This was perfection! So informative. It's a good way to learn about the struggles of oldest daughters in black families. I love the name the brothers gave Calla's other selves.
I could not put it down.

4⭐️

This is the type of book that I can't summarize without spoiling things. But if you like *weird* horror books that make you think, I definitely suggest Listen to Your Sister!

I loved this realistic look at child neglect and trauma, older siblings stepping in to take care of their younger siblings, and the resentment everyone has for each other. You can tell that Calla has tried so hard to be there for Jamie while trying to keep everything a float and just silently resenting Dre while also not asking Dre for help. Calla falls into the stereotypical oldest daughter role and it's interesting to watch.

This was a fast paced, unsettling story and I loved trying to figure out where this was going to go next. It almost felt like a fever dream and I did struggle to form a picture of things in my mind. But overall I really enjoyed this.

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for providing this ARC to me!

I was approved for both the ebook and the audiobook and am leaving the same review under both.

Phew, buddy. I loved Listen to Your Sister. It was so f*cked up and wild in the best way. Weird creepy things happened to Calla, Dre, and Jamie. People popping up murdering strangers for Calla’s brothers, just in their time of need. That was such a wild ride.
I also love how it touched on real issues involving race. A horror book with realistic issues was chef’s kiss. Each sibling had their own personality and way of handling things. It was great. I’m scatter brained trying to write this out without spoiling anything.
I definitely recommend this book. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

dnf 22%
It just didn’t click with me. It felt really slow, and there were too many perspectives to keep track of.

thankful i got the arc tho

When I initially picked up this book, I read the synopsis and mistakenly assumed that this novel would read more slasher thriller than supernatural horror. Horror can be a hard genre for me to read sometimes because my imagination will run away with me when reading it. 'Listen to Your Sister' was so immersive and interesting that I couldn't walk away from it once I realized that this that this book leaned more towards the 'horror' genre than I typically read.

For multiple reasons, I'll start my review with this: I wouldn't start reading 'Listen to Your Sister' at bedtime. For one, from the second you meet our cast of three main characters: Calla, Dre, and the baby of the family - Jamie, you won't want to put this novel down. From the first paragraph of the book, Calla was someone I could see myself being best friends with. Viel catches all the gritty details of being the oldest child, a girl, and all the responsibility and fears and frustrations that position contains. I too am the oldest child, only girl, of 3 brothers and I felt like Calla - all the Williams siblings honestly - were written so well that I really enjoyed all three of them, and their separate viewpoints, during the novel.

Another reason not to start this read at bedtime - it has some seriously spooky stuff in it. From the first chapter in the novel, we are introduced to Calla's Nightmare - a merry go round of changing circumstances that threaten the lives of her boys. Dre and Jamie don't give much credit to Calla's nightmare and indeed don't seem to give much credit to Calla and her familial sacrifices at all. When a night of bad choices causes everything to go sideways for the Williams boys, Calla scoops them up and takes them out a town to a cabin in the woods that by all descriptions sounds like something that would make me choose to sleep in my car before I would ever willingly spend a night under its decaying roof. Just two words y'all: murder doll.

When tensions snap in the cabin (because, murder doll, among other things), Calla accidentally sends her boys into the Nightmare, where they meet different Callas formed during pivotal moments in Calla's life. Little Mama, Prom Calla, College Calla, and Grandma Calla are not all looking out for the boys best interests anymore. Calla has let them off the leash, and they all have different ideas on how to finally end the Nightmare for good.

Full of some of the most imaginative and relatable descriptions of people, places, and things that I have read in a long time, 'Listen to Your Sister' was everything I could have wanted in a horror novel and more. I loved finding out the significance behind each iteration of Calla and found myself both rooting for the Williams siblings to figure out a way to end the Nightmare, but also not wanting it to end for fear of what would be left when it was over. This book has left me thinking about its twists and turns after I've finished it - all the significance of the choices that the characters made up to it's ending. With this debut novel, I've added Neena Viel to all of my author notification lists for news of when she debuts new things, because this is an author I definitely don't want to miss new releases from.

I had a hard time getting into this book to be honest. Wasn’t my favorite. The writing wasn’t bad just couldn’t get passed the continuous reminder of the three breast.

