Siblings Calla, Dre, and Jamie only have each other to rely on. Except not really. Calla is Jamie's legal guardian even though she is only 25 and trying to get her life together and Dre says he's there to help her but anytime she needs help he takes his time to get back to her. While trying to keep her job, a roof over their heads and food on the table, Calla is also plagued by this nightmare. She's terrified that she will lose her brothers and does everything she can think of to try and save them. It's only when she finally divulges her nightmare to her brothers that they finally get what she means.

Have you ever seen Black Mirrors? Like the show with the weird episodes. That's exactly what I felt while reading this book. There were many times when I wasn't quite sure what was going on. Part of that was because of the 3 different narrators but then also because it was like Black Mirrors weird. I'm having a hard time even thinking of words to describe this book. The amount of times that I had to read paragraphs and sections again because I wasn't quite sure what I had just read are too many to count. The story was good. Eventually things started to make a little more sense but I think because some of the events that took place and that there wasn't a consistent pattern to the narration is why I was getting confused. By consistent pattern I mean it didn't read one chapter Calla, then Dre, then Jamie, then Calla, Dre, Jamie, etc. It jumped around or back and forth. For me that would have probably bumped my rating up to a 4.5 or even a 5 star because the story might have been able to flow better where I wasn't getting confused. I did enjoy this book and I would love to read more by this author!

2.5 stars round up.

There are things I like about <i>Listen to Your Sister,</i> but I think it has some significant flaws. Its biggest problem is the pace: the first third of the book drags on forever, and then it turns frenetic, with events coming so fast that it is a challenge to keep up.

I also think there were a lot of underdeveloped, and sometimes completely dropped, plot threads. I was left feeling like I could have skipped the beginning of the book and missed very little for all that it mattered to the latter half.

I did like the horror aspects of the novel and I think the characters were well written; the siblings' relationships with each other rang true to me.

I think Neena Viel is a writer with a great deal of potential who is in need of a better editor.

Received via NetGalley.

For fans of Jordan Peele's Us and Nightmare on Elm Street this tale grabbed me from my real life and dragged me directly into Calla's nightmare. Neena Viel's writing dances along the page with poetic verse and entertaining humorous dialogue. The story left me with questions that I needed answered and Neena checked off all my boxes. This was so unique and enthralling. I genuinely felt the pain and suffering embodying these characters. The dynamic between Cala and her two brothers Jamie and Dre was so real and authentic. The first half of the book was a little slow putting together the pieces and constructing the conflict but halfway through things really revved up. The crescendo of the storyline was incredibly well written. I highly recommend this book for any reader with an interest in horror.

I rated this 4.25 stars out of 5 stars. This debut was a knockout and I will read any future work by Neena Viel.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

f you are interested in some weird ass horror. Look no further. This wild ride is a blend of horror and family drama with a big fever dream vibe.

Calla took custody of her little brother, Jamie, when their father died and their mom peaced out. Ever since Calla has taken responsibility for her brothers she gets dreams where she will know if they are in danger. As Jamie has gotten older and started getting into activism the dreams are more frequent and more terrifying. When Jamie’s choices at a protest cause them to go on the run, they face a new threat that will have them fighting for their lives and their reality. Perhaps they ought to have heeded Callas warnings.

This was wild. I have scary dreams pretty regularly but thankfully nothing like Calla’s.
Unsettling
Nail biter
Fast paced.
Also this is a debut novel and I am excited to see what this author puts out in the future.

This came out today
thanks to netgalley and st Martins press for an eARC

I wish I could give this book 10 stars. Honestly, one of the most original books I've read in a while. I loved this.

The book focused on three main characters: Calla - the eldest daughter and guardian of Jamie, forever sacrificing herself at every turn for her family, Dre - the middle child who means well but never lends any support to his family when they need him, and Jamie - the youngest and the one who is motivated by social justice but can't help getting into trouble in every facet of his life.
This is a story of the love between siblings, complex family dynamics, the responsibility of being the eldest daughter, soul fracturing trauma, and being black in America combined with dark comedy, sharp wit, and Spongebob references. I mean, this book had so much heart. The bond between siblings felt extremely authentic and deep. The story toggles between the three characters and is split into four parts. Throughout it all, a thread of dread and imminent danger ran deep from beginning to end, but my favorite elements of horror included delusions of gore (and actual gore), doppelgängers (!!!), and waking nightmares.

I will definitely be buying this book and HIGHLY recommending.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC! <3

Listen to Your Sister had an incredibly compelling premise—supernatural forces, deep family bonds, and a creeping sense of horror woven into a tense sibling dynamic. It had all the makings of a gripping, character-driven thriller, but unfortunately, the execution didn’t fully live up to my expectations.
There’s a lot to appreciate here. The writing is distinct and often sharp, laced with dark humor that adds depth to the story. Calla’s relationship with her brothers, Jamie and Dre, is undeniably the heart of the novel. Their bond is raw and complex, balancing love, duty, and resentment in a way that feels deeply authentic.
However, the pacing proved to be a challenge. The first half moves sluggishly, making it difficult to stay fully engaged. I considered putting it down, but the final stretch significantly raised the stakes, bringing much-needed intensity and suspense.
The horror elements are striking, yet at times, they blur the line between psychological tension and outright confusion. Calla’s visions create a surreal, unsettling atmosphere, but they occasionally left me more disoriented than immersed. The cabin setting is effectively eerie, yet as the plot progresses, the story veers into chaotic territory, with certain twists and resolutions feeling less impactful than they could have been.
That said, this is a strong debut with moments of real power, particularly in its exploration of family dynamics and sacrifice. While the slower pacing and occasional narrative inconsistencies kept it from fully landing for me, fans of atmospheric horror and layered character studies may find a lot to appreciate. If you enjoy unsettling, psychological horror with a focus on fractured relationships, Listen to Your Sister is worth a read. 📖✨
Huge thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The cover of this book and the synopsis of a big sister doing what she can to help her younger siblings is what made me want to read this book. However, it was kinda of a struggle. The pacing of this book was really slow paced. This book focuses on three siblings, their shared and individual life traumas, and a haunted nightmare that consumes them all.

The book is separated in to four parts with the half of the book is utilized as the set-up staging for the book. The end two sections focused on the horror action and actualization of character development, which each chapter focusing on the one sibling's individual experiences.

The description and the cover makes one think that the book will be primarily horror and focus on a cabin. This is not the case, the book doesn’t get to its “horror” aspect until the end of the book.


Personally this book wasn’t really for me but I’m sure the right person would love it.

I can’t lie, it was the invoking of Jordan Peele’s name in the book’s description is what originally got my attention, and while not quite I expected I definitely ended up enjoying this one. Right at the start of Listen to Your Sister, Neena Viel does a fantastic job of introducing and endearing (not sure that’s the right word for it) this dysfunctional family to the reader. I instantly sympathized with the struggles with Calla’s burden of responsibility from having to deal with/look after her brothers. While I love the classic idea of running off to the cabin in the woods, the horror of it all didn’t play out in the way I’d have expected. Parts were quite wild, trippy really, but ultimately enjoyable. This is am impressive debut and I look forward to seeing how Viel’s work grows in the future. I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Listen to Your Sister.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R21JNECP1NTKHS/ref=pe_123899240_1043597390_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the digital review copy!

This is an interesting take on how various traumas can fracture you as a person and force you to leave pieces of yourself behind, frozen in time.

There’s some pretty solid writing in this book. In one chapter, Calla is reflecting on her role as a parent to her siblings and what it took to raise them, how hard it is for any parent to know when or if they’re doing the right things, but also how much harder it was for her when that never should have been her role in the first place. This chapter was impactful and emotional.

Along those same lines, Calla also points out frequently throughout the story that it’s so hard to protect children, but even harder to protect them when those children are Black boys. Race is of course a recurring conversation throughout this story and I found it to be informative and important.

I did have some difficulty with this book, however. These issues were mainly down to the clarity of the plot. At first, I had no idea what was going on, what was real or fake. This was to be expected. As I progressed through the story, it all started to come together and I was impressed with Viel’s unique imagining of what trauma could do to a person. Then, I got to the big reveal about Calla’s nightmare, and I couldn’t make sense of it.

Reading is also a very visual experience for me; I’m always “seeing” what’s happening on page. I could barely do that with this one. It was especially difficult during action scenes. I needed better and clearer descriptions overall.

I also had a hard time feeling pity for either brother, especially Jamie. It’s acknowledged many times that Jamie can be a real asshole, and that’s the truth. A lot of the supposed-to-be humor from him just didn’t land for me and didn’t endear him to me the way I think it was meant to. I could have empathy for his situation, but it still didn’t make me like him.

I’ll definitely read future works from Viel. I still think this was a really cool and unique premise and I look forward to seeing what ideas she comes up with next!

Another book in the horror genre releasing in February. We follow Calla who is the oldest sister amongst her 2 other siblings and she has to take care of them after her parents are no longer in the picture and it turns into a bit of a fever dream and clearly some trauma surfaces as they are trying to survive in a creepy cabin in the middle of the woods. I believe this is a debut author which is really cool, always love seeing new horrors writers out there and this one is being compared to a Jordan Peel movie which I can totally agree with that now that I've read it.

I love family-based horror that veers towards eerie more than outright supernatural, so I thought this would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into it. I loved the social commentary and exploration of racism/classism/sexism through horror, but something about it was just too choppy -- I'm not sure if it was the pacing or the writing style, but I had a hard time keeping my brain focused and had to frequently re-read a page several times.

⭐️3.5⭐️

This story follows 25-year-old Calla as she struggles to balance her life alongside the guardianship of her 16-year-old brother, Jamie. Calla has done everything possible to prioritize the wellbeing of her brother despite his constant efforts to find trouble. Dre, the middle brother, has promised to support Calla in raising Jamie, but has never followed through on this promise. When Calla’s fears begin materializing outside of her nightmares, she must set her feelings aside and face what haunts her to save her brothers from the hellscape of her own creation.

Viel’s debut novel discusses plenty of popular horror topics and I commend the author for showcasing her range on these topics. I loved how this book is very much a social horror that isn’t afraid to point out the realistic effects of racism that people of color face daily. It delves into generational trauma and how hard sibling survival can be when these traumas go unresolved. I also loved the unique take on parental pressure the author took and how she crafted an effective horror story around the physical and mental impacts of this pressure. These elements were very relatable, and I really enjoyed the creative approach to how damaging self-sacrifice can be to the person and those around them.

I did struggle a bit with this read though, as I found the pacing to be inconsistent and things didn’t get interesting until around 50%. I also felt that none of the characters were enjoyable or likable. Their reactions to events were often contrived and this would break my reading immersion. Despite the ending having an amazing build up, it didn’t deliver what I was hoping it would.

Overall, this is a fantastic debut novel for Viel, and the themes were amazing, but the overall execution wasn’t there for me. I would be interested to see what Viel comes up with next!

Special thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for early access to the eArc of this debut in exchange for my honest review.

This debut novel is so well written. It fits multiple genres. I came for the horror, but stayed for the family drama, mystery, and dark humor. I am adding this author to my one to watch list!

Calla is trying to help her siblings but something has other plans. Now they must flee for their lives. Something straight out of a nightmare is after them. Suspense filled chiller. Amazing debut novel.

I was drawn to Listen To Your Sister by its unique premise and found it to be a poignant novel with several layers. The horror aspects involving the “Nightmare” that protagonist Calla Williams repeatedly experiences when her brothers are in danger are depicted excellently and are unsettling on multiple levels, especially when the true reason behind it comes to light.

It is also a family drama, as twenty-five-year old Calla struggles to keep her life afloat while acting as guardian to her sixteen-year-old brother Jamie, whose habit of behaving recklessly ultimately leads to detrimental consequences. While Calla tries her best-despite still being incredibly young herself-Jamie’s decisions coupled with Dre-their twenty-three-year-old brother’s self-absorbed lack of interest in helping her-despite promises otherwise-lead to an almost insurmountable level of stress for her.

All three siblings grapple with the trauma of their childhood; though Calla is particularly relatable to me as the eldest daughter who was forced into the role of the parent for her siblings, with the fear of failure, frustration and resentment that often accompanies it. Raising a Black child and the particular nuances that doing so entails is also given a strong focus.

