Hello, everyone! It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve written a book review. So, I’m happy to be jumping back into reviewing with my thoughts on DON’T LET THE FOREST IN by CG Drews. I actually finished reading this one a while ago and am going to do my best to remember all of the stuff I wanted to say about it…

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…

***Thank you to Feiwel & Friends for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

I was immediately intrigued by Don’t Let the Forest In and never wanted to put it down. From the beginning, I could tell something wasn’t quite right with the main character, Andrew. The mystery of it sucked me in, and the delightfully grotesque monsters were the icing on the cake. The premise of the monsters coming to life from the art of the characters was really interesting. I appreciated how well it was executed.

The relationship of Andrew and Thomas in Don’t Let the Forest In was obsessive to the extreme. They were the textbook definition of codependency, and I completely ate up the mutual pining between the two of them. Andrew experienced a lot of anxiety, and following his character felt like slowly descending deeper and deeper into madness. He was also asexual, and I liked that the author took time to include information about it. I just wish it had been explored a bit more. I also wanted Thomas to be a little more fleshed out, especially considering how much Andrew obsessed over him.

The plot of Don’t Let the Forest In was interesting and kept me on my toes. I do wish some elements, such as the fate of Thomas’s parents, had more of a concrete resolution, though. I really liked how the story explored the expression of pain and trauma through art and creative endeavors. It was really inventive and smart. I don’t want to say anything else about the plot/themes because I want to avoid spoiling anything. Just know that I enjoyed it overall even if I was hoping for stronger dark academia vibes.

Overall, Don’t Let the Forest In was a great read that I never wanted to put down. If you are looking for a best friends to lovers story that has lots of mutual pining, this might be the book for you as long as you don’t mind some monsters along with it. The premise was unique and kept me engaged even in the slower moments. Therefore, I rate Don’t Let the Forest In 4.5 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My long overdue thoughts on Don’t Let the Forest In. Have you read it? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!