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You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom
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...
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...
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 358 reviews
September 17, 2025
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.
(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.
March 11, 2026
I would love to say that this is basically the horror version of Knives Out featuring demons, but that would be a great disservice to the movie. Yes, both stories are about awful families coming together over an inheritance, but Knives Out is fun, clever and entertaining, and this book is neither of those things. I'm sorry to say it so harshly, but it's the truth. It's also, surprisingly, not an actual horror book. For the majority this is an insufferable family drama and somewhere in the background someone once mentions a demon and it's not about that again until the 90% mark or so. But who has time for investigating a possible demonic entity when there is so much arguing and finger-pointing to do. At first I was actually hooked on the family drama of it all. I found the estranged two-faced family to be relatable and I liked that Xiomara, the main character, had conflicting feelings about her relatives and her former home. But I quickly realized that not a single character had any depth in here. Everyone basically had one thing going on and that one thing would, without fail, be actually a lie or not what it seems. That one guy who is super religious and always acts so saintly? Well, guess he uses all the church money for not so saintly stuff. And so on. Xiomara's thing is all about her deceased mother, which is of course also not what it seems. She at least is the one character who tries to find some clues about the demon that may or may not be among them, but I can't say that she was super intriguing to follow around either. All the information about the supernatural stuff was given via cassette tapes that just appear at convenient times, but only ever provide one answer at a time. I guess the recording capacity for each tape must have been about 5 minutes, or else the recording was simply separated for dramatic effect. (Spoiler: It wasn't dramatic.) Really no character stood out to me and I didn't even care when their lives broke into pieces. There were even characters where I really don't know why they actually were part of this book. Seriously, what was Xiomara's ex-boyfriend doing in this story? There is literally no reason for him to be there. I'm sure you've already noticed, but I didn't have a good time with this book. In my opinion it's basically miscategorized as a horror novel, so be aware if you wanted to pick it up because of that. If you love your books with an extra portion of dysfunctional family on top though, then this is the read for you. Maybe it works well for people who loved Play Nice by Rachel Harrison, which also had too much family and too little demon-y for me.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review
Huge thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review
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January 7, 2026
Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:
Papi Ramon is the recently deceased patriarch of a wealthy family, and he's sown a little chaos by dropping this banger in his will: "One of you is a demon I made a bargain with long ago. Get rid of 'em or you'll all be damned. Ciao!" No one takes the proclamation seriously, save for his undisputed favorite, Xiomara. But when the rest of the family sends the lawyer away to retrieve the original draft of the will, a storm hits and leaves them all stranded together. Over the course of 12 harrowing hours, all hell breaks loose, and it will be up to Xiomara to suss out the demon and take them out. If you love a modern Gothic, add this one to your list. —Vanessa Diaz
Papi Ramon is the recently deceased patriarch of a wealthy family, and he's sown a little chaos by dropping this banger in his will: "One of you is a demon I made a bargain with long ago. Get rid of 'em or you'll all be damned. Ciao!" No one takes the proclamation seriously, save for his undisputed favorite, Xiomara. But when the rest of the family sends the lawyer away to retrieve the original draft of the will, a storm hits and leaves them all stranded together. Over the course of 12 harrowing hours, all hell breaks loose, and it will be up to Xiomara to suss out the demon and take them out. If you love a modern Gothic, add this one to your list. —Vanessa Diaz
March 10, 2026
When the patriarch of the Abreu family dies, he requests everyone meet in his mansion for the will to be read. Xiomara along with her Aunts, Uncles and several cousins are all present and accounted for. When the will is read, on a rather dark and stormy evening, it is not what they expected. There is no discussion of assets or memory keepsakes being dispersed. They are tasked with finding out who among them is a demon. Cue the thunder and lightning….
