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!

The Sirens drew me in with its promise of an interesting plot. I truly enjoyed how the plot was structured; between the two timelines and the journal entries, the story flowed well. It was a very atmospheric book, the settings of the story were very vivid and interesting.

The pacing didn't always work for me; it seemed like the more current timeline was a plot device for something to happen to the main character, instead of her taking action or investigating herself. In addition, the journal entries read more as prose than an actual journal, which was weird.

Then a lot happened at the end! Some of the twists in the story actually dropped my jaw. And the audiobook narrator was amazing; switching between (to my ear) flawless Irish and Australian accents. Overall, I'm on the fence about recommending this, although I do think those who enjoy historical fiction will likely enjoy this, since it's well-researched and an aspect of history we don't hear a lot about.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received this book as an audiobook ARC from NetGalley. This story was perfectly laid out to keep intrigue up while still progressing through the generational story line. The narrator did an amazing job with the different voices and accents of each character as well as singing the siren songs sprinkled throughout the book. I very much enjoyed listening to her.

The storyline development told through personal perspective, familial flashbacks, and diary entries slowly incorporated how each individual contributed to the overall plot. While a lot was revealed on how each character was connected by the end of the story I didn’t love how some of the timeline and personal drivers between the land above and below the sea was left up the reader to determine and fill in.

I would recommend this story to those that like historical fantasy with a dose of women empowerment. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this one. I loved the different timelines and how gruesome it got. Excited to see more from this author

The story of Lucy & Jess and of the sisters from the Niad are amazing! So many emotions! I did not find this book predictable at all, Secrets were revealed right up to the end!!
The narrator did a fabulous job!

Advanced Listening Copy

The Sirens follows three timelines - aboard a ship in the 1800s, a teenager discovering her origins in 1999, and her sister trying to deal with a recent trauma in 2019. Throughout the timelines, all the women discover a relationship with the sea. A book full of intense detail, multiple plots, and magical realism.

I was not the target audience for the book, but I wanted to stretch my genre wings after hearing raves for the author's last best-seller. She is an accomplished author with amazing and imaginative world-building abilities. However, for me, the story was overcomplicated. I'm still not super clear on the 1800s boat storyline. Jess & Lucy's storylines dealing with trauma were easier to understand, but still cluttered with too many layers and a few dropped plotlines.

I'm sure many will find more in the connecting of the storylines than I did. At minimum, you will walk away saying "well, hmmm, that was different!"

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillian Audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.