I liked this mysterious, dark YA horromance!
It’s been a year since Wil’s mother went missing. The local law enforcement is certain that no foul play was involved, and that she simply ran off. Wil, on the other hand, is convinced that a cult-like church, led by her former best friend’s father, has something to do with it. When Wil shares her suspicions with Elwood, suggesting that his father may be involved in her mother's disappearance, the two of them grow apart.
Elwood is heartbroken, but he has no time to dwell on his emotions. Mr. Clarke is preparing Elwood to take over as the cult’s leader, and as always, he’s not allowed to question his father’s authority. Life continues as usual until one evening Elwood accidentally overhears the conversation between his father and the local sheriff. He discovers that his father may have a completely different plan for him. Elwood is forced to reconsider everything he thought he knew about his parents. Is it possible that Wil was right all along?
I was instantly drawn to this book because of its gorgeous cover! I had high expectations for it as one of my most anticipated reads of the year. While the premise was unique and intriguing, and the story had a lot of potential, it left me wanting more. The characters and the overall story felt a bit underdeveloped. Wil and Elwood’s relationship never quite felt like more than a friendship to me. I also wished to see more emotions in Elwood's inner monologues, apart from just fear. He struck me as a very mature, introspective person, and even though his fear is understandable (given that he’s trying to run away from a murderous cult), I wanted to see more depth to his character. The atmosphere of the book was amazing – it was haunting, eerie, dark, and perfectly creepy! I enjoyed the prose for the most part, but there were moments where it felt a bit overly descriptive.
If you are in the mood for a fast-paced, friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance, plant horror, metamorphic characters, wacky cults, and a lot of angst give this book a try. I still had fun reading it, and I look forward to reading more of Skyla Arndt’s work in the future!
Thank you, BookishFirst, the publisher Penguin Teen, and author Skyla Arndt for the ARC! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt is due to be released on August 29, 2023.
Elwood is heartbroken, but he has no time to dwell on his emotions. Mr. Clarke is preparing Elwood to take over as the cult’s leader, and as always, he’s not allowed to question his father’s authority. Life continues as usual until one evening Elwood accidentally overhears the conversation between his father and the local sheriff. He discovers that his father may have a completely different plan for him. Elwood is forced to reconsider everything he thought he knew about his parents. Is it possible that Wil was right all along?
I was instantly drawn to this book because of its gorgeous cover! I had high expectations for it as one of my most anticipated reads of the year. While the premise was unique and intriguing, and the story had a lot of potential, it left me wanting more. The characters and the overall story felt a bit underdeveloped. Wil and Elwood’s relationship never quite felt like more than a friendship to me. I also wished to see more emotions in Elwood's inner monologues, apart from just fear. He struck me as a very mature, introspective person, and even though his fear is understandable (given that he’s trying to run away from a murderous cult), I wanted to see more depth to his character. The atmosphere of the book was amazing – it was haunting, eerie, dark, and perfectly creepy! I enjoyed the prose for the most part, but there were moments where it felt a bit overly descriptive.
If you are in the mood for a fast-paced, friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance, plant horror, metamorphic characters, wacky cults, and a lot of angst give this book a try. I still had fun reading it, and I look forward to reading more of Skyla Arndt’s work in the future!
Thank you, BookishFirst, the publisher Penguin Teen, and author Skyla Arndt for the ARC! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt is due to be released on August 29, 2023.