This book was beautifully written but otherwise I didn’t like much about it. It felt very slow and the plot was not driving me to want to pursue reading or finishing this book. I didn’t feel a strong connection to the characters or the storyline. I liked the idea behind this book and the multiple povs jumping through time, but it overall fell flat for me.

This book had allllll my favorite ingredients... without the recipe. Historical fiction mixed with a little crime and magical realism - intriguing, yes, but nothing felt explained in a manner that flowed with the plot. It was a little too all over the place for me and I hate that because I really wanted to love it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review!

I’m a big fan of Emilia Hart’s first novel, Wayward so I couldn’t wait for her newest Historical Fiction The Sirens.

Told over three time periods, 2019, 1999 and 1800, about sisters bound by the sea but separated by centuries. In 2019, we learn about Lucy whose wild nightmares send her fleeing to her sister Jess's home on the coast of Australia. In 1999, we read about Jess as a young teenager who has been diagnosed with a rare water allergy making her always feel like an outcast until her art teacher takes a special interest in her. In 1800, a convict ship transports sisters Mary and Eliza along with hundreds of female prisoners to Australia. Covering miles of open water and heightening the sister’s fears since their mother’s drowning, Mary and Eliza begin to feel the call of the sea. All the women in the three time periods feel a connection to the water - the fear, the solace and the power.

Hart excels in her ability to describe the themes of female resistance and sisterhood. The magic and wonder of the sea is captured by the author’s vivid descriptions throughout the novel. I particularly loved the artwork created by Jess in the novel and its representation of the dreams and history connecting the women in the story. The author is an expert at describing the challenges facing women both today and historically. Clearly alot of research went into the writing of this novel. .

While a historical fiction, The Sirens is also a mystery that unravels keeping the reader engaged and unable to book the book down. Another success for Emilia Hart!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader’s copy.

I enjoyed Hart's first book, Weyward, because of its strong female characters and their connection to nature. The Sirens also features both of these themes and a compelling story. I was instantly engaged in the novel and stayed that way throughout.

The story covers three time periods and two sets of women who share an odd malady: their reaction to the ocean. All suffer an affliction when coming in contact with water, yet they are all drawn to the sea.

In 2019, Lucy, a sleepwalker, awakens to herself trying to strangle her ex-lover. She flees to her sister Jess's house on the Australian coast. Upon arriving, Lucy finds the house unlocked, but no Jess. As the days pass, Lucy becomes aware of the disappearance of eight men over the years on a stretch of coast near Jess's house. With her attraction to the ocean increasing, Lucy tries to find Jess and solve the mystery of the disappearances.

Flashback to 1999. Sixteen-year-old Jess is an odd duck in her small town when her art teacher offers to tutor the budding artist. It becomes apparent that his interest is not just in her drawings, and Jess is also attracted to him.

Both Lucy and Jess are vivid dreamers. Unbeknownst to each other, they dream about twin sisters on a prisoner transport ship in the 1800s. Strangely, these sisters also suffer from the same reaction to water as Jess and Lucy.

Hart does an excellent job of tying together each timeline. The writing is terrific, and the pacing and plotting are good. I loved discovering why the four women have a love/hate relationship with the ocean and their relationship with each other. I saw a twist toward the end coming, but for the most part, I was surprised at how the story unfolded. I highly recommend this book. 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is April 1, 2025.

Thank you so much for giving me a chance to read this beautiful book. I loved WEYWARD and I was similarly taken in by Emilia Hart's newest. The convergence of legend and present-day stakes is gorgeously wrought. Deeply moving, carefully rendered, and overall, the sort of read that celebrates women's resilience and agency. I can't wait to spread the word about this original and compelling novel!

Emilia Hart weaves timelines and relationships in some of the most magical ways. I loved her unique approach to the Sirens myth, and how she describes a scene in a way that engages all of your senses. This is a lovely read for any person that loves a magical realism story with strong female protagonists.

I wish there had been more follow up on what happened with Mary and Eliza, I was left with so many questions. However, I loved their relationship and how the author used Eliza's blindness to describe so much more of the scene through taste and smell.

Overall, this was a great read about female strength and family relationships that impact us all. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

This story is well written but maybe just wasn’t for me. When I accepted this advanced copy I was under the impression. It was more of a fantasy novel, but this is more of a mystery with magical realism. While promising for lovers of that genre, I do not care for mystery.

The Sirens is a moody, dark and descriptive historical fantasy by Emilia Hart. This book was told from two points of view, with the majority of the story taking place with Lucy in 2019. Lucy’s a university student who suffers from a disfiguring and mysterious skin condition that really affects her self-esteem. After a humiliating betrayal by a young man she’d became involved with, she flees to her sister’s seaside home. Her sister is inexplicably absent, and as Lucy looks for clues to her whereabouts, she uncovers family secrets that will change everything. All the while she’s being disturbed by nightmares of sirens and a prison ship that are becoming more and more real.

