inclement weather

Review: We’re All Going to Die Tonight! by Veronica Bane

~ megs14malloy ~ Leave a comment

We're All Going to Die Tonight!We’re All Going to Die Tonight! by Veronica Bane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We’re All Going to Die Tonight! is a fun and engaging YA Thriller, with a classic set-up and plenty of twists. We follow a debate team, traveling home from an unsuccessful meet. Since it’s a long journey, they’ve booked an Airbnb for the night, courtesy of one of their wealthier teammates.

The isolated mansion is perched atop a high hill and is said to be an exact replica of the Vandamm House from Hitchcock’s North by Northwest.

Before they can quite reach the house though, their van gets a flat tire, stranding them in the middle of nowhere in a heavy storm. They’re close though, so they decide to walk through the woods to the house.

Once they arrive, they’re drenched and tired, and honestly, pretty sick of one another. With 7 teammates, and 3 chaperones, even this mansion feels too small.

The storm increases and ends up knocking out the power, because of course it does. As the teens stumble around in the dark, trying to figure out what’s going on, they discover a severed landland, one of their friends unconscious after an attack, and a dead body outside.

The night has spiraled out of control, and with no idea who the killer might be, tension reaches an all time high. They have no idea who they can trust? Is the killer one of them, or is there a stranger lurking somewhere on this property?

This was a quick and entertaining read. I loved the set-up and the setting of the secluded mansion. I did find the outcome a little predictable, but still had fun, nevertheless.

The group of characters is super messy. There’s so much drama amongst them all, not just with the kids, but with the chaperones as well. I was sitting back with my popcorn just taking it all in.

I did feel like Bane maybe showed her hand a little too early, as far as who was behind it all, but maybe that’s just me coming at it with a lot of years of Horror experience.

It is for a YA audience, and perhaps some of the clues may not seem as obvious to someone just getting into the genre, or with a bit less insight into how these scenarios tend to play out. Maybe I’m just that good. ((LOL))

I didn’t need to be surprised by the outcome to enjoy it though. It was still a thrilling ride, and I loved the complicated, OTT-character dynamics. There was plenty of motivations for murder flowing around this group.

I’ve never read anything from this author before, but she’s definitely been added to my list of YA Thriller authors that I keep on my radar. I’ll never get too old for YA Thrillers, or Horror. I love the captivating stories that can be found within these genres in this age group. They’re generallly a bit less serious than novels in the Adult space, but no less enjoyable, IMO.

Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would definitely recommend this to other YA Thriller fans. It’s a great time!

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Review: The Cornish Honeymoon Murder (Nosey Parker Mysteries #10) by Fiona Leitch

~ megs14malloy

The Cornish Honeymoon Murder (The Nosey Parker Mysteries #10)The Cornish Honeymoon Murder by Fiona Leitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Cornish Honeymoon Murder is the 10th-book in the Nosey Parker Mystery series by Fiona Leitch.

This is my favorite currently-running Cozy Mystery series. I absolutely adore the entire series and look forward to each new installment as they release.

If you’re unfamiliar with this series, these books follow Jodie Parker, who resigned from the Metropolitan Police in London after a close call, and returned to her native village of Penstowan, in Cornwall, with her daughter, Daisy.

It’s there that Jodie created her own catering company and it proved a success. With the help of Daisy, her Mom and other friends, she’s created quite the little team. And let’s not forget the series MVP, Germaine, the Pomeranian.

In spite of her new business ventures, old habits are hard to break, so Jodie ends up assisting the local coppers, including her new husband, DCI-Nathan Withers, with their investigations. They’re truly a match made in heaven.

In this installment, newly-married couple, Jodie and Nathan, are heading out for their honeymoon. They’ll be attending a soft launch of a new luxury eco-resort on a secluded Cornish Island. They’ve been personally invited by the resort’s owner, who they have a history with.

While it is their honeymoon, it appears someone is trying to sabotage the resorts opening, and the owner has asked them there to try to get to the bottom of it. If there’s a snake in his grass, he wants to know who it is.

Since it’s free, Jodie’s Mom, Shirley, her daughter, Daisy, and Germaine, decide to tag along. What honeymoon is complete without your Mom, daughter and dog?

Honestly, I’m so glad they went. I know it sounds silly, but these books would not be complete without this full cast we’ve come to know and love.

The couple plan to take full advantage of the luxury resorts amenities, all whilst casually questioning staff, and the handful of other guests. Unfortunately, a storm sweeps through, throwing a kink in everyone’s plans and trapping them on the island.

When a quarrelsome guest is found dead in the wreckage of the boat house the next morning, it appears there may be a murderer in their midst.

With the local police unable to reach the island to deal with the matter appropriately, it’s up to Jodie and Nathan to flesh out the killer before anyone else falls victim to their murderous ways.

The Cornish Honeymoon Murder is such a fun installment to the series. I loved that we got a new setting for this one, and appreciated that it was a secluded island setting, where of course they get trapped by inclement weather.

Some may feel that’s done too much, but not me, I’ll take every time. I live on a island, love islands, and know just what it’s like to be stranded by inclement weather. This set-up never fails to bring the atmosphere and intensity for me.

The character interactions had me giggling, and it was an intriguing mystery. I say it every time I finish a book in this series, I love these characters so much. They’re practically family to me at this point.

I can’t recommend this series enough to other Cozy Mystery Readers. Particularly, if you enjoy stories with a fun family dynamic, or mysteries with a small town setting. Jodie and her family bring so much humor and light-heartedness to these stories. They’re a joy to read.

Also, it has just the right amount of humor for my tastes. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s still incredibly well-written, paced and plotted. As long as these books continue to be written, I’ll continue to be reading them.

Thank you to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I already have a copy of the next book, The Cornish Halloween Murder, which releases at the end of September 2026.

I’ll definitely be getting to it soon!

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Review: She Had Enough by Stacie Grey

~ megs14malloy

She Had EnoughShe Had Enough by Stacie Grey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

While out to dinner on a Girl’s Night with her college friends, Mallory Taylor has an interaction in the bathroom with a member of their group, Caitlin, that she doesn’t know as well as the other women. Caitlin is quiet, and Mallory doesn’t know too much about her, except that she comes from money and her mother recently passed away.

If pressed, Mallory might describe Caitlin as someone who has always seemed a little lost, like she’s not living up to her potential. Nevertheless, when Caitlin asks Mallory to hold something for her, she does and then forgets about the object shortly thereafter.

Mallory’s not a forgetful person, but shortly after the dinner breaks-up, with all women going their separate ways, a giant earthquake rocks their city of San Francisco.

It’s a really scary night, and Mallory is lucky that she and her two cats survive unscathed, though her apartment, not so much. In the aftermath, Mallory realizes that she still has the object Caitlin asked her to hold. Thinking it might have sentimental value to her, Mallory vows to find her and return it when things settle down.

However, with the city in shambles, that task isn’t as simple as it may sound. As it turns out, Caitlin disappeared the night of the earthquake and no one has seen her since.

No one else seems alarmed though, reasoning that a lot of people left the city after the quake, but Mallory knows it’s more than that. The more she digs, the stronger her feelings that something terrible has befallen Caitlin.

Mallory begins her own investigation, and what she discovers is disturbing. All her digging hasn’t gone unnoticed either. Soon she find herself in the hot seat. Will she be able to find the truth about what happened to Caitlin, and expose the perp before they get to her too?

This was fun. It’s the 3rd-novel that I’ve read from this author, and I’ve enjoyed them all. I loved the backdrop of the San Francisco earthquake, and I enjoyed following Mallory as a main character.

Mallory felt very relatable to me. She just seemed like just an average woman, but one who wasn’t willing to turn the other way when someone may be in trouble. She was determined and plucky, and I liked that about her a lot.

She was also smart, and I enjoyed the way she worked through all of the information she had, and came up with steps to take next in order to try to find out the truth about Caitlin. She was very methodical about it all, which obviously made her dangerous to the baddie.

The mystery though, while intriguing throughout, did wrap-up a little too quickly and easily for my tastes. It had this great build, and Grey did a good job of steadily giving new info and adding tension to progress the plot. However, the big reveal lacked oomph for me.

Also, some of the side characters’ reactions, or more like non-reactions, to the who and what of it all, seemed lackluster. This was a major event, and they were like, ‘huh, weird, can’t believe they did that. Let’s brunch!’

It seemed odd right there at the very end.

At the end of the day though, I did find it gripping and entertaining. I liked many aspects, and even though the ending didn’t have quite the impact that I would’ve hoped for, I’m still happy with the experience overall.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to future work from this author. She’s quickly becoming a go-to author for me!

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Review: Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die by Mallory Arnold

~ megs14malloy

Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die: A NovelCross My Heart, I Hope You Die: A Novel by Mallory Arnold
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die follows three women, Cham, Ruby and Nora, who through a very odd twist of fate, all discover that they’re dating the same man.

None of the three had any idea, or suspicions. He’s that good of a liar, apparently. Furious and disappointed, the three get together and over drinks hatch a revenge plot.

They lure him to a remote cabin at the top of a snow-covered mountain, planning to scare the living daylights out of him. Things don’t go quite as planned, and he’s killed, but no one is admitting to the dastardly deed.

They’re stranded at this cabin now, at least for the overnight and suspicions are starting to grow. How well do they even know each other? They just met.

With pressure mounting, they need to figure out if one of them is a murderer, or if they’re not as alone on this mountain as they thought they were.

I had fun with this, I did. The beginning, in particular, I found so intriguing. Did Arnold ultimately do too much, though? That’s the question I’m asking myself.

When do we cross from camp to cheese? I feel like at a certain point, this novel sort of crossed that line into less enjoyable territory for me.

There’s no denying that it’s an entertaining story and I did enjoy it more than Arnold’s last book. I love an upward trajectory with an author. I think this had a fun concept and some truly gripping scenes.

At the end of the day, it was a bit uneven for me though, as far as my enjoyment level. Therefore, I feel like the 3.5-star rating is the most fair.

This is purely an assessment based on personal taste though, and I know so many Readers have loved this one. I’m down for anything Arnold writes next. This had a lot of great aspects, and is sure to bring some chills into your life.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Overall, I had a good time with this. It’s a fun Winter Thriller!

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Review: A Penance for Crows by Shannon Morgan

~ megs14malloy

A Penance for CrowsA Penance for Crows by Shannon Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

A Penance for Crows is a modern Gothic Horror novel that feels like it’s been torn from the past. The novel takes place on the Irish island of Beanna Dubh, set off the Southern tip of the Beara Peninsula. The community is quite insular. They like to keep to themselves.

In fact, there are many on the island who have never even been to the mainland. Untouched by modern technology, the islanders live under strict rule of the church.

As a people, they adhere to many superstitions. The island is also home to thousands of crows, so that fact only enhances those creepy vibes, with the islanders believing the crows are harbingers of coming disaster.

Our MC, Grizela, fled to the island 40-years ago, leaving her native-Glasgow, and her unsettling past well behind her. Though Grizela has been on the island for decades, she’s still considered an outsider by many.

She has been able to forge some strong connections with the young folks on the island though, who she treats as her own. Many of them confide in her things they wouldn’t trust telling their parents, or other elders.

Our action kicks off when Grizela discovers the dead body of the island’s young priest with a diabolical symbol drawn on his chest. Crows darken the sky, and Grizela fears there’s a different kind of darkness now among them.

As the mysterious symbols continue popping up randomly, and more residents meet terrible ends, the islanders’ suspicious fall on Grizela. She’s the outsider, after all.

Mass hysteria quickly takes over and Grizela is scrambling to prove her innocence. During her investigations into these disturbing happenings, she begins to learn new, and startling, information about a group of young women she has previously taken under her wings.

If you follow my reviews at all, you may know that I’m an Atmosphere Girlie through and through. I read to escape, and I particularly love remote settings with an overriding ominous air about them. IMO, this novel delivered that to me exactly as I wanted.

I was so invested in A Penance for Crows. This Occult Horror novel with strong Gothic atmosphere swept me up in the drama of the small island of Beanna Dubh.

I loved the MC, Grizela, who is in her early-60s, which in and of itself was refreshing. I also related to her experience on the island, as far as ‘being from away’ and no matter how long she’s there, she’s still considered an outsider. As an island girl myself, I get it.