Listen To Your Sister is told from Calla, Dre and Jamie’s perspectives and provides wonderful insight into each character. Their relationships as siblings, while somewhat tumultuous in the beginning, does reflect the love, irritation and humor that only family seems to bring.

The pacing of the novel is somewhat uneven however, as the beginning is a slow burn that leads to something massive, while the second half seems to move at a more frenetic-and sometimes confusing-pace.

Listen To Your Sister is a compelling, very humorous-because sometimes you can’t help but make the perfect comment amidst craziness-and heartfelt debut novel.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and St. Martin’s Griffin for providing a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Finally! Vindication for all the older sisters that are constantly dealing with accusations of being too bossy and controlling. Younger siblings take heed it may actually be a matter of life and death.

Neena Viel's, Listen to Your Sister centers siblings Calla, Dre, and Jamie. Viel does an excellent job of showing the love/hate dynamic that exists between brothers and sisters and how it can be easily tainted when growing up with toxic parents. Calla ultimately ends up the caretaker and finds herself diminished to care for and protect her brothers. However, as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Calla has done more than just help raise her brothers and as the story becomes more like a fever dream, that is when the horror is truly revealed.

This is a strong debut. I think Viel has a distinct voice that oozes dark humor. I enjoyed the meshing of both family drama, social commentary, and psychological horror. However, I do think that it was hard to find any of the characters particularly likable. I wanted to be able to root for them, but it became hard to see why they loved each other beyond Viel telling the reader that they did. I also felt as though the nightmare sequence felt very long. Both of these issues I am quick to forgive because the premise was so intriguing and fun.

Overall, I am excited to see more from Neena Viel and I definitely recommend this to anyone that appreciates Jordan Peele's brand of horror. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me access to an eARC in exchange for a review.

A mix between thriller and horror - Neena Veil does a great job of developing her characters but for some reason I just couldn't get into it. No particular reason other than personal taste - I would still recommend to others who enjoy this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC. (Publication date: February 4, 2025)

I liked this a lot! It was definitely incredibly spooky, but I think the real value of this book was in the relationship between the siblings. I really liked all of the scenes where they bantered with each other and demonstrated their love for each other even when they were angry. I'm really excited to see what Viel does next.

Twenty-five year old Calla and her brother Dre have become the guardian of her 16 year old brother, Jamie. Dre is not helping at all so it leaves Calla the sole support of her brother. Jamie is a normal sixteen year old getting into trouble but nothing horrible until a run in with police at a protect. However, Dre is linked to two men who end up dead. The family goes on the run and ends up at an Airbnb that would be more at home in a slasher movie. Calla has been having dreams of her brothers dying and now those dreams seem to be coming real.

Calla is twenty-five years old and she’s been struggling since becoming the guardian of her younger brother, Jamie. Her job is in jeopardy because she keeps being called to his school. Their brother Dre is two years younger than Calla had promised to help with Jamie but he hasn’t really been much of a help. Calla is stressed and tired. On top it, she gets this Nightmare where her brothers die. Jamie gets involved in a protest and things go wrong. Now the siblings must go on the run. They hide in a cabin in the woods and now the Nightmare is coming to life.

Oh, where do I start. Supposedly, this is a horror book, but I wasn’t scared for one moment. I went out of my comfort zone here to try horror since it’s not really my genre. Well, I was bored and confused through a lot of the book. Was I questioning what was real and what was a nightmare? Yes, because I couldn’t tell the difference. When the nightmare character has the same name as the real character, how do you tell them apart? Once in a while, we’d get “prom Calla” or something similar, but it wasn’t all the time.

There was a lot of racial politics in this book that felt unnecessary. There was also some language in this book that I didn’t love. Usually language doesn’t bother me much, but when it’s over and over, I could do without it. It takes half the book for any of the nightmare action to begin, so it felt very slow.

This is a debut book for this author, and I really hate to be harsh. It just really was not for me. I don’t ever DNF books, and I really wanted to DNF this one. BUT.. remember, this is just my lowly opinion. There are others that loved it, so don’t just go solely by my review. This is just one girl’s honest opinion.