Hello, hello readers!

Do you like the outdoors? I’m convinced nature hates me, but today’s book review brings plant-themed horror to the forefront.

Today’s review is all about Hazelthorn by C.G. Drews.

I’ve heard about C.G. Drews a lot over the years and I was looking for another LGBTQIA+ horror book after a fabulous Pride Month of reads. So when I saw my library had an ebook copy, I just had to read it!

I’ve never read anything by this author before, so let’s see how it went!

Blurb

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.

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. But 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.

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The Review

I loved this plant-themed gothic novel so much!

Evander has lived his life in the confines of a single room at the sprawling Hazelthorn estate, plagued by a bizarre malady. One fateful night, his caretaker passes away. As suspicious relatives of the family arrive, Evander sets out to discover who carried out the deed while fighting his attraction for his caretaker’s grandson Laurie.

Now this is how you mesh genres! I loved how everything intertwined perfectly in this book: the plant-themed horror, the modern gothic vibes, the yearning for Laurie. It was chef’s kiss.

Evander was a lovely enigmatic main character. He has so many complex layers to him,  and I loved learning more about him in each chapter. Laurie was a great character too. He had secrets of his own and his personality was a stark difference to Evander’s. That made all their interactions very interesting and fulfilling.

Mystery does seem to be the central genre, but it’s a very dark fantasy story at its core. At the beginning, I thought the plot may be a little slow for me, but I was proven wrong as the story got more and more riveting, and I just couldn’t put it down. All the stars for this one!

That’s A Wrap!

Well that’s it for this book review. Like what you see? Leave a tip!

Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!

Have a great day!

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