Morgan created a great cast of characters in this noveal and the intrigue is excellent. Things keep happening and there’s an awesome feeling of ‘is it supernatural, is it not supernatural’ about it that I always appreciate it.

There were so many twists and turns, and as soon as I thought I knew who, or what, was behind all the mysterious happenings on the island, something new would occur that would blow my theory out of the water.

I loved the Occult elements that Morgan included. I feel like those made the novel so much more beguiling. That type of element rarely gets executed like it was here, in a fully believable, non-cheesy, way and I was living for it.

I highly recommend this to any Gothic, or Atmosphere, Girlies in the crowd. If you’re looking for that atmosphere, this is absolutely going to deliver it to you.

Thank you to the publisher, Kensington, for providing me a copy to read and review. I’m so impressed by this and cannot wait to read more from Shannon Morgan. I really hope she stays in this lane, because it’s fabulous!

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Review: Scary Movie Night by Miranda Smith

~ megs14malloy

Scary Movie NightScary Movie Night by Miranda Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Scary Movie Night is a modern Popcorn Thriller meets Locked Room Murder Mystery, that also manages to bring all the luxury of Old Hollywood at the same time. It’s sounds like a lot, and it sort of is, but I had a blast reading it.

In this story, we follow Tippi, who has recently broken off her engagement and is planning to travel to Europe for a reset. Before she goes though, her BFF decides to throw her a horror-themed party for her upcoming 35th-birthday.

Tippi, named for Tippi Hedren, of Hitchcock’s The Birds fame, is a huge Hitchcock fan. In fact, she wrote a book on it, Hitchcock films. Thus, the party will stick true to those roots, with the guests even dressing as different characters.

The party is going to be held at Tippi’s Grandmother’s lavish mansion. Tippi was raised by her Grandmather, Marmee, and the two remain very close. Even though Tippi’s not really in a mood to party, she appreciates the gesture, and honestly, how bad can it be?

It’s just for a weekend and the guest list is small, just Tippi and 5 of her closest friends, plus Marmee squirreled away in her room upstairs. What could possibly go wrong?

The tone is set when before the party is even in full swing, Tippi discovers a mysterious and threatening note on the gifts table. Her first thought is her ex, Oliver, could he possibly be there, lurking around the enormous property? Who else would have written such a nasty note?

Then the terror escalates, it’s not just notes, people are getting hurt, disappearing and worse. Tippi and the other guests find themselves thrust into the action of a Thriller movie, and Tippi wants no part of it. This night will change everything forever. Who will even make it out alive?

As a Hitchcock girlie, this was such an enjoyable read. I loved the set-up and the mixed media elements Smith included. We actually get little excerpts from Tippi’s book, where she discusses some of Hitchcock’s most popular films. I loved that and how certain plot points from those films could be loosely found within this story.

I loved Tippi and her Grandmother, Marmee. Their relationship was great, though I was disturbed by the fact that, with everything going on, Tippi just left Marmee upstairs in her bedroom alone. Like don’t worry, there’s only an apparent killer on the loose, just stay here.

It definitely gets wacky and OTT in the 2nd-half, but I was eating it up. I was sat and invested in the chaos. The friend group is freaking messy. Everyone had secrets and sort of nasty personalities, NGL, besides Tippi and her bestie.

I loved the atmosphere as well. Marmee’s mansion is stacked with luxurious items and memorabilia of Old Hollywood. There’s also inclement weather, and though the mansion is large, a feeling of claustrophobia does set in once the intensity amps up. It did feel quite cinematic because of that.

Overall, I just felt like this was a really entertaining dark Thriller. It’s messy and high stakes, with a cast of morally grey characters and captivating twists. I would recommend it to Horror Thriller Readers, or fans of Hitchcock films.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I enjoyed this a lot more than Smith’s earlier release, Smile for the Cameras, and I’m excited to pick up more from her.

We love an upward trajectory with an author’s work!

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Review: 12 Ways to Kill Your Family at Christmas by Natasha Bache

~ megs14malloy

12 Ways to Kill Your Family at Christmas12 Ways to Kill Your Family at Christmas by Natasha Bache
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Prior to moving their family to Australia, Olivia and her husband, Miles, as well as their two children, must go spend a two-week Christmas holiday with Miles’s extremely wealthy and terrible family.

