You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom

by Vincent Tirado

Demons clash with inheritance claims as secrets unfold and violence is unleashed over twelve harrowing hours trapped in a house with the worst thing imaginable: family.

When Papi Ramon, the patriarch of the wealthy Abreu family dies, he gives the family one last message in the will: “One of you is el bacà, the demon that I made a deal with. Get rid of them or you will be damned.” Xiomara, the uncontested favorite of Papi Ramon (and therefore the least liked in the family), watches as everyone dismisses this as the joke of a senile old man and demands the lawyer obtain the previous will Papi wrote.

While the lawyer drives back to his office, a storm breaks out, forcing the entire family—Xiomara’s aunts and uncles and cousins—to remain in the house. And the words of Papi’s will hangs over their heads even heavier than the rain clouds. Over the course of the night, scandal after scandal is revealed to the public about the family. Suddenly a tense few hours of surviving her family turns into a vicious night of recrimination, violence, accusations…and murder.

Xiomara is faced with an impossible task: uproot a demon and somehow kill it or excise the ghosts that linger within her own family.

And the clock is ticking...

Genres: Horror, Gothic, Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

256 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 10, 2026

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy dysfunctional family, Batman. The Abreus are perhaps the worst people on the planet. I mean, I grew up in an insane family (the Florida panhandle is a crazy place, man) and my grandma once got drunk and tried to drive to my ex-step-father's house to shoot him in the head for (allegedly) cheating on my mother with her sister. That's the kind of family I grew up in, and yet they were/are still far less dysfunctional than the family in this novel.

(The step-father was fine, by the way. Grandma was pulled out of the car and back into the house before she could drunk drive her way to a murder charge.)

Anyway, this book is oddly captivating despite its flaws. The first 75% or so is mildly interesting, but it's kind of repetitive and nothing particularly exciting happens. There are a few off-page demon attacks and a whole lot of bickering, but overall it's pretty tame for a horror novel. It's not uninteresting and I definitely found myself wanting to keep reading, but it's a slow, slow burn.

The last quarter of the book, though?? Holy shit. That's where all the action happens. There's subterfuge and death and the revelation of life-altering secrets and constantly shifting alliances and it's all pretty great. I didn't even mind the epilogue-ish bit, even though it's very tell-y and not show-y. There are a couple of loose ends that don't get completely wrapped up and the “shocking” reveals are kind of lacking in detail (and not always all that shocking, honestly), but I was still totally invested in the story. It's wild, y'all.

What I don't understand, though, is why the events of this book had to play out the way they did at all? I mean, Papi Ramon leaves a will (of sorts) that basically says “one of you is a demon and you might want to figure out who before the entire family is damned, lulz, XOXO.” But why? Why does't he just say who the demon is?? He could have revealed it in the will or on one of the cassette tapes or written it on the wall with a purple highlighter, I dunno, but I get the feeling that Papi was kind of a turd in real life because why would you do such a thing otherwise?

[Edit: Okay, fine. Rereading the will and the cassette tape bits, maybe Papi doesn't know who the demon is. Either way, making a pact with a demon who's going to damn your entire family after you die is still kind of a jerk move.]

I was completely surprised by the identity of the demon, though. I had a couple of suspects in mind and those people did turn out to be awful for other reasons, but I definitely did not see that particular twist coming.

Overall, this book is fun but I wouldn't quite call it fine literature. But if you don't mind a slow burn and appreciate completely unlikeable characters and can avoid thinking too hard about the plot, it's absolutely worth a read.

3.65 stars, rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is March 10, 2026.

[Court Zierk · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Families are only as functional as its least functional part, and when all parts are equally maladjusted, well, all connective fabric disintegrates like sugar in water. And throw a family inheritance in the mix and let’s just say that chaos rules the day.

This book explores the messiness of familial connection, and does so through a whodunit, supernaturally curious mode. It’s a single-setting, one night delve into the horrors of blood relation devolving into blood letting.

There are definitely pacing issues. This book stalls out in the middle, seemingly running out of steam before picking back up in the back third. But when it picks back up, it maintains a frenzied pace until the end.