The rest of the story takes place in the 1800s. Told from the point of view of Eliza, one of two sisters en route from Ireland to Australia on a prison ship, I found this my least favourite part of the story, filled with hopelessness and everything you would expect when many bodies are crammed together in a ship’s hold for a long journey.

I felt like the connection between the two timelines was pretty obvious from the start and might have preferred there to be more twists. I didn’t feel particularly pulled in by either narrative and both moved very slowly for a while. Thankfully things picked up in the second half, and there were some pretty cool elements that pulled things together at the end.

If you like mermaids, historical fiction and strong female characters, you should check out this book. I give it 3-1/2 stars, rounded up.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved Weyward and was really excited to see the new of Sirens—even more thrilled when I got my hands on an ARC!

A feminist story that touches on magical realism, featuring two sets of sisters. In 2019, we meet Lucy and Jess; Lucy finds herself a victim in a cyberbullying event and awakes with her hands around her ex-boyfriends neck. She flees to her sister, Jess, who she comes to find is nowhere to be found.

Alternatively, we go back to 1800s abroad a convict ship from Ireland to Australia and meet Mary and Eliza. Having a fear of the ocean due to their mother’s death, they sense a transformation within themselves as they travel the seas. Seems to be a sense of calling...

The stories of these sisters intertwine as the past and present collide, guiding them toward embracing the future. There are themes of womenhood, empowerment and self discovery. Great character development and the historical events between Ireland and Australia are depicted with great detail and depth.

“After all, there is more than one way to tell the truth.”

Weyward was one of my favorite books of 2023, so when I had the chance to get an ARC of Emilia Hart’s second book I jumped right on it! This book has a similar structure to Weyward, in that it uses plot lines of women from different centuries to tell a unique story. Here, we have two pairs of sisters linked in mysterious ways, with the sea and a coastal town in New South Wales as the connection points. I really enjoyed how it all weaved together at the end. If you were a fan of Weyward, I would definitely encourage you to pick this one up (and if you haven’t read Weyward - you should!). Also great for fans of magical realism with a bit of history (in this case, British convict ships to Australia) and mystery. Many thanks to @Netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advance copy! Pub date: April 1, 2025

TW: sexual assault

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#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #2025reads #dogsofbookstagram #dogsandbooks #booksanddogs #thesirens #ARC #netgalley #stmartinspress

This book was so moving and intriguing! I loved the small mystery element and the fantastical parts. I especially loved the feminist view of the story. I couldn’t put the book down!

A traumatic sleepwalking incident sends Lucy in search of her sister, only to discover Jess has disappeared and her family has been keeping secrets.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this arc of The Sirens by Emilia Hart. The pacing of this story felt a bit too slow for my taste, and I found myself struggling to stay engaged. While Hart's writing remains impressive, I had difficulty connecting with the way the plot unfolded, as well as with the pacing and the development of the characters. Although this particular book didn’t resonate with me, I can see how it might appeal to other readers. The mysteries are carefully unraveled, and by the end, everything comes together, which could be satisfying for those who enjoy a more deliberate pace and intricate plotting.

The Sirens is an epic feminist tale that intertwines the lives of sisters separated by centuries yet united by mysterious, unbreakable bonds. Through the intertwined journeys of Lucy Jess, Mary and Eliza, Emilia Hart crafts a narrative that culminates in the atmospheric and evocative setting of New South Wales, Australia—where both the town and its surrounding waters play pivotal roles.

Much like her previous novel, Weyward, Hart uses magical realism to create a narrative that is deeply rooted in reality while being enriched with myth, folklore, and fable. The novel invites readers into a world where the lines between the tangible and the fantastical blur—drawing inspiration from classic mythology, such as the Greek siren myth in which a half-woman, half-bird creature lures sailors to their doom with an irresistible, haunting song. For me, delving into the traditional siren lore—and uncovering the history of British convict ships that once transported prisoners to Australia in the late 1700s and early 1800s—was important to understanding the connections between the dual timelines and the two sets of sisters.

Eerie, dark, and broody, Hart spins a compelling tale of heritage, identity, strength, and transformation. While the story starts off slowly, but the story gains clarity and momentum midway through as more is revealed about Jess, ultimately allowing the reader to connect the dots between all four women. The Sirens is unlike anything I have ever read—a richly layered, thought-provoking work that lingers long after the final page is turned.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Sirens by Emilia Hart is a beautifully crafted, spellbinding tale of sisterhood, resilience, and the mysterious pull of the sea. Spanning centuries and interwoven timelines, Lucy, Jess, and the twin sisters Mary and Eliza captivated me with their gripping stories. The rich historical backdrop and touch of magic made every page immersive. Hart masterfully balances mystery, heartbreak, and hope, delivering a tale that lingers long after the final chapter. Fans of historical fiction with enchanting twists will absolutely adore this masterpiece. I couldn’t put it down!

I did enjoy this but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't read Emilia Hart's first book Weyward. Both of these stories explore very similar themes in very similar story formats so much of that I felt I was rereading Weyward. I did enjoy the mystery and mood of this one, as well as the setting.

I was hoping for a big more magic I suppose in the Siren aspect but I might have been expecting too much considering this is not labeled as fantasy.