To say this family doesn’t get along would be a gross understatement. They are a hot mess. They don’t just argue they down and out brawl. As the evening goes on, we learn a little bit more about each of the family members in the form of scandals as well as try to determine who the demon may be. The pacing was just a tad bit slow at the beginning, but I never once found myself bored due to the Abreu’s family antics. Even though they were hunting for a demon, the horror element wasn’t over the top, but just enough to feel entertaining.
If you’re in the mood for more of a locked room, demon hunting extravaganza, this book definitely would tick those boxes.
3.5 rounded to 4 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
To say this family doesn’t get along would be a gross understatement. They are a hot mess. They don’t just argue they down and out brawl. As the evening goes on, we learn a little bit more about each of the family members in the form of scandals as well as try to determine who the demon may be. The pacing was just a tad bit slow at the beginning, but I never once found myself bored due to the Abreu’s family antics. Even though they were hunting for a demon, the horror element wasn’t over the top, but just enough to feel entertaining.
If you’re in the mood for more of a locked room, demon hunting extravaganza, this book definitely would tick those boxes.
3.5 rounded to 4 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
April 8, 2026
You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom follows Xiomara as she returns to her Papi Ramon's house following his death. The entire family is gathering for the reading of Papi's Will and though Xiomara is somewhat estranged from her family, she's compelled to be there.
She does have good memories of Papi, and his stories, but for the most part she's feeling a lot of apprehension about this event. It's sure to be tense and emotionally-charged.
The wealthy Abreau family gathers at Papi's estate, but nothing could have prepared them for the following words being read: “One of you is el bacà, the demon that I made a deal with. Get rid of them or you will be damned.”
I mean words like that will stop any family gathering in its tracks; at least for a moment. Xiomara is shocked, but she feels the truth in the statement. The rest of the family is outraged. They demand the attorney return to his office to retrieve the previous version of the Will.
As the attorney departs, a vicious storm breaks out forcing the rest of the family to remain trapped together within the house. Suspicions and tensions run high, and over the course of the night numerous family secrets and scandals are revealed, violence erupts, but who is el bacà?
This was so fun! I recognize this won't work for every Reader, but luckily for me, it 100% worked. It's an interesting take on an inheritance story, and I appreciated all the effort Tirado put into the messy family dynamics.
For me, the story felt fast-paced and engaging the whole way through. This is a big family and there's a lot of shite going on amongst them. I was so here for it, just sitting in the corner, eating my popcorn.
Seriously, this is the type of story where you just feel like a fly on the wall, watching everything unfold. I really enjoyed Xiomara as a main character. I could feel all of her emotions as she was forced into such close proximity with a family she had grown distant from.
In certain ways, this reminded me of Rachel Harrison's Black Sheep. It's that sort of play on a toxic family and I enjoyed it in both stories.
This is the 3rd-novel that I've read from Vincent Tirado, though the other two were YA. I've really enjoyed them all. I feel like Tirado's writing is just a great fit for my tastes. I appreciate how they take risks with their stories, and they aren't afraid of examining some dark themes.
I also really enjoy their character work, particularly the main characters. I've felt connected with them in each of the novels I've read from Tirado. I'm rooting for them and wishing for their safety as, of course, they all find themselves in various sticky situations.
Admittedly, there's a lot of arguing and battling in the family in this one. It's constant, and while normally I'm not crazy about stories that feature people fighting all the time, for some reason it worked fine here.
I think maybe because usually when I hate it, it's a group of friends, and I think to myself, why are these people even friends? Because we choose our friends, right? But we can't choose the family we're born into, which is why I think here it just sort of made sense.
The final bits were so satisfying as well. I thought it concluded seamlessly and it left me with a little evil grin on my face that I love. Again though, definitely not going to be for everyone, but I think for the Readers it hits with, it's going to be a lot of fun.
Thank you to the publisher, William Morrow, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am looking forward to whatever Tirado writes next!
She does have good memories of Papi, and his stories, but for the most part she's feeling a lot of apprehension about this event. It's sure to be tense and emotionally-charged.
