I gave this 3.5 stars
It was an interesting book about two sisters that have a family secret that is unknown to them. This book keeps the reader interested.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I enjoyed the book but wanted to like it more. I really struggled with the going back and forth between 2 time lines.

Not my cup of tea, unfortunately but I did finish though so will watch for more from this author & try again. Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC

I fear this authors writing is just not for me. I expected to love Weyward and this one and simply didn’t. It’s truly no reflection on the writing or story, I just need something with a different pace.

I was really interested in this book when I first heard about it, but unfortunately it did not live up to the hype. Weyward set the bar a little too high, I guess. I just never connected to any of these characters, so I couldn't get into it. There's probably readers out there looking for this book, but it's not for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I really enjoyed this book. The vibes were wonderful right from the beginning, and I was instantly connected to the main character. I devoured this book once I sat down to read it.

The Sirens splits across centuries and places and yet the tension never lets go.

Lucy wakes up in a panic one night with her hands around the throat of someone she once loved and flees to the Australian coast hoping her sister Jess can make sense of what is happening. Her dreams bleed into Jess’s history through a diary from the 1990s and also into the hidden pasts of Mary and Eliza aboard a convict ship in 1800. The rare condition that makes all four women feel out of place under the sun and water binds their stories, each sister grappling with identity, shame, desire, and fear.

What struck me was how the mystical parts never felt like decoration. Hart leans into folklore, illness, transformation, belief and does not pretend to draw sharp lines between what is magical and what is real. Nights are thick with salt air the ship’s deck groans the present bleeds into past with dream logic that builds dread more than shock.

Some of Lucy’s internal monologue felt distant. The emotional weight sometimes seemed filtered through her anxiety rather than lived in the moment. At times Jess’s diary entries and Mary and Eliza’s tale felt more immediate and visceral, especially when bodies are changing fear is sharp and the ocean seems alive.

The ending pulls many threads together courageously. It does not erase the distance between the different lives but it lets you feel that even when separated by centuries one sister can reach another.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a beautiful book and was well written between past and present. I loved the touches of magic and how it was slowly revealed throughout the book as it was just done in a beautiful way. My favorite parts were the chapters from Mary and Eliza’s timeline because they had such a harrowing journey and was heartbreaking. This was such a great read and I just loved my reading experience.

I spent a good portion of this book, wondering what this story was actually about. Did I miss something? Was I the only one that didn't feel any kind of connection with the story or the characters? The different storylines/timelines as well made it even more difficult for me to follow the story that I already was confused about and uninterested in.

Thank you to Emilia Hart, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

I loved Emilia Hart's previous book Weyward, so I was so excited for the chance to read "The Sirens". This book was beautifully done and I really enjoyed it. The story line wasn't like anything I had read before!

In The Sirens, Emilia Hart delivers a haunting and evocative tale that intertwines the lives of two sets of sisters across centuries. Set in 1800s Ireland and Australia, the story follows Mary and Eliza, twin sisters exiled to a convict ship, and their transformation into beings reminiscent of sirens. Parallelly, in 2019, Lucy searches for her missing sister, Jess, in a coastal town steeped in mystery and folklore. Hart masterfully blends historical fiction with magical realism, exploring themes of trauma, resilience, and the unbreakable bond of sisterhood. With lyrical prose and a richly atmospheric setting, The Sirens captivates readers, offering a poignant narrative that lingers long after the final page.

3-1/2stars (rounding up to 4)

Not my usual read with fantasy mixed in with historical fiction. I received this one complimentary from the publisher and NetGalley. This story had a mix of 2 sisters in a contemporary Australia, and 2 other sisters who lived in the past, but their stories were intertwined. This was written well, but parts of the story were a little strange for me!
(Trigger warning: there are several accounts of sexual abuse and grooming.)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher - all thoughts are my own.

I got halfway through this and just couldn't stay interested. I loved Weyward but this just wasn't gripping me the same way. Maybe it's the way it was organized. The POVs and time jumps, I'm not sure. Maybe it just took too long to get into the action. Either way, couldn't get into it and won't be picking it up again at this point.

Thank you to Net Galley and McMillan publishing for the opportunity to read this for my honest review.

1800 Ireland : Mary and Eliza have been raised by their father after their mother drowns in the sea. As they become young women, their father warns them to stay away from the sea and not to go out after dark. One night, they fail to heed their father’s words and Mary is attacked by a local male. In self defense, he is hit with a rock to stop his assault on Mary. The law, taking the side of the man, sentences Mary and Eliza to be exiled to the island colony of criminals - Australia.

In the ship, Mary and Eliza find themselves with other women prisoners being sent to the colony. The conditions are unsanitary, cramped and the voyage is long. But the women bond until tragedy strikes before reaching their destination.

Present day: Lucy learns that an intimate photo meant for her lover was released without her consent. She reaches out to university for help but is dismissed as they didn’t want to tarnish the young man’s future. One night, after sleep walking, Lucy is found in the room of her ex-boyfriend, choking him. She flees to the home of her older sister, Jess, for refuge.

Jess’s home is in an eerie village by the sea with its own past. Tales of an infant found in cave by the sea by a fisherman. The fisherman , takes the infant home to be raised by he and his wife only for the small family to be run out by the villagers’ gossip and speculation. Tales of men , visitors and locals alike, disappearing without a trace.

Upon arriving, Lucy learns that her sister is now missing as well. She finds her sister’s diary and reads it hoping to find a clue as to what happened to her sister and where her sister may be. Through this, Lucy learns that Jess had secrets too.

This was a beautifully written story. We have sisterhood . We have magical realism. We have stories told with 3 different timelines and 3 different POVs. But the low key feminine rage? I was down for it! 4.75⭐️

Wasn’t really my cup of tea, but overall wasn’t OK book I’d say if you were a fantasy reader, it would be for you but for me it just didn’t have the right elements. The mermaids are cool though.

DNF @ 33%

This book has gone absolutely nowhere and the middle school diary entry written like adult literary fiction took me out. and according to other reviews continuing on isn't worth it! 😕
So disappointing because Weyward was so good.

A story of sisters across time.

Mermaids
Weird
Historical
Magical realism
Coming of Age
Multiple perspectives
Teacher student relationship
Mystery

Thank you to netgalley for this arc. while this wasn’t my favorite book, it was enjoyable and I would recommend it to fantasy readers

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of this book in exchange for honest feedback.

This book was much different than anything I have read before. It was almost haunting, but drew me in quickly. I thought it was very easy to follow the different timelines within the story, which sometimes can confuse the reader. This book was somehow beautiful, but also creepy and eerie at times - especially given the fact that I requested based off of the beautiful cover and really had no clue what to expect from the read.

5 star read in my option, for something unlike anything I have read before - and how this story really pulled me in!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

The Sirens by Emilia was a mixed bag for me. I loved the overall vibe of the book—it had this eerie, atmospheric tone that drew me in right away. The myth-inspired elements were really cool and gave the story a unique twist.

But at the same time, the pacing felt uneven. Some parts moved so slowly that I struggled to stay engaged, and a few of the characters didn’t feel fleshed out enough for me to really connect with them. By the time I got to the ending, it wrapped up faster than I expected, almost like it was rushing to the finish line after such a slow build.

Overall, it wasn’t a bad read at all—just one that didn’t completely hook me the way I hoped. If you like dark, lyrical stories with a mythological edge, you’ll probably enjoy this one.