What a wild ride!! This debut novel was an intense, humor-filled horror with supernatural elements that kept me on the edge of my seat!

I'm not typically a fan of horror but when I read the description of this one, I was too intrigued to pass it up. It did not disappoint! The narrators really brought this story to life and held me captivated throughout!

This would definitely appeal to fans of Jordan Peele or Stephen King or any fans of horror!

It had so much potential: siblings trying to heal a fractured bond. Calla, 25, suddenly has custody of her younger brother, Jamie, with little support from her other brother, Dre.

Calla is overwhelmed, constantly sacrificing, and her recurring nightmares of her brothers dying only add to the stress. The family goes on the run after Jamie gets involved in a protest and ends up at a creepy cabin. This is where the nightmares reveal themselves as warnings, and the harsh reality of their situation hits hard.

Unfortunately, the story fell apart and felt disjointed. I think the focus ended up too heavily on pushing a political agenda.

The audiobook wasn’t as fluid as I would have liked.

This debut literary horror novel was definitely different and got a little crazy at times. The comparisons to Stranger things and The other Black girl are very apt too! I feel like this one won't be for everyone but would make a great book club pick, sure to spark lots of discussion around family, the burden of being a guardian, the sacrifices women make for the ones they love and so much more.

At the core it is a story about three African American siblings trying to survive together. Throw in some horror elements and a creepy cabin and multiple realities and it becomes one creeptastic read steeped in the stark realities of life in America for the Black working class with limited means.

The audio production was also excellent with a full cast of narrators and I highly recommend listening to this one if you want to try something different! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

This novel was both terrifying and laugh-inducing. Jordan Peele would approve!
25 year-old Calla Williams is the reluctant legal guardian to her teenaged brother, Jamie. Their middle sibling, Dre, is off handling his own issues, and Calla realizes she is losing control over her life. Maybe that's why the Nightmare has gotten so much worse. The labyrinthine dreams always end fatally for her brothers - until Calla wakes up in a cold sweat, screaming.
We get all 3 POVs in each chapter, and the author really digs deep and gets under their skins. Along the way, you will probably laugh out loud, even with all the terror the family goes through.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this digital audio e-arc.*

Twenty-four year old Calla Williams is the legal guardian for her younger brother Jamie because their mother does charming things like send him text messages that say "You're dead to me." But Jamie has not been an easy teen to raise, and Calla has long felt that she has been sacrificing parts of her life for him. She moved to a crappier apartment so that he'd have his own room. She keeps working at her job where she's overlooked. Her dating life is certainly suffering. Her middle brother Dre is supposed to be helping her with Jamie -- said he'd help with Jamie -- but the burden of the eldest sister is to continually sacrifice without recompense.

However, when things following a Black Lives Matter go sideways and it looks like violent acts might get traced to her brothers, Calla abandons her job to hide in a scary Airbnb cabin in the woods to protect her boys. But Calla has long suffered from a recurring nightmare in which she must save one or the other of her brothers. Dre and Jamie dismissed her as overreacting, but as Calla's Nightmare suddenly comes to life, they realize that they should have been listening to their sister.

I really enjoyed this horror thriller. I've seen some reviewers note that it takes a while for the action to ramp up, but I felt like the early chapters were all completely necessary to establishing the relationships between the siblings and some of the later payoffs once the Nightmare does set in. The action in the final two sections can get a bit confusing, but I think that it felt in line with the dreamlike quality that the author was intending.

As a mom and an older sister, I definitely connected with Calla's sense of frustration with her younger brothers. Caregivers can very easily fall into a cycle of self-sacrifice and resentment. I thought that this novel was an interesting examination of the complex relationship a caregiver has with their charges -- especially when they have a shared history of trauma.

I did find that the choice of narrator for Jamie was not quite the right fit. The narrator's voice had a very mature aspect that did not seem appropriate for a sixteen year-old. I often found myself assuming I was listening to a Dre chapter because of the maturity of the voice.

I'm glad I picked this one up and I'm excited to see what else Neena Viel has in store after this amazing debut.

Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel is an excellent debut novel. The story follows Calla who is thrown into motherhood a bit too soon for her liking when she becomes the legal guardian or her 16 years old brother, Jamie. Dre is the next eldest sibling, however he makes it clear that Calla is on her own when it comes to raising Jamie, unless it’s a convenient time for him to pop in. In addition to an already complicated situation, there’s a horror/supernatural element that is surrounding each of the 3 siblings. They are all handling this in their own secret and unhealthy way, as they are afraid to confide in each other, worried that they will sound crazy. Follow these siblings on their journey through real life experiences and supernatural forces that follows them everywhere they go!

Some readers will possibly find it hard to follow during the “read between the lines” moments as it alternates between reality and the nightmare-land.

Overall, a great read and I am interested in more from this author. The full cast narration was amazing!

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I liked how the book started off with calla as the big sister looking after her little brother jamie who's parents became addicts, calla can't sleep knowing Jamie isn't home. Jamie wants to run the streets while calla is trying to keep her job. Her middle brother Dre barley would help with Jamie. I got lost in the middle of this book confused on if it was a dream or if something was real going on with the story line or if it was past or present in the timeline of the story. This book wasn't really for me but I would recommend it to someone who can relate to it. Loved the full cast while listening to the audiobook! Thanks netgalley for the ARC of the audiobook and the publisher

A tale of vindication for the eldest daughter! (Kind of.) The genre-bending plot descriptions really interested me in this book and I fully expected to love it. But I didn’t get my bearings and start feeling like I actually knew kind of what was going on until Chapter 22. And even then, I stalled around 60% understanding for most of the rest of the book. I was actually unsure whether I’d be able to write a review because I had no idea what I’d say. I still don’t really know how to rate it fairly or accurately. From chapter to chapter, we abruptly switch narrators, timelines, locations… everything, really. The reading experience feels like the disorienting moment you wake up while on vacation and don’t remember where you are at first. But for an entire book. (To be clear, I'm sure this is the intention. And Viel does it well.)

One thing I did recognize and enjoy throughout the book was the very real and funny sibling relationship among the three main characters. Jamie’s dialogue is always peak weird little brother energy (“it’s not coke, I just sniffed the bar soap in the bathroom because it looked weird”). Also, the story — whether I was able to follow it or not — was really artfully written. I listened to the audiobook and Calla’s narrator does an especially good job bringing the prose to life. I would definitely put future books from this author on my TBR, especially if they’re narrated by the same team.

So without addressing the plot too much, my other impressions from this experience were:
- The theme of relationships. The main message I took from LTYS is that actions and words have a great effect on the people who care about you who you may take for granted.
- It could be an allegory for mental illness? I found some of it relatable, but then wondered what that says about me.
- Where did Noah go without his car?

Finally, I encourage potential readers to ignore reviews that refer to a “political agenda” or virtue signal their offense to the N words spoken between siblings. A realistic portrayal of a Black family in America isn't inherently political. The book addresses social issues as part of the context of the plot, and there’s a protest scene, but the protest itself is like the least shocking thing about that part. It’s only an “agenda” if your preferred genre is rom-coms with cartoon white people on the cover.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Wow very powerful! What is happening in this book? I think I finally get what's going on about 60% of the way through. Such good writing but not what I was looking for at this moment in time. Trauma and drama, sibling dynamics, and really rough family situations. The surreal nature of the story makes me question what is happening.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, the author, and the narrator for the opportunity to listen to this engaging, spooky read.

Comparisons to GET OUT and STRANGER THINGS are fairly accurate with this novel. I will say, fans of BURN DOWN RISE UP will also find this book entertaining as it has a similar own voices vibe. The story follows three siblings--Calla, Dre, and Jamie--as they deal with their various traumas, and navigating the world. Calla has taken custody of Jamie, who is 16, and has his own agenda. Dre tries to help out, but ultimately, struggles with his role. All three siblings struggle with a toxic mom, parentifying, and the death of an absent father.

During a protest, everything hits the fan. An old woman steals Jamie's pipe bomb, a little girl eviscerates a cop in front of him, and a girl in a ballgown kills two bookie goons. It is up to Calla to fix everything--as always. The siblings flee to a cabin, but the problems don't stay in the city. I don't want to say too much, because the twist was excellent, but let's just say if you're haunted, you can't outrun it.

I loved the fact this book dealt with not only general spookiness, but grief, racism, trauma, and the responsibility of caring for family. It was laugh-out-loud funny at times, and really put you into the minds of all three characters. The narrators were excellent, and I look forward to the eventual adaptation of this book into a movie.

I would like to start by saying Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I really enjoyed the different narrators for each character. I wanted to enjoy this book but only made it about 30%. I wasn't able to follow what was going on between what was real and what was a dream so the description of a fever dream is 100% accurate. I had to restart chapters because I got lost and then realized I was still lost. i just needed to move on to see if I would be able to piece things together but it didn't help much. I may need to try reading the physical book and give it another try. This book may have not be for me but that doesn't mean others won't enjoy! I'm definitely still going to recommend this to patrons that enjoy this genre.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the beginning and the turning point at the middle. However, they feel like two different books.

I couldn't connect Calla's nightmares with what was going on with her brothers until it was right in my face, I feel like there were unrealistic reactions to all the horror going on, and I disliked her brothers and how they treated her.

I do like the initial idea of the nightmares and what they represented, but I wanted more lore and foreshadowing. The audiobook also had 3 different narrators, which always makes for an immersive read.

Listen to Your Sister - Neena Viel
Pub Date - 2/4/25
Rating - 2/5 - DNF
Thoughts - Thank you to MacMillian Audio and Netgalley for this advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion. I didn't realize that this book was a horror novel until I started it. I normally do not enjoy horror, which is why I unfortunately had to DNF this audio. This is to no fault of the author-- it's just not for me.

It was hard to rate this book. There are parts that I really like, liked, and others that just confused me.

Our main character is the eldest child in a group of three children. When their mom is no longer able to car for her youngest sibling, she steps in and becomes his guardian.

I loved this concept and the chaos the author gave to the situation because it made it feel real.

When we entered the nightmare I was not sure who was in the nightmare, when they entered, what was in the nightmare or if everything was just memories of the brothers or their own perspective of the nightmare. I feel like that sounds confusing, but those are the thoughts going through my head.

Wonderful debut book. Tackled hard conversations head-on, and I would read from this author again.

A group of strained siblings go on the run after one of them lands in trouble with the police, only to find the cabin they hope to hide out in is actually a portal into a real life nightmare. Unfortunately, this was a total mess and extremely hard to follow. The deeper themes and social commentary were great, but the horror aspect was lacking and honestly made no sense. Should’ve just put this one down instead of finishing it.

I love horror books that make me laugh but also make me afraid to go to the bathroom at night. And horror books that deal with family trauma and generational trauma and childhood trauma. Guess what. This book does all of that.

I appreciate the nightmare aspect of this. The way in which the sister is used and tired of her brothers is so accurate. I didn't find Drew and Jamie to be very sympathetic characters, because they keep messing up Calla's life without any regard to what she has given up for them. However, as the story winds down, I do appreciate them more.

Okay WTF did I just read😅? I am not sure!

The story is about the family dynamics between 3 black American siblings living in Seattle Washington. Calla the oldest sibling has been struggling ever since she became the legal guardian of her youngest brother Jamie, who is 16 years of age. Her brother Dre promised to help Calla raise Jamie, but Dre is off doing his own thing, leaving Calla to deal with the hellcat brother known as Jamie.

First of all, Jamie is a terrible character. He doesn't respect the rules or women and screams racism every time he is stealing or up to misdeeds. I understand he is from a broken family, a mother who could no longer deal with a son who is unruly, doesn't accept change, doesn't want to change, breaks the law and thinks the rules doesn't apply to him. I personally would have liked a bit more on the family dynamics between the mother and her kids. We did hear some things about the mother from Calla and Jamie's voice, but not sure how reliable or accurate it is since Calla wears rose colored glasses when it comes to Jamie, and Jamie is an unscrupulous character who lies, cheat and steals, and doesn't mind hitting a woman or two. I would have also like to delve more into Dre's character. I don't really know who is outside of Calla and Jamie's brother.

