Weyward was one of my favorite books of 2023, so naturally I had to get my hands on this one as soon as I saw it.

Hart always has a way of writing the natural landscape within her novels that feels like they are coming to life. I really feel like I am wherever she is writing in that moment. She has a gift for writing the female experience, specifically relating to trauma and the healing process and transforming it into resilience and strength within a layer of magical realism.

This was wonderful take on a classic siren tale, weaving together storylines over 200 years apart masterfully. If you have read Hart's previous work or simply enjoy losing yourself within a story that allows you to shift between reality and magic, I highly recommend this book.

The audiobook is also done beautifully and brings the lyrical elements within the story to life.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for both the digital and audio ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

Fans of Weyward will love Emilia Hart’s newest release, The Sirens.
It’s a grounded fantasy, set primarily in 2019, so I’d say it’s more like contemporary fiction, with fantasy elements. That’s actually some of my favorite stuff now— contemporary, believable, but with a unique twist. Whether it’s Sci-Fi, Fantasy, surrealism, supernatural.
The main story is a mystery about a woman named Lucy, who goes to a remote seaside town in Australia to reconnect with her sister, Jess, but when she arrives, she finds her sister is gone. No one knows where she went, and she’s kind of caused a ruckus in the town with her art, so she’s not particularly well liked there. While trying to track Jess down, she finds out that men have been disappearing from the town without a trace, but they’re all kind of bad guys so the women in the town feel like the sea mother is protecting them. Lucy starts to unravel a bunch of family secrets, a bunch of history she didn’t know about her sister, and she begins to feel a pull toward the sea.
I really liked the seaside setting, which provides a moody, atmospheric backdrop that is very different from the posh Newport, Cape Cod, or Italian coastal settings that have dominated books lately.
There’s a poetry to the natural world that feels wild and messy and mysterious and feminine and the author does a great job weaving in Native lore and mythology, all of which gives the book a magic.
One of the timelines, which follows two sisters as they cross the ocean in 1800, wasn’t as compelling to me. It’s well-written, but the pacing was already pretty slow-burn, so I could’ve done without slowing it down with the ship journey.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved reading Weyward last year, so I was very excited to get a sneak peek at Hart’s latest novel. With this book, she has cemented herself as a master of weaving multiple POVs and timelines seamlessly, even hundreds of years apart.

Here, we see the stories of two sets of sisters who lived in the 1800s and 2019. Hart writes whimsically, keeping the reader interested and wanting to dig deeper into the stories. I had no difficulty following the two different stories/timelines. This novel is part fantasy and part historical fiction, and it is an interesting mix for sure.

I think Hart made a stronger connection between the characters in Weyward. In The Sirens, she attempted to do this again, but while they are connected, it’s not quite as strong, and there is a big plot hole in the timeline between the two.

I enjoyed the book overall, but it didn’t live up to the writing in Weyward for me. To be clear, the two books are not linked at all, I just had certain expectations about Hart based on her debut novel. I wish Hart had incorporated more of the fantasy/magical elements of the story, they are there, but I would have liked to see more detail/emphasis on these. I never felt connected to the characters here as I did when reading Weyward.

I liked The Sirens, but if you were to ask me which of Hart’s books to read, the answer is Weyward, hands down.

3.75/5

I was really looking forward to this because I did enjoy Weyward.

Pros: Magical Realism felt like a eerie fairytale, the main characters were interesting, and I liked the horror elements to the story.

Cons: The twist was SO predictable and I wanted to just get the big reveal out of the way because it was very obvious.

Overall, I think this book had a lot of potential and I could see the strings of what it could have been, but we just got a lot of nothing from the story. Somethings were big deals and then they weren’t that big of a deal later in the book. It just felt like nothing was resolved really in the end.

When I started this book, I thought I was going to end up giving it a 2 star review, though I was determined to finish it. It just didn't reach out and grab me for longer than a book usually takes to do so. After having finished it the only reason I'm not giving it a 5 star review is because it took me much longer to really start reading it (like can't put it down reading it) than it should have, which means something wasn't gelling at the beginning.

