I loooove Emilia Hart’s writing!! This is a very unique story surrounding women’s empowerment and the self discovery journey in a world potter against you.

Emilia Hart delivered another gorgeous & haunting novel with The Sirens, but I think it lacked some of the depth & heart that made me fall in love with Weyward.

The Sirens blends Women’s Fiction, Magical Realism, & Historical Fiction. The story follows 2 pairs of sisters across multiple POVs, timelines, and continents. As always, Emilia delivered absolutely beautiful prose in this novel. I also loved seeing a book about Sirens, which feels like a criminally underutilized mythical creature!

Unfortunately, I just didn’t feel as connected to the characters or as invested in the plot as I would have wished. The pacing dragged in some places & ultimately left me wanting more.

This book. Some books make me happy and proud to be a woman. Some books make hate being a woman. And some books make me angry at men who make me hate being a woman. This book. This book does all three.

First off, I want to say I /loved/ this as an audiobook - Barrie Kreinik does a fantastic job with both the Irish and Australian accents, as well as singing some of the folk songs that are woven throughout. It all really helped to bring together the setting and bring to life the desolation of the crashing waves on the cliffs of Comber Bay and the filth of the hold of the Niad.

The Sirens, in framing itself around two sets of sisters, obviously focuses a lot on female empowerment and how women move throughout the world, though the first set, Mary and Eliza, get a lot more in this sense than Lucy and Jess, who end up more absorbed in the mystery of just why the two of them have a rare skin disorder that leaves them unable to be near water, as well as sleepwalking and dreams of the hold of a ship.

Although there is a lot that is compelling - the mystery of what happened 30 years ago from the present-day timeline, what will happen to Mary and Eliza in the ship, the reality of female convicts sent to Australia and what was likely to be their fate - it doesn't tie together as well as I would have liked. Between the title and where each part jumps back and forth between the timelines, there's not much of a sense of tension wondering what each twist will be as a lot is very telegraphed.

I really wish the ending weren't...that. It doesn't tie up any ends, it just leaves so many more questions and not in a nice, wondering way, but in a "wait, what about this?" way. It ends up tripping over itself tying itself so strongly to the idea of a siren call as power and doesn't quite know how to actually neatly tie everything together. There's so much that is just...left.

I also don't love that as much as it touts itself to be about sisterhood, it's so focused on mother-daughter relationships that the actual sisterly bonds feel less thought-out and explored. That said, I did enjoy it at the end of it all, and the setting particularly is so vivid that it will stick with me for a while.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the eAudiobook ARC! The Sirens, the latest from Emilia Hart (Weyward), follows three timelines: 2019's Lucy who has been dealing with harassment and dangerous sleepwalking and seeks the help and advice of her older sister, Jess. But when she discover's that Jess is gone, she embarks on a quest to find her. 1999's Jess who has a rare skin allergy and deals with feeling inadequate and different, her complicated relationship with her best friend, Max, and her growing relationship with her art teacher. 1800's Mary and Eliza are on a prison transport ship from Ireland and details the horrors aboard the ship and the reasons the women were arrested and sent away. With fantastical elements interwoven with the darker plot point offers a surprizing twist to each storyline. Barrie Kreinik gives a pitch perfect performance with excellent dialects and emotional impact.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart

I loved the idea of this book, and love these we kinds of stories that are tinged with fantasy but anchored in the real world and around realistic characters. I really appreciated the two timelines (sometimes 3) and felt like they helped the storyline develop with the right amount of anticipation as to where it was headed. Starting out with Lucy, who is running from a traumatizing event at university, we learn more about her sister and how their two paths are connected. Plus a story of two other sisters imprisoned on a ship.

Although this one was a tad slow for me; the descriptive and atmospheric writing did win me over - but I would have loved more of a twist or something unexpected to wrap it up!

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for my early copies! I did both versions, but I think I preferred the audio! Loved the narration - especially the siren songs. This one is out at the end of the month.

#netgalley #macmillanaudio #stmartinspress #reading #bookreview #bookishthoughts #booksta #mybooknotes #read #bookthoughts #bookstagram #canadianbookstagrammer

Synopsis:

2019: Lucy awakens in her ex-lover’s room in the middle of the night with her hands around his throat. Horrified, she flees to her sister’s house on the coast of New South Wales hoping Jess can help explain the vivid dreams that preceded the attack—but her sister is missing. As Lucy waits for her return, she starts to unearth strange rumours about Jess’s town—tales of numerous missing men, spread over decades. A baby abandoned in a sea-swept cave. Whispers of women’s voices on the waves. All the while, her dreams start to feel closer than ever.

