A stranded island thriller complete with many chase scenes, attacks and gory details. Darcy Coates knows how to keep you in the edge of your seat.

This was a perfect summer slasher!

I'll admit, at first I was skeptical as to where this story could possibly be going after I started reading the first dozen chapters. Darcy Coates introduces us to an interesting variety of characters including a former cult member, hundreds of influencers, and a legendary cannibal witch all together on a tropical island getaway. You'll just have to trust me that it works.

This story is told through multiple character's perspectives and I really enjoyed learning how they were all connected as they story progressed. My two favorites were Ruth and Logan because they each brought very unique perspectives and their backgrounds added some interesting layers to the plot. I was in the mood for a summer horror novel and this was the perfect choice. I didn't want to put it down once I started reading it!

I think you'll like this book if you're looking for a thriller with a large cast of characters, summer slasher vibes, and many plot twists.

A special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOW. This was the first book that I have ever felt nauseous from reading it. I am not one to pick up books that are gory, and if I had know that it was as gory as it is I would not have picked this one up either.

This was a true gory horror book. During the first half of the book, I felt tense and creeped out. During the second half of the book, I was scared and sick to my stomach. I can truly see this book being made into a horror movie and it becoming movie of the year.

If you like horror and can stomach gory writing, you will love this book. Even though I wanted to, I couldn't put this book down.

I love Darcy’s books but I am over cults! This story was a good one but the cult aspect is just one I’m not interested in as much as before!

Darcy Coates does it again!

How Bad Things Can Get is the latest thriller from Darcy Coates, and it is a story that grabs readers by the throat and refuses to let go. It is vicious, dark, and absolutely unputdownable. This time, we follow Ruth as she heads off for what she assumes will be a relaxing weekend getaway. However, nothing on this isolated island is as it seems.

Compared to other Coates novels, this one has a slightly longer build-up. The opening half unfolds at a slower pace, giving readers time to soak in the atmosphere and explore the eerie setting. Then, at the halfway point, a major twist drops, and the story detonates into a feverish, high-stakes race toward the end.

Be warned: this book is gory. The second half delivers disturbing, graphic scenes that are as shocking as they are intense. The twists that lead to this bloody chaos are masterfully handled. I had a few theories along the way, but when the big reveal hit, everything suddenly clicked into place.

This is a tightly crafted thriller that will keep both long-time Coates fans and new readers hooked until the final page. If this is your first foray into her work, prepare yourself—you will be racing to pick up her next horror story as soon as you finish.

This story gave me everything I needed: a tropical island setting, cults, competitions gone wrong, and brutal k*lls. While some are calling it a "slow burn" or suggesting the front half was dragging a bit, I was invested from the jump. I went into this without any real expectations and wound up absolutely devouring it in a couple sittings.

The premise is described as "The Blair Witch Project" meets "Fyre Fest." I would argue it's more "Survivor" meets "Jonestown" meets "Lord of the Flies" (and yes, a touch of "Fyre Fest" as well).

I always recommend Darcy Coates as a way for non-horror readers to dip their toes into the genre. I've found most of the other books I've read by her to be safe and cozy, though still enjoyable. This has without a doubt been my favorite by her. It is a serious departure from her other work and her usual haunted house premise - it is much darker and more brutal. I also found myself much more invested in the characters. I absolutely loved it and recommend it to the more well-versed horror fans out there.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and the author for the ARC!

I found this book a little irritating. Didn’t warm to the characters as much as I would have liked, so I didn’t care. The writing is fine. I think the book just isn’t for me.

I was very excited to get to read this book early as I have loved works from this author in the past. Unfortunately, this book was not for me. It was very Fyre island meets I know what you did last summer 2, I was not expecting the gory side and the start was very slow. It was, however, very well written.

This thriller kept me on the edge of my seat. It was so good! This is an auto-read, auto-buy author for me! Highly recommend for the twists and turns.

🏝️ARC REVIEW🏝️

Coming August 26th

“This is a dark facet of humanity: whenever a peaceful flock grows large enough, wolves begin to sneak between the tender bodies.”

