Don’t Let the Forest In by CG Drews (Narrated by Michael Crouch)

Atmospheric Horror with Teeth

5 out of 5 stars

If you’ve ever loved someone so much that you’d rip your own heart out just to let them see the shape they’ve carved into it—this book understands you.

Don’t Let the Forest In is a Gothic, dark academia fever dream of monsters, obsession, and the kind of love that burns you alive while you cling to the flame. It follows high school senior Andrew Perrault, who finds refuge in the twisted fairytales he writes for his best friend, Thomas Rye—a boy with autumn-leaf hair, ink-stained fingers, and secrets buried deep enough to suffocate in. When Thomas’s abusive parents mysteriously vanish and he shows up at school with blood on his sleeve, Andrew becomes desperate to protect him… only to discover that the monsters Thomas draws on paper have come to life.

The writing is lush, lyrical, and steeped in shadow. Drews proves that horror doesn’t have to be just fear—it can be beautiful, poetic, and devastating all at once. The book weaves short, macabre fairytales between chapters, creating a layered atmosphere that’s as eerie as it is enchanting. The romance here isn’t healthy or fluffy—it’s codependent, obsessive, and consuming, and yet you can’t help but root for Andrew and Thomas even as the rest of the world burns around them. Their chemistry is immediate, intense, and tangled with danger.

The monsters in this story are equal parts nightmare fuel and metaphor—ripped straight from Thomas’s imagination, stalking the boys through the forest each night. As they fight these creatures, they’re also battling their own inner demons, guilt, and grief. The underlying mystery surrounding the monsters, Andrew’s mental state, and Thomas’s family unfolds at a deliberate pace. I figured out some of it early, but that’s likely because I read a lot of thrillers—it didn’t lessen the impact one bit.

One of my favorite elements? The asexual representation. Drews handles it with nuance, showing the aching disconnect of wanting to give someone everything while knowing there are pieces of yourself you simply can’t offer. It adds another layer of complexity and heartbreak to Andrew’s character.

The ending? Brutal. Raw. Unflinching. Do not read it in public unless you’re ready to explain why you’re crying to strangers. It’s tragic, messy, and perfect for the story Drews set out to tell.

Audiobook note: Michael Crouch’s narration is flawless. He gives distinct voices to Andrew and Thomas while matching the dark, lyrical tone of the novel. His performance made it easy to sink into the world completely—so much so that I listened to this at the gym and forgot I was even working out.

This book is for fans of atmospheric horror with teeth, for readers who love their dark academia laced with tragedy, and for anyone who wants a love story that refuses to play nice. It’s the kind of story that leaves claw marks on your heart.

Book Description:

High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairy tales 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.

Don't Let the Forest In by CG Drews
Narrator: Michael Crouch
Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
Published by Recorded Books on October 28th 2024
Genres: Horror

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