I wanted to love The Sirens, but honestly, it left me feeling a bit lukewarm.

The concept sounded amazing - three timelines of women connected by the sea's mysterious powers? Sign me up! We follow Lucy in 2019 searching for her missing sister in a coastal town with a dark history, teenage Jess in 1999 dealing with a rare water allergy, and Irish twins on a convict ship to Australia in 1800. Cool premise, right?

One saving grace was Barrie Kreinik's narration of the audiobook. Her ability to distinctly voice each character across the three timelines was impressive, bringing much-needed dimension to protagonists that felt flat on the page. Kreinik's lilting Irish accent for the 1800s twins was particularly captivating, and her subtle vocal shifts between timelines helped keep the story threads clear.

That said, there were some genuinely beautiful passages about the sea, and the author does have a knack for atmospheric writing. The gradually revealed connections between the timelines were clever, if a bit predictable.

If you're into magical realism with feminist themes, you might enjoy this more than I did. But for me, it was just okay - an interesting concept that never quite delivered on its promise. I finished it.

Another win for Emilia Hart! Just like with her hit Weyward, The Sirens has the same style of generational mystery combined with a hint of magical realism. I love how that she uses the eerie tone of mermaid folklore to set the mood for the story, which follows two sets of sisters from different generations unpacking family secrets, while also being lured to the Australian coast.

The narration by Barrie Kreinik was stunning! The story takes us from Ireland to Australia, and truthfully could not tell which was our narrators real accent. The two voices helped to distinguish between the swapping time periods and characters, and helped me as the listener feel fully immersed. There is a part in the book where we hear a Siren Song, and Barrie's voice is so lovely that I believed her to be a mermaid herself.

Highly recommend! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this in advance for my honest feedback.

(4⭐️ = I loved it, would recommend)

The Sirens is a captivating and unique novel with multiple narratives and perspectives that weave together beautifully by the end. The seamless way these diverse storylines intertwine is one of the book's greatest strengths.

As a lover of historical fiction, I found the historical fiction with the addition of mystery and magical realism to be a unique touch.

This was my first book by Emilia Hart, and it did not disappoint. From the very first chapter, I was drawn into the story when the main character, Lucy, finds herself in a complicated situation at university. Though there’s tension between Lucy and her sister, Jess, their bond is rooted in deep love.

The story unfolds through three distinct points of view:
1. Present-day Lucy, whose voice takes center stage
2. Jess, through flashbacks as Lucy reads her sister’s diary
3. A further historical flashback, where two sisters navigate a perilous journey on a sinking ship, told from their perspective

My favorite parts of the book came from Lucy’s POV, especially as she uncovers the hidden depths of her sister’s past through the diary entries. I loved how the different timelines and perspectives gradually came together, providing a satisfying and emotional conclusion. Each character embarks on a personal journey of discovery, and watching them uncover hidden truths, both about themselves and each other, kept me on my toes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an early copy of The Sirens by Emilia Hart in exchange for my honest review.

"Up where they walk, up where they run
Up where they stay all day in the sun
Wanderin' free - wish I could be
Part of that world" Disney, The Little Mermaid

3.5 Stars...Emilia Hart's second novel, The Sirens, is a present day historical fiction with a touch of fantasy folklore. We meet Mary, Lucy, and Jess, all connect by history and secrecy that starts off the coast of Ireland and ends in New South Wales, Australia. All three hold a secret that though links them through different times in the world, could destroy their very lives and of those they love. All three are controlled by the influence and power of men, and how they decide what is becoming of women even when separated for hundreds of years.
What's hidden in the world below the water, and is it in all reality a place that would be safer and more accepting of the women and their unique differences?
Lucy and Jess are sisters trying to find out why are they so different from one another, yet know that the gut feeling of being more than sisters is present and strong. Mary is a recently 'convicted convict' with her sister being transported to New South Wales to become part of a new settlement, but only as whatever the men carrying them sell them to be. How Ms. Hart interlocks these women is magical and an interesting turn I did not see coming.
However, I do feel that it took a little long and slow to get there. Also, Lucy's story felt unfinished. We meet her in the beginning with something happening that could cause serious ramifications, but it was never settled. The epilogue was a great chapter, but I think it would have been better if all had been revealed within the story to strengthen the relationships that were fragile.
The descriptions of Australia and the waterways to get there back in the 1800s was beautifully written, and more so enhanced by the narrator, Barrie Kreinik. Her voice gave a fantasy feel to the story and the call of The Sirens song.
Maybe The Little Mermaid had it wrong, and living in the water with the strength of women and those that have come before is better than this present day one we walk.
Thank you Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this new novel by Emilia Hart.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart
Narrator: Barrie Kreinik
Pub Date: 04/01/25
Publisher: Macmillan Audio

The Sirens
3.5 ⭐️

I loved Weyward and was so excited when I got a copy of The Sirens on @netgalley!

Lucy is running away from her university where she’s had a whole host of problems and toward her sister. But when she turns up at her sister’s she finds her missing with only a few very old clues as to where she might have gone.

