I have to say—this was pretty good! What stood out most to me was the writing itself. Hart has a beautiful, almost poetic way with words. Her prose flows so effortlessly that even the most familiar story beats feel refreshed under her pen.

Now, I wouldn’t say the storyline was groundbreaking—it’s a tale that’s definitely been done before. But the fusion of historical elements, like the female prisonships bound for New South Wales, with touches of mermaid folklore? That was a creative and compelling twist. I especially appreciated how she wove the mythology in without making it feel over-the-top.

Overall, while the plot didn’t knock me off my feet, the craftsmanship of the writing made it a really enjoyable read. It wasn’t super deep or emotionally devastating, but it was solid, evocative, and well put together.

While this title starts with a bang, I felt it didn't maintain the momentum. I liked Weyward but didn't love being in the dark for most of this book. The journal entries read like a novel, and not like a person writing about their life. I struggled to stay engaged.

Dual timelines follow sisters Jess and Lucy (present day-ish) and Mary and Eliza (1800), set in Australia. Magical realism happens with the water.

At first I wasn’t sure if I liked the dual timelines. I wanted a cleaner way to explain the magical realism piece. I did like the imagery of the rocks and caves, though. I also liked what was done for love: the love of a wife, the love of a mother, the love of a sister.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. If you liked Hart’s Weyward, you will like this.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced reader’s copy.

Two sisters unveil the secrets of a little beach town in New South Wales. I really liked this book's narrative style. The plot twists kept things interesting. My only only small complain is the ending and the "big reveal", but the rest of the story is pretty great, so in my mind I'll plot a different ending.

I hadn't read Emilia Hart's previous book Weyward and now I am adding it to by TBR!

I loved Weyward, so I went into this really wanting to love it. While there were elements I enjoyed, I struggled to stay interested. It felt difficult to connect with the characters and the plot didn’t excite me. I was hoping for more mythology, legend and lore. After struggling with the print version, I tried it on audio as well but I just couldn’t get into it.

3 stars.

A mysterious and atmospheric tale of sisterhood and seaside folklore.

A woman who was publicly shamed by a boy at her university flees to the small seaside town her sister recently moved to. Longing to build a stronger relationship with her sister, she hopes that some time spent there will be the escape and therapy she needs.

The atmosphere was my favourite part of this novel. The author knows how to pull the reader right into the setting of the story. I loved the remote seaside town and crumbling home in need of every repair. The setting was dark, haunting and mysterious and immensely added to my enjoyment.

Unfortunately for me, I didn’t click with the storyline or the main character from the start, so I never had a true connection to the plot. A large issue for me was that I didn’t buy into the incident in the beginning of the book that sparked the main characters decision to flee and how she handled the whole situation. Since I didn’t connect with that, I had little investment in what happened afterward. I had a hard time sympathizing or even liking the main character.

There was a sleep element to the story that should have been mysterious and powerful, but didn’t quite work for me. There is also a unique medical condition that is a main part of the storyline that I felt could have used further explanation in how the character manages day to day life. It felt like a random piece of the plot that was never fully fleshed out.

Diary entries are a large part of this novel which are always a hit or miss for me. Sadly, they were a miss for me with this one. The diary entries did not ring true in how a teenage girl would actually write and they felt like a forced piece of the plot to push the story forward and fill the gaps.

This authors debut novel, Weyward, is on my All Time Favourite list. This book, her second release, was one of my most highly anticipated reads of 2025. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my hopes and perhaps my high expectations were part of what ruined the reading experience for me.

Regardless, I look forward to whatever this author writes next. Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!

Emilia Hart is back with another dual timeline story that celebrates sisterhood, women, and nature. Sirens follows the stories of two sets of sisters living two centuries apart. The story is a beautiful blend of magical realism, historical fiction, and mystery. I found myself equally invested in all points of views, which kept the plot moving even though the pace felt a bit slow at times.

I feel like this story could have benefited from a bit more urgency, and there were a couple of plot points that feel unfinished to me. However, overall, I really enjoyed the atmospheric writing and the overarching theme of women and their strength.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A tale of murder, sisterhood and sirens.

There were quite a lot of elements I enjoyed about The Sirens by Emilla Hart. I always enjoy a good atmospheric story. At times, it was like I was right there at the ocean's edge.

I'm a big fan of podcasts in novels. I was hooked everytime the story switched to podcast mode.

While I appreciated the historical elements and non linear storytelling, it felt like the novel was doing too much. There was the 1800s storyline, modern day storyline, a podcast and diary entries. With all those elements nothing was fully explored. For instance, I wanted more of the podcast instead it seemed like an afterthought.

My biggest issue with the novel was the middle dragged. While I was captivated in the beginning I found myself bored half way through.

Although I enjoyed the plot and atmospheric setting, the uneven pacing hampered that enjoyment. Therefore, I gave The Sirens 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

The Sirens is a complicated book with severely flawed characters and I just could not relate to any of them or even care much about them. I wanted so much to like the book but it just kept dragging on with nothing happening and then a bit of a rushed ending to piece together everything. So many trigger warnings and upsetting dark things as well so read up on that before picking it up

My first read by Emilia Hart. The book was good, but everyone talks about her other book, and that it was good, hoping this would be good. just ok.

3.5⭐️
I didn’t entirely love the story, but it kept me interested and I did enjoy it. No part of it came as a surprise though and you were able to tell from the beginning kind of where the story was going, which I didn’t entirely enjoy. Honestly, I wanted a bit more from it. Still a good story but lacked a lot of the depth that Weyward had and that I expected.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

This story drew me in from the first page and held me tight until the end. It centers on a tight-knit group of women—“the Sirens”—who reunite years after a tragedy tore them apart. The narrative dives into their complicated history, resurfacing old wounds, hidden loyalties, and powerful bonds that refuse to break.

