isten to Your Sister by Neena Viel is a thrilling blend of horror and family drama that’s as gripping as it is unsettling. The story follows Calla Williams, a 25-year-old struggling to keep her younger brothers, Jamie and Dre, from self-destructing—all while battling terrifying nightmares. When a protest goes wrong, the siblings retreat to a remote cabin, only to realize their nightmares are about to become horrifyingly real.

Viel masterfully balances supernatural horror with razor-sharp humor, capturing the messy, heartfelt bond between siblings. Calla’s witty, sarcastic voice keeps the tension from overwhelming, making you laugh one moment and shiver the next. It’s a story about survival, family ties, and the monsters—both real and imagined—that haunt us.

Fresh, fearless, and impossible to put down, Listen to Your Sister is a debut that rewrites the horror playbook. Just don’t forget to leave the lights on.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Always listen to your sister. Especially if she’s older than you. Everything would be so much better if everyone did. We’re the smartest, the kindest, the funniest, the best. We know everything — and we know we know everything. (Can you tell I’m an older sister?)

In “Listen to Your Sister,” Calla is a 25-year-old oldest child who has taken guardianship of her troublesome 16-year-old brother, Jamie, while her 23-year-old brother, Dre, is only around when it seems to suit him. The three had a rough upbringing, and their relationship is a difficult one. Calla seems fractured and wishes she could have an hour — or even maybe a minute — to herself. Dre focuses on keeping himself and his surroundings meticulous. Jamie causes mayhem, has every imaginable vice, and constantly pushes his sister’s boundaries. When he gets into trouble at a protest at the same time that Dre finds himself in rough shape, the two beg Calla to get them out of Seattle. She does: to a remote, run-down house that’s hours away in Oregon. Problem solved, right? Nope! Calla’s recurring “Nightmare” — a bloody and violent trip to the store that ends with her running a maze in her house and seeing one of her brothers die — comes to life.

It’s hard to write an original horror story, but Neena Viel does just that… and in her debut. She’s taken the haunted house trope and made it more of a horror story about what’s inside a person rather than the horrifying aspects of the outside world. Viel has a keen eye for details (Calla forgets a bra when fleeing and has to hold her arm across her chest); a sharp voice (“She had to find her brothers and save them kill them love them.”); a style that blends humor with serious and scary moments; and an ability to create creeping dread in the build-up to the real action. Viel was mostly in control of the chaos of her story, although I got lost toward the end: The setting changes and the pace picks up, so I was forced to slow down when things were really getting going, making me slow down just as events made me want to speed up. (I’m still vague on some of what happened.)

As strange as this book is (there’s a nursery mobile made of strands of kinky hair, baby teeth, yellowed nail clippings, and dry crusted bits that look like a mutilated umbilical cord), it’s beautiful. And it’s funny — Jamie “could not allow himself to be arrested by white dudes in North Face.” The horrors in this book aren’t just mythical; they’re childhood trauma, parental abuse, sacrifice, survival, abandonment, guilt, and being Black in America. Viel blends all of that into a novel that reads a bit like a fever dream but is, at its core, about how far you’d go for your siblings.

And the answer here is: pretty freaking far.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Genre-Bending but Lost in the Narrative

I appreciate weird horror, but Listen to Your Sister just didn't work for me.

The first half had promise—I liked the protest scenes and the sister's efforts to hold things together for her brothers—but the story unraveled as it went on, making it a frustrating read.

The excessive swearing pulled me out of the story, giving it a Deadpool-esque satire that didn't seem intentional. The horror elements were caught in an awkward middle ground—the horror movie-style scares weren't strong enough to be frightening, and the real-life horrors didn't feel developed enough to have weight.

I also struggled with the story's direction. The siblings' journey after Jamie's protest felt unfocused, and by the time the nightmare elements took over, I had lost interest in both the plot and the characters' arcs. I was left unsure of what the book was ultimately trying to say.

The concept had potential but needed a more grounded approach to make the emotional stakes resonate. Life itself is already a nightmare, especially for people facing racialized dangers—this book's attempt at blending horror with reality didn't land for me.

For me, this book said women are tired of carrying everyone and everything.
Calla lost her childhood years ago - drug dealing father, toxic mother. She did her best to offer her younger brothers a glimpse of parenting.
With their mother's custody of the youngest, Calla take in Jaime. Dre, the middle child, offers to help but often cannot be found. In her mid-20s, Calla must take on the mantel of mother.
In concert with horror elements, Calla rejects her expected role desperate to just be a person. Just a person.
Chilling, ragging and creepy.

Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel is a captivating and tense psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of family bonds, responsibility, and the eerie power of premonitions. Twenty-five-year-old Calla Williams is overwhelmed by the weight of being her younger brother Jamie's guardian, especially when his reckless behavior and her own recurring nightmares hint at impending tragedy. As the family struggles to stay together, Calla is haunted by visions of her brothers' deaths that she feels powerless to prevent.

When Jamie’s actions during a protest put them on the run, the siblings retreat to a remote cabin, where they face not only external dangers but also the terrifying uncertainty of Calla’s premonitions. The isolated setting adds to the suspense, making the cabin feel like a character in itself, full of dread and mystery.

Viel masterfully weaves together tension, family drama, and a creeping sense of the supernatural. The book explores the burden of responsibility, the weight of guilt, and the intense love between siblings, all while building to a chilling, edge-of-your-seat conclusion. For readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with heart and a supernatural twist, Listen to Your Sister offers a gripping, emotional ride that will stay with you long after the final page.

Horror fiction at its best so so scary so cringeworthy and at the same time funny and reads like a family saga.I was completely drawn in couldn’t put it down.#netgalley #st.martins.

This book was so weird but in a good way. It wasn’t your typical horror type of book but I liked this type! I swear reading this was like a fever dream! I was like this is unsettling and weird but I need to read more right now! It did say for fans of stranger things and this definitely reminded me of the show at some points. There is some strong and heavy topics so if this book you should check out the triggers!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Whoa boy was that a ride.

This book is dark and gory and ugly in ways you can’t look away from. It’s true nightmare horror mixed with the reality of the horror of the black experience in America. It’s uncomfortable and vivid and hard to get through sometimes. I have very little to say as a critique of this book other than on occasion the wounds incurred by the characters were a little too over the top (one of my horror genre pet peeves, when characters get hurt and then hurt worse and then hurt the worst and somehow hurt even worse and keep going just to hurt even more…) Not egregious in this book but pulled me out just a little. Otherwise, it was horrifically beautiful. the base idea of fracturing yourself for the love of others was so beautiful and poetic…

Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel was a great debut story!
A slow burn horror that kept me glued to my Kindle.
A well written suspense filled with twists that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
An intriguing story with characters who draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself gripped, turning the pages, not knowing what was to come next.

I truly have no idea what I just read. I don’t even know if it was good or if I enjoyed it.
I do however know that this book served its purpose and entertained me. It captivated me and even when a part of me wanted to throw in the towel, I couldn’t.

The entire story inspired a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions while sparking confusion and intrigue as well as physical anxiety. I had a feeling that while nothing seemed to make sense, all of the pieces would finally come together at the end and they did. I had theories as to what was happening from the family being cursed to sharing the same mental illness or psychosis. The truth was completely unexpected and left me baffled as to how I should feel.

I’m interested to see what’s next for this author.

This was my first horror genre book I’ve ever read. And this is coming from someone that can’t really handle horror movies. Listen To Your Sister is terrifying, but I was pleasantly surprised by the humor, emotional depth, beauty and level of heart ache in this book.

Highly recommend.

This is definitely for fans of Jordan Peele!

I've always had the opinion that the scariest monsters are the ones we build in our minds and give space in our lives. Nightmares and day dreams take us out of the safety of the known and push aside the awareness of what's real and what's not. I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but it delivered a step or two outside the usual.
Based on the problems in their lives, the three siblings have built a core to stay together. There maybe a few wrinkles in the plan, but they are together. When circumstances force them to seek a safe place, the stress will bring out a series of events and creatures fed by the unconcious dreams of the sister. This was a different kind of horror/thriller that was a very good read. Neena Viel seems to have a winner of a debut. What's next from her?

This one was quite original and for a debut I think it was pretty good. The story itself was incredibly interesting and I liked all of our main characters for different reasons, they felt so real. The beginning was a bit slow for me and I found myself so lost at times. Once I wrapped my brain around everything, it started to make sense, but I definitely spent a good bit of time confused in like the last 2/3 of the book. 😅 That’s on me though. While I couldn’t relate to much of the siblings’ issues, I could definitely feel sympathy for them. I did enjoy the ending and will read more from Neena Viel. It’s dark, and depressing and while it’s so unnatural, it’s also real in the sense that it touches on some of the racial injustices Black people face in our society today.

I listened to this on audio and ended up switching over to the ebook because one of the narrators just didn’t match the character in my head and that bothered me - I’m kind of OCD so don’t let that deter you. Thanks to St.Martins Press for my eARC and advanced audiobook!

Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel is a captivating speculative horror novel that will have you laughing, cringing, and feeling deeply moved. This gripping and powerful story is a shining example of horror literature at its best.

Siblings Calla, Dre, and Jamie only have each other to rely on. Except not really. Calla is Jamie's legal guardian even though she is only 25 and trying to get her life together and Dre says he's there to help her but anytime she needs help he takes his time to get back to her. While trying to keep her job, a roof over their heads and food on the table, Calla is also plagued by this nightmare. She's terrified that she will lose her brothers and does everything she can think of to try and save them. It's only when she finally divulges her nightmare to her brothers that they finally get what she means.

Have you ever seen Black Mirrors? Like the show with the weird episodes. That's exactly what I felt while reading this book. There were many times when I wasn't quite sure what was going on. Part of that was because of the 3 different narrators but then also because it was like Black Mirrors weird. I'm having a hard time even thinking of words to describe this book. The amount of times that I had to read paragraphs and sections again because I wasn't quite sure what I had just read are too many to count. The story was good. Eventually things started to make a little more sense but I think because some of the events that took place and that there wasn't a consistent pattern to the narration is why I was getting confused. By consistent pattern I mean it didn't read one chapter Calla, then Dre, then Jamie, then Calla, Dre, Jamie, etc. It jumped around or back and forth. For me that would have probably bumped my rating up to a 4.5 or even a 5 star because the story might have been able to flow better where I wasn't getting confused. I did enjoy this book and I would love to read more by this author!

2.5 stars round up.

There are things I like about <i>Listen to Your Sister,</i> but I think it has some significant flaws. Its biggest problem is the pace: the first third of the book drags on forever, and then it turns frenetic, with events coming so fast that it is a challenge to keep up.

I also think there were a lot of underdeveloped, and sometimes completely dropped, plot threads. I was left feeling like I could have skipped the beginning of the book and missed very little for all that it mattered to the latter half.

I did like the horror aspects of the novel and I think the characters were well written; the siblings' relationships with each other rang true to me.

I think Neena Viel is a writer with a great deal of potential who is in need of a better editor.

Received via NetGalley.

For fans of Jordan Peele's Us and Nightmare on Elm Street this tale grabbed me from my real life and dragged me directly into Calla's nightmare. Neena Viel's writing dances along the page with poetic verse and entertaining humorous dialogue. The story left me with questions that I needed answered and Neena checked off all my boxes. This was so unique and enthralling. I genuinely felt the pain and suffering embodying these characters. The dynamic between Cala and her two brothers Jamie and Dre was so real and authentic. The first half of the book was a little slow putting together the pieces and constructing the conflict but halfway through things really revved up. The crescendo of the storyline was incredibly well written. I highly recommend this book for any reader with an interest in horror.

I rated this 4.25 stars out of 5 stars. This debut was a knockout and I will read any future work by Neena Viel.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

f you are interested in some weird ass horror. Look no further. This wild ride is a blend of horror and family drama with a big fever dream vibe.

Calla took custody of her little brother, Jamie, when their father died and their mom peaced out. Ever since Calla has taken responsibility for her brothers she gets dreams where she will know if they are in danger. As Jamie has gotten older and started getting into activism the dreams are more frequent and more terrifying. When Jamie’s choices at a protest cause them to go on the run, they face a new threat that will have them fighting for their lives and their reality. Perhaps they ought to have heeded Callas warnings.

This was wild. I have scary dreams pretty regularly but thankfully nothing like Calla’s.
Unsettling
Nail biter
Fast paced.
Also this is a debut novel and I am excited to see what this author puts out in the future.

This came out today
thanks to netgalley and st Martins press for an eARC

I wish I could give this book 10 stars. Honestly, one of the most original books I've read in a while. I loved this.

The book focused on three main characters: Calla - the eldest daughter and guardian of Jamie, forever sacrificing herself at every turn for her family, Dre - the middle child who means well but never lends any support to his family when they need him, and Jamie - the youngest and the one who is motivated by social justice but can't help getting into trouble in every facet of his life.
This is a story of the love between siblings, complex family dynamics, the responsibility of being the eldest daughter, soul fracturing trauma, and being black in America combined with dark comedy, sharp wit, and Spongebob references. I mean, this book had so much heart. The bond between siblings felt extremely authentic and deep. The story toggles between the three characters and is split into four parts. Throughout it all, a thread of dread and imminent danger ran deep from beginning to end, but my favorite elements of horror included delusions of gore (and actual gore), doppelgängers (!!!), and waking nightmares.

I will definitely be buying this book and HIGHLY recommending.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC! <3

Listen to Your Sister had an incredibly compelling premise—supernatural forces, deep family bonds, and a creeping sense of horror woven into a tense sibling dynamic. It had all the makings of a gripping, character-driven thriller, but unfortunately, the execution didn’t fully live up to my expectations.
There’s a lot to appreciate here. The writing is distinct and often sharp, laced with dark humor that adds depth to the story. Calla’s relationship with her brothers, Jamie and Dre, is undeniably the heart of the novel. Their bond is raw and complex, balancing love, duty, and resentment in a way that feels deeply authentic.
However, the pacing proved to be a challenge. The first half moves sluggishly, making it difficult to stay fully engaged. I considered putting it down, but the final stretch significantly raised the stakes, bringing much-needed intensity and suspense.
The horror elements are striking, yet at times, they blur the line between psychological tension and outright confusion. Calla’s visions create a surreal, unsettling atmosphere, but they occasionally left me more disoriented than immersed. The cabin setting is effectively eerie, yet as the plot progresses, the story veers into chaotic territory, with certain twists and resolutions feeling less impactful than they could have been.
That said, this is a strong debut with moments of real power, particularly in its exploration of family dynamics and sacrifice. While the slower pacing and occasional narrative inconsistencies kept it from fully landing for me, fans of atmospheric horror and layered character studies may find a lot to appreciate. If you enjoy unsettling, psychological horror with a focus on fractured relationships, Listen to Your Sister is worth a read. 📖✨
Huge thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.