Dear Author,

I was captured by this brilliant story. Definitely gave me the creeps. I will endeavor to listen to my sister a little bit more than usual. Thank you for a fun ride!

Warm Regards,

J.D. McCoughtry

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin, for allowing me the privilege of read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the free eARC of this book.

Wow! What a debut! This was one helluva ride! Loved this a lot. There’s a lot going on. It’s extremely chaotic. You can’t tell what’s real and what’s Nightmare. At the heart of this, it’s a horror story, but there’s also tons of family stuff, and a lot of stuff involving current events and civil rights.

This is definitely for you if you enjoy Jordan Peele’s films. There’s a lot of dread in this story. You can read the blurb about the main plot of the book on here. I don’t like to give a lot away in my reviews. I love the thrill of going into a story knowing as little as possible, and just letting the world envelop me. There’s exactly what this book did! Really excited to see what Neena Viel does next!

Initially, when I read the synopsis of this book I was a little concerned that the narrative itself would be overcomplicated. The author just seemed to be dealing with a lot of varying ideas and themes; familial drama, infighting, premonition, psychological horror, mystery. However, the concept was so intriguing, I decided to give it a chance anyway. Thankfully, I was wrong. While Listen to Your Sister is definitely not a straightforward horror-suspense, the elaborate and involved plot only serves to further instill in the reader the same feelings of chaos, confusion, and panic (to a lesser extent) that it imparts on its characters.
To me, this emotional mimesis made the story more engaging, and ultimately more satisfying when the conclusion finally struck. While it doesn’t top my list as one of the most terrifying novels I have read—in actuality I found it fairly tame when compared to books like NOS4A2 by Joe Hill and The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell—it is still unsettling, and certainly relatable if you are an adult who has grown up with siblings.
Though light on scares, I would still recommend this, but more-so as a suspense or a mind-bender than an outright hack-and-slash horror.

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.

This book had alot going on, kept me turning the pages and definitely kept my interest. It was scary good! First I have read from this author but won't be the last. Well wrote and had characters that I felt I knew.

This story was terrifying, fast paced and un-put-downable in the best way. I flew through this one in a few sittings and will definitely purchase a hard copy. Well done!

I like reading books about sibling dynamics, so when I read the synopsis for this horror book I was very intrigued. I'm the same age as Calla and I can't imagine being the guardian of two younger siblings. Unfortunately, this was not for me. The beginning started out strong and I liked getting to know Jamie and Dre's personalities. However, as the story went on it got really slow paced and I found it hard to stay interested. I'm not a fan of books that take place in dream sequences as it can get convoluted. I see what this book was trying to do as it has themes of racism, grief, poverty, childhood trauma, strained family relationships, among other things.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin publishing for the e-arc.

Have you ever wanted to read a book that speared you with the entire range of emotions, dragged you through a fever dream, and wrung you of all your laughs and tears simultaneously? Well, have I got the book for you. I feel like I should preface this review with the fact that this book didn't necessarily feel like a book for me (as a white woman.) It told a story that I can only watch as a third party, removed from true strifes. The entirety of this story isn't focused on the struggles of race, but it is molded to fit those struggles.

Like the synopsis said, it really did have a feel like Jordan Peele's movies. The first portion didn't have as much humor, in my opinion, it was more of laying the ground work to the struggles Calla faced with raising Jamie in particular. You got to see the challenges, and the fear, and the very act of trying. It helps to build up the horror because you can put yourself into the role of knowing that there is terrible things that are happening and will happen and you can't do anything to stop it.

I don't want to spoil anything. Honestly, half the time I didn't know what was going on because the book really did like a fever dream in parts. It embodied Calla's Nightmare. The amount of times that I was viscerally scared or disturbed were countless. Each of the Williams siblings was uniquely written and they truly came alive on the page. You can't help but empathize with them throughout the story. I sobbed through their traumas with them. I laughed with them at the ribbing that only siblings can do. My heart broke with them as they faced the hurts they placed upon each other.

I cannot express enough how wondering Listen to Your Sister was written. Neena Viel being a debut author was honestly shocking. This is the kind of novel that reads like a practiced veteran author. I am truly excited to see what the future holds for this author.

Thank you to St Martin Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm not sure what I just read, part horror, part family drama but i couldn't stop reading it. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Listen to Your Sister is about Calla and her siblings. After taking in her troubled little brother Calla is struggling to make it. Jamie is always in trouble. Dre is always too busy to help Calla with Jamie. Calla struggles with nightmares about the night their dad died. She only really has it when the boys are in trouble and that is how she knows they are in trouble. After some events the boys have gone through the siblings go to a cabin for a break and to figure out what to do about the situations. But while there Calla becomes fed up with the boys and sends them to her nightmare to see what she goes through.

I honestly didn't care for the book much. I think that it was just really out there for me. I feel like Calla kind of had major daddy issues. I understand that she was basically not dealing with any of her past traumas. But the idea of her being able to project herself somewhere to save her brothers and then trapping them in her nightmare while still awake. I could not wait for the book to end.

I think I am going to land on 3.5 for this one. I enjoyed it, I think. I found the first 25% to be a little hard to get into. Once the characters get to the cabin, I was much more invested in the story. I enjoyed the premise of this one, but I was not ready for how weird this book got. As someone who loves weird books, I think I may need to wait a little and then reread this. After this first read though, I can't even tell you what happened. I was very confused for a lot of this book. I still kind of enjoyed the experience though.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC.

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...⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Neena Viel’s debut novel, Listen to Your Sister, is an emotional and suspenseful journey that masterfully blends family drama, and reality-bending horror. Marketed as a must-read for fans of Stranger Things, it lives up to the hype, evoking the same mix of nostalgia, supernatural intrigue, and deeply personal stakes. It also carries echoes of the Fear Street movie series and Stephen King’s psychological intensity, making it a standout in its genre.

The story revolves around the Williams siblings—Calla, Jamie, and Dre—who are bound together by love, loss, and a fair share of frustration. Calla, at twenty-five, struggles under the weight of being the responsible one, forced to grow up quickly as she raises sixteen-year-old Jamie after their parents’ absence. Jamie’s blend of idealism and recklessness adds layers of unpredictability, while Dre’s middle-child detachment complicates the already fragile dynamics. Viel’s decision to alternate perspectives between the siblings is a triumph; each voice is distinct and authentic, making the characters feel vividly real as they navigate both their shared memories and their starkly different outlooks.

The blend of psychological tension and supernatural elements keeps readers on edge, while the siblings’ bond grounds the chaos in genuine emotion.

As Viel’s first novel, Listen to Your Sister is an impressive debut. Her writing is both relatable and evocative, weaving together suspense and heartfelt moments seamlessly. The themes of sacrifice, sibling loyalty, and the weight of responsibility resonated deeply with me as an older sibling.

I highly recommend Listen to Your Sister to readers looking for a story that’s as heartfelt as it is haunting. With its compelling characters, rich atmosphere, and skillful narrative, this book cements Neena Viel as a promising new voice in horror. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Equal parts horror and family drama, this is a delightfully strange and creepy story about trauma--inflicted by self, society, and family--and recovery. It's original and authentic in how it portrays comingled love and hate between siblings. Definitely worth the read!

It is not a "cabin in the woods" book, despite the cover description. Frankly, I'm not sure how to describe this book without relying on that bit of misdirection, since it's a trope that horror fans can understand. There's magical realism and uncanniness to this story that are better experienced than described.

Listen to Your Sister was more unnerving than terrifying. It was also funny, provocative, and ultimately heart-mending. I am so glad I picked this book up! If you are in the mood for a fever dream of a story, this is the one for you.

3.75/5 stars

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.

Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel is a speculative horror novel that follows the Williams’ siblings: CeeCee, Dre, and Jamie. When CeeCee agreed to take guardianship of her youngest brother Jamie, she never dreamed it would be so difficult. Jamie never listens. He spends his time doing drugs, skipping school, and hanging with a rough crowd. CeeCee continuously puts her life on hold to bail him out of trouble. But when she tries to help, he never listens. Though her middle brother, Dre, promised he would help raise Jamie when the court took him away from their mother, he’s never around. He finds his life is more peaceful when he doesn’t answer CeeCee’s calls. And when he does answer, he never listens. Still CeeCee spreads herself thin trying to make sure they’re okay.

So when Dre and Jamie suddenly find themselves in worse trouble than anyone could ever imagine, of course CeeCee is going to step in. Of course CeeCee is going to borrow her boyfriend’s Prius to get them out of town. Of course CeeCee is going to find a creepy cabin in the middle of nowhere to hide them from their new visitors. Of course CeeCee is going to do whatever it takes to protect her brothers. But then trouble finds them anyway…in the form of a nightmare CeeCee has had for years. Can CeeCee continue to protect her ungrateful brothers? Especially when the biggest threat might just come from inside her mind?

I will say that the concept of this book was mind blowing. While reading the chapters leading up to when the siblings find themselves in the cabin in the woods, I had no idea the turn the story was going to take. This book does a great job exploring the lengths the eldest sister will go to in order to protect their siblings. And why is it that the eldest sister is responsible for everyone else’s happiness? For everyone else’s safety? The book also explores how this need to be right or be the protector may just cause someone to become their own worst enemy.

However I thought the actually story was too drawn out. It took me way too long to read this, because I was just getting bored. Each action sequence and subsequent dialogue about what just happened felt repetitive. I also had a hard time following many of the sequences just because the descriptions of the horrors the characters are facing was so flowery. It almost felt as if the author was going way out for gory horror (which a lot of times she hit on the head as far as shock factor goes), but it was just a lot and took away from some of the premise of the book, in my opinion.

I still enjoyed the concept behind the book, especially the conversations around race and family and would recommend this one for fans of gory imagery and shocking twists.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel releases on February 4, 2025.

3.5 ⭐️ downgraded to a 3 ⭐️. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader copy.

LISTEN TO YOUR SISTER is the debut novel from Viel, which deftly mixes mystery/thriller and horror. The story centers around Calla, her brother Dre and her teenaged brother Jamie, whom she has custody of. Calla is doing her best to keep her brothers safe but is plagued by recurring nightmares that something awful- and often violent and gory- is going to happen to them. When Jamie attends a protest and gets himself in major trouble, the siblings escape to a cabin in the woods but things only escalate from there.

The dynamics between Calla and her siblings is central, and as an older child I related to the role Calla played and in the invisible emotional burden that Calla carries on her shoulders. At times they were humorous and affectionate and their dynamics were relatable. However, it was hard to swallow the unfair way her brothers treated her as Dre and James were wilfully obstinate and ungrateful and seemingly unaware of all that Calla was doing to care for them.

While I was impressed by the writing and intrigued by the concept, I felt a little lost by the plot and the pacing- at times it was a slow burn and at others it was chaotic and overwhelming. I did like the mix of humour and surreal horror as this is a combination you don't often see. The body horror was done well too. I am sure that there are people who will enjoy this one so perhaps I wasn't the right audience for this novel but it just didn't work for me.

*Listen to Your Sister* by Neena Viel is a wild ride that blends horror, family drama, and supernatural terror, with a gripping story that keeps you on edge. Calla Williams, a 25-year-old guardian, struggles to protect her teenage brothers from their own self-destructive paths while battling nightmares that become all too real. The sibling dynamic is raw and authentic, filled with moments of humor and tension, while the horrors they face twist in ways you won’t see coming. The book weaves supernatural dread with deep emotional stakes, exploring family bonds, survival, and the monsters within and without. With its fresh, fearless approach to horror, this debut is a must-read, offering a chilling yet heartfelt experience that would make for a terrifying film adaptation.

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.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC! *Listen to Your Sister* by Neena Viel is a heartfelt exploration of family dynamics, love, and self-discovery. The characters are richly developed, with relationships that feel authentic and deeply relatable. Viel’s writing strikes a perfect balance between humor and emotional depth, keeping readers engaged throughout. This book is a compelling reminder of the importance of listening, understanding, and finding your voice within the complexities of family life.