The writing is intimate and emotionally layered, effortlessly balancing suspense with raw honesty. Each of the women feels fully realized, flawed in the best way, and so easy to care about—even when they’re at their worst. The slow unspooling of their shared past keeps you guessing, while the present-day tension makes it impossible to look away.

If you love emotionally driven stories about friendship, secrets, and the enduring pull of the past, this one is a haunting must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

@netgalley
@stmartinspress
@emiliahartbooks

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A incredibly captivating novel about sisters separated by centuries, but bound together by mystery of the sea. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! I loved how the multiple timelines were woven together so perfectly! A must read!!!

#reading #read #books #bookish #bookworm #bookish #book #magic #sisters #sea #dream #thesirens #netgalley #stmartinspress #tbr

A wonderful blend of history, mystery, and sisterhood. The characters and sea magic drew me in completely. A stunning, unforgettable read!

"She had asked Lucy to make a choice. But sometimes, there is no choice. There is only love."

3.5 stars ✨ The Sirens is historical fiction that is haunted by eerie fantasy elements. The different timelines were expertly woven together in a way that each timeline was interesting on its own and built up suspense until the final page. Truly, I found this unputdownable.

My favorite part of The Sirens was the depiction of sisterhood. Lucy and Jess have a fraught connection. At the beginning, they are not even regularly speaking to one another. The only reason Lucy even has Jess's address is because of a post card that she sent on Lucy's birthday—not even a phone call or text message. This demonstrates the space that they have between each other by being both physically and emotionally distant. Yet, their love for each other was undeniable. Mary and Eliza's dynamic was the diametric opposite. They are connected and in tune with one another. Mary, at times, being Eliza's very own eyes. I found both relationships realistic and showcases what sisterhood feels like and what that connection truly is.

"She'd scarcely been able to believe she was there, on her sister's squashy velvet couch, surrounded by the charming clutter of plants and canvases and mismatched furniture. How many times has she imagined this moment?"

The historical timeline following Eliza and Mary was so intriguing. This covered a piece of history that I had never heard about before. This timeline combined fascinating history with unsettling body horror and irrefutable love. The present day timeline was all over the place. I found some of Jess and Lucy's actions and history to be unbelievable and out there. This drew me out of the story.

I also did not like the ending. I was disappointed or straight up didn't like some of the big reveals and plot points. For me, the journey was much better than the destination. And, maybe I'm dumb, but I also found myself confused on a few different details. Do not let this overshadow the things that I enjoyed.

The Sirens beautifully depicts that no matter how far we run, we can never truly change who we are, our true nature. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

🧜‍♀️⛓️🌊📔

"The idea of her sister just downstairs, of no longer being alone, is so comforting that she can't bear to break the spell of it."

The Sirens was a masterful piece of storytelling. Beautiful, dark, and engaging. Hart paints an enthralling picture of two sets sisters across time, keeping the reader guessing at what twists and turns would come next. It's both haunting and folkloric, delving into the entangled way women often have to protect themselves and hide while longing for a better, freer world and the depths they'll go to get there. Highly recommend.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, #partner for the advanced e-copy of The Sirens in exchange for my honest review.

Emilia Hart’s debut novel, Weyard, was a surprise hit for me and so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her next book and of course I had to grab the UK version, that was already out, when I was overseas in March. I just love this cover and I also loved this 2nd book!⁣
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Hart has such a way of spinning a story, gradually laying out the framework and introducing the characters and then weaving in their connections. I was spellbound as I made my way through this one…becoming more and more invested in what was happening and wondering how it was all going to tie together. ⁣
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I loved the complex family dynamics that were explored as well as the themes of oppressed women – this was also explored a bit in her debut and I love how Hart continues to carry this theme with her. Blending historical fiction with fantasy and some Irish folklore, this story is rich with culture and yet also a bit magical. It really was the perfect combination and I found myself completely captivated.

DNF. I've tried several times but this book just isn't working for me. I was hoping to be swept away but I can't get into it at all. I think this story just isn't my vibe.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart first caught my attention with its beautiful cover, but the story inside is just as captivating. This was my first book by the author, and I can see why readers praise her for creating emotionally rich characters with real depth. The heartfelt storytelling pulled me in, and as a fan of fantasy and mermaid lore, this book hit all the right notes. I truly enjoyed the blend of myth and emotion throughout.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart first caught my attention with its beautiful cover, but the story inside is just as captivating. This was my first book by the author, and I can see why readers praise her for creating emotionally rich characters with real depth. The heartfelt storytelling pulled me in, and as a fan of fantasy and mermaid lore, this book hit all the right notes. I truly enjoyed the blend of myth and emotion throughout.

After years of estrangement Lucy needs her now adult sister and runs to her house only to find it abandoned. Two other sisters, Mary and Eliza lived in the 1800s and were sent to the criminal colony Australia after they broke the law and for some reason Lucy continues to dream of them. All of these stories intertwine and tell a tale of sisterhood through the ages.

I love a good female focused story but this one just missed the mark for me. I take a certain amount of responsibility because I listened to much of it and I think I would have been less confused with the three timelines and multiple POVs if I had read more rather than listened. That being said I still couldn’t connect with any of the characters or the story. I think this author may be an acquired taste because I know so many people who loved this one as well as Weyward, her last book, while neither really worked for me. I think this one is a matter of taste.

3.5 rounded up