By about 1/4 in I was hooked and I tore through the last 3/4 of the book in one day. That being said, I also gave up on reading it a few times before I got that first 1/4 down. Ultimately I did love it and I hope that if the premise at all appeals to you, you DO give it a bit more grace than you might otherwise be inclined to, it really does make it more than worth it in the end!

I listened to this on audio and my lack of initial interest should not at all be attributed to the narrator, who was a delight and had an accent that both fit the story and heightened my enjoyment of it. At times I felt like I was in the characters head and living in their world and I know that she played a part in that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The melancholy tone of “The Sirens” seeped in through the audiobook performed brilliantly by Barrie Kreinik. The thick atmosphere left its mark. I became pensive while listening to this, my mind couldn't seem to leave this world even while I was otherwise occupied. (I kept joking to myself that a siren's call was pulling me back.) 🌊

A dual timeline sets the stage for this poignant story of sisters, sea, and song. Its slow meandering start anchors this moody read. There is a search for self that multiple characters embark upon each in their own way. The question...Who am I, really? is explored at length. The early chapters have a lot to unpack, but they ground these characters in reality providing a sense of sadness and depth. The characters' desperation made the magical elements feel hard won. The first timeline is set in 1800 with twin sisters Mary and Eliza aboard a convict ship ⚓ in atrocious living conditions headed to New South Wales. The 2019 timeline is mostly told from Lucy's perspective as the younger of two sisters interspersed with entries from her older sister Jes's teenage diary 📔. Lucy sleepwalks into her former lover's bedroom and wakes with her hands clutching his throat after he humiliates her by sharing private photos that end up online. Lucy panics over her actions and flees to her sister's home. She remembers Jes sleepwalking in the past. Does she still?

A haunting sense of dread enveloped me while listening. I could visualize every detail easily and my heart 💔 went out to each of these women. I think some may pick this up expecting fantasy given the title and gorgeous cover art, but it isn't. I would say it's historical fiction, women's fiction and magical realism. It's a gritty tale with an undercurrent of feminism running through it.

If you're looking for a light mermaid tale 🧜🏻‍♀️this, isn't it, but if you loved Hart's debut, “Weyward” 🐦‍⬛ chances are good that this will work for you too.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an Advance Listening Copy for review. All opinions are my own.

The Sirens is a story told in two timelines, 2019 following Lucy and 1800 following Mary and Eliza.
In 2019, Lucy wakes up from a dream and realizes that she was actually trying to choke her ex. She tries to convince everyone that she was sleeping while choking him. But Lucy doesn't think they'll believe her after the incident of her ex sharing intimate photos on her online. She chooses to run away for help to her sister Jess, only to discover that she is missing. Back in Jess's town, Lucy hears tales of strange disappearances of men and a baby that was found abandoned in a cave. Lucy finds her sister's hidden diary and starts her road to discovery.

In 1800 we follow the story of Mary and Eliza's transformation as they're forced onto a ship leaving Ireland and going to Australia.

This story was beautiful, whimsical, and tragic. This is a great story on feminism and fantasy. If you've read Emilia Hart before, I'm sure you already are aware of how stunning her writing is. This book was no different. She also does a fantastic job writing her characters. I felt connected to them and a strong empathy.

I also appreciated that this story had so much mystery to it. I was immediately intrigued by the stories of all four of these women and to find out what happened to them. I received the audiobook from NetGalley and the narrator, Barrie Kreinik, did a fantastic job as well. The narration was engaging and clear.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook. All opinions are my own.


TW: Adult/minor relationship, sexual assault, violence, confinement, sexism, pregnancy

4.5 rounded up

Narrator: The narrator did a wonderful job bringing this story to life. Especially when she sung the lyrics in the story. Absolutely beautiful!

Story: The audiobook kept me wanting more and I finished it in one day. The characters, the history, the twists tied well together. It was an interesting and captivating story. The main female characters of the story were beautifully written and I enjoyed watching how they developed throughout the story.