LISTEN TO YOUR SISTER by Neena Viel is a funny, scary, and excellent debut novel. I think the comparisons to Jordan Peele and Tananarive Due are apt, but LISTEN TO YOUR SISTER is also its own beast that frequently makes you go "Huh?" in the best way. I really liked the dynamics between the siblings because they were so funny and their discussions, arguments, and what have you, felt genuine. Every single Spongebob reference made me chuckle. I also LOVED where the horror came from in this book, which I sadly can't say without giving away a major spoiler. Needless to say, it's unique and I think a lot of people, especially caretakers, will relate to this part of the story.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

- DNF 12%, unfortunately this book just was not for me. A bit too descriptive for no reason (first chapter about main characters bra?), wasn’t a huge fan of him playing the racism game, & a lot of foul language! Another thing I found weird was the the way she described her brothers and how hot they were.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to ARC read another book!

I gave it seven chapters before I had to give up on this one. It just wasn't for me, it moved to slow and there were too many points of view that I just couldn't keep up with. I may come back to it at a later time, but right now it just wasn't one that immediately caught my attention and sucked me in.

ARC Review:

What did I just read? How can a book have humor and be heartfelt at the same time as being a horror?! The author described in detail how things looked and felt so well that it made me gag. Read this book if you want a mindf*ck!!! I took notes while reading to try to solve the puzzle before the end of the book and I still couldn’t have predicted what happened. (I also never take notes!) The climax and falling action part of the book seemed uncharacteristically long, but for good reason. This is a great spooky read if you can deal with gore and believe in the impossible. The beginning of the book is really not similar to the rest of the book, so be prepared!! The only thing I wish the author did differently was change the ending. However, I think most people would like the ending she wrote.

Details: FAMILY, FAMILY, FAMILY, trauma, abuse, alcohol, drugs, shoes, trash, dog poop, hair, poverty, racism, police brutality, rap, Nightmare, sacrifice, guardianship

Questions: What would you be willing to do- to give up- to save your siblings? Would you kill for them? Die for them?

Make this into a movie, now, please and thank you!!!!!

3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

Calla Williams is twenty-five, Black and struggling; she became guardian to her sixteen year old brother Jamie after her parents died/ran off. Jamie is a generally good kid who fights for what he believes in but also runs a bit wild and, therefore, seems to constantly be in some sort of trouble. Their brother, Dre, promised he would help Calla with Jamie but he’s usually nowhere to be found unless it suits him.

Oh, and Calla has a horrible, recurring dream of one of her brothers dying.

Then Jamie gets into a terrible mess at a protest and the Williams siblings have to go on the run. They hide at a remote cabin where they face a new threat…something more horrifying than they could have imagined. Was there a portent in Calla’s dreams?

This may not sound like horror but it certainly is. You only have to read the great first chapter, a scene with the siblings at the silver-tongued Jamie’s school to know that Viel is quite the talent; it’s interesting, engaging and witty. You learn who her characters are and want to know more. The book had my favorite guest line in awhile: “Calla was wearing the wrong bra.” Lord, don’t so many tales of woe begin this way? And also, “Calla was envious of how his bulk communicated clout where hers communicated an affinity for chicken tenders.”

However, the early promise of the book faded somewhat when the family left the city. The plot was confusing. I’m not entirely sure what happened and I definitely don’t know why it occurred, Although, still, “He could not allow himself to be arrested by white dudes in North Face.”

Anyway, as much as I loved the turns of phrase I could not love the book. I hope Viel’s next plot rises to the level of her writing.

This is a really good story of sibling dynamics. There are a lot of content warnings for this book, so I recommend everyone read those first. It deals with childhood trauma and much more. I honestly don't really understand the plot of this book; however, I did really enjoy it. Calla, Dre, and Jamie all love each other despite all of what they've been through. This story, as much as it talks of pain and resentment, is a story or love and hope as well.

Absolutely amazing storytelling! In-depth characters, slow start but it picked up around 30%. Almost gave up on it but glad I didn’t

I am not sure what I just read...
I have to admit I had to push through this one. I almost DNF'd it just because I never knew what was going on or why. I have so many questions!

Were the brothers actually alive? Did Calla have multiple personalities? Did she have entities that would show up when her brothers were in trouble? Was it all true or was it all in her head? Did the childhood trauma mess up all 3 siblings?! I don't know!!!