Overall, it’s a good book. Nothing that will remain with me for any measure of time, but enjoyable nonetheless.

[MagretFume · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is really good and I immediately felt the unease and the fear of the main character. 

The absolute insanity of this family was fantastic to witness and the atmosphere really creepy and dark. 

I liked it, but it was maybe just a bit slow for my tastes but it delivered. 

Thank you William Morrow for this ARC!

[Noah Jackson]

You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom is a tense family drama that masterfully weaves a tale of family drama and trauma in the backdrop of the family patriarch’s home.

After the passing of the patriarch, the rest of the Ramon family gathers in his home for the reading of the will, only to be told that one of them is a demon in disguise. It falls to the remaining family to discover the demon’s identity and kill them or the family will be damned.

The family obviously does not believe these claims, but become trapped in the house during a raging storm as numerous scandals are revealed about each family member. Their reactions and behavior ratchet up the tension as the night progresses, making each other more and more paranoid about who in the family could be revealing these damaging secrets.

Vincent Tirado does a wonderful job of crafting believable personal dynamics in this dysfunctional family, each decision and reaction feels real and unforced. As the night progresses and the storm rages, the finger-pointing becomes wilder and as tumultuous as the storm outside.

Is there a demon that has cursed this family? Will it be revealed before the coming dawn? You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom is a tense read that will have you on the edge of your seat the whole time.

** This review is based on a free e-ARC received from Net Galley. The opinions are freely given and not paid for. ***

[Trisha]

I love this cover! Can't wait to read this!

**********ARC REC'D THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I'm SO excited for this one!!************

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Katrina G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special thanks to the publisher and Netgally for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Wow this was a crazy ride to be one. I'll be honest, I thought I had this all figured out from the start. And then I kept changing my mind. And then I kept going back to my original conclusion. And then I changed my mind again. And I then I was kinda right, but also super wrong.

This family is dysfunctional to the max. Everybody has problems, and they make those problems everyone else's problem in one way or another until all hell finally breaks lose in the last couple of chapters. I found some characters more annoying than others and I definitely didn't have any empathy for any of them really. But the story was enthralling and I was desperate to see how everything would come together in the end.

Gothic horror doesn't seem to be the biggest hit for me with the few I've tried over the last couple months, but I really enjoyed this one!

[Mallory King-Childs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m torn on the rating. I would say 3.5-4 stars.

In the beginning I really had to push through. This book is a VERY slow burn, which I am not a fan of. The chapters are also long, which I also don’t like.

One thing I did like about this book was the one view point and it stayed in the present. Once the book got out of the slow burn phase and things started actually happening, it got interesting and I didn’t want to stop reading. The twist near the end wasn’t as much as a twist, as I had kind figured that was the case. The ending though, that I didn’t expect.

If you can push through the beginning, then you can definitely make it through the book.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC of You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom in exchange for an honest review.

[Olivia Solbrig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was interested in this one due to its comparison to Knives Out. I do tend to love a reading of the will - all things go crazy - type situation! This one was underwhelming. I enjoyed moments of the family drama but there were too many loose ends left for my liking. Some “convenient” moments didn’t quite make sense in context. I also wish that the supernatural element of everything had been more of a focus. At times it really became background noise to the family drama when it was pitched as the main conflict.

All in all, it kinda felt like an episode of Supernatural? If that’s your vibe, go for it!!

[Alora Khan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a little conflicted over this one. The writing is great, and I feel like the author was definitely ready to set up the "atmosphere" they were looking for. The problem I have with the story is some of the pacing. There were parts that felt DOA and parts that were moving so fast that it was insanity to catch up with. I thought a couple of the big plot points weren't that big or hinted at earlier in the story. I did like the main character. And I definitely identify with just having the most f***** up family. All in all, I do think this book is worth the read. It is a different kind of take on demons, but it was interesting.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dysfunctional family who made a deal with a demon...what could possibly be the worst thing to happen?