The wealthy Abreau family gathers at Papi's estate, but nothing could have prepared them for the following words being read: “One of you is el bacà, the demon that I made a deal with. Get rid of them or you will be damned.”
I mean words like that will stop any family gathering in its tracks; at least for a moment. Xiomara is shocked, but she feels the truth in the statement. The rest of the family is outraged. They demand the attorney return to his office to retrieve the previous version of the Will.
As the attorney departs, a vicious storm breaks out forcing the rest of the family to remain trapped together within the house. Suspicions and tensions run high, and over the course of the night numerous family secrets and scandals are revealed, violence erupts, but who is el bacà?
This was so fun! I recognize this won't work for every Reader, but luckily for me, it 100% worked. It's an interesting take on an inheritance story, and I appreciated all the effort Tirado put into the messy family dynamics.
For me, the story felt fast-paced and engaging the whole way through. This is a big family and there's a lot of shite going on amongst them. I was so here for it, just sitting in the corner, eating my popcorn.
Seriously, this is the type of story where you just feel like a fly on the wall, watching everything unfold. I really enjoyed Xiomara as a main character. I could feel all of her emotions as she was forced into such close proximity with a family she had grown distant from.
In certain ways, this reminded me of Rachel Harrison's Black Sheep. It's that sort of play on a toxic family and I enjoyed it in both stories.
This is the 3rd-novel that I've read from Vincent Tirado, though the other two were YA. I've really enjoyed them all. I feel like Tirado's writing is just a great fit for my tastes. I appreciate how they take risks with their stories, and they aren't afraid of examining some dark themes.
I also really enjoy their character work, particularly the main characters. I've felt connected with them in each of the novels I've read from Tirado. I'm rooting for them and wishing for their safety as, of course, they all find themselves in various sticky situations.
Admittedly, there's a lot of arguing and battling in the family in this one. It's constant, and while normally I'm not crazy about stories that feature people fighting all the time, for some reason it worked fine here.
I think maybe because usually when I hate it, it's a group of friends, and I think to myself, why are these people even friends? Because we choose our friends, right? But we can't choose the family we're born into, which is why I think here it just sort of made sense.
The final bits were so satisfying as well. I thought it concluded seamlessly and it left me with a little evil grin on my face that I love. Again though, definitely not going to be for everyone, but I think for the Readers it hits with, it's going to be a lot of fun.
Thank you to the publisher, William Morrow, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am looking forward to whatever Tirado writes next!
October 12, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
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.
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.
October 9, 2025
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!
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!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
1.5 stars.
95% family drama. 5% actual Gothic horror.
If you came here looking for horror, definitely manage your expectations. The real horror in this novel was being stuck in a house with unpleasant and unlikeable people who might or might not be actual criminals.
This was such a huge disappointment. If you have personal experience with extended family drama and questionable family members, then this is nothing new. No one in this family stood out to me. Everyone was various levels of annoying, petty, or overly dramatic. The actual mystery was figuring out which family member was the most despicable person to exist in the family tree.
I did like the insight into the racism and prejudice that Haitians faced from Dominicans. I wish Naomi was the POV character instead.
In hindsight, I should've DNF.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this arc.
95% family drama. 5% actual Gothic horror.
If you came here looking for horror, definitely manage your expectations. The real horror in this novel was being stuck in a house with unpleasant and unlikeable people who might or might not be actual criminals.
This was such a huge disappointment. If you have personal experience with extended family drama and questionable family members, then this is nothing new. No one in this family stood out to me. Everyone was various levels of annoying, petty, or overly dramatic. The actual mystery was figuring out which family member was the most despicable person to exist in the family tree.
I did like the insight into the racism and prejudice that Haitians faced from Dominicans. I wish Naomi was the POV character instead.
In hindsight, I should've DNF.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this arc.
