Thank you NetGalley!

I am Absolutely in love with this story. The connection between the past and present is absolutely flawless and the transitions are impeccable. I was captivated by Mary, Eliza, Jess and Lucy. You can tell that Emilia put many, many hours of research in for this tale. Weyward has been on my bookshelf for a bit and will now be my next read after this!

Thank you, NetGalley and St Martins Press, for an ARC of this book!

The Sirens by Emilia Hart captivated me in ways I didn't anticipate. From the very first page, the book exudes an eerie, almost chilling atmosphere that draws you in, making you feel like you're right there with the characters, facing the unknown. Hart masterfully creates a vibe that is unsettling yet irresistibly compelling, making it hard to put the book down.

One of the most remarkable aspects of The Sirens is how real it feels. There's often a fine line when writing about mythical creatures; it's easy for the story to feel like a typical fantasy, detached from reality. However, Hart has walked that line with incredible skill, creating a narrative that feels so true to life, it's almost like you're reading a real-life account. It's this authenticity that sets the book apart and makes the reader believe that the events could easily happen to someone they know. This unexpected, refreshing realism pulled me deeper into the story than I had imagined, and I found myself devouring it just to find out what happened next.

However, the book does have a few drawbacks. While the narrative kept me hooked, I felt that some plot points lacked the closure they deserved.

Possible Spoiler: For example, the story opens with Lucy assaulting her former lover Ben while sleepwalking, then fleeing to her sister as the college tries to locate her. This intriguing setup drew me in, but the resolution of this thread felt incomplete at the end of the book. It was a missed opportunity to bring more clarity to the story's many layers.

Despite these minor flaws, The Sirens is a mesmerizing read that lingers in your mind long after you've turned the last page. Emilia Hart has taken a classic myth and turned it into something that feels entirely new—an atmospheric, chilling, and unexpectedly real tale that is sure to captivate readers.

Emilia Hart has done it again! This book has been one of my top reads of 2024, and it isn’t even out yet!
As an avid historical fiction lover, I do find myself wanting something new. New takes, new viewpoints, etc. That is exactly what the author provided with The Sirens. I was captivated throughout, and recommend it to anyone who is interested!

This book is two stories of women persevering, separated by generations, but both leading to a similar destination. A beautifully written, suspenseful tale of sisters finding their place in an often hostile world and the magic that surrounds them and protects them.
Lucy wakes up one night in 2019, from yet another vividly real dream to find herself choking her ex-lover in his bed. She flees to her sister's new home on the coast, hoping Jess can help her understand these dreams. She arrives to find Jess missing. As a journalism student, Lucy knows how to uncover information, and the information she's slowly uncovering here makes things more and more confusing.
In the year 1800, Mary and Eliza were dragged to a convict ship headed for Australia, along with other women convicted of crimes both small and large, and their only thought was survival. Changes happening to them physically in the dark, smelly hold of the convict ship gave them the strength to fight for their lives.
These two stories of feminine strength and resilience combine in the most beautiful way. I loved how the suspense grew and grew, making it a page turning book I could not put down until the end.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for this ARC copy.

I absolutely love the premise of the book, mermaids have always intrigued me. I enjoyed the multiple time lines and how they related to each other. However, I did get a little bogged down in the tedious details. It felt like a long 350 pages.

I was immediately drawn into the story with an exciting tale of a mysterious birth in a cave, a sister going through a traumatic time in college and a missing sister who recently moved to a small town famous for many disappearances. The storytelling was intriguing and I enjoyed the parallels between the two timelines and two pairs of sisters. I was hoping for more mystical siren tales and world building instead of real world historical drama. That said, it was interesting to learn about and I think it was an important plotline. The pacing was a bit slow for my taste and I found it difficult to continue reading. I think this would be a good read for those who enjoy historical Women's literature.

Five stars.

It took me a while to get into this one, but once I did I was hooked! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I was excited to read this book because I really enjoyed Weyward. This book had a lot of the same themes—women’s empowerment and jumping back and forth between different timelines. There is also a strong theme of magical realism which I enjoy.

If you are looking for a realistic book, this is not it. But the on going themes of justice and empowerment for women are very realistic. The artistic descriptions were also spectacular. For fans of Weyward or other magical realism, I highly recommend the Sirens. It was a nice change of pace from the typical “witchy” themes.

I feel like this had the potential to be a really good book. The premise sounded great, the mysterious skin condition, the sleepwalking, etc. all made me really interested. I'm not sure why this wasn't as good as I expected. I think I needed more from the ending (and maybe we needed to hear from Jess sooner?) but either way, it just didn't fully deliver for me.

2.5 stars, rounded up.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the overall premise of this book. The lore, the different timelines and the way they all interconnected was phenomenal. The main plot was a tad predictable but still the story was very intriguing. You develop care for the main characters and want to see their story seen through.

I loved how a lot of history plays into this story as well.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this title. I really enjoyed this book. This is great for anyone who enjoys the lore surrounding mermaids and sirens.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart is a compelling mix of history and magical realism, following two sets of sisters across different time periods. Mary and Eliza, convicts in 1800s Ireland, are sent to Australia, while Lucy and Jess in the present day struggle with their own secrets. The way the sisters' stories intertwine through dreams and the sea is beautifully done, with captivating connections between their lives.

The writing is poetic and atmospheric, though at times the pacing feels uneven, and the ending is somewhat predictable. Despite these minor issues, the emotional depth of the characters and the strong bond between Lucy and Jess kept me engaged. The historical elements were fascinating, though a few plot points felt unresolved. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read with enough intrigue and beauty to make it a solid 4-star novel, particularly for fans of magical realism and historical fiction.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author. I’m not sure how I feel about it. It is told in two main time lines. It was difficult to understand how the two time lines would converge. I liked reading about the characters and their interaction with each other and the historical fiction aspect. However, when the magical, fantasy storyline started, I lost interest in the characters. The epilogue tried to tie both time lines together, but it seemed rushed and even more unbelievable.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4

It was an engaging story, and I found it kind of sad and spooky.

Why didn’t I give this a 5 star rating? Well… I am someone who typically enjoys historical fiction. However, I found the multiple timelines kept pulling me out of the book. I also felt like Mary’s parts didn’t really serve any true purpose/didn’t add to the story.

I’d still say this was a phenomenally written book. I was rooting for the main character and I truly loved the ending so much.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

A story of two sets of sisters from different lifetimes with the mystery of how they connect. Present day, Lucy shows up to the house her sister, Jess, is staying at only to find it empty. She does her best to piece together where Jess might be by meeting with locals and reading through old diaries where she learns more than she bargains for.
Twins, Mary and Eliza, from the 1800s are sent away from their home in Ireland on a convict ship. On their voyage, they feel a pull from the sea which they were always taught to fear.

Ocean/sea centered
Strong female leads
Family drama

The point of view shifts between Jess’ journal/memories (90s), Lucy (2019), and Mary and Eliza (1800s). Though I put together some of the pieces early on, I enjoyed taking the journey with Lucy. If you like twists and turns, this book is for you. The writing is so vivid it’s easy to fall into a trance and imagine yourself there with Lucy, Jess, and the twins - and who can resist the Sirens?
The background is interesting as well as @emiliahwriter shares a disclaimer in the beginning. It’s books like this that make me want to dive (no pun intended) into the inspirations/history behind a book.

If you liked Weyward, check this one out next year!

The Sirens was a genre I don't often read, but this book was brought to my attention, and the cover was gorgeous. It's such a different story, and it's beautiful. There are varying timelines, which is a format I love, and you see the ties that bind the women together as the plot continues. I had to think about this one for a couple days before offering my opinion. I was initially going to give a four, but after a couple of days, I decided to raise this to a five, because I kept thinking about the characters.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheSirens #StMartinsPress #EmiliaHart #NetGalley

I really enjoyed Weyward, so I was excited to read this one. The premise was clever and unique, but it danced around, like driftwood bobbing atop the ocean, ruining the pace. The two storylines had unsatisfying endings, and overall I felt this book missed the mark with what it hoped to accomplish.

I loved Hart’s previous novel so I was very excited for this. I hoped for the same level of charm, magic and mystery that I found within Weyward, however this book left me disappointed. I thought the concept was creative but I found myself bored by how it was carried out. I didn’t feel a connection to the characters, and I felt that the central mystery was quite obvious and dragged out.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC! *The Sirens* by Emilia Hart is a captivating and atmospheric novel that immerses readers in a world of myth and mystery. Hart's lyrical prose and vivid descriptions create a hauntingly beautiful setting that enhances the story's enchanting elements. The characters are richly developed, with their personal struggles and relationships adding depth to the narrative. Although some plot twists may be predictable, the novel’s evocative storytelling and emotional resonance keep readers engaged. Overall, it’s a mesmerizing and immersive read that will appeal to fans of literary fiction with a touch of magic.

This was so good! I absolutely was hooked from beginning to end, Recommend for everyone. Loved the topic of Sirens

The Sirens was one of those offerings that demanded I sit with the story a bit before formulating a review. I needed time to think deeply about the themes and the way the story was woven, time also, to decide how an epilogue with a single piece of information might effect all the pages that came before. . The Sirens follows a fleeing Lucy in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic experience at university. She hopes to find Solace in Jess, her mysterious artist of a sister. When Lucy arrives at the small coastal town and the cliff side home that Jess resides in, things complicate further. With Jess nowhere to be found, Lucy begins to unravel a mystery that spans generations and is brimming with whimsy, rage, and lore.

Readers who loved Weyward will fall easily into Hart's newest depiction of the shared female experience. She's deftly woven a tale that is simultaneously nuanced and bold in it's exploration of both feminine rage and, on the softer end, how women hold each other in moments of joy and sorrow. Introspective readers will surely see themselves in at least one of these well crafted characters. The story is paces just perfectly, the plot moved at a swift pace but the evocative atmospheric snippets gave the writing and story room to breathe As a buddy read, The Sirens offered a tale that proved worthy of analysis, wild theories, and some seriously cathartic chatter!

It is worth noting that this story was smoothly sailing to a five star for me and then the epilogue sort of tarnished my experience. It isn't a deal breaker, the story itself is just spectacular, but that extra little chapter left me in a serious " what does it all mean" state. In my opinion it distracted from the overall themes of the story that had been so expertly offered. Still, The Siren's is a STRONG 4 star for me and I just can not wait to see what the author offers readers next!

The Sirens reads like a combination of a fairytale, a haunting ghost story and a dream. The descriptive writing is beautiful and each timeline is richly drawn. I was so impressed with how the timelines ultimately tied these women together. This is a story that sweeps you away from the beginning and makes you feel the atmosphere and the emotions of the characters. Like Weyward, The Sirens has an exquisite cover and I’m planning to add a copy to my bookshelf when it’s released. If you enjoyed Weyward, don’t miss this one. It’s spectacular!