Thank you to Netgalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars

Together We Rot is a strange little book, unlike anything I've ever read. The novel follows Wil Greene, who is on a mission to unravel the mystery surrounding her mother's sudden disappearance. In her quest for the truth, she forms an unlikely alliance with her former best friend, Elwood Clarke, who is on the run from his dangerous cult-leading family. In exchange for his safety, Wil is looking for information that links the Clarke family to her mother's disappearance. As the two dive deeper into Elwood's family's past, they uncover dark secrets that have been brewing in the town for years.

For readers seeking an unusual and unique read, look no further than Together We Rot. This novel delivers with its captivating imagery and eerie atmosphere and keeps readers on the edge of their seats with its mysterious plotline. It's worth noting, though, that this book delves into the topics of child abuse and religious trauma/cults, so readers should be aware, as it does get quite detailed.

I will admit, based on the cover, I thought the romance between Wil and Elwood would play a bigger role, however, it is more of a subplot that does not get explored until halfway. This was not a problem for me, though, because I did enjoy the characters (and their budding friendship) separately. I really enjoyed the characters, and how their personalities contrasted.

This breathtaking cover and Gothic/paranormal horror story meets YA romance is a great debut that you shouldn't miss!

The sensitive subjects of parental abuse, grief, alcoholism, corruption, and cultism are blended with paranormal elements and a riveting writing style that easily makes you invest in Will and Elwood's story.

Will is a hot-tempered, stubborn, tough, impulsive, and smart young woman who is not only grieving her missing mother but also the shell of her father, who buried his head in alcohol bottles. She suspects that the Clarke family is responsible for her mother's disappearance. But the Clarke family is the most powerful religious family, the pillar of the community, which is just a facade for a cult-leading family whose closets are filled with skeletons.

Will has already confronted her best friend (maybe more), Elwood, to make a choice between her and his family, but Elwood made the wrong choice, and their friendship ended.

Poor Elwood is a kind, shy, obedient, and sweet boy who has been harassed by his family, seeing things that question his sanity.

As Will keeps stalking the Clarke family to find out what they hide behind closed doors and what they plan during their congregations at church, Elwood realizes that something is happening to him. His family might be involved in something very lethal that could rock the ground beneath him. They might plan something that could ruin his life, and the only ally he can team up with is his estranged best friend/the girl he has had feelings for since they met: Will.

Could they fight against the bloodthirsty townies coming after them? What if there's something in the woods even more life-threatening than the murderous townies?

The ending wrenched my heart. I definitely cried my eyes out! It was good, fair, and well-executed, but it was still somewhat bitter for me!

I enjoyed this debut, and I'm looking forward to reading more works from the author in the near future

Thank you to Skyla Arndt, Penguin Young Readers Group- Viking Young Readers Group, and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review-- all opinions are my own.

First I want to start this review by saying how beautiful the cover is. It is so detailed and intricate and drew my attention immediately. The title is also another point that made me want to read this book. I'm so happy that I received an ARC because I really enjoy a good creepy horror story. Skyla Arndt's writing and motivations for her characters really shine throughout the story in all aspects of writing. The attention to detail in both the way she writes and the descriptions for the cult and their behavior was really interesting, The prose for this book was written very nice as well and added to the atmosphere of the book. I found myself wishing there were more scenes with the cult and that the book was a little bit longer. It was a good length, but I just wanted a little bit more.to read and help develop the plot a little bit more. I really enjoyed reading this and hope to read more from the author in the future. Readers looking for a book that is a good mix of horror, fantasy, and something that keeps you on the edge of your seat should read this.

Thank you to the publisher, Skyla Arndt, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this, I really did. Unfortunately it was a real miss. If you like convoluted plots with no real explanation and insta-love then this is for you. It struck me as very YA, as in meant for the lower end of the YA target audience.

There was real potential here with an evil cult, evil forest (I think?), and friends to lovers. It just missed the mark. There was no depth here and I was honestly pretty bored about 40% of the way through. I wanted to see this through to the end but it was a slog. The best moment was between Elwood and Wil before the end fight.

Thank you Netgalley & Penguin Group for the ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I don’t read much horror, and while this was definitely mild, I found myself very intrigued and on the edge of my seat most of the book. To start, I loved the writing style. So lyrical and descriptive, I felt so immersed in the story. We also have to strong main characters. Wil is stubborn and strong willed, with a tenderness reserved for those she loves. Elwood is soft and shy, with such a big heart. I loved the journey of their relationship. This book was creepy, adventurous, strange, and gothic. Definitely sticks out to me amongst other YA books. Horror/magical realism/a touch of fantasy. Also who doesn’t love a good cult story?? Well deserved 4 stars!!!

Lovely things:
- great MCs & writing style!!!!
- friends to enemies to lovers (<3)
- mystery solving
- creepy vibes
- angst angst angst!
- great side characters !!!!!

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the Penguin Group for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since I first heard about this, I have been eagerly wanting to read it. Honestly, I was first drawn to the cover. It had eerie and ghastly vibes, and I absolutely love it. But then the cults? The mysteries? Best friends to enemies to lovers? A soft boy and a grumpy girl? Golden retriever x black cat? What more could I ask for?

Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt was a compelling debut and a work of art. The writing was breathtaking and it leads you deeper and deeper into their world with just the right pace. The book delivered most of my expectations for sure. However, I felt a lacking part in the cult and its background. To me, it wasn't thoroughly explained how and why there's something alive inside of Elwood. Also, I wanted to find out more of Wil's mother's storyline, like what more she discovered and how she acted bravely until the end. Although I understand that it wasn't much as included since this was Wil and Elwood's story.

But let me tell you that I dove in this book without knowing that the female character was supposed to be unlikable. Wil was reckless, mostly driven by her emotions. It's like she always finds a reason to fight with somebody. Though I did not like how she acted through half of the book, I came to like her for how she is. I admired how she was willing to go far and beyond for her goals and for her mother. She was also able to admit her mistakes and resolve her conflicts with the other characters.

On the other hand, I fell in love with Elwood the first time I met him in the book. He was caring, soft, and all the green flags. He's a softie that must be protected at all costs! But during the falling action, he immediately accepted his fate when not too long before that, he was dawdling in his thoughts about his fear of death. I wanted some kind of interaction between Elwood and the being inside of him so he'll get to the point of acceptance, but I was deprived of that sadly. Perhaps the author was thinking more of self discovery so instead, it led to the haste acceptance.

Overall, I really do love the story and the characters themselves because it had the elements I wanted to vibe with and what I was looking for, but the parts that made it feel lacking persistently gets in the way. Even so, I want to read another Arndt's book and see more of the worlds she'll build!

And so I give this book 4.3 out of 5 ⭐

So so excited to have my own physical copy of this book <33

full disclosure i dnf'd this pretty early on but it was a "it's me not you" issue so i will give it five stars because i think it does what it sets out to do very well. i just was NOT prepared for the level of bugs.

4.75/5 ⭐️

THIS BOOK WAS INCREDIBLE!!! It not only met all of my expectations but went above and beyond them! What I wouldn't do to read this book again for the first time!

Let's start with the imagery. It was insanely well thought out horror imagery. Every image we were given was unsettling and sometimes outright disturbing (in the best possible way). And the imagery you think is just meant to be creepy takes on so much meaning with THAT PLOT TWIST. I actually had to put the book down I was so shocked. Like hands over my mouth, trying not to scream shocked.

And you can't talk about this book without mentioning the characters. No character was there without a purpose. And almost every character fought their way into your heart. Elwood was the sweetest character. From the moment I met him I loved him. And Wil was feisty and brave and everything this story needed. You connect so deeply with these characters that you will cry. And their ending will leave you hopeful and excited.

One of my favorite YA reads of the year! The prose is lush and vivid, the horror gutwrenching and haunting, and the romance so tender it'll stick with you long after you read the last page.

I admit the gorgeous cover is what initially drew me to this book.

Luckily, it wound up being a wonderful read as well. There is body horror, romance, a cult. The story is dark, fun, and fast-paced, and it's written very well.

It's the good prose that best serves the story as I think body horror can quickly become silly if not well-written.

In this book, the descriptions are gruesome and beautiful; they made my skin crawl. They definitely put me in mind of another wonderful YA horror I read recently, House of Hollow.

I wish the story itself had been a bit longer and the romantic relationship given more room to breathe. I would rate the first half of the book five stars and the second half three stars. I'm in love with the first half; I don't have a way to describe it other than voice-y. The voices of Wil and Elwood, the heroine and hero, are <i>so</i> wonderful and unique. They sound like real teenagers and their inner-thoughts are hilarious and heartbreaking.

The first half of the story was incredibly immersive and I felt like I was living in the characters' heads. We don't lose that entirely in the back half of the book, but everything started to feel very rushed. It was just one thing after another.

I don't think we necessarily needed <i>more</i> scenes where we're given room to breathe, but I wish the scenes we did get were more fleshed out and substantive. Even a proper flashback or two to Wil and Elwood in their youth that wasn't romantically-coded might have helped the reader understand their bond and intense love a bit more.

All in all, however, this was a wonderful book. I can't wait to pick up what Skyla Arndt publishes next!

What a strange and interesting and great book. I just love YA horror. Not something I thought I’d be immersed in but damn it was I !!! So creepy but fun in a weird way. Second chance romance, religious trauma, monster boy and bugs!! Things you wouldn’t think work or go to together but they so do!

THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK DESERVES ALL THE STARS. I CANT.

Elwood y’all. Our cinnamon roll monster boy. He is SUCH A PUPPY. It’s hilarious seeing him and Wil interact, especially in the beginning cause Wil is A LOT and Elwood is decidedly NOT and he’s just deer in the headlights 99% of the time. But that ending? Sobbing. Crying. Screaming my throat out. Ugh that ending. They got their happily ever after, even if it wasn’t what they both expected.

But seeing this boy’s growth—I mean, honestly. It was the best, especially once him and Wil admitted their feelings for each other and Elwood was determined to save Wil. I devoured this book and was reading it at work cause I just HAD TO, y’know?

