A beautifully written book! The settling this book gives is breathtaking! Two sisters who find themselves being pulled to the same dream but aware of it. A journey with multiple layers and timelines.

Emilia Hart masterfully weaves a tale of generational trauma, resilience, and the undeniable power of sisterhood in Sirens. If you enjoyed Weyward, this novel will captivate you in the same way, as it seamlessly blends multiple timelines into a beautifully crafted narrative that culminates in a stunning conclusion.

From the very beginning, I was drawn into the mystery surrounding Lucy and her missing sister Jess in 2019, as well as the harrowing journey of Mary and Eliza in the 1800s. Hart’s ability to balance historical fiction with an almost ethereal, magical quality makes Sirens an unforgettable read. Just when I thought I had the story figured out, the twists—especially the final one—completely took me by surprise.

I was fortunate to receive an early copy of the audiobook thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, and I can confidently say that the experience was enhanced by Barrie Kreinik’s exceptional narration. Her performance, including the haunting siren songs, fully immersed me in the story. I found myself completely engrossed, unable to put my phone down—even on a Friday night!

Sirens is a breathtaking, atmospheric novel that lingers long after the final page. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves stories of strong women, the magic of the sea, and beautifully woven historical fiction.

Ok, I am going to start by saying her first book, Weyward, was one of my favorite books of 2022 (I also had an arc of that one). So I was very excited to get the arc audio for The Sirens. While I enjoyed the story, it just did not live up to Weyward for me. It's my first novel surrounding mermaids and it did jumpstart an intrigue to find more though.

I figured out what was going on and the family connections pretty early on, so that was not a surprise, but I enjoyed it. I wish there was more of a focus on what happened with Lucy and her school experience. I know that wasn't the focus, and the driving factor that led to her leaving and heading to Jess's house, but I felt jipped in that aspect. I also just couldn't connect with Mary and Eliza's story/timeframe for some reason. I can't put my finger on it, but there was something missing to draw me in.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it didn't have my blood boiling and mind racing like Weyward did.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the audio arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

I listened to this book as an audiobook and I loved the narrator, Barrie Kreinik. Her voice and accent worked beautifully with this story.

This is my first Emilia Hart book and I enjoyed it, but it fell a little flat for me. I loved that the stories of these women, Lucy (2019), Jess (1999), Mary, and Eliza (1800s), were all interconnected throughout time. The family bond and love was seeping from every page. No question the author is a beautiful writer and paints a very vivid description of the environment, surroundings, feelings, colors, smells, textures, etc., but that being said, I felt that there were many moments of excessive introspection and rambling. I often couldn't help but conjure this mental image of the character (usually Lucy) just standing in the middle of a kitchen or sidewalk to stare into space for an exceedingly long time while all these scenarios and in depth analyses play out in her head. It felt like there was very little actual verbal dialogue between characters. This also served to make the pacing of the book feel very slow. There were also a couple of threads that seemed to be important for the trajectory of the story, but ultimately lead nowhere (sleepwalking, journalism ambitions, art careers).

That said, the element of magical realism was fabulous. It almost made being a mermaid feel tangible, like they are out there in the world. For me, this was a redeeming quality (who doesn't want to be a mermaid?!) and the book still held a few surprises and a nice ending for the Wilson/Martin family.

The Sirens take place during different timelines and narratives. 1800"s twin sisters Mary and Eliza are being trransported from Ireland on a convit ship heading to Australia. The conditons aboard the ship are terrible and when the twins skin are changing with each passing day. Eliza and Mary are feeling the sea call to them more and more as the days pass by on the ship. 1999 Jess a 16 year old has that has a rare skin conditon and is just wanting someone to connect with. An aspiring artist Jess is drawn to her art professor for more than a student /teacher relationship. Jess feels that he can actually see who she really is and this by far is a comfort to her. Jess has secrets that are not ready to be shared. 2019 Lucy is in college for journalism and she has been sleepwalking and awakes to find her strangling her former lover, In a panic Lucy flees college and heads to her sister Jess for help. The trip reveals more clues than answers when Lucy is now looking for information into Jess's dissapearance. The Sirens was a fascinating read that also touched on the myth of mermaids. I loved this book just like with Weyward Emilia Heart weaves together both mystical and mystery flawlessly. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for letting me listen to an advanced copy of this novel.

Where do I even begin with this one?

Did l like it? Yes, I think so. But I struggled a lot to be honest. It has a very slow start, and I felt it dragged a lot in places.

This book is a mix of a few genres with magical realism, historical fiction, mystery and it had a touch of what felt like a Little Mermaid retelling.

I really enjoyed the historical fiction side with the history of the Irish women and how they ended up in Australia. And I liked the bond between the two sisters.

I also enjoyed the dual POV timeline switching between the current day and the other of over 200 years in the past.

Hart does have a beautiful way of describing the places and people she writes about and I think that is what kept me going for the most part. And she can definitely write about strong resilient women.

Definitely pick this one up if you enjoyed Hart’s previous works!


Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy for an honest review.

While I loved the way the author wrote, I felt some things went unexplained in an annoying way. I also found it predictable, but that could be my weird brain. I think a lot of things are predictable. Anyway, I liked the prose and characterization, but lost interest about halfway thru once I figured out some key elements. 3 stars for a mostly fun time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Big thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an arc of the audiobook for The Sirens!

This was absolutely adorable, peak cozy fantasy. It’s low stakes with a touch of mystery and magical elements that are easy to picture. More of a blend between historical fiction and fantasy, it made for such a comforting read. The story follows two sisters from different timelines, separated by hundreds of years, and highlights the resilience of women with a bit of fantasy woven in. Set in a charming coastal town, the atmosphere is immersive, and the narrator’s lovely Irish accent adds to the storytelling experience. I had a few lingering questions by the end, but overall, I really enjoyed it!

Emilia Hart has done it again with The Sirens, a moving, atmospheric novel told through time. Barrie Kreinik is hypnotic, switching seamlessly between an Irish brogue and an Australian accent.

3.5 stars - This may be my first mermaid/siren book - I really enjoyed that magical realism part of the story. The Sirens has history, mystery and feminism. Set in Australia, there is a beautiful opening acknowledgement to the indigenous people of the land. Loved the author interview at the end of the audio to hear more about her process and inspiration.

I'm having trouble not comparing Emilia Hart's books to each other.

Weyward was one of my top reads of 2024. I fell in love with that story in a way I could not have expected. It was a 5+ star read for me. Not to say that The Sirens is not good, it was beautiful and powerful. That being said, comparison is the thief of joy and I overanalyzed both books to the point of misery. They have similar themes and I can't help but think that the way they were handled in Weyward was just *chef's kiss* and in The Sirens, Hart was grasping for that feeling again.

I loved this story and audiobook! Thank you so much for giving the opportunity. I loved the dual timelines and the magic of it all.

I had previously read this story and really enjoyed it. Told from various perspectives spread over centuries, these women were so beautifully written. Each with a unique viewpoint and style. I found the story captivating. The narration was lovely and really helped evoke the rich emotions of the story.

I had previously read an ARC of The Sirens, so was curious to listen to the audiobook. I felt the narrator breathed extra life into it! Definitely worth a listen. I'm getting close to 50 % audiobooks 50% books and this is why--a strong narrator can really add to the emotion of the book and help to differentiate characters / time periods. Thank you NetGalley!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the copy of audiobook for my honest opinion.

The Sirens was an enjoyable read, it did have a slow start, but I really ended up enjoying it towards the end. Overall the character development was pretty good, but I can't honestly say I liked the main character, Lucy. Lucy was kind of unlikable in certain areas, I don't feel like I really connected with her and some of the decisions she made were odd, but the other characters kind of made up for that. I liked the 1800 story line better than the 2019, but they were both good. The narrator was a perfect choice, I could listen to her all day. The ending was good, I thought that there were going to be some questions unanswered, but it was wrapped up nicely. I'm giving it 3.5 stars, but rounding up to 4 because the second half was better than the first half.

“The Sirens” by Emilia Hart and wonderfully narrated by Barrie Kreinik tells the story of two different sets of sisters in three timelines: 1800 on a female convict ship to Australia and in 2019 Australia with some flashbacks/diaries to 1999. Lucy and Jess suffer from nightmares and sleepwalking, and both have a rare skin condition they believe is caused by an allergy to water. Lucy goes to see her sister after an event happens at her university that causes her to become expelled. But her sister is nowhere around. A neighbor tells her that Jess has gone away for a few days to rest before an art exhibition, and while Lucy is in Jess’s house, she finds her sister’s diaries and begins to read. Like Jess did in 1999, Lucy discovers her entire life was built on lies. She also discovers that she and her sister have had the same nightmares. What exactly is the connection between these two modern-day women and Mary and Eliza who were born more than 200 years earlier?

This is a spellbinding story that had me doing almost nothing else for two days. Highly recommended! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher of an arc of this audio book. My opinions are my own.

I enjoyed Weyward so I was excited to read another book by Emilia Hart, and I think I liked this just as much.

Hart returns with yet another beautifully written novel. I felt that she really brought the characters and setting to life, the same I felt with Weyward. The characters were likable and I was interested in Lucy's discoveries and the interwoven stories from the past. It did feel a little bit slow-paced, but once I got to know the characters I grew intrigued and interested in their self-discoveries. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the mystery of Comber Bay and the magical realism of the story, and the themes of relationships, friendships, and family secrets.

Plus, I like anything that has to do with mermaids!

I listened to the audiobook version of this as well and thought the narration was great!

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!
The Sirens was not what I expected. I don’t really think the synopsis did a great job at describing the content. While this was not a bad book, I know I am not the target audience. This was part mystery, part historical fiction, and there was a lot of SA that I wasn’t expecting. I can definitely see why other people would love this, but for me? I didn’t particularly enjoy it. I found it long and drawn out and pretty boring. The “sister” aspect of this book was largely missing for me. It was beautifully written though, and well narrated. I do feel like I learned some new things for having listened, too.
2.5⭐️

I was a fan of Hart’s debut novel, Weyward, but this novel surpassed that one to me.

This book completely absorbed me and I finished it in less than 24 hours while still several other books to finish. It looks like I might be in the minority with that, but I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Between the atmosphere, familial bounds, and the music of the ocean, I could not put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this novel.

I've been dreading writing this review for weeks, not because I disliked the book but because I just wasn't sure what to say. This was my second Emilia Hart book and it did not disappoint. The same historical, somewhat fantastical, but oh so personal feel that I got from Weyward was done just as well in this one. I love having multiple POVs and timelines and seeing how they bleed into each other. While this story did feel like it took a little bit longer to find itself, it still was worth the build-up and I enjoyed seeing how all the details started coming together. Some of the reveals really got me too!

The narrator was a really good fit as well so I'm glad I chose to do the audiobook again. Hart has really endeared herself to me with Weyward and The Sirens, and I can't wait to see what comes next. I'll jump right on whatever it is!