Review of advance copy
thank you to libro.fm for the alc!
this was a hard book to rate, as the writing itself was decently compelling, but as an audiobook, this was some of the weakest, if not THE weakest, narration i have ever experienced
moments that should have been piercing were delivered completely flatly, and the large cast of characters all speak in the same voice (and all monotone). scenes that may have otherwise sent chills down my spine passed by without any effect because of how weak the narration was
i think one day i may give this book another try in physical or e-book form, as unfortunately, i think the audio does a great disservice to the story
my one other complaint that is unrelated to the narration is that the demon/horror aspects of this story are almost nonexistent compared to the drawn-out family drama. this is more akin to literary fiction w a demon subplot than full-on gothic horror
this was a hard book to rate, as the writing itself was decently compelling, but as an audiobook, this was some of the weakest, if not THE weakest, narration i have ever experienced
moments that should have been piercing were delivered completely flatly, and the large cast of characters all speak in the same voice (and all monotone). scenes that may have otherwise sent chills down my spine passed by without any effect because of how weak the narration was
i think one day i may give this book another try in physical or e-book form, as unfortunately, i think the audio does a great disservice to the story
my one other complaint that is unrelated to the narration is that the demon/horror aspects of this story are almost nonexistent compared to the drawn-out family drama. this is more akin to literary fiction w a demon subplot than full-on gothic horror
April 3, 2026
The patriarch to a family has passed and they are coming together for a will reading. Our main character, Xiomara, has been estranged from the family for years. And once we're introduced to the family, right at the front door, it's easy to see why she's stayed away.
To say they are a dysfunctional family is an understatement. The adults fight even more than the kids, and tend to revel in the fighting, pushing each other to argue and bringing up uncomfortable topics constantly. So when the will reading turns into just a letter saying someone is a demon - the family erupts into disbelief and anger as they argue over who should get what money.
I liked the mystery of the story and the feel of the gothic, creepy house. I loved knowing there was something among them and it kept me on my toes as I tried to wonder what would happen next. I loved the time at the start of chapters - it set a great pace and reminded you there was a ticking clock watching over. But I found the long chapters tended to keep me from getting too drawn into the story - I wish they'd been short and snappy, pushing the tension.
Overall, it's a fun, messy family drama mixed with some horror elements. It felt original and interesting, I liked it.
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.
To say they are a dysfunctional family is an understatement. The adults fight even more than the kids, and tend to revel in the fighting, pushing each other to argue and bringing up uncomfortable topics constantly. So when the will reading turns into just a letter saying someone is a demon - the family erupts into disbelief and anger as they argue over who should get what money.
I liked the mystery of the story and the feel of the gothic, creepy house. I loved knowing there was something among them and it kept me on my toes as I tried to wonder what would happen next. I loved the time at the start of chapters - it set a great pace and reminded you there was a ticking clock watching over. But I found the long chapters tended to keep me from getting too drawn into the story - I wish they'd been short and snappy, pushing the tension.
Overall, it's a fun, messy family drama mixed with some horror elements. It felt original and interesting, I liked it.
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.
2026
February 2, 2026Halloween TBR
Latine Heritage Month TBR
Pride TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow
Latine Heritage Month TBR
Pride TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Look... this whole book is a vibe because if you ever step one hair out of line about my mama, it isn't going to end well for you. And guess what... Xiomara don't play either and it most certainly doesn't end well for these fake ass family members she's surround by for these twelve hours. Honestly, the Demon wasn't even needed, these terrible people would have turned on each other eventually but it did help amp up the urgency.
Oh, and TREAT THE HELP PROPERLY... Because what do you mean? Naomi didn't see anything, Xiomara is innocent 🤣🤣 and you can get your own damn water.
Oh, and TREAT THE HELP PROPERLY... Because what do you mean? Naomi didn't see anything, Xiomara is innocent 🤣🤣 and you can get your own damn water.
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March 31, 2026If you want catharsis with an apologetic smirk, a protagonist who is flawed but also has a lot of simmering righteous anger, and a locked-room mystery of sorts, check out You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom. (I mean … the title alone, right?!)
