Holy cannoli! Did this book keep me reading into the wee hours of the morning? Yes, because I HAD to know what happened!

At age seven, Ruth was the sole survivor of a suicide cult. When her boyfriend wins the opportunity to join an online influencer's all-expense-paid trip to his island Prosperity, he brings along Ruth and two other friends. Free drinks and food? Yes, they're here for it. But when the competitive games start, Ruth isn't sure she wants to engage. Because she has a secret. And somebody might guess who she is.

Was it over the top? Yes,
Was it gory af? Yup!.

This book started out with something we thriller readers know is not going to end well. A bunch of people are left on an island with no way off until the ship comes back for them. I blinked, and the book took a dark, dark turn. The host was a little too careless. The staff were a little too nonchalant and their smiles a little too wide. People went missing. There were whispers about the Petition cult, which 20 years ago met its tragic end. The dread builds and builds until you realize you're gritting your teeth, clenching every muscle, and stifling a scream. Because someone is running the games and it isn't the host!

I don't know how Darcy was able to make something so visceral so fascinating, but I'm so glad she did! Now to find her backlist!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this gory...I mean...glorious...advance reader's copy!

Ruth, her three friends, and several hundred others are invited to a private island for an all expenses paid week of fun and games hosted by an online influencer. Ruth hopes to keep her past a secret and simply enjoy the getaway, but when strange things start happening and guests begin to disappear, she fears her past may be catching up with her. The book was a little too gory for my taste, but the plot was solid and kept me engaged. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader’s copy.

I cannot believe I haven’t read a book by Darcy Coates before this! I had always seen her books posted and reviewed and I have so many on my TBR but this was my first and I love her already. Her world building for the horror genre is just right; it’s enough to immerse you and terrify you at the same time and doesn’t drag on or distract from the true thrills and chills of the plot. Her characters are developed just enough to keep you invested and the flow is everything I look for. I absolutely cannot wait to read more by her. I can already tell she’s going to be a favorite author of mine!

How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates is an eerie cult island read that is perfect right now with summer ending and fall beginning. You get that tropical ambience with spooky vibes.

A group of influencers and mega fans of billionaire influencer, Eton, get selected to go to a private island that Eton has recently purchased. It’s going to be the ultimate week of partying and games, but this island has an unlucky history of several mishaps and people missing. Every time someone purchases the island for their vision, the jobs never get completed. But are the stories true? On top of that, one of the guests, Ruth, is the only child survivor 20 years ago from an infamous cult. Her identity has been a secret, but she gets a bad feeling as soon as she lands on the island.

This book gave me Survivor (the television show) vibes in the beginning, especially with the first game played when the guest arrived. A group of randomly selected people are chosen to stand on platforms and run on planks to lock boxes. The last one standing wins a cash prize.

With a dark history comes dark mishaps, and they are downright eerie and gruesome. The guests on the first night learns of the lore of the island, including the cannibal witch, which Eton makes finding her grave a treasure hunt (reminded me of the immunity idol on Survivor).

The details in this book are so graphic that I got creeped out reading in the dark at night. If you are a fan of horror movies, then I think you will love how dark this book gets. There is mystery, suspense, and lots of horror. I’ve read a few influencer type books, and for once I wasn’t annoyed with any of them. The book is so focused on the history of the island and all the mishaps that the influencers become the background to the story. The imagery was so great!!

This is a hard one to review. It fits multiple genres. The characters are both interesting and frustrating. I really thought I had it figured out but then the author turns everything on end and I couldn't read fast enough.

I’ve read Darcy Coates before and was excited to dive into this one — but wow, I probably should have known from the title that I was in for a rough ride. How Bad Things Can Get is horror through and through, and I wasn’t fully prepared for just how gory and descriptive it would be. There were moments where I almost had to put the book down, so heads up (I’m not normally squeamish).

That being said, the setup was great: think The Beach meets Hunger Games with a dash of Blair Witch and Fyre Fest chaos. A bunch of influencers and fans head to Prosperity Island for the party of the century… only to find out the “games” they’ve been promised are deadlier than anyone expected. Ruth, the main character, is especially compelling — the lone survivor of a cult who discovers the island has terrifying ties to her past. The mix of survival horror, cult psychology, and sheer chaos definitely kept the pages turning.


