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!

Being a kid raising siblings has got to be tough. The traumatic upbringing these 3 main characters seeps in every page.

It’s clear that they cannot run away from their past.

Where it fell short for me was the execution. This is a fantastic debut for sure, but I feel like the concept needed longer to get there. The synopsis makes it seem like they have to quickly get out of town, but it took more than 35 percent of the book to leave the city.

The horror is truly a nightmare come alive and I enjoyed the last half of this book and how many one-liners the author put in throughout, such as “Their Family was a collectively formed tongue, smooth and dangerous.” That line just works.

Overall, this was a good time and I enjoyed. It just really needed polishing and some editing to tighten the plot.

This was a wild story! It did not go in a direction that I expected, but I ended up enjoying it. The concepts covered in here were very interesting and I think its best for readers to go into it blind.

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.

A horrifically great horror story. This is the story of Calla, Dre, and Jamie who are on a last minute family trip that quickly turns nightmarish. Funny, Scary, and amazing all at the same time. Told thru the point of view of the three main characters, with three very different perspectives of the nightmares. Calla just wants whsst is best for Jamie, who she recently was granted custody. Jamie seems to be the perfect older brother, Jamie is seemingly alwssys getting in trouble.  Extremely well written and and fast paced.

The audiobook was phenomenal. The various voice actors are simply incredible. The production is top notch. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

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...⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You better listen to your sister...

I am my brothers keeper... and Calla took that to heart.

Firstly, I want to start by saying, wow, the way this was written was poetic, flowy, and engrossing. It wrapped you up and swallowed you whole.

The frustration felt by Calla towards her siblings, the ever-present social issues, the realism of the relationships, and the way it was all enveloped into this audiobook *mwah* chef'skiss And add one of the best casts I've heard for an audiobook at that. It was amazing. It was a nightmare we had to experience from a not so farfetched realities of many, without the added supernatural, of course.

It was truly poetic and heavily cinematic. The world building that Ms. Viel was an architect for had me walking along the siblings, wanting to reach in and smack Jamie in the back of the head more than a handful of times.

The way that Calla, has to put her self last and dice herself up to pieces to fill everyone's glass while hers remained empty and keep on stretching and stretching to make sure everyone is taken care of, and if that's not nightmarish enough, add the nightmare that keeps her stressed with horrific visions of what's to happen to her siblings. I could go on and on and spoil this, but you must read, but if I may recommend, listen to this book. Where I know it might not be for everyone, I found it extremely well written and narrated.

I want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen and give an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook and reader copy of Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel in exchange for an honest review. I love how Viel showed how much our reality is shaped by perspective. You have three siblings who all remember events differently and feel like the others don't appreciate them. I totally related to this and my siblings. This book was really good and I'm going to look up Neena Viel for more books.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up. I was Intrigued by the summary and cover initially. I didnt know what to expect but it kept me reading to see where it was going to end up. I thought the author told a story with interesting characters. There were definitely moments of what is happening, but I overall enjoyed the book. I hope to read future work by the author.

ALC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought the premise for this book sounded really interesting but honestly I don't think it was for me. I had a difficult time following what was going on. It felt very disjointed and I'm not sure what I just read.
Like a fever dream so to speak.

Now this is probably just me


The story had some heavy subjects such as sibling guardianship, abandonment, Childhood trauma and nightmares. All mixed in with some horror and a touch of supernatural.

I rated a 3 star because I'm not sure if I didn't like the story or if it's just not my type of genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for my gufted copy. My review was voluntary.

Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel is an ambitious speculative horror novel that promises chills and emotional depth but falls short of delivering a cohesive story, earning a 3-star rating. The blend of speculative horror and sibling dynamics is intriguing, with Calla’s struggle as a reluctant guardian creating a strong emotional anchor. However, the narrative feels uneven, as the initial focus on family drama and protest-driven conflict gives way to a surreal and disjointed cabin-in-the-woods horror. While there are moments of humor, tension, and heartfelt connection, the abrupt tonal and thematic shifts make the story feel like two separate ideas awkwardly combined. Fans of speculative horror might still find its ambition and vivid imagery engaging, but the lack of narrative cohesion undermines its potential.

I thought the premise for this book sounded really interesting and I was excited to listen to it. Unfortunately this wasn't for me. The characters are very unlikeable and the brothers are so rude to their sister who is just trying to help them because they are basically two losers. Many "horror" scenes were not scary, they didn't make any sense. Sadly, I don't have much to say about this one other than it wasn't for me.

Thank you to Macmillian Audio for an advanced copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Man, I am not even sure how to describe this one. I can’t remember a time where I was truly horrified, cringing while listening to descriptions, then laughing out loud at super clever quips, to being genuinely touched on the love of three siblings.

This book was a lot more the expected. It is not for everyone. It’s beyond violent and has lots of language. But the message behind … what we do to ourselves when we care so much about someone we love. How we doubt. How we love. I thought it was pretty incredible.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of this book.

These new horror books are really making me question my adherence to the idea that I'm a horror fan. I was not a fan of this book. I really like the idea, the characters, the setting, and I really wanted to like the plot throughout, but my god, it just kept going and going, even after I sped it up a couple times. There is a lot of violence, a lot of substance use, and a lot of psychological tension. And it's hard to say that something so disturbing and brutal could cause me to get bored, but I did. The unappreciated guardian/parent element was so overpowering and down your throat, I was tired of hearing about it. Calla was a great character with many dimensions and layers, but all the Callas were too much. I zoned out totally. I finished it, and felt relieved it was finally over.

Listen to Your Sister is exactly the type of book I would usually like. It had all the aspects. I especially liked an older sister taking care of her younger siblings. But this book felt so… disjointed. I couldn’t fall into it. I tried it as an audiobook, too, to see if it would help and it didn’t. It just wasn’t for me.

An interesting take on the horror genre. Loved the twist and how they explored sibling dynamics. Didn’t expect it to go the way it did, but enjoyed the ride.

THIS. WAS. PHENOMINAL. I could not put this down and could not stop until the very end! This had me on the edge of my seat and biting my nails until the very end! The narration was awesome and was very well done!

Another ARC I was ecstatic to receive and ultimately felt disappointed by. I saw some people mention for them they didn't like that it was a social horror, but for me it was that I didn't like that it was a surreal horror. I think I'm coming to realize that surrealism horror and I do not vibe well together. I never knew what in the world was going on and I had a tough time following the story in general. The pacing was also pretty slow. Another thing that didn't work for me personally is I'm an only child so I don't really understand sibling dynamics. Like, I know about the burdened eldest daughter, the middle child, and youngest tropes, but I don't connect to any of it on a personal level, I literally cannot relate. So all in all I would say it's not that this story didn't work and is not successful in what it's trying to do, it just didn't work for me because I'm not the right audience.

I did give two stars because I really liked the humor and I'm looking forward to seeing more from Neena Viel in the future!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t a fan of this audiobook. I kept falling asleep. I had a hard time keeping up with the story and all of the different characters

This is really hard for me to review, but it just wasn't for me. It didn't resonate with me, and I truly need to stay away from the horror genre because it just isn't for me, I don't know how I did not see that when I requested, so this is my fault. But I had to DNF this one.