The sirens was an incredible book! I can see the growth in Hart's writing from Weyward. I loved the historical fiction element as well as the magical realism elements. The dual sister stories were thoroughly explored and the characters felt rich and deep.

I really am so excited to read this book, but I couldn’t get through the audio. While the voice is soothing and easy on the ears…. It’s almost too easy and puts me to sleep or lets my mind wander so much I can’t focus on what I was supposed to be listening too :(

3 1/2 stars
I’ve rounded down as this just felt too long and a bit silly at times with the continued ‘pretending’ like the reader didn’t know what was happening the majority of the time. When your book is titled Sirens, one is going to assume that Sirens are a piece of the plot. So it’s not surprising when that becomes a part of the story. Yet for the first 85% of the book the author makes it seem like the Sirens are part of the mystery.

There is actually a bigger and better mystery that should have been more emphasized, although could be predicted by many (I suspected) the twist of that mystery is ‘good enough’ and could have carried the book instead of pretending we didn’t know Sirens were involved. Which brings me to the ending. It was weak. I think it tried too hard to placate the reader. I’d have liked an ending more bittersweet or tragically romantic.
The actual prose of Sirens is quite good. At times it feels the conscious narrative of our characters (first person) is a bit much; and the full blown narrated diary entries are ridiculous (no one writes dialogue in a diary the way they would in a novel!). Yet I still didn’t hate reading it which tells me the writing was good.

As someone with fairly severe hydrophobia I felt the descriptions of the sea, the hold of the ship (in our past narrative), and then an allergy to water (present day narrative) could have been amped up a bit to create more tension. If emphasis had been given to how much a dark, dank, rat infested ships hold would really feel knowing the crushing sea was just outside there could have been more horror and atmosphere. It would have helped counter any loss of mystery by acknowledging the Sirens aspect of the story.

Overall this is a good enough book. If you love small town family mystery and mermaid lore then it’s for you. If you are hoping for a scientific look, or a lot of magical realism then I’d say pass.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

Emilia Hart is back with another take on a mythological creatures, the Sirens:

In 2019, Lucy awakes with her hands wrapped around, a man's neck, a man that she thought she could trust. Horrified with what she had done, and what was being said about her, Lucy flees to New South Wales to her sister Jess who she hope can help her understand what was happening. When She arrives she discovers Jess is gone and in order to understand her sister better, Lucy decides to snoop. In the 1800s Mary and Eliza are sentenced to deportation to Australia and they must suffer the many month trip at sea in the darken hold, with other women, but the more time they spend at sea the more they see the changes in their bodies. Centuries apart but connected in a way that no one would understand.

After reading Weyward, which I thoroughly enjoyed this last year, I was super excited to read The Sirens. Where Weyward was more whimsical when it came to the idea of witches, Sirens is more dark and eerie like the deep Ocean. If you are looking for something similar to Weyward, this book does have some of the same elements (especially when it comes to men and male characters) but the atmosphere is very much different. I personally liked the more eerie atmosphere, but i did not think that it entered in the creepy or disturbing areas, was more just greys and deep blues, well like the Ocean.

I found the historical timeline more interesting than the more modern one, though I did feel for what Jessica and Lucy have gone through, I just thought that it was the weaker of the storylines, and something that I had read before. Hart could have written an entire book about Mary and Eliza and I would have devoured it. I will say that how Hart interconnected the timelines was well done and how she chose to do this was interesting as well. It may not be for everyone but I liked it.

I appreciated Hart's take on Sirens, what they look like, how they hid in plain sight and the ever call to the water. I also like the Mission that they set upon for themselves, not quite the Sirens from Greek mythology. I think that Hart's take is more modern and I was here for it.

I was able to figure out the "twist", i think it was supposed to be a twist but I felt it was quite obvious. This book is much more of a character driven book than plot one, so i'm never sure about twists in what happens.

Overall, I did enjoy this book, especially the farther I got into it. I will say that don’t go into this book expecting another Weyward, which is not a bad thing, but I read some reviews that that is what they were expecting and not what they got. I would read another book by Hart and I look forward to see what mystical creature or folklore she takes on next.

Enjoy!!!!

This is a spiritual sequel to Hart's first book, Weyward, in that it focuses on feminine power passed through generations. This story unfolds from multiple characters perspective and weaves the tapestry seamlessly. Highly enjoyed this one in audiobook format as well.

Audiobook ARC from the publisher via NetGalley but the opinions are my own.

Enchanting magical realism, mystical mermaids, and the shadowed corners of Australia's history. After being captivated by Hart's debut, Weyward, I eagerly anticipated another powerful tale centered around women with subtle threads of enchantment.

The Sirens delivers exactly that: a feminist fairytale steeped in lyrical prose and haunting imagery. The writing ebbs and flows beautifully, infused with sensory-rich oceanic detail. You’ll almost taste the salty air, feel the gritty sand beneath your feet, and shiver from the cool spray of waves breaking against stark limestone cliffs. Hart masterfully draws readers into a fully realized, immersive world.

As with Weyward, the true magic here lies in the connections and strength forged between women. The narrative intertwines three compelling timelines: Lucy in 2019, Jess in the early 2000s, and Mary in 1800. Mary's story begins tragically in Ireland, where she and her twin sister, Eliza, are unjustly convicted of harming a man from their village. Forced aboard a grim, overcrowded convict ship bound for Australia, they discover extraordinary transformations occurring within themselves and the other imprisoned women as the harrowing journey progresses.

Flash forward two centuries to Jess, an artist who settled in the ominous coastal town of Comber Bay, and her younger sister Lucy, a journalism student. Despite their strained and distant relationship, Lucy instinctively turns to Jess after suffering a traumatic incident involving a classmate. Driven by unsettling premonitions and dreams, Lucy flees to Comber Bay seeking solace, only to find Jess mysteriously missing. As Lucy investigates her sister’s abandoned home, dark family secrets and the unsettling legacy of Comber Bay’s disappearances surface, forcing Lucy to confront startling truths.

Certain aspects of The Sirens didn’t fully resonate—the delayed introduction of Jess's perspective, some leisurely pacing, and an underdeveloped subplot involving a teacher—but these minor issues only mildly diminish the story’s overall enchantment. Hart’s prose retains a dreamlike, whimsical quality even amid peril and darkness, enveloping readers in a delicate, captivating spell.

Yet, don’t mistake this softness for fragility; Mary, Eliza, Lucy, and Jess embody fierce resilience and tenacity. While Mary and Eliza’s narrative took a moment to fully capture my attention, I was deeply moved (and emotionally reaching for tissues and wine). Yes, the story wanders occasionally, and the conclusion wasn’t entirely satisfying for me, but ultimately, this novel had beautiful moments: It’s poignant, peculiar, and poignant again—a resonant exploration of sisterhood, heartache, and healing.

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.

IG | Blog

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.