There was a surprising amount of twists and turns throughout the novel, which kept me more invested in the narrative, but to be honest I could see most of the twists coming.

Regardless, I think there is an important story here. I love female rage, I love dark mermaid-y stories, a love a historical element. So overall, there were a lot of aspects I enjoyed. I just overall think Weyward did it better.

4.5 stars!

The Sirens is the sophomore novel from Emilia Hart, whose debut was Weyward. It's rare that I like the second novel of an up-and-coming author more, but this was the case for The Sirens. Perhaps it is because I am more into mermaids than witches, but I found this novel to be very well done.

Hart took on the formidable task of combining elements of historical fiction, mystery, and magical realism to craft a compelling tale of the bond of sisterhood. The book is so complex that it is a bit hard to concisely describe. There are three timelines:
1) The early 1800s, in which sisters unjustly convicted of a crime are banished to the isle of Australia
2) Present day, in which a female college student (Lucy) is grappling with the aftermath of mistreatment by a male peer, so she flees to her sister's (Jess) house on the coast of Australia
3) Flashbacks to Jess' life when she was in high school

I particularly enjoyed the historical fiction aspect of the novel. While I know that Australia was an island for the British to send their convicts, it was really interesting to learn more about this practice, particularly from the perspective of females who were deemed criminals due to the patriarchy. I appreciated how Hart weaved together this story line with the future characters. Overall, I highly recommend you place this book on your must-read list for 2025!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC to review in exchange for m my honest opinion.

Emilia Hart manages to do a good job of combining historical fiction, folklore, mystery and magical realism into a well crafted, suspenseful story. The Sirens relies on the two pronged storyline approach. The present day concerns Lucy, a student who leaves her university under a cloud of suspicion and heads to her older sister’s seaside home in New South Wales. But when she gets there, her sister is nowhere to be found. Her sister’s new hometown has its own sense of suspense - 8 men who have gone missing over the past few decades and an ancient shipwreck that cost 100 female convicts their lives. The historical story concerns two of those convicts, sent from Ireland in 1800 to Australia.
There was a great sense of underlying tension in both storylines. This was the rare book where I was equally invested in both stories. Both stories deal with the power men hold over women and how women find ways to wrest back some autonomy.
All four of the main characters were richly drawn and fully developed.
I was fascinated to learn there was such a thing as an allergy to water. Called aquagenic urticaria and it causes hives, swelling and itching.
There’s a large dose of magical realism entwined in both storylines. This is often a problem for me but it worked well here because of the links to so much folklore.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

✨Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review✨

The Sirens is a unique blend of historical fiction, magical realism, and mystery that shows us readers the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood and the resilience of women in a story that spans across centuries.

The first thing that struck me was the quality of the writing. Emilia Hart has a way with words that completely enthralled me from the beginning. This is a story that emphasizes the bond of sisterhood, the strength of women, and a hope for a better future, and Emilia Hart was able to convey this and more in her exquisite writing. You can also tell that a lot of care and attention to detail went into this novel. Between the historical research of Australia, convict ships, and Irish mythology, I felt that this was a well researched novel.

The blend of magical realism, historical fiction, and mystery was quite unique! We jump between 1800 and 2019. In the 1800 timeline, we follow two sisters journeying to Australia from Ireland on a convict ship. Meanwhile in 2019, we learn that our FMC Lucy - a university student studying journalism - is sleepwalking and dealing with these vivid dreams that appear to be a window into the past. While the plot was slower paced, it didn’t take me out of the story. I was so interested in learning about everything - the sisters and their perilous journey to Australia aboard the convict ship, following Lucy as she searches for answers as well as her missing sister, learning more about Lucy’s sister Jess and her past, discovering the mysteries that haunt Comber’s Bay, finding out more about Lucy and Jess’ skin condition... There were so many mysteries to solve and I loved the fact that we took the long way to get to these answers.

While this novel shares some parallels with Weyward, the reading experiences between these two novels are completely different. The way Emilia Hart has blended history, fantasy, and mystery in this novel is quite unique when compared to Weyward. I personally enjoyed The Sirens more than Weyward, and feel like Emilia Hart has grown as an author since writing Weyward.

🧜🏽‍♀️ Historical Fiction
🧜🏽‍♀️ Magical Realism
🧜🏽‍♀️ Multiple Timelines
🧜🏽‍♀️ Mystery
🧜🏽‍♀️ Irish Mythology

I really enjoyed Weyward so I was excited to read this.

Pros: really beautiful imagery and prose and the same bonds across generations theme I loved in Weyward.

Cons: the story was mostly predictable and the final twist at the end felt very randomly tacked on? I wish the lore of sirens had also been explored more. Are they immortal? Is Mary and Eliza’s mother still alive? Was their mother actually in love with their father or was it a captured selkie situation?

Overall I think still worth a read if you enjoyed Weyward and I would still recommend the book, but it wasn’t quite as tight of a story as Weyward. I would definitely still pick up whatever the author puts out next though!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC!