This one rather stranger than I had anticipated. There's no nuance, though. No questioning of "good" and "bad". It's far grimmer than I prefer. It feels more like a steady reveal of random badness than genuine investigation. The characters start out as interesting archetypes but don't develop much complexity.

✰ 2.75 stars ✰

“And so they spilled the blood of Alderwood’s only son in the snow and the Lord was satisfied with this offering. With their Gift, the woods took on new life and a new Eden was born.”

While not as breathtakingly captivating as its cover, Together We Rot was a quick and easy read, which sadly did not deliver on a story that will be as memorable as it's cover is. As a debut, Skyla Arndt had a potentially interesting idea, which quickly delved into a weak romance and quickly resolved climax that made the entire build-up to it, anything but forgettable to whatever else took place in between. 😔

That's never a good sign.

agae

“Then I’ll never grow up because I don’t plan on taking this lying down. If they’re punching me, then I’m punching back hard.”

For as much as Wil Greene despised Elwood upon his first arrival into the story, I didn't like how instantly the tables turned and she was already falling head over heels for him. Despite her snarky attitude, her character quickly dissolved into a smitten soul, who was determined to be by his side and rescue him from the clutches of the terrors that were clinging to his soul. 😮‍💨 Even with the dual POV narrative, I could not connect to either of their predicaments much, and even more so, could not empathize with Wil's distraught state over her missing mother. Their romance abruptly took precedent over the storyline as Wil made it her sole purpose to protect Elwood, reassuring him, 'You forget I hate the man more than anyone else on this planet. I’d gladly fight him on your behalf.'

Elwood, on the other hand, I could feel his distress - 'a means to an end' for his father, he had a lot to fear and it was depicted in a believable and frightening way that you could sense the creepy crawlies taking over his mind and spirit. 😳 The cult premise was a bit unexpected, but I liked how Skyla Arndt enhanced the apprehension and tension of it - the despair Elwood had at the mercy of a family that did not love him - at the fate of his future and at the hands of this crazed cult was so very palpable, heightened even more by the descriptive details of what was literally ensnaring him to the forest. The uneasiness of what was potentially growing inside of him - the uncertainty of his true creation - the unhappiness of being rejected by his own family - I felt all these feelings vividly through his emotions. 👍🏻👍🏻

“It’s been over from the start. Like I’ve told Kevin and Lucas, my life has never been a choice. It’s been laid out by my parents since birth. It only makes sense that fate’s got a hand in it too.”

While the pacing was very abrupt, it still moved at a solid pace - it wasn't haphazard, just too much in too less time. It would have benefited a lot if the author had not narrowed it done to a one night story - allowing the characters to develop and interact more. The Scooby-Doo vibes that I felt with their small group of friends as they hunted down clues to what was happening in their small town was quite enjoyable. It had some fun banter that brought some light-hearted levity to the otherwise very serious and sticky situations they found themselves in. 👌🏻

My greatest grievance, however, would be that this could have very much benefited from some finer tuning in editing. I know this is a rather trivial fact to cling on, but when there is one instance where a character is described with red hair and in the next one, the same character has blond hair - you're going to notice it - especially if you're reading as intently as I do. 😩 And then to note that Wil and Elwood shared a spark in their freshman year, and a few chapters later, it's their sophomore year - I'm such a stickler for little personal details, so that I can paint an image in my head with the features provided - it's just too noticeable a flaw for me to ignore. 😖

“The idea of having an actual home is so long gone, so distant now, that it doesn’t even seem real. The memories are there, but they feel transplanted, fed to me. Like a story you heard all the time growing up.

You might remember it by heart, but the story itself doesn’t belong to you.”

If it had not been so rushed, if the characters, the town history, even the horror could have expanded a little bit more and been a little bit more fleshed-out - it really did have the possibility of being a much more pleasant reading experience. 😞😞

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

This book was a simple "horror" book, that definitely felt YA. While it was enjoyable, it didn't have anything overly creepy, or unexpected, or shocking happen during it. If you are new to the genre and want to dip your toes into a book that is fun, atmospheric, and easy to follow, then this would be great! Additionally, if you need a break from anything thats too heavy, this is a cute romance/cult/atmospheric read.

While not as breathtakingly captivating as its cover, Together We Rot was a quick and easy read, which sadly did not deliver on a story that will be as memorable as it's cover is. As a debut, Skyla Arndt had a potentially interesting idea, which quickly delved into a weak romance and quickly resolved climax that made the entire build-up to it, anything but forgettable to whatever else took place in between.

