thank you Netgalley for the ARC! 3.5 i love women’s revenge and women doing bad things to protect themselves from men and bad men getting what they deserve however this was a tad predictable. i saw almost all of the twists coming a mile away

Emilia Hart has solidified herself as one of my must read authors. This dual timeline story of sisters from Ireland bound to Australia on a convict ship and Jess and Lucy bound together by memories and old secrets as mesmerizing. The writing was beautifully done- I couldn’t put it down. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this amazing story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced e-copy of The Sirens! I was immediately excited because I loved Emilia Hart's debut novel Weyward.

The Sirens has many of the same feminist, female rage undertones, but is more focused on the power of sisterhood and female friendship. I once again really enjoyed the writing (creative and visceral, without trying too hard) and felt the characters were nuanced. They were not perfect and often morally gray, but certainly still had you rooting for them.

I wish the pacing was not as slow in the first half of the book, but I'm ok with it based on how it paid off in the second half. It was just a little harder to get into. Instead of one big reveal, it sprinkles breadcrumbs slowly, nudging you to put it all together. While some might find that less satisfying, I really enjoyed it by the end. Emilia Hart does it again!!

This book was beautifully written. I stayed engaged through the whole book because of the descriptive and enchanting way it follows two stories in two timelines. I haven’t read Weyward yet and now I cannot wait!

3.5 stars. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

While I (ironically?) wasn't as entranced by The Sirens as I was by Weyward, I did enjoy this novel and Emilia Hart's writing. Another win for strong female characters and weaving together centuries.

The best way to describe this book is that it would be perfect for my step mom’s book club. The story is told from the perspective of three women in different situations, places and times. Several things drew me in- a serial killer murder mystery, interesting female relationships, and the question of how their stories connected across time. I enjoyed the writing- it was easy to read yet lyrical and whimsical. Two of the main characters though did not feel incredibly developed- to me they did not have many defining characteristics and seemingly no personality aside from their “condition” of a water allergy and one life goal. It also suffered from the one character that had more fleshed out motivations (Jessica) having most of her story told from the perspective of when she was an angsty teenager. Ultimately, I was satisfied with how the story came together in the end, it did take awhile to get there it felt like. Parts dragged until the last 20% when things started to pick up. The Sirens was certainly a lot of vibes over plot, but if you love the ocean, hate most men, and want deeply rooted family secrets this is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Emilia Hart for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!

With that being said, I don't think I would've finished this had it not been an ARC. This was very slow in the beginning. It did pick up but I felt like there was so much unnecessary parts. It was also unnecessarily dark, like it was written for shock factor only.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really loved this one! I am not the best at writing reviews sometimes, but sometimes books take you by surprise and this one did just that. I got invested a few chapters in and couldn't put it done. It was so good! I highly recommend this one. Emilia has such a way pulling you into each book and never letting you go, even after you finish.

Emilia Hart creates a bleak, gloomy atmosphere that pulled me in from the start, but not a lot actually happens there.

The story feels surprisingly low stakes amidst the doom and gloom of the setting, but I was still deeply invested in the fates of Mary & Eliza and Lucy & Jess. Like Weyward, we alternate between three timelines, following women as they attempt to heal from trauma and seek revenge.

The few plot twists were predictable, and I didn't feel any of the characters really grew through the story, but something about this just really stuck with me. It was a slow read, but I was constantly thinking about that cave in the sea in between chapters.

Definitely an all vibes no plot situation, but one that worked for me.

I was so excited when I had the chance to read an ARC of this book through NetGalley. When I read Weyward back in 2023 I loved Emilia Hart's writing and couldn't wait to be able to read more of it!
This book was captivating. I love the way Emilia is able to tie events from three different decades together, while being historically accurate and engaging. The way the characters wove together, and the bits and pieces you learned in each chapter had me needing to know everything! This is a story about sisterhood (and girlhood), that makes you proud to be a woman. There were some aspects of the story I was able to predict, but I did not see the ending coming! A few gasps were hard once I hit 85%! If you're a fan of Weyward, read this book! Pre-ordering a physical copy to add to my library ASAP!

Emilia Hart has done it again! I loved Wayward, which I got as an actual physical book because I loved it so much. When I learned that Hart was coming out with another book, I was so excited. When I got approved to read it as an ARC, I almost melted. And it was worth all the excitement. This is a story of family, love, motherhood, sisterhood and revenge. It has everything! The characters are dynamic and I felt like I got to know each one intimately. The plot is full of suspense that keeps you reading, and also guessing! This is a multi-timeline book, but all the timelines come to a conclusion at the end. I highly recommend this book!

Sirens is an amazing book. Loved the history, the mystery and the lore. This book kept me guessing the entire time. The detail was perfect. Would highly recommend.

