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.

This book had alot going on, kept me turning the pages and definitely kept my interest. It was scary good! First I have read from this author but won't be the last. Well wrote and had characters that I felt I knew.

This story was terrifying, fast paced and un-put-downable in the best way. I flew through this one in a few sittings and will definitely purchase a hard copy. Well done!

I like reading books about sibling dynamics, so when I read the synopsis for this horror book I was very intrigued. I'm the same age as Calla and I can't imagine being the guardian of two younger siblings. Unfortunately, this was not for me. The beginning started out strong and I liked getting to know Jamie and Dre's personalities. However, as the story went on it got really slow paced and I found it hard to stay interested. I'm not a fan of books that take place in dream sequences as it can get convoluted. I see what this book was trying to do as it has themes of racism, grief, poverty, childhood trauma, strained family relationships, among other things.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin publishing for the e-arc.

Have you ever wanted to read a book that speared you with the entire range of emotions, dragged you through a fever dream, and wrung you of all your laughs and tears simultaneously? Well, have I got the book for you. I feel like I should preface this review with the fact that this book didn't necessarily feel like a book for me (as a white woman.) It told a story that I can only watch as a third party, removed from true strifes. The entirety of this story isn't focused on the struggles of race, but it is molded to fit those struggles.

Like the synopsis said, it really did have a feel like Jordan Peele's movies. The first portion didn't have as much humor, in my opinion, it was more of laying the ground work to the struggles Calla faced with raising Jamie in particular. You got to see the challenges, and the fear, and the very act of trying. It helps to build up the horror because you can put yourself into the role of knowing that there is terrible things that are happening and will happen and you can't do anything to stop it.

I don't want to spoil anything. Honestly, half the time I didn't know what was going on because the book really did like a fever dream in parts. It embodied Calla's Nightmare. The amount of times that I was viscerally scared or disturbed were countless. Each of the Williams siblings was uniquely written and they truly came alive on the page. You can't help but empathize with them throughout the story. I sobbed through their traumas with them. I laughed with them at the ribbing that only siblings can do. My heart broke with them as they faced the hurts they placed upon each other.

I cannot express enough how wondering Listen to Your Sister was written. Neena Viel being a debut author was honestly shocking. This is the kind of novel that reads like a practiced veteran author. I am truly excited to see what the future holds for this author.

Thank you to St Martin Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm not sure what I just read, part horror, part family drama but i couldn't stop reading it. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Listen to Your Sister is about Calla and her siblings. After taking in her troubled little brother Calla is struggling to make it. Jamie is always in trouble. Dre is always too busy to help Calla with Jamie. Calla struggles with nightmares about the night their dad died. She only really has it when the boys are in trouble and that is how she knows they are in trouble. After some events the boys have gone through the siblings go to a cabin for a break and to figure out what to do about the situations. But while there Calla becomes fed up with the boys and sends them to her nightmare to see what she goes through.

I honestly didn't care for the book much. I think that it was just really out there for me. I feel like Calla kind of had major daddy issues. I understand that she was basically not dealing with any of her past traumas. But the idea of her being able to project herself somewhere to save her brothers and then trapping them in her nightmare while still awake. I could not wait for the book to end.

I think I am going to land on 3.5 for this one. I enjoyed it, I think. I found the first 25% to be a little hard to get into. Once the characters get to the cabin, I was much more invested in the story. I enjoyed the premise of this one, but I was not ready for how weird this book got. As someone who loves weird books, I think I may need to wait a little and then reread this. After this first read though, I can't even tell you what happened. I was very confused for a lot of this book. I still kind of enjoyed the experience though.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC.

LISTEN TO YOUR SISTER
Neena Viel

Viel is my new favorite author, talk me out of it!

What parts of us step out when we step into the role of someone else and where do all of those fractured versions of our selves go?

I can't be me and you at the same time. And I will win every time.

Calla is tired. And you would be too. She is now guardian to her younger brother after being persuaded to by her older brother. It was the best and only thing she could do at the time. But her brother is causing trouble and has made it harder on her than he should.

And she has her own life to handle, which unfortunately has taken a backseat with her brother at the wheel.

Now her brother is in trouble and they have to flee the city. Try as she must Calla just can't seem to meet every one of her needs with her one and only self.

And all those other selves end up being absolute nightmares.

I loved every part of this bumpy ride. It was not only entertaining from start to finish but there was a HUGE nugget of commentary right in the middle. You can read it at either level or take them both on as I did. Either way it is an ensured good time.

I gave it five stars. I recommend it to readers who like to talk about the reality of our nightmares. Who like to know more about why we do the things we do even though we know it's bad. And all of the things we do in the name of good that end up doing us harm.

What a great debut!

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced copies!

LISTEN TO YOUR SISTER...⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️