Olivia, a Romantasy author, from a family who couldn’t be more different than her husband’s, has always felt judged and out of place at the Weiss family estate. Nevertheless, she loves him and shall grin and bear it, because that’s what a good partner does.

As expected, his family is shockingly-rude from the get-go. It’s going to be a long two weeks. All the relationships are toxic and if Miles’s mother is around, the backhanded jibes are never far behind.

We won’t mention the tension you could cut with a knife due to the great inheritance debate over the multi-million dollar fortune. Olivia couldn’t care less about the money though, she cares more about the poor treatment that she, Miles and their children receive.

She can’t wait to get on the plane to Australia. Let’s gooo!

Soon after their arrival, an accident results in a family member’s death. Shortly thereafter, another family member falls victim to a terrible accident.

But then a third? Are we still believing these are accidents? As the bodies pile up, one after another, in admittedly quite creative ways, it becomes clear to Olivia that there’s a killer amongst them, but who?

Motivations and hostilities abound. It could honestly be anyone, or multiple people. It’s certainly not beyond the stretch of imagination that a plot to seize the inheritance could be in play.

When inclement weather cuts them off from the world, Olivia takes it upon herself to try to weed out the killer. Can she possibly get to them, before they get to her first?

The clock is ticking on a Christmas they’ll never forget. If they live to remember it, that is.

I had so much fun with this novel. It’s thoroughly deranged, but in a really fun way. I loved Olivia’s perspective. Her wry delivery and sarcasm, as well as the dark humor that Bache brought to the story made it wickedly-entertaining.

It felt quite cinematic as well. I feel like it would make a great holiday movie, like a Knives Out version of a holiday movie. I feel like it could translate so well into that format because of the drama and humor.

I was picturing Naomi Watts as Olivia, and Ewan McGregor as Miles. Not bad images to have in your brain, either one.

I also need to applaud Bache’s creative kills. I’m a Horror girl, and I love a unique or creative kill. Bache definitely delivered in that capacity here.

Another thing worth mentioning, that I really appreciated about this, was the relationships between Olivia, Miles and their kids. They were very close and remained so throughout the story. They felt supportive to one another, and were really the only bright light in this family.

I’m so glad I finally read this one. It was a great fit for my tastes in the Mystery genre. I loved all the twists and reveals. Messy family is drama is one of my favorite things in fiction and this took messy to the next level.

Thank you to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

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Review: Death on the Lanai (Golden Girls Cozy Mystery #2) by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

~ megs14malloy

Death on the Lanai: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery (Golden Girls Cozy Mystery Series)Death on the Lanai: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery by Rachel Ekstrom Courage
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Death on the Lanai is the latest installment to the Golden Girls Cozy Mystery series from Rachel Ekstrom Courage.

I had a lot of fun reading the 1st-book, Murder by Cheesecake, so had been highly anticipating this release. I’m happy to report, I enjoyed this one even more!

In this installment, REC brings a classic murder mystery set-up to the page for our GGs. The ladies receive a mysterious invitation to attend a dinner party at a remote island estate. Even though they have no clue who the invitation is from, there could be single men there, so they’re definitely going to attend.

Dressed to the nines, the ladies climb aboard a water taxi to be ferried out to the island prepared for a glamorous night. The possibilities are endless of what the evening could hold, but they couldn’t imagine what would actually go down.

Once they’ve arrived, the ladies are introduced to their mystery host and owner of the estate, Declan, a famous artist known as El Toro. Quickly, memories of her time as a NYC Rockette come flooding back to Blanche.

Declan was Blanche’s beau during her short time in NYC, before she was swept back to Georgia by her family. She’s had no contact with him for years. How did he possibly find her, and what is the intent of this unexpected reunion?

The dinner guest list is small, and as the evening progresses the ladies get to know each of the other attendees and their basic connection to Declan. The majority of them are closely tied to his career as an artist, and as it turns out, even Blanche has a connection she never knew about.

As is expected in situations like this, a ferocious storm ends up battering the island, knocking out the power and stranding the guests there overnight.

The next morning, Declan is found dead in his studio and all eyes are on Blanche. The ladies know that Blanche is innocent, meaning someone else on that island is a killer, and they’re trapped there with them. It’s up to the ladies to suss out the real killer before they’re able to kill again.