The title gives us the "who" in the "whodunnit" aspect of the plot; I found that surprising. Instead of piecing together the source of the chaos, we see how everything fits together. This IS a gothic horror though, so maybe I'm paying attention to the wrong thing here. If you pop over to Wikipedia to look at the definition of "gothic fiction" this novel hits all the notes. Despite the genre being nailed down, I think within itself it's really not hitting the pacing correctly. We're told that this demon is a tricksy bugger and we're really not given ~anything~ tricky.

There's a lot of slow down with everyone just wandering the house, then a whiplash into quick demon action. But after the action, the family members are just kinda..."meh" towards the situation. We're only given Xiomara's POV though and that may be why the family doesn't seem to have appropriate responses. Xiomara is just as dysfunctional as her family members, even if she sets herself apart from them. She's an avoidant character, so most of the action is being done around her and not TO her. With the demonic action happening elsewhere it takes wind out of the sails. Those appearances also don't actually matter until we're 80% through the book, which also feels like a suuuuper long time for a big part of your plot to actually start meaning something to the characters. I think chopping out some of the middle and fleshing out the ending just a smidgen more would add an extra star for me. We spent so much time with the family that I was waiting for a really good pay off at the end. We get about two paragraphs and an epilogue of sorts.

I really appreciate the author's note after the novel. We're given another layer of context for interpersonal conflict and having that, I can see the extra morsel of meaning throughout the novel. So one star for that alone! I enjoyed learning something there.


Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for my ARC :)

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado is a modern gothic horror steeped in family dysfunction, supernatural menace, and a storm that traps everything—secrets, grudges, and demons—inside one house.

When patriarch Papi Ramon dies, his will shocks the wealthy Abreu family with one chilling line: “One of you is el bacà, the demon that I made a deal with. Get rid of them or you will be damned.” From there, tensions flare, alliances crumble, and a night of accusations and violence unfolds, where the worst thing imaginable turns out to be family.

Tirado weaves together generational trauma, greed, and gothic horror in a way that kept me flipping pages to see which revelations and betrayals would come next. The claustrophobic setting, the unraveling of old family wounds, and the question of whether the real evil is supernatural or human made this a compelling read.

That said, I did feel the story dragged a little at times and some of the beats became slightly repetitive. Still, the tension and atmosphere carried me through, and the final payoff was worth the ride.

If you enjoy gothic horror with sharp family drama and a creeping sense of dread, this one is well worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Heidi Ariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early

3/5 stars

I went into this one really wanting to enjoy it, but unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. We meet the entire Abreu family as they’re gathering to hear the will of the family patriarch Ramon. The story is told through the eyes of estranged granddaughter Xiomara. She distanced herself from the rest of the family after the death of her mother years earlier. The beginning of this book was monotonous—meeting all of Xiomara’s aunts, uncles, and cousins; Xiomara remembering snippets of her childhood; family members going upstairs and downstairs. Things started to pick up once the lawyer reads the will and reveals the family needs to figure out who among them is the demon Ramon made a deal with years ago. But after the initial revelation, we return back to following Xiomara upstairs and downstairs. The true horror doesn’t start until halfway through when relatives start getting attacked by the demon.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
The pacing for the last 20% was great—lots of horrific elements and action. But some of the plot lines came out of nowhere. I wish hints were dropped earlier that Naomi was Ramon’s daughter. But overall I like how it ended and how it tied back into the title. I’ll be looking forward to reading more of Tirado’s work in the future.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars.

While most of these characters are the absolute worst, none of them felt flat or one dimensional. Vincent Tirado is such a brilliant writer that feels like both a gothic fairytale that still feels very human at the heart of it. The storyline itself was incredibly fun! It's like if you took Knives out and added the smallest pinch of Ready or Not. Darkly funny at times all while touching on dysfunctional families and grief.

My biggest gripe with this are the block of texts. I can't tell if this was an editing or writing choice, but it got frustrating incredibly fast and almost made me zone out a few times. It was also repetitive to the point of annoyance. We don't need to have the same inner thoughts or conversations or observations happening every two seconds. A very big lack of dialogue, which didn't help with the giant blocks of text. The story itself progresses a little slowly and takes a little too long for it to get to the meat of the action.