If Weyward pulled you in, The Sirens will drag you under in the best way possible. Perfect for fans of gothic folklore, feminist retellings, and stories that feel like whispered secrets on the wind.

“The sea gives, but it also takes” - The Sirens

Prior to reading the Sirens, I read Weyward last year, and it was one of my favorite books of the year. I was super excited to have the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of the Sirens. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

The sirens alternates point of view between Lucy who is a college student in Australia in 2019 and Mary in Ireland in 1800. A third POV, Jess’ childhood diary entries are introduced 1/4 into the book. Eventually, about 80% into the story, a fourth POV is introduced - Jess in modern time. The alternating POVs and alternating timelines made it difficult to follow at times, which wasn’t a problem when reading Weyward.

After having nude photos leaked by a male student, Ben, Lucy sleepwalks and attacks Ben in the middle of the night in their college dorm. The story begins with Lucy running from the authorities, on her way to her sister’s house in Comber Bay. When Lucy arrives, she discovers her sister‘s car in the driveway, finds her keys and phone inside her house, but quickly discovers that her sister is nowhere to be found.

Lucy’s sister Jess is introduced in the first chapter of the book, and later through Jess’s diary entries that we get to read snippets of throughout the story. Lucy finds a painting in Jess house of a mermaid and ship she dreamed of. Lucy discovers several more paintings of the ship, all featuring the same two sisters. Throughout the story, Lucy slowly learns the truth of her and Jess’ history.

Lucy listens to a podcast about the unsolved disappearance of several men in Comber Bay over 30 years. Comber Bay/Devils lookout is a coastal town miles from Sydney where Jess lives. The story is of the unsolved mysterious disappearance of 8 men between 1960 and 1997. No trace of any of them ever found. Some towns people believe there is some kind of supernatural explaniation for the disapperancea and claim to hear womens voices coming from the waves.

There is also the mystery of Baby Hope found abandoned at the Devil’s Lookout in 1982. Baby Hope was adopted by a family that later underwent scrutiny and was accused of abandoning Hope and staging the rescue for their own benefit.

Mary and Eliza are imprisoned in Ireland in 1800 after the failed Irish rebellion where England maintained their power over the Irish. They are being forcibly transported by boat to New South Wales, Australia. Eliza is called “the girl who sings but does not see.” Mary and Eliza struggle with being separated from their Da, and we learn that their Mam died from drowning in the sea despite Da begging her not to go near the water.

Lucy is having dreams about being on being in the dark with women crying and praying. She can feel herself holding hands with another woman in these dreams. Lucy was diagnosed with a skin condition that makes water dangerous for her skin. Lucy finds an invitation to an art show called The Sirens for her sister, schedule to take place later in the week.


A third POV, Jess’ childhood diary entries are introduced 1/4 into the book. Jess believes that her parents aren’t really her biological parents and believes they are hiding something from her. Lucy learns that Jess shares her skin condition, aquagenic urticaria, and that their parents hid this from her. Lucy also learns that Jess sleepwalks and was having an inappropriate relationship with her art teacher. Jess believes that their parents moved them as far away from the sea to keep the truth hidden. We later learn the truth - that Lucy was actually Jess daughter, conceived in secret with her art teacher who left the school after finding out Jess was pregnant. Eventually, the story switches from old diary entries and we get Jess POV from modern time. We learn that Jess teacher is on the run from authorities for sexually assaulting a student, and shows up at Jess house in Comber Bay for help. We also learn that Jess is Baby Hope, their parents are Robert and Judith Wilson, and Lucy is actually Jess daughter. I struggled with this plot twist and with the changing dynamic of the relationship. I also struggled to like Jess as a character, knowing she had abandoned her responsibilities as a mom and hid the truth from Lucy for so long.

As the story of Mary and Eliza unfolds, we slowly see their lives intertwine with Lucy and Jess. The connection between the sirens and the missing men unfolds, and Lucy learns that the missing men all had dark pasts involving hurting women or children. Melody, Jess neighbor, assures Lucy that she doesnt need to worry about Jess because Comber Bay “keeps its women safe.” By the end of the story, the connection has come full circle and all of the uncertainty about their connection is resolved.

I appreciate the opportunity to read that book early and was so excited to have the chance to. I absolutely loved Weyward and because of that my expectations were pretty high. Unfortunately, the Sirens just did not compare to my love for Weyward and I didn’t feel a connection with the character like I wanted to. I recommend giving this book a chance, but do not make the mistake I made of expecting it to compare to Weyward because it didn’t even come close for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Sirens by Emilia Hart.

While I enjoyed reading The Sirens, I found myself wanting a stronger overall plot. Much of the book focuses on Lucy’s journey of self-discovery, which, while compelling, left little room for deeper exploration of the Siren lore. I also wished for a darker, more vengeful tone—there’s something inherently fascinating about Sirens taking down bad men, and I wanted that theme to be pushed further.

