In Listen to Your Sister, we follow 3 siblings, Calla, Dre, and the youngest; the one that Calla has guardianship over is Jamie.
I found the first half to be on the slower side, getting all of the backgrounds with the siblings, why Calla feels so protective of Jamie and Dre, and why Jamie is... well the way he is.

I found myself a bit bored during that part, but I was instantly intrigued once we got through to where the Nightmare stuff was going on. At the same time, I found myself confused during that part along with the characters in the story. But it did suck me in with the action, violence, and the emotion we got from the siblings.
I would definitely check out more from this author in the future.

Wow- I am so torn about this title.

Veils use of racism as a central plot of horror is undeniably brilliant. I also love the imagery she paints to drive the horror elements forward. The entirety of the book reminded me a lot of a horror-esque video game based off of Alice in Wonderland called Alice:Madness Returns. (Which I love.) So much so that I wonder if the author took inspiration from it.

I did ,however, really struggle with the prose. I realized pretty late in the book that some of what took me out of the text was meant to be humor- but in spite of there being moments where the humor really worked, there were several places that I found it confusing. The plot is very disjointed and hard to follow. The author uses a lot of wordy similes and extraneous language to describe, on top of a lot of action, and it felt a bit overwhelming. Even though it mostly came together in the end, it really felt like a chore for a large part of the reading experience.

I rarely feel this way about books, but I think I would really love a film adaption of this book because it’s so visual and I think I would love seeing this story more than I liked reading it.

I think the author is brilliant and I will continue to follow her work, but this one was a bit rough going for the pay off.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those awesome concepts but meh deliveries. I loved the idea of the story but getting to the 'alternate reality' was odd? It was incredibly fuzzy but I kind of just went with it. I loved the sacrifices that these characters made for each other and to 'keep trying' for one another. Overall, I would recommend this to someone who likes alternate reality sort of stories with a good amount of horror!

Very, very complex (and down right strange)! Very interesting first half - but that last half was a crazy ride!

I enjoyed the sibling interactions - the will of the sister to drag her brothers through a rough life. But it was rough to read the last part!

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an advance readers copy.

This is my first novel from Neena Viel and I was intrigued to read this because the synopsis sounded promising and the story is about siblings.

This is a story about three siblings Calla, Dre, and Jamie. Calla is the oldest and she takes guardianship of Jamie with the intention on Dre helping her along the way. Jamie is a 16 year old who is experimenting with drugs and the streets. Calla has these horrible nightmares that haunt her. She only has these dreams when she begins to worry about Jamie and Dre because they aren’t home and she can’t reach them. The dreams creeped me out at the beginning but then…

I enjoyed the first half of the book, but when I got around the 60% mark I was very confused about what was a dream and what was real. I don’t like feeling like that and I thought about DNFing this so many times.

This book touched a lot of topics im interested in such as sibling relationships, trauma, and healing but in the end it fell flat for me and left me feeling exhausted and confused.

Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Griffin for the free ebook copy of this book. Full disclosure: I DNFed this book at 59%.

I went into this book ready for an experience; however, I found myself confused and lost even over halfway through. I am no stranger to weird, confusing books - often, they are my favorites. Importantly, though, I like when the confusion is calculated. In the case of this book, the confusion felt messy, disjointed, and not entirely on purpose.

This is not to say that Listen to Your Sister doesn't have its good points. The body horror is delightfully visceral, and many of the images in the book were terrifying. Pages after scaring me, the author had me laughing out loud at the dialogue, which read very realistic. Each sibling's idiosyncrasies made them feel like a fully realized character (although Calla felt more symbolic than real to me at times).

Overall, I think that the author of this book had a lot of interesting things to say about race and family dynamics and how the two impact one another. However, what she had to say got lost in a disjointed, choppy plot that I simply couldn't keep buying into.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this book and give my honest feedback.

Neena Viel’s *Listen to Your Sister* is an emotionally gripping novel that expertly blends family drama, psychological tension, and supernatural thrills. At its heart, it explores sibling bonds and the heavy toll of responsibility through the eyes of Calla Williams, a young woman burdened with guardianship over her reckless younger brother, Jamie. Calla's nightmares about her brothers' deaths symbolize her fears and serve as harbingers of danger, creating an unsettling atmosphere throughout.

