Overall a good story and a tale of two sisters. I liked the timeline switch and felt like the story kept me intrigued as it unfolded the mysteries

If you loved Weyward by Emilia Hart then you will definitely love this book. It is beautifully written and the characters are one you can fall in love with.
Lucy is running from what she’s done – and what someone did to her.

There’s only one person who might understand: her sister Jess. But when Lucy arrives at her sister’s desolate cliff-top house, Jess is gone.

Lucy is now alone, in a strange town steeped in rumour. Stories of men disappearing without a trace. A foundling discovered in a sea-swept cave. And women’s voices murmuring on the waves…

As Lucy searches for her sister, those voices get ever louder. They tell of two sisters, two centuries ago, bound and transported across the world. A world where men always get their way. A world that is at once distant, and achingly familiar.

Are these voices luring Lucy closer to her sister? Or will the secrets of the past pull them both under?

Emilia Hart certainly knows how to beat the feminist drum in the creepiest, most captivating way—give me all of it! She’s an incredible writer, and The Sirens will not disappoint Weyward fans.

The Sirens dives deep into the lives of women across generations, blending eerie mystery and folklore in a haunting seaside town. Lucy’s modern-day story unfolds with sleepwalking episodes and complex sisterly bonds, keeping you hooked. I loved the mermaid lore woven throughout!

And that cover—absolutely stunning!

Story of two sets of sisters.Sisters Mary and Eliza are forced to leave Cork. Ireland on a convict ship heading to
Australia for a committed crime. The hardships the sisters and other female prisoners undergo are horrific. When
the ship sinks, their truer nature is revealed.
In 2019, Lucy has an ex-lover who has posted pictures of her on the internet. When she wakes from a sleep
walking episode, she discovers she is trying to choke him to death. To escape, she flees to her sister who lives
in a distant coastal town .In falshbacks, her sister Jess's past is revealed and the reason for keeping distance from
her family. Linda discovers Jess's old journal which reveals Jess's secrets and a shocking truth about herself.
Both sisters have been dreaming about Mary and Eliza and discover a connection to the two.
Strong resilient female characters and their connection to the sea.
#TheSirens #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

The Sirens review:
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin Press for allowing me to review the Emilia Hart’s newest novel, the Sirens! I want to start off by mentioning that I applied for this ARC after falling head-over-heels in love with Hart’s writing in Weyward - her debut novel. Weyward drew me in initially by the artistic way that Hart was able to seamlessly switch between the timelines of her three heroines; Altha, Kate, and Violet. I also loved her underlying themes of righteous feminine rage and the supernatural.
The Sirens also hooked me from the very first page. It starts with a young woman in distress after a series of dreams leads her to unconsciously commit a violent act. Immediately, the young woman (Lucy) realizes that she needs the help of her older sister to work through what is happening to her.
Through the dreams of Lucy and her older sister Jess, the Sirens depicts the story of Mary and Eliza, two Irish girls living in 1801 who are sentenced to exile and placed aboard a convict ship destined for New South Wales.
Throughout The Sirens, readers will learn that something powerful connects Lucy, Jess, Mary, and Eliza - something more powerful than the time that separates them.
Emilia Hart - holy crap I could not put this book down! Your writing is absolutely gorgeous, and you do your characters justice every time. I can’t wait to read your next novel!

I loved the writing style of this book and the way the different timelines went together. The imagery of the ocean & the story of the shipwreck were probably my favorite part. I will say the characters are complicated and not easily likeable for the most part, I understand why she did it as their complexity lends itself well to the story. The book drew me in and kept me there and for that it gets 4 stars.

This came close to being a 4 for me, but while I liked the book, I didn't love it, and the Epilogue felt a bit like it contrasted with some of the book's themes, which lost a lot of points.

The story is primarily a magical realism mystery that follows Lucy as she tries to figure out how her story overlaps with that of other female characters in the past. It is told through three perspectives at different points in time. There are strong feminist themes and a very well-visualized setting.

What did I like?
The mystery element was very well done. I was genuinely invested in the answers, and I didn't see it coming far in advance, though I should have.

What didn't I like? It was, for me, a bit slowly paced, with almost all of the 'action" at the very end. And while I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the setting at the beginning, it began to feel repetitive and unnecessary by mid-way through the book.

Who's it for? The fans of mysteries and vibes. What this book did excellently was create a very immersive setting. Who isn't it for? Anyone who wants more action than setting.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the advance reader copy.