This was a great spooky season read! I really enjoy a reluctance alliance and cult story, and Skyla Arndt's world-building with these tropes worked for me. This novel was able to explore delicate topics while still delivering the power you'd expect from a horror or paranormal story.

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin Random House for approving my request for the e-arc, in return I give an honest review.

The story in general is intriguing, the characters, the plot, the flow of the story, but for me it just didn't give enough. We are delved into a town that is very much driven by the church and its leaders within it, a small secluded town that anyone that lives there knows everyone and their business. The one thing about the town is there is something off about the forest and the disappearance of the main character Wil's mom. Her drive to find out what happen is what leads for the story to unfold and the secrets of the town to reveal. I think if it wasn't for me reading other similar books this year, I would have liked this one more, but compared to the others I felt this lacked a bit more to the storytelling.

This was perfect for the spooky season. It was creepy and mysterious. I am always a fan of a good cult book. Wil has not been the same since her mom went missing. No one believes her they think her mother just left. Wil's life and friendships changed drastically changed after that. Elwood had been Wil's best friend for most of her life. but they had a falling out. That is until he is in trouble. Can Wil help? I just loved this story. The author did such an awesome job creating the gothic atmosphere. I did not want to put this down. While Wil was my favorite character, I loved our side characters! I highly recommend this for fans of horror. Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Ooh wow okay, I didn't quite know what to expect from this but I was very pleasantly surprised. I loved the paranormal/horror aspects meeting with the sensitive subjects of grief and abuse, and the author has a really poetic writing style that weaves it altogether beautifully. It's definitely a weird book - a lot of what happens is weird, there's definitely some elements of magical realism occurring, and of course the whole cult aspect is weird too. But the weirdness only adds to the atmosphere and I really enjoyed that side of things.

I do wish the book had been longer; at less than 300 pages, everything is very fast-paced and particularly at the end, it felt like I was missing a chapter on what had happened. I would have loved an extra 50-100 pages, to be able to properly connect with the characters (although Elwood was my favourite and I just wanted to protect him), and to build up the tension even more towards the end.

This was really compulsive to read and perfect for this time of year; I completely felt like I was in that forest with Wil and Elwood, and I'm very excited to see what comes next from this author!

An eerie horror that will keep readers invested and guessing, with plot twists you won't see coming and characters you'll be fearfully rooting for!

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. I believe my students/patrons would also love this book and will be acquiring it for the library!

Thank you to the publisher, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this eARC to review!

4.25/5 stars!

This was honestly my first time reading a more horror-leaning YA novel, and I can confidently say that I'm definitely a fan! Especially with such a heavy romance theme? It was the perfect combination. There was the perfect balance of description of the "gore" or body horror occurring in the story, and I love the friend group and how they banded together during this VERY weird cult situation they had to handle. Cherry was a hilarious delight, and I've never wanted to punch a set of parents more than I have with Elwood's. And Wil's dad was such a heartwarming element of surprise at the end of the book. I was nervous he wouldn't snap out of his grief during the story, and we would only get hints off-page. There were VERY small moments where the story slowed for me, but this also could be due to my ADHD. *Ope*. I loved Skyla's writing style, and will definitely be reading any books she publishes in the future!

The book is short and everything goes relatively fast, but the characters are still well developed and very endearing. It also does a fine job touching on sensitive topics like difficult family situations and abuse, as well as mental illness. The mystery aspects kept me reading and I could not put it down, and I liked how the fantastic/horror elements were woven throughout the story. Then ending, though it came fast, was emotional and satisfying too. I'll definitely recommend this book.

My favorite thing about this book is the imagery. It is viscerally violent in a way that cracks open my ribcage and makes a home there. Despite being a very painful read at times, it evoked a great blend of emotions. There are sweet feelings and soft moments nestled in there as a comfort when you need it most. This book was incredibly enjoyable and beautifully written.

Together We Rot is perhaps my new favorite of this year, and Skylar Arndt ny new auto-buy author. I loved the horror woven into the story, and the friends to enemies to lovers trope that was executed flawlessly.
The plot felt fast paced, and I wish I could re-read this for the first time again.

Haunting and deeply unsettling. A solid debut that promises much more potential in Arndt's coming works. As someone who is firmly Not a Horror Girly (tm), I was immediately drawn in by the characters and the town. Wil started out so strong and never wavered in her determination and intensity. Being in Elwood's head was frighteningly realistic and raw and I just want to hold him tight. I appreciated it's brevity just out of personal preference and my aversion to being scared but I can see how that would be a drawback. Several things could have gotten more fleshed out (all pun intended) and I would have liked to see more of the side character's relationships explored but I had a scary good time (I can't help myself) and maybe just maybe I'll read more in this genre.