Jamie’s teenage bravado and idealism drive the story, particularly when a protest he joins goes awry, leading the siblings to an isolated cabin. Meanwhile, Dre, the unreliable middle sibling, adds tension to the dynamics. As the novel shifts into thriller territory, the cabin setting becomes chillingly vivid, blurring the lines between reality and nightmare. The supernatural elements enhance the stakes without overshadowing the emotional core.

What sets *Listen to Your Sister* apart is Viel’s balance of suspense and heart. The story examines the complexities of family obligations, fractured relationships, and the power of love. Calla’s transformation from exhaustion to determination is both harrowing and inspiring, making her a relatable protagonist.

Overall, *Listen to Your Sister* is a remarkable blend of genres that resonates emotionally while delivering thrilling elements. Highly recommended for fans of character-driven fiction with a twist.

Listen to Your Sister is an interesting debut horror novel that blends everyday horrors of race and family dynamics with the supernatural. I switched between the ebook and audiobook for this one and highly recommended this book!

Add this to your TBR and read if you enjoy:
🖤 BIOPC POVs
🖤 Complex sibling relationships
🖤 Psychological horror
🖤 Small, funny moments to break up tension in the story
🖤 Audiobooks with a cast of narrators

I was excited to read this book after seeing it was for Stranger Things and Jordan Peele film fans. I am definitely one of those. I did like the first half or so of the book while the siblings were still in the city. Once I got to the halfway mark things got a little too strange and unbelievable. I understood what the author was trying to do and I will see what other novels she comes out with in the future.

Okay, buckle up, because this book is a wild ride from start to finish! Imagine if Jordan Peele decided to write a family drama with a heavy dose of horror—yep, that’s the vibe. I tore through this book faster than I expected, and let me tell you, it’s spooky in the best way possible.

The family drama was top-tier—Calla, the older sister, is every sibling's ultimate protector. She’s got that “I’ll do anything for my siblings” energy, but wow, did she stress me out! The love is real, but so is the chaos. The characters are so relatable and layered, you’ll be hooked from page one.

Trust me, this book is a must-read, but get ready for some seriously creepy twists and turns. It’ll keep you on the edge of your seat! Grab it, but prepare for a ride that’s as intense as it is thrilling.

"Listen To Your Sister" is a speculative horror novel about Calla Williams, who becomes guardian to her brother Jamie. Calla is overwhelmed by the responsibility, while Jamie is reckless and always gets into trouble. Their other brother Dre is not helping as promised. Calla is haunted by nightmares of her brothers dying. When Jamie's actions at a protest go wrong, the siblings go on the run and seek refuge in a remote cabin. They face a new threat where their lives and reality are at stake. Their sister's warnings about nightmares prove to be true.

I was thrilled to finally get my hands on this book, but unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. As someone who speaks five different languages, I sometimes struggle with books that have a unique writing style that I can't quite grasp.

Despite the challenge, I persevered and read the entire book, albeit taking some time to do so. The writing style was unique, reminiscent of a few horror writers I've encountered before. I've come to the conclusion that not every book is tailored to my taste.

The storyline itself was intriguing, but it fell short of my expectations due to some bizarre occurrences that left me feeling a bit lost. I found it difficult to differentiate between what was real and what was just a dream, especially with Calla's recurring visions.

Having lived in the Seattle area for four years, I was able to vividly picture some of the described locations, which added a layer of depth to the story for me.

While this book didn't quite resonate with me, I highly recommend giving it a try, perhaps as an audiobook if the written format doesn't work for you. I believe everyone should form their own opinion without being discouraged by Did Not Finish (DNF) reviews.

Happy reading!