“What could make sounds like that? The cannibal witch. Creeping on all fours, blood staining her teeth.”

“Being the apex predator is the only way to keep yourself from being eaten alive.”

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is ‘Beast Games’ with underlying DARK cult vibes and creepy island lore. I read this in a day and never looked at my percentage (which is saying alottt). I loveee Darcy Coates. This was gory and graphic and utterly addictive. HIGHLY recommend to my horror/thriller babes!

Thank you @netgalley @poisonedpenpress

#gifted #netgalley #howbadthingscanget #horrorbooks #horrorbookstagram #cultvibes #darkbooks

This book was fine. I was really pulled into it with the influencer/cult vibe & was curious to see where the batshit craziness went. I love a cult book so much but I just wanted more than just the few flashbacks. I feel like it could have been taken farther. I also think this is more geared towards horror fans due to the body horror in it. The characters were fine as well but nothing really made me connect with them much. This was my first Darcy Coates book & while this one didn’t blow me away, I’ll definitely check out her backlist!

How amazing would it be to win a "lottery" of sorts and be chosen to have an all expenses paid trip to paradise with your favourite influencer? For Ruth, her boyfriend and friends, it's a dream come true! They get to hang out on a remote island with hundreds of other guests, free food and drinks, and they get to play some games created by Eton, one of the world's biggest influencers. However, things aren't quite as they seem on the island. Things go from bad to worse really quickly and the best part? Ruth has a huge secret of her own that may explain why she was actually chosen for this trip.

I enjoyed this book! It would make a fantastic slasher movie. I liked the cult aspects, the back and forth between past and present for Ruth and her "sightings". It was gory, thrilling, a level of mystery added. It definitely reminded me of an 80s horror movie.

I would recommend this one! You can't go wrong with Darcy Coates!

🏝️ M E N A C I N G M O N D A Y review 🏝️ featuring “How Bad Things Can Get” by Darcy Coates!

An online influencer has invited a bunch of his fans to Prosperity Island for 5 days of suntanning, drinking, partying and GAMES! However, the island is cursed and has a long sinister history. The contestants have literally zero idea what they have signed up for … more like a death sentence!

Let the games begin ☠️!

💭 Picture the Hunger Games, Squid Games and Blair Witch Project mashed together for a summer slasher that will knock your socks off! This book is bloody (literally) disturbing, thrilling, terrifying and chaotic all at once! With strong themes of desperate survival, dark curses and sinister cults … what more can you ask for! As the dead bodies start to pile up, buckle up for one hell of a wild ride!

Thank you kindly to @darcybooks @poisonedpenpress @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on August 26, 2025!

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

A book by Darcy Coates is a favorite of mine even before I read it because she never does me dirty. I devour Darcy’s books! This book has a bit of everything in it. Who needs to shop around for a genre when you have your suspense here, the horror, the thriller and some mystery sprinkled on top. I thought they all flowed brilliantly together here. This book teases you a bit in the beginning but then all of a sudden it gets you and sucks you right in and you’re on the ride of your life up until the very end. This book is so vividly written it plays in your mind like a movie, gosh what a movie this would make. Know what I love about this book first, the isolation, you’re on an isolated island and you invite a bunch of people and it’s supposed to be all fun and games until….it’s not because someone didn’t do their research very well and things start to go south. OOPS. Let the chaos unravel and unhinged unraveling it does. Cults…this book has cult and that’s another favorite love of mine in books. This book will give you the creeps, but not the sleep with the lights on heebie-jeebies but just that looming eerie creepy feeling, it’s SO GOOD. I loved this and if you’re reading this then that means you’re probably a Darcy Coates fan and you will love this one too!

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: Horror, Eerie Creepy Vibes, Isolated Island, Influencer/Fans, Cults, ThrillerISH, Mystery Sprinkled, Lore

Large thank you to our Author, NetGalley as well as Poisoned Pen Press

I've read a few Darcy Coates books, and I liked most of them; I look forward to exploring her backlog more. All this to say, I was excited for this book, but it was just okay. I give it 3.5 stars because it's a solid thriller/mystery that's very easy to read and keeps you entertained, but it's nothing out of the box. Still, I liked the cult element of it, the characters were fine, and the writing is very good. Darcy Coates has a way of sucking you in, even if she's not breaking the mold with the plot, and she can create a creepy atmosphere.

