constantly playing with who you trust, who you’re scared for, who’s in control. it’s exhausting. but in a entertaining way.

and the horror. the actual monsters. the antler king. the stories coming to life. andrew being the creator without realizing. thomas trying to take the blame anyway. it’s all so layered and weird and brilliant. the drawings were terrifying. the monsters breaking into the school, the wallpaper scene, the mirror, the vines. i was genuinely creeped out. and i love that there’s still no clear answer by the end. the story never confirms what’s real. thomas might not be real. the monsters might not be real. maybe dove’s still alive. maybe she never was. i still don’t know. and i kinda love that.

the ending absolutely wrecked me. everything was so intense and then it just ends. no warning. no closure. i cried. i rarely cry during books. but andrew’s final realization, the note, the memories, the way he doesn’t even know what’s true anymore? it was so much. and then going back through my annotations after? i was screaming. all the moments that seemed off at the time that make so much sense in hindsight? yeah. it’s one of those books that rewards you for rereading. and then ruins you again.

this was genuinely incredible. i don’t even know how to explain what it did to me. i love andrew. i love thomas. i’m terrified of the forest. i will be reading whatever this author writes next the second it comes out. i need more people to read this so i can scream about it properly.


━━━━ ⊱⋆⊰ ━━━━


☆ 🖇️ pre-read 𖥻 ＜꒱

last book in my no series streak. after this i’m going back to 600 page fantasies with sequels i’ll never finish.

[Katherine Kelley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc. All opinions are my own (clearly).

Don’t Let the Forest In follows Andrew Perrault in the aftermath of a mysterious friendship disaster between his twin, Dove, and his obsessive crush, Thomas. His return to Wickwood Academy is bad enough, dealing with having no friends and continued bullying, when Thomas’s monsterous drawings come to life, threatening him and everyone around him. Together, the two boys try to rub their two braincells together to put an end to the monsters and figure out what they mean to each other, even as the horrific odds turn against them. The result is a poorly anchored book with terribly handled twists and weak characters.

The main problem with the book is the lack of on-page set up for characters and their relationships. Much of the premise of the book lies in how different Thomas and Dove act with Andrew compared to when their friendship at its peak. Unfortunately, their friendship is completely off page, so the whip-lash that Andrew feels has to be tediously explained to us. The reader is meant to understand that these characters have this deeply established connection, without any work being done to make us believe it. This is a huge issue, as this book revolves around Andrew and Thomas’s intensely obsessive and codependent relationship.

The problem with the relationships is also tied to Andrew’s weakness as a character. He is completely obtuse about the things going around him and he’s annoying to read about. Things that are obviously worth considering about the horrors haunting him and the people around him fly right over his head every time, making for an incredibly frustrating reading experience. The way he speaks is so melodramatic and overwrought that it’s laughable. This continues into the excerpts of his fairytales, which are all edgy and fake-deep.

I appreciate what C. G Drews tried to do with Andrew as a representation of anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, but the work put in didn’t work on-page. As an audience, the reader is out of the loop of his non-monster anxieties, so he sometimes makes leaps in logic that make no sense and we can’t even see how he got there. Ideally, the reader would be led onto the same traps that Andrew’s anxiety leads him, but instead it’s confusing and aggravating. I also think the way that mental health is sometimes shown plainly on-page and other times in symbolic imagery and allegory creates a confused depiction of mental illness.

I also found the exploration of Asexuality to be mixed. I was very excited as an Ace-spectrum person to see how this was done, and I’m still not sure. For a YA audience, I would expect the explanation of asexuality to be heavy handed, but that wasn’t what I got. An actual introduction of asexuality doesn’t exist at all, but Andrew’s fears and feelings about being “wrong” are who’ll to explained to the point of being repetitive. I’ll be honest, some of my opinions about the representation is clouded by how little I cared about Andrew as a character. I can’t really complain about it though, because this was one of the better elements.

The decent element is the horror. It’s not the best I’ve read even in YA, but it’s competent. The gore is gorey and gave me the creeps more than a couple times. My only issue with the horror is how poorly rooted it is within the story. This is the same issue I had with character relationships. The characters know all about these monsters and why they are important to them, but it’s only clunkily explained to the reader. The horror also suffers by the poorly defined setting and passage of time. Every time the time of day was mentioned, it was news to me. The characters just float around from scene to scene untethered. This is emphasized by the unrealistic dialogue and one-dimensional supporting characters.

No one in this book talks like real people. I understand the point of exaggerating for the purpose of creating drama and tension, but this book’s attempt was laughable. Andrew and Thomas say unhinged things about living inside each other and how they’d die without each other, but I could at least see the draw of that. The background characters spend most of the book bullying Thomas for being a murderer, even at times where if they truly believe this, they would be in immense danger. As the death toll increases, the lack of panic is covered up because the school is just ignoring people dying in the middle of day for some reason. The main bully repeatedly complains about people “slandering” him. I mean, this is just ridiculous, people. Some side characters I actually like, Lana Lang (unrelated to Superman’s friend) and Chloe Nguyen, are sidelined by the narrative in favor of the riveting relationship between Andrew and Thomas. Some characters aren’t even deigned to have names, even if they eventually get significant page time. Anyone who isn’t directly related to the romance/monster plot is severely undeveloped compared to Andrew and Thomas, and I already said how lacking they are as characters.

The final nail in the coffin is the horrible ending. I don’t want to spoil the twist(s) but I can stress how hard they fall on their face. There are fakeouts that are so dumb to be laughable. There is an actually good twist that is ruined because of execution. And there is a final twist that is SO OBVIOUS because it had been a blind spot in the boys’ pisspoor problem solving the whole book. The thematic meaning behind the horror fails to meaningfully connect to the characters and their terrible romance. What makes things worse is that these twists rely on the established character relationships that never got fleshed out the entire book.

Overall, I can see how teens would get a little bit more out of this than I would, and it could be worth checking out at a library if it’s convenient. That being said, I’m not that far out of teenhood and I know that I would not have been charmed by this. Everything that this book does has been done better by other books. I can’t strongly recommend it to anyone.