It’s fast-paced, bloody, and dark — definitely for fans of survival horror and cult-driven thrillers. For me, it was a little too much on the gore side, but I can’t deny it was tense, memorable, and well-written.

a famous influencer, known for dangerous games and giving away wads of cash, purchased a private island for his biggest games yet. Ruth's boyfriend just happened to win a spot on the island for him, her, and his two friends. But as time goes on its increasingly clear something is wrong. The staff have these chilling smiles, people are being attacked, and people are going missing. As time goes on Ruth wonders if somehow the organizers know her deepest secret, that she is the sole survivor of a suicide cult. Was it actually random that they won a slot? Is there any chance they will make it out alive?
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This is my first Darcy Coates book and it will not be my last! I can't believe it took me this long to find her. It is perfect parts horror, thriller, and mystery. The setting of the island is so chilling, the way she describes the staff is honestly horrifying, and the plot was so anxiety inducing. I loved the cult aspect, it reminded me a lot of the cult from The Family Upstairs. I would love a whole book about both cults in this book. The horror was really well done. It was not over the top or cheesy, it was subtle and really sent a chill up my spine in some parts. I thought the different POV's were a bit much at first, but they sort of worked themselves out and it really helped to set the tone and squash an unreliable narrator trope before it started. One thing I hate about this book.....the title. I hate it, it just does not roll off the tongue at all. I cannot wait to get into more of her books!!
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Will be posted on my blog September 1st

I LOVE Darcy Coates. My first experience with one of her books was her YA novel Where He Can’t Find You during a particularly grueling jury duty. Her book made it SO much more enjoyable and I’ve been reading her horror novels ever since. To be completely honest, too, she’s the reason I like horror novels at all. So when I got accepted for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review, I was STOKED.

How Bad Things Can Get did not disappoint me at all. It’s basically an island gameshow filled with cult-vibes, ritualistic sacrifices, and a whole lot of page turning. The pacing was unmatched and once I got to 60% through the novel, I couldn’t put it down and finished it within hours. I loved the characters, rooted for all of them, and wanted so much more in a good way.

So, Ruth is our main main character. She survived a total massacre in the cult she was born into when she was just seven (I think?) years old. She was the sole survivor and has remained anonymous for twenty years since everyone has been obsessed with the cult that called themselves Petition. A journalist named Logan who exposes celebrities and social personalities for bad things they do is the second main character. However, there are many many different chapters with many different point of views. I didn’t mind because it offered insight into the story that you wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. A LOT happened in this novel and I honestly got attached to way too many characters.

Pacing for the first part of the novel was slower, but by no means would I consider it “slow”. It’s just that the last 40% of the novel went at such a breakneck speed that everything else would be considered a snail’s pace. I honestly enjoyed the whole novel though and probably only got bored for a short time in between after the first game and before one of the big reveals. It was a very short section, so I don’t know if I can really even count it as boring so much as informative and a buildup to what was to come.

As far as the ending goes, I LOVED Ruth’s self-revelations about the cult she was in and how things tied up for her. You don’t get a lot of “after” for the main ending, so don’t expect much, but it was still very much enjoyable.

Overall, this was such a great read and really pulled me out of the slump I’ve been in. 4.5 out of 5 stars rounded up for social platforms. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves horror, or even if you’re just looking for a thrilling read to keep you up way too late just to read one more chapter.

There were parts of this book I absolutely loved, and parts I struggled to get through. There were so many characters I struggled to connect with anyone, and found myself wanting more backstory into the cult OR more focus on the island and games happening. I love reality tv and had high hopes for this one, but it fell a little flat for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a full solid 5 stars!! I didn’t even question why I was so locked in right away because I’m a huge huge huge fan of Darcy Coates and her writing! I’ve read almost everything she’s written!

The thriller, high-octane aspect definitely was very present and the plot was not only scary from an IRL perspective but in the way that she let the story unfold. I was very much on tenterhooks the entire time I was reading it. I couldn’t put it down. And whenever someone “snuck up on me” I would jump and scream. But in my case by “sneak up” I just mean “walk up to me while my head was turned 10 degrees away” because I’m easily spooked.

But I think what was more amazing in this book (and I don’t know if it’s cause of our current times with social media and the pool of content creators being so vast) was Darcy’s characterizations and development of each one! I connected with them more and on a level that MADE me more fearful, more sympathetic, more empathetic or even somewhat angrier about certain events. (WOW trying to be vague and spoiler free has never been so difficult lol) My point is, I think the way the story developed is genius!! And the way I vacillated between liking and being annoyed by our FMC was also an interesting thing to me but I don’t know if that was intentional or just a me-thing.

But anyway, highly recommend!

How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates was a wild ride! This horror/thriller is about selected people who are invited to a private island by an online influencer. They come all set to party, play games, and win money. We mainly follow Ruth, an ex cult member just trying to keep her head down and have a fun time with her boyfriend and his friends. Ruth starts to think that she wasn’t “randomly” selected to be there, as the island’s history and connections to the cult come to light. Soon the games turn deadly, and guests start to go missing. Instead of partying and suntanning, the guests now have to survive this remote island.

