The Sirens
🧜‍♀️ Emilia Hart

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Sirens is a story about motherhood and sisterhood. Told through three separate timelines, we follow the lives of four separate women and how their lives intertwine. Part magical realism, part mystery and party historical fiction, it really has a bit of everything. 

The supernatural elements were subtle but powerful, and the atmosphere was gorgeously haunting throughout. 
I really enjoyed the interwoven family threads and how the mystery unraveled bit by bit. That said, I found myself craving more insight into Jess—her origin especially felt like it needed just a little more exploration. Same with Mary’s pregnancy storyline. I love an ambiguous ending, but I also wanted a few more breadcrumbs.

After loving Weyward, I was curious to see how this boom would measure up —and Sirens didn’t disappoint. It’s sharper and darker, with a gritty tone and an edge to it. The writing and the atmosphere pulls you in fast. Not as layered as Weyward, but still shows Hart’s skill with complex women and quiet power.

This book… was not for me, the characters where impossible to connect to and I found myself constantly wanting to DNf the book all the way through it.

It wasn’t that the writing was bad, it was good I just had a hard time connecting to it and the characters which made it incredibly hard to focus on the story.

Definitely not for me and honestly I don’t feel like I could recommend this book

Thank you Netgalley and st Martin’s press for the arc

Weyward was one of my favorite books from 2023, so I couldn't wait to get to The Sirens! Although I enjoyed it, it wasn't a favorite.

The writing was beautiful and atmospheric, but the story did drag a bit for me at some parts. Pregnancy being a huge part of the storyline wasn't my favorite either (this is just a personal thing, so I didn't lower the rating based on this). The twists were also predictable but satisfying.

Check the content warnings for this book.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5/5 ⭐️

This was my first Emilia Hart novel and although the premise was so intriguing- sisterhood, feminism, mermaids, it just didn’t land for me as one of my favorites. It was simply fine. There are multiple perspectives and multiple time periods, but I found them all to be very similar narrative, style, and tonality from the audiobook narrator, they often did not stand apart. I liked the present day timeline and the magical realism elements. Certain parts had a “Shark Heart” feel to them, which I loved. Overall, it was fine to me, but I just didn’t find myself engaged throughout the story. I think I would have liked it more with more mermaids- there was a lot of build up and I would have liked an earlier reveal with more mermaid details at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s press for the ARC!

I was really excited for this one after I loved the author's debut novel so much. I do not think this one delivered as well as Weyward did. I found the inciting incident at the beginning of the book to not be very strong. It was not very focused at the beginning and I had a hard time following. I felt like I found myself waiting for something to happen. There was a lot of hinting at what could come up, but it never truly landed. I did enjoy reading about two sets of sisters. The concept was very unique.

I love Emilia Hart’s writing! Her novel, Weyward, had me hooked so I was excited to have the opportunity to read another of her books. The Sirens did not disappoint! The cover is as beautiful as the story of the three women who discover their power through pain and loss. One of the most impactful messages in this book is the idea that, while we might not have conceptualized an experience as “trauma” at the time, once we learn and grow, we are able to view it through a new lens. My heart broke for the characters in those moments of realization. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves books that empower women with a splash of magic involved.

I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book but the characters and their story pulled me in and I couldn't put it down.

After a traumatic event at college, Lucy takes off to visit her sister who she hasn't seen in months. When Lucy arrives, she finds Jess's house unlocked, her phone still there, and a neighbor in charge of her cat, but no Jess. Lucy find an old journal of Jess's and as she reads she begins to find details that might point to where Jess has gone. This story is told alongside the story of two sisters in 1800 who have been exiled from Ireland and are being transported on a ship to Australia as convicts. All of these women are called to the water, but also fear it immensely.

This story is unlike any other I have ever read. It's mystery, drama, and magical realism all wrapped up in one beautiful story of family ties and fate. Weyward was my first Emilia Hart book and The Sirens has made her a new must-read author for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of The Sirens.

Interesting, multi-generational magical realism story! Even though the direction of the story was somewhat obvious, it was an interesting tale, and the ending was satisfying.

I never fully connected with the writing though. The writing was good on a technical level, and of a style that I'm sure many enjoy, but I never really found myself lost in the story. I think this was partially due to not connecting with the different perspectives as much- I definitely followed Lucy's chapters better than the others.

Thanks NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this arc

3/5 stars

This was a book about sisters, secrets, and the pull of the sea. I was super excited going into this book, as I love anything to do with mermaids and sirens! Unfortunately I seem to feel the same way many others felt about this book, in that it never truly pulled me into the story and made me invested in the way I was hoping. Now don't get me wrong the writing was beautiful, lyrical, and haunting, its just that the characters felt a bit one dimensional and I couldn't connect with them or get invested into their story, Lucy and Jess in particular. I enjoyed the dream sequences with Mary and Eliza more than Lucy and Jess, which was disappointing as they were so few and far between lol. Overall, this was fine. 🤷🏼‍♀️

The author’s first book, Weyward, was a hit and deservedly so. So I was thrilled to get her second book, The Sirens, on NetGalley. I know when an authors debut is a huge hit that the second book is rarely just as good as their first. This was almost as good as Weyward.

She writes about women very well, our fear of men, hopes for our survival and our futures, and the danger men pose to us especially in the historical parts of the story. Though I guessed one of the big twists way in the beginning of the story I did not guess what was revealed at the very end. I did very much enjoy The Sirens and I will absolutely read her next book. Though this book contains a touch of fantasy that may turn off some readers I think if you enjoy historical fiction you will like this book. As an American I knew Australia started out as a penal colony for Britain but I learned a lot more about how dark that history is with The Sirens.

**Thanks to the author and St Martin’s Press for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**

I was lucky enough to get this book as an ARC copy and it did not disappoint.

First of all, Emilia Hart is exceptional. Having read Weyward, I had high standards for The Sirens, not only were they met but I’m beginning to think that nobody can do magical realism quite like she can. Her descriptions throughout were haunting, beautiful and at times sorrowful. I felt immersed every time I picked this up.

The story follows two different timelines and focuses majorly on the relationships between sisters and women, a rare allergen to water and a local town haunted by the mysterious deaths of local men.

The Sirens was excellent.

The Sirens was the second book by Emilia Hart I've read, and after enjoying Weyward, I was eager to dive in. Plus, the cover is very appealing!

Like Weyward, there is a dual timeline and just a touch of magic. Not too much, as that is not of genre of interest to me. The main part of the story deals with sisters Lucy and Jessica, living in modern day Australia. Woven into their story is the tale of two Irish sisters, Eliza and Mary, who were sent to Australia in a prison boat in the 1700s, and the boat sank within sight of land. All four sisters stories converge in a place called Comar Bay, a remote and haunting place with a haunted past. This is where the boat bearing prisoners crashed two hundred years ago with great loss of life. And this is where men have mysteriously met their end over the past few decades.

Lucy is looking for her missing sister Jessica, and comes to Comar Bay to search for her. She then becomes caught up in the history of the men who have gone missing, and over time she begins to see a common thread. Meanwhile, the story of the sisters who came to Australia on the prison ship begins to haunt her dreams. Each dream reveals a little more of their story.

If you like atmospheric books that paint a vivid picture, and characters haunted by their past, you may enjoy this book, as I did. You must be willing to go with the flow on the magical mysticism of the sirens story. This is not for the one hundred percent literal reader, but for those willing to suspend practicality and believe in a touch of magic.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emilia Hart and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Enchanting, haunting, and dare I say magical story that was full of mystery and suspense. This is a story of women, sisters, mothers, and the things that binds them together as well as resiliency. Also, there is a historical fiction competent that the author weaves in with a shipwreck based on ships from the British back in 1788 that carried convicts from the overburdened prison systems to Australia. The story is told between alternating timelines and POVs between sisters Jess and Lucy as well as Mary, an Irish girl in 1800 placed on ship of convicts with her twin sister Eliza. Lucy flees her university after something terrible happens and goes in search of her sister Jess who she has not seen in over a year. Jess is now living in Comber Bay alone the coast of South Wales, When Lucy arrives, she finds Jess's house abandoned with the door unlocked, no sign of forced entry, and Jess's phone left behind. Lucy begins to search for Jess and discovers her diary which she starts reading to hopefully gain insight as to Jess's whereabouts. However, by reading Jess's diary secrets and mysteries will start to be revealed. This book had great writing and great storying telling.

2.5 stars. Though the premise for this book was clever, the execution just killed me. The narrative is very heavy handed and the result was a plot that lacked any intrigue. I was able to predict the entire plot (including anything considered a twist/turn) by about 15% into my read. Honestly, I should have DNF'd, but I was really hoping that my guesses were wrong and there was something that would blow me out of the water. No such luck.

The writing itself is decent and I did like Hart's first novel, Weyward, so the fact that I struggled so much with liking this one was incredibly disappointing.

After enjoying the author’s debut novel, Weyward, I eagerly anticipated reading The Sirens. However, my experience with this book was a bit mixed, and here’s why.

I chose the audiobook version, which was narrated beautifully by Barrie Kreinik. While her narration was exceptional, I struggled to fully engage with the story. For me, some books connect better when read physically rather than listened to, and this might have been one of those cases for me.

The story is told from three timelines: 1800, 1999, and 2019, each following different characters. I found the 1800 timeline captivating—it was, by far, the most compelling part of the narrative for me. The modern timelines weren’t bad, but they felt repetitive during the first half, which hindered my engagement. Fortunately, they gained momentum later on, reigniting my interest.

There were moments when I contemplated not finishing the book, especially around the halfway mark. However, I’m glad I persevered because the ending was more intriguing than expected, and the finale redeemed the story quite a bit for me. Although I had predicted some elements, the conclusion was satisfying, and the epilogue added significant value.

Despite the issues I noted, if you loved Weyward as much as I did, I’d still recommend giving The Sirens a chance. The book explores profound themes such as family secrets, female resilience, sisterhood, motherhood, and the abuse of power. While the overall narrative didn’t captivate me as much as I hoped, the emotional essence of the story, particularly in its later chapters, made it ultimately worthwhile.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Happy Pub month to The Sirens by Emilia Hart

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the gifted galley of this masterful book!

Haunting, lyrical, and utterly mesmerizing—The Sirens is a wave that pulls you under and doesn’t let go. Emilia Hart masterfully weaves three timelines into a single thread of sisterhood, secrecy, and sea-born magic. From Lucy’s chilling present-day nightmare to Jess’s isolated adolescence, and back to the heart-wrenching voyage of Mary and Eliza in 1800, this novel pulses with atmosphere and mystery.

Hart explores trauma, power, and transformation with the same spellbinding touch she brought to Weyward, but with an even deeper dive into the myths women carry in their blood. The sea is both a cradle and a curse here—and I couldn’t look away.

Perfect for fans of folklore, gothic tension, and stories where women reclaim their voices (literally).
Read if you love: generational magic, oceanic mythology, layered mysteries, and slow-burn emotional unraveling.

The strange watery world of The Sirens is a land of mermaids and siren's songs. The dual timelines, present day Australia, and 1800 Ireland are linked by the memories of sisters and their troubled relationships with the sea.

Emilia Hart paints a vivid description of the convict ships that carried prisoners, often petty criminals, from England and Ireland, to the woman starved shores of colonial Australia. Their legacy extends down to the present day, and in Hart's story, that legacy is powerfully mystical.

The present day story is something of a mystery, and was less compelling for me than the historical story. But both are well written and enjoyable.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for the review copy of The Sirens.

This book is beautifully written, with prose that pulls you in and captivates you much like the siren song itself. From page one, you’re drawn into the story, which switches mainly between Lucy and Mary’s POVs.

The story itself has a mystery at its heart, and just when you think you’ve solved it, new twists and turns emerge. I was truly surprised by some of what unfolded, as Hart lulled me into a false sense of security where one more obvious secret actually hides more beneath its depths.

I appreciated the way this book centers the female experience in all its complications. Lucy is navigating a difficult situation, made worse by the differences between how men and women are treated. Similarly, Mary and Eliza are trapped aboard a ship full of women who have been shipped to a penal colony for seemingly minor crimes, many of which were brought about in self-defense. In this way, we see how things have improved for women between 1800 and 2019, and how they haven’t.

This book ramps up the supernatural elements compared to Weyward. While that book does have a tinge of magic to it, the supernatural notes were more profound – and more mysterious – in The Sirens, which I enjoyed.

Final Thoughts
In all, the story and the language of The Sirens will drag you in, captivating as the song of a siren in legend. I absolutely loved reading this one and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a solid, complicated story about women and life and love.