REVIEW: Hazelthorn by CG Drews

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Hachette Children's Group

Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Gothic

Release Date: October 28th 2025

TW: gore, abuse, eating disorders, ableism, murder

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.

But 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. There’s just one caveat: He must choose a new guardian from amongst Laurie's scheming, backstabbing relatives to help manage the estate until he turns eighteen.

Except 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.

After finishing Don’t Let The Forest In over Halloween, I knew I had to get my hands on Drews’ newest novel, so the release day couldn’t have worked out better. This was an absolutely delicious story, and perfect for this time of year. The setting drew me in immediately because there’s nothing I find more enticing than a crumbly old house with mysterious residents. Not to mention an even more mysterious garden. Whilst slow to start with as we get to know our main character and his situation, the story is fittingly paced, with more and more clues unfolding as time moves on.

 

Evander, my sweet boy. I fell completely in love with him. Most of the book leads up to discovering the truth about who Evander is and how he came to be under the care of the unhinged family who owned the house. It was fun to try and makes guesses about him and end up being completely wrong. Though it’s not written on page, we can see from the author acknowledgements that Evander is an autistic-coded character, so I very much related to his struggles of acting a certain way and not understanding it.

 

The complicated and evolving relationship between Evander and Laurie, the boy he’s grown up hating, is a core part of this story. I was living for their interactions, which managed to be tense, funny, and emotional all in one. Finding out the truth about the childhood friendship was such a treat.

• Gothic vibes. The setting for this book is everything and it gives such an intense overall atmosphere.

• Characters to love AND hate. Whilst Evander and Laurie warmed my cold heart, the rest of the characters in this story are a NIGHTMARE. In the best possible way.

• Magical yet bloodthirsty garden. Need I say more?

 

Finishing Halzelthorn had me craving more books with similar vibes so I’m eagerly awaiting whatever C. G. Drews has planned next. This was easily one of the most fascinating stories I’ve been able to read this year.   

Royal Rating: