DNF @30%. I could not get into this one. I had no desire to pick it up and when I did, I never connected or invested in the characters.

DNF. I just couldn't get into it. The writing style felt very inauthentic and pretentious, and I couldn't connect with the characters as people or with their choices. I'm disappointed as this was one of my most-anticipated reads of the summer, but I found myself continually not wanting to pick it up.

"We have all seen trees grow in odd places. Bent out of shape, warped by their surroundings. You grow from mistakes. The two of you aren't the same people you were last year. You won't be a year from now, either. I'm barely the same person each morning when I wake up."

Wil is struggling to cope after the disappearance of her mother - she can't just accept that he mother would just abandon her and her father... she knows that there has to be more going on. She has become highly suspicious of Elwood Clarke's family. Although he had been one of her closest friends, she knows that the Clarke family is not what they seem either and she's determined to get to the bottom of this.

Poor Elwood Clarke, his father is truly a monster as he leads a strange religious cult in the woods. The way that this story unfolds for Elwood will absolutely shock the readers - as I could not have predicted where this story would go.

I loved the way this spooky little tale was written - there were so many beautiful metaphors sprinkled throughout the piece. This was certainly a quick read (that I would have read much quicker if my newborn wasn't interrupting me :P ) - but I absolutely recommend this read especially for the Halloween season. Cozy up with your warm beverage of choice and be prepared to be blown away by what's to come as the pages turn. I absolutely did not see the ending coming and I was pleasantly surprised by how unpredictable this story truly was.'

My favorite character was definitely Wil's grandmother, Cherry. I always love when tarot makes an appearance within literature.. and Cherry reminded me of my parapsychologist aunt. Although we aren't acquainted with her until the second half of the book - she definitely is a stand out character who adds comedic relief as well as foreshadowing wisdom upon her debut.

"Everyone's bound to make a million mistakes growing up, but there's always going to be that one nagging one. Something you regret deeply but can never truly fix or change."

Sincere gratitude to Penguin Group, NetGalley and Skyla Arndt for access to this ARC. I had so much fun consuming this short and sweet scary story and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

Magic, mystery, and religious cults - what more could you want? Great pace with a variety of characters. A little predictable but I really liked how the mystery unfolded and how each character transformed in their own way.

Deliciously spooky, Skyla Arndt’s TOGETHER WE ROT melds sizzling romance with atmospheric horror in a stunning YA debut.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

This book was so cool and strange! I liked the story, but sometimes it was a bit confusing. It mixed lots of different types of stories and talked about some serious stuff. And guess what? The ending made me emo, which I think is awesome!

I can’t begin to imagine listing all of the genres and subjects this book covers, but just to name a few - Together We Rot is a YA/paranormal/mystery/thriller/gothic tale that includes a missing woman, a religious cult, alcoholism, parental abuse, cryptids, and love.

This was an extremely quick read for me. I think I finished it in about 4-4.5 hours. I enjoyed it from start to finish. I wish that there had been more from Elwood’s perspective, especially when he was going through his change.

"A teen girl looking for the truth about her missing mother forms a reluctant alliance with her former best friend...in exchange for hiding him from his cult-leading family."

Perfect way to begin the fall season, this book was fun, weird and wild. I don't know how to describe this book without any spoilers, but it was a fun, crazy read.

Thanks to netgalley for this eARC.

A quick, fast paced, under-300-pages novel about the harm of toxic cycles set against the backdrop of a creepy cult in a small, small town and the courage needed to break these cycles, Sklya Arndt finds a way to weave this perfectly themed story, just in time for Autumn - or in other words, "spooky season."

I really enjoyed that the cult was "right" in the existence of the literal seed and the demon, instead of it simply being a metaphor for mental illness. I also really liked the fact that this is a horror/thriller meant for an audience being about the characters ages (aka young adult), allowing for "dumb teenager horror movie vibe mistakes" (such as a phone going off when trying to hide from the murderous cult in the church at night - looking at you Wil) without, say, an audience of adult readers groaning and grumbling about the stupid teens.

Now, not that I've read all that many horror novels nor seen all that many tv shows or movies in that same genre, I do get the feeling that many end in one of two extremes - either horribly, with the "bad guys" winning, or overly happy, specifically unrealistically so. Instead, Skyla Arndt allows for a bittersweet ending. This book is definitely more of an unsettling, creepy, atmospheric, gothic horror than any sort of terrifying slasher horror, so if you're looking for a read along the lines of the latter, this one would not be for you.

