Hazelthorn Gorgeously gothic queer YA horromance from the NYT bestselling author of Don't Let the Forest In

This book is dark, eerie, beautifully atmospheric and gothic. There's something sso wonderfully twisted about this story, the kind that makes you feel uneasy and fascinated at the same time. I loved the way the tension builds, the emotional depth woven throughout and the sense of mystery that kept me wanting to know more and left me shocked the more twists and answers were given. Hazelthorn is creepy, captivating and just the right amount of unhinged thhat I want in a horror book like this.

CG Drews has done it with their first novel “Don’t Let The Forest In” and now they have done it again with “Hazelthorn”. They know exactly how to write unreliable narrators in a way that you’ll be influenced to believe what they do too. Every plot twist hits so much more due to Drews’ narrators deliberately leading you astray! Just like “Don’t Let The Forest In”, this book characterises itself with its dark, mysterious and twisted atmosphere. Evander is such a unique character that you can’t help but be intrigued by him. He is an example of the inclusivity Drews provides in every novel. Autistic people are severely underrepresented in books and seeing Evander portrayed as such a complex character makes his presence so much more meaningful. I’m stoked for everything CG Drew will write in the future, because I’ll definitely pick every one of them up!!

WAS EIN BUCH!!! Nach "Don't Let the Forest In" konnte ich mir nicht vorstellen, dass CG Drews nochmal so ein schaurig-schönes Meisterwerk vollbringen würde - ich lag komplett falsch. Drews hat sich mit diesem Buch selbst übertroffen, und ich mochte das Setting fast noch mehr als in DLTFI. Der kränkliche Evander lebt, seitdem er denken kann, in der riesigen gothischen Villa Hazelthorn und wird von seinem Vormund stets hinter verschlossenen Türen versorgt - er kennt nichts anderes. Als ein Mord das Anwesen und die geldgierige, geheimnistuerische Familie erschüttert, kommt Evander mehr und mehr gruseligen Ungereimtheiten auf die Spur - über den wild wuchernden, blutrünstigen Garten, über die Abgründe der menschlichen Gier...und über seine eigene Vergangenheit. Ein finsterer, doch zugleich wunderschöner emotionaler Botanical-Horror Roman mit unfassbar schön ausgearbeiteten Charakteren und einer queeren Liebesgeschichte mittendrin, und so poetisch geschrieben, dass man jeden zweiten Satz gleich nochmal lesen möchte. RIESIGE Leseempfehlung!

A boy tries to solve a murder and discovers so much more than he ever thought possible. C. G. Drews is one of the few authors whose books I buy without hesitation. And with this book, they have once again proven that it’s a good idea. Evander and Laurie share an incredibly fascinating and beautiful dynamic, shaped by everything that draws them together and pushes them apart. The way the Author paints pictures with words and make the most disturbing things sound poetic and lovable is a really unique talent they have perfected. I can´t wait for their next Book to be published.

Before I start, I must say that C.G. Drews is a truly gifted author, and I fully intend to read every single thing they will publish because, yes, it’s that good. If there’s one thing new age fantasy has gifted us, it’s botanical horror. For some reason I feel magically drawn to every botanical fantasy I can get my hands on, but Hazelthorn in particular had such a monstrously beautiful feeling to it, that it was honestly hard to shake it off, even after finishing the book. I refuse to elaborate further on the plot, simply because I believe this book should be devoured without any introduction or explanation but if you're up for very unique (flowery) body horror, a murder mystery, friends to enemies to lovers, obsession and copious amounts of gay yearning then look no further for your next read! In my opinion it’s the prime example of a horromance done right. It’s gruesome, tragic and full of pain but instead of trying to be a counter fit to this misery the romance plays right into it, it’s riddled with obsession and hatred, and it is so so satisfying to feel the dislike for each other slowly brittle away into something much softer. “If he could dig fingernails into the sides of Laurie’s face and peel back the mask, he would. He would core him like a pear and throw away the soft, rotted skin until he saw him as he really is: horrible and beautiful and real.” ― C.G. Drews, Hazelthorn