I love a book with dual timelines and this one did not disappoint. Loved the eerily atmosphere and the characters.

This book was so captivating. The family dynamics, the ocean calling, the mystery of where Jess went.
I loved it. I felt like I was standing on the deck of the Cliff House looking out to sea with them.

This book immediately put Emilia Hart on my must-buy-immediately list from here to the end of time.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the chance to read and give my honest review for Emilia Hart’s new book, The Sirens.

My rating: 3.5 ⭐️/ 5 (I rounded up because even though it’s 2025, Goodreads doesn’t allow for half stars)

Some positives: I really enjoyed the multiple time period POVs, the spooky “atmosphere” of the plot and suspense, the character development and growth, and I enjoy Hart’s style of writing. Also hey! Mermaids!

Not-so-positives: The pacing was a bit too slow for me, hence the half stars rating. The plot was a bit on the predictable side for me, but I’m pretty good at vibing with context clues and guessing plots/subplots so that might just be a me thing and not everyone’s experience!

The experiences of these 4 characters culminate as the past and present collide, Sirens is a powerful story of women's empowerment, intertwining fantasy and reimagining of real events in Australia’s rich history. If you enjoyed Emilia Hart's previous book, Weyward, it’s very likely you will enjoy The Sirens as well. I definitely think it’s worth the read!

I read Weyward prior to reading this book, so I already had a pretty strong idea of what Emilia Harts writing would look like. I expected a slow plot, vivid descriptions, deep character history, etc. We did get all this, and I enjoyed those moments. But I overall I felt really dissatisfied with this book. My main issue is with the plot overall which felt so slow to start, get going, and continue. Then you have the ending which felt like everything was happening and wrapping up all at once. The contrast is jarring.

There were a few plot points that felt rushed and led me to have more questions rather than a satisfying ending. I also felt there were some storylines which didn’t have any conclusion at all and were left forgotten in the middle of the book.

I did like the characters, though the dynamic between the sisters and family was a bit cold. That might have been props to Emilia Hart though as the family is cold and distant to . She almost did too good of a job creating that dynamic. On the other hand, the descriptions in this book are stunning. The way she describes the shoreline and the lore were some of my favorite parts. I have no doubt that Hart is a talented writer. The plot for this one just fell short for me.

A chilling yet breathtaking story of the resilience and bonds of true sisterhood. This book is filled with mystery and magic and all the makings for an absolutely beautiful book. Just thinking about this book gives me goosebumps in the best of ways. I was sucked in from the start and never wanted to come up for air. Obsessed with everything about this book. Very thankful I was able to experience the perfection. 10/10. Will definitely be recommending to everyone I meet!

Admittedly, it took a bit for me to really get into this book. It starts off with a bang, but then gets a bit slow. The second half is what really pulled me in and then I couldn’t put it down! It’s got some nice twists. The various lead characters are so real. There are two timelines/intertwined stories to follow. And I felt invested in both by the end. It can feel a bit dark at times, which also made me need to take some breaks while reading.

Definitely a book I recommend, though! Pick it up this spring!

Emilia Hart's Weyward was one of my favorite audiobooks last year so I had high hopes for The Sirens and I was not disappointed! I love a time-dash, duology of female heroines. Hart expertly weaves these women together with a dash of magical realism and vivid characters. Ethereal, mysterious and empowering.

Sadly, this was a DNF for me. The pacing was just so slow and I just couldn't get into it at all. I also didn't care for the man bashing and making it seem like all men are bad. I'm definitely in the minority here and I'm sure others will really enjoy this. It just wasn't for me. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own. Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review.

At the story's beginning, we meet Lucy, a journalism student, who had her nudes spread out on TikTok that she had privately shared with a guy she liked. The video was distressing as it made comments on Lucy's skin condition, which she has had since birth. At the jump, Lucy wakes up on top of the guy choking him out after she sleepwalked into his room. This leads to Lucy panicking, and when she remembers her older sister Jess left her a postcard with a new address in Comper Bay, Lucy hops into her car and speeds away on the journey to get advice from her older sister. During this drive to Comper Bay, Lucy starts listening to a podcast about the mystery surrounding the town: multiple men seemed to have disappeared without a trace. When Lucy finally arrives, she finds the door to her sister's house unlocked, her sister's phone still in the house, and signs in the bathroom that a male has been there.

The novel then flips to the 1800s where we are introduced to twin sisters: Mary and Eliza. When we meet them, they are loaded up on a ship to be transported from Ireland to Australia with all female convicts. Eliza is blind, and both sisters fear the ocean as their mother was supposedly drowned when they were little children. As they travel across the sea to their final destination, trapped in darkness with all the other women, the girls start to notice things happening to their bodies when water touches them.

As we flip back and forth between storylines, we learn how these 4 women are interconnected, and how each of their journeys helps them accept their destiny. This is an amazing story about female empowerment. It was a great mix of historical fiction and fantasy. This is my second book by Emilia Hart, and you can see similarities in her writing style and storylines when compared with Weyward - not a complaint, as I've enjoyed both stories. I will be buying this when it comes out.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

“The Sirens” by Emilia Hart
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🤓🤓🤓🤓

@emiliahartbooks has done it again!!! Weyward was one of my favorite reads of 2023 so I was very excited to get an advanced copy of her latest book. This book sucked me in from the first page and kept me invested until the very end. I just love Hart’s unique style of writing. There are some similarities to Weyward with the multiple POV’s, dual timelines, feminist themes, and her beautiful usage of magical realism. I am a hardcore Emilia Hart stan now and will be anxiously awaiting her next creation. This book releases in the UK on 2/13 and in the US on 4/1! Can’t wait for others to read it so we can discuss!!!

Poetic and captivating, Emilia Hart is such a brilliant story-teller.
The Sirens is the heartbreaking legend of mermaids in the sea, the power of love between sisters, and how our past teters us. I really couldn't put this book down. Separated by centuries, the plot twists back and forth between a modern day heroine looking for answers and two sisters in the past being punished for the crime of protecting themselves against a wicked man.
Hart doesn't lay the answers out for you, but rather leaves some of the story open for your personal interpretation - and I think that's what makes her writing so beautiful. It's easy to allow the circumstances of your own life play a role in how you view her story, and connects you to the plot on a much deeper level.
She is a must-buy author for me and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Wow. I knew reading the description that this would be a good read, but I was not prepared for the way that this book reeled me in and held my attention- it was hard to put down! The stories unfold across three timelines, each equally captivating and heartbreaking. The central mysteries (are mermaids real, and where is Jess) come together in a fully satisfying conclusion. This will be a top contender for my favorite book of the year!

Hart has a way with words that captures my attention from the very start, Weyward was one of my favorite books of all time, and I knew Sirens would not let me down.

I loved following each different timeline, and I love how empowering each story is,

Thank you to the publisher and author for the free ebook and audiobook of Emilia Hart's newest book, The Sirens. I loved her previous novel, Weyward, and this one was just as good.

The premise is fantastic, in that it has characters who are merrows (mermaids, sirens), but this sits better in the family drama genre than fantasy. It's less about world-building and more about relationships between women, sisters, especially those harmed by men, and their resilience and connection. The writing is gorgeous, and the author deals with dark subjects with kindness and skill.

Alternating timelines between 2019, 1800, and 1999, the story includes convicts unlawfully brought to Australia, family secrets, love in many forms, and the power of sisterhood. I was bewitched to the siren song of this story and highly recommend it!

#macaudio2024 #TheSirensNovel #EmiliaHart @emiliahwriter @stmartinspress

Another magical book from Emilia Hart!
Instead of a forest cottage, we are taken to the coast of Australia, with different points of view and timeliness, all woven wonderfully together.
Different from Weyward, and yet similar in that the main character(s) are wronged women. One of which escapes to the solitude of a small coastal town.
Dealing with the history of Australia as a penal colony for Britain's criminals, this story was historically tragic and yet hopeful.
The characters were complex and relatable. Brimming with magic and emotion, this was a wonderful book!
4.25 stars rounded up.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this wonderful ARC!

**Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!**

I reeeeeally wanted to love this but ultimately just thought it was fine. I loved Weyward and hoped it would be a similar vibe, but aside from the strong women, it didn’t really resemble that story much.

We follow two storylines, one of sisters Lucy and Jess in 2019, the other of sisters Mary and Eliza in the 1800s.

