This was an okay read, overall, but I think it suffered from not quite knowing what it was.

There's a pandemic that affects the world, and people just start calling it the "flu" (sound familiar?), but this pandemic affects children in a weird way - once they are suddenly well, they start to hear a voice, like an imaginary friend gone wrong, in their minds. Children with nefarious secret voices is prime creepy-fodder, and I was here for the ride. Also, spiders (!!).

But I didn't love the direction the book took. Billy's sister, Nina, is in the space cadet training program, and she hopes to travel to the new planet that humans plan on colonizing to save themselves. We learn early on that this is a kind of dystopic future world, where home-assisting AI is very advanced, corporations can employ people like indentured servants, and humans have visited a giant asteroid that is between Earth and the Moon and are planning to launch to some unidentified habitable planet from that asteroid. Things unravel further from there.

And the ending felt like a rushed whirlwind of resolution that just didn't feel on pace with everything else that was going on. I had questions, also, but not in the best way.

Oddly timely subject matter, especially the opening scene depicting a post-pandemic world. It's sometimes difficult to believe this was written before the onset of Covid. While the premise is interesting and certainly snags the attention, I'm afraid I found most everything else about it a letdown. The story drags in places and the dialogue is poor. A wasted opportunity.

This book got under my skin. Perhaps it's because it's set during a global pandemic (even though this was written before COVID-19 hit), but I had a low level of dread the whole time reading this book. The premise (what if a side effect of the pandemic was having a voice in your head that you couldn't get rid of) was fascinating and engaging. I really felt the helplessness of the whole family and the doctors. And as the book barreled along to a finish, I kept looking at how many pages were left and thinking, "They can't possibly wrap this all up satisfactorily by the end!" But lo and behold, not only did Green wrap things up, but brought it to an extremely satisfying and delicious conclusion. I look forward to Evie Green's next tale.

While the premise of this book was thoroughly creepy, especially now, I just wasn't as drawn in as I wanted to be. I was all in until I realized what was happening to the kids and what they turned into, and that is where it fell a little flat for me. I still would recommend this book, I think part of my problem is that I have read so many horror stories that not too much is new.

Wow this novel was addictive and had me hooked! There were so many twists and shocks that kept me entertained and wanting to read more to see what would happen next. Disturbing, dark, and thrilling, this novel will have you gasping until you turn the final page!

Rachel and her family were lovely people. When Rachel's middle child and only son Billy catches the pandemic known as the flu, she fears she is going to lose him like many others in the world who contract the flu. However, just when he is on the brink of death Billy miraculously comes back to life, to much the surprise and happiness of his family. However, Billy seems to be different since recovering from the fly. He now has an imaginary friend by the name of Delfy. Not only that, but he randomly does some creepy and disturbing things - asking strange and disturbing questions, some questions children his age do no ask, as well as taking a sudden interest in things that never seemed to interest him before. Happy to have her child happy and healthy again, Rachel is willing to look past all the red flags and the fact that he has a new imaginary friend. Afterall, she does have her son back.

What unfolds is a series of strange happening. It leaves you immersed into the story as you are eager to see what exactly is going on here, and why Billy doesn't appear to be the only one to have such an imaginary friend.

There are many intriguing and interesting characters in this novel and it is quite easy to follow along and read their individual stories and what they all have to do with one another. 

Overall a great book that I recommend.

This one is a bit hard to review, because while I don’t think it’s really horror and would more fall into science fiction genre, I still felt it was very scary!  The reason I found it to be so scary, is it so similar to reality today with the Covid-19 pandemic and it was written prior to it happening, so definitely realistic!  Chilling. fast paced, with some amazing character development!  The second half sort of slowed down and I guess shifted focus, making it a bit harder to finish, as I wished it had continued the way it seemed to move the first half!  Over all, I would definitely highly recommend, as I do think it will chill you to the bone, Since it’s a lot like our world today!  
Will buzz around platforms and use lower amazon reviewer number on release date!