The timeline does switch throughout the story, but it is a smooth transition and easy to follow. I liked how the story is broken up into three parts, each serving a specific purpose in the story. I especially enjoyed part 3 and how it all came together.

I highly recommend adding this book to your TBR!

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advance audiobook.

Okay, I'm bored in the house and I'm in the house bored

The story is so slow. Literally nothing happens in the first 50% the time line switches aren't seamless and its just awkward.
I wanted the woman rage, feminism etc but instead it was just a bit awkward.
Our main character sleeps with a student who then takes images or film of their activities and so she gets mad and attacks him and then flees the school because they wouldn't believe her.
She is both the aggressor (sleeping with a student) and then the victim (of the filmed activities) and then the aggressor again (assault) and then she decides this is the time to connect to her sister in another city she never talks to. But then her sister isn't there and she becomes a strange researcher of the 1800s . It didn't work for me . If this plot would have been avoided (student teacher ) this could have been a better story.

Audiobook publishing March 4

This is more than dual timelines, it's also dual realities. The tale of sisters sent as convicts to Australia via ship in the 1800s and the story of Lucy, escaping university in 2019 after trying to strangle a man while sleepwalking, both start out believably and then transform into something more supernatural.

There are some fantastic moments of women saving themselves, and I did leave the book feeling that it made for an empowering read. I did find myself struggling, though, with the overlap of the stories. It was difficult for me to tell what was what for a chunk of this one.

Barrie Kreinik's narration was exquisite, as always!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

If you liked Wayward, this one is even better. Much like this author’s other book, The Sirens focuses on the ways in which men can harm women and the women in this story find the opportunity fight back. Following characters in the past—sisters on a convict ship—and a present day woman fleeing her university after an incident and her missing sister. The women all have a skin condition, and there is a mystery as to how the stories are connected. The unspoken question of if mermaids are real really drives the story.

The Sirens is a stunning book about female strength and resilience. It's told in two timelines, that were interconnected in a thoughtful way. The story follows Mary and Eliza in the 1800s and Lucy and Jess in 2019. All of the women suffer from a skin condition when they come into contact with water, but still feel drawn to the water. I loved the strength and sisterly bond shared by Mary and Eliza. Lucy had a strained relationship with her sister, Jess and I enjoyed seeing their story play out. I absolutely loved the folklore surrounding mermaids that was included. The writing was gorgeous and lyrical. The story was a bit slow paced at times, but was full of intrigue and I found myself immersed in the story.

I listened to the audio and really enjoyed the narrator, Barrie Kreinik. Even though there were multiple timelines, it was easy to follow and distinct accents were used which was impressive.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book!

I have never read anything by Emilia Hart, so I did not know what to expect going into this read. Her book Weyward has been on my TBR and this has bumped it up to the top of the list.

Hart has perfected the balance between fantasy and reality with this book. The first half of the book I did not know whether to be a little bit scared or intrigued, so I was both. The way Hart tied the stories of Lucy, Jess, Mary, and Eliza together was a work of art. This book kept me on my toes, and I definitely did not expect the plot twist.

The Sirens is a haunting and melancholy tale of sisterhood. Two sisters from the present are linked to two sisters from the past. In present day, Lucy is looking for her sister Jess after a traumatic event at her college. In the past, sisters Eliza and Mary are bound on a convict ship heading to Australia. As the story progresses, Lucy discovers that there is more to Jess than she ever knew. Can the sisters find each other in time? Will Eliza and Mary escape their fate?

The Sirens swept me away! The story is atmospheric and I felt like I was walking along the coast with Lucy as she followed in Jess’ footsteps. Lucy and Jess have a complicated relationship with a major twist, which I thought was written well. As the sisters from the past dealt with their secrets on the ship and made connections with the other prisoners, I also learned about the real life bloody history of the convict ships. Emilia Hart writes beautifully about the danger and lure of the ocean. Water is something that connects us across generations and I loved how all of the women found safety in some way in the water. I listened to the audiobook and was spellbound by the narrator. Readers who enjoy stories about sisterhood, the power of water, and atmospheric writing will love The Sirens.

