I couldn't stop reading this book! It's an example of what fractures the mind; loss, fear, regret... Still's work is very descriptive, and will take you straight into the reality that is the life of the mentally disturbed and ill.

Willow is the epitome of mental illness, and demonstrates the depths it can take the mind. Liam is Willow’s husband. He comes home every day, and expects routine. However, is he conspiring against her? Willow is dedicated to her garden, the flowers are almost like her children. One day she meets a young girl, Sarah, in her garden. Why does Sarah not seem like her correct name? Willow can’t tell right from wrong, cannot differentiate time differences of days and seasons. Willow is not well.

What is real? What is hallucination? After falling into the madness of Willow’s mind, will you be okay?

I loved her book My Darlings and I was so excited to read this one. There are so many spelling errors in this book. It makes it really difficult to focus on the story when I’m trying to piece together what it says. I honestly can’t believe it was sent out that way.

Still does it again with her newest novel! The constant wondering keeps the pages turning as the reader wonders what is happening and has happened to Willow, the mother or the mother that isn't the mother. The words, with their rich textures and vibrant hues, create a mesmerizing world, captivating the mind and transporting the reader to another realm. Curiosity propels the narrative to a shocking revelation, leaving the reader speechless. If you like Still's previous books, grab your copy of this psychological thriller filled with secrets, endless time loops, and the fine line between delusion and reality, exploring the depths of a dark mind.

4.5 ⭐️

Unhinged. Haunting. Visceral. Surreal. I was immediately captivated by this chilling tale. It was dark, claustrophobic and devastating. It was brilliantly composed.

Marie Still has such a distinct writing style. I find it utterly intriguing. Her prose is lyrical and hypnotic. Bad Things Happened in That Room was the second book I’ve read by Still and it was equally, if not better, than My Darlings. Her intense prose and vivid imagery had me questioning my own sanity. It was that twisted and manic.

Bad Things Happened in This Room centered on Willow, a woman whose life had become a disorienting "fever dream" where time felt warped. She was trapped in a house that seemed to be alive with malevolent energy, and the unsettling question arose: was she a prisoner of her domineering husband, Liam, or of her own fractured mind?

Marie Still expertly embodied deep and dark themes such as motherhood, grief, and the precarious line between reality and delusion. I appreciated how the story explored motherhood within the context of Willow's psychological struggles and experiences. More specifically, the narrative hinted at the pressures and challenges of being a mother. Even more, I appreciated how loss and grief was addressed when Still illustrated Willow’s mental state and the bad things that happened in the room. Not only that, the detailed descriptions of Willow life as a “fever dream” and her unraveling grip on reality emphasized the gradual loss of her sanity. Above all, I most appreciated how Still unveiled Willow's Journey of her facing the dark shadows of her past and uncovering her buried truths. All these themes collectively added layers to this already intricately elaborate story.

All in all, I absolutely loved how Marie Still designed this story to be disorienting and kept me guessing until the very end. It was a brilliantly crafted, unhinged story. This one will linger with you long after the last page.

Thank you to Net Galley and Rising Action Publishing for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

✨✨✨Did I just hallucinate?! ✨✨✨

I feel like I didn’t read Bad Things Happened in This Room, I feel like instead I just had the most horrifying hallucination. Or like I just woke up from a wicked nightmare that was erratic, unstable, and completely terrifying.

This book is top tier unreliable narrator psychological horror and extremely unique!! Willow is one of (if not THE most) unreliable narrators of all time. This book is fast-paced, crazy, confusing, psychotic, dark, creepy, twisted, thought provoking, heartbreaking, and chilling all at the same time!

Bad Things Happened in This Room is an astonishingly dreadful, out of sorts, harrowing, and gloomy book and I loved it!! 👏 Even though the ending made me SO SAD! You will just have to read this one and see for yourself!!

✨Definitely be sure to check out the trigger warnings on this one first though.✨

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be released September 16, 2025.

This is my first novel from Marie Still, so I was intrigued to read. Bad Things Happened in this Room was a little hard for me to get into. It didn't grab my attention like most suspense/horror books do. I am open to reading other novels by her.

Hey Hollywood, here's a book you need to adapt asap. Oh my goodness, how have I never read from this author before?? This was trippy and a addictive read. If you ever wanted to go down a mind bending spiral that may even drive you to madness, please pick this up. You won't regret it. I loved how the narrator does break the 4th wall and calls us out a little, which I mean rude, but totally valid. I wanted to say, "I'm sorry but I don't know what's going on either!"

We follow Willow whose life has been turned upside down. Her once happy life with her husband Liam has turned into nothing but a shell of a marriage. One day Willow becomes obsessed with a young girl named Sarah, who shortly after meeting, vanishes. Willow is convinced she alone can save Sarah. But things are not always what they seem. See Willow can't tell what is reality or a figment of her imagination. Her psyche is broken from past trauma so to save Sarah, she must confront her past. Can she do it? Is her husband pulling the strings or is there something more sinister going on?

Its been a long time since I have given a thriller/horror 5 stars and this was well deserved. I can't wait to read more!

I don't know if this book is supposed to have grammatical errors I'll try reading it again if there's supposed to be but if not I'm not continuing reading it.

This psychological horror novel felt like a real nightmare and had me questioning everything! It is dark, chilling, emotional, mysterious, sad, tense and terrifying! I read a lot of horror books and I will say that this one freaked me out, in a good way of course. I love a good horror book, there just aren’t many that actually scare me. This book is not for the faint of heart and is very creepy. It is more of the psychological aspect of this horror book that frightened me the most. It has an excellent build up and the plot was very well executed. This is a fast paced read that I found to be thought provoking, captivating and entertaining. It is intense! It may make you feel claustrophobic, as it did me. This author really brought this book to life in the most creepiest, craziest way imaginable!

“Bad Things Happened In This Room” centers around Willow Hawthorne, who has a fractured mind. She is trapped in her own house and is haunted by a past of hers that she struggles to remember. I give this horror book a 5 out of 5 stars!

I think anyone that loves extreme horror and can handle the trigger warnings would enjoy this book! Content warnings include Body horror, domestic abuse, miscarriage, stillbirth, infertility, mental health deterioration, infant mortality, death of a parent, insects, manipulation, gaslighting, drugging and suicide.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Marie Still and Rising Action Publishing Co. for this electronic ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and feedback. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on September 16, 2025!

It was tough to get into this one at first but then seemed to flow better and keep me interested. This was the first book I have read by this author so wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. If trigger warnings don’t bother you, this is a fascinating read for sure with an unreliable narrator. Thought it was just OK because I didn’t love the writing style.

Was a hard read to really get into at first but it started to get better! I didn’t care for the writing style unfortunately and the POV of a child was not my thing.

Doesn’t mean you wouldn’t like it!

I could not get into this at all and ending up not finishing at 20% because I just couldn't do it anymore. The premise seemed interesting and promising but this just wasn't the book for me.

This book feels like a fever dream you can’t tell what’s real or fake throughout the entirety of this book and you are left confused in a good way. The devastating grief Willow goes through is truly horrifying even though I knew where all the craziness was heading I did not expect the last few pages, those really surprised me.

Willow's life is a constant loop of controlled existence, marked by the strict rules of her husband Liam and the unsettling nature of her surroundings. Her only connection to the outside world is a young girl named Sarah, whose visits to Willow's garden offer a glimmer of hope. However, as cracks appear in Willow's reality, sinister truths begin to surface, revealing haunting messages on the walls and a malevolent presence within her house. When Sarah suddenly disappears, Willow is forced to confront her past and the dark secrets that threaten to consume her. The central question is whether Willow is a prisoner of her home or of her own fractured psyche

Thank you NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co for the ARC in exchange for my honest review
Publication date : Sep 16, 2025

I had a hard time with this one. I wanted to like it so bad. It sounded like an interesting concept and an intriguing read. Instead, I had a hard time getting into it - fighting my way through the beginning - before really getting into some heavy, darker themes. I just think maybe this wasnt right for me.

Dnf.

This is a me problem. I can't stand books told by a child. It is my biggest peeve ever. I just can't read them.

This book takes a while to get into. I found the that beginning to be a bit slow while we get to know each characters. The story does pick up and is very interesting. Please check trigger warnings.
Bad Things Happened in this Room was my first read my Marie Still.

Creepy, disorienting, and emotionally intense, this psychological horror kept me on edge from start to finish. The atmosphere is thick with dread, and the twists genuinely surprised me. I loved the unreliable narration and how the story plays with memory and trauma.

Definitely make sure to check the trigger warnings before reading—this one dives into dark and disturbing territory. A solid pick if you enjoy horror that messes with your head. I seriously cannot wait to pick up more from Still!

The is the peak unreliable narrator. Every unreliable narrator to ever exist was working up to be Willow. This is a super dark book that surprises you again and again.

This book has an unrelenting sense of doom and suspense. The reader, along with the narrator has absolutely no idea what’s really happening. We follow Willow as she tries to put the pieces together of her reality. What’s real? What’s not? Is any of it happening? It’s for both the reader and Willow to figure out.

Few things are scarier than not being able to trust your own mind. Please check trigger warnings that the author has kindly provided before reading. The most prevailing and heavy is grief and child loss. Nothing was particularly shocking, but it deals with some heavy stuff in a particularly scary and dark way.

This book was a dark and heavy read. I did find myself having to take breaks from reading to consume something a little more light hearted, and horror novels rarely bother me. It’s a raw and somber look at grief, trauma, tragedy, and mental illness.

If you want something unexpected, creepy and at times a little unhinged, this is the horror novel for you.

This wasn’t my first book by Marie still, but I first came across her when I found “My darlings”, which is still one of my favorite books. In my opinion this is just as good. It’s a page turner and hard to put down. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read an early copy.

Bad Things Happened In This Room is the best psychological horror I’ve read in a very long time. The writing is hauntingly poetic, even as it plunges deep into the chaos of Willow’s unraveling mind and eerie surroundings. The story lures you into a suffocating, dreamlike spiral where reality, memory, and delusion blur beyond recognition.

I thought I had it mostly figured out except for one final reveal that made me gasp out loud. It was the perfect twist to cap off a deeply unsettling journey.

If you love psychological horror that explores grief, motherhood, and the fragile boundary between sanity and madness, do not skip this. It’s chilling, immersive, and lingers with you long after the final page.

Thank you NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.