CG Drews, acclaimed 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 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.

Some authors just get under your skin, and CG Drews is definitely one of them. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. I don’t know what secret Gothic pact they’ve made, but their books capture that classic, misty, heart-wrenching Gothic vibe so well that I keep forgetting they’re shelved as YA. They don’t feel YA. They feel lush and haunted and emotionally loaded in a way that reminds me of old-school Gothic adult horror.

I read Don’t Let the Forest In last year and it absolutely floored me. It was eerie and tender and devastating all at once. So when I got my hands on a copy of Hazelthorn, my expectations were sky high. And honestly? It delivered. I loved every page of this strange, unsettling, vine-choked world.

The story centers on Evander, who has grown up hidden inside the sprawling Hazelthorn estate. He’s been raised by Byron Lennox-Hall, a billionaire recluse who, after his death, hands down three strict rules to Evander through his will: never leave the estate, never enter the gardens, and never be left alone with Laurie, the grandson who once tried to kill him. So, you know, totally normal household.

From the first chapter, Drews gives the whole place this foggy, claustrophobic feeling that wraps around you like one of the poisonous plants in the garden. Evander is beyond compelling. He feels fragile on the surface but has this undercurrent of stubborn strength that makes you root for him. He’s lonely and starved for affection, which only intensifies his weird, magnetic obsession with Laurie. Their dynamic is strangely intimate, tense, and messy in a way that works beautifully within the Gothic setting.

When Byron dies and leaves everything to Evander, the story shifts into full Gothic unraveling mode. Suddenly Evander is the heir to a mansion full of secrets, a family full of grudges, and a garden full of secrets and hunger. Drews writes the garden almost like a character, something alive and growing and watching. I could practically smell the rot and earth and hear the soft rustle of leaves where no wind should be.

And then there’s Laurie. Charming, dangerous Laurie. The rule about avoiding him exists for a reason, and yet Evander can’t stay away. Their dynamic is this perfect storm of longing, guilt, fear, and attraction. It’s Gothic romance energy without ever leaning into melodrama. Drews keeps it sharp and emotionally grounded, which makes it even more compelling.

The mystery element also works well. Evander believes Byron was murdered, and Laurie becomes the one person who might help him uncover the truth. The investigation is tangled up with their shared past, their resentment, their chemistry, and their trauma. Not to mention the family members who are obviously pissed that this weird orphan dude inherited everything. Every reveal feels like peeling back another layer of wallpaper, only to find something worse underneath.

What impressed me most, though, is how Drews balances the horror with genuine emotional depth. There’s a lot of tenderness tucked between all the bloodthirsty foliage and family secrets. It’s the kind of horror that makes your heart hurt just as much as your skin crawl. That combo is rare, and Drews nails it.

This book reaffirmed for me that people avoiding it because it’s YA are missing out big time. It reads more like contemporary Gothic literature than anything traditionally YA. The prose is gorgeous, the characters have real layers, and the horror is not dialed down for teen audiences. You get the full experience: dread, romance, obsession, grief, and a garden that absolutely should not be rustling like that.

This book is eerie, emotional, and beautifully crafted. If you want Gothic horror that feels both classic and fresh, this is one to add to your list. I would also recommend Don’t Let the Forest In. It’s just as creepy, heartbreaking and atmospheric.

As an aside, I have an ARC of Drews’s upcoming adult novel You Did Nothing Wrong (out in 2026). I can’t wait to dive into it. Stay tuned for that review coming in the first quarter of 2026.

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