Don't Let the Forest In

By: CG Drews

Narrated by: Michael Crouch

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.

©2024 CG Drews (P)2024 Recorded Books

Gorgeous and Haunting

I could not put this book down. The prose and narrative took me to a place of angst and longing. The characters will stay with me for a long time.

This is the most beautiful book I’ve ever read but I hate you

Literally crying throwing up right now why did you do this to me nothing will fill this void.

Beautifully written

The details in the monsters were insane. I felt like they were right next to me.

TW: Emotional Damage

This story captivated me and spun me around on a journey full of friendship and horror. Layers upon layers of the unexpected unfolded. Each chapter kept me invested in what was happening with Andrew and Thomas.

I never could have guessed what was really going on.

Andrew and Thomas are highly emotional characters, and as the conclusion drew near, they weren’t the only ones.

Kept me questioning reality in a good way

Honestly the author's way of writing something so dark and making it beautiful was top-notch.