[bookluvr · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’d need to undergo a deep and thorough exorcism to forget about this book, i’m so serious. i try not to swear in my reviews but for lack of a better exclamation…holy shit!!! i’m still recovering from the last 15% and will promptly go sit in the shower with my knees to my chest like i’m in some tragic dated music video to process whatever the HELL was happening here…once i post this review, of course. but my god. don’t expect much coherency from here on out. i simply cannot manage it.

there is absolutely no way to explain this book. it’s just an experience. go read it. here’s the limited spoiler-free drivel i can muster:

જ⁀➴ the setting: wickwood academy boarding school

જ⁀➴ the plot: one boy’s morbid fairytales and another’s equally macabre illustrations of them — all seemingly coming to life. there’s mystery and horror and haunt surrounding them and us all and you just have to see where it’s all going 👀

જ⁀➴ the vibe: a little gothic, a lot eerie, definitely grisly and weird and oh so wonderful. ominous and chilling…to the bone

જ⁀➴ the result? me, a very happy but also very discombobulated reader 🙂‍↕️😩🥴

god, i absolutely loved this. i loved the story, the main characters, the prose, the atmosphere…i loved it ALL. i haven’t read anything like this really, but this is my sign to pick up more from this author and more in this lane in general, because i was so intrigued and engaged from start to finish! did i finish or did it finish me? i could not tell annnybody, let alone myself.

listen. the writing was gorgeous. it’s vivid in its imagery, decadent to the point where i felt like it had texture. it was alive. i was immersed, wholly and completely. all the lush metaphors were nothing short of poetry. this encompasses everything, from the descriptions of the horror elements of the plot to THE ACHING AND BLEEDING YEARNING. delicious. give me MORE. NOW.

oh andrew 🥹 my sweet sweet, nervous wreck of narrator. i want to bubble wrap him and put him in my pocket for all eternity. you feeeeeel his anxieties, his unraveling, his desire, all so acutely. he wants to be known and at the same time fade into obscurity, unseen. AND. IT. IS. AGONY. i can’t even say too much more about him than this 😭.

thomas is kind of a mess and i say that with all the love in the world. my little mess 🥹. he’s cutting and so haphazard — utterly chaotic and all over the place about everything — yet he’s so intentional about being fiercely protective over those he loves. there’s just something very alluring about him, even more so since we don’t get his pov and have to experience his character through andrew’s. i also need to protect him 😭. i need to protect them both.

at the center of the horrors unfolding, we have their relationship. what y’all know about pining for your best friend? huh? 🤨 coz if it’s not “you’ll cut me open and find a garden of rot where my heart should be” answered with an anguished ”when i cut you open, all i’ll find is that we match” OR if its not ”if he could crack open [his] ribs right then and fit his whole self inside him, he would” OOOOORRRRR if it’s not a pained ”everything inside me is in ruins…for you" then i don’t want it!!! and there was mooooooore. these two were on some loverboy-core crack and i was snorting in earnest! i felt like every few pages had a quotable line.

their dynamic is codependency to a tee and there’s no clear delineation between where andrew ends and where thomas begins but it has to beeee that way in service of the story. they were in each other’s skin, in each other’s blood, in each other’s bones. they are each other’s heart. all the dark and tortured parts of their souls speak to the other. my shaylas ☹️. there was just something so achingly tender and bleeding about them. so fragile, almost transitory because i’m scared to digest the ending the way my brain wants to. imma be delulu and keep it pushing 😀. i don’t have a choice or i’m going to find myself wandering the highway tonight.

another thing that i found compelling about the story was andrew being asexual. it added this nuance to his attraction and longing that i found really well done in the grand scheme of things. the representation was refreshing.

overall, there’s an interesting angle here about complex grief and mental health — but i can’t really expand on that without spoiling. let me just say…the walls were closing in on me as i got closer and closer to the end and i relished it. i’m left haunted. unsettled. all in the best way.

let me stop the rambling!

this book took a BITE out of me. i fear i’m never getting it back. and…i find myself being more than ok with that.

also, the art in the KU copy i read ate down.

[Youssra (semi ia- shelving books don't mind me) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excuse me C.G. Drews I was not familiar with your game?????? That was SO GOOD! I'm still processing that end wow!!

“I don't care how dark the world is for you. I'll hold out my hand until you find it, and I won't let go.”

Literally how to even review this? This is a book I will definitely reread because wdym??? Looking back, the clues sprinkled throughout the story were so intelligently placed, so subtle, that I genuinely just... missed them.. BUT THEY WERE RIGHT THERE!!!!! I love it when an author genuinely outsmarts the readers. This twist wasn't a one of a kind one, but damn it was executed SO SO WELL IMO!!

This is a twisted tale of grief, trauma AND YEARNING OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!!

“But all Andrew could think was if he could crack open Thomas's ribs right then and fit his whole self inside him, he would.”

excuse me?? my husband has never expressed his desire to fit himself inside my ribs???? Unforgivable🤚

“All my stories are about you. They will always be about you.”

“Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him. Kill for him.”

Andrew ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 I just wanted to swaddle him and protect him forever and ever.😭😭 His anxiety and trauma almost felt like my own💔

“Life didn't fit against his skin and it never had and sometimes everything was just too much.”

Thomas was truly this knight that protected Andrew even though he never realized the depths of Thomas's feelings for him.

I get that this book will not be for every one; this is very much a "weird girl" kinda book and I do identify as a weird girl😌
____________________________________________________________
pre-read:

My first C.G. Drews book please be amazing😭

[Snjez · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is such an atmospheric and beautifully written story, even though it's quite dark and gruesome. More than I'm usually comfortable with.

I have to say that there were a couple things that I knew or guessed, but that didn't take away from how completely invested I was in the storyline and the characters.

The only unfortunate outcome of reading this book is that I don't see myself walking in the forest or eating mushrooms anytime soon. 😅

[C.G. Drews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello! I am the author of the book. If you'd like a list of content warnings please see my website here.

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ★

Don’t Let the Forest In felt like a dark fever dream and i mean that as a compliment. this is the exact kind of psychological horror that i love. i was so easily wrapped into the story of these two boys who would do literally anything for eachother, regardless of the outcome. the writing is immersive, with just the right amount of intrigue and pull to keep you from looking away.. even when things start to take a turn for the worse.

“Everything inside me is ruins,” Thomas said. “For you.”