While the writing itself never exactly landed for me, I really appreciated the concept and themes here. It’s a splash of otherworldliness, but most of the demonic energy is in the all-too-human actions of a family that can be hurtful, greedy, and selfishly-ambitious.
We’re following Xiomara, who reluctantly returns to her wealthy family home for the reading of her grandfather’s will. Papi Ramon was the patriarch of the Abreu family, and they’re all a bit scattered without him – and Xiomara in particular has always been an outsider, even though she was also the favored grandchild.
But his will is a bit … bizarre. Instead of an inheritance, he leaves them with a spooky message: one of them is a demon in disguise, and they have to get rid of them by 3 am. As a storm locks them inside, family secrets and scandals start to unfurl. Xiomara somehow has to figure out who’s the demon while also surviving a harrowing evening with a group of people that seem to despise her.
The night unfolds in a mostly-formulaic way: one characters’ misdeeds are being unfurled, and then we move on to the next. I felt like we never quite got the chance to sit with what each person did, because even though Xiomara has had some horrible experiences with her family, she didn’t know any of what’s revealed. These are new secrets, and they’re horrible, and because we’re hopping right along to the next person, we don’t get to process.
The writing was a little bit awkward as well. This felt more thriller than horror to me – there wasn’t much atmospheric tension or dread, and instead it was clinically unpacking a mystery one by one. The demon mystery honestly couldn’t really be solved (and the ‘who’ didn’t end up feeling SUPER important), and it also did feel like some of the other major questions were never answered, which was disappointing. I also felt like there was (at least) one ‘extra’ character who didn’t really matter, which was distracting for the information overwhelm without adding anything interesting or emotional to the story.
Unfortunately, I just don’t think the craft (prose overall, pacing, and atmosphere) lived up to the ideas, especially after hearing this author speak in person. They’re so bright and funny and I felt like this story could have been so much scarier and vibrant! Instead, a lot of it fell flat for me.
But if you’re into big big big dysfunctional family drama - especially with people that have the MOST to lose and do lose it - this is a nice little release. I appreciated the threads around blood family not meaning heart family, anti-Haitian sentiment and Dominican dynamics, and a narrator simmering with righteous rage. I think this also has the bones for an EXCELLENT movie, because the plot & concept are there.
CW: murder, death, violence, injury, blood, guns, grief, car accident, abuse, gore, religious bigotry, classism, sexism, colorism, racism/anti-Haitian sentiment, gaslighting, bullying, panic attacks, xenophobia
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(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
While the writing itself never exactly landed for me, I really appreciated the concept and themes here. It’s a splash of otherworldliness, but most of the demonic energy is in the all-too-human actions of a family that can be hurtful, greedy, and selfishly-ambitious.
We’re following Xiomara, who reluctantly returns to her wealthy family home for the reading of her grandfather’s will. Papi Ramon was the patriarch of the Abreu family, and they’re all a bit scattered without him – and Xiomara in particular has always been an outsider, even though she was also the favored grandchild.
But his will is a bit … bizarre. Instead of an inheritance, he leaves them with a spooky message: one of them is a demon in disguise, and they have to get rid of them by 3 am. As a storm locks them inside, family secrets and scandals start to unfurl. Xiomara somehow has to figure out who’s the demon while also surviving a harrowing evening with a group of people that seem to despise her.
The night unfolds in a mostly-formulaic way: one characters’ misdeeds are being unfurled, and then we move on to the next. I felt like we never quite got the chance to sit with what each person did, because even though Xiomara has had some horrible experiences with her family, she didn’t know any of what’s revealed. These are new secrets, and they’re horrible, and because we’re hopping right along to the next person, we don’t get to process.
The writing was a little bit awkward as well. This felt more thriller than horror to me – there wasn’t much atmospheric tension or dread, and instead it was clinically unpacking a mystery one by one. The demon mystery honestly couldn’t really be solved (and the ‘who’ didn’t end up feeling SUPER important), and it also did feel like some of the other major questions were never answered, which was disappointing. I also felt like there was (at least) one ‘extra’ character who didn’t really matter, which was distracting for the information overwhelm without adding anything interesting or emotional to the story.
