Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Hazelthorn by CG Drews. I was obsessed with Drews’ last release, Don’t Let the Forest In, and was so excited to get an early digital copy of their new book. Did Hazelthorn live up to my lofty expectations? Read on to find out!

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.

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

Drews has done it again! Hazelthorn is an absolute masterpiece. The writing in this book was SO GOOD. I loved the author’s use of metaphors and the way they leaned into making the descriptions so unique. There were so many moments that my head wanted to explode just from the brilliance of how Drews used the language to describe something. lol. That takes a lot of skill and talent.

From the first chapter, I was enthralled by the setting and atmosphere in Hazelthorn. A creepy old manor that seems to be slowly rotting and getting infiltrated by a nefarious garden? Sign me up! The plant and body horror in this book were wild. I found myself cringing at many points, and my mouth was gaping in awe at others. I really cannot praise the writing in this book enough for how well it created a place and mood that just swallowed me whole.

One of my other favorite things about Hazelthorn? All of the secrets! The house, the garden, the people… They were all filled with secrets, many of them morbid. I had so much fun trying to piece everything together. If you enjoy mysteries, this story will definitely keep you engaged. Surprisingly, I was actually quite satisfied with how they were all resolved, too, which is rare for me. The ending felt earned and answered all of my questions.

The biggest mystery in Hazelthorn was the main character, Evander. He was a boy who’d lost his past, been abused by his caregivers, and struggled to contain his immense feelings. He just wanted to feel normal but instead was made to feel like a monster by everyone around him. I don’t want to say too much about him because of spoilers, but I adored him and spent the whole novel worried about whether he’d be okay.

The story and imagery in Hazelthorn provided so much great commentary, as well. It delved deeply into the evil of greed and how it can motivate people to do horrible things at the expense of others and the environment. I really appreciated the ‘let them rot’ energy that this book had for the greedy capitalist overlords. lol.

Overall, Hazelthorn was a stunning new novel from CG Drews. The writing was exquisite, and I rarely wanted to put the book down. If you enjoy plant horror, stories about revenge against the rich, or deep dives into the experience of being othered, this is a novel you don’t want to miss. Therefore, I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My thoughts on Hazelthorn by CG Drews. What are you waiting for? Go read it! 🙂