Andrew and Thomas are friends who hold their deeper feelings for one another close to their chest. Andrew is asexual and struggles with feeling out of place, which leads to a sense of wanting to crawl out of his own skin. Thomas is a bit of a recluse, showing his true self to no one other than Andrew. they have a sort of trio of friendship going on with Thomas, Andrew and his twin sister Dove being a unit but not wanting to rip that dynamic apart by pursuing their feelings for one another and in turn isolating Dove. i loved the way the horror was done here with these monsters being manifested out of Andrews stories and Thomas’ drawings. the end went in a direction that completely took me off guard but it made me love all that i read before it so much more. i think this book won’t be for everyone but i really appreciated the approach the author took to tackling Andrew’s emotions and things he had repressed through this codependent connection he has with both Dove and Thomas. this was such a dark, melancholy, unique and atmospheric read.

➛ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Macmillan Publishing group for the arc, all opinions are my own.

[Alexia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book utterly shredded me emotionally, leaving me in a tangled web of feelings. As the story unfolded, I encountered some scenes that didn't resonate with me, but the ending was a stunning surprise that far exceeded my expectations. What an ending it was! It wrapped me in a whirlwind of emotions—confusion, relief, sadness, and inexplicable joy—simultaneously crashing over me like waves on a rocky shore.
The ending gave the book 5 stars instantly, even if I had some issues with some things.

The author wove together a peculiar yet magnificent narrative that lingered in my mind like an echo long after I turned the final page. The atmosphere enveloped me in a delightful kind of creepiness, both unsettling and exhilarating, compelling me to delve deeper into the mysteries within. I raced through the pages, my pulse quickening as I eagerly grasped at the threads of the story, desperate to uncover the conclusion.

The romance unfolded in a way that I had long yearned for, raw and mesmerizingly intense. Although it was toxic, obsessive, and undeniably unsettling, I found myself irresistibly drawn into it. The boys' love for each other radiated such profound desperation that it often brought tears to my eyes. Andrew’s fierce devotion and willingness to go to any lengths for Thomas—even to the extreme of taking a life—made me feel happy in a very disturbing way, while Thomas's haunting readiness to let Andrew destroy him, just to see Andrew happy, made my heart ache.

Their love story was undeniably one of codependency and toxicity, but it was a hauntingly beautiful connection they desperately needed. I couldn’t help but see myself in Andrew, especially with his struggles with anxiety. I often felt a wave of frustration wash over me in his moments of panic, only to realize I would likely react in precisely the same way in similar situations. The author succeeded beautifully in depicting the nuances of anxiety—something I experience daily. Through the pages, I could almost feel Andrew’s turmoil resonating within me.

Throughout the story, I longed to envelop Andrew in a reassuring embrace, even when my heart ached in frustration at his choices. Thomas, with his sweetness, reminded me of a perfectly baked cinnamon roll—warm and inviting, keen to shield Andrew with his love. Only for Andrew through. Initially, I found him to be a bit of a jerk for avoiding Andrew, but as he revealed the reasons behind his behavior, everything fell into place, making his vulnerability heart-wrenchingly relatable.

The bond between these two boys felt as if they inhabited their own secluded galaxy, fiercely loving and protecting each other while the rest of the world faded into oblivion. While the side characters were not particularly fleshed out, it felt justified; after all, Andrew was drowning in his trauma and singularly focused on Thomas.

In conclusion, this book was nothing short of spectacular. I’m already counting down the days until the author’s next release in October, knowing full well I will devour it just as greedily.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

《It was strange, Andrew thought, how 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.》

《His breathing evened out, but he made no move to get up. Andrew
didn’t care, not while they still touched. He craved Thomas’s affection, with
an intensity that left him dizzy. If he never had more, he had this.
It was almost worth being ripped apart by monsters.》

《Thomas turned off his flashlight and Andrew did, too. They stood for a
moment in the dark, before Thomas said, “I like how you are. There’s an
entire world of ink and magic stuffed inside your head, and I think it’s
beautiful. I just wish everything didn’t hurt you so much.”》

《This was how they were, bones broken and mended crookedly, each
entwined with the other. He thought maybe you could love someone so
much you ruined them, and then you ruined yourself.》

《Thomas tilted his head up, and the way he looked at Andrew was so
tender and fierce, so full of fearless worship. “I don’t care how dark the
world is for you. I’ll hold out my hand until you find it, and I won’t let go.” 》

[n ♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

*cries in 5 Star Prediction Turned Out To Be Underdeveloped Boring Repetitive Fake-Deep Tumblr Post BS*

[Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m on BookTube now! =)

”Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him.
Kill for him.”

Trigger warnings:graphic descriptions of body horror, anxiety, panic attack, murder, eating disorder, blood, gore, grief

Holy moly! I finished this book about two weeks ago and it still has me in a chokehold! Like OMG! C.G. Drews, the genius that you are!! I honestly don’t even know how to start writing this review and I wanted to write one ever since I read the final page of this masterpiece! How do I even put into words what I felt after reading that ending? I wasn’t just staring at the freaking wall like C.G. assumed in their epilogue, I was screaming, crying, raging, throwing up at that damned wall! And if you think that’s me overreacting, then read the book and tell me you didn’t feel sick to your stomach after reading that ending! Also, I read so many interesting conversations about this book, and no one, literally no one saw the story the way I did. Which baffles me so much! Am I just thinking differently than everyone else or is my mind crazy for even thinking in that kind of direction? Someone please send help, because it’s driving me nuts! *lol* Anyway, I’ll get very deep into my thoughts about this story and how it ended later on in this review. So, if you want to know my take on it, you’re welcome to dive into the craziness that is my brain. I’ll mark it as a spoiler section because I don’t want to take away the fun for everyone else who still didn’t read the book. ;-)

”Sometimes he’d lie awake at night and unpack all his feelings about this boy-shaped hurricane named Thomas Rye. He didn’t know if he wanted to be Thomas – reckless and uncontainable – or if he wanted to kiss him.”

Okay, first things first! One of the many things I loved about this story was the strong longing of the main characters! I mean we get everything through Andrew’s POV and if you ask me Andrew is one hell of an unreliable narrator. Still, Andrew’s longing is palpable through his thoughts and actions, while Thomas’s is etched into his face. The way this boy feels! So strongly, unfiltered and raw. I swear, I rarely came across a main character that was so misunderstood by everyone and hurt so much because of it. There were moments I had the intense urge to wrap Thomas in a blanket and tell him that everything would be all right. The same goes for Andrew of course, because wow, that boy didn’t have it easy as well. Thomas and he are the definition of “us against the world” and it’s so freaking heart-breaking and intense!

Their dynamic was so good, though! Obsessive, extremely powerful and guilt-ridden to the core. I kinda wish we had gotten more of their playful moments, because they were so wholesome whenever they happened. This story’s nature is dark, though, and due to that, we’re not allowed to see the good parts of their deep connection. All we see is the rot that took root in their hearts and turned something beautiful and sacred into something sinister and devastating. The symbolism that prevailed throughout the entire storyline and the odds that were stacked against them. It was a LOT! Not to mention their toxic and unhealthy co-dependency. Despite everything, their bond is the only thing that gets them through the day so as noxious as it is, it keeps them alive and you can’t help but root for them.

But it’s not just the monsters of the forest and their inner demons they have to fight, it’s also their environment and the people that want to harm them. C.G. tackles an entire bandwidth of themes that reoccur throughout the story and they are all part of a bigger picture. No matter if it’s the bullying from Bryce Kane – a fellow student – or the constant attacks of Clemens – their teacher – who has absolutely no business being so cruel to his students, they all contribute to our boys problems and pile up into an insurmountable obstacle. Add to that the topics of identity, mental health – especially anxiety, body horror, grief, asexuality, and you got a full plate that’s flowing over.

”For a vicious moment, Andrew thought about slipping his fingers into Thomas’s cut. Taking hold of his rib and breaking it. Pulling the soft crumbling bone from his chest and sewing it into his own. They’d be forever together, rib against rib, fused in gore and bone and adoration.”

For me, personally, the asexuality rep was done so well and stood out against many of the other themes that were addressed in here. The way Andrew feels about his asexuality and how it hinders him to pursue the one person he truly wants to be with… It was so painful, but also felt extremely raw and real! I think some part of him always knew about Thomas’s feelings but he didn’t dare to acknowledge them because he feared the consequences and what it would mean for the both of them. I think Thomas would have accepted and taken Andrew exactly the way he was and wouldn’t have changed anything about him, but the problem is, that Andrew didn’t see it that way. In his mind, Thomas had needs he would never be able to fulfil and as with so many things, Andrew stood in his own way, which made the entire book such an excruciating experience. (And I mean that in the best way possible.)

”I think,” Andrew whispered, “it sucks to be ace.”
“I think,” Lana said, “the world sucks for making you feel that way.”

This quote resonated so much with me and I loved Lana for always trying to help Andrew. She was a fierce side character and I kind of wish we would have gotten even more moments with her. As for Dove, I honestly didn’t get enough about her character to have an opinion but it sounded like she was very responsible and not prone to indulge in adventures. From what I gathered, she was an A+ student and didn’t approve of Thomas always getting in trouble. Their dynamic seemed to be a particular kind of brand and I think there was as much affection as resentment between those two.

The relationship between Dove and Andrew was very strained as well and Thomas seemed to be the main reason for it, which was only logical if you thought about it… Anyway! I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll just move on to the last thing I want to talk about before I go into full blown theory and relationship mode. The thing I want to address is the body horror, which was an integral part of this story. So, for everyone who didn’t read the book already, let me tell you, the body horror in this was not for the faint-hearted! It was brutal, visceral, graphic, intense and quite gruesome. If you’re not into this kind of thing you better don’t read the book, because you’ll be in for a hard ride. Just a fair warning for the more sensitive readers of my reviews. ;-)

"He touched his ear and felt it swollen afresh, stretching as if something had regrown while he slept. But this time it wasn’t pushing against skin and trying to escape. It was growing the other way. Going in deeper. It was inside him, he knew.
The forest."

And now to the last topic I need to tackle before I go crazy: The relationship between Thomas and Andrew and the ending of the book! We already established that this is one hell of a toxic relationship and that our two MCs can’t live without each other and need the other’s presence like air to breathe. They already were co-dependent way before they started to fight monsters in the forest and the people around them knew about it for a very long time. Andrew with his stories and Thomas with his art. They complemented each other and created an entire world for themselves. A world no one else was allowed to be a part of, which presumably led to the deep rift between Dove, Thomas and Andrew. They used to be a trio but the boys obsession with each other was on a level Dove could never be a part of, which most definitely caused a lot of tension between Thomas and Dove before the summer. Still, the ending is quite something and I’ll talk about this now because I need to get this out of my system.If you’ve read the book be prepared to read a LONG spoiler section! Because I repeat: I have THOUGHTS! Read my FULL & uncut review here! Or continue with the short spoiler version!

Okay, gosh, I don’t even know where to start with my theory but I’ll just spit it out and take it from there. Alright! You ready? Nope? Too bad, you’ll hear it anyway! As much as I want to believe that this story has a HEA I think that it doesn’t. I mean we have that hint at the blurb saying: “"Not Every Fairy Tale Has A Happy Ending" and I think that’s exactly what happened in here! Moreover, there are so many hints throughout the book that fuel my theory and I just need to talk about it because nobody else picked up on them and I read theory after theory but literally no other person had that hot take so here I am. Delivering you my fresh hot tea! Seriously if you’ve read the book I’d love to discuss this! Okay, here goes nothing, let’s do this.

I know everyone thinks that Dove’s death was Thomas’s fault and that he killed his parents, Mr. Clemens and Bryce. And this even though the ending made it pretty clear that it was Andrew who created the monsters and not Thomas. So why assume that it was Thomas who killed the others?! I think Thomas is probably the most misunderstood character in the history of stories because I’m going to tell you my theory now and I’m going to back it up with quotes and evidence and if you don’t believe me that Thomas is innocent and one hell of a tragic figure then I honestly dunno.

First of all, Dove’s death: I believe that it was an accident and that Dove was so angry at Thomas for not keeping his distance from her twin brother that she stormed off into the forest, climbed their tree and accidentally slipped. We have a couple of students who saw her argue with Thomas and enter the woods. Moreover, Thomas is feeling so guilty and torn for not being with her. There is only remorse, all-consuming guilt and pain.

”Then she fell. And I wasn’t there to catch her. I didn’t even feel it. I should have felt it or been there or run to her. I loved her like she was my family. But I love you … like you’re my whole world.”

