A fun and unique thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire ride. This was one where I really didn’t know what was going to happen next!

Darcy Coates has done it again!!! Amazing book, fast paced, didn't see it coming! The cover is very eye catching. The plot was very thoughtful. 5 stars for me!

How Bad Can Things Get takes place on a remote island with a brutal and dark past that includes the deaths of almost every single member of the Petition cult. Twenty years later, a social media celebrity invites over 500 people to take part in reality show-esque trip of a lifetime to win money and gain fame. However as the first day starts to unwind, people start to go missing and island’s past refuses to be ignored.

First and foremost I am a massive Darcy Coates fan. I was hesitant about this book due to it not being in similar themes of her others book, ie haunted houses, ghost, etc, but this book was amazing. The terror, horror, and mystery were next level. This is the perfect summer horror.

While it may fall into the same conventions that many others books focused on cults fall into, Darcy Coates' "How Bad Things Can Get" is entertaining enough to overlook the overused plot points. The journey to the ending, which unfortunately was a bit lackluster, was genuinely a really fun time. Once it sinks its teeth in, it's hard to let go (or put down), making for a quick and entertaining read.

Let me start by saying, if Darcy Coates writes it, I’m going to read it. This one was definitely a gruesome one with very vivid visuals that may not be right for some readers. But that is still consistent with Coates’ usual storytelling. I personally enjoyed this one immensely and highly recommend it to any horror fans and thriller fans who are okay with a little more “blood and guts,” because there is definitely plenty of that. Also for those readers who love books about cults, this one is exactly what you are looking for!

A huge thank you to Darcy Coates, NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

First let me say that Darcy Coates is on a short list of my all-time favorite authors, but “How Bad Things Can Get” was just not the book for me. The story takes place on a secluded island where bad things have happened on numerous occasions in the past. A famous influencer now owns the island and is hosting a five-day party on the island. A main character is a partygoer who has a victimized past of her own and on the first day, she begins to encounter suspicious occurrences. About here at 37% is where I DNF the book.

I absolutely adore ALL of Darcy Coates’ paranormal stories so I thought I’d give this thriller a try, but the characters felt flat to me and I just couldn’t relate to any of them. I would hope that by a third of the way into a story, I would feel something for any of the characters, one way or another, but I didn’t. The concept of an influencer island party is definitely unique and would probably appeal to a vast audience. The pacing of what I read was fine and flowed quite well, it’s just that the characters never grabbed me and the story never really hooked me in. When I feel like reading is a chore, it’s time to put the book down.

A fantastic ride of a novel which I just hope is to be optioned for a great Hulu or HBO show! A wonderful look at cults--real ones and ones of personality.

How Bad Things Can Get was so much fun from start to finish. The story has a really awesome concept, the characters are well written and the whole book has that eerie-but-weirdly-fun vibe I adore. Almost every chapter ended on a cliffhanger which meant I just kept telling myself “one more chapter” until suddenly it was 4am.

This was my first Darcy Coates book and wow, she did not disappoint. The gory moments were chefs kiss. Some scenes had me holding my breath like I was right there with the characters. The pacing was spot on. Not too fast, not too slow. It was the perfect pace to give me time to theorize before hitting me with twist after twist.

I loved Ruth and Petra (power duo!!!) and while I would’ve liked more Zach and friends, I get that this book wasn’t meant to highlight these characters. My only tiny gripe is that the ending felt a smidge abrupt. A few more pages and it would’ve been perfect. Still, this is easily a new favorite.

You’ll enjoy this book if you’re into:
🍹 Holiday gone wrong
🏝️ Remote island setting
🩸 Fighting for survival
📿 Mysterious cult

Okay, this one had its moments. I liked the multiple perspectives, the gore, and the influencer vibes. But I just couldn’t connect with the characters, and some parts didn’t really land for me. Still, it’s bloody, creepy, and has some wild moments that I think a lot of horror fans will enjoy.

This was an absolutely wild take on the deserted island trope with such a unique twist. The first half of the book is a little bit of a slow burn with character development and background information that’s necessary for the full story to hit as hard as it does. The second half is relentless. It was painful to put it down because I HAD to know what was going to happen next.

This book was so unexpected and I absolutely loved the cadence as it was a slow build and then just exploded.

5/5 for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. How Bad Things Can Get ended up being pretty bad. However I felt kind of disjointed with this book. It had potential to go so many places and then in the end I felt like it was just trying to rush things together haphazardly.

The narrative skillfully blended elements of horror and thriller, creating a suspenseful reading experience. The author's approach was commendable, delivering a plot that kept me thoroughly engaged. Although some aspects were predictable, the overall execution was quite impressive. Ultimately, the combination of both genres made this a standout read.

I don’t always love horror books, but this one was well done and had a lot of thriller aspects, as well. One reveal was clear from the beginning, but the details weren’t and provided so much more explanation than just guessing the reveal. 4.5 stars.

How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates starts like a dream vacation and ends like a nightmare you can’t wake from. Ruth, sole survivor of a cult, wins a luxury getaway to Prosperity Island—only to find its beauty hides deadly games, ancient whispers, and a hunger that won’t let go.

A wicked blend of slasher horror, cult secrets, and influencer drama, this is tense, bloody, and impossible to put down. Coates takes you from slow-burn unease to full-blown chaos in a way that’s both gruesome and addictive.