The commentary on cycles of abuse and the courage needed to break them was fascinating in the genre (and I can't help but mention that I felt really... happy? when the Clarke patriarch died - without giving too much away.) I knocked this down one star due to my struggle to emotionally connect with the characters, otherwise this was a wonderful YA gothic, atmospheric horror.

This was such a delightful and weird little book! I really enjoyed the storyline but found it fuzzy in some areas. I feel like it touched a lot of meddled genres as well as topics, some being pretty heavy/dark. The ending had me sobbing so that is always a win for me!!

Together We Rot is an emotionally fueled horror romance. Very atmospheric and filled with prose and metaphors. A lot of metaphors. Very mild horror themes. This was overall a quick and enjoyable read.

You might like this if you like Twilight, reading about religious trauma, or are a fan of melodramatic teenage angst.

This book is horroromance at its finest. Perfectly blending the dreamy and romantic with the twisted and unsettling, Skyla crafts a riveting tale of clinging to humanity among the monstrous. Her writing style is uniquely vivid without ever losing the voice of the two distinct narrators who dig their talons into your heart right from the offset. It’s impossible to look away from the fast-paced pages as each chapter brings a new development that leads us deeper down its dark path. Three years and countless new twists and turns later, this book continues to haunt me.

Thank you Penguin for this ARC
As breathtakingly beautiful as it is horrifyingly creepy, Together We Rotis now my favorite horror romance of all time.
Wil is fruitlessly searching for her missing Mother, much to the chagrin of the small town she lives in. She is convinced the local pastor is involved, but the local police would rather stuff their face with donuts then listen to her. Elwood is her ex-best friend and the pastor's son, forced to play a role he doesn't want. When Elwood realizes he isn't being groomed to take over for his Father, but instead is going to be sacrificed on his 18th birthday, he flees. Straight into Wil.
My favorite part of the story is the imagery, and just the way that Arndt writes. In just one sentence the mood shifts from light-hearted, to creepy. A few well placed words have you scratching at your skin, and making sure the light is on. Her ability to choose the most chilling words is just incredibly impressive. The tonal shifts she conveys within a page are some of the best I've ever seen in a book.
Horror romance as a genre is so difficult to nail down, books tend to favor one or other and it's rare that I see it done this well. The relationship between Wil and Elwood doesn't feel rushed, or fast-paced. It feels incredibly natural and in a way, aching. There are several characters in this but I never felt lost or confused. I know there are people who probably don't like the characters, but I think it's important to remember people don't act level headed when they are grieving. I personally love Wil's fiery personality, and her stubbornness.
If I truly had to nitpick and find something I didn't enjoy, I do wish it is a bit longer. I would have liked to have learned more about the town and the history. I will say I might have had a different opinion about the book had I not been warned by a mutual of mine about some of the content.
Be kind to yourself when you read this there are a lot of triggers. I read this as an arc so I hope the finished publication has content warnings because there are a lot of heavy topics. Some of them include: child abuse, body horror, INSECTS. (No really, all the insects!) I strongly encourage anyone who is wanting to read this to check out story graph for the full list. I didn't go into a book slump or found it on the level that books like Ever Since are trigger wise.
You know when you read a debut novel for the first time, and you're just like...woah. That is the feeling Together We Rot gives me. Skyla Arndt is a name to watch out for. I just know she is going to be big.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book, and I need Skyla Arndt to write another book IMMEDIATELY please! (Y'all she is one of my new favorite authors now!)
This is 100% my new favorite book cover for the year. I just where do I even start! The vines that are embedded under the skin like veins, the moths circling around, the SYMBOLISM! This is truly a work of art. Marcela Bolivar always kills it and I continue to be in awe of her talent. The cover not only captures the horror and creepiness of the book, but also the romance.

The cover and the idea of this story was so interesting to me. Unfortunately that’s about where it goes right for me. The prose itself is absolutely beautiful and you can get a clear picture of the atmosphere.
Then comes the plot. It felt very disconnected and even though it was told in a matter of days I was confused when there were flashbacks vs. real time. I felt like the main character Elwood had so much love and depth to him. While Wil felt very one sided and just flipped her emotions without a clear reason. I rooted for Elwood and actually felt little for Wil even though her backstory drives the first part of the book.
Usually I have issues with stories being too long and too much detail. For this one, I felt like there needed to be more. The story felt like a longer version of the The Lottery by Shirley Jackson. I really wanted to like this story but there was just so much confusion and rushing. The ending was bittersweet but also left a sour taste in my mouth. Like I felt like more could have been explained on why the characters decided the path they did. It felt very too direct and literally with the foreshadowing. I would have rather been left with a more vague ending than the last chapter. Overall I give it a 3.5 stars overall thought for the proses and Elwoods character development.

