3.5 stars. The publisher nailed it by calling Listen to Your Sister a book that will appeal to fans of Jordan Peele’s films. The book explores issues of race and family through a speculative/social horror lens in an unforgettable reading experience full of humor and heart.

Calla Williams is in her mid-twenties when she becomes her 16-year-old brother Jamie’s guardian, and she’s struggling. She’s not getting much help from her other brother, middle child Dre, and she’s tired of being the responsible one who has to hold everything together. She is overwhelmed and anxious, which manifests in recurring dreams about her brothers dying in horrific ways. When Jamie attends a protest that gets out of hand, the siblings must go on the run, fleeing to a remote cabin Calla found on AirBNB. Deep in the woods, the siblings will be forced to confront their conflicts, and must fight to save their family against unexpected forces.

Listen to Your Sister had me sitting up and paying attention in the first chapter, when Calla has a tense confrontation with administrators at Jamie’s school. It’s immediately engaging, with spot-on dialogue and sly humor, introducing us to the characters in a way that made me want to learn more about them. Neena Viel’s character work is outstanding; the Williams siblings are conveyed with rawness and authenticity, and they’re relatable and sympathetic. The first several chapters are a family drama focused on being Black in the present-day U.S., written from the alternating points-of-view of all three siblings, and they’re intimate, powerful, and thoughtful. I felt like I really got to know all three siblings deeply before Viel placed them in mortal peril, which made me all the more invested in their fates.

When the siblings head to the woods, the horror aspects of the plot start to ramp up, and this was where I felt myself coming disengaged. The book becomes a fever dream of violence and terror, unfolding in surreal and complicated ways as the Williams siblings fight against the forces threatening their family. Viel’s writing is descriptive and lush, with a tone that strikes a perfect balance between somberness and levity throughout the narrative, and in the moments I wasn’t confused, I was reveling in the creativity and execution of her ideas – a supernatural manifestation of sisterly love and the bonds of family. I listened to the book on audio, and while I did love all three of the narrators, I wonder if I would have “gotten it” more if I’d read the physical words on the page.

Or maybe I just wasn’t supposed to “get it,” and that’s fine too. Listen to Your Sister is an impressive debut either way, and Neena Viel is an author to watch. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary reading opportunity.

LISTEN TO YOUR SISTER by Neena Viel is everything nightmares are made of. If Jordan Peele movies had a baby with Stranger Things and Nightmare on Elm Street. No joke this book is creepy so daytime reading is what worked best for me. 😅

Calla has always been the responsible older sister who cares for her brothers. She has always put their needs first and has warned them about her nightmares. Soon they’ll regret not listening to her.

Thanks @macmillan.audio for a copy of this audiobook! Three narrators (Eric Lockley, Kristolyn Lloyd, Zeno Robinson) give unique voices to the three siblings. I highly recommend this book on audio! It’s creepy yet has dark, witty humor. Great debut!

My only complaint was that it lost me towards the end of the book, but it all came together and wrapped up nicely.

This story was quite intriguing to me, but I found it often hard to follow at times. Perhaps it's because it was an audiobook, but the shifting timelines and dream sequences intermixed too closely with reality.

I loved this book. It was everything I wanted and more. I could not be happier for this author and their debut work. I can't wait to see what comes next for Neena Viel, but I do know that I will be reading it.

My NetGalley shelf app wasn’t working right so I didn’t get to listen to it before it was archived :( but I’m gonna buy the book because I’ve only heard great things about this one!

When I hear books that are compared to Jordan Peele, I get immediately suspicious. Mostly because it has become a little bit of a cliche that everything within the horror genre that features a Black protagonist automatically gets grouped under this umbrella. It's partially a curse, because the genre of Black horror is wide and varied, but it is also a good thing because it helps readers understand what is for them. This is one of those instances. Viel's debut novel is modern and contemporary, but would also appeal to any student who enjoyed Jordan Peele's movies and was chasing that same high.

Calla is the caretaker of her younger brother, Jamie, a good kid who keeps making choices that complicate his sister's life. Their older brother Dre is successful, and successfully avoiding his responsibility in keeping the family afloat. The family drama is real and the nightmares never start. Calla, burdened with the responsibility of care taking finds herself unable to advance and floundering to keep the family afloat. She also has nightmares that cause her to scream bloody murder. These nightmares start to filter through the family in some killer scenes. I immediately thought of Jacob's Ladder in an early party scene as Jamie feels the pressure to conform and the video game scene totally freaked me out! Eventually, things catch up to Jamie and the family retreats to a cabin in the woods where their nightmares only continue to adapt and develop into something more sinister.

I found this novel to be a great debut. The writing and character development were top notch. Each character and voice of the reader added to the realness of the relationships. I enjoyed spending time with these character and found myself laughing even at some of the scariest parts. I will say that if it weren't for the strong characters, I may have found the second half a little frustrating. The first and second halves of the book feel so different that I somewhat wonder what our characters would have done if there wasn't a cabin in the woods. I wanted to see them deal with real real life. Either way, it was an interesting description of PTSD and the many selves we abandon to survive.

Was hard to listen to this book, will be looking for it on kindle so that i can read it and hopfully be able to follow along better.

Listen to Your Sister is a unique horror debut from Neena Viel. It combines family issues/dynamics, racial issues and hope. What does it mean to care for those you love? What is the difference between care and control? How far do we need to go to protect the ones we love? Perfect for fans of Jordan Peele. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Earlier this month, Neena Viel released her debut novel, Listen to Your Sister. This comedic yet horrifying story follows three siblings, the eldest of whom is now the official guardian of the youngest brother, a troubled teenager. Calla has been having a repeated nightmare for years, and it centers on her two younger brothers. But the horrors are starting to feel too real lately, sending the three siblings from their Seattle home to a remote Oregon cabin.

Why I Chose This Book:
The intriguing cover and title first caught my attention. I’ve been getting more into horror novels lately (in addition to my lifelong love of horror movies) and this looked like exactly the kind of story I’d enjoy. Especially with comparisons to Jordan Peele’s films, I was sold.

What I Liked:
- Memories becoming waking nightmares
- This story gets pretty surreal!
- Some stream-of-consciousness moments and distorted thoughts add to that feeling of a loosening grip on reality.
- How many ways has Calla has helped her brothers over the years? How much has it affected her?
- Siblings fighting and unraveling… and creating their own horrors
- From sweet memories to their current bitter feelings
- Reminds me of Us by Jordan Peele (hey, the Jordan Peele comparison in the official summary was right!)
- The cabin they go to is “unabashedly haunted” haha
- Fighting back against racism (Black Lives Matter) and misogyny

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Sometimes it was a bit too repetitive with the frequent returns to the original event that started the nightmares.

Audiobook
Kristolyn Lloyd, Eric Lockley, and Zeno Robinson all do a phenomenal job bringing the characters to life. They have distinct voices, making it easy to tell the siblings (including the two brothers!) apart. The narrators also infuse the characters with such personality, conveying their anger, confusion, and fear with true skill.

Final Thoughts
Overall, Listen to Your Sister is a great debut. I love how it draws on memories, traumas, and nightmares to create people who feel fragmented and isolated. It’s a cerebral and surreal type of horror that ultimately dissects societal issues and the value of family connections. I look forward to reading more from Neena Viel in the future.

That was weird. That was hard to describe. The book is listed as horror but I didn't find it to be terribly scary. Often, horrible things occurred. But not your normal horror. I didn't always know what was going on or what was real. That is by design. Three siblings with a complicated relationship each get stuck in their own head as they are pursued by a living nightmare. This was perhaps the most realistic part of the whole thing. Everyone came to their shared present situation in a different way and each only sees it from their own perspective. Each is stuck in their own bitterness and solitude.

Rating: 4.5/5
I received the eARC for my honest opinion.

This was a crazy, wild, insanely weird book, but it works. I love the darkness that you will find in this book and at the same time you will find humor in it as well. I loved that it was like going through the worst nightmare of your own life or watching a horror film, because this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you like horror novels by Stephen King, you would really like this book.

In this book you will find emotional heartbreaking themes like trauma, loss, death, abandonment, so much more, and the way that the author told this book with having the narrating by all of the siblings really helps the readers to become connected to the characters easier and understanding their thoughts and reasons why things are happening. You will be transported into a world where Calla the oldest siblings, has her inner demons projected into reality and you will transported into her own nightmare world. You will see that on a deeper level for me the author was showcasing how people struggle in this world we live in and how others don’t see it or want to see it or how we treat our younger selves and the damage that we inflict on ourselves. The pace at first was a little slow but I think that was done for the readers to get a feel of what is to come later because once this book picked up, it was on like donkey kong. I loved the fact that the author made the characters likable, and for me I was able to relate to them on different levels and I liked that a lot. I liked that you got to see each sibling dealing with their issues alone and not talking about them, but then you finally see them work together through all of it. I loved the mystery and the supernatural dark theme of this book, and I would read another book by this author. I can’t say more because I would spoil the book, just to know it's great read.

I also received audio of this book, and I thought the multiple narrators did a fantastic job, I liked hearing the world-building from them and seeing the difference in their voices really helped me to connect with the characters more.

I want to thank NetGalley, Macmillan and St. Martin for the opportunity to review this book and audio.

Review 📚
🏚️🏚️🏚️🏚️/5

Don’t you love a horror novel that will also make you laugh? Listen to Your Sister is a layered story that will have you outraged, terrified, and laughing out loud. Part family drama, part social commentary, and all horror, I blazed through this audiobook. 🎧

The first half of the book is a slow burn, but in the way you know something terrible is around the corner so your pulse is pounding the whole time. The second half is a wild fever NIGHTMARE that had me confused at times, but I think that’s the point. Through the whole book, there’s an intimate look at sibling relationships and the complicated (and hilarious) feelings that come from them. 🏚️

I’m an only child. I’ll never understand a sibling dynamic, but I sense eldest daughters might find this one a little cathartic. The rage I felt for Calla!!! I can’t stress enough how well timed the sibling burns are in this book. In the midst of HORROR, I was laughing out loud.

This is a debut novel, and I can’t wait for what Neena Viel does next because she is terrifying and hilarious. Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for my copy! I love multicast narration, and this hit all the right notes.

Horror readers looking for a speculative nightmare of a book should absolutely pick this one up!

This book was a bit too much. And I never say that. But there was so much happening constantly that it was just unrealistic. It is fast paced and creepy in spots. This kept me reading.

If you're a Jordan Peele fan, this one is for you!

I was not ready for the fever dream I was thrown into this with one! This is a slow-burn horror filled with complicated family bonds and unhealed trauma, which later come to haunt the Williams family. The story is told from the POV of the three William children. The narrators brought each character to life perfectly. ___ had me screaming with her creepy "little mama" voice. The commentary throughout had me cackling. I found myself having to stop and contain my laughter at work several times while listening.

I felt lost many times at the beginning, as if I were trying to piece together a mismatched puzzle. Then, suddenly, I found that missing piece, and everything clicked into place. I love books that give you that “aha” moment! From the halfway point on, I couldn't stop listening; the fever broke, and I was completely hooked.

I still don't know how I feel about this one. Listen to Your Sister is part family drama, part horror, part fever dream. The pacing was a little all over the place for me, but I never wanted to give up on it because the characters and family dynamics were written so well. It is definitely a strange read, but fun.

Thanks to Neena Viel, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review! My opinions are my own.

