I've read a few of Darcy Coates books and enjoyed them. Coates can set the scene of some pretty creepy vibes. However, this one felt disjointed and hard to follow. It was almost as if there were 2 separate storylines, except one left me wanting to know so much more. I know many will enjoy this thriller, but it was hard for me to get fully invested.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and author Darcy Coates for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The first thing I appreciated about this book was how easy to read it was. I sat down to read a chapter or two and was suddenly completely immersed in the story.

There’s body horror and a sense of unease throughout the book, and I found myself both cringing and eager for the next chapter.

Discussing temporary fame in the forms of the cult of social media and actual cult life, How Bad Things Can Get tells a twisting story of overreach in the name of fame laced with the taste of honey.

Hundreds of influencers and guests are looking forward to a fun retreat, including Ruth, her boyfriend, and two friends. But when the horrific history of the remote island they are staying on is revealed and the games turn deadly, Ruth must confront her past to survive the vacation. A disturbing, violent, and intensifying read for horror fans.

For lovers of cult fiction—this one’s for you.
How Bad Things Can Get proves that yes, things can get really, really bad. This one leans way more horror than thriller, so if you're squeamish about gore, consider yourself warned.

I’ve read a few Darcy Coates books, but this one truly shocked me—more than I expected. It’s brutal, relentless, and dark, with all the slasher energy and just enough twists to keep you guessing until the end.

If you’re into intense, graphic horror and cult storylines, this is a wild, grisly ride you won’t want to miss.

I always believed; a remote island is always where bad things happen, and this book proves me right.

How bad things can get by Darcy Coates is a fascinating physiological mystery thriller novel; that involves around Ruth and her friends, when they better ticket to one of the biggest festivals on an island, led by a famous person and an island filled with influencers, more sinister things take place than expected.

The island has its darkest secrets and so does Ruth; one that she has hid from the world for years, and she never wants anyone to find out, when she gets on the island, she has a feeling her past is getting closer to her.

I enjoyed every bit of this novel, the twists, and turns were one I never imagined or expected, and I would recommend this novel to every reader out there that loves books entailing mysterious plot and enriching host games that will keep you at the edge of your toes.

This was my second read from this author, the first being Gallows Hill. I really enjoyed both of them and I think I need to add more of her catalog to my TBR.

I'll admit going in I had the impression of Darcy Coates being a bit of a tamer horror author - but there were a few gory scenes that definitely surprised me in this one. They didn't feel overly gratuitous, but the author didn't shy away from telling the reader in pretty explicit detail exactly what was happening.

The characters all felt like they had some depth to them, even the ones we only meet in passing. It did take me a little bit to get into it at first - the MCs "sightings" and experiences as a child took me a second to sort out what was happening to whom and when. Around the halfway point the action starts to get going and then just pulls you along and the second half flew by for me.

A few horror tropes are rehashed here but they're well thought out, in what feels like a bit of a refreshing take. New ground? Not so much, but sometimes good old tropes written well are just what I'm in the mood for.

How Bad Things Can Get proves that if you survive a cult once, the universe might throw you on a tropical island full of fans, influencers, and “fun little games” that involve a lot more blood than sunscreen. 😎☀️

Ruth just wanted to lay low and avoid triggering her extremely valid cult survivor trauma, but nooo, we had to play “team-building” activities that belong in a horror movie and deal with creepy staff that smile, like in the movie Smile 😁

Somehow she’s the only one with a brain (and actual survival skills), and watching her try to outsmart the chaos was fun but frustrating. Everyone she knows was being shady, which made it even more frustrating 😬

Full of beachside brutality, festival vibes, and a few twists that made me slap my head. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes their thrillers sun-drenched, stabby, and just a little bit culty.

I want to thank Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC copy in exchange for my review. As with a lot Darcy Coates's novels, this one will keep you guessing until the end. It has some twists and turns that are quite surprising. This book is so very hard to put down. Be prepared to be up most of the night reading it.

Several hundred people sign up to spend five days of fun and games on the remote island of Prosperity. Ruth and her friends are beyond excited when they find out they have been included in this all expenses paid vacation. As a child, Ruth was the only survivor of a cult in which she experienced some horrifying things. She certainly could do with a nice tropical vacation. Unfortunately, things do not go as planned on this getaway. Slowly, it goes from bad to worse and gets more bloody as it goes along. It all gets explained by the end, but by then, you realize "how bad things can get." Definitely recommend reading this one.