A fun, scary thriller that is perfect for cool, crisp October days.  If you are looking for a Halloween scary read, this book is a good pick.

A future horror story that makes you wonder about the safety of space exploration. What happens when a “flu” results from a secret space mission and is causing survivors to hear voice that control their lives.

Evie Green had no idea how timely this sci-fi thriller would feel by the time of it's release. Yet, being in the midst of a pandemic only enhances the horror aspects and even gives a somewhat relatable feel at times. The novel is set in the near-future when a pandemic has already overtaken the world. There’s a mysterious flu killing the majority of people who contract it. So Rachel is understandably worried about her young son, Billy, who is sick with this flu until miraculously he recovers, but not without a new addition to his life. Billy all of a sudden has an imaginary friend named Delfy. Rachel knows kids have imaginary friends, so this doesn’t worry her until Billy starts doing strange and frightening things that Delfy told him to do. And Billy isn’t the only kid a suddenly new imaginary friend telling him what to do after recovering from the flu. It is happening to other kids who suddenly recovered. This book is an adventure with everything going on. The setting is creepy especially with what’s going on in the world right now. The characters are very well-developed and even relatable. This is a perfect read if you’re looking for something creepy and suspenseful. Highly recommended!

A pandemic has over taken this near dystopian future. It has already killed millions. Rachel prays for anything,  everything,  to have it spare her little boy, Billy. But at what cost? Is his imaginary friend a coping mechanism, or something much more sinister? This is an enthralling novel that hits a little close to home in the middle of COVID, but buckle up you're in for a ride!  I sincerely hope a sequel is on it's way because I'm deeply invested in Nina, Rachel, Al, Beth, and Billy. 

Thanks to Netgalley for this copy in return for my review.

In a world that eerily parallels the pandemic currently faced, one small boy recovers from near death only to have found an imaginary friend who seems to control his very actions, actions that are often terrifying and unexplainable. What could be happening to this innocent child? Is the voice in his head real? How will his mother deal with the horrors she must face? Is she prepared to admit something is not right? What of the others who have recovered? Do they hear voices, too?

WE HEAR VOICES by Evie Green is a dark tale of family relationships, paranormal events and questions the unknown and the unexpected and the unbelievable.

Well written, Billy is a typical small child who begins doing horrific things. His mother seemed too caught up in having a perfect family, almost seeming to deny a problem until further into the story. The addition of a doctor “studying” pandemic-recovered children adds a brilliant element as all is slowly revealed.

A perfectly evil read for the upcoming Halloween season.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Berkley Publishing Group! This is my honest and voluntary review.

I thought this was okay! I wish it leaned a little more on the horror side versus sci-fi/dystopian. Writing & plot was fine, but didn’t do much for me personally.

If you're looking for a thriller, a scary story to keep you up at night this Fall, you must check out WE HEAR VOICES by Evie Green. It gave me Imaginary Friend vibes, which I loved, but this is an utterly original work that's hair-raising and bound to turn your knuckles white.

From the description I was expecting a horror, but what I got was more of a dystopian sci fi. Maybe that's why I was declined when I first requested an advance copy elsewhere. The reason I gave for wanting to read this was that I love horror that features creepy kids. Maybe I should have taken the hint that this book was not for me, instead of requesting an advance copy here.
When young Billy recovers from the mysterious pandemic it's like the miracle that Rachel has prayed for. So many have died from this new virus that she is, at first, willing to overlook the strange behavior that has come with this recovery. The way that Billy seems so obsessed with gaining knowledge can't really be a bad thing can it? Yet soon the voice in Billy's head has moved him from doing inappropriate things to downright aggression and threatening behavior. Rachel seeks help but being poverty stricken leaves her with few options. Enter the doctor who knows more than he is telling, and is willing to treat Billy for free. Meanwhile Rachel's daughter has a new boyfriend who she has met in space skills while preparing to colonize a new planet. They boyfriend has a half sister who also suffered this voice in her head. 
While Billy and his strange affliction did hold my interest and Rachel trying to make do while living in poverty is quite relatable I did find myself skimming the bits about space skills.
It was just an OK read for me, but others will probably enjoy it more, especially those who enjoy dystopian sci fi.
I received an advance copy for review.

