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Don't Let the Forest In by CG Drews Published by Feiwel & Friends on October 29, 2024 Genres:Horror, YA Fantasy, Romance, LGBT Pages: 336 Format: Hardback Source: Purchased
Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him. Kill for him. High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales 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...
Wow...The cover drew me in, the synopsis solidified my purchase, and for the last 2 months I have patiently waited for this beauty to arrive. When it finally did, I tossed all other books to the side so I could devote all my time and effort to it, and boy oh boy was it worth it!
Don't Let the Forest In is a psychological horror that follows Andrew as he embarks on his senior year at Wickwood Academy while navigating difficult classes, his sexuality, a homophobic bully, a distant twin sister, and his feelings for his best friend Thomas, all while trying to figure out how stop the monsters that are invading the school each night. By the end of the book, you won't be sure what is real and what isn't. While I guessed the major twist early on, nothing prepared me for the ending. I slowly closed the book and just stared at my bed for a good 10 minutes before shaking my head and saying, "What the fuck just happened?!" Days later I am still reeling! Drews does an amazing job giving you just enough information to leave you guessing right to the very end without you feeling completely out of the loop.
The overall story was fast-paced and the world-building was dark, tragic, and at times completely horrifying. Drews does a fantastic job describing the horrors of the forest, so much so I could almost smell the forest around me as it crept into the school and into the boys to wreak havoc on those within.
"When something moved in the dark, everyone’s first instinct was to go inside and hide under the covers. As if monsters couldn’t open doors and crawl into bed with you."
Something certainly crept into my room each night, filling my dreams with forests, thorns, princes, and dark crowns. Drews's writing is so poetic it almost hurts. I found myself rereading passages simply because they were so beautifully written. Nothing gets me quite like flowery language that describes situations, objects, emotions, and scenery in ways other words could not.
Apart from the twists and turns, the characters are all so beautifully written and so full of dimension, especially Andrew and Thomas. Watching their relationship blossom was delightful. As their final year of school slowly advances, Andrew wrestles with his sexuality, coming to terms with the fact that he is ace. His feelings and representation felt genuine and informed many of Andrew's frustrating behaviors and his strained relationship with Thomas, who is bisexual.
"They were beautiful together; they were magic and monstrous, and they had created a whole vengeful world between them."
And beautiful they shall remain...Andrew's slow descent into madness mirrors the absolute chaos happening around him, making the reader further question what is real and what is not. My only disappointment with the book is we didn't get more monsters and more of Andrew's dark and twisted tales.
While I may not come back to Don't Let the Forest anytime soon, it will be one I continue to think about and recommend to anyone interested in the macabre. It was lush, evocative, and absolutely tragic in all the best ways. I can't wait to read her upcoming books, which are set to be released at the end of next year!
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A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney Published by Alcove Press on October 8, 2024 Genres:Fantasy, Romance Pages: 304 Format: Hardback Source: Purchased
Content Warnings: Death of a Parent, Suicide, Blood, Injury, Sexual Harassment, Grief Rating:
Hecate Goodwin, Kate to her friends, has curated the perfect life as a hedge witch, living in a secluded cottage with only a black cat for company. She spends her days foraging herbs from the Ipswich forest, gardening, and creating tinctures to sell at the apothecary she owns. Most evenings pass without her speaking to another human being, an arrangement she quite prefers. Kate’s solitude is thrown into disarray when her older sister, Miranda, reaches out and asks her to host their coven’s annual Halloween gathering. The day marks the beginning of the new year for witches and is also Kate’s birthday. The pressure from her coven to make the evening memorable mounts as the event draws near. To complicate things further, a handsome man from Kate’s past turns up at her cottage, asking for sanctuary. It is Kate’s duty as a hedge witch to honor this request, much to her dismay. Matthew Cypher is no ordinary lost soul–he’s a practitioner of forbidden magic who’s tricked Kate once before, and her guard is up. As she juggles Matthew’s arrival and the preparations for Halloween, Kate comes across an old tome shrouded in dark magic. She is horrified when she realizes the blood-red inscription is written in familiar handwriting: her recently deceased mother’s. Afraid to even touch the dark magic her mother secretly studied, Kate can turn only to Matthew for help. Her idealized memory of her mother begins to distort, and as she and Matthew grow closer, Kate has to reevaluate whom she can really trust.
