📕 Title: Hazelthorn
✏️ Author: CG Drews
📖 Genre: YA Horror
⭐ Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

BOOK BLURB

Since he was a child, Evander has been confined to the massive Hazelthorn estate owned by his billionaire guardian, Byron Lennox-Hall.

When Byron dies, leaving Evander the estate and a massive fortune, Evander suspects foul play and enlists Laurie, Byron’s grandson, to help him investigate.

But Laurie, who once tried to kill Evander, may not be trustworthy, and the estate itself seems to be a suspect as the overgrowing garden begins to encroach into the mansion.


REVIEW

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the digital copy!

Hazelthorn fully embraces botanical horror with its vivid imagery of overgrown plants, body horror, rot, and decay, supported by beautifully poetic prose that made it easy imagining the creepy, gothic estate and the sinister garden beyond. There are truly gruesome descriptions that made me shudder and the entire concept of the garden was captivating in itself.

The mystery of who killed Byron and, moreso, Evander’s search for answers about his own past, was completely enthralling. Even as I picked up on the breadcrumbs while reading, I was still under prepared for the absolute horror of the truth; the payoff was so, so good. Having spent his entire life being shut down and controlled, this is a journey of a queer, autisic boy finally embracing that rage and, ultimately, finding self acceptance.

CG Drews is truly a master of botanical horror, and I’m excited to read their next book.

#Hazelthorn #NetGalley