Lucy flees university, running away to her sister’s home in the mysterious Comber Beach, where eight men have mysteriously vanished in the last century. When she arrives though, Jess is not there and the circumstances behind her disappearance are suspicious. Lucy discovers an old diary that belonged to Jess and begins to piece things together. Mary and Eliza are on a convict ship from Ireland to Australia and begin to experience strange changes to their bodies.

Of course our stories will converge and resolve, etc. Overall, the general vibe (is grey a vibe? Because that’s what it was) was just not my cup of tea and I wasn’t particularly invested in any of the stories/plot points. I love a good resolution but this one felt TOO easy.

I really appreciated how the story intertwined the lives of sisters across different time periods, using this structure to great effect. The characters were so well-developed that they felt like real people, and their stories were both engaging and relatable. The overall plot was captivating, and the writing kept me eager to turn the pages. Emilia Hart masterfully blended elements of magic with a sense of realism, creating a narrative that was both enchanting and believable.
4.5 stars!! Thank you, Emilia Hart, the publisher and Netgalley.

Lucy has always felt different. Suffering from an allergy to water called aquagenic urticaria, Lucy can’t go swimming with her friends, take a shower, or get caught in a rainstorm. The only one who has ever seemed to truly understand her is her older sister, Jess. So, when Lucy wakes up after a strange dream with her hands wrapped around her ex-boyfriend’s neck, it is to Jess she runs. But when Lucy arrives at Jess’ house, Jess is missing…leading Lucy on a wild journey of discovery as she unwraps Jess’ disappearance. Does Jess’ disappearance have anything to do with the 8 missing men that have vanished over the past 40 years in the same seaside town? 200 years earlier, sisters Mary and Eliza are imprisoned on a convict ship bound from Dublin to New South Wales, Australia. Trapped in a prison hold below deck with 80 other female prisoners, the sisters fight to survive and learn all they need to know about injustice from their fellow prisoners. How do these stories intertwine? Guess you will have to read The Sirens by Emilia Hart when it releases in February 2025. Emilia Hart burst on the scene with her celebrated debut novel, Weyward, which was one of my favorite reads of last year. Hart has a gift for using historical fiction and magical realism to paint the injustices that women have faced in history and those we face today in a way that is empowering. The Sirens focuses on sisterhood; both chosen and genetic. It was the central aspect of the story, but was never too heavy-handed. I was always rooting for each of these women individually. I wanted them to survive, to fight, to make their own choices, to determine for themselves what they wanted out of life. However, the end left me wanting more. The story just feels unfinished for me. I wanted more for Jess, Lucy, Eliza, and Mary. The epilogue left me with more questions than answers and worsened the feeling of a story left unfinished. I will say that the story I did get was powerful. Hart did her research and honored the countless women torn from their homeland and shipped across the sea to Australia where they were sold as wives, concubines, and slaves to men in a foreign land as punishment for petty crimes like stealing food, self defense, or failing to meet the standards of society in some other fashion. These women were treated as less than human and Hart gave them their revenge, in spirit. She also drew comparisons to the awful things modern women face today. Different songs, but the same album. Hart was able to seamlessly jump between timelines and I never was more or less interested in one timeline over the other. Was it a perfectly happy ending for each character? No. Bittersweet is what comes to mind. I just wanted more. It felt like the story was not over. A special thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book early!

A highly original story, unlike one I’ve ever read (or am likely to read). The writing itself is top-notch, beautiful writing—almost poetic at times. I found it oddly peaceful despite tackling very unpeaceful topics. That said, it didn’t always hold my attention. I found this to be one of those reads where I frequently had to go back and re-read parts after realizing my mind must’ve wandered and I missed something important to the plot. (Though, this may speak more to the narration of the audiobook, as I alternated reading platforms, but primarily listened to this one.)

I really wanted to fall in love with this story and these characters, but I just never got there. For me, it is a bit too slow, sorrowful, and mysterious (in that I feel like a lot of things are never explained, leaving a reader potentially frustrated). But I think others will be fascinated by the unique mermaid-esque lore told through alternating perspectives that almost feels like a historical fiction.

Thank you to Emilia Hart, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.