The death of Thomas’s parents, Bryce and Mr. Clemens: I don’t, not even for a single second, believe that Thomas killed his parents. Thomas’s parents were killed by the monsters, the monsters Andrew created in order to protect him. In some twisted kind of way his brain already knew that Dove was dead and Thomas was the only one left. Even though he subconsciously blamed him for Dove’s death he still knew that Thomas’s parents were horrible to him and didn’t treat him well. So with their deaths by the monsters hands he saved Thomas while still inflicting pain, because despite everything they were Thomas parents and because of him they died. I think at some point Thomas got aware of that but he loved Andrew so much he still decided to be with him.

As for Bryce and Mr. Clemens. Andrew had an argument with Bryce shortly before he found him dead in the classroom and since Andrew is such an unreliable narrator we can assume, that he killed him without even realizing it. Same goes for Mr. Clemens and the monster btw.

And speaking of the monsters:Now here is the thing, I do believe that the monsters were real. At least to some degree and they weren’t just imagined by Thomas and Andrew. I mean there is plenty of evidence that others could see some elements of them. For instance the mushrooms in Andrews pants, Bryce didn’t just see those but also the moss on his fingers when he touched Andrew. The cafeteria was destroyed after the attack of another monster and Mr. Clemens had no idea what was going on when the forest attacked him, but he was attacked by something that eventually killed him. Of course we could argue that it was all Andrew and Thomas. Andrew could have put the moss in his hands and the mushrooms in his trousers, but we can’t really explain away the hole in the wall after Mr. Clemens died and the attack in the cafeteria. I think that will be a mystery, but I do believe that the monsters were real somehow. Especially with my theory that they killed Thomas’s parents before he came back to school. I would have no other explanation for that otherwise.

Thomas’s and Andrew’s relationship and the precious soul that was Thomas Rye:
I know no one is going to like this theory but I stand by it even though it’s so painful and tragic it makes my heart bleed. I think both of them died at the ending. And there are so many hints at that, I reread some passages thrice and even more often to make sense of it and to figure out what truly happened in those last couple of pages and no matter what I did, I always came to the same conclusion. Andrew tried to take his own life at the root of the tree and when Thomas tried to stop him he got lethally hurt, which caused them both to die exactly where Dove died a while ago. With this ending, the story would go full circle and even though this theory is killing me, I think it might have been what the author aimed for. We will never know for sure because C.G. kept the ending open on purpose but I think it would have gone into this kind of direction. Why? Well, hear me out!

Liar. But he’d always been one.
Instead, he whispered, “Would you die for me?”
Thomas sounded warm and cottony with sleep. “Of course I would.”

We all know that Thomas would die for Andrew! He said it plenty of times and we all know that Andrew had a cruel streak somewhere hidden deep inside of him. I mean all the thoughts of ripping Thomas open, wanting to be inside of his ribcage, etc. and he explicitly called himself a “liar” in the quote above. Some part of Andrew knew that he was lying to himself!

”If I lose control, you’d stop me, right? If I’m the true monster, you’d fight me.”

Precious Thomas, asking Andrew to stop him if he turned out to be the true monster, completely oblivious to the fact that Andrew, the real monster of the story, was already sleeping in his bed. There’s even a quote that states as much. In Andrew’s defence, he has no idea that he’s the reason for the monsters because his mind is refusing to acknowledge Dove’s death so he’s kind of innocent even though he isn’t. If that makes any sense? He has absolutely no idea what he’s doing.

“You could cut me open and devour everything that I am,” Thomas said, ragged and thin. “I would let you. I’d ask you to. But I have no idea what it means to you. What … what I mean to you.”
“Of course I like you.” It came out rougher than Andrew meant.

The way Thomas would sacrifice everything including himself just to make Andrew happy. I personally think that Thomas loved Andrew so much; he closed his eyes to the reality of Andrew being the cause for the monsters. He knew it ever since Lana gave him hell for feeding Andrew’s delusions of Dove still being alive. I think up to that point Thomas didn’t even realize that Andrew still thought his sister was alive. Once he did it hit him like a brick and he felt responsible for her death and Andrew’s suffering. Thomas would have done EVERYTHING to help Andrew. Even let him cut out his heart and kill him if necessary.

”But just know this,” Thomas said as he fought back tears. “Dove’s death was an accident and she never would have haunted you in revenge. This is all your doing, and you could tell a different story if you wanted to. You’re strong enough. You’re brave enough.”

This is Thomas begging Andrew to choose another path. To change his own story, but he didn’t get through to him and was forced to watch the tragedy unfold. I think Andrew let the forest take over because he felt like he had no other choice after realizing that Dove was dead. Some part of him was always going to blame Thomas and Thomas would never stop blaming himself. It was a vicious cycle and there was no way out of it.

”He couldn’t see.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the forest had outgrown the confines of his thin, frail body and longed to stretch. He used to be an empty boy, impossible to fill.
Now he was so full of monsters.”

And so Andrew did the only thing he thought would end the cycle. He tried to cut out his heart and bound Thomas so he couldn’t stop him. I think by fighting Thomas he hurt him lethally and that’s why Thomas is so pale and tranquil at the ending. It is even stated that Andrew is pale as well and that causes me to assume that they both found peace dying at the foot of the tree together.

”Within the ground, the heart grew into a tree and the monster lived among the branches and forgot he had ever been a prince. But the October boy didn’t flee. He climbed the tree and kissed the lonesome monster until it devoured him whole.”

Which is exactly what happened in the end. Andrew devoured Thomas and Thomas let him.

“If you cut open my chest” – Andrew’s voice was wrecked – “you’ll find a garden of rot where my heart should be.”
Thomas tilted his head up, and the way he looked at Andrew was so tender and fierce, so full of fearless worship. “I don’t care how dark the world is for you. I’ll hold out my hand until you find it, and I won’t let go.”

Thomas reaching out to Andrew until the very end… gosh it’s painful just to think about it. Thomas is legit one of the most tragic figures in literature because the way he loved Andrew so unconditionally, fully and without any judgment is just heart breaking. Even at the end, when he knew Andrew allowed the forest to take over, that he stopped fighting for himself, Thomas still fought for him tooth and nail. This fierce, brave and precious soul! Thomas was so misunderstood. It breaks my freaking heart. The real tragedy here is that Thomas gave EVERYTHING to save Andrew, yet it still wasn’t enough. T_T

Conclusion:

“Don’t Let the Forest In” is one of those rare books that will haunt me for a very long time. I can see myself thinking about this for years to come, breaking my head over all the possibilities and never wanting to settle for the one theory my heart believes to be the truth. This story is such a mindfuck and I mean this in the best way possible. C.G. Drews, you wicked and beautiful soul, I fear the forest is inside of me now and it won’t leave me alone!