I can somewhat see the concept of this book, but I have to say, for me, it was very hard to follow. I am very happy I pushed through it though.

This is a 3 ⭐⭐⭐ star for me only because I felt lost all throughout the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A fast-paced horror grappling with a lot of themes and messy familial dynamics. I found the story compelling and that it found interesting angles to approach a lot of important, relevant topics. While I appreciated the fast paced nature of the book, the writing of the more action heavy sequences were a little muddled and sometimes difficult to follow. With different layers of reality and dreamscape taking place I felt those distinctions could have been clearer at times. Still I enjoyed the novel and found it to be a strong horror entry.

This is a weird, interesting, compelling fever dream of a book that is a beautiful tribute to the power of sibling relationships. And did I mention this was a total fever dream of a book? The imagery was incredibly disturbing and made you feel like you were right there in this nightmare with the characters.

Listen to Your Sister is a genre-bending weird girl fiction tale, centered around family drama, with horror elements. The book is like a fever dream and a rollercoaster ride that's impossible to leave.

Listen to your sister is such a unique and original story. The first half is slower-paced introducing you to the siblings but the second half is full of action. Its darkly funny with plenty of moments that make you think. The book’s biggest takeaway is the monsters inside of us are the most terrifying. Neena Viel has crafted an imaginative debut novel and I see a bright future for her!

Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel will be available on February 4. Many thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the gifted copy!

No notes. Utter perfection. As the eldest daughter with a little brother 10 years my junior, I understood Calla so thoroughly in the way she grew up caring for him and always wanting to protect him.

This book is heavy and filled with a trauma and included the Black experience that I’ll never begin to understand or experience myself. But I have no notes, this book was outstanding.

It reminded why I loved the movie, Split. And other books similar to it.

Thoughts

There is a lot I enjoyed about this book. The social commentary was good. But what really stood out was the natural dialogue. People cuss. People have bad thoughts. People worry. So it was nice to see this in a book. People also get angry and I feel like that is something that isn't shown in books enough Waiting to Exhale is popular for a reason, and that scene in particular. We all feel anger and it is rarely shown in books, at least the ones I read. So it was nice to see it here while they are all grieving.

What didn't work for me was that all three were either having dreams or hallucinations and there were no transitions. It is hard for me when it's one POV like that but with 3 it was really hard to understand what was reality and what wasn't. And I get this is Speculative Fiction and maybe that's the point. Which is why I say it didn't work for me. I do think others will find this enjoyable.

There are parts that are jaw-dropping. So I know this is going to be a hit for some people. And I am excited to read what is next for this author.

I wasn't really sure what to expect with this one. In fact, about halfway through it, I had to stop and re-read the book's summary on Goodreads. It's not that I wasn't enjoying the ride Viel was taking me on, it was that I couldn't even begin to guess where we were going, or even what kind of ride we were on to begin with.

That's what's so cool about speculative horror, though. It's weird and it's fresh and when done well it's unlike anything else you've ever experienced. Listen to Your Sister is all those things and more. Calla Williams, the titular sister, is relatable, likeable, and complex. As the 25-year-old guardian of her reckless younger brother Jamie, she’s constantly juggling her own exhaustion and frustration with the responsibility of keeping her family together. Her recurring, vivid nightmares of losing her brothers—nightmares she can’t control or explain—set the stage for a gripping narrative that is as emotionally charged as it is terrifying.

When Jamie gets caught up in a protest gone wrong, Calla is forced to flee with both her brothers to a remote AirBnb, culminating in an intense night that feels like a fever dream. As they try to escape the terrifying new reality that might be connected to Calla’s disturbing dreams, the family dynamics come into sharp focus—sibling rivalry, love, and sacrifice all collide in the face of impending danger.

This is horror with heart. Viel has created a deeply complex family unit with these three. Though each one is flawed in their own—often frustrating—way, it's easy to see how much they each care about the others. You can't help but root for them as they fight for their lives and try to figure out wtf is happening to them. She's also created a deeply disturbing, nightmarish situation that these characters are forced to navigate through that is unlike anything I've ever read before. There are some Jordan Peele echoes in the best possible way, but this novel is wholly unique. It's scary, heartfelt, shocking, and often laugh-out-loud funny.

I will be on the lookout for Neena Viel's name in the future. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.