This is my first time finishing a book by Darcy Coates, though I’ve long been familiar with her reputation for spooky, atmospheric horror. When I got the chance to read an ARC of How Bad Things Can Get, I was curious to see how her writing would translate to a more real-world horror premise—and the setup definitely intrigued me.

At its core, this novella offers a disturbing, survival-style thriller that feels eerily inspired by real-life cults and failed influencer culture events. Think Fyre Fest meets Heaven’s Gate, with a layer of quiet dread running underneath. The plot follows Ruth, a survivor of past trauma who finds herself caught in something much darker than it first appears. There’s a lot to like in this concept—Coates takes a bold step away from her haunted-house comfort zone, and the originality of the premise is what kept me reading.

That said, I did have mixed feelings. There were moments early on when I genuinely questioned what I was reading—not out of suspense, but confusion. The book had all the elements of a gripping thriller: cults, survival games, manipulation—but much of the tension doesn’t fully settle until the second half. I found myself wanting more emotional depth from the characters and a tighter narrative thread connecting the subplots.

Still, there’s no denying Coates knows how to create atmosphere. Her writing is direct and clean, which makes this an easy one-sitting read. The final stretch is fast-paced and tense, and I think a lot of readers will appreciate its blend of horror and social commentary.

Release: August 26, 2025
Author: Darcy Coates
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Rating: 3 ★ 

An influencer-hosted beach getaway turns into a nightmare in this chilling thriller. What was meant to be five days of games, partying, and sun on Prosperity Island quickly spirals out of control. Ruth, the lone survivor of a notorious cult, is just trying to stay under the radar—but the island’s dark past resurfaces, and it’s tied directly to hers. As people start disappearing and the fun turns deadly, Ruth realizes they may not be in paradise at all… but in the heart of something far more sinister.

This book is a wild, bloody and a cult documentary all wrapped into one. Set on a remote island and framed around a massive influencer-hosted getaway, the story starts off slow—but once it picks up, it really picks up.

The main character, Ruth, is a survivor of a notorious cult and wants nothing more than to keep her past buried. But the island has other plans. What begins as games and parties quickly morphs into chaos, and Ruth finds herself reliving the trauma she’s spent years trying to escape. The eerie, atmospheric setting mixed with the cult backstory gives the book a unique edge that separates it from your average thriller.

That said, the pacing is uneven. The first half drags, and the large cast of characters can be hard to keep track of—some of them are underdeveloped, and I found myself wishing we got to know a few of them better. The multiple POVs helped show different parts of the island experience, but I wanted more emotional connection to make the deaths hit harder.

Still, the second half of the book is relentless, gruesome, and impossible to look away from. It’s disturbing in all the right ways, especially for horror fans who enjoy cult themes, social media satire, and graphic survival elements. There are definitely some WTF moments that kept me flipping pages late into the night.

While it’s not my favorite Darcy Coates novel—it lacks the tight tension and atmosphere of her haunted house stories—it’s still an entertaining, unsettling read with a killer concept. If you like your horror tropical, twisted, and full of surprises, this one might be worth the trip.

Favorite Quote:
"audiences love a villain. Tragedies are more cathartic when there's someone to blame."

If you're in the mood for a savage thriller with a cultish twist, influencer shenanigans, and a tropical backdrop drenched in dread—this one delivers with flair. It’s not subtle, nor is it emotionally profound—but it’s a lean, mean horror-thriller designed to keep adrenaline pumping. Great for fans who want gore, isolation, and escalating unease without getting bogged down in nuance.

Darcy Coates is one of my favorite horror/thriller authors. This book like the others I've read by her did NOT disappoint. This was edge of my seat perfect.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was an edgy thriller novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

I had my reservations going in as it had such a slow start but ultimately I loved this. Darcy Coates is back to her gory, body horror best. I went into this semi blind and with low expectations.

