I was wondering why I hadn't heard of this book until I saw it as part of LTER, as it's published by Quill Tree, and it's by an author I know. I think I know why now.... it's not great. It's kind of a confusing mesh of elements that don't quite work as a mystery or a horror book, and it wasn't a satisfying read for me unfortunately

Given a second chance after a deadly fire, Douglas and his nurse mother are given a spot at exclusive Regent Academy. As a Black student, he feels an island in this wealthy, white environment. Add the vibes and voices he hears from the forest, and things get really weird. Douglas discovers the death of students and then they seem to be erased from everyone's memories. But he finds he is useful to the Headmaster and is soon enlisted to try to break the curse tying several families to the town for generations.
A dark, survival story. Strong fantasy and magic elements and a strong connection and budding romance between Douglas and Everett. ( )

**reviewed from free copy -- LibraryThing Early Reviewers**

teen fiction -suspense/horror - gay Black scholarship student who sleepwalks and who may or may not have accidentally set a fire that killed a dozen people leaves Washington, DC with his widowed mom (a nurse) and moves to a (mostly white) prestigious but secretive Vermont private high school where the nearby forest speaks to him of coming perils and (probably) imminent death. CW/TW: homophobic slurs, trauma from a deadly fire, scary violent creatures and several violent deaths.

This book has everything -- a lot of suspenseful mystery, a lot of dangerous monsters, a creepy atmospheric setting, a sweet gay romance, a hint of interdimensional possibilities (don't worry, not too much), a lot of heart. I liked the ending even though some of the pieces of the magical world didn't quite make sense (just suspend disbelief a bit and it's fine), and I enjoyed seeing a Black queer character in a story that didn't totally evolve around his Blackness or queerness (and there were no murderous chimpanzees here, just violent Perversion creatures that aren't likely to give me nightmares).

More, please! ( )

The Forest Demands Its Due is everything I wanted in an eerie forest story. 10/10 on the horror elements. Both the gore and creepy atmosphere are perfectly executed.

If the rest of the book delivered like the spooky forest, this book could have been amazing. The romance fell flat for me. It just seemed very superficial and awkward, but that could be because it is YA.

The other thing that threw it for me was the magic system. It didn't feel fleshed out and really just served as a plot convenience when things got hard.

I recommend this book if you're looking for well-executed nature horror.

Thank you, Quill Tree Books and LibraryThing, for a copy of this book!

Read more reviews at www.kristinmockbooks.com/blog ( )

After a tragic fire kills the families in Douglas Jones' apartment complex, he is charged with murder. Luckily, a good lawyer takes his case and offers Douglas and his mom a chance to start fresh at Regent Academy in Winslow, Vermont. With an offer that seemed too good to be true, Douglas becomes the only black student at Regent. Upon arrival, Douglas is warned not to go into the Atolas forest bordering the school, but that is difficult for Douglas since the forest seems to be speaking to him since he arrived. After a student wanders into the forest and dies, everyone at the school forgets the student except for Douglas and Everett Everley, the son of the school groundskeeper. Douglas soon learns of a curse upon the town of Winslow and the descendants of the families that participated in a cruel act 300 years ago, an ancient vengeful god and the magic in the forest. Douglas' abilities mean he is able to break the curse, but as Douglas learns more about the god, Etaliein and his story, Douglas doesn't believe that killing him is the answer anymore.
The Forest Demands Its Due is an immersive Young Adult horror with an intriguing mystery and wonderful characters. I was pulled in from the beginning with Douglas hearing the forest and seeing a classmate injured in the forest only to have everyone forget about him the next day. The writing engrossed me in the small town of Winslow, Vermont with the foreboding Atolas forest and formidable Regent Academy. Douglass doesn't exactly fit in to Winslow, his past, his race and his lifestyle are all different, but the forest seems to reach out to him. I was really interested in the history of Winslow, the god of the forest, Etaliein and how the curse began. As Douglas digs for answers, the mystery of the forest unravels, but I do wish there was more context and we could know Etalein before tragedy struck. I enjoyed seeing Douglas and Everett's relationship grow as they went into the forest together. The magic of the forest was captivating along with the Perversions and Emissaries, the creatures that protected the forest. I loved that Douglas was able to help end the curse in his own unique way that shows that love can overcome.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )