Similar to Weyward, this follows three women in different times and it isn’t until the end that the stories link. Once again it starts out slow but it is so worth it. Such a beautiful, unique story, with mermaids! Emilia Hart is Becky an autobuy author for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book, and to Macmillon Audio and Netgalley for the ALC of the same!

I started reading a digital copy of this book, and I was pulled in after a few chapters, but I knew the right narrator could really make the accents and the snippets of songs shine. I wasn't wrong, and Barrie Kreinik did just that. I both read and listened to the novel, and the audio really added to the experience (trying to read accents in my head never works for me).

There were pieces that didn't connect for me - like <spoiler> Lucy not knowing Jess had the same rare skin condition despite being raised by the same parents dealing with the same skin issues for two people </spoiler>. I know that's not huge, but it's something that pulls me out of the narrative - like comparing it to my own family life and knowing nothing like that could happen within a small family.

But, that's tiny. The overarching story was excellent. I loved the dual storyline and wanted to know more about what happened in each, and where they overlapped. I think that arc was beautifully written and so well crafted, and I loved the ending.

Wow, this book will likely be one of my favorites for the year! Emilia Hart knows how to capture dark twisty tales with just a touch of whimsy. Readers will enjoy this book for the mystery and drama captured on every page.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story. I really appreciated the narrators ability to "turn up the volume" on the accents for different settings in the story. There are two timelines in this story, one set in present day, and the other many years ago. The narrator was able to set up the listener to be immersed into both worlds.

Thank you to Emilia Hart, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thanks to Emilia Hart, NetGalley, Barrie Kreinik, and Macmillan Audio for the chance to read and review! My opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, this one did not work for me. It has a beautifully described setting, and I loved the idea behind it of these joint stories. But the pacing was absolutely glacial. I'm all about character driven work, but I did not connect to the characters enough to be invested in this one. I listened to the audiobook and think the narrator did a good job giving them voice and character. Overall, I feel like this book just needed more plot driving it. But that is just my opinion!

Macmillan Audio ALC
This solidified Emilia Hart as an auto-read author for me. I just love how she takes a topic and makes it her own, while also staying true to some of the lore surrounding what she is choosing to write about. I don't read many stories about sirens, but I was engrossed from beginning to end. I liked how this book was dual timeline and how the present and past intertwined. She created such an atmosphere of suspense with the women being sent as prisoners to Australia in 1800, how Jess's journal filled in more of the story, and the most present timeline from Lily's POV - and what mysteries they all were hiding.
Even with it being three main characters, I knew the narration here would be perfect because Barrie Kreinik is one of my absolute favorite narrators because of how she captures each character's individuality. She did perfectly!

I hate to say that if it wasn't for the epilogue, this book would have been better.
The way the stories wove together and the overall mystery was very interesting.
I really just feel like a different epilogue or no epilogue would have been better overall.
Also, there is a random head injury in this that felt a little pointless.
The audiobook was done well. No complaints there.

Book Review: The Sirens by Emilia Hart
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

This novel weaves a tale of sisterhood, resilience, and the call of the sea across three timelines. While the unique mermaid-esque lore and alternating perspectives create an intriguing mix of historical fiction and mystery, the story felt too slow and sorrowful for me. Many elements remained unexplained, which left me feeling more frustrated than enchanted.

That said, fans of atmospheric, character-driven narratives may find the magic and mystery of the sea captivating. 🌊🧜‍♀️

Thank you, MacMillan Audio, Emilia Hart, and NetGalley, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 😊

4 ☆
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. 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.

The cover art is gorgeous! I don't even know what to say about this story. This story took me by surprise; by the name alone, I was thinking mythical creatures—sirens walking among humans and taking men. But that's totally not what's happening in this story. It almost gave me a coming-of-age, finding family, and coming to love one's self in their uniqueness vibe. Which isn't bad at all, and I felt like this story showed all that. The pacing was good, though I did feel like it was a little long and could have been a little shorter. But overall, I really enjoyed this story.

The audiobook was good. The narrator did a good job telling the story; it was very easy to listen to and understand. I listened to this story at 2x speed.

Thank you, Netgellay, Macmillan Audio for the audiobook, and St. Martin's Press for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the dual timelines this book followed. I liked switching between the POV of Lucy (2019) and Mary (1800s) throughout the book while also getting a glimpse at what Jess was facing in 1999. The atmosphere of this book was great, and the main characters are likable. This is a book of magic, enchantment, and strong female characters as you sort through family mysteries and secrets spanning multiple generations. I did find the story to be predictable. However, that didn’t affect my overall opinion of the book because it was so well written. I stayed engaged the entire time. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator did a great job. I would definitely recommend adding this beautifully written novel to your TBR list. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The queen did it again! Emilia Hart is a wonder ladies and gentleman. I would recommend this book to all my friends and feel no nerves at all!

Another 5 star read from Emilia Hart!

I'm so glad I was able to get an advance copy of Sirens on audio. I absolutely loved Weyward by Emilia (also a 5 star read), so I knew I HAD to read Sirens.

The narration was great, very well written to be read as an audiobook.

I did get lost in the time-line sometimes, but it was easy enough to get back on track.

The characters are likable, and you can share all their emotions with them as they go through the story. Very descriptive in telling about events and locations.

Looking forward to more to come from Emilia Hart.

Thank you so much Emilia Hart, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this opportunity. I am absolutely swooning over this book, the story was beautifully complicated, the narration was perfection and I was engaged from minute 1 and never wanted to press pause. The concept of this book was fascinating and simultaneously otherworldly and completely real, This is my first Emilia Hart book but it is absolutely the first of many.

Dark, moving, and eerie. Perfect for winter! I loved the atmosphere and dual timelines. I will recommend to everyone who likes this type of book.

It took a bit to get into the story and to follow the shifting timelines of past and present but then it all fit together and I was fully engaged! Sisters in the present on land, Lucy and Jess are both having nightmares, dreaming powerful dreams of sisters from the past - over 200 years ago - travelling as convicts on a ship to Australia; dreaming of the trauma and of the strength of their bond. The mystery and suspense had me hooked throughout the rest of the book. Narrator #BarrieKreinik did a fabulous job reading with just the right tone. #TheSirens by #EmiliaHart Thanks to #NetGalley and especially to #MacmillanAudio for the #eARC in #audiobook format! #myeyespreferaudiobooks #accessiblebooks

Thank you Netgalley for an audio ARC. This was based on an actual ship headed for New South Wales in Australia that crashed on the rocks. The author took a turn to historical fiction and made this a ship of Irish women prisoners. These women's crimes ranged from petty to murder. The Sirens, the women who lost their lives on the boat sang to the brutality of men against women. The book took fact & fiction creating a whimsical story seeking justice for women.

This book mixes historic and with legend and presents it in the package of an ordinary "today".

While sisters Lucy and Jessica both have an odd, sometimes painful, skin condition, the rest of their lives seem normal. They have a love for eachother but a relationship that is distanced by their age gap if 16years. Jessica is moved out and works on her art, while Lucy is taking classes for journalism in school.

Lucy's life abruptly changes when she finds herself kneeling over a classmate's body, strangling him. After that, it's a blur of college gossip, investigations and alligations coming to light.

Lucy feels like the only person she can turn to is her older sister. She drives out to a small, secluded costal town to find Jess. When she arrives it's obvious that her sister is gone. What is less obvious is where she is and why she isn't answering anyone.

Once Lucy uncovers journals belonging to Jess, she discovers the depth of the secrets in her family mimics the ocean she hears calling to her her in her dreams.

This novel is filled with family secrets and current day tribulations. The other perspective is the story of the women and girl prisoners on ships from the UK, sailing to the continent Australia. It illustrates how the hardships of being a woman, and existing, have not changed so much since the beginning of time.

I love it. I'm going to be recommending it right away!

I couldn’t put this book down! From the gripping opening to the beautifully woven ending, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗦 𝗯𝘆 𝗘𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘁 had me completely hooked. Hart masterfully blends timelines, exploring the haunting mysteries of a coastal town and the lives of four resilient women across centuries. The dual POVs and Jess’s diary entries added depth and intrigue, making the unraveling of the town’s secrets and the missing men utterly captivating.

This is more than a mystery—it’s a tale of sisterhood, transformation, and the unyielding power of the sea. The connection between past and present was mesmerizing, and the themes of resilience and self-discovery stayed with me long after turning the last page. Don’t miss this one—it’s bound to be a standout read this spring!

I absolutely adored Weyward, so I was really excited to see what Emilia had in store for us with The Sirens. It definitely gives the same vibes with the multiple timelines and POV's, and the women escaping abusive situations with the help of a little bit of magic.

While predictable at times, The Sirens was definitely a solid story. I loved the story set in the 1800's as well as the modern one--the juxtapositions of their lives were done very well, but it was the ending that had me underwhelmed. It felt rushed, a little glossed over, and almost as if it didn't matter. I would've loved to see more of what happened with Jessica after she told the police what happened and maybe a little bit of WHY he brought the knife into the cave. Lucy meeting Max would've been great as well. Everything was woven together so well just to be kind of dropped at the end. Other than that, it was a great story and I have already started recommending it to my friends.

Thank you to Emilia Hart, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, & NetGalley for the ALC!

This was an interesting story, as long as you suspend reality just a little bit. The story, as its title implies, has a supernatural element to it. This book reminds me of a long ago fable families would tell children about the mermaids of the sea!
The book follows two story lines which both connect by the end. I preferred the modern story but the older story line about female prisoners being shipped to Australia was equally interesting. The writing was really lovely and the story was cute. It wasn't anything too exciting but I enjoyed it.

I loved this one. So beautifully written and the narrator was perfection. I loved how well the characters were developed and the story is so unique!