This book was weird! Many times, I was lost in the sauce trying to understand what was happening. Is it a dream? Is it a nightmare? Is it really happening? Is it college Calla or is it little mama😆? Poetically the story is told through a prose like rhythm that unfolds like literary fiction. This book would be great for literature professors and teachers. The beginning of the book had a great start. Somewhere down the early middle it went down slow muddle convoluted road. The book went into overdrive once they reach the cabin. I think it is at this point that the pieces start to fit.

I don't know how scary this was, but it was definitely disturbing. I did appreciate some of the themes and lessons learned. I also could relate to letting a love one grow by trial and error and making mistakes. Many times, I felt as if the author was actually recounting her own personal history through poetry.

What I didn't care for is all the racial politics and victimology. Jamie is a hardhead who does the crime yet screams racism. He is always playing the victim card and claims he is being racially profiled when he is actually behaving in criminal actions. I could not sympathize with this character or understand his plight because he is the kind of teen that makes it bad for others who want to succeed by honorable means. I think the narrators did an amazing job voicing these characters! It was definitely full production at high quality.

I rated this book on the following eight criteria:
Plot
Writing Style
Characters
Narration
Cover/Title
Moved or Wowed
Atmosphere
Ending

I was not wowed by this book, but I was moved by some parts of it. Personally, I could not entirely feel the atmosphere surrounding them, partly I believe due to the writing style. I did think the cover did a great job conveying what the reader will find inside, and I thought the ending wrapped fairly well. It stood true to all the characters' character. I also rated the narration high, because again I thought they collectively did an amazing job. The total cumulative rating resulted in a 3.5 which I am rounding to a 4 because of the amazing job of the narrators.

I’d say this was a 3.5 rounded up. I felt like I was in a fever dream and never really knowing what was going on. I felt for this family but wow was it a wild story. Overall, the audiobook was done well with multiple narrators. There did seem to be a coupe glitches in the ALC but it didn’t take me out of the story. If you like a fractured family with tough dynamics dealing with life and survival and horror elements, you’ll love this one.

Listen to your sister is different, it’s weird and want not exactly what I was expecting. There is a lot going on,and heavy topics and character working through various types of trauma. Even through everything they experience, the sibling dynamics though frustrating and anger inducing for them is still strong. The characters were well done and I was horrified, confused, laughed and teared up along with them. The plot was wild and out there, there were some points of confusion but Viel’s writing pulled it together. I won’t say too more about the plot to prevent spoilers and going in not knowing exactly where it is going was a good way to experience this novel.There are clear undertones of social commentary mixing supernatural horror with real life horror of being Black in America. This one stayed with me.

Listening on audio was a whole production and the each narrator understood the assignment.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC.

Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 2/4
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Listen to Your Sister is a very original story. Told in a multiple POV between the three siblings - Calla, Dre and Jamie. I absolutely loved their bond; I found myself laughing at their banter but also loved how much you could see they really cared about each other. Each of the siblings grew tremendously throughout the story and I really enjoyed watching them grow and really begin to understand one another and the different hardships that each of them went through. Very interesting how the nightmares came to life and how the siblings came together in order to stop what was happening.
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The pacing was a bit odd; it felt almost like it was too slow at points and then became almost too fast that everything became a bit too convoluted. I really seemed to struggle with what was real and what was a part of this nightmare. I love a good paranormal horror but I just found myself having a hard time following which led me to honestly not really care all that much as to what happened.
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I listened to this one via audiobook while reading along with the eBook. Eric Lockley, Kristolyn Lloyd and Zeno Robinson were great. I think they complimented each other perfectly as far as sibling go but there were some super cringe parts when some voices were acted out. Also; this story is so much of a fever dream that I definitely think having both the print version and the audiobook would be helpful.
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Overall, this one wasn't necessarily for me, but that's okay. I think that horror fans will really get a kick out of this one! Be sure to check it out. Huge thank you to NetGalley, Neena Viel, MacMillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.