It picks up towards the end and it's a wild ride after that. The ending had me screaming. Despite my issues with it, I actually enjoyed it and I think I'd absolutely give it another read to digest it more.

Thank you to netgalley and William Morrow for the arc!

[Michael Parrish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy

A dysfunctional family stuck in a house haunted by a demon, awaiting a will reading and trapped by a storm? Count me in.
Xiomara returns to her grandfather‘s house for the Wil reading under duress. As the reader will quickly learn, she has justification for not wanting to be there, trapped in a house with a family that could rival anybody’s. Slowly by turns over the chapters, the family reveals more of itself and its secrets. This family is its own worst enemy.

The will is read and cryptic as it may seem it lends clues to Xiomara. The will says that one of the people there is a demon and she has 12 hours to suss out who it is and to kill it or the whole family is damned. That begins the story. Wrapped up as it is with a lot of family history to demonstrate how horrible her family is and some of her own sins coming to light, we slowly gain clues.

The author does an amazing job of paying out the clues slowly and creating some red herrings. The ending is very satisfying without any kind of cliché twist. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and the dialogue and prose flowed smoothly. I would definitely look forward to seeing more from this author.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 🌟 upcoming horror novel. Set for release March 10th, 2026.

The patriarch of the Abreu family, Papi Ramon, has died. The family gathers together at his former home for the will reading, but are shocked by the message to the family in the will, Papi Ramon’s last communication being that someone there is a demon and the family must find and kill them before they are all damned. As a dangerous storm rages outside, the family begins to fall apart, turning on each other, as Xiomara, the protagonist races to decipher the clues left by her grandfather and expose the demon.

I was really excited to read this book; the premise sounded so interesting, and the title was super attention-grabbing. While the writing style was smooth, flowing well throughout, the book itself fell flat for me as a horror novel. The majority of the book was centered on the family drama and I don’t feel there were any suspenseful or “scary” moments until the last 30% of the novel. I also felt that the ending was anti-climactic and almost cheap in a way. I also felt that the novel was mostly predictable. I think this would be a good novel for someone who is looking to dip their toe into the paranormal subgenre as it is not intense.

[sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Papi Ramón, beloved patriarch of the Abreu family, dies and summons his relatives back to his house for the reading of the will. Unfortunately for everyone, a massive storm traps them inside—because of course it does. The real kicker? The will reveals that there’s a demon hiding among them, and the only way out is to confess their sins and figure out who’s possessed before time runs out. Enter Xiomara, Papi Ramón’s favorite grandchild and daughter of his favorite child (rip). He’s left her a trail of clues, clearly betting on her to solve the mystery before the family implodes—and before the demon makes its final move.

This book is basically a spooky bottle episode mashed up with a whodunit and a full-on dysfunctional family reunion from hell. I loved how the demon mystery unfolded alongside each family member’s secrets, grudges, and moral failures—nothing like supernatural pressure to get people to tell the truth. Some twists were a bit predictable, but the execution was strong enough that I didn’t care. The tension, the pacing, the monster-of-the-week energy, all of it worked. And that ending? Perfect. Proof that petty girls make excellent Final Girls—and honestly, that feels like the moral of the story.

[Horror Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extreme family dysfunction, dark secrets, and a demonic entity are at the heart of this tense claustrophobic novel.

The family of a wealthy Dominican family gather for the reading of the will from their patriarch. What should have been a simple thing turns into a whirlwind of scandals, shame, fighting, and supernatural terror. The old man had left a note telling them that one of them is a literal demon. And a letter in the mailbox warns the family that their sins are going to be exposed.

With a storm raging outside, the dysfunction and family in fighting becomes tense. Then when breaking news exposing their dark secrets are exposed to the world, the situation becomes deadly.

This novel is told over a period of twelve hours and the secrets get more sinister as accusations start flying. There's also a demon to contend with but this family might kill each other first.

A good story with twists, turns, and a strong Dominican representation this is one that'll keep you reading. I highly recommend it. I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.

[Kimmie Cury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced Reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

3.75 Stars

Families are dysfunctional and complicated and that is ever so present in this modern gothic tale! The Abreus family are no exception to disfunction and this story illustrated that by setting this tale in a family estate while trapped during a storm that only adds to the broiling tension that is brewing just below the surface in each individual. Ramon has died and as the families grandfather and patriarch he has left a will with a very strange message... one of them is a demon and according to him they all need to figure it out and figure it out fast!! Given these insane and eerie circumstances that sets us up for a wild ride to come. While the story dragged a bit in the middle and felt a bit tedious with constant bickering and in fighting the last 25% truly goes off the rails culminating in a crazy twist and ending that is a great payoff. Fans of paranormal horror should eat this one up! I had a great time reading this overall and bonus points for the fun title :)

[Shea Lawlis Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Net Galley for providing me a copy of this arc. I was super excited to dive into this multigenerational Dominican family horror book.

It was giving Knives Out and reminded me a lot of a Jordan Peele horror movie.

The book follows the Abreus family. They are a wealthy and dysfunctional family who reunite back at their Papi’s house to read over his will. Xiomara, our main character, has a strained relationship with her extended family and is anxious to be around all of them. Her family members were also not the kindest to her mother who is deceased.

Tensions rise when the lawyer reading Papi’s will and declares in Papi’s words, that there is a demon among them and they must destroy it.

Slowly over the span of the book, each family members has a sin/scandal that is revealed about them.

I LOVED the scandal part. It was interesting seeing what everyone’s sin was going to be.

After the 70% mark of the book I had no idea what was going on. Very trippy but in a confusing way. I wish the ending gave more clarity as well. It felt very rushed which is a bummer because this book in the end felt like it dragged on.

Overall I would rate this book a 3/5 stars.

[Jensen McCorkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wealthy patriarch has died. The family gathers to hear the will and becomes trapped together in the midst of a storm. The will reveals a family secret that seems unbelievable claiming that someone in the family is a demon.

A modern gothic story with themes of inheritance, favoritism, resentment and family trauma. The author does a good job of creating a brooding claustrophobic atmosphere that slowly oozes character tension in a slow burn that leads to gradual horror. So if you are all about a fast paced thriller with tones of jump scares, this is not the book for you. With that being said, unfortunately I could not for any attachment to any of the characters. I just did not find them likable. Without this connection I could never really get immersed in the story. The story did become much more interesting as it went on but I still could not find a vibe with the characters. Overall a decent read with an interesting plot that.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom has a great premise and a fun (depends what you think is fun!) ending. Xiomara has returned to her home to hear the reading of the will for Papi Ramon. A literal storm is brewing. The family learns there is a demon in the house and they only have a few hours to find it or...

But is the demon real or is Papi Ramon playing games? And why are all these scandals and secrets about the family being revealed?

I enjoyed the premise and the ending of the book, but struggled with the in between. The family is trapped in their home (mansion?) due to the storm and no one can leave safely. Most of the novel involves the characters going from room to room, having conversations and looking for things, which I found a little tedious.

However, there is a nice twist at the end and things really do pick up at the 80% mark.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Jamie Brandenburg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a slow-paced horror mystery that blends family drama, secrets, and a demon for a chilling effect. When Xiomara's grandfather dies, the family is in chaos, which reveals that one of them is a demon. Trapped together during a storm, long-buried resentments and long forgotten secrets begin to surface.

Xiomara drives the story as she searches for clues while her relatives unravel around her. The tension builds gradually through shifting loyalties and revelations, making readers question everyone's motives. The suspense pays off, culminating in an intense, action-filled ending. More than a tale of possession, it explores generational guilt and the demons that families create for themselves and the generations after.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.

[Alexia _reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!*
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
While this has a lot of Hispanic culture in it, it did not take away from the story. If anything, it made it more dramatic!
When Xiomara attends a reading of her Grandfather's will, things start going downhill from the very beginning. Between her chaotic, and gossipy aunts to her sneaky as hell uncles, the drama was everywhere.
It had a great start, but I felt like towards the end the plot got lost in wanting the drama to take center stage. I do wish there was more of a conclusion as to how her mother passed. It still felt up in the air and that nobody really truly knew the reason. Not even the main character. I also felt like making the attorney be the demon was a little cliche. I kind of wish Xiomara was the demon all along. Especially with the fact that she "died" when she fell. That would've been a great twist.

