If you are looking for a dark, mysterious tale spanning two different timelines AND with sirens, then this is the perfect book to *dive* into. The story follows two sisters in 2019, Australia and also two sisters in 1800. Both are experiencing—essentially, an “allergy to water.”
Along with this, the 2019 sisters keep having dreams of the sisters from the past, not really understanding why.
The plot is set around multiple strange disappearances of men in their small town and also the disappearance of the older sister, Jess.
I was hooked, at first, by the moody setting and then by needing to know what the heck was going on with these ladies! I loved how the mystery was unraveled throughout both timelines, and at moments it felt like I was reading historical fiction.

If there was anything I would’ve added to the story, it would’ve been more information on the sirens as mythical beings. Like, getting to read along from the perspective of the sirens as they perform their songs on the men. And maybe a little more time spent with the girls as they lived their siren lives. (i.e. Do they have a community like in the The Little Mermaid?)

I’m giving it 5 stars because I honestly was so captivated by the plot. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. I also would recommend listening to a moody siren playlist on Spotify, to add to your reading experience. It’s great!

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

I love the character driven nature of this fantasy. What a fun way to dip back and forth between timelines. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this advanced copy! I will definitely be adding a hardback copy to my library.

I love the way Emilia Hart brings magic to our world and makes it feel like it’s a part of you.

The Sirens starts with Lucy, desperate to find her sister and herself after an incident at uni. She goes to the house her sister has been living in, but to her surprise Jess isn’t there. After finding her keys, her phone, and a diary, she starts to piece together things about Jess she’s never known, and the world starts to look different as she wades through her memories, dreams, and stories of the past.

I didn’t think there would be a way to make sirens feel realistic and tangible, but Hart does it beautifully. You want to believe that with the right amount of seawater your flesh would peel away, showing the beautiful iridescent scales beneath. You almost long to swim out into the vastness of the ocean, far away from the troubles of land, sing their song, and lure awful men to their death.


Thank you Net Galley and St Martins Publishing Group for the ARC and the privilege of writing an honest review.

Overall, I would give this book 4.5 stars. Usually, I am not a fan of magical realism, but I really enjoyed the story, the dual timelines, the mystery of the missing sister, and the representation of female resilience. This book contained enough twists and turns to keep my interest. I also loved the representation of aquagenic urticaria, I first learned about this in my teens and have been fascinated by this allergy. The one thing that I really missed was closure on the whole Lucy and Ben situation. Barrie Kreinik did an amazing job as the audio narrator, really liked the singing of the sea shanty.

Format: audiobook and ebook (started on ebook and then toggled back and forth)

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for the advance audiobook and arc!!

After reading (and being really impressed with) Weyward, I was so happy to receive an invitation to read and early copy of Emilia Hart’s new novel.

I started both reading and listening to an audiobook of The Sirens (the audiobook won out ) and Barrie Kreinik’s narration of this beautifully written novel is wonderful; she voiced each character uniquely, making them easy to differentiate and I found her performance really elevated the story.

Listen (or read) this one for

*well researched historical fiction
*strong female characters
*sisters
*secrets and mystery
*magical realism
*dual timeline



Thank you to Macmillan Audio & St. Martin’s Press along with NetGalley for the ALC and DRC

After Hart’s debut novel, Weyward, became my favorite book of the year, and one of my very favorites in general, I had high hopes for this one! The Sirens was everything I hoped it would be and more!

Hart definitely has a signature way of capturing her reader’s attention through magical storytelling, filled with feministic undertones, extraordinary and brave female protagonists, and poetic writing that acts as a love letter to the natural environment.

Similarly to Weyward, this book dives into generations of women that are connected in unexpected ways. I’ve always been drawn to the sea, so the content in The Sirens was right up my alley. Even though there’s a magical realism element, it’s done in an incredibly realistic way. You can tell the thought and research that went into the historical portion of this plot. I honestly loved every single thing about this book and can confidently say I will be eagerly anticipating anything this author puts out in the future!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this #gifted eARC!

