The year is 1800: Twin sisters Mary and Eliza have been wrenched from their father's care in Ireland and sent on a voyage to Australia across the ocean they've come to fear more than anything after their mother's tragic death.

The year is 1999: Jess is an isolated teenager with a bafflingly-rare allergy to water. She finds little connection in the world around her until a most unexpected encounter with an art teacher opens her world to the possibility of more.

The year is 2019: Lucy has just awoken from a sleepwalking spell that nearly drove her to kill someone. She flees in terror to her sister Jess's small town only to find that she's vanished. And with Jess's disappearances, stories that resemble folklore more than anything begin to emerge about the sea and its sirens.

"Sirens" bears a lovely likeness to Hart's novel "Weyward" in its multi-layered timeline and strong theme of sisterhood. On description alone, I thought I would love "Sirens" even more than its predecessor and held high hopes for its atmosphere and plot; unfortunately, something about this book felt detached and never fully pulled me in. Whereas "Weyward" marches forward with a suspenseful storyline that wove its separate timelines together beautifully, "Sirens" felt as though it had no real, substantial plot for about 75% of the book, and I found myself slugging through the end out of obligation more than anything.

Undoubtedly a beautiful premise and a promising foundation, "Sirens" fell short due to its meandering non-story line that simply took up far too many of its pages.

I enjoy Emilia Hart’s writing. She’s thorough in her research and blends it fluidly into stories that dip a toe into the fantastical. I especially love how her books play with multiple timelines and POVs, and how everything weaves together.
That being said, The Sirens was a slow read for me. It took a couple of tries to get through the early chapters, and even then, I wasn’t racing back to it—at least not until I finished Part One. After that, I was hooked. Something shifted, and I was now more than curious enough to want to know how it would all come together. As if the sirens themselves were luring me back to the pages.
The characters are likable, and I enjoyed the moody, small seaside town of Combers’ Bay—it gave the story an eerie, salt-tinged charm.
I’d recommend this book in a heartbeat. It’s not a lightning-paced read, but it is worth the journey. If you’re in the mood for something that’s part myth, part mystery, and full of quiet, powerful women—The Sirens might just be calling for you.

I loved this book. The multiple timelines and all the women's perspectives really added to all the magic and mystery. I loved how all the women's stories came together and all the sisterhood. This was such a lovely book. Will definitely read this author again.

Mermaid lore, history, and strange disappearances, I was intrigued.

The Sirens by Amelia Hart
3.75⭐️
Out April 1st

I’m going to preface this one by saying if you have read Weyward you may want to temper your expectations with this one. I’m seeing a lot of people who read Weyward that were disappointed in this. I haven’t read that one and I found this quite interesting.

This is out of my norm but I enjoyed the audio on this one. It does tell the story from different timelines and I did find the present timeline much more interesting than the one in the past. There was one plot point that was very obvious so I was a little grumpy in the beginning thinking I had the whole book figured out but there were still surprises to keep my interest

Thanks to @macmillan.audio for this #gifted ALC. All opinions are my own.

This author is so good at weaving stories of feminine power. I loved seeing the themes of reclamation throughout all of the POVs!

Sisterhood. Motherhood. Womanhood. So many of my favorite books explore all the facets of these things and this one did not disappoint. Atmospheric and moody and filled with a slow burn tension, The Sirens follows several women separated by time and distance but deeply and irrevocably connected in ways unbroken by mere circumstance. While slow and lulling at times, I loved the journey this story took me on, especially as aspects of the mystery I could tell was brewing started to unfold. Emilia Hart writes in a way that never leaves me disappointed and if this and Weyward are any indication, I believe she will have several more phenomenal stories to share.

Multiple timelines that tie up in the end with a nice bow. It took me a while to get into this one but once I was hooked (like a fish? 👀) I couldn’t stop. While there were a couple of parts that fell flat for me, overall this was a solid 3.5.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Emilia Hart does it again!
As a huge fan of Weyward, I was hoping for a similar reading experience with The Sirens—and I was not disappointed. I loved the shifting time periods, the strong thread of feminism, and the magical elements woven throughout the story. Sisterhood was a major theme, and it was powerful to see those bonds echoed across generations.

The pacing lagged a bit in a few places, and the twist was somewhat predictable, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. I loved this book nonetheless.

i enjoyed weyward sooo much and was anticipating this release, and it definitely didn’t let me down.
it took me a little to get into the story and feel connected to the characters but once it happened, it was so easy to follow along and root for our fmc’s. i loved the timelines, as it allowed for us to get to know the characters in a different way. the setting was sooo atmospheric and i felt like i was at comber bay too, it is one of my favorite parts. i enjoyed the exploration of sisterhood, motherhood and overall womanhood. i would recommend this to anyone who loves magical elements, who loves reading about women, and who wants a unique read.

This is a beautifully written and moody story of generations of women who are connected to the sea in unusual ways. If you have read Hart's other novel Weyward , you will find the same general story line, women who have an unusual ability that allows them to take revenge on men who have wronged them. If you haven't read Weyward, I would just read that one instead of this one. But really, it just depends on whether you like mermaids or witches.

Hart does such a wonderful job of writing scene and emotion that you almost don't realize that the characters aren't very approachable and the story is kind of shallow.

Our main character, Lucy, awakens in the middle of sleep walking and finding herself strangling the man who shared her intimate pictures online. She runs away to the house where her sister lives on the coast. When she gets there, her sister has disappeared and no one really seems to know or care where she has gone. Then a whole lot of confusing things happen while Lucy just waits for her sister to return. We also learn that there is something weird about Lucy's skin that has to do with water, but its pretty convoluted.

Overall, it just kind of leaves you feeling confused and sad for all of the characters.

This was the second Emilia hart book I have read. She is phenomenal at painting a picture and making the reader feel like they are THERE. I have been to many of the locations in this book and felt like I was transported right back there with every page. I loved the dual intertwined timelines and the connections between past and present. There were some parts that I felt like were a little slow and I had to push to get through, but overall, I was riveted.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I really enjoyed Weyward so was excited to dive into The Sirens. This story follows the bonds of sisterhood over time and the magic and mystery of the sea. As an ocean-lover myself, I loved the exploration of this wonderful world. The book itself wasn't for me. A bit drawn out and didn't really grip me the way I thought it would.

Thank you to Emilia Hart, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I tried diving into this book, but it just didn't click for me. I ended up putting it down around the 30% mark. The story concept was intriguing, and I genuinely enjoyed the author's writing style—so descriptive without being overly complicated! I ended up giving it 3 stars based on what I read.
What I struggled with was the pacing and really connecting with the characters and the story itself. I think the slower pace might have been the reason for that disconnect; it felt like it dragged a bit more than I prefer.

While this wasn't for me, I do believe others would enjoy this.

** As I DNF this and feel it may be due to readers preference, I will not be rating this anywhere as I don't feel its fair to the book itself.

I absolutely loved The Sirens. While it was a bit of a slow start, once I got into the plot I was completely consumed. Emilia Hart has combined so many genres to make this story -- magical realism, historical fiction, family drama, mystery/suspense -- and she writes them all beautifully. Told in the story of two sets of sisters, one in 2019 and one in 1801, The Sirens explores what it means to be family and what it means to be human. The descriptive writing is so lush and vibrant, and you can feel the emotions of the characters popping right off of the page. This is one of those books that I will recommend endlessly in years to come, as it has something for everyone. Also, THAT EPILOGUE!! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my eARC copy of The Sirens!

I loved this author's first book, so I was excited to read The Sirens. Told in a dual timeline, the story is about sisters, mystical sea creatures, and plenty of secrets to be discovered. While I enjoyed the book, I found the ending a little drawn out. Thanks to the author Emilia Hart, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This book put me under a spell and I couldn’t put it down! Emilia Hart has done it again folks! Blending in more elements of magical realism this time, The Sirens is a powerful historical fantasy that illustrates the strength of a few brave women and the healing power of sisterhood and nature. And like her previous novel Weyward, Hart tells the story in a moving way that never feels preachy or corny.

Told in two POVs separated by centuries, The Sirens tells the story of two pairs of sisters. One, a pair of twins sentenced to exile aboard a prisoner ship bound for Australia at the turn of the nineteenth century. The second, two sisters in modern-day Australia. One sister is struggling with sleep-walking and vivid dreams, the other has mysteriously disappeared…just like many other men have disappeared within the past few decades. Secrets from the past and present fuel the search for the missing sister.

One of the elements that pulled me into this book was the writing. Rich with imagery, I felt transported to the Australian coast. I could smell the sea and hear the waves. But I also felt the love and longing between the two sisters in the modern timeline. The twists were unexpected and hit their emotional mark with the great character development that built up. The historical timeline was haunting and I was addicted to the story of these two sisters. I wanted more and more from this story.

In fact, that’s really my only complaint: I wanted just a little bit more from Mary and Eliza’s story. I was enraptured with their harrowing story of the journey from Ireland to Australia and the ending just felt so abrupt for them. I feel like I needed just a few more chapters with them to really push the story home for me and connect it further with the modern storyline.

Bottom line: historical fiction and fantasy fans will rejoice with this captivating story. I dare you to resist the call to pick this one up: 4/5 because I just wanted a little bit more from the ending. But still an incredible story.

Immense gratitude and thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart, this was a new author for me. Sadly for me I just never got into this book. I considered not finishing but I hate doing that, especially after received and ARC of it from NetGalley. For me the story line was just too far fetched to even enjoy. Having said that I do still recommend to others because I know not everyone enjoys same books.

I am leaving my review voluntarily.

This book was atmospheric, moody, eerie, and absolutely mesmerizing. It alternates between the stories Mary and Eliza, who were captives aboard a convict ship sailing to Australia in the 1800s, and Lucy and Jess, sisters who live in current day Australia and are grappling with nightmares, sleepwalking, and unsolved disappearances in their small coastal town. This book is filled with magical realism, lyrical prose, and the unbreakable bonds between sisters. It’s gripping, filled with twists, and will hold your attention until the very end. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced listener’s copy as well as an advanced reader’s copy, and the audio is absolutely fantastic!!! Barrie Kreinik does a beautiful job with the narration. She’s able to do multiple different accents, and she uses them to switch between characters and it truly brought each character to life. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and hope to read more from Emilia Hart.
🌊
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌊
Read if you like:
▫️female rage
▫️sisterhood
▫️magic of the sea
▫️historical mystery
▫️dual timeline
▫️multi POV
🌊
Thank you to St Martins Press, Macmillan Audio, Emilia Hart, and NetGalley for the ALC and ARC. I received advanced copies for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was thrown off from the beginning with Lucy waking up from sleepwalking to find she is strangling a guy she slept with. Rather than staying to sort it out. She then runs off campus and begins to drive to her sisters in the middle of no where. It's weird that there wasn't an explanation or story leading up to the sleepwalking. It was so startling. Once she gets to her sisters house, it sounds like a miserable location and so much rambling around searching. It was weird to me that she never tries to clear her name and just lets all this stuff happen at the college because she won't speak up or answer calls. This did come from multiple time period perspectives but they all sounded the same. It was sooo monotonous and really boring and hard to see where this would take the story. Then the ending felt so outside of what the story leading up to the book was. I actually went back and read the end again because I felt as if I was reading a totally different book.
I would not have finished this book if it wasn't an advanced reader copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart
Narrator: Barrie Kreinik
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 4/1

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

This is a mesmerizing story about sisterhood and the incredible strength of women across time. It blends magical realism with rich Irish folklore in a way that’s both haunting and empowering.

The story starts with Lucy waking up in the middle of the night, her hands around her ex-boyfriend’s throat. Freaked out, she runs to her sister Jess’s house in coastal New South Wales, only to find her missing. As she tries to figure out what happened, she stumbles upon eerie rumors about the town—stories of disappearing men, voices on the waves, and a baby abandoned in a cave. To make things even weirder, her dreams start merging with reality, pulling her toward the past.

Meanwhile, in 1800, Mary and Eliza are ripped from their home in Ireland and thrown onto a convict ship to Australia. As they sail farther from everything they know, something strange starts happening to them, hinting at a deep connection to the sea.

As their stories unfold, past and present collide unexpectedly, revealing a shared trait that ties them all together.

Hart puts a fresh, feminist spin on siren mythology. Instead of being deadly temptresses, the sirens—or Merrow—are protectors of women, using their song for justice. This twist makes the story feel fresh and powerful, driving home themes of resilience and reclaiming power.

While The Sirens is beautifully written, the back-and-forth between timelines and perspectives can slow things down a bit, and some character moments don’t hit as hard as they could.

I loved the narrator, Barrie Kreinik. She did an amazing job with the different accents and brought all of the characters to life. Her narration and singing were beautiful and really added to the atmosphere that the story was going for.

Overall, this is an unforgettable journey through time and myth. If you loved Hart’s last book or enjoy authors like Kristin Hannah, this one’s definitely worth the read.