[Ali Bunke · Rating 3 out of 5]

You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mother is a gothic horror story filled with family drama. The story follows Xiomara, who gathers with her aunts, uncles, and cousins for the reading of her grandfather’s will. What begins as a tense family gathering quickly shifts into something darker, and over the course of twelve hours the story unfolds.

The atmosphere is heavy and claustrophobic, with the family drama contained inside the house adding to the sense of unease. The mood throughout is palpable and contributes to the gothic tone.
My favorite part was the family drama and it gave the story depth and emotional weight. At times, though, I found the pacing uneven and occasionally got a little lost in the unfolding events.


Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

[Tai · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, huge thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the amazing opportunity to read this book in advance.

Now, let’s get into it. I want to preface this by saying I’m incredibly biased as I’m a huge fan of the author. Their first book is one of my favorites. That being said, I knew I was coming into this with a huge bias and I’m not even sorry about it. This book was a roller coaster of emotions and twists. I can safely say I did not see the ending coming.

The book builds suspense perfectly. You feel the stress Xiomara is under. You also get a full picture of just how messy and awful her family is. There was one part that I did find a little predictable but how it unfolded and the truths it revealed was definitely surprising to me.

This was a really great read. It was creepy, a little gory and a lot messy. I definitely do recommend.

[Hadley Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. I recently read another of Tirado’s books (We Came To Welcome You) and loved it so much that I instantly applied for this ARC.

If I were a part of Xiomara’s family, I would’ve wanted nothing to do with them too. Perhaps one of the most dysfunctional families I’ve ever come across in a book, and it kept me reading wanting to know more.

Tirado is good at keeping the creeping unease just far enough out of sight that you keep reading because you need to know what exactly is going on, and this allows them to focus on the relationships between the characters. Xiomara’s family members are awful, but it makes for such a compelling story because it feels like a true dysfunctional family dynamic.

[Angelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughly enjoyed this atmospheric, gothic family-drama. The Abreu’s all were wonderfully terrible people and very well crafted characters. The main story held my interest throughout and I enjoyed Xiomara’s journey.

Though I did feel the pacing was a bit slow in the beginning and rushed towards the end which left me with some questions (mostly about Xiomara’s mother’s story). But overall the intense family drama really heightened the gothic-demon-stalks-in-a-creepy-house vibes and always love a succession/estate drama done well. The ending also stuck the landing and was very satisfying in its own twisted way.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[ROSIE !! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the publisher, and to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review. All opinions are my own!

“You Should Have Been Nicer To My Mom,” is tasteful gothic horror. The novel centers on a dysfunctional family waiting out a storm, stuck inside a haunted house. With a demon on the loose, scandals and grudges come to light, and eventually becomes quite deadly, reminiscent of the film, “Knives out,” or even, “Ready or Not.”

I am a sucker for faustian deals. While the pacing in the beginning was a bit slower than what I would like, the cast and the theatrics made it all worth it. As many have stated, the twist was fantastic. I genuinely thought I had it all figured out, and it took me out! I genuinely think this is a must read if you enjoy gothic horror in modern settings!

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Knives Out, Hereditary, and The Fall of the House of Usher walk into a bar...

You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom focuses on the wealthy Abreus, who have gathered for the reading of their patriarch's will, and the estranged granddaughter who returns to sit through it. This was a wild ride - from the demon-hunt the deceased puts the family on, to the questionable memory and motive of almost every character, to the mic drop line at the very end of the book. Without revealing too much, I will say I'm very glad they didn't pull the "it wasn't ever supernatural, it's all in your head" card at the end. There be demons here, folks.

[Dan Mckeithan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A supernatural whodunnit. Vincent gives us a slow burn of a story as we learn about the Abreu family and that one of them is a demon. Papi Ramon tells this to the family on his death bed and now they must find out who it is or the family will be destroyed. Xiomara is the MC and has to figure this out all the while dealing with the complicated mess of the family. The book picks up after the burn and the last quarter of it is action packed. The ending was great and the identity of the demon was a surprise.