I was definitely expecting more of a horror, while this was much more of a sci fi story. The characters are compelling and the writing style keeps you interested, but the "twist" is pretty obvious.

As I was reading this book, I kind of wonder, is this author a psychic? We are in the middle of a pandemic, and at times, I felt like she was writing about how are our world is now. The only difference was some children were doing violent things. Things that they were being told to do they seem not to be the same as they were before. 
The world as these characters know it is not the same, and it seems a lot of people are living very close to poverty. Rachel loves her family and knows what means to live paycheck to paycheck (I think a lot of us can relate) when her son gets super sick from this virus that just came from nowhere, it seems. She is by his bedside at home. I really liked the idea that she could set up her house or room like a quartine, so Billy did not have to be in a hospital. Everyone believes it to be the end, well, that is until he magically gets better. What they do not know is there is a reason behind it. How did he get better so fast? What do other kids around the world have to do with it all? In comes Nina, Billy's sister; she super smart and part of a space program, but as time goes on, it seems that she will uncover something that will bring answers to what is happening to the children. It seems certain people want to cover things up. Kind of like the government does now. So much going on, but it all comes together. I can honestly say at the end, I was really not expecting that part to come out. I am not sure why I did not think of it as it was right there in front of me. Fascinating read! 
Some things had me scratching my head, such as the first time Nina sees her Gran being strangled. She runs out of the flat but reminisces about the food and smells her Gran cooks? That just did not seem to be a reaction I thought I would have had. Another thing that I wondered about is why a grown woman would think she would live in an orphanage? I mean, just because you lost your mom, umm, you would still be living on your own.

I had such high hopes for this book; I thought it was going to be creepy and maybe a little scary, but, nope. It's sci-fi, which isn't really my jam, and it didn't take a genius to figure out the connections or the twist at the end (which wasn't much of a surprise, so not really a twist), so it wasn't even very mysterious, or whatever. I was going to give it 3 stars, but after some reflection, am going with 2 stars.

This is the story of Rachel's family. Her young son Billy is 6 years old and sick with a pandemic flu that is killing most of the kids and old people who contract it. Billy is at the brink of death when Rachel prays that he will get better...and he does. But now he has an imaginary friend who talks to him. He asks lots of questions that Delfy, the voice in his head, wants the answers to. He does things Delfy makes him do, even if they are against his will.

Meanwhile, Rachel and her partner are struggling to make ends meet, lose their apartment, and have to work for an all-encompassing company that seems to be controlling a lot of the city and maybe more? Her oldest daughter, Nina, begins to date a boy from Space Camp who turns out to be the son of the head of the company. 

There's a lot about economic inequality and private companies' control over so many facets of society. There's the mysterious pandemic and the voices in the heads of survivors. But at the end, I felt just so-so about it and wasn't wowed in any way. I did like the main characters, so there was that.

My thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. A young boy named Billy is stricken with an unknown sickness that is affecting the whole country. Though he recovers, he now has a harmless imaginary friend named Delfy who at the beginning seems to be a just that. But as time goes on it seems that Delfy is anything but harmless and has Billy doing bad things. He is anet away to an underground hospital where he other kids like him also live. The ending was kind of out there. But still enjoyable. The appreciate Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

Fast moving and twisty plot Highly recommended. Twisty plot that goes in some unexpected directions.

I was, as many might be at this time, hesitant to read a book that featured a flu-like virus, but this book engaged me immediately.  Because it takes place largely after the flu has passed, and because the mystery around the children is so interesting, I didn't feel as if I was reading anything parallel to what is happening today.  
I think that following different characters in each chapter made this book much more interesting than if it only followed the mother, or the doctor.  Nina and her story arc was especially great.  
Bonus points for a great ending!