Don't Let the Forest In by CG Drews | Horror Fiction Review

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Don't Let the Forest In by CG Drews

Released October 2024

Source: Purchased

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I'm not going to lie, this book tested me. I used to live for angst-filled books, the longing, the pining, oh how I LOVED it. I would've given this book every single star in the sky when I was a teen and throughout my 20's too. But now I'm crabby and my patience wears thin quickly for that kind of thing and this book has that kind of thing. A lot of it. The main character is in love with his best friend, and he believes and fears he is in love with his twin sister and oh my dogs the absolute agony of it all. It's a mess and no one bothers to communicate which can be frustrating when you're in the thick of it and as grumpy about this stuff as myself.

However, I thought the writing was quite beautiful in many spots and I never wanted to quit. I was frustrated by the lack of reveals and confusion I felt and probably because of my distracted brain or just because I didn't see what came coming. I hope it all surprises other readers too. All of the things niggling at me for one reason or another came together in the end. It's a heartbreaker and a beautifully told one at that. Recommended for horror fans who don't mind a lot of pining and romance in their stories.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher Plot Synopsis 

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...