Rounded up from 3.75 ⭐️'s

Emilia Hart's writing is phenomenal, and I love the way she anchors her plots in a historical event. Because of this, I am trying to be as objective as possible in my review of this book.

The Sirens follows three timelines, representing three generations of women - just like in Emilia Hart's first book, Weyward.

The plot incorporates folklore/mystical characters as a representation of female persecution and misogyny over centuries - just like Weyward.

Do you see where I am going with this critique?

It felt like the author was following a formula, which made The Sirens predictable and somewhat lackluster. There were so many similarities that I would suggest reading either/or not both. If you like witches, read Weyward, and if you like mermaids, read The Sirens.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

The Sirens has been one of my most anticipated reads of 2025. I am so grateful have received an eARC of this book. If you enjoyed Weyward or you like emotional, sweeping, magical, multi-generational stories, you will enjoy The Sirens. The epilogue absolutely got me and I am not often surprised by book endings. Lucy and Jess are both complicated characters and I really loved the way that events of 1999 and 2019 were revealed gradually over time. While I appreciated the 1800s storyline for Mary and Eliza, it was not an intrical part of the story for me. I love historical context, but their POV did not enhance my reading experience. However, I didn't know anything about female prisoners sent to New South Wales before reading this book.

Review to be shared on 3/21/25 on Instagram @anythingnovelgoes

The Sirens was so good! I loved Weyward so I had high expectations which this book exceeded. It had bounds of sisterhood, a love of water, moody vibes, and intrigue (to keep me hooked)!

We focus on two separate sets of sisters. Lucy & Jess and Mary & Eliza.

After Lucy wakes up with her hands around her ex's throat, she runs away to her sister's house. When she arrives at her cliffside house, she can't find Jess anywhere, but she does find a number of mysteries. Jess is gone, but her phone & car are there, plus her front door is unlocked. Inside the house, she finds Jess's paintings which capture the two sisters who haunt Lucy's dreams, Mary & Eliza.

Almost two hundred years before Lucy, two sisters are forced to travel to Australia on a convict ship. While the holding area where the women are kept is horrendous, the sisters have greater fears- what awaits them in Australia and the water surrounding them. In Australia, they'll either be sold as a wife or a mistress. And, they were taught to fear the water from a young age by their father after their mother drowned. Yet, as their bodies begin to change in the darkness at the bottom of the ship, they find themselves being called to the sea.

There were many twists, one of which completely surprised me, and each of the different plotlines were totally gripping. I enjoyed learning a little bit about the history of these horrible convict ships- it encouraged me to do additional research. I had a slight issue with the epilogue, but otherwise, I found this book to be perfect!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of The Sirens! I loved Weyward by Emilia Hart a couple of years ago so I was excited to check this one out. I'm a sucker for multiple timelines and loved how the mysteries in this one revealed themselves through the different storylines. The balance between the timelines occasionally felt a bit off - I found myself hoping for more of Mary and Eliza throughout the book - but the mix of plots worked well for the most part. I also expected it to be more fantasy-heavy, but as I got into the story the fact that it often just hinted at the supernatural rather than leaning all the way into fantasy actually seemed to work well too. I'm still mulling over what I think of the ending - I think I wanted a bit more detail there as well. But just as in Weyward, Emilia Hart's writing is so descriptive and immersive and beautiful that even with my complicated thoughts on the ending, I still loved this book. Overall I really enjoyed this one and am excited to read whatever she writes next!

This book starts out a little slow but the mystery of the sea really takes root and gets faster paced in the second half of the book. Interesting characters and the back and forth of the narrator’s who span different centuries is really interesting. Some mature themes present. I loved the sisterhood and female friendships spanning different time periods and circumstances. 3.75 stars!

Set against the backdrop of Australia and spanning multiple POVs across two centuries, The Sirens is a mesmerizing blend of fantasy and feminist storytelling filled with melancholy, magic, and the enduring strength of women. Following four women whose lives are interconnected, the novel explores themes of resilience, mystery, and the unbreakable tether of the sea.

Emilia’s prose is absolutely stunning. From the very first page, I was hooked, drawn in by the writing and the layers of myth and lore. The blend of magical realism and historical fiction creates an eerie yet captivating story.