Thank you, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
TW:
•abandonment
•body horror
•strong themes of racial injustice
•neglect
•shared family trauma

“You only get so many warnings”

Blurb:
When you love someone, you do everything for them. Keep them safe and do everything to keep the Nightmares at bay. Struggling with recent guardianship of her younger brother, Calla is at her wits end trying to keep Jamie out of trouble. No matter where he goes, the boy is always landing into trouble. Calla warns him of her reoccurring Nightmare of Jamie and her other brother, Dre, in the kind of trouble she won’t be able to save them from. Her nightmare consists of her boys in their footie pajamas, with injuries she can’t fix and monsters she can’t face. When face to face with the Nightmares, the boys realize they really should’ve listened to their sister’s warnings.

Let me start off by saying, horror is a hard debut genre and the author jumped right in and made a name for herself with hauntingly vivid descriptions and realistic characters. The characters felt like real siblings, even though you love them you don’t always like them. The William’s siblings took turns being unlikeable which felt really authentic to the characters personalities, choices, and intentions. I constantly found myself wishing the boys would give poor Calla a break, which is essentially the entire plot of the book. When pushed to your limits, there’s always going to be consequences. Sometimes, they are life or death.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book!

If you've ever wondered how characters wind up in those isolated horror movie cabins, and why on earth they stay once they see the place, this book makes sense of it. Things went wrong for Calla and her brothers long before they booked the reservation. By the time they reach the cabin, they have nowhere else to turn. Between the sibling dynamics, their real world problems, and whaetever the supernatural nightmare is that surrounds them, this horror novel is a LOT. At times I felt like the nightmare scenes were all dragging on for a bit too long, but it all does come together....and I've never read anything quite like it. There's a lot of strong language and intense imagry here, but it works with this book. (And I'm feeling way too old because I have no idea which Sponge Bob scene they keep referring to...)

A permanently exhausted Calla has taken custody of her youngest brother Jamie. Middle sibling Dre was supposed to help, but he's off doing his own thing, leaving Calla to deal with the fall out from Jamie's shenanigans. On one such occasion, things go south and the family has to skip town. Then there's Calla's nightmares, will she be able to keep her brothers safe?

This one sputters to a confusing start, but once the family drama is set up it really takes off! I found the characters relatable and their banter was fun. Despite the rough start, this is still one id recommend!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, the author, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

4.5 rounded up! I really enjoyed this read. Note that childhood trauma in so many forms is central to the story. But this story is not "heavy" like many others that tackle such subjects. I loved the characters voices. The brothers are endearing even while they are maddening at times.

The half star is because there is a slow start as the author gets all the pieces in place. Once they start moving though, I did not want to put this book down! I'm still tossing the ending around in my head. In some ways it doesn't seem "right" even though it's what I would want as a reader. If you like Donnie Darko, please pick up this one and then talk to me about them together!!

This was an unusually peculiar adventure, but an adventure nonetheless. However, it was definitely worth the read! Full of family drama that is TV drama worthy and then jump into a paranormal nightmare!
Calla Williams, a 25-year-old woman, is trying to live her life and make ends meet. However, she is also her 17-year-old brother's guardian, trying to prevent him from going into foster care. When a protest turns ugly and the police go to her apartment, her brothers are in trouble. They quickly escape by borrowing a car and going to a secluded cabin.
This is anything but a dream escape, more like a nightmare escape. The nightmares they are experiencing, they have to figure out what in their life and history is causing the nightmares to escape. The author is very talented at writing about hard subjects and showing how everything a person goes through all the trauma and history can cause resentment of people even if you love them.
I read the book first, then received an audiobook copy. I listened to the book, and the narrator fit the story and made it come alive—way creepier than just reading the book alone! If you are an audiobook lover, you should pick this one up! The ebook is amazing as well, but the audiobook is stellar! Thank you, Netgalley, Macmillan Audio,, and St. Martin's Press, for the opportunity to read, listen, to, and review this one!

Dear Author,

I was captured by this brilliant story. Definitely gave me the creeps. I will endeavor to listen to my sister a little bit more than usual. Thank you for a fun ride!

Warm Regards,

J.D. McCoughtry

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin, for allowing me the privilege of read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the free eARC of this book.