This book felt like Literary Fiction, Mystery, and Fantasy all rolled into one. While the first half of the book was extremely slow, the ending did make up for some of it. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I’d hoped, but if you’re looking for slower paced book that has a unique story, check it out!

ARC Review!

First off, I love the cover! I truly enjoyed the eerie and mysterious vibes. I loved the dual timelines and how the author tied the 2 stories together at the end. The writing is beautiful. However, I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters and really wanted to love them, but unfortunately I did not :(, I really wanted to. I would still recommend this book to anyone who enjoys elements of magic, folklore, and the supernatural.

The narration was impeccable!!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing this advanced audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

Emilia Hart’s The Sirens is a haunting, multi-layered triumph, further elevated in its audiobook form by Barrie Kreinik’s dynamic narration. Kreinik’s seamless shifts between American and Irish accents animate each woman’s distinct voice, from 2019’s fugitive Lucy—fleeing a violent nightmare—to 1999’s isolated Jess, whose diary entries unravel her fraught bond with a manipulative art teacher, and 1800s Irish twins Mary and Eliza, exiled to Australia only to discover their eerie metamorphosis into sirens.

Hart masterfully entwines inherited trauma and resilience, threading centuries with the ocean’s primordial call. While the middle sags under its ambitious scope (Jess and the twins’ arcs beg deeper exploration), the novel’s unflinching portrayal of betrayal and redemption—a recurring, visceral theme—underscores its feminist defiance. Atmospheric and incisive, it balances gripping mystery with allegory, as each woman confronts predatory forces to reclaim power in a world intent on silencing them. Like Weyward, Hart’s prose thrums with the tenacity of women who bend but never break, blending myth, survival, and the raw magic of sisterhood. A resonant ode to the echoes of strength passed through generations, even as the sea claims its due.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of “The Sirens” in exchange for a review.

This one was very mid for me. The split story line was good, though sometimes with the single narrator it was hard to remember what time period I was in. I just couldn’t get into the story for some reason. There was a lot going on and it just felt chaotic to me.

A bit disappointed because I liked Weyward so much, but hope I’m in the minority because I’ve seen so much buzz and anticipation for this title!

Audiobook Review 🪸🎧📖

thank you so much partner @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio for the gifted audiobook!

The Sirens
by Emilia Hart
Narrated by Barrie Kreinik

About the book 👇🏽

A breathtaking tale of female resilience and the bonds of sisterhood across time and space, The Sirens captures the power of dreams, and the mystery and magic of the sea.

🪸 My thoughts:

I don’t think I can put into words to explain how much I loved this book. It isn’t fast paced but it had me hanging onto every word. I enjoyed the stories of these four women on their own journeys of self discovery that end up coming together in the most beautiful and magical way. I absolutely loved the magical realism woven into this tale that truly is lyrical in every way. The audiobook narrator Barrie Kreinik did a wonderful job and really brought this story to life, making this one of my favorites of 2025 so far! I knew I wanted to read this book based on the premise alone, I then saw the Waterstones edition and knew I needed to snag it. This story was incredible and it’s one I’ll be thinking about for years to
come. I highly recommend giving this audiobook a listen and/or giving this book a read! It’s definitely worth giving your undivided attention. The Sirens hits shelves in the US April 1, 2025!

Happy reading 📖🪸🎧

A beautiful and haunting blend of sisterhood, fantasy, history and feminism.

Two sets of sisters are linked together across centuries by dreams and magic. Twins from Ireland are bound for the penal colony of Australia when their prison ship sinks off the coast. Hundreds of years later two Aussie sisters are haunted by memory like dreams of the girls as they seek to resolve mysteries and traumas within their own lives.

I absolutely loved The Sirens and the message that there is magic, beauty and strength behind a woman's scars.

The narrator did a phenomenal job of switching between the Australian and Irish accents, adding an extra layer of depth to the tale.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-arc and advanced listening copy.

3 POVs from different points in time intertwine in a beautiful story about women who are strong, resilient, and unrelenting. At first, I didn’t really care for the present day POV but as the stories grew more entangled in each other, the more I grew to enjoy it. The audiobook is well-narrated, though I did think the narrator was a bit monotonous outside of dialogue.

If you like Sarah Penner’s The Lost Apothecary, you might like this book.

Wow the audiobook is so well done. Barrie Kreinik created different voices for each character that really brought the women in the novel to life.

The Sirens" is a beautiful and haunting fantasy tale about four sisters connected across the centuries desperate to find answers and connection. This novel is a story about women's empowerment and societies oppression of women, richly women with fantasy and a reimagining of real historical events in Australia.

Told across 3 timelines (2019, 1999 and 1800), the stories of the four women converge as the past and present collide. The chapters are clearly labeled with POV and timeline, so I found it easy as the reader to follow the tale.

