TY to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the ALC. I loved this multi perspective tale of mermaids & family secrets. Both settings were vivid and immersive and absolutely lovely. If you love mermaids, you will love this book!

Like the author’s previous novel, The Sirens employs multiple timelines, which I enjoyed, and I loved seeing how everything ends up connecting in the end. A lot of the twists weren’t necessarily obvious initially, but seem more clear in hindsight….except for the last one about the father…that one I wasn’t prepared for. I sometimes struggled with some of the mythical/magical elements, whether they were supposed to be literal or figurative. I wasn’t thrilled that Lucy’s ex-lover pretty much gets away with his actions, and that it almost felt like that part of the story, the impetus for her running, just kind of fizzled out and didn’t really feel resolved. I listened to the audiobook and really liked the narrator. I think that both the narration and the writing were really well done.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook.
The writing was beautiful, but I didn’t feel a significant connection to the characters.

The Sirens definitely sucked me in right away and I had trouble putting it down. I'm a big fan of dual timeline novels and love to try to figure out how they relate to each other. The final puzzle piece isn't revealed until the very end in this one but I still had questions as to exactly how everything happened. Perhaps that was intentional on the author's part? Maybe I read the ending too fast in my quest to figure everything out? Highly recommend this one, especially if you enjoyed her other novel, Weyward.

The audiobook version was excellent. Each character's voice was distinct and I had no trouble keeping track of who was speaking.

A unique twist on the classic and mythic sirens. Lyrical and Hart does a wonderful job of exploring human connection and complexities. I highly recommend for individuals who enjoy The Unmaking of June Farrow.

TW/CW: cyber sexual assault, death of parent, anxiety, language, drinking, sexual assault, body shaming, homophobic slur, grooming, cheating

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
2019: Lucy awakens from a dream to find her hands around her ex-lover’s throat. Horrified, she flees to her older sister’s house on the Australian coast, hoping she can help explain the strangely vivid nightmare that preceded the attack—but Jess is nowhere to be found.As Lucy awaits her return, the rumors surrounding Jess’s strange small town start to emerge. Numerous men have gone missing at sea, spread over decades. A tiny baby was found hidden in a cave. And sailors tell of hearing women’s voices on the waves. Desperate for answers, Lucy finds and begins to read her sister’s adolescent diary.

1999: Jess is a lonely sixteen-year-old in a rural town in the middle of the continent. Diagnosed with a rare allergy to water, she has always felt different, until her young, charming art teacher takes an interest in her drawings, seeing a power and maturity in them—and in her—that no one else has.

1800: Twin sisters Mary and Eliza have been torn from their loving father in Ireland and forced onto a convict ship bound for Australia. For their entire lives, they’ve feared the ocean, as their mother tragically drowned when they were just girls. Yet as the boat bears them further and further from all they know, they begin to notice changes in their bodies that they can’t explain, and they feel the sea beginning to call to them…
Release Date: April 1st, 2025
Genre: Woman's Fiction
Pages: 337
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Writing style was good
2. Enjoyed the story of "sisters"
3. Magic feels

What I Didn't Like:
1. Unnecessary second story
2. Predictable things

Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}

It drove me up the wall that Lucy took off rather than trying to stand up to the loser that assaulted her. She has proof of what he did while he has none that she was attacking him.

Lucy is inside her sisters house and mentions that her phone is dead and has no way to contact anyone. Did she not bring a charger? Can't she plug the phone into the wall socket? What am I missing about this that she has to go on the search for her sister's phone?

Omg Jess got pregnant by her teacher and had an abortion that's why she painted in during her art show.

I kind of figured that we were getting Jack Nicholsoned with Lucy being Jess' daughter.

Ahhhhhh no Jess' dad is her real father he just cheated with a siren.

Final Thoughts:
I'll be honest with you - the story of the Mary and Eliza just felt pointless and like we just didn't need it. It only mattered for like two pages when we realize that the dad was having sex with one of them.

At the end of the day I was deeply invested in the story of Lucy and Jess. I thought it was a good book that touched on so many tough subjects, though I've noticed this author recycles the same troupes in other books as a punchline.

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Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A haunting dual-timeline narrative that intertwines historical fiction with a modern-day mystery, centered around the deep, often painful bonds of family. I was immediately drawn in by the premise—Irish women being transported to the colonies aboard a convict ship in the 1800s, contrasted with a present-day storyline involving two sisters entangled in secrets, dreams, and tragedy.

The historical thread was especially compelling. Mary and Eliza’s journey from Ireland to Australia is emotionally powerful and steeped in rich detail. Their resilience, and the eerie transformations they begin to experience, add a mysterious, almost mythic layer to their suffering.

However, I found myself confused at times, particularly when the story leaned into more paranormal elements. Skin turning to scales? Echoes of siren lore? The line between magical realism, myth, and psychological unraveling wasn't always clear, and I often questioned what was meant to be taken literally versus metaphorically….

I listened to the audiobook version and appreciated the opportunity to experience this story early through an advanced copy. The narration helped bring the characters to life, and I was definitely compelled to see it through to the end—but I did finish it with lingering confusion.

The Sirens is a story of sisters. Emilia Hart went to great lengths to explore this relationship and how, again, how family history unknowingly plants seeds in every one of us.
I liked the book overall, but I was sometimes lost in the story. I felt it could have been shorter. Yet, the audiobook production did not disappoint. Delivery was on point, and for that, this book gained a couple of stars.
The exploration of sisterly relationships and family secrets also kept me on the edge of my seat, but at the same time, I want to underline that the supposed mystery was solved by me in the middle of the book. Clues were there for us to collect, right in front of our eyes. Hence — fun.

I was so grateful to get early access to 'The Sirens' by Emilia Hart as her first book 'Weyward' is one of my top 10 fiction reads that I sell all the time at the bookstore. Hart's sophomore novel is just what every reader hopes for as it had similar structure to her first book but she had clearly improved in my writing skills between the two novels. While I found myself most drawn to Mary and Eliza's tragic travels I was never rushing through the other two time periods as they held my attention just as well. I look forward to selling this book to everyone who will listen to me gush.

This story captivated me from start to finish. The intertwining timelines, Lucy in 2019, Jess in 1999, and Mary and Eliza in the 1800s, kept me hooked, blending historical fiction with magical realism beautifully. I was drawn to Lucy's journey as she unravels family secrets and her sister's mysterious past. The diary entries added depth to Jess’s character, while Mary and Eliza's struggles on a convict ship brought an eerie sense of connection to the sea. The themes of sisterhood, resilience, and retribution against abusers were powerful. The audiobook, narrated by Barrie Kreinik, was fantastic, especially with her mastery of accents and characters. This genre-bending novel is haunting, emotional, and absolutely worth the read.

When I saw that, Emilia Hart had a new book following up her amazing breakthrough debut of Weyward, I was equally excited and hesitant. Excited because I absolutely adored what she did with wayward and he hesitant because I absolutely adored what she did with Weyward and I did not know how she would pull that off again…. But let me tell you she definitely pulled it off and The Sirens is just as commanding as her debut!

In this book, we are again given a snapshot of women who are connected through generations and time, and this time the magical or mystical element are sea sirens!

Featuring an college aged MC who has just been humiliated by the boys she trusted and liked sharing her nude photo to all of campus- not knowing where to turn she decides to leave and drive across country to her estranged sister’s house on the coast of Australia. When she rise, her sister is missing and she starts unravelling their family history as she explores the ancient house. Her sister has moved into. At the same time, she is experiencing dreams of another pair of sisters travelling from Ireland via transport ship to Australia.

This book is full of women, strength, women’s relationships, and women’s resilience. I find her characters and their history so inspiring and for the second time now when I have Reid and Amelia heart book, I am immersed in this world and unable to put it down until the end. These are stories that I binge in one sitting every time!

I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook narrated by Barrie Kreinik that I found absolutely transporting. Their use of buried voicing to create the different characters and the different atmospheres for the different time periods. Take the listener into another space. The narration created a listening experience, it was more than just listening to a story.

I really liked The Sirens!! I thought the writing was very atmospheric and I loved all the moving parts, the flashbacks and the dreams, and I thought how everything came together was so compelling. Kind of dark, so be prepared for that, but I think it wasn't dark for darkness sake, but to examine some broader themes that feel very timely. And I really liked the audiobook, I thought it was great! Definitely recommending this one!

I LOVED Weyward. This one was 'meh.' I feel like the magical realism didn't quite flow. I like the symbolism of the sirens as female protectors, but I feel like associating it with a real skin condition was a flop for me. Just OK.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Sirens by Emilia Hart was so engaging and I loved that it spanned centuries. We start with an 18 year-old student in 2019 who was being cyberbullied with intimate pictures being released. She woke up from a dream choking the perpetrator in her sleep. She goes to seek help at her sister's home along the Australian coast - a haunted placed with a sordid past including many men going missing at sea. She finds a diary that takes her back to 1999 and a young woman who is allergic to water. Then, the reader is taken back to the 1800s with twins who started to notice strange bodily changes as they are on a ship for criminals.

I love sister stories... this was so great. Haunting, mysterious, and I appreciated the jabs at the patriarchy! I was left with a few too many questions (no spoilers from me!), but overall, it was an enjoyable read.

Barrie Kreinik is a stellar narrator with perfect pitch, changing genders and maintaining consistency throughout. Because there were so many time changes and character changes, her work was especially impressive.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, MacMillan Audio and Emilia Hart for the ALC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Narrator Barrie Kreinik did an excellent job with The Sirens, a book with both Australian POV and Irish POV. The three POVs throughout the majority of the story are Lucy, in modern day Australia, and Eliza's and Mary's in early 1800s Ireland. Eventually Jess's POV is added to the mix, too.

This is a story of female resistance, persistence, and resilience. It beautifully blends the contemporary with the historical, and the modern with the mythical. The mystery was captivating as a plot twist around the 40% mark increases the intensity of the story and the need for Lucy to find her sister, Jess.

I really enjoyed this story and Barrie did an excellent job capturing moments and accents. I recommend this story for anyone interested in a medium pace non-romance, that centers on women and family.

4 1/2 stars

I really enjoyed this book and two different stories from separate time periods that it told. The way everything eventually blended together and wrapped up this overall story was well done and creative. I confess that I did figure things out - - but it took me a bit. It had a strong feministic message - - but really, it was all so valid. There is so much misogyny just by nature in society and there always has been. It was nice to see how the Sirens played into events - - albeit even if it was often in the background. It seems like this book got mixed reviews. I admit it did move slowly at times. But for me, it was all worth it in the end. It had such a solid and satisfying full circle conclusion.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The narration felt perfect to me. It might have made the story even more enjoyable if that's possible. The narrator is such a solid storyteller, and her voice just pulls you into the story. 5 stars

I thought this book was good but not great. I think for me the slow pace and similarities to 2 other books I recently read resulted in me not loving this one.

What I did like: the narration, the historical respect mixed in with mystery and magical realism.

I was excited for this book, as Weyward was an amazing read. However, this book fell flat.
The story meanders more than is satisfying, and the plot seems to have no purpose.
While Weyward wove the three POVs into satisfying, parallel character arcs, The Sirens missed the mark.
I'm disappointed, but I look forward to reading Emilia's next book! I still consider myself a fan - I requested this book through my library to help encourage them to acquire it, then borrowed and listened to the rest of it on Libby - but I hope her next book returns to some of the literary magic found in Weyward!

Format: 🎧 (Audiobook)
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3

I was so excited for this one after reading Emilia Hart’s Weyward at the end of 2024. I had never read a siren/mermaid story before and was eager to experience Emilia’s atmospheric writing in this setting. There were aspects of her atmospheric style that I really enjoyed, particularly in the secondary setting aboard a convict ship traveling from Ireland to Australia, where twin sisters Mary and Eliza begin to notice unexplainable changes to their bodies as they journey across the sea.

The primary storyline focuses on two sisters, Lucy and Jess, who are searching for answers from the past while also finding their way back to each other.

The audiobook played a big role in keeping me engaged through to the end, as I really enjoyed the narrator. However, I do wish there had either been two different narrators for the dual timelines/POVs or a greater distinction between the two parts. While listening, I often found it difficult to tell the characters and timelines apart.

Overall, if you're a fan of Emilia Hart's writing and are looking for a slow-burn mystery with fantasy elements, I would suggest picking this one up.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and Emilia Hart for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!