Together We Rot is another title where the premise is better than the plot. The mysterious disappearance of a local woman after investigating the preacher and a creepy forest that almost seems alive? Sign me up! Unfortunately, the writing of this book felt too novice in its execution to deliver on the creepy vibes of the back cover copy. I likened it to Teen Wolf fanfiction to a friend (except I’ve read far better works from that fandom). 

I think the story was just underdeveloped, - perhaps intentionally - in order to write it for a younger audience. To live up to the promise of the premise, I think the author would have to target an older Young Adult/New Adult audience, expanding the consequences of the world and the character development so they all actually felt like graduating high school seniors. 

As a debut novel, Together We Rot definitely shows the author's potential if they continue to develop their craft. However, the novel itself was not enough to inspire me to follow on their journey nor recommend it to others. I do have to thank it, though, for returning me to one of my favorite hobbies after a time away and providing good writing lessons on what to avoid doing (or not doing).