Hazelthorn by C.G. Drews
- booksandspreadshee
- Oct 31
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 19
Title: Hazelthorn
Author: C.G. Drews
Publication Date: October 28th, 2025
🦋Young Adult Gothic Horror Fantasy
🦋Bisexual MMC Rep
🦋Autistic MMC Rep
🦋Botanical Body Horror
🦋Murder Mystery
🦋Crumbling Mansion + Overgrown Garden
Content Warnings:
Blood
Gore
Child Abuse
Medical Abuse
Ableism
Eating Disorders
Murder
Body Horror
QBS Rating
Book Description:
"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."
QBS Review:
Hazelthorn took my breath away and wouldn't give it back until the very last sentence.
Evander is a boy who has not been given the opportunity to know himself, as his billionaire guardian has no choice but to keep Evander safe in the walls of Hazelthorn. One day the lock to Evander's room is unlocked, leading him to once again lay eyes on Laurie, the boy he once loved but now must hate. When Laurie's grandfather is soon murdered, neither Laurie nor Evander are prepared for the entirety of the Lennox-Hall fortune to be left to Evander.
Determined to find out who killed his guardian, Evander goes on a journey of self-discovery, unlocking the many secrets of the Hazelthorn Estate and the Lennox-Hall family along the way. The most important secret of them all perhaps lies in uncovering why the estate's gardens are so alive, so hungry, and so dangerous to Evander himself.
This story was hauntingly beautiful. It was horrific, it was sad, and it was painful. But within it also lies a delicate love story for those who find it impossible to imagine that someone could ever love them or that they could ever even learn to love themselves.
Evander wants to badly to be normal, to be liked, to be useful. Yet, he also yearns to discover what it is that he truly wants and who he truly is. He must wrestle with the idea that what he wants and who he is may not allow him to be normal, to be liked, to be useful. While Evander's story is set in a horrific and mysterious environment, can't we all relate to the forced reconciling of these two, often contradictory, desires that arise as we come of age?
This is the book for you if....
🦋You are a fan of gothic horror! I started it when I was yearning for a gothic world to dive into and it checks all of the boxes.
🦋You are a fan of botanical horror! I recently have been devouring botanical horror and sci-fi and this one does it so well. I have so much I would like to say about this, but I don't want to spoil anything. But just know that Drews knew what they were doing when it comes to bringing a garden to life.
🦋You are a fan of revenge stories! Think along the lines of you can't continually use and abuse the earth without the earth eventually fighting back.
🦋You are a fan of dark queer romances! While this book doesn't spend too much dedicated time to what you would typically find in a romance novel, the queer love story that exists here is interwoven throughout and is beautifully done.
🦋And lastly - this one is also for the neurodivergent and the chronically ill! Well at least those of us who enjoy horror. But do mind the content warnings!
Audiobook Thoughts!
I listened to this novel and the narration from Michael Crouch was excellent. Crouch brought the world to life and gave Evander a voice that fit so perfectly with Drews' writing. Audiobooks can make or break how you feel about a novel, but this one will not disappoint. If you are an audiobook listener, add this one to the top of your list!
Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for providing me with an ALC of this beautifully horrific YA horror novel in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
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