Don’t Let the Forest In by C. G. Drews

Thomas, Andrew, and Andrew’s twin sister, Dove, are best friends at Wickwood Academy, but Thomas and Andrew share a special bond—Thomas illustrates the macabre fairy tales Andrew writes. But their senior year begins differently when Dove starts avoiding Andrew and Thomas arrives at school with bloodstains on his shirt, making him a suspect in his parents’ disappearance. One night, Andrew follows Thomas into the woods behind school and discovers his friend fighting the grotesque monsters he sketched for Andrew. As these demonic creatures grow more dangerous and attack the school, Andrew and Thomas must figure out how his terrifying drawings are coming alive, and more importantly, how to stop them from spawning. Drew’s novel is a disturbing and intense masterpiece. Andrew is a tortured soul, struggling with his all-consuming love of Thomas and his belief that he is asexual. His mental fragility and inner torment twist within the gothic atmosphere at Wickwood Academy creating a novel that haunts the mind like the demons haunting Andrew. The fierce monster battles are violent and horrific, but at its core, Don’t Let the Forest In is a heart-wrenching and devastating love story set in a magnificently beautiful nightmare.