This book had SO many twists and turns! A few I saw coming, but plenty that I did not! I was hooked from the start. Darcy Coates definitely knows how to keep readers invested. This is perfect for an end of summer/start to spooky season read!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC in exchange for my honest review*

UHM WHAT

This was like Mr. Beast hosts Squid Game in Jonestown. The absolute mash up of cults, influencer culture, and horror was fantastic. I think Darcy Coates has a lot to say about the underbelly of influencer culture as well, and that was very apt.

An absolute ride from start to finish, I read the last 40% in one sitting because it was all so wild. My reactions went from gasps to EW pretty quickly (in a good way, bc…horror). I don’t want to say too much about the premise because I find some secrets are better left unsaid (until you read it) but if you are a fan of cults and fanaticism, this is the book for you.

How Bad Things Can Get is completely cinematic in all its slasher glory. Such a fun read right in time for spooky season!

This is my first Darcy Coates book and it will not be my last. This book was a bloody horrific wild ride! I could not put this book down. Chapter after chapter has you wondering what is going to happen next and can it get worse than the last. 😳

Darcy Coates, you are a genius!

How Bad Things Can Get brought it all to the table. You have cults (past and present), childhood trauma survivor, horror, gore, and murders (plenty of those). You are in for surprise, twisty reveals, lies that unravel, friends with secrets, and a former trauma survivor who was being gaslight. Eton is hosting a retreat at an island that he has purchased. He has invited his followers, fans, influencers, models, and internet sensations. However, he has a huge secret that made him rush this retreat. All of the guests have dark pasts and current secrets. Ruth is a cult survivor, the only one, and it seems that Eton invited her knowing her well-kept secret.

Please run and get this book. You will be thinking about it for days.

Thank you, Netgalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for this eArc. All opinions are entirely my own.

Darcy's books are always a hit with me and this joins that list! This was great and I couldn't put it down. Literally stayed up all night reading it.

📖 Spoiler-Free Summary:
An island escape sounds dreamy… until you realize the sunburn isn’t the worst thing waiting for you 🌴➡️☠️. What should’ve been a retreat quickly spirals into a fight for survival filled with secrets, shifting alliances, and plenty of nightmare fuel 🩸.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5 stars)

Darcy Coates has a real talent for atmosphere, and this book proves it. The setting itself is oppressive and unsettling—you can almost hear the waves crashing while also wondering what’s lurking in the shadows 🌊👀. The sense of dread builds well, and there are moments that absolutely nail the horror vibe.

That said… some of the story beats left me squinting. 🧐 A few character realizations felt too convenient, like the plot was fast-tracking instead of unfolding naturally. Instead of tension building through discovery, it sometimes relied on assumptions that didn’t quite land. It’s not that the story wasn’t engaging—it was—but those leaps of logic yanked me out of the moment.

Now, the horror imagery? Chef’s kiss. 👏 One scene in particular (involving barbed wire) had me wincing and muttering “nope nope nope” out loud. Coates knows how to craft visuals that stick in your brain like a splinter—uncomfortable, vivid, and unforgettable 🩸.

Where I wanted more was in the explanation of how everything came together. The threads were there, but they didn’t always tie off cleanly. Instead of a sharp gut-punch finale, it sometimes felt like a puzzle with a few missing pieces. 🧩

💀 Final Thoughts: Creepy, atmospheric, and full of memorably grisly moments. Just expect a few bumps in logic along the way. If you love survival horror with rich imagery, this one will still be worth the ride—just pack some extra suspension of disbelief along with your sunscreen. 🧴🔥

This was my first book by @darcybooks and I was pleasantly surprised! It’s filled with horror, mystery and suspense! The sinister atmosphere of the island was vividly captured and makes this a perfect spooky season read! The cult aspect was pretty dark for me but kept my attention throughout! The characters were well written but I felt like a little lost with so many POVs in place. Be aware, there are some triggers in this book that include cannibalism, witch cults, and violence towards children. If you’re looking for a story with ‘Blair Witch Project’ vibes, add this to your TBR!

Thank you @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Prosperity Island. Sounds like a great place to spend a week with some friends, play some games, maybe win some prizes as the festival commenced. But don't let the name fool you. Nothing on this island prosper as it has a pretty gruesome history.

Ruth Phillips has known gruesome, and she has been trying to escape her past for the last 20 years. Now, being on this island, she's not sure her past or herself is safe.

The first 25% of the book was a bit slow, but it helped build some of the history and intrigue surrounding our MC. Once it picked up, though, holy heck, you better hang on for the ride. It was intense, unpredictable, and terrifying. I finished the last 20 chapters in one sitting as I couldn't put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was easy to read and very entertaining. It had an interesting premise and was just fun to read. A great pick for your fall tbr!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Love Darcy Coates books.
Always very spooky and keep you wanting to read and this book was no different.
Definitely a good book for the autumn season.
Thanks so much Netgalley for letting me read this book for an honest review