1800: Mary and Eliza are torn from their loving home in Ireland and forced onto a convict ship heading for Australia. As the boat takes them farther and farther away from all they know, they begin to notice unexplainable changes in their bodies.

A breathtaking tale of female resilience, The Sirens is an extraordinary novel that captures the sheer power of sisterhood and the indefinable magic of the sea.

"The Sirens" by Emilia Hart is told in dual timelines with two sisters, Mary and Eliza, on a convict ship headed to New South Wales in 1800. In 2019, Lucy heads to New South Wales to visit her much older sister after she starts having strange dreams, starts sleepwalking, and tries to choke her ex boyfriend. It is told from multiple points of view with highly likeable characters. The novel has elements of mystery, historical fiction, and magical realism. I felt the novel was a bit slow paced, but found the narrator, Barrie Kreinik to add to the mystical elements. Overall, it was definitely not as engaging as Hart's previous book, "Weyward", but still a good read.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of the audiobook for my opinion.

I went into this book not knowing what it would be about and with low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I was hooked on the story and wanted to keep reading. I loved the build up of the Lucy timeline. The other story, Mary, confused me at first but then I was just really into the whole thing and really enjoying it. I was disappointed by the ending, I felt like it didn’t explain things enough and I was left with so many questions. I also fell like it ended abruptly.

I tried to listen to this book but found myself preferring the ebook.

It’s a good story, an original one and I did enjoy reading it.

An absorbing, magical read. I loved this dive into the mystical bonds of the sisterhood of women, across time, genetics, and shared experience.

Well, well, well … This was similar but also different than Weyward, which I loved. The book unfolded beautifully, told between two storylines of past and present - which left you trying to figure out how the lives connect.

I found myself shouting “no!” with each plot twist for part 1, 2 and 3 and I love when I don’t guess the twists! That was a refreshing part of this book - The characters were endearing and the narration was great. I could’ve even had more to the story.

Adding as an author on my “must read” list.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Oh this book to me by surprise! I really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. I was fortunate to have the audio and kindle version and it was nice to go back and forth.

Really enjoyed the two POV’s and listening to the MC’s journey.

I know this will be a big hit when it hits shelves April 1, 2025.

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan audio and St Martin’s Press for my audio and e arc in exchange for my honest review.

After falling in love with Emilia Hart’s Weyward, I was eagerly waiting for her next book—and The Sirens did not disappoint. This book is a powerful, heart-wrenching journey that centers on the strength, love, and resilience of women. From the bonds of sisters and mothers to the power of female friendship, it beautifully explores what it means to be different—and how those differences make us who we are meant to be.

As a mother of three daughters with autism, The Sirens spoke to me on a deep, personal level. The story follows two sisters, Mary and Eliza, sent to Australia for the “crime” of protecting themselves, and their experiences as prisoners aboard a ship. The narrative weaves together their past with Lucy, a young woman in the present, struggling to accept her allergy to water and her place in the world, and Jess, her sister, whose journal entries reveal her own struggles of self-acceptance.

Through each of these women’s journeys, we see the universal power of sisterhood and the strength we draw from one another. This book is an ode to the untold struggles women face and the quiet strength that runs through our stories. 🌿

The lyrical prose of Emilia Hart is utterly captivating, and The Sirens is a book I won’t soon forget. It’s one I recommend to every woman, as it speaks to the parts of us that often go unspoken. 📚

Thank you to NetGalley, Emilia Hart, and MacMillan Audio for the privilege of experiencing this audiobook.

#BookReview #TheSirens #EmiliaHart #WomenStories #Sisterhood #BookRecommendation #AmReading #Audiobook #Sirens #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful story about sisters and women across centuries and their story of resiliency and survival from a world that they do not feel accepted or a part of.
I love the detailed stories this author gives us about the generations and the times in history that affect the characters so deeply when they are given special gifts. Each one has a unique experience with their shared qualities.

I did think it was a slow start and at times long winded, hence the 4 stars given.

1. This book is unique, powerful, and immersive.
2. I highly recommend the audiobook for an enriched experience!

Hart won me over in her 2023 debut, Weyward, with her rich prose and ability to weave together women’s stories across generations. I particularly enjoy her exploration of women reclaiming their voice and power in the face of patriarchal injustices, and The Sirens centers on those similar themes, while expanding more on sisterhood in this new release.

The Sirens follows two sets of sisters, oddly connected via dreams/visions and sleepwalking incidents. In 1800, Mary and Eliza are convicted of murder in Ireland and forced onto a grueling transoceanic convict ship journey to the newly established penal colony in Australia. In 2019, Lucy and Jess are plagued with nightmares, and when Lucy finds herself accused of violence after a sleepwalking incident, she flees to Jess’s home on the coast for support. But when she arrives, Jess is missing, and Lucy must search for answers in Jess’ journals, artwork, and other clues left behind. During her search for Jess, Lucy uncovers local town lore of generations of missing men, tales of babies found in caves, and women’s voices on the waves, all while her dreams of Mary and Eliza grown more intense. With slow-burn suspense that escalates towards a heart-pounding conclusion, I was completely captivated by this story. Hart brilliantly walks the line between lore, magic, and reality, while creating characters and plot lines that are relatable and easy to champion. I particularly enjoyed the exploration of sisterhood and sacrifices women are oftentimes forced to make for themselves or loved ones. Expertly researched, I particularly enjoyed learning more about the women convicts and the lives they tried to carve out for themselves in a new and strange world.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for my gifted audiobook; narrator, Barrie Kreinik, blew me away where her performance, accent work, and ability to distinguish between the various voices/perspectives of the story. Her emotive narration absolutely enriched my reading experience, from the haunting singing to the emotional scenes Hart created. Readers who enjoy women’s fiction, with a blend of historical, contemporary and magical elements need to add this one to their TBR!

I received an ALC of The Sirens by Emilia Hart from NetGalley and the Publisher; Thank you!

First of all, I want to listen to everything Barrie Kreinik has ever narrated. Truly a lovely voice, and her accent really helped me build a better mental map of the characters and setting. I think that Emilia Hart's writing and Barrie Kreinik's narration work together beautifully to blend the stories of sisters across time. The narration anchored me in the story.

The tension in The Sirens builds slowly, and had I read it in paper or e-book, the pace would have been a challenge for me. Kreinik's narration truly helped me enjoy this really beautiful story about families, secrets and what it means to feel safe.

This layered, heartfelt fantasy is beautifully heartbreaking. To read this book is to be seen as a woman, yet the fantastical elements are so thoughtfully described they are viscerally real. Listening to this audiobook left me fearing I should pull over. I was too sucked in, clutching the steering wheel, so teary eyed it was hard to see. I expected nothing less following Weyward, but I can not wait for this to be released so I can share this experience with every woman in my life.

The Sirens is story with mystery, family secrets, history, magical realism, sisterhood, lore, and female resilience. I truly enjoyed the pace of the book, that was itself similar to the methodical rhythm of the sea. The narration was beautifully done and really helped intensify the feel of the story. An enjoyable audiobook perfect for when you’re looking for an enchanting and calm listen.

In The Sirens, Emilia Hart weaves a haunting tale of mystery and connection that spans generations. Lucy flees her university life to seek refuge at her sister Jess's coastal home in New South Wales, only to find Jess missing. Drawn to the house and the whispers of the sea, Lucy embarks on a quest to uncover her sister's whereabouts. As she delves deeper, she discovers unsettling parallels between their lives—shared dreams, a mysterious skin condition, and the haunting legacy of two Irish sisters from the 1800s who endured their own harrowing journey.

While the narrative unfolds at a deliberate pace, the slow build allows for a rich exploration of the women’s intertwined fates, revealing deep secrets and layered histories. Hart masterfully interlaces the past with the present, creating a tapestry of familial bonds and the struggle for identity. The connection between Lucy, Jess, and their historical counterparts adds a captivating depth to the story.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read and review this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Another vibey aesthetic book for witchy girlies. I really enjoyed the world building in this book. Very girl power and I love a book with contemporary mythology elements, it scratches a very specific part of my brain.

I really found myself enjoying the different accents the narrator had. At times she lulled me off to sleep because I found her voice to soothing. The story was pretty good. I did find myself being very interested in what was going on but it was extremely predictable.

Links to come.