Description: A YA horror about a reclusive autistic boy who inherits his murdered guardian's estate, including a sentient, carnivorous garden.
Brief description: CG Drews is the New York Times-bestselling author of Don't Let the Forest In, Hazelthorn, A Thousand Perfect Notes, and The Boy Who Steals Houses. CG's work has been translated into over a dozen languages and won the 2020 CBCA Honour Award. Currently living in Australia, CG never sleeps, and is forever buried under a pile of unread books.
Review Quotes:
Praise for Hazelthorn:
A #1 New York Times BestsellerA USA TODAY Bestseller
An ABA Indies Bestseller
A Publishers Weekly Bestseller
A Barnes & Noble Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
★ "Drews' latest starts off as a straightforward whodunit and turns into something that's far more sinister--and delicious. From descriptions of moth-eaten decay to vivid floral imagery, Drews luxuriates in atmospheric prose. ... A uniquely arranged bouquet of terrors, as disturbing as it is beautiful." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ "Deeply unsettling and absolutely perfect for those who understand the vulnerability at the root of every vicious monster." --School Library Journal, starred review
★ "Searingly atmospheric ... Evander, who is neurodivergent, seeks 'normality, ' a goal gorgeously juxtaposed by his fantastically bizarre surroundings, and by the story's 'normal' people intently portrayed as the true monsters. ... This is devourable horror and romance set against a malicious, vine-choked tapestry." --Shelf Awareness, starred review "Viscerally atmospheric and beautifully eerie--Hazelthorn will take root inside you, drag you into its strange, thorny depths, and make you want to stay there forever. I devoured this book." --Pascale Lacelle, New York Times-bestselling author of Curious Tides "A beautifully written, modern-yet-gothic murder mystery full of wretched boys, tangled secrets, and a horrifying sentient garden. Devour it, lest it devour you." --Jamie Pacton, bestselling author of The Absinthe Underground "CG Drews unleashes a gorgeous atmospheric narrative that rots through the boundaries of YA horror and gives the reader a visceral and unsettling tale of murder, mania, loyalty and a garden with much more bite than you would expect. I loved every single second of this haunting book, and the twists absolutely had me screaming. This is the botanical queer horror that readers never knew they needed." --Emily Varga, bestselling author of For She Is Wrath
"In Hazelthorn's darkly gothic gardens, CG Drews conjures up a haunting nightmare dense with botanical horror, and in Evander, a rage-filled boy to root for." --Amy Goldsmith, author of Those We Drown and Predatory Natures
"A lush, gothic tale filled with devastating twists, delicious atmosphere, and toxic family secrets. Drews delivers another obsession-worthy masterpiece in Hazelthorn--one that's as hauntingly beautiful as the eponymous manor." --Kelsea Yu, Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author of It's Only a Game and Bound Feet "Recalling elements of The Secret Garden, Drews (Don't Let the Forest In) deploys crisp prose to spin a gothic psychological thriller rife with brutal twists and gruesome scenes of botanical body horror." --Publishers Weekly
"The strength of the concept, pacing, and atmosphere make it an excellent introduction to the genre--especially as it combines the current popularity of both gothic mysteries and body horror." --Booklist
"Drews delivers an immersive gothic horror story in prose designed to assault the senses and the psyche. The novel explores the all-consuming desire--in this case, literally--for freedom and acceptance in the face of abuse and self loathing. Evander and Laurie's complicated relationship brims with tension as forced proximity brings their repressed vulnerabilities to the surface, providing a solid emotional core and compelling romantic subplot for this dark and cathartic narrative." --The Horn Book
Praise for Don't Let the Forest In:
A New York Times Bestseller
An ABA Indies Bestseller
A Publishers Weekly Bestseller
An Indies Next Selection
A B&N Best Book of 2024
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A Goodreads Choice Award finalist "Drews paints a gruesome narrative with visceral descriptions of monsters and the violence they enact, while with equal vigor, encapsulating the trauma of loss, disordered eating, bullying, and anxiety, all of which is counterbalanced by a gentle touch addressing asexual identity. ... Prepare for the emotional roller coaster of plot twists, unreliable narration, and a divisive conclusion. Sure to please those interested in modern horror mixed with a touch of fairy tale." --Booklist, starred review "Compulsively readable. Don't Let the Forest In lures you into a lush world full of terrifying monsters and codependent boys trying to survive their obsessive art--and each other." --Trang Thanh Tran, New York Times-bestselling author of She Is a Haunting
"CG Drews has crafted a beautiful, horrific novel out of underbrush and ink stains and blood. Perfect for any reader who has looked into the sharp mouths of disturbing fairy tales and found themself entirely at home." --Andrew Joseph White, New York Times-bestselling author of The Spirit Bares Its Teeth and Hell Followed With Us "A bloodied tale of toxic romance and botanical horror, this book will ensnare you like the tendrils of a haunted forest." --Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge and Unholy Terrors "Genuinely creepy ... Lush, angsty, queer horror." --Kirkus Reviews "With a lingering terror that will lurk well after you finish, this psychological horror is packed with monsters of fairytale, folklore and so much more. Good luck not getting hooked (and haunted)." --B&N Reads