I enjoyed this book!
As a huge fan of fantasy, I liked how the author interlaced genres. The story is told in a historical fiction way in that it focuses on two timelines of sisters. One timeline focuses in the 1800s and the story of twin sisters Mary and Eliza who are prisoners on a boat. This boat has women who are kept in handcuffs and are going to wolf as slaves. The next time line focuses on two sisters Jess and Lucy in 2019 who are both adopted by this family. Lucy is a student and an event with an ex college boyfriend has caused her to run away from the famous and look for her sister Jess. Lucy then begins to discover that her sister Jess an artist has disappeared. During this time Lucy begins to use her journalist background to start investigating her last, and why her body keeps changing.

I have always had an interest in the mythical creatures of sirens/mermaids. This is a story which includes the genre of magical realism and focuses on the resilience of two sisters and their love. The power of love and the power of wanting to protect those you love and the magical connection between loved ones. I also loved this story because it was a different kind of story and I felt drain into the story. I really did care for the sisters and I wanted to see how the story ended.
Thank you Net-galley, Macmillan audio and St Martin’s Press for allowing me the opportunity to review this arc. I really did enjoy this story!

Part historical fiction and part contemporary novel, The Sirens is a beautifully written and compelling exploration of sisterhood, family and finding one’s place. There are two timelines-one set in 2019 and one set in 1800-and each details the journeys of two sets of young women as they contend with hardships and self-acceptance amidst an inexplicable yearning for something more.

Twins Mary and Eliza are prisoners in a ship traveling from Ireland to Australia, while college student Lucy flees to her older sister Jess’ home in the coastal town of Comber Bay, New South Wales after a sleepwalking episode ends with unexpected violence. With Jess inexplicably missing, Lucy finds herself delving into her sister’s old diary and unearthing new mysteries.

The Sirens is something of a slow-burn and I enjoyed witnessing the plot unfold from dual perspectives. I appreciated the research utilized to depict Mary and Eliza’s timeline-especially prior to their subjugation-and would have enjoyed even more time spent with their characters and family.

Lucy and Jess were also relatable, as a passionate young woman/woman with ambitious dreams, individuals dealing with something akin to a chronic illness and also siblings struggling with a distance that sometimes occurs with a gap in age. The trauma both women experience is also-sadly-not uncommon and while certain aspects of the plot did progesss in a predictable fashion, it never felt tedious.

The setting of the fictional Comber Bay was also excellent: with the lone house above a cliff, the isolated and sea-swept caves and the eerie mystery surrounding men sporadically going missing over the years supposedly due in part to the voices of women across the waves.

At times, I found myself yearning for the more magical and less tragic aspects of the story, as I was initially expecting more of a focus upon the unusual disappearances of Comber Bay, rather than the complex familial relationships of the characters.

I was slightly surprised by aspects of the epilogue however, as it made something that was otherwise implied-and slightly damaging to a character-more definite unnecessarily.

The narration by Barrie Kreinik is truly wonderful and she does excellent work with regular vocals, accents and even some singing.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing access to this audiobook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

This is one of those books where, the more I thought about it, the less I liked it. When I started I was very interested, but it felt like quite a bit of the story was told through journalling, and not in the best way. The end was fairly rushed, and the main character's reaction to the ending was underwhelming. There was a lot that was just hand waived away, and it didn't sit well with me. I kept thinking, "how did that happen?" and not in a great-shocked way.
I am still giving three stars because I really liked it as I finished it, and the writing was very good. When I initially finished I thought I would give it four stars before thinking further on it.

This was an interesting read. I think I made the mistake of listening to the audio ALC because it was a bit hard to keep up with the characters changing and some timeline changes. But overall the story was good. A little mystery and a little fantasy. I love a mermaid type story and since this one was set over generations I enjoyed it. The characters were likable and it was definitely a story of finding yourself and the truth.

This was my first book by this author. It took me about 30% till I could get into the story. It was difficult to connect to the characters and to understand the pacing. I also struggled to decipher the difference between some of the characters. Once I could grasp the concept, the story began to unfold before me. I could appreciate the characters better.

I highly recommend for those who love magical realism.

The narrator did a good job giving emotions and capturing the magical portion.

I gave this a 3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for the opportunity to listen to The Sirens by Emilia Hart.

It was an enjoyable read, but I found the plotting a bit rushed and not fully thought through. The premise was interesting, but some character decisions didn’t feel believable, and the story was somewhat predictable. I preferred the author’s previous novel, but I’ll still check out their future work. The audiobook was well done, with a great narrator and distinct character voices.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio #MacAudio2025 for the advance copy of this audiobook 📚 🎧

Magical realism is not always my thing, but there was enough “real” realism and mystery here that I ended up captivated. I loved this story of sisters, family, and resilient women, and it was especially good on audio. I did wish for more of the mythological lore of the sirens to be woven in to give the story a stronger foundation. The reviews on Goodreads are all over the place interestingly, but I would give this one a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Comes out tomorrow 4/1/25 so get your library hold in!

