Don't Let the Forest In
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
As alluring as it is unsettling, award-winning author CG Drews' debut YA psychological horror will leave readers breathless and hesitant to venture deeper into the woods.
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...
Also by CG Drews
Hazelthorn
- Pages
- 336
- First published
- October 29, 2024
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ebook
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Reviews
Finished December 8, 2024
the way i immediately reread this the second i finished it 😭 5 stars is not enough
Finished June 25, 2025
The pacing in felt a bit slow at times but that doesn’t take away from the fact that this was a work of art. It was beautifully written and so brilliantly captured the hold that unstable mental health can have on us.
Finished November 3, 2024
I fear i have no idea what happened in this book … But i devoured it Edit: okay i changed my mind this is a 5 star read because it’s not left my mind since i finished
Finished June 25, 2025
*❝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.❞* What I loved: ✿ open-ended for the reader's own interpretation ✿ unreliable narrator ✿ dark and beautifully bizarre writing style ✿ parallels between nature and mental health ✿ queer, ace, and mental health representation ✿ questioned my own state of mind What a masterpiece of a novel and a genius way to have your work live on long after your readers turn the last page. Trigger warnings: Body horror, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Bullying, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Acephobia/Arophobia, Death of parent [✿ Connect with me on instagram ✿](https://www.instagram.com/inkstainedemotions?igsh=aTh6eTZ6dGwxMXpy&utm_source=qr)
Started June 15, 2025 · Finished June 18, 2025
I really loved the writing style of this. There were some parts where I was wowed by how eery and lyrical some of these lines were. I enjoyed the layered story of monsters within monsters and how these MCs work through not just their own, but the ones that they bring into the world. While the pacing felt a little slower than I was in the mood for, the atmosphere made it worth the read. I’d definitely recommend this one to friends who love dark academia and character driven horror with a poetic edge. “Andrew couldn’t hold the shape of this. He stared at the drawing until it blurred, and then he ripped it up and let the pieces scatter like charcoal confetti.” 📚 Reading Between the Vines: 📚 Click Here to Join a Fun Discord Book Club
Started August 3, 2026 · Finished August 3, 2026
Started October 2, 2026 · Finished October 8, 2026
Started January 24, 2026 · Finished February 2, 2026
I never knew I needed a story with botanical horror elements in my life until now. That was actually such a mindfuck, oh my god. There were several times I went "WHAT?!" out loud and had to pause what I was doing to fully register what I'd just read. I LOVED this book.
Started August 9, 2025 · Finished August 10, 2025
Started August 5, 2025 · Finished August 16, 2025
Started August 17, 2025 · Finished August 17, 2025
Finished December 2, 2025 · Read 2 times
I’m absolutely crashing out!! This book was incredible, and the ending? Chefs kiss! I already want to read it again and again. The forest rot elements were so well written and I love the gay panic teen angst elements
Finished March 16, 2025
I’ll just..go…stare at the wall.
Finished August 24, 2025
▸ Did not finish (1)
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