Unfortunately, I just don’t think the craft (prose overall, pacing, and atmosphere) lived up to the ideas, especially after hearing this author speak in person. They’re so bright and funny and I felt like this story could have been so much scarier and vibrant! Instead, a lot of it fell flat for me.
But if you’re into big big big dysfunctional family drama - especially with people that have the MOST to lose and do lose it - this is a nice little release. I appreciated the threads around blood family not meaning heart family, anti-Haitian sentiment and Dominican dynamics, and a narrator simmering with righteous rage. I think this also has the bones for an EXCELLENT movie, because the plot & concept are there.
CW: murder, death, violence, injury, blood, guns, grief, car accident, abuse, gore, religious bigotry, classism, sexism, colorism, racism/anti-Haitian sentiment, gaslighting, bullying, panic attacks, xenophobia
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(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
March 5, 2026
3.5
😈 You Should Have Been Nicer To My Mom by Vincent Tirado 😈
Special thanks to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for the e-arc of this one!
Page count: 256
Pace: Medium
Themes: Demons, Family drama, Mystery, Isolation, Revenge, Gothic
Comps: Knives Out, Ready or Not, Guillotine, The Menu
Thoughts: A supernatural whodunit centered around a family with more issues than a magazine 👀
The Abreus’ are a dysfunctional family called together for the reading of Papi Ramon’s will. But instead of giving away possessions and money, Papi Ramon claims that one of the family members is a demon. The family must find out who it is before 12 hours is up. If not, the entire family will be damned. It’s up to Xiomara to figure out who it is while the storm outside keeps the family trapped inside.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. I wish the pacing was a bit faster. I didn’t feel the pressure of the hunt like I wanted to. But I enjoyed the tension, the investigation, and the family dynamic. I couldn’t believe some of the lengths the family members would go to hide their scandals and sins. The ending was insane! I didn’t see the twists coming and was pleasantly surprised!
This one released yesterday, March 3rd! Be sure to pick it up!
Get it here 👉🏻 https://bookshop.org/a/79577/97800633...
😈 You Should Have Been Nicer To My Mom by Vincent Tirado 😈
Special thanks to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for the e-arc of this one!
Page count: 256
Pace: Medium
Themes: Demons, Family drama, Mystery, Isolation, Revenge, Gothic
Comps: Knives Out, Ready or Not, Guillotine, The Menu
Thoughts: A supernatural whodunit centered around a family with more issues than a magazine 👀
The Abreus’ are a dysfunctional family called together for the reading of Papi Ramon’s will. But instead of giving away possessions and money, Papi Ramon claims that one of the family members is a demon. The family must find out who it is before 12 hours is up. If not, the entire family will be damned. It’s up to Xiomara to figure out who it is while the storm outside keeps the family trapped inside.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. I wish the pacing was a bit faster. I didn’t feel the pressure of the hunt like I wanted to. But I enjoyed the tension, the investigation, and the family dynamic. I couldn’t believe some of the lengths the family members would go to hide their scandals and sins. The ending was insane! I didn’t see the twists coming and was pleasantly surprised!
This one released yesterday, March 3rd! Be sure to pick it up!
Get it here 👉🏻 https://bookshop.org/a/79577/97800633...
Read
December 21, 2025You 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. ***
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. ***
March 25, 2026
You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom spends most of its time drowning in dysfunctional family drama, with the demon feeling like a footnote. The pacing crawls, and with no characters worth rooting for, it's hard to stay invested. The premise promises horror — the delivery is mostly just exhausting relatives.