I'm new to the YA Horror space so this was very exciting to start, especially with the romance aspect!
The beginning had me hooked immediately! The snappy but visual writing, the unique characters, the creepy atmosphere; it had me. I read the first 50% within one sitting it was so good!

However, at the 60% point everything suddenly felt rushed. The romance did not flow at a believable pace and the scenes written were jarring and even a bit uncomfortable. Especially when they 'did the thing' in an old lady's basement... Not to mention that the writing grew very "telly" after the halfway point. I felt absolutely nothing for them as a potential couple after that 60%.

I really LOVED Elwood's whole predicament and how it was written. I mean cult obsessed parents dead-set on sacrificing you, admiting that they never loved you? That's terrifying and I felt SO deeply for him.
I was connected with Wil until that halfway point and then. . .well after I just didn't care as much.

The book was good but it really needed an extra hundred (or two) pages for the romance to develop OR no romance at all. I absolutely devoured every creepy, eerie, and humorous moment but everything else just fell flat for me. I do really appreciate the book's premise though and it definitely works as a quick horror read.

Thank you so much to Viking & Penguin books for the e-ARC!

I couldn't wait to read this book! I loved how atmospheric it was and how creepy it was too. It was so refreshing and the prose was just perfect! Definitely add to your tbr!

I received an ARC of Together We Rot from Netgalley for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I am writing this review about two months after reading the book, so this one will probably be a little short. I've been heavily slacking lately on the writing (and reading), so hopefully, the motivation to finish my backlog finds me soon, as I'm about to be overwhelmed.

In any case, I found Together We Rot to be a bucket of fun, which perhaps isn't the best word to describe a horror book, but that's what it was to me. It was so ... straightforward. It was simple, almost, in its execution, but it worked so well. There weren't any crazy plot twists (besides that ending, though...), and honestly, most everything was laid out from the beginning. It was just a matter of the main character proving or disproving her suspicions. While I tend more to the convoluted side of plots, this book was refreshing. Easy. Fun. And I would lean more toward this being creepy rather than actual horror.

I struggled a little bit with the main character, Wil. Her dogged determination to find out what happened to her mother made her more enemies than friends, and I will say that I wasn't her biggest fan. I understood her motivations and why she was doing what she did, but the way she treated people in the beginning grated on my nerves. I didn't like it, and I especially didn't like that she used her tragedy as an excuse to treat people poorly. That's one character trait that I can't get behind. She did get better, and everything turned out fine, but I had a tough time relating to her in those first bits.

There was something missing, though, and that's why I couldn't give Together We Rot five stars. I can't name what it was, but something felt missing from the story. On top of that, the ending didn't sit with me. While it's hinted that something supernatural is going on, it doesn't come out fully until the end, and then we're just left with the fact that that happened, and no one's talking about it. I would have liked it to be a bit more prominent throughout the story so that when the ending happened, I wasn't blindsided. It felt like we sprinkled some flour, sugar, and eggs in a bowl, and, without any other steps, we had cake. It didn't feel complete, which perhaps is what I was missing the entire time.

Despite that, I really enjoyed the story and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a creepy, sorta-kinda-but-totally-is supernatural mystery.

I liked this book so much. It is a perfect read for spooky season. The writing style was good enough for me and I loved how the plot played out. The mystery aspect of this book kept me on edge. For me sometimes, it was a little bit scary but like that's the whole point. I would love to recommend this book for the fall season.

Honestly, I was disappointed by this one. The cover looked SO promising, and nature horror is my jam. But I feel like this story went too slow (felt like a slog) and too fast (all of the story took place within like 72 hours) at the same time. I would have liked this better if the pacing was faster, but also it took place over more time, making it a real mystery.
Because what the cult was up to really was a mystery -- before, during, and after -- and just left me with a lot of questions. What exactly IS this seed they are putting in people? Where did it come from?? If it's not in someone and then that person is sacrificed when it's time, the woods disappear or something? WHY?
And why exactly did they kill Wil's mom? We know she questioned the cult leader's treatment of his son (Elwood), but nothing about her finding out (or even TRYING to find out) about cult-related info. So why literally murder the woman? Just too many plot issues for me to really enjoy this.
There were also small things that didn't seem thought out on a line-level. For example, near the end, Wil says her mom used to cry at other people's funerals..... Uh, yeah. People cry at funerals. And the way this is worded is so confusing. "Other peoples"? As opposed to... her own??
I just really feel like this needed one or two more editorial passes before pubication.