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Don't Let The Forest In by Cg Drews

As alluring as it is unsettling, award-winning author CG Drews' debut YA psychological horror will leave readers breathless and hesitant to venture deeper into the woods. 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...

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Children, #1)

Every Heart a Doorway is cold, strange, dark, beautiful, and deathly. If this is the start I can’t wait to see what the series goes on to be. I loved every second, I have the feeling that I've glimpsed my door, or one close enough that leaving it aches. 

The characters are vibrant and unique, and the premise of the worlds gives language to describe the variety in a general way even if we didn't learn every possible combination in this, the first book. It deftly handles what could have been a lot of heavy explanation with just enough to be a guidepost, a scaffold for future books. There’s a great balance between explaining the rules of the world, or at least the guidelines, while offering a taste of the myriad other places future stories might go. I love the plot, the writing, just all of it. The setting evokes the feeling of many of the weird and wonderful books I’ve loved before, but it stands on its own without relying on me to be nostalgic for other stories. Seanan’s writing consistently speaks to something in me, I’ve barely finished this world and I miss it already. 

CW for murder, dismemberment, gore, major character death. 

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A wooden door stands halfway open in the middle of a sunlit forest

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