Ok, real talk.

The holidays are all about family. Whether everyone's coming to your house or you're headed to a relative's place, you're going to be surrounded by people 24/7. Of course, with every big family gathering comes that one relative you wish would just leave you alone forever. But, because they're that family member you wish you would just leave you alone forever, they absolutely won't and they will 100% be in your face the entire time.

So to help you deal with the family that drives you crazy, here's a list of tactics (inspired by some of our favorite 2019 books) to GET RID OF THEM and save this holiday season from some unnecessary angst.

The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring
The Tenth Girl takes place in a creepy school in the middle of nowhere. A lot of bad, scary things happen in said school, all of which might be helpful in your efforts to make people you hate leave you alone. So, read the book, take some notes, and get ready to play some spooky pranks that will make all of your problem-people go away.

The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen
No one is better at demanding what they're owed than Fie and the Crows. Do a quick money dance, get your holiday presents, and get out of there!

A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney
Is someone bothering you? Ruining your day off over the holidays? Maybe you should send them to the warped and twisted version of Wonderland found in L.L. McKinney's A Blade So Black.

The Liars of Mariposa Island by Jennifer Mathieu
Jennifer Mathieu's latest is all about the lies families tell to survive. So, perhaps, to survive the holidays in a house full of family, the best thing to do is just tell everyone what they want to hear, even if what they want to hear is not 100% The Truth.

All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney
All-American Muslim Girl is all about disapproving families. Allie's parents want her to play the passing white girl instead of exploring her religion and her boyfriend's father is a conservative radio personality who often says horrible things about everything Allie believes in. Basically: if any book can give you the help you need with handling your family, it's this one.

What We Buried by Kate A. Boorman
What We Buried contains two very aggressive ways to get rid of people you don't like. The first is to sue for emancipation. The second is for them to just VANISH. Honestly, both are extreme MOODS and we like them both.

Beyond the Black Door by A.M. Strickland
To protect Kamai from the dark presence in her soul, her mother locks something (someone?) truly monstrous behind the black in her soul. So let us all lock the people we hate behind a door and, unlike Kamai, NOT OPEN IT.

Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller
When Rasmira fails her coming-of-age trial, she's sent into exile. Determined to prove her worth, she accepts the challenge to regain her honor, but you could always get exiled and just not try to fix it... 

Into the Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo
In Alexandra Christo's latest novel, a very powerful and dangerous dark magic that, once it infects someone, it eventually kills them. So, y'know, you could always just poison your enemies and move on with your life...

Please note: the only kind of murder we endorse is the fictional kind.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, BOOK NERDS!