Six hundred social media influencers and youtubers think they're spending time on a tropical island playing games and challenges to win amazing prices and advance their respective channels. However, things go from bad to worse when the games become dangerous and guests start disappearing. Early on I thought I knew where this was going. Thankfully, I was wrong and I was surprised by all of the twists. Unfortunately, it took a while to get there, with too much emphasis on the games themselves and minor characters that ultimately wouldn't be significant later. The second half was a gore filled blood bath. Not for the squeamish. Another hit from Darcy Coates.

Personal gripes - the two epilogues were unnecessary and the title is terrible.

I didn’t realize this was a horror thriller. I had no idea what I was in for! I think this isn’t really my genre. The writing was very vivid. Sometimes I physically looked away! At some points I was a bit lost. It was interesting but I don’t think I’ll be reading horror again for a while

Have you ever wanted to compete in Squid Games or a Mr. Beast style competition? Maybe a real-life Hunger Games? If so, do yourself a favor and grab Darcy Coates' latest thriller to find out just How Bad Things Can Get.

A slick, juvenile social media influencer has invited a select group of guests to a private island for a dream vacation on what amounts to a complex and scenic obstacle course. Teams are pitted against each other in potentially lucrative competitions that show off their physical and mental prowess. Among the guests are other influencers, hoping to make a name for themselves, as well as a journalist who has suspicions about more than one of these individuals. There are legends of witchcraft, castaways resorting to cannibalism in the island's history, and since then, mysterious accidents that occur whenever a builder tries to begin a new construction project.

Coates has written propulsive, dark thrillers in the past with works like Hunted, but here, her talents all come together with the right combination of pacing, suspense, character development and action. Fans of The Way Up Is Death, The Hunger Games and Good Girls Don't Die will find familiar ground on this blood-soaked sand. For a dark, twisty thriller that will keep you guessing through the final pages, it doesn't get much better than How Bad Things Can Get.

A duplicitous thank you to NetGalley and Poison Pen Press.

I truly believe you cannot go wrong with a Darcy Coates book. I’m probably her #1 fan over here 😂 I binged this in a day and I will eagerly wait for her next release

Darcy Coates delivers another chilling, atmospheric horror in How Bad Things Can Get, a slow-burn psychological thriller that sinks its claws in and doesn't let go. Known for her mastery of haunted settings and tension-heavy plots, Coates once again crafts a tale drenched in dread—but this time with a twist of isolation horror and emotional trauma that lingers long after the final page.

The story follows Mira, a young woman recovering from an abusive relationship, who takes refuge in a quiet, forested estate. But peace proves elusive. The surrounding woods seem to harbor something dark, and Mira’s mind begins to unravel as strange happenings blur the lines between reality and paranoia. Is something really out there, or is she losing her grip?

Coates excels at creating a creeping sense of unease. The setting is claustrophobic and vividly described, and Mira’s inner turmoil adds emotional depth to the fear. While the pacing is slower than some of Coates’s other works, the payoff is worth it—especially for readers who enjoy suspense that simmers before boiling over. There are moments of genuine terror, but it’s the psychological tension that hits hardest.

That said, readers looking for action-heavy horror might find the book too introspective. Some repetitive internal monologue could have been trimmed, and a few plot twists are more predictable than impactful.

Still, How Bad Things Can Get stands out as a haunting, emotionally resonant story about survival, trauma, and the monsters—both real and imagined—that we carry with us. Fans of Shirley Jackson-style suspense and feminist horror themes will find a lot to love here.

This book is a horror, thriller, mysterious, and suspenseful all rolled into one. It was disturbing and absolutely had me terrified sitting straight up in bed binging it to the end. It takes place on a deserted island, where an internet sensation invites his fans to come vacation and take part in some games and drinking. Ruth’s boyfriend and two friends end up being selected to go, and she is invited to join them. Ruth is the one surviving member of a cult, a secret she holds close to her heart. She likes to keep her head down, thinking that will keep her safe. Against her better judgement, she decides to go on this trip… and immediately regrets it as people begin to disappear. Thanks so much to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

Dang, this had so much potential, but it just didn't hit for me. I expected tension and chapters that would leave me on the edge of my seat, but this was kind of...bland? The gore was definitely there but it didn't work with how the story was told. Too many characters that I couldn't care about and I wish we had more of an in depth look into Ruths past.