This has all the beats you expect from a thriller, and while some twists were a little surprising, it was nothing new. I think it's a great option if you're trying to get out of a slump and these elements work for you (an FMC with a past and secrets, cults, a festival gone wrong/turned violent), but it's not mind-blowing and it didn't give me that blood rush I expect from thrillers or made me feel particularly frightened for the characters. Not a bad book by any means, but I wanted more.

Holy mother of words I can’t even say! 😂
Now this.. this right here was a masterpiece.
If you are looking to go on an intense ride of your life, please read this book!

Immediately hooked from the first chapter. The middle was a tad confusing but give it time and everything will fall perfectly into place.

Absolutely a must read! 5 star for me! Brilliant!

Mood was eerie, spooky, intense.
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this arc. You will NOT be disappointed!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Gather around fellow scaredy cats...
you all ready for this⁉️🫣

Viral online influencer Eton, known for his fun and games invited a few hundred of his loyal fans and influencers to a remote, deserted island with a terrifying history. It’s slated to be the party of the year! So really, what could go wrong? Ummm…Hold that thought🙋🏻‍♀️

Ruth will attend the party somewhat reluctantly, and for good reason. Ruth is the sole survivor of a cult. She’s managed to remain out of the public eye and the only person who knows just a bit of her background is her boyfriend Zach. Fortunately, he’ll be right by her side at the party.

But perhaps Eton didn’t prepare for the party as thoroughly as he should have. Guests are getting hurt or going missing. And that’s just the beginning!

WOW! This book gripped me from the start and I couldn’t tear my eyes away! Normally I avoid anything labeled horror, but come on, this was Darcy Coates! And after reading and loving one of her previous books, Dead Of Winter I knew this one was a must. Plus, I’m kind of a sucker for cult-ish books!

Is it scary? Yes!
Is it violent? Yes, you could definitely call it that.
But is it good? Survey says…Absolutely!

✍️Darcy Coates - How Bad Things Can Get
📆 Pub date August 26 2025
💭 horror/thriller/mystery
📈 5/5
👉 highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press

What a BLOODY good time!

Darcy Coates has done it again and delivered not only a bloody read but a FUN read.

I loved every second of this even though I was confused most of the book, the way she ties everything together in the end needs to be studied.

This is my favorite book from her!

How Bad Things Can Get is a horror-suspense novel where a party gone wrong reveals dark secrets and deadly consequences.

Ruth, the sole survivor of a notorious cult, tries to live quietly under a new identity. But when she attends what promises to be a lavish 5-day festival on Prosperity Island - hosted by a charismatic online influencer and attended by hundreds of fans - paradise turns into a nightmare. As the games become deadly and guests start disappearing, horrifying truths about the island's past - and it's connections to Ruth's own history - come to light. She must fight to survive as the dream devolves into a blood-soaked nightmare.

This was my first novel by Darcy Coates and unfortunately I found it a bit tame in terms of horror. For the most part I found the story to be quite slow and very YA - which would be absolutely fine if it hadn't been slated as an adult novel. I didn't connect with any of the characters at all and found them to be quite one-dimensional. The story really had such potential but certain ideas weren't developed and it took a good chunk of the book before things really started to improve, but by then it did feel like I was reading just to get it finished rather than really engaged with it.

However, the pace did pick up from the 70% mark and I ended up enjoying the last part of the book where the scenes were gory and the tension was high. So for that I will be giving it 3 stars. I'm sure fans of Coates' other work will appreciate this novel and if you're new to the horror genre then this would be a good place to start as it's very tame but with some occasional good gore (good gore? Is that a thing?). I think for me, it was just a bit too YA and basic for an adult novel - I need lot more horror in my horror books.

3 stars…read if you're a fan of Coates or graduating from YA horror to adult horror. Publishing 26th August 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Darcy Coates for the ARC.

i loved this one! it had the spooky vibes Coates always provides. I enjoyed how she twisted the plot