Did Not Finish
March 16, 2026after 20% this book was just doing nothing for me unfortunately
April 7, 2026
Overall a fun read, some inconsistency with grammar (how the cassette recordings are written out changes). I feel like some of the relatives got off easy for how awful they were. The first 100 pages felt like a lot of nothing was happening, all the characters were introduced and stakes were made but everything was so all over the place it felt like something was supposed to be happening when nothing was actually going on at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2026
3.5/5 rounded up to 4 stars for goodreads! Will hopefully write a full review soon!
October 9, 2025
Note, I read the ARC: I powered through for closure and was so disappointed by the ending. It could have gone so many other directions. It’s just an interesting idea with a poor execution.
March 19, 2026
Chapters were way too long, the pace was painfully slow, and there was so much repetition. It made the book hard to get through—huge chunks of text, very stream-of-consciousness, mostly the MC’s thoughts and memories with little to no dialogue and not much actually happening. It also leaned very YA for my taste.
This was extremely putdown-able… and I did, multiple times. I hate not finishing books, so I kept pushing through, even skimming some of the massive chunks that didn’t seem to add much.
It was also full of contradictions. In one paragraph, Xiomara talks about how her extended family are basically strangers she hasn’t seen in years, and then a few chapters later she’s shocked to learn something about them because she’s supposedly known them forever… it just didn’t add up.
I kept skimming, not wanting to DNF, and honestly I could tell I wasn’t missing anything. But at around 60%, I just couldn’t keep going. I dreaded picking it up—it felt like a chore, and reading shouldn’t feel that way.
So I finally DNF’d it… and honestly, I feel free. DNFing is hard for me, but life’s too short to spend time on a book I’m not enjoying.
This was extremely putdown-able… and I did, multiple times. I hate not finishing books, so I kept pushing through, even skimming some of the massive chunks that didn’t seem to add much.
It was also full of contradictions. In one paragraph, Xiomara talks about how her extended family are basically strangers she hasn’t seen in years, and then a few chapters later she’s shocked to learn something about them because she’s supposedly known them forever… it just didn’t add up.
I kept skimming, not wanting to DNF, and honestly I could tell I wasn’t missing anything. But at around 60%, I just couldn’t keep going. I dreaded picking it up—it felt like a chore, and reading shouldn’t feel that way.
So I finally DNF’d it… and honestly, I feel free. DNFing is hard for me, but life’s too short to spend time on a book I’m not enjoying.
March 19, 2026
This was the definition of a dysfunctional family story, with a side of demonic chaos.
There were a few twists I saw coming, but the main reveal at the end still landed pretty well. What really drives this book, though, isn’t straight up horror, it’s the Abreu family and all their messy, complicated dynamics. The horror elements are there, but they feel more like an extension of the family drama rather than the main focus.
Because of that, I wouldn’t call this full blown horror. It leans more into dark, chaotic family tension with a demon attack sprinkled in to keep things interesting.
The pacing is fast, almost a little too fast at times, but for the most part it works with the story and keeps things moving. There’s not much downtime, which makes it an easy, quick read.
Overall, I enjoyed it. It’s messy, dramatic, and a little chaotic, in a way that fits the story it’s trying to tell.
There were a few twists I saw coming, but the main reveal at the end still landed pretty well. What really drives this book, though, isn’t straight up horror, it’s the Abreu family and all their messy, complicated dynamics. The horror elements are there, but they feel more like an extension of the family drama rather than the main focus.
Because of that, I wouldn’t call this full blown horror. It leans more into dark, chaotic family tension with a demon attack sprinkled in to keep things interesting.
The pacing is fast, almost a little too fast at times, but for the most part it works with the story and keeps things moving. There’s not much downtime, which makes it an easy, quick read.
Overall, I enjoyed it. It’s messy, dramatic, and a little chaotic, in a way that fits the story it’s trying to tell.
February 9, 2026
This is basically supernatural Dominican-American Knives Out without the humor, and I think it will appeal to fans of shocking plot twists, family dramas, and revenge horror.
It’s mostly a miss for me.
