Book Review: How to kill your family by Bella Mackie

jolaineabad
Jan 30
5 min read

"I was very loved, and I knew it – even though it all came from just one person.

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Start Date: 01/22/2026	End Date: 01/30/2026
Genres: Adult // Thriller, Contemporary, Dark Comedy, Suspense	Format: Paperback // AudiobookI
Pages: 368 pages	Rating: ★★★ (3 stars)

⚠️ Content Warnings ⚠️

Murder (multiple, premeditated)
Graphic discussion of death (non-gory but explicit)
Dark humor surrounding violence
Emotional abuse & neglect
Toxic family dynamics
Classism and social privilege commentary
Manipulation and deception
Imprisonment / wrongful accusation
Unreliable narrator
References to misogyny and sexism
Mentions of mental health struggles

🖤 Tone note: The violence is often presented with satirical, darkly comedic narration, which may feel unsettling for some readers.

BOOK TROPE GUIDE

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Class Commentary

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Borderline Villain

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Unreliable Narrator

👨‍👩‍👧

Toxic Family Dynamics

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Dark Humor

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Justice vs. Revenge

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Hate-Fueled • Dragging • Cliché

The story follows Grace Bernard, who is imprisoned for a crime she didn’t even commit — a twist that completely delays her carefully crafted plan to kill her extremely wealthy father.

Grace was raised by her mother, who worked two jobs just to make sure they had a roof over their heads and food on the table. Her mother tried to slowly introduce Grace to her father, hoping that once he knew about her, he would step up and take responsibility.

But instead of acceptance, they were met with rejection. He denied Grace. He refused to help. And from that moment on, Grace dedicated her entire life to meticulously planning the destruction of her father and his family.

However, as she carries out her revenge, she eventually discovers that someone has been watching her all along.

The question is: will this mysterious bystander help her fulfill what she believes is her mother’s dying wish… or will they be the reason her plan completely falls apart?

Did I enjoy the book? Yes / No / Unsure

Would I read this again? Yes / No / Unsure

Would I recommend this to a friend? Yes / No / Unsure

What did I like the most?

If I’m being completely honest, the only thing I truly loved about this book is the title. It’s so catchy that it immediately made me want to pick it up. Marketing-wise? Genius.

The first few chapters, I actually enjoyed. I thought I was going to connect with Grace because of the whole daddy issues storyline. I felt like I could relate to that part, and I was ready for something emotionally layered and complex.

But after that… it just didn’t hit the way I expected it to.

And honestly, that early connection was the only thing I genuinely liked about the book.

What I liked the least (and why)?

After her first kill, I was still ecstatic. I was invested. I wanted to keep reading. I thought, okay… now we’re getting somewhere.

But then everything shifted.

She started body shaming people. Hating on adults. Mocking anyone who had plastic surgery. Even frogs — like, frogs who literally did nothing to her. And that’s when I started to disconnect.

The hate just became too much. It wasn’t sharp or clever anymore — it was exhausting. I found myself wondering where the author got the energy to write a character fueled by that much negativity.

Instead of feeling layered or complex, everything started to feel flat. And by the time I reached the ending, which was supposed to be clever and ironic, it just felt… cliché.

Favorite Character

Favorite character:

…

Exactly.

Ratings

Book Cover

★★★★

Writing Style

★

Story & Plot

★

Characters

Favorite Quotes

I confronted myself with the knowledge that I would grow up and make them know really know, the pain that we had suffered.

My Book Review ✎ᝰ.

This book has a super catchy title—and I have to give it credit for that because it’s what made me pick it up in the first place. I was immediately intrigued to see how detailed the story would be about Grace Bernard’s plan to kill her family.

Honestly, I didn’t expect the first few chapters to feel so relatable. As someone who’s also experienced rejection and denial from a father, I actually connected with her frustration and anger in a way I didn’t anticipate.

I also had really high expectations for this book after seeing a TikTok that Anya Taylor-Joy is making a Netflix series based on it. She’s such a great actress, and if she found it interesting enough to adapt, I figured this had to be a good read.

I don’t know how to say this nicely, but I really need to yap about this book.

I want to start with something that actually worked for me. I felt a connection with Grace because… well, I also had a wealthy father. Not as wealthy as hers, but wealthy enough that child support could’ve been a thing. My dad’s side of the family said some really shitty things about my mom, but thankfully I grew up with my grandmother. Having her as a support system helped me keep my sanity.

So when I read Grace’s story, I was ecstatic. For the first few chapters, I genuinely felt like, yes, I can relate to this. Honestly, without the people I had beside me, I might’ve ended up like her. That early connection is what really drew me in and made me want to keep reading.

Her first kill was honestly satisfying — I was hooked. But then I got a little confused about how she ended up imprisoned. I remembered reading that she had kept a diary confessing her crimes, yet none of that seemed to be the reason she was behind bars. That actually piqued my curiosity even more.

I also found her final words for her grandparents interesting… but this is where I started to lose interest in the book. I rarely DNF a book, though, so I kept going.

At first, I actually laughed at how much she hated old rich people. I mean, sure, I’ve had my own encounters with annoying rich old folks — but I’ve also met some really nice ones, so I let it slide.

But then it went too far. She started insulting everything about them — from head to toe — and even criticized how dull their houses were. She kept wondering if she would have been the same person if she were rich, which made her insecurity understandable at first. But when she started insulting the very people she was seeking help from… I felt a little disgusted. Especially when she kept assuming that any love or help given to her was either pity or obligation.

Another thing I didn’t like is how she claimed she was avenging her mom… but kept insulting her mom for her choices. Saying she’s avenging her mom while constantly disrespecting her doesn’t feel like love to me.

And in all honesty… I have no idea how the author wrote a character with this much hate for the world, full of insecurities, careless, and sloppy by the end. I never anticipated that ending, and… wow. It’s funny — but not in a good way. More like an insult to the main character after all that build-up.

All that effort in shaping the character, all that tension… and it ends in such a disappointing way. I personally wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone. Sure, I’ve seen plenty of good reviews, and yes, Anya Taylor-Joy is making a Netflix series of it — but if you ask me? Don’t get hooked by the title. The plot and story aren’t nearly as good as it sounds.