I had to DNF this book around the 25% mark. There was too much going on and I felt like it lacked focus. I am usually a fan of speculative horror but this one just wasn't working for me.

This was definitely something! Not in a bad way, just in a “what did I just read” way. Did I enjoy it? Maybe? I went into this thinking it was going to be a creepy cabin in the woods story, but it turns out it was none of those things.

Calla, 25 and the oldest of three siblings, is just trying to get her life together, which feels impossible. Especially now that she is the guardian to her youngest brother. Not only is Calla constantly trying to keep both her brothers safe and keep a steady job but she is doing so while battling her own mind-bending nightmares. When Jamie, a young teen trying to make his way, is caught up in a protest that goes very wrong the siblings decide to escape to a secluded cabin while things calm down. But this cabin is anything but peaceful and those creepy dreams Calla has been having are about to get really real.

A lot of heavy subjects were explored in this book, and when I say a lot I mean A LOT. Childhood trauma, parentification of a child, parental drug abuse, death, strained family relationships, reluctant sibling guardianship, gang-like activity, abuse (not depicted) are addressed through out this book. The author did a great job showcasing how each experienced trauma can fracture a person and possibly lead to resentment towards those closest to them.

Listen to Your Sister is straight-up unhinged in the best way—like if Jordan Peele wrote a family drama during a fever dream and then passed it to Stranger Things for edits. I was fully hooked from page one, screaming-laughing and clutching my chest in terror within the same chapter. Neena Viel somehow made sibling dynamics, social justice, and supernatural horror collide into something that feels wildly fresh and painfully real. The vibes? Immaculate. The scares? Creepy and clever. The heart? Absolutely there. I would die for Calla, Jamie, and Dre (and probably would, tbh, because this book does not play). If this is her debut, I cannot WAIT to see what Viel does next.

I’m soo sorry but I had to dnf around 20% I really tried to get into this but I just could not. Maybe it was wrong book wrong time? But I found it too slow and too many perspectives. I just couldn’t get with the writing style again I’m so sorry.

When your family trauma induced nightmares turn into a reality and you must band together with your siblings to outlive them. This book surprised me, it was far more literary than it was horror but I didn't mind that. The story highlights three adult siblings navigating the world as best they can with lingering trauma from their childhood. These characters are all going through it; their situations are raw and gritty but they stick together and protect each other the best they can. Especially the oldest sibling, Calla, who frequently has recurring nightmares in which she cannot protect her brothers from coming to harm while she remains helpless or incapable of coming to their rescue. When the siblings need to skip town for a while to avoid real problems and they find themselves in an old uninhabited cabin in the woods, Calla quickly realizes her nightmares are becoming a reality and that she must do everything to protect her siblings. There are horror elements in the rawness and violence that incurs but in reality this is far more a somber study in family trauma bonds.

I would recommend this but with the caveat that you check trigger warnings; there are some graphic scenes and sensitive subjects present.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for giving me an opportunity to review this; all opinions are my own.

This book was sooo good! And creepy. I could not put it down. And the cover is gorgeous! Thank you netgalley for the chance to read the advanced copy!

This was kind of a strange twist on a horror novel. It was ok but I struggled to finish it and had a hard time really getting interested.

I picked up this book because it said “if you like Jordan Peele’s…” and I love the twists in his film but I really don’t know what to say about this book. If I had to choose one word to describe it I would choose “random”. There’s so much going on that I had to reread certain parts just to understand and follow what was happening. The plot itself is good and the “twist” (if that’s what we are going to call it) was good too. But as a book as a whole I’m going to give it 2 stars. Maybe as a movie this story will hit its mark but I don’t think this book accomplished what it was aiming for.

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately I did not finish this book. I was about 25% in and not connecting with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Griffin for the opportunity to read it.

This speculative horror novel had many things I loved, and other things that made me cringe. Neena Viel is a debut author, and I feel like her writing, and her novels will only get better with time. The weirdness worked, there were parts that truly had me on edge, and the dysfunctional family dynamics were perfection.

Speculative horror is not really my thing but I enjoyed this book and its emotional complexity. I liked the characters (ok maybe not Jaime) but found the story strange and hard to understand at times. It seemed as if the main character had fractured personalities. Overall a good departure from my norm.

This book took me so long to read. As a lover of horror and the eldest sister of two brother, I thought this book would be right up my alley. It was not at all what I was expecting and that was not a good thing. Unfortunately I found the first third of this book boring and drawn out. I just wanted to get to the spooky part. And then when I go there, I had so many retreats. I would’ve probably stopped reading if this hadn’t been an ARC through NetGalley.
Unfortunately, this was just not for me both storyline and writing style.
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s for contacting me for the opportunity to read this novel.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.*

Listen to Your Sister is a speculative horror book following three siblings who find themselves in a fever dream of the same event happening over and over again. Throughout the story, unexplainable events happen that surround Calle and project the fears she has about losing her brothers in horrible ways. The siblings have to come together to try to beat the fever dream by working together before they all die.

This book was wild and confusing at times but was crafted in a way that was also humorous and heart-breaking. Calle, Dre, and Jamie have been through their own hells growing up and realize that even though they can't stand each other most of the time, they are all each other has. This book dives into some hard topics such as racism, generational trauma, substance abuse, child abuse, police brutality, and systematic abuse in marginalized communities. These topics were hard to read about and uncomfortable, but also necessary for the story.

I enjoyed the relationship between Calle, Dre, and Jamie. They all have a strong bond, but they also drive each other crazy. They say things to each other that are hurtful but then realize that they have to work together to save their lives. The horrible experiences that they went through in this story bring them closer together in the end.

If you want a mild, comforting book with a soft, predictable ending, find a different book. I wanted more creepy books this year and Neena Viel delivered! I cannot recommend this one enough. This was a fun, nail biting read for me. It was dark, twisted, there were bits of humor sprinkled in, it was creepy. I would not be surprised if Jordan Peele starts reaching out to turn this into a movie.
Calla, Dre and Jamie were all lovable in their own individual ways. The different POVs kept each chapter fresh. Watching the way nightmares blended into reality and how each person became affected by them was fascinating.
Listen To Your Sister is a perfect blend of horror and dark fantasy. It’s imaginative and unlike anything I have ever read before. I look forward to more from Neena Viel. Thank you St Martins Press & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this phenomenal book!

Neena Viel’s Listen to Your Sister is a haunting and heartfelt story. Calla, the eldest sibling, experiences terrifying prediction dreams. When her brother’s involvement in a protest goes awry, the three siblings seek safety in a remote cabin, but their struggles are far from over.
The story balances supernatural suspense with deep emotions. The relationships between the siblings are complicated, but full of love. Viel keeps things tense and uses humor and tenderness that offset the horror.
This book is chilling and it stayed with me after I finished.

Calla has guardianship of her youngest brother. She is fighting to say above water, the nightmare is making it harder. She keeps dreaming that her 2 brothers are going to be killed & she can't do anything about it. When the youngest's action make them go on the run, they struggle to stay alive.

Unfortunately I had a hard time getting into this book. I had attempted multiple times and it just wasn't the fit for me.

I'll start of by saying this won't be too positive of a review because this book was just not my style. I am not a fan of 'Get Out' type movies, and this is what the vibe was. I had a hard time knowing what was really happening and what was a dream It was a creative take, but it fell flat with me..

Unfortunately, I didn't love this book as much as I thought I would. I actively disliked some of the POVs we got and that really hindered my enjoyment of the book. Unlikable characters are some of my fav POVs to read from but this one in particular was just bad and they were unlikable for no reason. The end of this book was also confusing and I feel like I need to reread it, knowing the end, to completely understand what was happening. There were moments that were actually creepy, though, so it definitely has good atmosphere.

This is a Very boring book. Took me almost a month to read it. And when I finished this book it didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Would not recommend.