That said, the novel was still an engaging read, and I would rate it a solid 3.5 stars.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart was different than my usual reads. I’m typically a romance girlie, very rarely venturing outside of that genre. That being said, I loved The Sirens.

A fantasy novel about two sets of sisters and the sea, this book spans hundreds of years and includes aspects of fantasy, mystery, and both historical and contemporary fiction.

It is a slow paced novel, steadily unravelling the story with numerous twists and turns. If you’re looking for something quick and fluffy, this is not it. I enjoyed the somewhat dark and creepy vibe to the whole book and the dip into Irish folklore and history.

The multiple perspectives kept the story from dragging and the author’s gorgeous descriptions kept my imagination engaged.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading The Sirens. I would recommend it if you’re in the mood for something a bit slow burn and shifty— but keep in mind, there is no romance!

Thanks to Emilia Hart and NetGalley for the ARC!

As someone who loves the ocean and the mysteries it holds, The Sirens by Emilia Hart was a captivating read for me. The story feels like the sea itself—vast, unpredictable, and full of hidden depths. Hart weaves together the lives of sisters separated by centuries but bound by the sea, creating a sense of timelessness that flows through the entire narrative.

The book shifts between three timelines: Lucy in 2019, Jess in 1999, and twins Mary and Eliza in the 1800s. Each timeline unveils its own mysteries, and while I adored the atmospheric writing, the transitions between the different periods could sometimes be a little jarring. However, the way the timelines converge and interconnect kept me intrigued.

I particularly loved the themes of sisterhood, resilience, and the pull of the sea. The mysterious disappearances of men at sea and the strange events surrounding Lucy’s family were compelling, though I wanted a bit more exploration of the supernatural elements. The pacing is slow, but for those who enjoy atmospheric stories with a touch of magic, The Sirens is a rewarding read.

Overall, a beautifully written novel, but I felt it could have explored the mystery of the sea and the sisters’ connection even further. It’s a solid 4-star book, especially for fans of magical realism and ocean-bound tales.

💭 ⓂⓎ ⓉⒽⓄⓊⒼⒽⓉⓈ
I loved the overall themes of this book, especially the focus on women’s empowerment and the bond between sisters. The writing was beautifully atmospheric, and the historical elements added so much depth. The character growth was incredibly well done, and the multiple timelines blended seamlessly. While the story had a slow burn buildup, I didn’t love the magical realism aspect as much as I had hoped because it felt a bit too strange for me. I was fully invested in the mystery, but the ending fell a little flat. I was hoping for a more impactful climax to tie everything together. Despite a few aspects that didn’t fully resonate with me, The Sirens was a beautifully written and thought provoking read.

📚 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
💕Sisterhood and family bonds
🪄Mystery and magical realism
🌊Gothic atmosphere
🤐Family secrets
💪🏻Feminist themes
🔁Dual timelines
🗣️Multiple POV

⚠️ 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨: sexual assault, rape.

🌊𝕄𝕐 ℝ𝔸𝕋𝕀ℕ𝔾🌊
⭐️⭐️⭐️

💕Q U O T E: “𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒 𝒶 𝓂𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇. 𝒴𝑒𝓈, 𝓉𝑜𝑔𝑒𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐸𝓁𝒾𝓏𝒶 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝓂𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑔𝒾𝓇𝓁𝓈 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝒸𝒶𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓅𝓁𝒶𝒸𝑒, 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑔𝒾𝓇𝓁𝓈 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝓅𝓇𝑜𝓉𝑒𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓋𝑒𝓃𝑔𝑒𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒.”

🙏 Thank you NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and Emilia Hart for this free ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. 💕

5.0 stars
HIGHLY recommend

This book was just freaking amazing! I loved it from beginning to end. For me, movies and books should be character-driven. This was a heavily character-driven novel and the relationships that are explored primarily are about family, sisterhood, and love.

The writing was incredible - just so beautiful. The descriptions are amazing, but not at the expense of the storyline. The characters were fascinating and multi-faceted as were the multiple storylines about sisters!!

A caveat, this is not a duplicate of Weyward. If that is what you are looking for then this is not the book for you. It is very different, but IMHO even better!

Give this novel a chance - it is a phenomenal story!!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6319810711 - posted 2/7/2025

Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/bd6f94bb-8a2b-45eb-9581-26fa81a281d6?redirect=true - posted 2/7/2025

Books by Dorothea blog: https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2025/02/review-sirens-earcebook.html - posted 2/7/2025

Okay, I REALLY like this take on the multiple POV because they are happening at different points in time.

The Sirens has such an interesting plot (there are other reviews that summarize it) but I also have to agree with another review about how certain details were never given closure and just kind of forgotten about, but also took up most of the plot.

I still enjoyed it regardless but it also could have been better in some ways. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

I received an ARC for my honest opinion of this book