Together We Rot by Skylar Arndt
⭐⭐⭐⭐/4
🌶️/4

**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!**

This is Skylar Arndt's debut novel and it has arrived in perfect time for spooky season! Together We Rot is a mix of mystery, fantasy, horror, and romance all in one. It's the perfect read to get in the mood for fall. Cults, bugs, curses, missing people, evil parents, friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, small town mystery, and more. I loved the group of people that get together and try to figure out what is happening. I really enjoyed this book, but the ending was bittersweet. It seems like this is a standalone book, but I would love to see a sequel or even a novella to see things develop even more. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for some spooky, fall vibes! I'll be keeping an eye on Skyla Arndt and hope to see more great books from her!

🏷️: #novel #debutauthor #newbook #arc #netgalley #newrelease #skylaarndt #togetherwerot #spookyseason #spookyvibes #fantasy #cult #fallvibes #bookstagram #spookybooks #mystery #romance #outnow #bookreview #fourstars

"Together We Rot" by Skyla Arndt offers a unique take on horror romance. The premise is intriguing and the writing style was overall engaging, there are some aspects of the book that left me wanting more.

One of the strengths of the novel is its character development. Arndt creates a diverse cast of characters, each with their own flaws and complexities. The dynamics and interactions among the cult members in this bleak world are well-crafted, adding depth to the narrative. But the pacing of the story can be uneven at times. Some sections of the book felt slow, while others rushed through important plot points. Furthermore, the world-building, while imaginative, could have been more fully realized. I found myself wanting a deeper exploration of the reasons behind the world's downfall.

ARC review

Even though I'm posting late I cannot imagine starting this review by saying that if you haven't had the chance to buy the book you need to get your hands on this masterpiece NOW!

I will try to keep my fangirling to the minimum- warning it might be hard.

This book was a fresh take on the Mothman lore and a paranormal romance.

The plot was just so fascinating and thrilling! I barely put down the book as I read it, it kept me on my fucking toes! The plot is just so well put together! The care that went into the characters is undeniable, i felt like this was almost a movie in my mind there is only a handful of books that have done that for me and I'm so happy this book was just that for me

The first time I saw the cover of this book, I was immediately dying to read it.
This is the perfect halloween/spooky read.
I am so happy that I was granted an arc through netgalley and I can't wait to read it.
The story has a cult.
It's has crime.
It has scenes where it keeps you on your toes.
It's beautifully written.
I was really surprised because it's YA. I've sworn to myself that I will stop reading any ya stories because I always end up dnf'ing them but this story is amazing.

There's just so much to unpack in this book. It was such a good, though slow read. '

It is about a small town, that is run by a church cult. They have something very dark happening, that most of the town's kids don't know about. But Wil is set on making it public, because she is sure that the cult killed her mother. Now, her ex best friend Elwood, is the son of the church's leader. Their friendship broke over Wil's accusations. But Elwood isn't a straight follower and believer of what his father preaches. And when it becomes obvious that his father has a different and a very dark future in mind for Elwood, he runs. Straight to Wil.

I loved the biggest theme of parental abuse in this story. It was very heavy and painful to watch the relationship completely be destroyed as the story progressed. My heart broke for Elwood. But also grief over loosing a parent, how to deal with it when you're alone. Grief over loosing a friend. But also forgiveness.

It was a slow read, and there some issues for me personally with the editing, like switching from "I did" to he/she is doing.. There are plot holes, and I feel like the book could have been expanded on some parts. When you get down and dirty there are some questions that were never answered, and left "out there."

Overall I loved this Folk Horror YA book. It reminded me of Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah and Bloodline by Jess Lourey.

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Teen, and the Author for letting me read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts on this one.

I thought the premise of this book sounded great from the beginning. I was not prepared at all for how quickly I would be wrapped up in the story of Will and Elwood. The writing was well paced, the twists and turns unexpected, and let's be honest a cult in the town always makes the book more interesting.

Wil and Elwoods lives are more intertwined than I expected them to be but honestly, I was here for it. We were given the chance to see who they were a part but then together a lot and that made the story telling very intriguing and made it worthwhile to get to the end. However, going beyond that with their involvement is hard to share without giving anything away.

I found the supporting cast to be very good in who they were, how they were brought into things by Will and Elwood and how fiercely they cared for their friends. Normally, the side characters in tales like these are just there to advance the plot but here it gave you a glance at the characters as a whole as well as moving the plot along.

This really drew me in and then made me go WTF and HH and all the other things that I'm not going to post in my review. At the end I was just kind of like wow that was sooo good. I wish I could read that for the first time again. 4.5/5 stars rounded up to 5.