And I Thought My Extended Family Was Bad!

TITLE: You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom

AUTHOR: Vincent Tirado

PUBLISHER: William Morrow

PUBLISHING DATE: MArch 10, 2026

PAGES: 256   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: 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...

MY THOUGHTS: I won't lie, this cover of this book immediately drew me in, and I was thrilled when I was approved for an ARC.  I haven't read from this author before, but I am so glad I dove into this one and I won't forget the Abreus family any time soon.

Xiomora's Papi Ramon recently passed on an stormy afternoon, the whole family, aunts, uncles and cousins, have gathered at his residence for the reading of the will.  Along with the family attorney and Naomi, his hired caretaker and longtime family friend, everyone is shocked when the will discloses that Papi Ramon made a deal with a demon some time ago and the family needs to figure out who the demon is and get rid of them or risk being further cursed. Xiomara hasn't liked her family in years ever since they targeted her mother and spread horrible rumors about her before her death.   

The family initially thinks Papi Ramon was more senile than they thought and shrug off the warning.  However, as the storm rages on, slowly the family unravels as more family scandals come to light.  But Xiomara believes there is a demon lurking, and she is going to find them or die trying.  

I have to say this book is a slow-burn horror at best and the actual action doesn't escalate until the last 25% or so.  However, the ending REALLY packs a punch and a punch I never saw coming.  Xiomara's family is awful. They all have their own secrets and when they aren't backstabbing each other, they are teaming up to backstab someone else.  I had absolutely no loyalty to any of them but really did like Xiomara and found myself rooting for her and her quest to find the demon.  Naomi was an interesting character as well and I feel like she was mistreated by everyone, including Xiomara at times, and I just knew there was more to her than meets the eye. 

My only real issue with this book is I would have liked to know a bit more of the backstory of why everyone disliked Xiomara's mother so much.  It was touched on but I feel it could have been fleshed out more.  

I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys tales of demons and possession.  The author relies heavily upon his Dominican heritage to enrich the story and weave in cultural folklore and practices. If you ever find yourself questioning your own family dysfunction, pick this one up and maybe you will realize your family isn't that bad after all. 

MY RATING: 4 PAWS