I wanted to love this book. Weyward may have been my favorite book of 2025 thus far so I had high hopes for Sirens. Unfortunately, I got the ARC as an Audiobook, and not as an eBook. I will say that I think this may have affected my opinion some, as I am very picky on audiobooks. I love reading in my own mental voice with my own inflections, etc. However, I had read Weyward as both an audiobook and an eBook and I loved both versions.

This book, while beautifully written and described, did not have the voice or story to keep me engaged. It is told in multiple POV over many different time periods, just like Weyward. The stories ran together and were not engaging. While I love the idea of this book, the execution just was not there for me. Even the secrets were lackluster.

I will continue to read Emilia Hart books, but I have a hard time recommending this book compared to her other masterpiece.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Emilia Hart and NetGalley for the ALC! All opinions stated are my own.

The Sirens: 🐚🌊🧜‍♀️⁣
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Thank you @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for my gifted copies! #MacAudio2025 #SMPInfluencer ⁣
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“But sometimes, there is no choice. There is only love.”⁣
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Me: “I love sirens and the lore behind them. This is going to be wonderful.”⁣
Me after finishing the last page: sobbing uncontrollably, holding my daughters super close and them giving me a side eye to why I’m being extra affectionate.⁣
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This is a slow burn. My curiosity was piqued, just enough to want to see what was happening to Jess. It took me until about 70% to really stop in my tracks and desperately NEED to know the rest. The dual timelines was so perfectly executed to really have a strong completion into how they’re connected in the end. ⁣
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Honestly, it’s a beautiful book. It’s heartbreaking, yet, hauntingly beautiful. I guess kind of like sirens ya know? The audio was phenomenal. Barrie Kreinik just keeps getting better. And the singing?! The singing!? Throw my book away, the audio was beautiful. (Don’t actually throw the book away, it’s stunning and I’ll be getting a copy for my shelves)⁣
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Overall, not at all what I expected but definitely a favorite so far of the year. ⁣
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QOTD: What did you read this weekend??

3.5⭐️ This book is mainly just vibes. It’s very dark and eerie! Hart’s writing is truly beautiful. Her descriptions have a beautiful eeriness to them. My main issue with this book was the pacing. The book didn’t really pick up until 70%. Once it did I started to enjoy it so much more! I do have some questions that don’t feel fully answered. Overall I did enjoy this book!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

🌊 What’s it about?
This book has three story lines:

A past timeline with Eliza and Mary, young women on a prisoner ship from Ireland to Australia.

A present timeline where Lucy has fled her college for her sister’s house after sleepwalking and attacking the man who helped publish nude photos online.

And Jess, her older sister’s past diary entries.

In every timeline the girls are battling a flaky skin condition and are fleeing from sexual assaults from men. And they all weave together.

💚 My thoughts:
I loved how atmospheric and mysterious this book is. Reading it felt like fog rolling off waves.

Beyond the setting, this book is a critical look at how women are and have been harshly treated by men and made to feel like it’s the women’s fault.

In every timeline, the female character is a victim of time, place, and a man waiting to take advantage of her vulnerability. And this novel explores what happens when that’s both acknowledged and that power is reclaimed.

This book moved me. It’s beautiful and poignant and I couldn’t have loved it more.

🎧 The audiobook was expertly narrated by Barrie Kreinik, who gives a beautiful performance.

I loved this book, Emilia Hart is able to tackle difficult topics in an engaging and transporting way.

A feminist tale revolving around 4 women—two sets of sisters. This one had elements of magic but also symbolic with how women can be mistreated and silenced. I felt there was more of a story in the epilogue and would’ve loved a third timeline with that character. Great read — I did a mix of reading with my eyes and listening to the audio with my ears. Narrated by Barrie Kreinik, this one was fabulous on audio! Many thanks to St Martins Press, Netgalley, and Macmillan Audio!

What an exquisitely crafted story! I enjoyed every minute of this beautiful story!

As a lover of both Magical Realism and Historical Fiction, this story which expertly weaves both together flawlessly had my full attention from beginning to end.

Featuring multiple POV’s during two different timelines, this engrossing story of two different sets of sisters and their singular magical heritage comes full circle by its satisfying end.

If you liked “The Wicked Deep” by Shea Ernshaw, then you will love this similar story of questionable missing males and the female mistreatment that initiates such justice.

I recommend this book / audiobook (which is perfectly performed by Barrie Kreinik) for anyone who loves the aforementioned Magical Realism and Historical Fiction, as well as standalone stories that delve into strong sibling and familial bonds.

Thanks to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the #gifted copy of this book.

Summary: 2019: Lucy has been having very disturbing dreams and, most recently sleep-walking, waking up in the craziest places. After waking up in her ex-lover's room with her hands around his neck, she decides it's time to find her sister and figure out what is happening in her life. Unfortunately, her sister is missing, but as she goes through her house, Lucy discovers Jess's old journal, which is full of discoveries. 1800: Mary and Eliza are taken from their small town on a convict ship headed for Australia. As they get further from home, they discover some very unusual changes in their bodies.