This was so cute. I loved the classic set-up for the mystery and laughed so many times as the ladies tried to solve the whodunit. I love them all so much.

I feel like Rachel Ekstrom Courage is really settling into writing their personalities and bringing them to life. She’s honed in on their dynamic so well and it definitely translated better onto the page this time. Their vibe felt much more natural than it did in the 1st-book.

The mystery was also more intriguing to me, and I loved having this set cast of possible killers. There were red herrings, and at times, it was a real head-scratcher.

I’m so in love with this series at this point. I’m really hoping we get more. Miami is a busy place, and our girls are good at getting themselves into, and then out of, sticky situations.

As I said with the 1st-book, I would recommend it to any Golden Girls fan. The GGs were handled with grace, and I think it’s quite nostalgic for any long-term fan of the television show.

Personally, I don’t think it would hit quite the same for people who haven’t watched the show, but I could be wrong. As a Cozy Mystery, it’s still solid, regardless of who the characters are.

Thank you to the publisher, Hyperion Avenue, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m so invested in this series now, I’m already anxious to hear news of what’s next!

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Review: For Better or Murder (The Holy Terrors #4) by Simon R. Green

~ megs14malloy

For Better or Murder (A Holy Terrors Mystery Book 4)For Better or Murder by Simon R. Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For Better or Murder is the 4th-book in the Holy Terror Mysteries series by veteran author, Simon R. Green. I would argue this is a straight-up Cozy Mystery series, though the assigned genres for the books in the series seem to disagree.

I read a lot of Cozies, and this is a Cozy, but with slight paranormal vibes. This one is my favorite one yet, and I’m not sure if it’s because I’m more attached to these characters than ever, or if it’s because maybe the author is more comfortable writing this type of story at this point.

Either way, I found this one highly-enjoyable. It’s the most Scooby-Doo feeling one yet, which def added to my enjoyment. The setting, at a secluded Cornish hotel, set amongst the Moors, definitely added to that vibe.

Alastair and Diana are set to be married, and in order to escape the prying eyes of the paparazzi, who have been plaguing them since their status as the Holy Terrors became public interest, have booked the remote hotel in order to maintain some privacy on their wedding day.

Their guest list is also extremely small. Diana’s parents, of course, as well as her oldest friend, Eliza, have been invited for her side. Alastair has invited his college friend, Giles, as well as his mentor, Crispin, who will perform the ceremony.

Besides that, it’s just Edward and Alice, the proprietors of the hotel. The rest of the staff having been sent home in order to ensure privacy.

So, when one of the guests is found murdered on their very first night at the hotel, their suspect list is small. However, a local legend throws a kink in their investigation.

Could the Pale Rider, feared by locals, and seemingly even the hotel owners themselves, possibly be responsible for the mysterious death? They did hear unexplained hoof beats shortly before, didn’t they?

Well, it was certainly hard to tell over the pounding rain of the extreme storm rattling the hotel. At this point, we know Alastair and Diana won’t be able to rest until the truth is discovered. Let the amateur sleuthing begin!

I had a lot of fun with this one. From the start I was hooked into the setting. I thought Green set the stage beautifully. I could picture it all in my head, and it made me want to be there with this small group of wedding guests.

I also liked the inclusion of the local lore and felt like the way it was weaved into our mystery left a lot of room for doubt, as far as whether or not a human was responsible for the tragedies that take place. Additionally, just being with Alastair and Diana again, seeing how far their relationship has come, that was also really comforting.

I’ll be honest, my initial impression with this series wasn’t the best. I felt like I had been marketed a Horror novel, which it certainly is not, but now that I’ve settled into it being a Cozy Mystery, I’ve really enjoyed them all. I’m glad I continued on and gave it another chance.

I’m not sure what the future for this series holds, but if there are further installments, I’ll definitely be picking them up. The series as a whole keeps getting stronger, IMO, and I would love more.

Thank you to the publisher, Severn House, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would recommend this series to Cozy Mystery Readers who enjoy a darker touch; something a bit more macabre. This series has turned into a lot of fun for me!

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Review: You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado

~ megs14malloy

You Should Have Been Nicer to My MomYou Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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!

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