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[Katie Colson · Rating 5 out of 5]

GAY, gory and glorious

dedicated reading vlog and review with spoilers

[Greekchoir · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

There’s a trend of YA book in the last 3-4 years or so that have the same characteristics: a shy, anxious main character; a tougher, cooler male love interest; a quasi-gothic/semi-dark academia setting with no engagement with the themes of those subgenres; a propensity for “lyrical” writing; a shared iconography of forests, rot, hands, deer, bones, birds, and paper. All of these books are biting off a little of The Raven Boys and a little of House of Hollow, and few are successful. Don’t Let The Forest In unfortunately did not stand out for me.

I think the prose is fine: Drews creates a rich, tense atmosphere, and Andrew and Thomas are vibrant protagonists. As many have noted, the discussion of asexuality here is refreshing and tender, and it was really the moments where DLTFI lingers here that felt the most emotional and compelling.

That being said, did not enjoy the combination of repetitive imagery + text formatted as crytyping + numerous plotholes (1. The twist that Andrew is actually the creator of the monsters is then apparently forgotten by the characters and, incredibly, revealed as a twist AGAIN, for a SECOND TIME 2. Dove’s death is not a plot hole exactly, but the book drops like .5 hints that it’s happening and several moments in the book are vaguely contradictory, you will never be Noah Czerny) + near-affectionate lingering over Andrew’s eating disorder

This was not a book for me but I am glad that it has found a passionate audience and I think it would have resonated quite strongly with me had I read it at the right time. I am really curious to see where Drews goes in the future. This HAS the juice but I’m hoping to see it channeled towards more interesting directions

Please note that I work for Macmillan but opinions are my own. I am not involved in book production

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't review this properly, it's been 2 days and nothing i've written feels good enough for how I felt about this.

I can understand how this book isn't for everyone, but HOLY FUCK IT WAS FOR ME.

Body horror is for sure my weakness as things to do with skin, organs, and eyes absolute freak me the fuck out.

The writing is lyrical and complex, I felt like I could vividly see inside Andrew's mind, and whatever this prose is called... was reason enough to 5 star.
I love writing that scratches on an itch in my brain that I wasn't even aware of.


Andrew is a sweet baby anxious lil asexual bean, and if i'm 100% honest, by like 75%-80% I was SOOOOOOO TIRED of his stressy attitude, but also, VERY sympathetic because everyone around him was coddling him, keeping secrets or straight up not communicating with him, WHEN HE WAS ON STRUGGLE STREET WITH A HEAVY SIDE OF SCARY FUCKING MONSTERS TRYING TO RIP HIS FACE OFF.
So... I gave him every benefit of the doubt because he deserved them.

Thomas underwhelmed me as a character, but I felt so devoted to him because of how Andrew felt about him.

This book was very focused on Andrew's tension and low on physical/on-page romance but high on "I would fucking die for him without hesitation" kind of devotion.
WHICH HAD ME EATING SO GOOD.
Because once you realise it's not unrequited, ughhhhhhhhh, I just wanted them to crawl inside each other's skin and be together forever.


Did I understand the story/ending? Not at all.
Do I have more questions than answers? 100%
Would I change anything? NOT A SECOND OF IT.

I need therapy, and someone smart/creative to tell me what that ending even meant.

[Reem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think my head just got fucked and I seriously need a smoke…. Oh it will haunt me lady author and I will never forgive you for inflicting me with this amazing book.



This story starts like a fever dream where you don’t know what is happening, what’s real or fantasy and you know something bad is coming, you are dreading it but you cannot stop reading.

There’s a mystery about the forest and something that happened last year, and it continues to be a mystery for the majority of the story, you will come up with many different theories and it’s just wonderful and intriguing and comes to light in a spectacular way! The ‘paper cuts’ stories that Andrew wrote were all dark and macabre and each was better than the last “Ones with dark, bitter corners and magic curled into thorns. Ones about monsters with elegant, razor-like teeth. He wrote fairy tales, but cruel.” Thomas’ drawings of the monsters from those stories were included as well and they were good and terrifying, the artist did phenomenal work. The asexual representation in the book was done well and made me like it and the characters more, honestly their relationship seemed toxic at times because of the obsession but wow “Shut up. Can you even hear yourself? You screw up and you want to be punished. You want to be absolved in violence. Do you realize how incredibly fucked up that is?” The prose this story is written in and the metaphors and the way Andrew describes Thomas, be it bad or good is magic. I kept rereading most of it because it was beautiful. Me? I don’t even like YA but wholeheartedly recommend YOU TO PICK UP THIS BOOK AND TREAT YOURSELF! I hope it gets turned into an animated movie 🍿🎥

@Evie I love you girl💕 I know you didn’t ask for this but thank you for putting up with me and my freaking out on you with all the theories and stuff 🫢🧡 on the plus side, I won’t have to send monsters to wipe your memory and my messages 🤣🤣

I plan on rereading this with the audiobook next time, the narrator isn’t the best and that’s why I got the ebook but his voice is calm and soothing with this ‘heart break’ quality that I feel he is perfect for narrating Andrew’s story.

⚠️ETA⚠️ The ending is ambiguous and can be interpreted in many different ways. some people will definitely hate it, I just thought you had to know.


-

@ 21%
I finally started reading this today after finishing my other books, because unlike them, it grabs your attention and doesn’t give you the chance to wander to other things.… so far?! I have so many questions and I don’t think I’ll be stopping till the final page (or if my phone falls on my face because I’m suddenly asleep) AND THIS IS YA, I USUALLY HATE THOSE! For now I need these two questions answered: 1) are the boys ending up together? 2) is the twin real or imaginary or a different identity?
-
I FINALLY HAVE THIS BOOK!!!
I CAN'T WAIT TO GET STARTED!

[Miranda Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

"You could cut me open and devour everything that I am. I would let you, I'd ask you to. But I have no idea what it means to you. What I mean to you."