"Sirens" unfolds as a captivating and grand feminist fantasy story centered on four women embarking on a quest to uncover their individuality in a realm where equality is merely an illusion. They must navigate a landscape of chauvinism, learning to celebrate their differences and brilliance to carve out their own identities.

The tale kicks off in 2019, introducing Lucy, an 18-year-old journalism student who has fallen victim to cyberbullying at the hands of her secret boyfriend, who maliciously shared an intimate photo of her online, turning her into the target of ridicule at school. One fateful morning, Lucy finds herself sleepwalking and, in a fit of rage, choking him in her sleep, igniting a fear that she might ruin everything she has fought to achieve. In search of solace, she drives to the home of her estranged older sister Jess in Comper Bay, a coastal town in Australia shrouded in mystery, where countless men have vanished at sea over the years. Upon her arrival, Lucy discovers the door ajar, her sister's hasty departure evident, her phone left behind, and signs of a male visitor lingering in the air.

As Lucy waits for Jess to return, she is plagued by recurring nightmares of two sisters aboard a ship, battling for survival, and her sleepwalking episodes intensify.

When Lucy stumbles upon Jess's diary concealed within the house, she is unaware that her life is on the brink of a profound transformation. The diary transports back to 1999, when Jess lived with their parents in a rural community. Isolated due to a rare skin condition known as aquagenic urticaria, which renders water perilous, Jess finds refuge in her artistic pursuits. As Jess delves deeper into her condition, she begins to suspect that her parents are concealing dark secrets about her illness that she is determined to uncover.

The scene transitions to the 1800s, where we meet Mary and Eliza, twin sisters hailing from Ireland, who endure torments from the fate of their own.

The stories of these four women intertwine, bridging the gap between past and present, guiding them toward a shared future. "Sirens" unfolds as a compelling story of female empowerment, intricately laced with elements of fantasy and a fresh perspective on historical events.

The character arcs and the captivating storyline created an engaging and fulfilling experience for me, and I definitely feel like those who have enjoyed the author's earlier work, "Weyward.", is gonna like this one as well! It’s a mesmerizing odyssey through various eras, and of self-discovery!

On an enjoyment scale though, it was moderate for me. I loved the premise of this book but my feelings towards this book fluctuated while reading it, but i still do recommend this!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!.

After this book, Emilia Hart is an autobuy author for me. I’m not normally someone who picks up historical fiction, but she writes so beautifully and creates characters that stay with you long after the story is finished. I cannot praise her enough.

I was so excited to read Sirens after being a huge fan of Weyward, and this did not disappoint! Another strong female book with supernatural and fantasy elements, while bringing in history, live the multiple POVs and emotional connection to the characters.

First, thank you so much for allowing me to read The Sirens. I absolutely adore Weyward so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her second novel. Similar to Weyward, The Sirens took me about 40 percent to get hooked. The story starts a bit slow as you are trying to piece together what is happening. About 40% in, I could not put this book down. I was absolutely hooked. The twist revealed at 70% I truly did not see coming and then it just kept getting better. We have two timelines- one in the 1800s following women prisoners being transferred via boat and one in 2019 following Lucy, a college student searching for hope after one night ruins everything. This story is heartfelt and beautifully written. The women empowerment in this story had me ready to take on all men who have ever hurt anyone. I look forward to reading all of Emilia’s future work!

I loved this! The haunting story of two pairs of sisters, Jess and Lucy in the present, and Mary and Eliza in the past. Mary and Eliza live in Ireland with their da, their mam having left them when they were small. There is something different about them and they don’t understand it In the present, Lucy feels abandoned by Jess her older sister. She also feels different and suffers from a skin condition that worsens when exposed to water. Entwined within this story is a story of missing men, thought lost to the ocean. And the historical tale of Irish women taken on prison ships to New South Wales. There is a lot of mysticism and folklore throughout this story of sirens and folk of the sea. Lots of revelations about family and parentage as well. The story unfolds nicely with the epilogue explaining some of the questions in the book. It’s very hard to give a review without spoilers so I’m just going to say that this one was even better than weyward-read it! Thank you, NetGalley for the digital copy. 4 1/2 stars.

I really enjoyed about 80% of this book, the other portion left me wanting more from the writing, plot and characters. This could’ve been executed a little better in my opinion. It was still good, but it felt unoriginal and unfinished in some areas. I love powerful female characters so that was a huge plus because these women were definitely strong and independent. Overall, I wish some loose ends were tied up and that they dived into more of the back story.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this early.

Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read this ARC in return for my critique. I gave this book a rating of 4, but it should be a 3.5. I usually round up.
I was very intrigued with this story from the get-go, which tells the story in dual timelines. Also, the major protagonists in each time period share an unusually strange medical condition, so I really wanted to know how that tied them together. I also liked the mystery aspect of parentage and how criminal activity came into play. Additionally, I was sad to learn about the transport of criminals in the 1800s from Ireland to Australia. So with all this in play, I was caught.... UNTIL Part 3. That's when the story unraveled for me. The attempt to tie up all the loose ends didn't work for me, nor were they believable. There was supposed to be a happily ever after feel, but it didn't work for me. However, should you read it? Sure. Go for it. There is certainly enough to enjoy, and you might like the ending better than I did.

I love a good book set in different time periods! I had loved Hart's book Weyward and so looked forward to this one! A Little bit of a reality mythical story which I always love!

Told in two timelines, The Sirens was a thought provoking book about sisters, strength, secrets, and determination. I really enjoyed The Sirens despite it being a tad slow in the beginning. I enjoyed the 'finding out who you are' aspect of this book. I also enjoyed the relationships and the themes of family, family secrets, female friendships and sisterhood. Not to mention the look at how women are/were persecuted yet remained strong throughout history. I also enjoyed the atmosphere and the feeling of being called to the sea, feeling a part of it, and being drawn to it. I liked how Mary and Eliza in the past (1800), had a strong bond and how they changed on the convict ship. I also enjoyed how Lucy (2019) (went searching for Jess, her sister and found out the truth of who she and Jess truly are.

I found this to be a very thought provoking and original book. It is wonderfully written and captivating. The characters are likeable, intriguing, and their plight is gripping. As I mentioned, this book had a slow start for me but soon I was won over and I wanted to know how things would turn out. This book combines mystery, fantasy, magical realism, and history.

I was excited to read this because I loved Weyward and it did not disappoint. It harnessed the same energy of female empowerment. Although I did enjoy it, I did find it easy to predict where the story was going as it went along. I did enjoy the resolution of Jess's origin story in the epilogue which tied everything together.

I thought it was a well crafted story of Sirens in the sea against a real life backdrop.

I liked the dual timeline and how it featured those exiled back in the 19th century to Australia and how awful scenario - I’ve read a book about that in detail before and it’s both a horrific and captivating time in the UK and Australia’s history.

While the book was easy to figure out and fairly predictable in most aspects, I found the unfolding of the mystery well written and interesting. It held my attention and I enjoyed the characters of Lucy, Jess, Mary, and Eliza. I liked that they looked out for each other and were loyal even when they didn’t have to be. I love a book where women champion and stand by other women.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

The Sirens was an overall interesting storyline! It centers around two sisters, one of which is somewhat estranged from her family. The plot line switches back and forth between a modern timeline and a past timeline, and I thought the timeline set in the past was super interesting. The past storyline is about two sisters who are forced to leave Ireland on a criminal transport ship to Australia. I liked seeing how the two storylines were intermingled and that the story focused on strong female characters.

”The sea gives, but it also takes…”

A melancholy coastal town, plagued by lore and legends. A house on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the waves. The wreckage of a ship on the ocean floor. Men lost to the sea over the course of many decades. Two sisters, allergic to water and yet inexplicably drawn to it. And now, a missing girl.

”I know people who say they’ve heard it, standing on the beach at night.” He pauses, looks back at her. “Voices, coming from the waves. Women’s voices.”

The Sirens was eerie and haunting and mysterious, a richly-layered story that I couldn’t put down. There is so much happening between these pages, so many elements that might be related but may be unconnected coincidences, that the entire story felt shrouded in the same mist and fog that hovered over the seaside town. Emilia Hart has mastered the perfect literary blend of atmosphere and tone.

”In the moonlight the rocks below glimmer like teeth. The sea shreds itself over them, dark waves foaming white.”

This isn’t a book that wraps everything up in a nice, neat package at the end. There are still loose ends and unanswered questions that the reader is left to ponder, and I can see this being a frustration for some. But I loved the creativity of the story and the beautiful prose enough to overlook that! A solid 4-star read.

”The sea was in her veins, calling loud as a song.”

——

A huge thank you to Emilia Hart, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!