I am SO HONORED to have been approved for an early copy and I cannot wait for this book to come out in August. Skyla, ma’am, your rendition of the alphabet will be living rent free in my head for a very long time.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review!


Wil Greene's convinced her mother didn't abandon her and her former best friend's church and family is to blame.

The cover drew me in immediately and I was thrilled to be chosen to review it!

I was so impressed by the writing and loved how much the author made me feel throughout the story. I wasn't expecting a lot of things that happened and was pleasantly surprised. The author has a beautiful way with words and description of every thing is so dark but yet beautiful.

I look forward to reading more from her!

I have been wanting to read this book since it was in pitch wars on twitter years ago. I was so shocked and excited to be approved for a digital ARC that I had to start reading immediately. I had sort of high expectations for it since it’s been years of wanting to read this story and I do not feel let down at all. I loved Wil and Elwood. Wil’s anger and defiance combined with Elwood’s soft boy personality made this a compelling and fun read. The story had some twists and turns, some were obvious but I truly had no idea how the story was going to end. I liked the ending and it works well as a standalone. The plot was good but it wasn’t perfect. I was left with plenty of questions regarding the cult aspect, which is why I can’t give it a full 5 stars. I read an uncorrected text version of the book so I will definitely be checking out the final book after it’s published. Overall, I love and recommend this book. I will definitely keep an eye out for any future books by Skyla Arndt! Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc!

Buried beneath rock-hard stubbornness and a prickly temper lays a scared, heartbroken girl who just wants to know what happened to her mother. Wil Greene is convinced her ex-best friend’s creepily religious family had something to do with it, and sadly she’s the only one. Her father’s checked out and the police are no help, so Wil is on her own to find out the truth behind her mother’s disappearance as well as the Garden of Eden Church - and there’s no better person to help her than the very enemy himself, Elwood Clarke.

But what help can Elwood be to the girl who hates him? To the girl who accused his father of doing something terrible to her mother? And besides, he’ll be leaving soon. Off on some holy retreat for his father and the church. Then, not to mention, are the weird visions he keeps having of the forest. Bugs. Death. No way could he help Wil. How could he when he can’t even help himself?



This was a great book! Fantastic premise. Totally gave The Rite of Spring meets The Craft for me. I absolutely loved Wil and Elwood, and their creepy love story. Wil has such a fiery spirit that’s so admirable, whereas “adorable” is the best way to describe Elwood’s sweet nature. The creepy imagery behind the mysteries of the Church of Eden, Elwood’s fate, and Wil’s mom were all compelling and seamlessly intertwined. I was so hooked on needing to find out how everything came together that I read this book while I should’ve been working. It was just such a refreshingly different and hauntingly beautiful read. I would absolutely recommend for those who love gothic love stories with a bit of horror sprinkled in!

Pub date: 08/29/23
CW: child abuse, death, death of a parent, religious trauma

This was the my third approval in the span of ten minutes and to say there was lots of screaming was a big understatement. The cover for this book is absolutely drop dead gorgeous, the premise is haunting, and I just can’t wait for this book to come out. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin (the dude who does NG approvals has been busy) for the approval. The book gods have looked down kindly on me.

THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK DESERVES ALL THE STARS. I CANT.

Elwood y’all. Our cinnamon roll monster boy. He is SUCH A PUPPY. It’s hilarious seeing him and Wil interact, especially in the beginning cause Wil is A LOT and Elwood is decidedly NOT and he’s just deer in the headlights 99% of the time. But that ending? Sobbing. Crying. Screaming my throat out. Ugh that ending. They got their happily ever after, even if it wasn’t what they both expected.

But seeing this boy’s growth—I mean, honestly. It was the best, especially once him and Wil admitted their feelings for each other and Elwood was determined to save Wil. I devoured this book and was reading it at work cause I just HAD TO, y’know?

I am SO HONORED to have been approved for an early copy and I cannot wait for this book to come out in August. Skyla, ma’am, your rendition of the alphabet will be living rent free in my head for a very long time.

All I can say is: wow! I have never read a book like this! It was so weird but in the best way and I had so much fun reading this!
I absolutely loved the characters and the writing really made you feel something. I didn't know very much about this book before going into it, other than the fact that people were raving and so excited for it, and it did not disappoint. This is for sure going to be one of my top reads for the year!

this was a really good! I liked the characters, and they were super well-developed. the plot was super cool and fun to read, and the writing was also smooth and easy to understand
highly recommend

I fell in love with the cover than I fell in love with the book.
Wil's mom has been missing for a year and she is doing everything can do to find her. But even the towns police won't help her. And she has even lost her best friend in the process.

Elwood is the only son of the pastor from the the church Garden of Eden. He is dreading the day of his 18th birthday and fulfilling his duty to the congregation (which he doesn't actually know what the duty is)

This book had a little everything ya horror (cult, body horror, bugs) ya romance (friends to enemies to lover) and coming of age for Elwood.

Great debut book by Skyla Arndt

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This was a weird book!! Many parts felt surreal but this was a fascinating book. So fast paced and the characters were so well written. The secluded town definitely had me jumpy. Don’t read this at home alone!