Oh to be a melodramatic teen in a gorgeous boarding school surrounded by a forest trying to kill you...

*ahem*

Andrew and Thomas and Dove - three friends who have made it through the halls of Wickwood Academy together. But senior year? That's a whole different beast.

"If you cut open my chest" — Andrew's voice was wrecked — "you'll find a garden of rot where my heart should be."

There is something strange happening with his unrequited love (Thomas) and twin sister (Dove) - and Andrew can't quite tell if they're in a relationship or something much more sinister.

Either way, Dove is barely acknowledging him while Thomas is disappearing all hours of the night.

And soon Andrew learns a piece of the puzzle. The forest is alive, with malice, and it creeps ever closer to the people Andrew loves the most.

"It was strange, Andrew thought, how 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."

This book started really strong for me. I loved the imagery, the intrigue, and the intimacy of the characters - the way they unabashedly spilled their hopes, fears, and desires for the audience.

But as time went on, the more samey some of the behaviors and feelings felt. The middle stagnated and by the twisty, twisty end, I was kinda over it all.

Throughout the book, I did really enjoy the monsters and horror elements, even if it didn't always make sense...it at least always exceeded my expectations.

But yeah, there's only so much pining that I can take and this book was over its limit by a longshot.
Ps. Listened to the audiobook. Kept getting thrown over the Andrew's narration voice and his speaking voice. When he narrated the story, the voice actor used an American voice but when he spoke, he has an Australian accent. Very trippy, my brain kept assuming that the Australian voice was a side character rather than the lead.

[ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

i- speechless. c.g. drews when i catch you !!

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I don't care how dark the world is for you. I'll hold out my hand until you find it, and I won't let go."

CG Drews, I’m in your walls 👹 The only word I can think of to accurately encompass this book is consuming. I stayed up till 3 am just trying to get as much of this book into my system as I could. The prose is visceral and evocative, and every aspect of the story just came together perfectly for me. I guessed one of the big reveals fairly early on, but the book kept me second guessing myself the whole way 😂

Andrew and Thomas, my sweet, broken boys 😭 AGH I don’t even know how to write down all my feelings for them. The explorations of grief and longing and intimacy were just incredible. The illustrations were so good too! And the ending??



So glad I let myself be influenced, because this was so unique and spooky and lovely 🖤



••••••••••
All my girlies love this book, so I’m excited! 🖤

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Andrew and his twin sister, Dove, return to the prestigious Wickwood Academy for another school year, it's clear they're hoping to leave some sort of tragic event in the past. It's a new year, and a new chance for a fresh start.

As the days unfold, Dove begins being cold and stand-offish to Andrew. Because of this, Andrew comes to rely even more on his handsome and rakish best friend, Thomas.



Andrew and Thomas. Their relationship is deep, full of complicated emotion and captivated me from the start.

Thomas is like that mysterious, creative, rich bad-boy that most of us find intriguing AF, and Andrew def isn't immune to those charms, even if it feels slightly dangerous.



This story follows that relationship as it develops, and also Andrew's own mental health as it begins to spiral. We learn about their pasts at school, and more about both of their complicated family situations.

There's a real blending of fact and fiction. It's lyrical and dark and beautiful in a truly heartbreaking way. My favorite aspect was the Dark Fairytale style that Drews brought to it to examine some heavier topics.



I actually picked this up for a book club, and I started it the day before the discussion was scheduled. I got through it so quickly, as I couldn't put it down once I started. There's an underlying sense of dread that I felt so compelling. I needed to know the truth.

I really enjoyed the writing, and while I really, really liked it, I don't think it was as impactful for me as it's been for many other Readers.

It seems to be one of those books that if you pick it up at the right time for you, it could be everything. It reminded me so, so much of The Wicker King, and I'm wondering maybe if I hadn't read that one first, if I would have enjoyed this more?



Either way, this is an excellent novel and I'm excited to read more from C.G. Drews!!

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is atmospheric and nightmarish, with gruesome illustrations, gory body horror, and snippets from the haunting stories that Andrew writes which plays into the plot.

Andrew only feels at home with his best friend, his other half. Andrew wrote cruelly beautiful fairytales, and Thomas illustrates them with a few slashes from a pen with macabre beauty. However, back at Wickwood Academy, Thomas arrives covered in blood and his drawings appear to come to life, killing anyone close to him.

This had extremely purple prose. This was the highlight of the book for me. Drews reached into my rib cage, rummaged around, and squeezed my heart.

right now he was the glorious fairy-tale prince come to save them all, while Andrew was nothing more than a thing made of skeleton leaves needing to be cupped between safe hands before he blew away.

This also had great ace representation with conversations about the importance of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as portrayals of anxiety.

What brought the rating down were the many glaring plot holes. Why didn’t Thomas and Andrew tell anyone? They had photographic evidence and deleted it.
Also, the authorities blaming deaths and the forest invading the school building on collapsing infrastructure seemed too contrived and nonsensical.

I also did not like the way Andrew’s refusal to eat and loss of weight was handled. I know this was due to his anxiety, but it felt deathly romanticised and not enough care was taken to address this, despite others noticing this.

This book was dark and I am on the fence about it being marketed as Young Adult. It is definitely in the upper range.

I am very conflicted. The prose was five stars. The plot discrepancies; predictable, easy twists, and ambiguous open ending brought this down.

Andrew hated the way his brain did this. Destroyed beau tiful things. It was like he couldn't just hold a flower; he had to crush the petals in his fist until his hand was stained with mur dered color.

Thank you to Hatchette Children for sending me the gorgeous physical arc in exchange for a review!

Bookstagram

[Alina ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

☆☆☆☆☆

I don’t usually read YA anymore, like, at all, but Don’t Let the Forest In completely took me by surprise. This book was more than worth it. Andrew and Thomas are both deeply flawed and painfully human, and yet so compelling in their own ways. Their personalities clash and complement each other beautifully, and I couldn’t help but get completely invested in them.

I also need to underline just how gay this book is and I loved every second of it. The yearning alone deserves its own star. This was yearning on another level; I felt it in every fibre of my being. The emotional intensity builds so naturally, and the line I’m in ruins for you absolutely destroyed me in the best way. Deeply romantic, deeply devastating.

