A group of strained siblings go on the run after one of them lands in trouble with the police, only to find the cabin they hope to hide out in is actually a portal into a real life nightmare. Unfortunately, this was a total mess and extremely hard to follow. The deeper themes and social commentary were great, but the horror aspect was lacking and honestly made no sense. Should’ve just put this one down instead of finishing it.

Books written in multiple POVs often struggle to have distinct narrative voices, but this author absolutely achieved three unique, evocative points of view. Though there is plenty of twisty and gory thriller and horror aspects to this story, the heart of it was about sibling relationships and what we sacrifice for the people we love. The relationship between Calla, Jamie, and Dre was layered, emotional, and so well-written. The comparison to Jordan Peele felt like an accurate one, as the story is a unique horror that explores the intersections of race, family, horror, and more. Horror fans will definitely find a lot to appreciate and enjoy in this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC

Yes, yes, yes. Listen to Your Sister is a debut novel about siblings and the things that they do for each other akin to the mind of Jordan Peele. Nenna Viel has crafted a story full of love, heartbreak and sacrifice, and a downright scary nightmare scene.

This is a wild ride full of highs and lows as we follow a young, dysfunctional af black family as they learn what each other really sacrifices for the others.

If you are looking for a weird, horror filled genre mixing tale that is sure to leave you wanting more from Viel you should pick up Listen to Your Sister immediately.

What happens when Jordan Peele's signature brand of BIG IMPORTANT SOCIAL MESSAGE horror flick meets up with a dark, gory, over-the-top bloodfest of a nightmare thriller feverdreamt by say, Quentin Tarantino??

THIS BOOK, THAT'S WHAT!!!

Let me be clear, this book took a bit to settle into and is definitely not for those who don't admire the horror genre. It is also not for the squeamish. There is also a fair amount of real life turned into fantasy horror within its pages. For that reason, some readers may find that the story, setting, or characters trigger some strong reactions. I feel it is only fair to know that going into this read.

It was often really hard to discern what was actually happening in real time and what was happening in a feverpitch dream world filled and fueled by the characters' collective childhood trauma, neglect, repressed memories, and abuse. But let me say most definitely, this did not detract but rather enhanced the quality of the read. There was much to sort through and figure out, but without giving too much of the story away, suffice it to say that Neena Viel has made quite the debut with "Listen to Your Sister."

This author and her characters (both *real* and *nightmare*) have much to say about generational poverty, marginalized communities, racism, gender inequality, and the injustices done to children by the flaws and fractures within their own families, from society writ large, and from the institutions and agencies that should provide the safety net they so desperately need when the adults in their lives fail them.

This novel will be published on February 4, 2025.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel in advance of its publication.

This was definitely a unique premise with an entertaining writing style. I can tell that Neena Viel put a lot of thought into her debut novel and I enjoyed the various themes present in this book. “Listen to Your Sister” had some great horror moments that any self-proclaimed horror enthusiast (such as myself) will love. My biggest drawback with this book was the pacing- the pacing was bouncing around and couldn’t quite grab my attention the way I wanted it to. Overall it was an enjoyable read but I had a difficult time staying hooked to the story.

3 Stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC! 🖤

Okay, so Listen to Your Sister definitely had a lot going for it, but I didn’t totally vibe with it. The premise was SO intriguing! Siblings, a supernatural force, and lots of family drama? Yesss please! But unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite match the excitement I had going into it.

First off, let me say, the writing style was unique and creative, and at times, it had me hooked with its wit and dark humor. 🖤 Calla’s relationship with her brothers, Jamie and Dre, was really the heart of the story, and I loved how their bond was portrayed—such an interesting mix of love, sacrifice, and frustration. The pacing though? It was a struggle. The first half of the book dragged for me, and I almost DNFed it (but I’m glad I stuck with it because the last part got a lot more intense and thrilling!)

The horror element was intense, but honestly, I felt like I couldn’t always tell what was real and what was a nightmare. 😵 Calla’s visions made things super trippy, but sometimes I felt more confused than scared. And while the setting of the cabin was super creepy and added to the atmosphere, some of the later parts of the story got a little... chaotic? The monsters (both literal and metaphorical) had potential, but I didn’t fully connect with the plot twists or the resolutions.

Overall, it was a solid debut with some really powerful moments, especially in terms of character development and the family dynamics, but the confusing plot and slower pacing kept it from being a total winner for me. Still, if you're into atmospheric horror with family tension and dark vibes, this might work better for you! 👀

Would definitely recommend giving it a go if you enjoy complex, character-driven horror! 📚✨

I listened to the audiobook first, and I liked the ebook better. I couldn’t really connect with the narrator, and I found there was more humor (and horror) when I was able to read in what I expected the pace and inflection would be to hit those notes hardest.
For the text, there were some really effective descriptions of horror, body horror in particular, and the core relationship- between the three orphaned siblings - felt very real, equal parts loving, loyal, and protective and antagonistic, dismissive, and cruel.

To use the yes, no, maybe vernacular, this is a yes* for me - with the * pointing to - I recommend the text version over than the audio if that’s an option for you.

This isn't your typical "cabin in the woods" horror tale. The supernatural elements serve as a terrifying extension of Calla's subconscious, bringing unresolved trauma to life in grotesque, surreal ways. As the past and present blur, the Williams siblings must confront not only the horrors lurking outside but also the ones they've carried within themselves for years.

Writing Style & Themes

Viel's writing is razor-sharp, alternating between deeply introspective and darkly humorous. The novel doesn't just explore horror in the traditional sense—it's also a searing commentary on family obligation, the parentification of children, grief, and the unseen emotional labor that comes with being the "responsible one" in a dysfunctional family.

Calla is a protagonist who will resonate deeply with readers who have ever felt the crushing weight of responsibility for others. Her struggles with guilt, resentment, and exhaustion make her an achingly real character, even as she faces the increasingly surreal horrors that surround her. Jamie's reckless behavior and Dre's emotional distance add tension to the already fraught family dynamic, making for some truly gut-wrenching moments.

Despite the heavy themes, Listen to Your Sister isn't entirely bleak. Viel balances the horror with moments of sharp, biting humor-particularly in the siblings' banter. Their dialogue feels real, filled with the kind of sarcastic, love-laced jabs that only siblings can get away with. This contrast between levity and terror keeps the story moving at a breakneck pace.

The Horror Element

The horror in Listen to Your Sister is as psychological as it is supernatural. Calla's nightmares don't just stay in her mind-they bleed into reality, warping the world around her. Viel masterfully blends elements of body horror, dream logic, and eerie folklore, crafting scenes that feel like something out of a fever dream. There are clear influences from authors like Grady Hendrix and Stephen Graham Jones, but Viel brings her own voice to the table, creating a fresh take on the genre.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is its exploration of control and free will— both within family structures and in the larger context of societal oppression. The novel touches on issues of race, systemic injustice, and the ways in which people, particularly marginalized individuals, are forced into roles they never asked for.

Criticism & Pacing Issues

While Listen to Your Sister is a powerful debut, it's not without its flaws. Some readers may find the pacing uneven-the first half is a slow-burn setup of family dynamics, while the horror elements don't fully take over until later in the book. There's also a stretch in the middle where the themes become somewhat repetitive, slowing the momentum. However, the final act more than makes up for any lag, delivering emotional gut punches and chilling revelations that will stick with readers long after they turn the last page.

Additionally, while Calla and Jamie are well-developed characters, Dre sometimes fades into the background. His role as the absent yet guilt-ridden middle child is clear, but his character could have used a bit more depth to make the sibling dynamic feel truly balanced.

Final Verdict

Listen to Your Sister is a bold, fearless debut that refuses to fit neatly into any one category. It's horror, but it's also a deeply moving story about family, obligation, and the ways in which past traumas shape our present. Neena Viel's writing is sharp, unflinching, and utterly original, making her a name to watch in the world of modern horror.

If you love books that mix emotional depth with unsettling, fever-dream horror-think How to Sell a Haunted House meets Hereditary-this is one you won't want to miss. Just be sure to keep the lights on.

This book was an absolutely wild ride! To me, it read as part horror, part literary fiction, which was so unique, I’ve never read a horror novel like it. The story centers around themes of family and finding yourself, and the characters are authentic and relatable. What a fantastic debut!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC of Listen to Your Sister in exchange for an honest review.

In complete transparency, I’m sitting here after just finishing Listen to Your Sister, and I’m honestly not entirely sure what I read to some degree. While I can grasp the overarching premise and storyline, there were so many moments where I had to stop and ask myself, “WTF is actually going on here?” because there were just some points where the author just lost me entirely.

The sibling dynamic between Calla, Jamie, and Dre was without a doubt entertaining and also complex as Calla is not only their older sister, but also a parental figure to wayward Jamie, but also keeps her thumb on Dre as well. While I understand the premise behind how the pain/childhood trauma that Calla experiences mixed with the unrelenting need to protect her brothers from all the trouble they seem to find themselves in spawned the doppelgänger Calla narrative, there were so many aspects of The Nightmare that were just so confusing. I have no idea how she just banished her brothers into The Nightmare and just set the other Calla’s free? Even just writing this makes me sound slightly unhinged.

Ultimately, I think what I realized in reading this was that, while I appreciate the story and the feeling behind the book, this genre really isn’t for me. While it is a thriller/horror read, there’s an odd almost supernatural element to it that just didn’t mix well for me because it gets a little too dark at times. While I normally love mystery mixed with supernatural (think Riley Sager here), this one just went too dark and too weird too quickly. There were points that were really good and I was following along well with the story, and other points where I just wanted it to be over already. In reading the description I was anticipating more of a horror story surrounding a creepy cabin in the woods but nope. Not really even part of it at all.

I’m not somebody who will typically just give up on a book, but I came close with this one. Not because it wasn’t well written, I want to be clear about that, but because it just was too far outside of my comfort zone. While it wasn’t my cup of tea, it may absolutely appeal to a different audience.

2.5 stars

Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel
Genres: Horror, supernatural, psychological thriller
Themes: Family dynamics, sibling bonds, generational trauma, sacrifice
Pub date: Feb. 4, 2025

Twentysomething Calla Williams struggles to raise her younger brothers while battling recurring nightmares of their deaths. When a protest spirals out of control, the siblings flee to a remote cabin, where the line between reality and nightmare blurs.

If a book is marketed as being similar to Jordan Peele’s films, then I’m intrigued and locked in. The first few chapters gripped me — so much so that I had to close the book while reading at night because it was a bit too creepy.

Unfortunately, the book unraveled to be confusing and difficult to follow, especially with shifts in perspective, time, and the distinction of reality vs. nightmare. The writing felt choppy, repetitive, like stream of consciousness. I could see this book being better as a movie because so many scenes were difficult to imagine in my head, which took away from my reading experience.

Thank you to #NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader copy of #ListenToYourSister.

wow, this was pretty interesting and at points VERY hard to keep your grip on. it's super interesting and very well done. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this ARC. Unfortunately I had to DNF this about 10% in. I just could not get into the story. While I liked the writing style, the dialogue felt unnatural and the plot didn’t hook me. I may pick it up in the future but for now, it didn’t work for me.

Listen to your sister is different, it’s weird and want not exactly what I was expecting. There is a lot going on,and heavy topics and character working through various types of trauma. Even through everything they experience, the sibling dynamics though frustrating and anger inducing for them is still strong. The characters were well done and I was horrified, confused, laughed and teared up along with them. The plot was wild and out there, there were some points of confusion but Viel’s writing pulled it together. I won’t say too more about the plot to prevent spoilers and going in not knowing exactly where it is going was a good way to experience this novel. There are clear undertones of social commentary mixing supernatural horror with real life horror of being Black in America. This one stayed with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

(3.5⭐️) “For fans of Jordan Peele’s films and Stranger Things”? Sign me up! I didn’t quite love this one as much as I was hoping, but it was still good.

These characters drew me in from the first chapter. They had big personalities that jumped off the page, and I was really into the playful, sarcastic bantering, sibling dynamic between them all. The multiple POV between the three of them gave me a better understanding of their motives and inner thoughts, which came in handy when they acted a certain way that sometimes drove me crazy.

The buildup to the main action took a little while. It wasn’t until about the 50% mark that things kicked into gear, which felt too long for me. I think there definitely needed to be a buildup for what happened, but it could’ve been done in a shorter time IMO.

That said, I loved the twist that happened at the halfway point. I want expecting it at all, and it really made things interesting. The action kept me engaged to the end of the book, and the multi POV added some tension with cliffhangers. I do think the ending was a little anticlimactic action-wise, but the quieter message of it did pack a punch.

I could easily see this being made into a movie (that I would 100% watch). This was a solid debut horror and I’m already interested in what she writes next.

Story was okay I did have a tough time getting through certain parts of the ebook. Some felt a bit repetitive but I am thankful for the opportunity. Thank you Netgalley for this arc!

Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 2/4
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Listen to Your Sister is a very original story. Told in a multiple POV between the three siblings - Calla, Dre and Jamie. I absolutely loved their bond; I found myself laughing at their banter but also loved how much you could see they really cared about each other. Each of the siblings grew tremendously throughout the story and I really enjoyed watching them grow and really begin to understand one another and the different hardships that each of them went through. Very interesting how the nightmares came to life and how the siblings came together in order to stop what was happening.
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The pacing was a bit odd; it felt almost like it was too slow at points and then became almost too fast that everything became a bit too convoluted. I really seemed to struggle with what was real and what was a part of this nightmare. I love a good paranormal horror but I just found myself having a hard time following which led me to honestly not really care all that much as to what happened.
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I listened to this one via audiobook while reading along with the eBook. Eric Lockley, Kristolyn Lloyd and Zeno Robinson were great. I think they complimented each other perfectly as far as sibling go but there were some super cringe parts when some voices were acted out. Also; this story is so much of a fever dream that I definitely think having both the print version and the audiobook would be helpful.
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Overall, this one wasn't necessarily for me, but that's okay. I think that horror fans will really get a kick out of this one! Be sure to check it out. Huge thank you to NetGalley, Neena Viel, MacMillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Listen To Your Sister is a violent fever dream of family trauma and burden made into a nightmarish reality.

Following 3 siblings as they try to navigate life after their parents failed them, Neena Viel’s emotional debut novel intersperses the perfect amount of humor and realness throughout to make the horror sections all the more sinister.

Positing the question, what happens if all those broken pieces of ourselves were to retaliate; Will family history and shared trauma help mend you, or break you further?

Listen To Your Sister is a wild ride from start to finish. 5 ⭐️

I had a very hard time with this book. I felt at times that it was very chaotic and hard to follow. So to be fair to the author I based my star rating solely on Characters, Writing, Atmosphere, Plot, Intrigue, Logic, Enjoyment, and Ending. If I went off these points as well as my personal feelings I think the rating would be much lower. With that said the characters are fantastic, their relationships feel real and heartfelt but also dark. The atmosphere of a “nightmare” was definitely in place, however, sometimes it was very hard to follow. The plot is also great, I don’t think I have seen anything like it and I love that the sister is so aware of how important it is to keep her black brothers whole and alive. The intrigue was there and then I would just want it to be over. There was not a ton of logic to this story. I definitely enjoyed it at times but then there were other times that it just felt too chaotic to follow. Too many Calla’s too many sub plots that would randomly be thrown into the dialogue that it didn’t make sense and throw off the flow. The ending, I understood why Calla wasn’t allowed to intervene but how it was handled again felt off. For the writing I wish there were parts that were addressed deeper (more about the father and the importance of him to all 3 children, the mother- why did she act how she did after the father’s passing) Why does this “nightmare” persist and how? Why do the brothers have to die in the nightmare? And then there was so much information that seemed not to matter to the plot.
I think this story has great potential and maybe it is just me but I wish the story felt more complete to me.

I’ve been excited for Neena Viel’s debut horror novel, LISTEN TO YOUR SISTER, for awhile now, so when my booksta-bestie @shellysbookcorner sent me her copy, I knew it was time to dive in! The story is centered around three siblings—Calla, Dre, and Jamie and the horrors they experience at at a remote cabin.

25-year-old Calla Williams is struggling to raise her reckless teenage brother, Jamie, while their other brother, Dre, phones in his promise to help. When Jamie’s actions at a protest force them to flee to a remote cabin, Calla’s recurring nightmares of her brothers dying start to blur with reality, and the siblings face a threat they may not survive.

This book not only has supernatural horror elements, but touches real life ones as well. All three siblings were the core of why this book worked for me as they really got personal during this journey. This book could be considered a horror-comedy as there were some funny moments as well. My only critique would be the book’s pacing—going from quickly moving to slowly stagnant at times. Otherwise, LISTEN TO YOUR SISTER is a solid horror debut and I’m excited to see what Neena Viel delivers next!