If you like your horror fast, creepy, and ceremonial, this is the ride to take....just don’t expect to come back unchanged.

How Bad Things Can Get lures you in like a tropical vacation—a five-day festival on Prosperity Island, all sunshine and cocktails—until you notice the place has a history of shipwrecks and cannibalism. That’s when the unease sets in.

The story centers on Ruth, the only survivor of a cult that once made headlines. She’s trying to keep her past buried, but when festival guests—including a flashy millionaire influencer—start vanishing, old traumas bubble back to the surface. Soon, no one knows if they’re in paradise or walking straight into a trap.

The chapters slip between the chaos of the present and Ruth’s dark memories, building a creeping dread until things spiral into full-on slasher territory. I’ve read plenty of Darcy Coates’ gothic horror, but here she trades haunted houses for cults, influencers, and tropical isolation—without losing that tight, suspense-driven style she’s known for.

It’s fast, bloody, and cinematic, the kind of book you can picture as a movie while you’re reading. Horror fans who like their scares sunny on the surface but rotting underneath will have a great time with this one.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have no words for this. To say I was hooked is an understatement. This book is creepy and suspenseful without being too graphic and over the top. I kept wanting to know more and found myself unable to put the Kindle down.

The "stuck on a deserted island" storyline has been done over and over lately so I was wary going in, but this is a different take on it. I would highly recommend.

I'm still reeling!

This book was WILD. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down, except when I needed a break from abject terror. I’ve seen descriptions of this book say “Blair Witch meets Fyre Fest,” and I think that doesn’t do it justice - I thought Blair Witch was dumb, personally. I’d say this is more like if you decided to hold Fyre Fest at Jurassic Park. The monsters aren’t dinosaurs, but the danger, the secluded island, and the hype set a very similar scene.

I can’t put my finger on why I give it four stars instead of five, but I stand by it. Maybe it was a little hokey at times, or just a little much. I actually really hope they make this into a campy-yet-horrifying scary movie, a la Cabin in the Woods. I would absolutely go see that movie.

First thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

This was the first book I have read by this author, I did enjoy it but it is not for the faint of heart. If you’re a fan of horror you’ll enjoy it. It follows a group of people who go to a secluded island to take part in an event where they’ll play games in order to win money. While there on the island things go from fun party atmosphere to a tense game of survival.
A free cruise to a secluded island where guests have five days to eat and drink for free and compete in competition to wins money, what could go wrong?

When Ruth and her friends win tickets to the exclusive event put on my social media influencer Eton all of them as super excited, all expect Ruth. Ruth has spent her life trying to be pretty invincible but these games will be streamed to all to see and people might find out who she really is.

One evening Eton tells the story of the island, many believe it is cursed because anytime someone new buys it and begins to build on it terrible things happen. Many believe it is because it was once the home of a cult, who eventually turned on the leader and killed her. None of the members wherever seen or heard from again. As the story of the cult unfolds flashes of Ruth’s past comeback to haunt her. As the lone survivor of one of the most infamous cults it’s all hitting a little too close to home. When guests begin to go missing and even some say that they saw a dead body everyone thinks that it is all part of the game. But Ruth can’t help but feel that something sinister is happening.

WARNINGS
🦴-BODY HORROR
🪚-DETAILED INJURY
🔪-CULT
🩸- BLOOD
☠️- DEATH BY SUICIDE
💀-MURDER

I was so glad when I saw this ,I remember saying yes a new Darcy Coates book, and not even caring what it was about hitting the request button, that how much I Absolutely love her books ,no matter what the topic of her story is there is just something about her writing, the Atmosphere, the tension, as will as the Suspense she puts in her books . And let's not forget to mention that her books every time check off all my boxes when I go to pick up her books .
Like I said before the atmosphere, the tension, the Suspense, as well as the felling of something watching you from the shadows and getting ready to jump out at you. But they also keep me on the edge of my set to the point that instead of going to bed I just want to stay up and read , and this book did all of that and so much more .

When an influencer invites hundreds of his biggest fans to Prosperity Island, it’s meant to be five days of games, drinking, sun and fun. Ruth, the only survivor of a notorious cult, is just hoping to blend in and keep her past buried. But when the island’s true history emerges and guests start to disappear, she realises the nightmare she’s been running from might have been waiting for her on the island all along.

I’ve been reading a lot of influencer-focused stories lately, and maybe I’m hitting fatigue with content creators as main characters. But this was a Darcy Coates novel, and I usually really enjoy her writing. Maybe it’s just because it’s so different from her usual isolated protagonist, although yes, it’s still technically isolated, since it’s on a remote island, but here there are hundreds of people.

When “games” were mentioned, I pictured team-building challenges. Instead, we get elaborate, high-stakes competitions - Ninja Warrior crossed with Hunger Games. With so many characters and activities, I sometimes struggled to keep track, much like one of the more bewildered attendees trying to work out what’s really going on.

I also found it hard to connect with any of the characters, even Ruth, despite her more layered past, which likely impacted my overall enjoyment. What I did love were the cultish undertones. The influencer trope lends itself perfectly to exploring the idea of a “following,” both figuratively and literally. We’re in such a strange era of idolising people at their best and sometimes at their worst which this book taps into that unnerving dynamic.

While I still prefer Coates’ other works, I think readers who enjoy high-energy survival-style stories and the influencer angle will find plenty here to escape into. 3/5

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Available on the 26 August 2025.