This horror made me squirm with its detailed descriptions of some truly uncomfortable situations and I loved it. As an older sister, I definitely felt Calla’s need to protect her siblings and also WHY DONT THEY LISTEN TO US? Think Jordan Peele type of horror that deals with the difficulties of family and being Black in America. I was gifted the audiobook ARC graciously by NetGalley and Macmillan audio.

This book lives up to the comparison to movies that explore the intersection of horror and black culture. I loved how different all 3 siblings were while coming from the same home at different times. It play with sterotypes, asking the reader to fall into them and then question their own assumptions about people in that position. The ending was truly unexpected and the narrative kept shifting in a beautiful kaladescope. I was highly impressed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review!

Non-spoiler synopsis:
Listen to Your Sister is a multiple POV psychological horror type following three siblings: Calla, the oldest sister and caretaker; Dre, the middle brother who tries his best to support both of his siblings and play the middleman; and Jamie, the seemingly unruly teen who stands up for what he believes in. Calla is constantly protecting her brothers, but when her recurring nightmare becomes reality, all three siblings must work together to pull themselves out of The Nightmare.

Review:
I'm rating this 4 stars, but it probably falls somewhere closer to a 3.5. I felt like I was in a fever dream through at least 50% of this book. I really liked the whole premise, but I feel like it could have been executed a bit stronger. I'm rating this 4 stars, but it probably falls somewhere closer to a 3.5. My biggest complaint is about pacing; the first half is quite slow and then the second half moves extremely quickly. I loved the audiobook version which had different narrators for each POV (which I really liked!), but I feel like if I had been reading it, I might have DNFed it before the half-way mark which is so sad to me because the second half was really interesting and I wanted to spend more time with those pieces. Overall, I wish it was all fleshed out and paced a bit better, but the concept was super intriguing!

Please read Listen to Your Sister if you love Jordan Peele, family dramas, and all things creepy; it’s OUT NOW!! I would be interested to hear what y’all think of this one!
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TW: honestly a lot of TWs (i.e., racism, police brutality, child abuse, death, body horror) – look into this one a bit more before reading

I wanted to love this book more than I did. I can admit that the audiobook kept me engaged enough to finish, and if I were rating only the narration, this book would receive a much higher score. However, one of the biggest issues for me was the amount of time it took to really get into the horror and darker elements. While there are horror elements, most of the story focuses on a messy sibling dynamic and the sacrifices an older sister makes for her two ungrateful brothers. I would categorize this more as a family drama and psychological thriller than a horror novel.

The premise of the sister’s nightmares coming to life is intriguing, but the journey to that point felt bogged down with unnecessary conversations and scenes. The younger brother constantly gets himself into trouble and relies heavily on his older sister. Meanwhile, the middle brother, who initially agreed to help, has his own issues. Ava, the eldest sister, bears the brunt of responsibility, which neither of her brothers fully acknowledges. The most frustrating and horrifying aspect of this book was the way the older sister was treated.

At times, the novel reads like urban fiction, with elements involving drugs, bad deals, and certain stylistic choices in dialogue. There’s also social commentary, but it didn’t land as effectively as it could have. This story reminded me of Nightcrawling by Leila Motley, as it explores a young Black woman’s self-destruction in service of the men in her life. While that was one of the more compelling aspects of the book, I think the story could have been shorter and less repetitive in hammering this point home. Another issue was how much of the plot had already been revealed in the blurb—so much so that it felt like we spent 60% of the book waiting for the events described on the back cover to actually unfold.

For instance, the family is supposed to be on the run, yet they don’t reach the cabin until around 60% into the book. It’s only then, after yet another family argument, that the sister enters a dissociative state where the protective parts of her personality start to turn against her brothers. I had high expectations for this read, and while I know others may enjoy it, it was a miss for me.

This book took some time for me to wrap my head around and fully understand wat was happening. Once, that happened it was enthralling. I loved the 3 narrators and their ability to convey the story. It was creepy, scary, and emotional. Worth a read for those who love a scary book.