Hazelthorn
AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
CG Drews, instant New York Times-bestselling author of Don't Let the Forest In, returns with another deeply unsettling and yet hauntingly beautiful tale of murder and botanical body horror, perfect for fans of Andrew Joseph White, Annihilation, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
Evander has lived like a ghost in the forgotten corners of the Hazelthorn estate ever since he was taken in by his reclusive billionaire guardian, Byron Lennox-Hall, when he was a child. For his safety, Evander has been given three ironclad rules to follow:
He can never leave the estate. He can never go into the gardens. And most importantly, he can never again be left alone with Byron's charming, underachieving grandson, Laurie.
That last rule has been in place ever since Laurie tried to kill Evander seven years ago, and yet somehow Evander is still obsessed with him.
When Byron suddenly dies, Evander inherits Hazelthorn’s immense gothic mansion and acres of sprawling grounds, along with the entirety of the Lennox-Hall family's vast wealth. But Evander's sure his guardian was murdered, and Laurie may be the only one who can help him find the killer before they come for Evander next.
Perhaps even more concerning is how the overgrown garden is refusing to stay behind its walls, slipping its vines and spores deeper into the house with each passing day. As the family’s dark secrets unravel alongside the growing horror of their terribly alive, bloodthirsty garden, Evander needs to find out what he’s really inheriting before the garden demands to be fed once more.
Also by CG Drews
Don't Let the Forest In
Scorpion Deep
- Pages
- 358
- First published
- October 28, 2025
- Edition
- Ebook
Shelved by 12 Litcadians
Reviews
Finished November 27, 2025
Evander takes an automatic step away, because things like this are not for him—the outdoors and sunlight and hot summer days. He is an autumn leaf, meant to be pressed between the pages of an old book and forgotten. ~ He is Icarus with wings of swan feathers, who chose to fly into the sun because it looked like a pretty boy. ~ “There is nothing else to me but the hollow spaces I’ve carved out for you. I knew I’d cut myself to pieces on you if we ever had the chance to touch, but I wanted to.” His voice unravels, massacred on yearning. “Let me ruin myself on you.” ~ I was nervous that this wouldn’t live up the hype of Don’t let the forest in because I absolutely devoured that book and thought about it for weeks after. But somehow this is even better. I devoured this one as well and read it all in one sitting. As I probably will with every single one of C.G. Drew’s books. The imagery the writing evokes is just so good I can’t put it down or get enough. I don’t even know what to say other than I am obsessed. A dark gothic botanical body horror (but make it gay) which is quickly becoming one of my favourite niche genres of stories. I just know I will be thinking about this for days on end.
Finished June 6, 2026
*✨ 3 stars ✨* Pre-read thoughts: I LOVED Don't Let the Forest In, let's see how this goes. *Evander has spent most of his life hidden away at Hazelthorn Estate under three strict rules: never leave the estate, never go into the gardens, and never be alone with Laurie—the grandson who tried to kill him years ago. Which would be easier if Evander wasn't still completely obsessed with him. After his guardian suddenly dies, Evander unexpectedly inherits the massive estate and fortune, but he’s convinced there’s something darker going on. As family secrets start unraveling and the strange, living garden begins creeping beyond its walls, Evander and Laurie are forced together to uncover the truth before the estate claims its next victim.* C.G. Drews definitely knows how to create an atmosphere—there’s no doubt about that. I always love the worlds and feelings they build, and that was true here too. The setting had this eerie, gothic quality that immediately pulled me in and made me want to keep reading. Unfortunately, I found the story itself lacking a bit when it came to both the relationship and the overall direction of the plot. I really loved where the story seemed like it was heading, especially with the horror elements. The lore behind everything was genuinely interesting and hooked me at certain points. Every time those aspects came back into focus, I was fully invested and wanted more. But then it felt like those moments disappeared almost as quickly as they appeared, and I kept wanting the story to dive deeper into them. I also found it hard to follow at times and, honestly, I was a little bored through a good portion of it. It felt like reading melodramatic teenage ramblings at points. Like yes, their feelings are valid, but everything felt scattered and emotionally all over the place. The best way I can explain it is that it felt like sitting in on a very intense conversation where you just want to say, "Okay... I hear you, your feelings matter, but work this out and come back when you're ready." That was kind of my reading experience. I'm definitely not giving up on C.G. Drews though. Not every book by an author is going to be a hit for me, and I still think their writing style and ability to create atmosphere is really impressive. [Find my reviews on Bookstagram🫶🏻](https://www.instagram.com/literarily_laurynn?igsh=aTh6eTZ6dGwxMXpy&utm_source=qr)
Finished February 8, 2026
4.25 stars I would rate this higher but for the first 30-40%, I wasn't fully convinced this book was for me. HOWEVER, I am so glad I continued because what did I just read? How can something so violent and monstrous be so beautiful? I'm honestly flawed by this author's writing because it feels like every word was carefully thought out and created a masterpiece. I must read everything else by this author now.
Started December 25, 2025 · Finished December 26, 2025
Finished January 23, 2026
Oh my goodness Second read update: I adore this book so much, Laurie and Evander are so intriguing and I love their dynamic