I usually don't really like dual timeline stories (in audiobooks) because either I feel displaced abruptly when the timeline changes or (and this is for all dual timeline books regardless of the format I am reading the book in) I end up liking one of the timelines better and am disappointed every time the timeline changes back to the one I don't like as well. This book avoided both of those pitfalls for me! The past timeline was done really well and integrated without being jarring when it switched. I loved the siren female rage undercurrent. A really enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook for review.

This is a book with three timelines, but they are all weaved together into a cohesive story. It’s a book about sisters, the sea, and survival.

I found this book interesting, but I’m not sure if it’s as memorable as I was hoping it would be. I thought it was a good story, but I was sometimes bored with Lucy’s chapters. I was more interested in Jess’ timeline and the Irish women. There were some great twists in the book that I didn’t see coming and I enjoyed how the author tied the three timelines together at the end. I wish there was a bit more mermaid action in the story because I think that would have been interesting. All the mermaid bits come at the end. Overall, I enjoyed the story and would read from the author again.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I was completely enthralled by Hart’s previous novel Weyward and her incredible ability to weave a story told throughout the centuries that deftly combined historical and magical elements, so I could not wait to dive into (pun intended) her latest magical tale.

The storytelling was beautifully transportive and bewitching and I was fully invested in each of these women’s lives - wanting justice for how they had been so wrongfully treated and abused. My issue is not with Hart’s writing - again, her storytelling is captivating - but rather, I felt as if I had read this story before. To me, The Sirens was so very similar to Weyward - historical fiction coupled with magical realism, three POVs from women who are connected by a point and place in time. I found myself growing frustrated because of this and how The Sirens is essentially Weyward just with a different setting. There were also issues with overly descriptive writing slowing down the pace for 80% of the story.

Unfortunately, this missed the mark for me, but if you loved Weyward and are looking for the same but with sirens and don’t mind a sleepier pace, this might be worth picking up.

The Sirens was beautifully narrated on audio. I loved how the audiobook really brought the emotion of the story out and felt so much more immersive for me.

Emilia writes like no one else! She is incredibly skilled at immersive prose and spans the genres of magical realism and historical fiction so beautifully. I enjoyed this emotional tale and loved the duel timelines. I highly recommend to anyone who loves a magical tale, mythical creatures and most importantly strong female characters. Beautifully done, Emilia.

Thank you for the preview audio arc.

When I saw this title and narrator, I immediately checked out the synopsis. Magical realism, connected dreams, diary entries, and female empowerment? I ran to that request button!

🤝: This may be a good fit if you enjoy books with:
- magical realism + mysteries
- women supporting women
- connections between generations of women

💭: I looove the spirit of this book! Each character in this book experienced some kind of abuse and/or harassment, and I will always root for justice for wronged women. Plus, there are some relationships to root for which I appreciate.

At the same time, the high quality audio saved this story from being too slow. There are so many interesting elements, but sometimes I couldn't believe I was not further along. Was Hart doing too much? I'm not sure. I love the themes. I thought the execution could have been more propulsive.

BUT I think this will be a hit for readers who love that a gorgeous, meandering, and magical story.

🎧: I will request books that I'm not totally sold on solely because Barrie Kreinik narrates. She's incredible! She reads the majority of Sally Hepworth's work, and I've been a big fan ever since. Her performance absolutely enhanced my experience reading The Sirens.

⭐️ Rating: I liked it and recommend the audiobook! (3.5 rounded up)

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook early in exchange for an honest review.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart weaves together three captivating timelines that build on mystery, the supernatural, and sisterhood. In 2019, Lucy wakes up from a dream to find herself having attacked her ex-lover, leading her to flee to her sister Jess’s house on the Australian coast. When Jess isn’t there, Lucy begins to uncover strange rumors about the small town—missing men, mysterious voices on the sea, and a hidden baby. As Lucy searches for answers, she begins reading Jess’s old diary from 1999, where Jess’s own strange experiences unfold. The third timeline takes us back to 1800, where twin sisters Mary and Eliza are torn from their homeland and forced onto a convict ship, discovering mysterious changes to their bodies and the call of the ocean.

I really enjoyed this book! The way the three timelines connected was such a pleasant surprise. I honestly didn’t see how they’d all tie together, but the author did it in a way that felt seamless and natural. Emilia Hart is such a beautiful storyteller, and I was hooked from start to finish. There’s a perfect mix of mystery, a touch of romance, family drama, and that sense of the supernatural that makes it a unique and engaging read. It’s the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve finished it.

Thank you to the author, publishers and netgalley for an arc of this in exchange for an honest review! I loved this one.

While the narrator is great, and I loved Weyward, this book fell flat for me. I couldn't seem to get hooked and stay hooked. I didn't care about the characters. At one point my audio got restarted and I couldn't remember where I was in the book and didn't care enough to find out.

**5/5 Stars – Lyrical, Haunting, and Utterly Captivating**

Emilia Hart’s *The Sirens* is a beautifully written, spellbinding tale that weaves mythology, mystery, and powerful storytelling into an unforgettable read. With lush prose and an atmospheric setting, this novel lingers like an enchanting melody long after the final page.