While I enjoyed the womens’ journeys and mysteries, I found myself with more questions than answers by the end. And that epilogue… I might be the only one who feels this way, but I almost wish that portion of the story would have remained a mystery. I would have much rather seen a glimpse into the future rather than that particular flashback.

Still, the premise was unique and interesting and the writing kept me engaged. If you’re drawn to magical realism interwoven with history, myth, and the unshakable bonds between women, The Sirens is a must-read when it releases on April 1st!

And finally - thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I enjoyed this book.. I liked the duo timeline and the strong female characters.. As always though I enjoyed the historical timeline better than the modern.

Pub date: 4/1/25

*no spoilers*

If you liked Weyward, you’ll definitely need to add this one to your tbr!

This is such an amazing story about strong women taking care of each other in a world where men all too often take what they want.

The story is told through multiple timelines with the addition of dreams and journal entries to allow things to slowly unfold throughout the book.
I’m not sure what genre this technically falls under, but it felt like a mix of historical fiction, women’s lit, and mystery….mixed with a little magical realism.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

The Sirens was one of my most anticipated reads this year. Told through 3 different timelines, part mythical, part historical fiction, part mystery novel with twists that I didn’t expect. Like Weyward, there was a strong focus on bonds between women and rising up against abuse. Emilia Hart’s writing is beautiful, dark, and haunting. I’m excited to see what she tackles next.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press for the ARC!

I was so looking forward to this as Weyward is one of my favorite books but I felt this one was a slower paced read for me that didn't grab me as much. Emilia Hart's story telling is still beautiful but having multiple povs centuries apart was a bit confusing at times.

Many thanks to Netgally for the ARC.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its sense of place. Hart’s descriptions of the Australian coastline are vivid and atmospheric, making the ocean feel like a living, breathing character. The contemporary storyline follows Lucy, a woman searching for her missing sister while grappling with eerie local legends and unsettling dreams. The historical narrative, following Mary and Eliza on their convict ship journey, is equally gripping, offering a heartbreaking yet powerful depiction of survival and transformation.

While the novel is rich in atmosphere and beautifully written, i did find the pacing slow in places, particularly in the modern sections. However, the payoff is worth it, as Hart masterfully ties both narratives together in a way that feels both inevitable and deeply satisfying.

3.5 stars. Weyward by Emilia Hart was one of my favorite reads in 2025 so The Sirens was an instant-request for me and I was very much looking forward to it. I struggled with the audiobook so I switched to a digital copy and didn't find much improvement. I didn't find anything necessarily *wrong* with this book; I just found that I was less invested and definitely not engrossed as I was with Weyward. Hart has a wonderful way with prose and depicting real-life human struggles. I think many will fall in love with this book, but it just ultimately fell into the "just okay" category for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy. The Sirens hits shelves on April 1, 2025.

Having read and enjoyed Emilia Hart’s “Weyward” I was looking forward to reading her new one, entitled “The Sirens.” The book is set primarily in three eras – 1800, 1999, and 2019. It is told through the viewpoints of Lucy (2019), her sister, Jess (1999), and Mary (1800).

In 2019, Lucy awakens one morning to find her hands around the throat of her ex-lover at school/university. Knowing there will be consequences for what she’s done, but not wanting to face them quite yet, she drives to her older sister, Jess’s home on the Australian coast. When she arrives, her sister is not around.

While Lucy waits for her return, she stumbles across Jess’s diary that is set in 1999. She also begins researching the disappearances of numerous men over the years in her sister’s town, along with the rumors of what happened to them.

As the book continues, it becomes clear that both Lucy and Jess have been dreaming about twin sisters from 1800, named Mary and Eliza. The two sisters were forced on a convict ship bound for Australia from Ireland.

Overall, this book didn’t quite work for me. I enjoyed the writing style, and answers were given, but the ending fell apart for me. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

(Actual: 2.75⭐, rounded up) Unfortunately, while I DID finish this book.... it just wasn't for me. I enjoyed the author's previous work, WEYWARD, but ultimately had a very difficult time getting into this one despite it's interesting premise. I just couldn't connect with any of the characters at all, and further had issues with some of the content and questionable relationships this book promoted. While this book wasn't for me, I'm sure it will still find its audience amongst others, so I also do not plan on discounting Hart as an author just yet. I still greatly appreciate this opportunity and am willing to give whatever work Hart comes out with next a shot!

This was my first “I couldn’t put this down” book that I read this year! I was so invested right away with this enchanting story about two young women in Australia and also a mysterious shipwreck of prisoners over 100 years before. I recommend this for a perfect beach read! I read it in the winter and I can still feel the sea spray just thinking about the insatiable excitement this heart pounding mystery made me feel!
Thank you so much to the publishers for giving me a galley in exchange for my honest review. It has in no way affected my opinion.

I had such a hard time getting into this one. I heard so many great things about Weyward that i was ACHING to dive into this one before everyone else got to. Alas, i was disappointed. The plot felt non-existent, and was dragged out for quite literally eternity. The two paralell stories running at the same time in different POV's were extremely confusing and not well done in my opinion. Most of the time i was just fighting for my life to make sense of what was going on. I felt zero connection to any of the characters and overall this book was just not for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sirens by Emilia Hart

When I read Weyward in 2023, I knew I would read whatever Emilia Hart did next, and I requested this ARC as soon as possible, and then I waited to read it because Mood Reader. I was still excited for it, but I was waiting for the right time.

The thing is that this book was really hard to get into. It starts slow and without a lot of dialogue. Most of the book is without dialogue until the second half. So, we’re just being pulled along through the lives of these characters. And I didn’t hate the writing, I actually really like the way Emilia Hart writes, but once I noticed the lack of dialogue I was focused in on it.

This book also is topic heavy with women’s wrongs being a focus. As in wrongs done to women and how they have to survive. However, the ending does make up for some of that, and it did make it worth it. Really, I liked the second half of the book a lot. Although, I might have been partially influenced by the book I finished before this and how women were portrayed in it.

I also feel very bad for the mother of the sisters in this book. She got a lot of hate and other things I cannot say, and I do t think she ever did anything wrong. So, the last chapter is very much I am trying to ignore it.

I liked learning a little about this time of history and people being sent away. I had to go look at a map because I was thinking it was a straighter shot from England down to Australia. No. It absolutely is not. The women in this book and who they represent were so brave for going through this.

Has anyone ever done the CAWPILE rating system? I did it with this one after I decided four stars, and it matched up with a low 4 stars, and that’s about how I feel on this book.

This published April 1st and I think will be good for historical fiction and magical realism people. As well as those fans of women led stories.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC!

As an avid reader who also loves the ocean with a deep and abiding love, I knew that The Sirens would move to the top of my TBR pile. It did not disappoint. It’s clear that Emilia Hart did her homework in researching for this story and she painted a compelling (and often eery) picture of Comber’s Bay. I appreciated the strong theme of female empowerment and friendships/relationships throughout the entire story. I wish the final chapter had answered a few of the lingering questions I have, but that’s just my personal preference. Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am one of the few who have not yet read Wayward but I have heard wonderful things, so when I heard there was another book by this author I immediately wanted to read it. What an interesting read! I really enjoyed the author’s way of weaving stories of the Mer people with the lives of two sisters in modern times. It started just a little slow, setting the tone of the story, but pieces slowly slipped into place and I was not able to put it down after the halfway point.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the digital ARC,

I really enjoyed this book. Emilia Hart knows how to write strong and complicated characters and vivid imagery. I have no problems imagining the scenes playing out before me, even when they are set in a time and place that I’ve never been. I absolutely love that about her story telling.

There are multiple timelines and POV’s going on in this book and I liked all of them equally, which is a big plus for me. I think my only real complaint with this one was the pacing did seem off at times, there were moments during Lucy’s POV that felt like they dragged a bit in the beginning. Somewhere around the half way mark things picked up and I ended up zooming through it.

🎧Barrie Kreinik did a great job narrating this story. She transitions beautifully between characters and really captured each character perfectly. I could honestly listen to her talk all day!

Read if you like:
💬Multiple POV
⏳Multiple timelines
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒Family drama
✨Magical realism
💪🏼Strong women