What a beauty! I love the way Emilia Hart does magical realism. She just encaptures me with her books.
This book has an alternating POV. Eliza and Mary in the 1800s and the current Jess and Lucy timeline. I was initially a little confused, but that ship quickly righted itsel.
Lucy awakes from a dreamlike state with a feeling her hands around someone's throat. She can't shake the feeling, so she takes it as a sign to immediately go to her estranged sister, Jess. When she gets there, Jess is nowhere to be found. Lucy digs around and finds Jess' diary, only to find out that Jess has been having these "dreamlike scenarios" too. Lucy funds a painting at her sisters of a mermaid and a ship that she had had vivid dreams of. She then finds more paintings with the same two sisters. As she did more, she starts to uncover the truth about her and Jess' story.

Lucy begins to listen to a podcast, which she learned only happened not too far away. 30 years prior, 8 men disappeared.

In the 1800s, we have Eliza and Mary. We her their backstory and how it intertwines with Jess and Lucy's story and the missing men.
Emilia Hart writes with such lyrical prose and has a way of intertwining stories with magical realism flawlessly.

The Sirens was a fascinating read.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Expected publication April 1, 2025

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read The Sirens by Emilia Hart in exchange for an honest review.

The story starts strong with Lucy waking up to find she has attacked her ex in the middle of the night. This incident leads her to seek help from her estranged sister only to discover her sister is missing. As she searches for answers about her sisters disappearance she learns more about the town’s history of missing men.

The book also takes readers to the 1800s following two sisters as they travel by ship from Ireland to Australia.

I appreciated the themes about how often the odds are stacked against women, especially when it comes to being believed. But the characters felt flat, which made it harder to connect with the story. It feels like this could have been two different stories, rather than one that jumps timelines.

The middle section loses momentum, relying more on telling than action, but the pacing picks up again in the final third, leading to a more engaging conclusion. The structure- with multiple characters across different time periods, reminded me of Weyward by Emilia Hart (which I really enjoyed), though I found the characters in The Sirens less compelling. While the book didn’t fully resonate with me, The Sirens raises important and thought-provoking questions about power, gender, and safety.

God, this was SO GOOD. The Sirens follows two timelines masterfully weaved together. In the present day, Lucy wakes to find herself strangling her ex. Alarmed and fearful of the consequences of her sleepwalking, she flees to her sister in the mysterious town of Combers Bay were men are disappearing without a trace and a baby was found abandoned in a cave. In the past timeline, Mary and Eliza are Irish convicts being shipped to New South Wales after injuring a man as they fought off his assault. Similarities between the two sets of sisters slowly trickle in throughout the stories pages.

Just like with Weyward, Hart beautifully weaves in magical realism through the dark storyline to keep readers on their toes. The two year weight was definitely worth it and I’ll be recommending this to everybody.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart was an enjoyable and intriguing novel. I picked this up after giving Weyward 2 stars. I was hoping this book's premise would hit better for me, but unfortunately, that was not the case. It seemed much more interesting than Weyward; however, I struggled to read through 60% of the book since nothing was happening.
We get a lot of Lucy's inner monologue during that time, and it felt like it was dragging on for a while. I powered through, and the ending made it a little more redeemable and upped the rating.
The book just didn't quite click with me. I can't really put my finger on why, but it felt a bit... disconnected, maybe? Like I was watching the story unfold from a distance instead of being truly immersed in it. The characters, while interesting, didn't fully resonate with me, and I struggled to feel invested in their journeys. So, I'm giving it three stars. It's a well-written and enjoyable book, and I appreciate the author's talent and imagination. Ultimately, it just wasn't the right fit for my personal taste.
If you're looking for a unique and thought-provoking read, you might really enjoy this book. It's definitely worth checking out!

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is not my usual genre but I enjoyed Weyward so much, I couldn’t wait to read The Sirens. Once again Emilia Hart has written another wonderful novel featuring strong women with strong bonds. I definitely recommend. Bonus is the beautiful cover! I can’t wait to add it to my library

I will be editing this to post a full review but I finished this book today while on vacation and my first thoughts are - wow. I wasn’t sure I could have my heart broken and then put back together so beautifully. Emilia Hart is brilliant. This book was my favorite of the year.