My Thoughts: Wow this one took me on a journey I was not expecting. I enjoyed the different timelines throughout the story to gain an understanding of what was happening to each of the characters. There was a lot of mystery about what Lucy was going through with her strange dreams and sleepwalking. I loved that she was already in investigative journalism, which sparked her curiosity about her sister's life. Of course, this led to many more discoveries than Lucy expected and how they would affect her own life. I did not know anything about the women convicts ships that took them to Australia, so that was a new piece of history for me to discover. The fantasy elements in this story were unique but also subtle as the changes took place for each character. The ending honestly blew my mind, and I had to sit with that revelation for a while.

🎧 Barrie Kreinik did a fantastic job on the audio of this book. It kept me very engaged, and it was hard to stop listening. I highly suggest the audio for this one!

What you will find:
✨Historical Fantasy
✨Lots of Mystery
✨3 Timelines/POVs

I was really disappointed with this book and in fact if it had not been an ARC book, I would have stopped listening midway through - it would definitely be a DNF for me. This was disappointing especially because I read the author's book Weyward last summer, and I loved it.

But The Sirens did not pull me in - there was never a time when I wanted to know more. The characters were not developed or interesting and the plot did not move along at all. In fact, I felt that it was just an inner rambling of the main character Lucy for much of the book and much of it could have cut out which would have shortened the book. Much of her rambling was repetitive; she kept going back to the same things; where was her sister, why was she sleepwalking (which by the way is never really explained in the book or how that connects with her sister) She keeps having these experiences with her memories of a distant prison ship of women, but nothing really happens with them either; they just are on the ship and everyone is very retrospective.

I found this book to be boring and it lacked any real plot or character development. But I do want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook version of this book as an ARC.

After falling in love with Wayward, I was so looking forward to this story.
The Sirens is an interesting story that blends together lore, fantasy, and a modern story to create interwoven connections between characters. While I appreciate the complexity of these connections, I found myself wanting more with regards to the execution of the story.
I enjoyed the development of the sibling relationship in the past timeline that was included in this story, but feel that it could have been condensed while still holding the same weight. Time spent with these characters would have been better used exploring the heavy subject matter that was presented in the present day timeline. A topic that's incredibly prevalent and that warrants and is owed appropriate discussion is unfortunately not given the time needed to explore it in the detailed and nuanced way it requires, which leaves the reader wanting for more.
While this book does reveal a number of familial secrets involving our main characters, they're not all explored to provide the reader with insight or understanding. I found myself wishing for additional conversations between parents and children in order to have a clear understanding of these relationships as they stand within the story, but also when looking towards the future for these characters. The epilogue does attempt to provide some clarity, but in doing so also stirs up additional questions.
I did enjoy the inclusion of singing in the audiobook. That was a great decision and allows for an immersive listening experience at those moments in the story.
I think Hart created a very interesting story in The Sirens, I just wish it wasn't lost to pacing issues and muddled explanations.

I loved Emilia Hart's book 'Weyward" that mixes historical fict and witchcraft, so when I heard about her new novel that combines historical fict and Sirens I was so excited (and it lived up to my expectation).

I hadn't known anything about convict ships so this was an informative and immersive read. It has multiple timelines, twists, and mystery and mythology.

My heart broke for the women in their stories but the empowerment they find was a perfect ending.

I adored this book! I listened to the audiobook and it really brought the story to life, especially the song! This is an incredible tale based around the bond of sisters, feminine vengeance, a town full of lore, and embracing who you really are! Once I started it, I was hooked and couldn’t stop listening! I can’t wait to add this to my bookshelf next to Weyward when it comes out!

The Sirens by Emilia Hart is a beautifully written, haunting story that blends historical fiction with magical realism, creating an enigmatic story. The writing is stunning—almost poetic at times—without ever feeling over-the-top. Hart’s writing evokes a deeply moody, evocative atmosphere, pulling you into the mysteries that stretches across the novel’s dual timelines.

The story follows Lucy, who arrives at her sister Jess’s remote coastal home, only to find that Jess is missing. As she searches for answers, she realizes that everyone around her—family, friends, and the town itself—knows more than they’re letting on. This creates an undercurrent of suspense that made me anxious to learn how it all would come together to help Lucy piece together the truth. And just when you think you have a grasp on where the story is headed, a plot twist lands—unexpected and brilliantly executed. I pride myself on identifying early on the plot twist will be; not here. I actually gasp “What???” in surprise.

Because I listened to the audiobook, it is necessary to mention Barrie Kreinik’s incredible narration. I usually avoid audiobooks because I often find the narrators’ voices annoying, but that wasn’t the case here. She delivers a phenomenal performance, capturing the perfect tone for the novel’s blend of mystery and melancholy. She is also a master of accents which added depth to the characters, and at one point, she even sings—an element that makes the audiobook feel even more immersive.

The only thing that left me a little disappointed was the way the book handled the dreams woven throughout the story. They felt important, but there wasn’t much explanation, and it seemed like a loose end that never really got tied up.

Overall, The Sirens is a gripping, atmospheric read that explores family secrets, sisterhood, and the mysteries of the past. While some questions are left unanswered, the gorgeous writing, strong narration, and unexpected twists make this a book worth reading. I loved it.

Rating: 4.5/5