C.G. Drews’ writing style is gorgeous, very lyrical, almost poetic, and it pairs perfectly with the vivid descriptions throughout the book. Some of them are quite gory, in my opinion, but that only added to the oppressive, eerie atmosphere and made the story feel even more immersive. The fairytale elements mixed with macabre imagery, action, and romance work incredibly well together.

If you enjoy action-packed stories with dark fairytale vibes, intense yearning, romance, and unsettling scenes, this book will absolutely be for you. If you loved this, I’d also highly recommend The Honeys by Ryan La Sala.

[Drusilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

...
...
well
...
um
...
fuck me sideways
God, I don't know how to describe it.
Reading this hurt. I felt sick the whole time.
I am infinitely grateful that it is over.
But I am also happy that I read it.
Happy is probably the wrong word.
I'm even afraid to go through my highlights and find useful quotes.

A note from the author at the end:
I suggest not going near any trees for a while and keeping a tight hold of your eyes.

So funny, I'm laughing myself to death. I really enjoy walking in the woods, just as an anecdote. Let's see when I'll do that again, or if I'd rather just stay in the city.

The whole story is creepy and disturbing.
The love it tells of is horribly beautiful.
That's all I have.

“I like how you are. There’s an entire world of ink and magic stuffed inside your head, and I think it’s beautiful. I just wish everything didn’t hurt you so much.”
There was an explosion happening in Andrew’s chest, a thousand flowered vines growing around his heart. 🖤🌹🖤

If the trees belonged to Thomas, midnight was in love with Andrew. It made him braver somehow, invisible, hiding his delicate edges and leaving behind a lean and hungry shadow. In the dark, no one could see his hollow and empty places. Instead he looked like he could have teeth. 🖤🌹🖤

He was losing it.
He needed Thomas, needed their lungs sewn inside each other so he could remember how to breathe. He needed to take words from Thomas’s mouth and put them in his own so he had something to say. 🖤🌹🖤

[romi · Rating 5 out of 5]

⋮ ⌗ ┆ EASY 5 STARS ⊹

"you could cut me open and devour everything that i am. i would let you. i'd ask you to."

oh gosh, where do i even start?
words would fail miserably if they attempted to describe how much i adored his book. i related to thomas so much (should i be concerned?) and i love him with all my heart. as for andrew, i hate how everyone viewed him as fragile and vulnerable because as thomas said:

"he could cut me to bloody pieces if he wanted"

screw bryce and clemens, they deserved EVERYTHING that happened to them. i did question whether i was hallucinating at certain parts of the story but i guess that’s the effect the book is supposed to have. the ending was hauntingly beautiful so don’t expect me to move on from it anytime soon.

if you haven't read this book, GO. READ. IT. NOW.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

˖𓍢ִ໋ post-read⋆∘ᰋ
WHO WAS I BEFORE READING THIS MASTERPIECE?

ᨒ↟ 𖠰𖥧˚ pre-read ⊹ ࣪ ⑅
i know this book is gonna wreck me, but oh well, the heart wants what it wants

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title/Author: Don't Let the Forest In by C G Drews

Page Count: 336 pages

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Format: Audiobook

Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: Debut. I have followed the author's bookstagram account for years: @paperfury

Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978125089...

Release Date: October 29th, 2024

General Genre: Teens & YA Fiction, gothic, dark academia, horror + dark fantasy

Sub-Genre/Themes: Queer identities, young people, relationships, twins, family drama, friendships, disordered eating, murder mystery, high school, bullies, a dangerous forest, asexuality, gay romance, fairytales, writers, artists, monsters

Writing Style: Richly detailed, atmospheric, character-driven, emotionally intense, psychological, romantic

What You Need to Know: "High school senior Andrew must help his best friend Thomas when Thomas' macabre drawings come to life, killing anyone close to him, and battling monsters each night, Andrew begins to fear the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator." --NoveList Plus

My Reading Experience: I've read about a dozen YA Horror novels now and I think I have cracked the basic formula, which helps to set proper expectations. YA books prioritize representation. You will spend a lot of time in the minds of the main characters, usually with multiple POVs. The MCs struggle with the same issues the intended audience struggles with--identity, belonging, relationships (with their peers and caregivers/authority), challenges, disabilities, things that make them different, etc. Everything else--the plot/conflict support the goal of prioritizing the character arcs--how the young people grow & change as a result of the circumstance presented to them over the course of the story. Knowing this will support a healthy relationship with YA books, should you choose to discover the benefits of reading it.

Don't Let the Forest In is one of the best YA books I've read (audiobook). The storytelling style is immediately immersive. The "Dark Academia" and "Rottagecore" aesthetics surround the reader, creating a rich...almost decadent atmosphere of a lush, modern, fairytale fantasy. Andrew and Thomas are easy to fall in love with and emotionally invest in their relationship. As the story develops and the various conflicts are introduced, the risk level rises to a fever pitch--I didn't want anything bad to happen to my precious, fragile & broken boys. I really wish books like this were available when I was in junior high and high school. The themes of identity, sexuality/relationships and bullying are so helpful in fostering a safe place for young people to explore serious issues they face on a daily basis. It's really so invaluable.

I think there are 3 strong vibes in this book, the Dark Academia, Forest Rottagecore, and the Fairytale Romance/Monsters--of the three, the Dark Academia grounded in reality was the most dynamic and the chapters that rang the truest--real issues young people face and the secrets people keep--the relationship struggles and real world problems. The fantasy/fairytale world building and battles were not as compelling and felt, almost like a distraction from essential plot developments or maybe even symbolic? I didn't like the monster scenes as much--anyhoo, just a small, teensy complaint in an otherwise perfect experience.

Final Recommendation: I bought this book for my niece for Christmas last year and I was going to buddy read it with her but she binged it one day before I even got the book! She absolutely loved it. Due to the popularity, it took ages to finally get my hands on the library audiobook. I listened to this every day on my walks for a few days and enjoyed every minute. I fully understand the appeal for young people and as an older reader, I appreciate the quality of writing; the immersive setting, compelling character-development, and the imaginative fairytale story of two boys fighting the world and their deep feelings for one another. I'm excited to read Hazelthorn with my niece and try C G Drews' adult book, You Did Nothing Wrong coming March 2026

Comps: If you love "horromantasy" the way I do, like Salt & Broom, The Starling House, and The Hacienda--you'll love this book

This was the perfect book to end Pride Month :) Loved it