A Dark and Secret Magic was the perfect read for the month of October. Full of witches, pumpkin carving, dark magic, and a cozy cottage complete with a cat, I couldn't put this book down! I absolutely devoured it, even staying up late on a work night to finish it.
A Dark and Secret Magic is a debut adult fantasy novel that follows Kate, the first hedge witch in several generations, as she navigates the loss of her mother, her role in her coven, and the return of a years-old crush and practitioner of dark magic, Matthew Cypher. It was so refreshing to have a 30-something-year-old witch to read about, as I too am a 30-something-year-old witch, and we just so happen to both be hedge witches. It's clear Kinney did her research prior to writing this book or is a practitioner herself. While there are many fantastical elements to this story, there is a lot rooted in modern witchcraft, especially her description of what a hedge witchdoes and their role in society. I use society lightly here because many believe witches do not exist or that the work we do is inconsequential. Thankfully it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, as long as the task is complete, which is exactly how Kate approaches her day-to-day life. Part of the work of a hedge witch is to act as a psychopomp, a ferrier of souls, commune with the dead, and otherwise cross over into the Otherworld for various reasons. Veil crossing, also known as hedge crossing, is a central practice of a hedge witch, and I loved that Kinney included this in her novel through the use of shadow stepping or shadow walking. Kate has been denied central aspects of her power in an attempt to protect her, which completely backfires, leaving Kate and Matthew woefully unprepared for the dangers that lurk in the shadows.
All of the other witchy aspects of this book were beautifully done as well, from the Dumb Supper, or spell casting with intention, to the spell ingredients used. Kinney even includes a handful of recipes in the back with some witchy tips to boot! I am super excited to try her hot chocolate recipe when it gets a wee bit cooler here as recent temperatures have been in the upper 70s for several days, even this far into November. Despite this, I was compelled to carve two pumpkins after finishing as I was so smitten with the pumpkin carving contest and other festivities of the fall festival.
Apart from the magical elements, which I appreciated and adored, the overall story was sweet and alluring albeit sometimes slow, taking on a Hades and Persephone-like retelling in many aspects. The pacing seems off at times, with events happening rather quickly while others dragged needlessly. There were parts that could have been cut or otherwise glossed over as they really didn't add much to the story, while other parts should have received more attention to better flesh out the main plot. I too get distracted by side quests, but the main story deserved a little more attention at times. This didn't take away from my overall enjoyment, as it made me fall in love with the lead characters even more, allowing the reader an opportunity to see how they live "day-to-day" sort of speak.
My favorite part, however, was Matthew Cypher. My fiancé accused me of wanting to run off with a fictional man and he isn't wrong. Matthew is clearly a man written by a woman, as he checks off every. single. box. I mean even one. Tall, dark, handsome, mysterious, and deeply, deeply devoted to the safety and well-being of Kate. It's obvious from the moment he arrives that he loves Kate with a fierceness rarely shown by men today. Not to give too much away, but the man carves Kate's cottage into a pumpkin as his contest entry and names it "Home." Hello?! Take me now. The lengths this man goes to, despite everyone's doubts and accusations, are representative of his love. He is a beautifully written male character who uplifts and supports our heroine, instead of overshadowing her. While Kate may need help, Matthew consistently reminds her that she is the powerful one and capable of doing extraordinary things. Gotta love a man who supports and uplifts women!
Overall, this book was a win for me, and I encourage anyone interested in some cozy, autumnal, adult fantasy to pick up A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney. It's the perfect pairing for a gray autumn day, a cozy blanket, and a warm cup of hot chocolate.