Thank you to Emilia Hart, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

You know those books you read that just feel like they become a part of you? This is one of those. A beautiful piece of magical realism, if you loved Weyward (Emilia Hart), Thistlefoot (GennaRose Nethercott), or Remarkably Bright Creatures (Shelby Van Pelt), you will absolutely love this one.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart follows the stories of two families - one broken apart when twin sisters Mary and Eliza are taken from their home and shipped across the sea as a punishment for their crimes, the other riddled with secrets as daughters Jess and Lucy try to untangle their pasts, and the reason their dreams are haunted by ghosts. It's a haunting story of parental love, of pain, and of the fierce strength, courage, and beauty in the face of the world's ugliness that binds women together.

I couldn't stop listening to this one. The narration was perfect, Barrie Kreinik does an amazing job of switching between voices and giving life to the characters, making it easy to tell which story in the dual timelines she is telling. Her singing is lovely too, and brings the feeling of the story's song to life.

The Sirens broke my heart, mended it, healed me, and made me feel a deep connection to the women around me and those who came before. An easy 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for a review!

Oof, I had a hard time getting into this one. I still wanted to know what would happen next, but I didn't love the way the multiple perspectives were done. The story was good, but this audiobook took me a surprising amount of time to finish. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for this arc.

It's my first time reading women's fiction. In my opinion, it's a great experience, definitely not what I was expecting, and the three stories came out together beautifully in the end. The narration is so good and the voice actress can really sing

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

I've always wanted to read "Weyward" but I didn't have the chance to read it yet. However, now I have the opportunity to listen to this beautiful audiobook thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio 💋

This was such an emotional and beautiful book. It was incredibly atmospheric, the eeriness of it highlighting the harshness of the female experiences narrated. I felt fascinated watching their stories unfold, following the thread tugging me on, leading to the reveal – which is easy to guess, but still so satisfying as a way to dissolve the emotional tension and finally reach a more peaceful stage of the characters’ lives.
The coldness, the darkness and dampness of the sea and caves permeated the entire story from beginning to end. Was it creepy? Often. But the narrator of the audiobook kept me thoroughly spelled. And the strength of the sisterhood made me root for all these women all along. Maybe this book wouldn’t have hit this hard without the incredible job done by the narrator, but she really made it an other-worldly experience; which was honestly so strange to reconcile with the very realness of the terrible experiences all the female characters went through, but still, amazingly, worked so well for me.
I will say however that I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more of an explanation for the sleepwalking. I had built such theories about that, that I felt let down that this wasn’t really explained.

After attacking her ex while sleepwalking, Lucy flees to her sister's house on the coast of New South Wales. But Jess is missing and Jess's paintings reflect the strange dreams Lucy has been having. Lucy dreams of two exiled Irish sisters sailing from England to Australia. Diving into her sister's past, Lucy begins to worry about Jess and to wonder about her family's past.

Having loved Weyward, I was highly anticipating Emilia Hart's newest book only for it to fall flat for me. Again writing about the injustices women have endured, The Sirens tries to praise the tenacity of women but fails to hook you with its characters. The weak connections between the characters and the constantly shifting timeline didn't feel compelling and I lacked the drive to keep reading. Instead of empowering, the magical realism just felt odd and I struggled to get through this one.

Lucy flees to her sister's seaside house in Comber Bay after getting into some trouble at her university. Lucy has always been different and feels the ocean's call. However, when she arrives at her sister's house, her sister is nowhere to be found. Strange stories and voices surround the history of Comber Bay surrounding the disappearance of her sister with intrigue.

Thank you Emilia Hart and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC copy of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions here are mine and mine alone.

The atmosphere of this book was haunting and lovely, a perfect setting for the story. The dual story lines going from the historical past to the present added a lot to the story, but the lack of a truly gripping plot made the book somewhat bland. I was hoping for more.

The narrator has a wonderful reading voice and I greatly enjoyed listening to her read. I recommend this book to those who are historical fiction fans that love a touch of magical realism.