Wow! What a debut! This was one helluva ride! Loved this a lot. There’s a lot going on. It’s extremely chaotic. You can’t tell what’s real and what’s Nightmare. At the heart of this, it’s a horror story, but there’s also tons of family stuff, and a lot of stuff involving current events and civil rights.

This is definitely for you if you enjoy Jordan Peele’s films. There’s a lot of dread in this story. You can read the blurb about the main plot of the book on here. I don’t like to give a lot away in my reviews. I love the thrill of going into a story knowing as little as possible, and just letting the world envelop me. There’s exactly what this book did! Really excited to see what Neena Viel does next!

Initially, when I read the synopsis of this book I was a little concerned that the narrative itself would be overcomplicated. The author just seemed to be dealing with a lot of varying ideas and themes; familial drama, infighting, premonition, psychological horror, mystery. However, the concept was so intriguing, I decided to give it a chance anyway. Thankfully, I was wrong. While Listen to Your Sister is definitely not a straightforward horror-suspense, the elaborate and involved plot only serves to further instill in the reader the same feelings of chaos, confusion, and panic (to a lesser extent) that it imparts on its characters.
To me, this emotional mimesis made the story more engaging, and ultimately more satisfying when the conclusion finally struck. While it doesn’t top my list as one of the most terrifying novels I have read—in actuality I found it fairly tame when compared to books like NOS4A2 by Joe Hill and The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell—it is still unsettling, and certainly relatable if you are an adult who has grown up with siblings.
Though light on scares, I would still recommend this, but more-so as a suspense or a mind-bender than an outright hack-and-slash horror.

Listen to Your Sister follows three siblings: Calla, Dre and Jamie. They lost their father to an accident, and their mother wasn't able to properly care for them. Calla legally became guardian for Jamie, the youngest, with Dre's promise that he would help her. Unfortunately, Dre, the middle-child, hasn't really followed through on those promises. He cares, but doesn't take it seriously enough.

Jamie, at 16, is a strong-willed and energetic teen, who is getting more difficult to parent by the day. He has many positive attributes, but Calla feels at wits end. She's only 25-years old, and has already sacrificed so much trying to keep this family together. Her job is at risk, as she has had to miss so much time due to being called away after Jamie gets up to one mischief, or another. She's also finding it difficult to maintain any sort of healthy adult relationships.

After Jamie gets into serious trouble at a protest, the siblings must go on the run, taking refuge in a remote cabin. It's there that Calla's worst nightmares become reality. No, seriously. Calla has been plagued by nightmares for years. Horrific dreams in which her brothers die because she's unable to protect them. Also, in these dreams, the worst iterations of Calla come to life. Alternate versions of herself that embody the worst things people have said, or assumed, about her; the worst feelings they've made her feel. It's truly frightening stuff.

Now as Calla is pushed to the brink, by her brothers and their unstable circumstances, the things of nightmares are manifested into reality, and they're after the trio. Will the siblings be able to come together, move past their past traumas and be able to defeat these nightmares, or will the nightmares win out, ruining them one-by-one?

Admittedly, this is much more Fever Dream than I tend to enjoy, but there was something about how raw and real these characters felt that had me by the throat. I ended up really being drawn into the dream-like qualities. I loved the topics and themes that Viel explored and look forward to seeing what other Readers think. Speculative stories tend to drum up a wide range of opinions.

The audiobook is very good, with three narrators matching each of the MCs. I definitely recommend that format. It brought this story to life; a great production. I was really so impressed with the character work. The siblings and their relationships were the star of this show for me. They had been through so much and I love how they related to one another. It's not all perfect, sunshine and rainbows, but you could feel the love and dedication.

I feel like this has some great Social Horror aspects as well, I just hope the right Readers end up picking it up. The cover is giving very Haunted House vibes, and while there is a creepy cabin, it's much more of a Literary Horror-feel than that cover may lead you to believe. Regardless, I had a fantastic time with this one. It's hard-hitting and memorable. I'm really looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with in the future. I'm hoping for more along these lines.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Griffin and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I would recommend this to Horror Readers. This is very Feminine Rage with a Twist. We love that.