This is a very one-note story. The characters are all awful, but not in any compelling ways. The tone is tense throughout, without even wry humor. The writing style is serviceable but never strong.
If you’ve seen my updates, you probably know that guessing which character was secretly a demon kept me pretty invested. I did not guess correctly, but I would have found the story much more satisfying if my final guess had been true. The actual answer we got was anticlimactic and felt like it was only included to surprise readers, not because it was what the story had been leading to and required.
Speaking of unnecessary inclusions, the characters are given very clear instructions at the start of the book about what to do when they unmask the demon. These instructions then disappear from the characters’ memories and the rest of the narrative. Maybe that will be cleaned up in future editions, since I did read an advanced copy, but it bothers me because it feels like another example of satisfaction being promised to me, the reader, and then snatched away.
I received a free eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
It’s mostly a miss for me.
This is a very one-note story. The characters are all awful, but not in any compelling ways. The tone is tense throughout, without even wry humor. The writing style is serviceable but never strong.
If you’ve seen my updates, you probably know that guessing which character was secretly a demon kept me pretty invested. I did not guess correctly, but I would have found the story much more satisfying if my final guess had been true. The actual answer we got was anticlimactic and felt like it was only included to surprise readers, not because it was what the story had been leading to and required.
Speaking of unnecessary inclusions, the characters are given very clear instructions at the start of the book about what to do when they unmask the demon. These instructions then disappear from the characters’ memories and the rest of the narrative. Maybe that will be cleaned up in future editions, since I did read an advanced copy, but it bothers me because it feels like another example of satisfaction being promised to me, the reader, and then snatched away.
I received a free eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Did Not Finish
March 14, 2026I wanted to love this book. It was one of my most anticipated reads for 2026 😭
March 24, 2026
Gosh. This was a slog to get through.
March 28, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado.
A dysfunctional family gather together for a reading of the family's Patriarch's will. The family is left with a message beyond the grave... there is a demon amongst the family, get rid of it.
This reminds me of a bottle episode gone bad, in a bad way. I believe I know what this author was trying to do but I don't feel it was executed that way.
First, I want to point out how well the tension, frustration and the loud unspoken judgements and opinions were written.
Second, for a short book, a lot of the story dragged.
Third, it is marketed as gothic horror... that is a stretch. This is more domestic drama, with some horror. The vibes are not there.
Overall, I was disappointed.
A dysfunctional family gather together for a reading of the family's Patriarch's will. The family is left with a message beyond the grave... there is a demon amongst the family, get rid of it.
This reminds me of a bottle episode gone bad, in a bad way. I believe I know what this author was trying to do but I don't feel it was executed that way.
First, I want to point out how well the tension, frustration and the loud unspoken judgements and opinions were written.
Second, for a short book, a lot of the story dragged.
Third, it is marketed as gothic horror... that is a stretch. This is more domestic drama, with some horror. The vibes are not there.
Overall, I was disappointed.
March 21, 2026
que coñaaaaazo de libro
March 25, 2026
Thank you so much to Libro.fm for the ALC of You Should Have Been Nicer to my Mom!
This book’s premise is SO good: at the will reading of Papi Ramon, the family is given one last message: “one of you is a demon, get rid of them or be damned.” 😮💨😮💨.
Unfortunately, that premise’s delivery kinda fell flat.
This was fine - there’s a lot of family drama which is always fun, but the pacing might have been too slow. I should have been having the time of my life with this plot, but instead I was just bored.
If you’re into slower pacing & family drama, this one might work better for you than it did for me!
This book’s premise is SO good: at the will reading of Papi Ramon, the family is given one last message: “one of you is a demon, get rid of them or be damned.” 😮💨😮💨.
Unfortunately, that premise’s delivery kinda fell flat.
This was fine - there’s a lot of family drama which is always fun, but the pacing might have been too slow. I should have been having the time of my life with this plot, but instead I was just bored.
If you’re into slower pacing & family drama, this one might work better for you than it did for me!
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