Lucy wakes up from a dream with hands around her neck. She doesn't know how to explain it, but she knows she needs to get away. Lucy heads to the source, her estranged sister. She needs to know why these things keep happening to her.

When she gets to her sister's house, the house is empty. What will she discover as she digs deeper into her sister's disappearance?

The book starts off so confusing ... from the title, to the historical note, to the author's note, the prologue and then the opening scene ... It really sets the tone for how messy the rest of the book will be.

I was eager to read the ARC of Hart's new book because I loved her debut novel, Weyward.

The Sirens starts off absolutely confusing with Lucy having a traumatic experience and running off to her estranged sister's house in the middle of nowhere. It doesn't make sense. And that set the tone for the rest of the book.

I never connected with any of the characters, past or present. Characters from past or present had the same voice. You could tell the author was trying to mirror the pair of sisters. There was really no distinction between the two. I wasn't sure as a reader, what I should have been looking for.

The 'hook' was completely missing.

I was missing the point, what was the urgency we should read on for? What were we, as readers, looking to discover along with the characters? It felt some plot lines were added, then forgotten about. Mostly it felt as if the book is 50% of Lucy's ramblings, which were tiring.

And finally, this is a fantasy book ... why was the historical note needed? I'm not knocking it... When I read the historical note, I was excited. Along with the acknowledgment section and The Ocean quote suggested how deep this book was going to go. The desired story that followed was not expected.

I'm left feeling sad. I really, really, really wanted to love this book. I was looking forward to this author's next novel. I squealed when I got the email I would get a copy of the ARC. The anticipation was there, the delivery, was not.

Amazon Link - The Sirens By: Emilia Hart

Stats: 352 pages - Expected publication February 13, 2025

**Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love this book. I wasn’t a huge fan of her last book but the storyline for this book was something I was definitely interested in. The one thing I didn’t like is it felt exactly like Weyward. At least the set up of the book, the multiple timelines, something tragic happens to each of them, sort of repetitive. I will say if someone absolutely loved Weyward they will eat this one up as well. Just not my cup of tea. Thank you for the opportunity!

Do not skip a word of Hart's newest book, The Sirens. Filled with lush, realistic descriptions, atmospheric settings, and an emotional rollercoaster of feelings. With multiple narrators and multiple timelines, Hart fleshes out this gorgeous story of history, sisterhood, vengeance, and freedom. As you read, no, as you disappear into her novel you feel the hollowness of violence and lies, as well as the freedom the truth gives. The sea beckons, both as retribution and liberation.

3.85 stars. I like Emilia Hart’s writing style, but I was not the target audience for this book. I guessed all of the twists ahead of time, and although it was beautifully written, this book was not for me.

I don't think there are enough words in the English language to sum up how beautifully atmospheric this book is. As with Weyward, we're taken on a journey through time while taking a closer look at generational curses.

Told in 2 different timelines - Eliza and Mary in the 1800s & Jess and Lucy in 2019. Elizabeth and Mary are on a convict ship headed to Australia. Lucy has been having strange dreams of the sea and ships and things that couldn't possibly exist. When she goes to her sister for help and finds her missing, she unravels the truth of not only these dreams but secrets from her own life. History, mystery, magical realism, a little bit of something for everyone.

This book took me 3 months to finish. Admittedly, some of that was my heartache over losing our 16 year old kitty, Angel, who also happens to be my GR avatar. He lived a good long life and died peacefully, but it hit us both hard. DNFs typically don't bother me, but being a lover of all things mermaid I really wanted give this book a chance. I found it tedious and repetitive, absolutely boring in spots. Every time I went back to it felt like a chore rather than a pleasure, an escape. I was happy things picked up at the last part of the story, but it wasn't enough for me to give this more than 2 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Date: April 1, 2025

4.75 stars
Emilia Hart's writing really draws you in and makes you feel for the characters. There are a few time-lines in this book that you follow and it deals with some of the struggles of being a woman. There is a historical fiction aspect with the sinking of a prison ship full of women as well.

This novel weaves magic into reality beautifully, blending vivid characters with a mesmerizing, dreamlike plot.